bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Different Hydrocarbons on Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth and Surface Morphological Defects in 4H‐SiC Epitaxial Layers
Authors: Ghezellou Misagh , Ul‐Hassan Jawad
Published: February 2024

Controlled epitaxial growth of 4H‐SiC is essential for advancing both power electronics and quantum technologies. This study explores how different carbon sources—methane and propane—affect the surface morphology of these epitaxial layers. By varying C/Si ratios and using the two mentioned hydrocarbons as the carbon source in chloride‐based epitaxial growth of 4H‐SiC layers, it is unveiled that methane results in an exceptionally smooth surface. However, it pronounces surface irregularities such as short step bunching and dislocation‐related etch pits. Moreover, methane amplifies the overgrowth of triangular defects with the 4H polytype. In contrast, the introduction of propane causes a step‐bunched surface together with inclined line‐like surface morphological defects. Notably, a majority of the triangular defects exhibit a pure 3C character without an overgrown 4H polytype. It is shown that these outcomes could be attributed to different sticking coefficients and diffusivity of the molecular species resulting from different carbon sources on the 4H‐SiC surface during the epitaxial growth. This research also uncovers the underlying origins and mechanisms responsible for various surface morphological defects.
Hemodynamic response to inhaled nitric oxide in patients with pulmonary hypertension and chronic kidney disease: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: del Valle Kathryn T. , Krowka Michael J. , Schinstock Carrie A. , Nath Karl A. , Burger Charles D. , Reddy Yogesh N. , Frantz Robert P. , Prakash Y. S. , DuBrock Hilary M.
Published: February 2024

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) (PH‐CKD) affects approximately 20%–40% of CKD patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. PH and CKD are both pathophysiologically associated with nitric oxide (NO) deficiency. The NO pathway, an important therapeutic domain in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is an intriguing but unexplored target in PH‐CKD. We sought to improve understanding of the clinical significance of the NO pathway in patients with PH‐CKD by assessing the hemodynamic response to inhaled NO (iNO) during right heart catheterization (RHC). In this retrospective cohort study, patients with diagnosis codes of PH and stage IV/V CKD or end‐stage renal disease and estimated glomerular filtration rate < 60 mL/min/body surface area who underwent RHC and hemodynamic drug study between July 2011 and June 2021 were eligible. Patients with mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) > 20 mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) > 3 Wood units were included. The final cohort included 37 patients (45.9% female, mean age 72.5 ± 9.7 years). A total of 56.7% of the cohort (21/37) had precapillary PH, while 43.2% (16/37) had combined precapillary postcapillary PH (Cpc‐PH). Median survival was 3.1 years after RHC. iNO was associated with a significant decrease in both mPAP and PVR. Hemodynamic changes in mPAP and PVR were similar in precapillary and Cpc‐PH groups. Among a small subset (n = 14) who were subsequently treated with PAH‐targeted therapy, treatment response was mixed and did not reveal significant benefit. Further studies are warranted to better define the potential role of PAH therapy in PH‐CKD.
DFT study on the effects of substituents on the structure and properties of dithiophosphate collectors
Authors: Ding Mingyuan , Liu Yingchao , Chen Jianhua , Li Yuqiong
Published: February 2024

The structures and properties of seven substituted dithiophosphate (DTP) collectors containing three types of functional groups (O2PS2, C2PS2, and N2PS2) were studied using density functional theory. The collectors studied were dibutyl dithiophosphate (DNBDTP), diisobutyl dithiophosphate (DIBDTP), dibutoxyethyl dithiophosphate (DBOEDTP), xylenol dithiophosphate (DMPDTP), diisobutyl dithiohypophosphite (3418A), diphenylamine dithiophosphate (DTADTP), and dicyclohexylamine dithiophosphate (DCADTP). The structural analysis showed that the PS bond lengths in the C2PS2 and N2PS2 types are longer than those in the O2PS2 type, indicating that the strength of the PS bond is weaker in the former two. The frontier molecular orbital studies showed that the energy differences between the highest occupied molecular orbitals (HOMO) of 3418A (C2PS2 type) and DCADTP (N2PS2 type) and the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) of galena are significantly lower than those of the other collectors, suggesting that C2PS2 type and N2PS2 type with cyclohexane could enhance the interaction with galena. Using the Fukui function to calculate the nucleophilicity and electrophilicity of the sulfur atom indicated that the S atom exhibits nucleophilicity, especially in DMPDTP and DTADTP, which contain benzene rings, and the S atom exhibits strong nucleophilicity without electrophilicity. However, due to the lack of contribution from S atoms to the LUMO orbitals, the S atoms in these two compounds are not participate in any LUMO reactions. The adsorption results demonstrated that 3418A (C2PS2 type) and DCADTP (N2PS2 type) exhibit the strongest adsorption on Pb2+ ions, while DMPDTP (C2PS2 type) and DTADTP (O2PS2 type) which contain benzene rings, as well as DBOEDTP (C2PS2 type) which does not contain a benzene ring, exhibit weaker interaction compared to the other compounds. These are consistent with the results of the frontier molecular orbital and electrophilic nucleophilicity calculations.
Subsampling under distributional constraints
Authors: Combes Florian , Fraiman Ricardo , Ghattas Badih
Published: February 2024

