bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nerventransfers bei Kindern mit nicht traumatischer Amyoplasie
Authors: Schäfer Benedikt , Beier Justus P. , Bahm Jörg
Published: March 2024

Hintergrund Die Behandlung der geburtstraumatischen Läsionen des Plexus
brachialis durch primäre Rekonstruktionen und Nerventransfers hat sich in den
letzten Jahrzehnten etabliert. Bei nicht traumatischen Erkrankungen, die zu
schlaffen Lähmungen und zur Bewegungsunfähigkeit von Extremitäten führen, wie
beispielsweise der Transversen Myelitis (TM) oder der Arthrogryposis multiplex
congenita (AMC), die beide verschiedenste Ursachen haben können, steht bislang
die rehabilitative Therapie im Vordergrund, während chirurgische Eingriffe nur
limitiert, im Sinne von Umstellungsosteotomien oder Muskeltransfers, Anwendung
finden. Unser Bestreben besteht darin für nicht-traumatische Amyoplasien
Nerventransfers als chirurgische Option zur Verbesserung der Beweglichkeit zu
etablieren.

Patienten Im Zeitraum von 08/2013 bis 03/2023 wurden bei insgesamt 23
Patienten im Alter von 4 Monaten bis 64 Monaten (davon 18 mit AMC und 5 mit TM)
funktionsverbessernde Eingriffe in Form mikrochirurgischer Nerventransfers an
der oberen Extremität durchgeführt.

Ergebnisse Wir konnten zeigen, dass sowohl bei der AMC wie auch bei der TM
frühzeitige Nerventransfers der oberen Extremität eine Reanimation der
Muskulatur ermöglichen konnten.

Schlussfolgerung Diese Arbeit zeigt auf, dass die Behandlung von
nicht-traumatischen Amyoplasien bei Kindern mit selektiven Nerventransfers eine
erfolgreiche Methode darstellt. Das Erlangen bzw. Wiedererlangen von wichtigen
Funktionen zur Bewältigung des selbstständigen Alltags kann durch
Nerventransfers erreicht werden. Die operative Methodik ist durch die Behandlung
von traumatischen Nervenverletzungen etabliert, gut bekannt und sicher
durchführbar. Unseres Erachtens stellt dies eine wichtige Behandlungsoption für
pädiatrische Patienten mit Lähmungen im Rahmen einer TM oder AMC dar, die auch
den betreuenden Kinderärzten bekannt sein sollte.
Anatomische Varianten des N. medianus und N. musculocutaneus – ein
Fallbericht
Authors: Wachenfeld-Teschner Victoria , Schäfer Benedikt , Beier Justus P. , Bahm Jörg
Published: March 2024

Einleitung

Traumatische Schädigungen des Plexus brachialis resultieren häufig in einer
eingeschränkten oder aufgehobenen Flexionsbewegung des Ellenbogens. Die
Wiederherstellung dieser Bewegung ist ein wichtiges Ziel der chirurgischen Therapie
1
2. Maßgeblich für die Flexionsbewegung und Innervation der Zielmuskeln
ist der N. musculocutaneus (MSC). Dieser bildet einen der beiden Endäste des
Fasciculus lateralis des Plexus brachialis (C5-C7). In den meisten Fällen verläuft
er an der ventralen Oberarmseite, in der Flexorenloge, zwischen dem M. brachialis
und M. biceps brachii nach distal und gibt Äste zur motorischen Innervation der
beiden Muskeln ab. Er verläuft anschließend durch den Sulcus bicipitalis lateralis
und durchbricht die Fascia brachii in der Ellenbeuge 3 um als Nervus cutaneus antebrachii
lateralis, sensibel den Unterarm zu versorgen. Variable Verläufe des Plexus
brachialis in Zusammenschau mit dem N. musculocutaneus sind beschrieben und können
auf vielseitige Art und Weisen imponieren 4
5. So kann der N.
musculocutaneus direkte Verbindungen zum N.medianus aufweisen, oder diesen als
direkter dritter Zuschuss anteilweise bilden. Der N. medianus kann also sowohl Äste
an den N. musculocutaneus abgeben als auch solche von diesem erhalten. Vorliegende
Kadaverstudien zeigen in über 50+% der Fälle Verbindungen zwischen dem N.
musculocutaneus und dem N. medianus, wobei ein Großteil solcher Verbindungen
proximal des Eintrittes des N. musculocutaneus in den M. coracobrachialis liegt
6. Trotzdem sind diese Variationen im
klinischen Alltag meist Zufallsbefunde bei chirurgischen Interventionen 7.
Interdisziplinäre Behandlung von Raumforderungen in Assoziation zu
peripheren Nerven: Tumore und tumorähnliche Läsionen
Authors: Dengler Nora Franziska , Pedro Maria Teresa , Kolbenschlag Jonas
Published: March 2024