Some complex models are frequently employed to describe physical and mechanical phenomena. In this setting, we have an input in a general space, and an output where is a very complicated function, whose computational cost for every new input is very high, and may be also very expensive. We are given two sets of observations of , and of different sizes such that only is available. We tackle the problem of selecting a subset of smaller size on which to run the complex model , and such that the empirical distribution of is close to that of . We suggest three algorithms to solve this problem and show their efficiency using simulated datasets and the Airfoil self‐noise data set.
Rarity updated ensemble with oversampling: An ensemble approach to classification of imbalanced data streams
Authors: Nouri Zahra , Kiani Vahid , Fadishei Hamid
Published: February 2024

Today's ever‐increasing generation of streaming data demands novel data mining approaches tailored to mining dynamic data streams. Data streams are non‐static in nature, continuously generated, and endless. They often suffer from class imbalance and undergo temporal drift. To address the classification of consecutive data instances within imbalanced data streams, this research introduces a new ensemble classification algorithm called Rarity Updated Ensemble with Oversampling (RUEO). The RUEO approach is specifically designed to exhibit robustness against class imbalance by incorporating an imbalance‐specific criterion to assess the efficacy of the base classifiers and employing an oversampling technique to reduce the imbalance in the training data. The RUEO algorithm was evaluated on a set of 20 data streams and compared against 14 baseline algorithms. On average, the proposed RUEO algorithm achieves an average‐accuracy of 0.69 on the real‐world data streams, while the chunk‐based algorithms AWE, AUE, and KUE achieve average‐accuracies of 0.48, 0.65, and 0.66, respectively. The statistical analysis, conducted using the Wilcoxon test, reveals a statistically significant improvement in average‐accuracy for the proposed RUEO algorithm when compared to 12 out of the 14 baseline algorithms. The source code and experimental results of this research work will be publicly available at
https://github.com/vkiani/RUEO.
Point estimation, confidence intervals, and P‐values for optimal adaptive two‐stage designs with normal endpoints
Authors: Meis Jan , Pilz Maximilian , Bokelmann Björn , Herrmann Carolin , Rauch Geraldine , Kieser Meinhard
Published: February 2024

Due to the dependency structure in the sampling process, adaptive trial designs create challenges in point and interval estimation and in the calculation of P‐values. Optimal adaptive designs, which are designs where the parameters governing the adaptivity are chosen to maximize some performance criterion, suffer from the same problem. Various analysis methods which are able to handle this dependency structure have already been developed. In this work, we aim to give a comprehensive summary of these methods and show how they can be applied to the class of designs with planned adaptivity, of which optimal adaptive designs are an important member. The defining feature of these kinds of designs is that the adaptive elements are completely prespecified. This allows for explicit descriptions of the calculations involved, which makes it possible to evaluate different methods in a fast and accurate manner. We will explain how to do so, and present an extensive comparison of the performance characteristics of various estimators between an optimal adaptive design and its group‐sequential counterpart.
Readily Available Stable Nonquantum Dot CsPbBr3/TiO2 Heterostructure Crystals for Efficient Photocatalyst
Authors: Huang Xing , Zhu Wenqiang , Zhao Hang , Lv Kuanxin , Li Zhenzhen
Published: February 2024

The application of perovskites in the field of photocatalyst has been greatly limited due to their poor stability. Herein, the easy‐to‐prepare CsPbBr3/TiO2 heterostructure nanocrystals are employed as photocatalysts. The results confirm that the strong interfacial connection and efficient charge separation can be observed in CsPbBr3/TiO2 heterostructure crystals by natural crystal growth. Consequently, the generation of superoxide radicals, which is beneficial for the photocatalytic properties, is obviously increased. The CsPbBr3/TiO2 heterostructure nanocrystals completely degrade Rhodamine B in just 4 min. In addition, it is also found that the nonquantum dot CsPbBr3 crystals can be naturally encapsulated by the stable and compact TiO2 nanoparticles without complex synthesis process, which finally provides an excellent protection for the stability of CsPbBr3 perovskite. The CsPbBr3/TiO2 heterostructure nanocrystals can exhibit almost no degradation of photocatalytic performance exceeding 8 months in oceanic climate (10 °C ≤ T ≤ 32 °C, 20% ≤ RH ≤ 100%), showing a remarkable stability.
Structural and Thermal Properties of Faba Bean Starch and Flax Seed Oil Nanoemulsion: Effect of Processing Conditions on Nanoemulsion
Authors: Sharma Madhu , Bains Aarti , Sharma Minaxi , Inbaraj Baskaran Stephen , Ali Nemat , Iqbal Muzaffar , Patil Sandip , Chawla Prince , Sridhar Kandi
Published: February 2024

Nanoemulsions derived from unconventional polysaccharides have gained attention as efficient delivery systems for bioactive compounds, helping in their enhanced absorption. Nontraditional sources of starch have been investigated in recent years due to their potential applications. Therefore, this study investigates the potential of extracting starch from faba beans and investigating their structural properties. Furthermore, the nanoemulsion is developed from starch, flax seed oil, and tween 80 and evaluated for different processing methods (temperature, pH, and NaCl). The extracted starch yields 31.20 g/100 g and X‐ray diffraction reveals its semicrystalline structure. The optimized nanoemulsion (N3) has an average droplet size of 108.62 ± 2.78 nm and a surface charge of −27.74 ± 0.12 mV. At different pH levels (2–9), temperature (30, 50, 70, and 90 °C), and ionic strengths (0.5, 1, and 2 m), the N3 nanoemulsion demonstrates significantly greater changes in stability. All the samples show excellent structural properties and stability. Overall, the results suggest that faba bean starch‐based nanoemulsion shows promise as a stable delivery system for bioactive compounds, but its stability is influenced by pH levels and ionic strengths.
Assessment of fetal growth trajectory identifies infants at high risk of perinatal mortality
Authors: Larsen M. L. , Krebs L. , Hoei‐Hansen C. E. , Kumar S.
Published: February 2024

Objective

To analyze perinatal risks associated with three distinct scenarios of fetal growth trajectory in the latter half of pregnancy compared with a reference group.

Methods

This cohort study included women with a singleton pregnancy that delivered between 32 + 0 and 41 + 6 weeks' gestation and had two or more ultrasound scans, at least 4 weeks apart, from 18 + 0 weeks. We evaluated three different scenarios of fetal growth against a reference group, which comprised appropriate‐for‐gestational‐age fetuses with appropriate forward‐growth trajectory. The comparator growth trajectories were categorized as: Group 1, small‐for‐gestational‐age (SGA) fetuses (estimated fetal weight (EFW) or abdominal circumference (AC) persistently < 10th centile) with appropriate forward growth; Group 2, fetuses with decreased growth trajectory (decrease of ≥ 50 centiles) and EFW or AC ≥ 10th centile (i.e. non‐SGA) at their final ultrasound scan; and Group 3, fetuses with decreased growth trajectory and EFW or AC < 10th centile (i.e. SGA) at their final scan. The primary outcome was overall perinatal mortality (stillbirth or neonatal death). Secondary outcomes included stillbirth, delivery of a SGA infant, preterm birth, emergency Cesarean section for non‐reassuring fetal status and composite severe neonatal morbidity. Associations were analyzed using logistic regression.

Results

The final study cohort comprised 5319 pregnancies. Compared to the reference group, the adjusted odds of perinatal mortality were increased significantly in Group 2 (adjusted odds ratio (aOR), 4.00 (95% CI, 1.36–11.22)) and Group 3 (aOR, 7.71 (95% CI, 2.39–24.91)). Only Group 3 had increased odds of stillbirth (aOR, 5.69 (95% CI, 1.55–20.93)). In contrast, infants in Group 1 did not have significantly increased odds of demise. The odds of a SGA infant at birth were increased in all three groups compared with the reference group, but was highest in Group 1 (aOR, 111.86 (95% CI, 62.58–199.95)) and Group 3 (aOR, 40.63 (95% CI, 29.01–56.92)). In both groups, more than 80% of infants were born SGA and nearly half had a birth weight < 3rd centile. Likewise, the odds of preterm birth were increased in all three groups compared with the reference group, being highest in Group 3, with an aOR of 4.27 (95% CI, 3.23–5.64). Lastly, the odds of composite severe neonatal morbidity were increased in Groups 1 and 3, whereas the odds of emergency Cesarean section for non‐reassuring fetal status were increased only in Group 3.

Conclusion

Assessing the fetal growth trajectory in the latter half of pregnancy can help identify infants at increased risk of perinatal mortality and birth weight < 3rd centile for gestation. © 2024 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Preparation and characterization of poly(vinyl alcohol)/poly(lactic acid) blends containing bio‐based plasticizers
Authors: Yan Zibo , Dou Qiang
Published: February 2024

The bio‐based plasticizers‐glycerol and lactic acid were used to plasticize and compatibilize PVA/PLA blends during melt blending process. It was confirmed that lactic acid significantly improved the compatibility between glycerol‐plasticized PVA and PLA. Compared with pure PVA, the melting and crystallization temperatures and crystallinities decreased but the crystal form of PVA in the blends was not changed. The thermal stabilities of PVA/glycerol (G)/lactic acid (L)/PLA blends were better than PVA/G/PLA blends. Compared to PVA/G/PLA blends, the tensile and tear strength of PVA/G/L/PLA blends were improved, however, elongation at break decreased. The water absorptions and water vapor permeances of the blends decreased with the addition of hydrophobic PLA, but they increased by incorporation of hygroscopic lactic acid. The surface resistivities of the blends augmented in combination with PLA but declined by adding lactic acid. The melt flow rates of PVA/G/PLA blends were better than PVA/G/L/PLA blends because lactic acid enhanced the interactions among the components. After the addition of lactic acid, the transmittances of the blends increased due to the refined dispersed phases by the compatibilization. The compatibility between the components was predicated by Hansen solubility parameters. These blends showed potential as a novel barrier material for food and medicine packages.

Highlights

PVA, glycerol, and PLA blends were compatibilized by lactic acid.

The melting temperatures decreased with addition of glycerol and lactic acid.

The tensile and tear strengths were enhanced with addition of PLA and lactic acid.