Tumuröse Läsionen oder tumorähnliche Läsionen peripherer Nerven sind insgesamt
selten, heterogen und herausfordernd in Diagnose und Therapie. Sie können durch
tastbare Schwellungen in Nähe zu Nerven, sensible und/oder motorische Defizite,
Berührungsschmerz oder neuropathischen Schmerz auffällig werden. In 91% der
Fälle sind Tumore gutartig. Vor diesem Hintergrund sind eine Differenzierung der
Entitäten, ihrer Charakteristika und eine funktionserhaltene Resektionsstrategie
hochgradig relevant. Fehldiagnosen können gravierende Effekte für die Patienten
mit schweren neurologischen Schäden und Schmerzsyndromen haben. Gutartige Tumore
sind Schwannome und Neurofibrome, die sporadisch auftreten können aber auch bei
Häufung mit neurogenetischen Tumordispositionssyndromen vergesellschaftet sein
können. Seltenere gutartige Nerventumore sind Perineuriome, Lipome, die
aggressive Fibrose (Desmoidtumor), Paragangliome und Hämangiome. Als
tumorähnliche Läsionen werden die Ganglienzyste beschrieben. Die Assoziation von
Nerventumoren zu neurogenetischen Syndromen und eine richtige Zuordnung von
möglicherweise malignen Läsionen, wie dem MPNST (Maligne Periphere
Nervenscheidentumor) oder den Zwischenstufen wie z. B. den ANNUBPs (atypische
neurofibromatöse Neoplasien mit unbekanntem biologischem Potential) stellen
besondere Herausforderungen dar. Die Interdisziplinarität hat eine hohe Relevanz
für die klinische Behandlung und korrekte Diagnosestellung. Das Ziel unserer
Arbeit ist die Übersicht über die relevanten Entitäten, die Diagnostik und
zeitgemäße Therapiestrategien anhand der aktuellen Datenlage und unter
Berücksichtigung der kürzlich erschienen interdisziplinären AWMF S2K-Leitlinie
„Diagnostik und Therapie peripherer Nerventumore“.
In Vitro Evaluation of the Effect of Oleanolic Acid as a Potential Root Canal Medicament on Viability and Proliferation of Dental Pulp Stem Cells
Authors: Alhaila Khalifah A. , Badawi Manal Farouk , Elbeltagy Mohamed G. , Badr Amany E.
Published: March 2024

Objective In light of the potential drawbacks associated with certain intracanal medicaments, such as triple antibiotic paste (TAP) and calcium hydroxide (Ca(OH2)), the introduction of herbal agents has ushered in a new era in the field of dentistry. Consequently, this study aimed to explore the impact of oleanolic acid (OA) on the viability and proliferation of dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs), comparing its effects to those of conventional intracanal medicaments, TAP and Ca(OH2).

Materials and Methods DPSCs were derived from the third molars of an adult donor. Flow cytometry was utilized to do a phenotypic study on DPSCs. The methyl-thiazol tetrazolium (MTT) test was used to evaluate cellular viability. The cells were subjected to various concentrations of TAP and Ca(OH)2 (5, 2.5, 1, 0.5, and 0.25 mg/mL), in addition to OA (40, 20, 10, 5, and 2.5 µM). A cell proliferation experiment assessed the cell growth precisely at 3, 5, and 7 days.

Results DPSCs were characterized by flow cytometry. The mesenchymal markers (CD73, CD90, and CD105) had a positive expression. However, the hematological markers (CD14, CD34, and CD45) showed negligible expression. A notable reduction in cellular viability was seen in cells subjected to concentrations exceeding 0.5 mg/mL of TAP and Ca(OH)2 compared to the cells that were not treated (p < 0.05). The cells treated with different concentrations of OA 2.5, 5, 10, and 20 µM did not exhibit any significant variance in cell viability compared to untreated cells (p > 0.05). Moreover, the concentrations of OA (20, 10, and 5 µM) showed high proliferation level compared to TAP and Ca(OH2) especially 5µM of OA after 7 days (p < 0.05).

Conclusion Our results revealed that OA exerted significant effect on the viability and proliferation of DPSCs compared to TAP and Ca(OH2).
Eastern Europe is no exception: acceptance of inequality and left–right politics
Authors: Lindqvist Jesper
Published: March 2024

Many scholars suggest that the left–right dimension can be simplified to a conflict over how much inequality should be accepted in society. Yet, studies on Eastern Europe indicate that acceptance of inequality is not associated with right-wing self-placements there, challenging the reach of the theory. Building on previous literature, this paper tests the proposition by measuring attitudes toward different inequalities separately (specifically in relation to class, gender, sexuality, and immigration/ethnicity), and examines their relationship with left–right self-placements. The paper also develops and tests a novel observable implication, namely that issue salience at the country level moderates the relationship between acceptance of an inequality and left–right self-placements. Using survey data from 27 European countries, multilevel regression models demonstrate that contrary to previous research, acceptance of inequality is associated with right-wing self-placements in both Eastern and Western Europe. Multilevel interaction effects furthermore demonstrate that country-level salience moderates this relationship.
Truth, humane treatment, and identity: perspectives on the legitimacy of the public and private health sectors during Covid in Zambia
Authors: Saulnier Dell D. , Saidi Christabel , Hambokoma Theresa , Zulu Joseph M. , Zulu Juliet , Masiye Felix
Published: March 2024