The hydrophobicity, melt fluidity, and surface resistivity were improved by PLA.
A multi‐institutional prospective observational study to compare postoperative quality of life of patients who undergo total or proximal gastrectomy for early gastric cancer (CCOG1602)
Authors: Kanda Mitsuro , Tanaka Chie , Misawa Kazunari , Mochizuki Yoshinari , Watanabe Takuya , Sueoka Satoshi , Ishiyama Akiharu , Yamada Takanobu , Oshima Takashi , Hattori Masashi , Koike Shinya , Ishigure Kiyoshi , Teramoto Hitoshi , Murotani Kenta , Kodera Yasuhiro
Published: February 2024

Background

Proximal gastrectomy (PG) has become an increasingly preferred procedure for treating early cancer in the upper third of the stomach. However, advantages of PG in postoperative quality of life (QOL) over total gastrectomy (TG) has not fully proven.

Methods

We conducted a multi‐institutional prospective observational study (CCOG1602) of patients who undergo TG or PG for cStage I gastric cancer. We used the PGSAS‐37 and EORTC‐QLQ‐C30 to evaluate the changes in body weight and QOL over a 3‐year postoperative period. The primary endpoint was the weight loss rate 3 years after surgery.

Results

We enrolled 109 patients from 18 institutions and selected 65 and 19 patients for inclusion in the TG and PG groups, respectively. Mean postoperative weight loss rates were 16.0% and 11.7% for the TG and PG groups, respectively (p = 0.056, Cohen's d 0.656) during postoperative year 1% and 15.0% and 10.8% for TG and PG (p = 0.068, Cohen's d 0.543), respectively, during postoperative year 3, indicating that the PG group achieved a better trend with a moderate effect size. According to the PGSAS‐37, the PG group experienced a better trend in the indigestion subscale (p < 0.001, Cohen's d −1.085) and total symptom score (p = 0.050, Cohen's d −0.59) during postoperative year 3 compared with the TG group. In contrast, the EORTC‐QLQ‐C30 detected no difference between the groups at any time point during 3‐year postoperative period.

Conclusions

This prospective study demonstrates that PG tended to be more favorable compared with TG with respect to postoperative weight loss and QOL, particularly regarding indigestion.
Influences of blowing and internal heating processes on steady MHD mixed convective boundary layer flows of radiating titanium dioxide‐ethylene glycol nanofluids
Authors: Wakif Abderrahim , Alshehri Ahmed , Muhammad Taseer
Published: February 2024

The present analysis intends predominantly to explore the multiple behaviors of radiating ethylene glycol‐based titanium dioxide nanofluids during their steady boundary layer flows near a vertical permeable surface under the prominent impacts of uniform blowing and nonuniform internal heating processes. By incorporating the dynamical contribution of Lorentz and buoyancy forces in the momentum equation and adopting the single‐phase nanofluid approach along with the constitutive equations of the second‐grade rheological model and Corcione's correlations, the governing partial differential equations and their appropriate boundary conditions are derived mathematically based on the boundary layer theory and other admissible physical approximations. After several simplifications, the aforesaid differential formulation is converted into a set of ordinary differential equations and realistic boundary conditions, which are solved thereafter numerically using GDQ's‐NT method. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the strengthening in the blowing and internal heating processes has a boosting effect on the velocity and temperature profiles. However, the other influencing parameters show dissimilar dynamical and thermal trends. Furthermore, it is witnessed that the mixed convective heat transfer, the viscoelasticity trend of the nanofluidic medium, and the nanoparticles’ loading exhibit an enhancing impression on the surface heat transfer rate.
Learning from Overrated Mission-Oriented Innovation Policies: Seven Takeaways
Authors: Henrekson Magnus , Sandström Christian , Stenkula Mikael
Published: February 2024

This chapter integrates findings from several different case studies on mission-oriented innovation policies (MOIPs) and makes use of the existing literature to briefly describe three other missions: The War on Cancer, homeownership in the United States, and the Swedish Million Program. Together with the analyses in the other chapters of this volume, seven takeaways regarding mission-oriented innovation policies are developed and described: (1) wicked problems cannot be solved through missions, (2) politicians and government agencies are not exempt from self-interest, (3) MOIPs are subject to rent seeking and mission capture, (4) policymakers lack information to design MOIPs efficiently, (5) MOIPs distort competition, (6) government support programs distort incentives and result in moral hazard, and (7) MOIPs ignore opportunity costs. These seven takeaways are illustrated using the cases described in this chapter and elsewhere in this volume.
The Entrepreneurial State Cannot Deliver Without an Entrepreneurial Society
Authors: Sanders Mark , Stam Erik , Thurik Roy
Published: February 2024

In The Entrepreneurial State and Mission Economy, Mazzucato argues that the state should adopt a proactive and entrepreneurial approach, setting ambitious missions that inspire collective action nurtured by emotions of urgency. By defining clear goals, the state can mobilize resources and talent from both the public and private sectors. We do not challenge Mazzucato’s facts or discredit her analysis. We agree that states successfully have and perhaps should continue to play a role in mobilizing talent and other resources around urgent societal challenges. Healthcare, climate change, and inequality are not problems that “markets” will solve on their own, and relevant and competent government organizations are an essential tool in our toolbox to address them. We would even agree that the state would do well to formulate clear missions and approach them in an entrepreneurial fashion. That is, experiment with an open mind and be willing to fail and learn, rather than develop interventions on the drawing board and then stick to them because of bureaucratic or political lock-in. But all that effort will only pay off, often in many unexpected ways, if we do not succumb to the fallacy of hindsight. That is, a well-defined and entrepreneurially executed state-led mission can only succeed in also generating a stream of valuable but largely unanticipated spin-off innovations, if the conditions for acting on such opportunities are right.
Overcoming the Siren Song of Central Planning
Authors: Rose David C.
Published: February 2024

The concepts of state entrepreneurship and mission economy are the latest attempts to justify greater central planning despite the explosion of human flourishing in free market societies over the last few centuries. This is a puzzle. Why do we keep falling for this old wine in new bottles? I argue that our genes predispose us to be too skeptical about having faith in complex and evolving systems involving large numbers of people. This is because we fail to recognize that there are two different ways to control evolution. I then briefly discuss how moral beliefs might overcome this predisposition.
R&D Tax Incentives as an Alternative to Targeted R&D Subsidies
Authors: Svensson Roger
Published: February 2024

Governments can provide targeted R&D subsidies and/or tax incentives to spur innovation and growth in the business sector. This chapter analyzes the theoretical pros and cons of these policy instruments and their practical implications according to the empirical literature. Tax incentives have low administrative costs, enable market agents to choose R&D projects, and can be provided to many firms. However, they entail the risk that governments might finance R&D that would have been undertaken anyway (deadweight loss) and that firms may relabel other costs as R&D costs. Targeted subsidies are preferable for projects with high uncertainty and those that require a long time to achieve a finished product and for contexts in which the government wishes to allocate resources to specific sectors. However, such subsidies have high bureaucratic costs, distort competition, and favor grant application experts. The greatest disadvantages of targeted R&D subsidies are that they are mainly allocated to large firms and are often used as covert industrial subsidies.
Engineering Is Not Entrepreneurship
Authors: Holcombe Randall G.
Published: February 2024

The idea of mission-oriented government, or entrepreneurial government, has been supported using examples of successful government programs such as the Manhattan project or the Apollo program. These are examples of engineering successes, but they were not entrepreneurial. Entrepreneurship consists of producing innovations that produce more value than they cost, and in those examples there was no attempt to compare benefits to costs. A realistic view of the political process under which government actually operates shows that attempts to make government more entrepreneurial will result in programs with vague goals and no clear indicators of success. Voters like feel-good aspirations, and politicians like to propose programs that appeal to voters. The real entrepreneurs in the political process are lobbyists and interest groups who find opportunities for rent seeking and regulatory capture, reducing the efficiency of government. With sufficient resources, governments can produce engineering successes, but the political process works against governments being entrepreneurial. Engineering is not entrepreneurship.
A Behavioral Economics Perspective on the Entrepreneurial State and Mission-Oriented Innovation Policy
Authors: Schnellenbach Jan
Published: February 2024

It is argued that the concepts of mission-oriented innovation policy and also of the entrepreneurial state will lead to the implementation of policies that are highly vulnerable to behavioral biases and the inefficient use of heuristics. In political practice, we can therefore not expect efficient mission-oriented policies. In particular, I argue that missions as a political commitment mechanism intended to devote massive resources to a specific cause will often only work if biases like the availability bias and loss aversion are deliberately used in order to secure voter consent. Furthermore, I also argue that the argument used by Mazzucato (Mission Economy: A Moonshot Guide to Changing Capitalism. London: Penguin UK, 2021) herself also contains several behavioral biases.
When “What Works” Does Not Work: The United States’ Mission to End Homelessness
Authors: Lucas David S. , Boudreaux Christopher J.
Published: February 2024

This chapter presents a case study of the United States’ federally led mission to eradicate homelessness, focusing on the early twenty-first century. We document the emergence of a federal strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness in the wake of the Great Recession, paying special attention to the role of “evidence-based” solutions and state leadership in this effort. We then review the disparities between the stated goals and realized results. Despite a doubling of federal funding, broad cross-sector collaboration, and a successful imposition of government-preferred practices in the homeless services industry, none of the four goals defined in 2010 were completed over the next decade. We assess these lackluster results and elicit new insights for other “moonshot” missions aimed at grand societal challenges.
Evaluation of Patients with Cranial Nerve Disorders
Authors: Casselman Jan W. , Krainik Alexandre , Macdonald Ian
Published: February 2024

Neurologists, neurosurgeons, ENT and maxillofacial surgeons, ophthalmologists, and others often detect cranial nerve deficits in their patients but remain uncertain about the underlying cause. It is the radiologist’s task to identify the causative disease, including inflammatory, infectious, vascular, traumatic, tumoral, and neurodegenerative etiologies. To detect this pathology, the neuroradiologist or head and neck radiologist must have a detailed knowledge of the anatomy of the 12 cranial nerves and available MR techniques. Furthermore, selecting the optimal sequences significantly depends on access to the patient’s history, clinical and biological data. In this chapter, emphasis will be put on employing the certain imaging techniques best suited to detect pathologies on the different parts/segments of the cranial nerves: intraaxial, extraaxial intracranial, skull base, and extracranial.
Evaluation of Tinnitus and Hearing Loss in the Adult
Authors: Keir Graham C. , Hoang Jenny K. , Phillips C. Douglas
Published: February 2024

Tinnitus and hearing loss in the adult can have profound effects on quality of life. The imaging workup for tinnitus and hearing loss in adults follows otoscopic exam and audiometry testing. CT and MR imaging have different and often complimentary roles in the evaluation of tinnitus and hearing loss, depending on the clinical scenario and the suspected underlying etiology. Imaging can often identify the cause and evaluate the extent of disease for surgical planning. This article discusses anatomy, imaging techniques, and pathologies that cause tinnitus and hearing loss with a mass and without a mass.
Approach to Masses in Head and Neck Spaces
Authors: Damadian Brianna E. , Rhyner Patricia A. , Shatzkes Deborah R.
Published: February 2024

The neck is anatomically complex and exhibits a wide range of pathologies, making the imaging diagnosis of masses in this region challenging. Organizing the neck into specific “spaces” based on fascial planes and individual contents is a helpful approach to generating a differential diagnosis. Once a mass is localized within a neck space, then specific imaging features and clinical context can be applied to narrow these different considerations. In this chapter, we will review the normal anatomy and contents of each space in the suprahyoid and infrahyoid neck and discuss the specific pathologies typically found in each space.
Stroke and Its Mimics: Diagnosis and Treatment
Authors: Power Sarah , Vagal Achala S.
Published: February 2024

Imaging is a key step in evaluating the acute stroke patient in order to establish the correct diagnosis and to facilitate fast triage decisions regarding treatment with thrombolysis and endovascular therapy in potentially eligible patients. This chapter explores evidence-based guidelines for stroke imaging, discusses the role of CT and MRI in acute stroke assessment, offers strategies for streamlining imaging workflows, and provides insights into identifying stroke mimics.
Cerebral Neoplasms
Authors: Fatterpekar Girish M. , Sundgren Pia C.
Published: February 2024

In the past, before 2016, brain tumors were classified into several types, and their respective grades based largely on histology. While this allowed for categorization of tumors, the grading did not always correlate with overall survival. At the same time, neuro-oncology research work demonstrated that tumoral molecular genetics allowed for a better correlation with overall survival. This led to the Revised 2016 WHO classification of brain tumors, which for the first time in neuro-pathology saw the incorporation of mutation profiles applied to classification of brain tumors. Continued development in the field of neuro-oncology meant better categorization of previously described tumors, and the description of newer tumors. This led to another update, the 2021 classification of brain tumors. This chapter provides an overview of these revised brain tumor classification systems, and discusses the imaging profiles of certain select yet important tumor types in detail.
Neuroimaging Update on Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Tsiouris Apostolos J. , Lui Yvonne W.
Published: February 2024

Traumatic brain injury is a common injury worldwide that affects individuals of all ages. Injuries can range in severity. Timely assessment of injury is important to triage cases that may be severe and imminently life-threatening, and neuroimaging is a critical component to the clinical care of such patients. Injuries may occur in multiple spaces from the extracranial soft tissues to the potential spaces between meningeal layers to the brain parenchyma itself. The neck and intracranial arterial and venous vessels can also be injured with devastating sequelae. CT, CTA, MRI, and MRA can all be useful in the assessment of head injury. In particular, CT is often used as a first-line imaging modality to screen for acute intracranial injury. MRI can be useful in patients who have discordance between symptoms and CT findings as well as in those with more prolonged symptoms or who suffer chronic sequelae of injury. Neuroimaging research is ongoing using MRI to study the underlying pathophysiology of head injury.
Differential Diagnosis of Intracranial Masses
Authors: Bonneville Fabrice , Jäger H. Rolf , Smirniotopoulos James G.
Published: February 2024

The differential diagnosis of cerebral mass lesions includes neoplastic, inflammatory, infective, and vascular lesions, as well as incidental developmental anomalies. A differential diagnostic approach should be based on the patient’s mode of presentations and prior clinical history, as well as on a systematic analysis of imaging patterns. This includes anatomical features, such as intra- vs. extra-axial, predominant gray matter or white matter involvement, supra-versus infratentorial, single vs. multiple, as well as signal characteristics on standard MR sequences, enhancement patterns, and findings on diffusion-weighted imaging, and hemorrhage-sensitive and perfusion sequences. Here we will discuss primary and secondary cerebral neoplasms in broad terms and illustrate the most important tumor mimics.
Di-Higgs signatures in neutral naturalness
Authors: Barela Mario W. , Capdevilla Rodolfo
Published: February 2024

Abstract

The Higgs boson was the last fundamental piece of the Standard Model to be experimentally confirmed. LHC is embarked in a quest to probe the possibility that this particle provides a portal to new physics. One front of this quest consists in measuring the interactions of the Higgs with itself and with other SM particles to a high precision. In a more exotic front, the LHC is searching for the possibility that a pair of Higgses (HH) is the evidence of a new resonance. Such resonances are predicted in models with extended Higgs sectors, extra dimensions, and in models with exotic bound states. In this paper we show how scalar quirks in Folded Supersymmetry can give rise to HH resonances. We point out a viable sector of the parameter space in which HH is the dominant decay channel for these squirkonium bound states. We found that future runs of the LHC could discover HH resonances in the range of 0.5–1.6 TeV under reasonable assumptions. Furthermore, for a given mass and width of the HH signal, the model predicts the branching ratio of the subsequent decay modes of the heavy resonance. Finding the extra decay modes in the predicted pattern can serve as a smoking gun to confirm the model.
Integrated multi-omic analysis identifies fatty acid binding protein 4 as a biomarker and therapeutic target of ischemia–reperfusion injury in steatotic liver transplantation
Authors: Yang Mengfan , Shu Wenzhi , Zhai Xiangyu , Yang Xinyu , Zhou Huaxin , Pan Binhua , Li Changbiao , Lu Di , Cai Jinzhen , Zheng Shusen , Jin Bin , Wei Xuyong , Xu Xiao
Published: February 2024

Background and aims

Due to a lack of donor grafts, steatotic livers are used more often for liver transplantation (LT). However, steatotic donor livers are more sensitive to ischemia–reperfusion (IR) injury and have a worse prognosis after LT. Efforts to optimize steatotic liver grafts by identifying injury targets and interventions have become a hot issue.

Methods

Mouse LT models were established, and 4D label-free proteome sequencing was performed for four groups: normal control (NC) SHAM, high-fat (HF) SHAM, NC LT, and HF LT to screen molecular targets for aggravating liver injury in steatotic LT. Expression detection of molecular targets was performed based on liver specimens from 110 donors to verify its impact on the overall survival of recipients. Pharmacological intervention using small-molecule inhibitors on an injury-related target was used to evaluate the therapeutic effect. Transcriptomics and metabolomics were performed to explore the regulatory network and further integrated bioinformatics analysis and multiplex immunofluorescence were adopted to assess the regulation of pathways and organelles.

Results

HF LT group represented worse liver function compared with NC LT group, including more apoptotic hepatocytes (P < 0.01) and higher serum transaminase (P < 0.05). Proteomic results revealed that the mitochondrial membrane, endocytosis, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways were upregulated in HF LT group. Fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) was identified as a hypoxia-inducible protein (fold change > 2 andP < 0.05) that sensitized mice to IR injury in steatotic LT. The overall survival of recipients using liver grafts with high expression of FABP4 was significantly worse than low expression of FABP4 (68.5 vs. 87.3%,P < 0.05). Adoption of FABP4 inhibitor could protect the steatotic liver from IR injury during transplantation, including reducing hepatocyte apoptosis, reducing serum transaminase (P < 0.05), and alleviating oxidative stress damage (P < 0.01). According to integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics analysis, cAMP signaling pathway was enriched following FABP4 inhibitor use. The activation of cAMP signaling pathway was validated. Microscopy and immunofluorescence staining results suggested that FABP4 inhibitors could regulate mitochondrial membrane homeostasis in steatotic LT.

Conclusions

FABP4 was identified as a hypoxia-inducible protein that sensitized steatotic liver grafts to IR injury. The FABP4 inhibitor, BMS-309403, could activate of cAMP signaling pathway thereby modulating mitochondrial membrane homeostasis, reducing oxidative stress injury in steatotic donors.

Graphical Abstract
BCLAF1 binds SPOP to stabilize PD-L1 and promotes the development and immune escape of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Yu Zongdong , Wu Xiang , Zhu Jie , Yan Huan , Li Yuxuan , Zhang Hui , Zhong Yeling , Lin Man , Ye Ganghui , Li Xinming , Jin Jiabei , Li Kailang , Wang Jie , Zhuang Hui , Lin Ting , He Jian , Lu Changjiang , Xu Zeping , Zhang Xie , Li Hong , Jin Xiaofeng
Published: February 2024

Interaction between programmed death-1 (PD-1) ligand 1 (PD-L1) on tumor cells and PD-1 on T cells allows tumor cells to evade T cell-mediated immune surveillance. Strategies targeting PD-1/PD-L1 have shown clinical benefits in a variety of cancers. However, limited response rates in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have prompted us to investigate the molecular regulation of PD-L1. Here, we identify B cell lymphoma-2-associated transcription factor 1 (BCLAF1) as a key PD-L1 regulator in HCC. Specifically, BCLAF1 interacts with SPOP, an E3 ligase that mediates the ubiquitination and degradation of PD-L1, thereby competitively inhibiting SPOP-PD-L1 interaction and subsequent ubiquitination and degradation of PD-L1. Furthermore, we determined an SPOP-binding consensus (SBC) motif mediating the BCLAF1-SPOP interaction on BCLAF1 protein and mutation of BCLAF1-SBC motif disrupts the regulation of the SPOP-PD-L1 axis. In addition, BCLAF1 expression was positively correlated with PD-L1 expression and negatively correlated with biomarkers of T cell activation, including CD3 and CD8, as well as with the level of immune cell infiltration in HCC tissues. Besides, BCLAF1 depletion leads to a significant reduction of PD-L1 expression in vitro, and this reduction of PD-L1 promoted T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Notably, overexpression of BCLAF1 sensitized tumor cells to checkpoint therapy in an in vitro HCC cells-Jurkat cells co-culture model, whereas BCLAF1-SBC mutant decreased tumor cell sensitivity to checkpoint therapy, suggesting that BCLAF1 and its SBC motif serve as a novel therapeutic target for enhancing anti-tumor immunity in HCC.
Transposed Poisson Structures
Authors: Damas Beites Patrícia , Ferreira Bruno Leonardo Macedo , Kaygorodov Ivan
Published: February 2024

To present a survey on known results from the theory of transposed Poisson algebras, as well as to establish new results on this subject, are the main aims of the present paper. Furthermore, a list of open questions for future research is given.
Enzymatic hydrolysis lignin and kraft lignin from birch wood: a source of functional bio-based materials
Authors: Huerta Edgar Ramirez , Muddasar Muhammad , Collins Maurice N.
Published: February 2024

In the pursuit of sustainable biomass utilization, this study investigates the hydrothermal treatment of birchwood and its subsequent impact on enzymatic hydrolysis lignin (EHL). Additionally, birchwood undergoes processing with NaOH (4% w/w) within a Parr reactor to precipitate lignin from the black liquor, resulting in lignin-rich substrates (LRSs) which are then subject to thorough characterization. Notably, EHL produced after hydrothermal pretreatment at 190 °C exhibits the highest lignin content at 67%, while kraft lignin (KL) obtained at 140 °C (pH 1.5) produces 65% lignin content. Among these LRSs, the KL sample produced at 190 °C (pH 4) stands out, displaying a robust aromatic skeletal structure and an abundance of methoxyl groups, primarily owing to its high purity. Furthermore, for these LRSs' it is shown that chemical configuration influences their thermal behaviour, allowing the lignin to be tailored for diverse applications, from low melting point materials to carbonaceous materials capable of withstanding temperatures exceeding 700 °C. This comprehensive understanding of the chemical, thermal, and physical attributes of LRSs not only enriches our knowledge of lignin-rich substrates but also paves the way for the development of sustainable bio-based materials, marking a step towards sustainable materials development.
A patient journey audit tool (PJAT) to assess quality indicators in a nuclear medicine service
Authors: Pathmaraj Kunthi , Welch Jessica , Ng Wesley , Lee Danny , Lee Sze Ting , Brink Anita , Dondi Maurizio , Paez Diana , Scott Andrew M.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

To develop a nuclear medicine specific patient journey audit tool (PJAT) to survey and audit patient journeys in a nuclear medicine department such as staff interaction with patients, equipment, quality of imaging and laboratory procedures, patient protection, infection control and radiation safety, with a view to optimising patient care and providing a high-quality nuclear medicine service.

Methods

The PJAT was developed specifically for use in nuclear medicine practices. Thirty-two questions were formulated in the PJAT to test the department’s compliance to the Australian National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards, namely clinical governance, partnering with consumers, preventing and controlling health care infection, medication safety, comprehensive care, communicating for safety, blood management and recognising and responding to acute deterioration. The PJAT was also designed to test our department’s adherence to diagnostic reference levels (DRL). A total of 60 patient journey audits were completed for patients presenting for nuclear medicine, positron emission tomography and bone mineral density procedures during a consecutive 4-week period to audit the range of procedures performed. A further 120 audits were captured for common procedures in nuclear medicine and positron emission tomography during the same period. Thus, a total of 180 audits were completed. A subset of 12 patients who presented for blood labelling procedures were audited to solely assess the blood management standard.

Results

The audits demonstrated over 85% compliance for the Australian national health standards. One hundred percent compliance was noted for critical aspects such as correct patient identification for the correct procedure prior to radiopharmaceutical administration, adherence to prescribed dose limits and distribution of the report within 24 h of completion of the imaging procedure.

Conclusion

This PJAT can be applied in nuclear medicine departments to enhance quality programmes and patient care. Austin Health has collaborated with the IAEA to formulate the IAEA PJAT, which is now available globally for nuclear medicine departments to survey patient journeys.
Enhanced T cell immune activity mediated by Drp1 promotes the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors in treating lung cancer
Authors: Ma Jietao , Song Jun , Yi Xiaofang , Zhang Shuling , Sun Li , Huang Letian , Han Chengbo
Published: February 2024

Background

Dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1)-mediated mitochondrial fission plays important roles in the activation, proliferation, and migration of T cells.

Methods

We investigated the synergistic effect of Drp1-mediated T cell antitumor activities and programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade for treating lung cancer through in vitro co-culture experiments and an in vivo nude mouse xenograft model.

Results

High expression levels of Drp1 positively regulated T cell activation, enhanced T cell-induced suppression of lung cancer cells, promoted CD8+T cell infiltration in the tumor and spleen, and significantly enhanced the antitumor immune response of the PD-1 inhibitor pembrolizumab. The mechanism of this synergistic antitumor effect involved the secretion of immune killing-related cytokines and the regulation of the PD-1-ERK/Drp1 pathway in T cells.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that modifying Drp1 expression in T cells could serve as a potential therapeutic target for enhancing the antitumor immune response in future immunotherapies.