Legitimacy is necessary for resilience and trust helps to legitimize health systems. Providing services during Covid has relied on both the private and public sectors but there is little information on differences in trust between these sectors during shocks like Covid and how it may impact the health system’s legitimacy. The purpose of this study was to explore community trust in the public and private sectors of the Zambian health system during Covid, to generate understanding on how trust in the different sectors may influence the system’s legitimacy. Twelve focus groups discussions and 22 key informant interviews were conducted in 2022 with community members who used public, private, and faith-based services during Covid and service providers, and thematic analysis identified perceptions of trust between the different sectors. The themes ‘Humane, patient-centred treatment’ and ‘Communicating the truth’ describe the desire for humane interactions and truthfulness during Covid, compromised by fear, uncertainty, and suspicions of the motives of the sectors, and alleviated by support, security, and shared identity. The legitimacy of the public sector was influenced by shared spaces, values, and identities with communities. The private sector maintained its legitimacy through service quality and its identity as a non-governmental business. Interpersonal trust was important, but identity played a larger role than high-quality interactions for legitimacy in Zambia during the pandemic. To enhance legitimacy and resilience during shocks, potential strategies include strengthening the quality of public sector interactions to meet private sector standards, emphasizing the public sector as a public good, and clarifying the public sector’s role vis-à-vis the government during crises.
Bridging the gap between test tube and disease
Authors: Patrick Chris
Published: March 2024

A thermodynamics-based framework connects biophysical measurements of protein aggregation to neurodegenerative diseases and potential therapies.
Thermal time as an unsharp observable
Authors: van Neerven Jan , Portal Pierre
Published: March 2024

We show that the Connes–Rovelli thermal time associated with the quantum harmonic oscillator can be described as an (unsharp) observable, that is, as a positive operator valued measure. We furthermore present extensions of this result to the free massless relativistic particle in one dimension and to a hypothetical physical system whose equilibrium state is given by the noncommutative integral.
Effect of shape anisotropy in nanocrystals of semiconductors with small spin–orbit splitting
Authors: Goupalov S. V.
Published: March 2024

We derive an effective spin-Hamiltonian accounting for the shape anisotropy of the zinc blende semiconductor nanocrystals within the k · p formalism explicitly taking into account the spin–orbit split-off valence band. It is shown that, for small InP nanocrystals, neglect of the spin–orbit split-off band can lead to significant underestimation of one of the two parameters determining the exciton fine-structure splittings. This parameter is only important for nanocrystals with shape anisotropy.
Contextual existence of an optimum through-plane orientation and aspect ratio of a fiber-segment in fibrous air filters
Authors: Bhardwaj Utsav , Ray Bahni , Das Dipayan , Mitchell Travis R. , Das Apurba , Leonardi Christopher R.
Published: March 2024

Fibrous air filters have emerged extensively as a remedial indoor solution to address severe air pollution. To understand the complexities involved in variation of their performance with respect to their fiber anisotropy, a fundamental numerical study is undertaken to investigate the capture of inertia-dominated airborne particles by a fiber-segment at different through-plane orientations with respect to airflow direction. An in-house MATLAB code has been developed using the lattice Boltzmann method to model the airflow across fiber-segment, coupled with the Lagrangian approach to model the motion of particles as well as their interactions with the fiber-segment. The filtration performance parameters, viz., capture efficiency, pressure drop, and quality factor, have been evaluated at different through-plane orientations of the fiber-segment for its various segmental aspect ratios and different Stokes numbers. It is found that as the fiber-segment is turned from a parallel to orthogonal orientation with respect to airflow direction, the capture efficiency and pressure drop exhibit either a monotonic rise or broadly an increasing–decreasing kind of trend with an intermediate maximum, depending on the segmental aspect ratio of fiber and the Stokes number. Also, both these parameters are observed to decrease as the segmental aspect ratio of fiber is increased. Furthermore, an optimum through-plane orientation as well as an optimum segmental aspect ratio of the fiber-segment are found to exist for which the overall filtration performance is highest. The indicative optimum through-plane orientation of the fiber-segment is found to be a function of its segmental aspect ratio but not the Stokes number.
Enhanced performance in doped micro-nano porous organic thin-film transistors
Authors: Zhang Dongwei , Zheng Xiwei , He Chao , He Yaowu , Meng Hong
Published: March 2024

Molecular doping, as an effective technique for controlling the electrical property of organic semiconductors (OSCs) by introducing additional charges, has been proven to adjust important device parameters in organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs). Doping highly crystalline OSCs without disrupting structural order is a crucial challenge, as it significantly affects the charge carrier mobility. Here, we demonstrate a molecular doping method without disrupting the molecular ordering to improve the charge carrier mobility of 2,7-dioctyl[1]benzothieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (C8-BTBT) based OTFTs via a simple thermal spin-coating method. The key is to introduce micro-nano pores into C8-BTBT thin-film for channel doping, which is achieved by mixing with the unsubstituted BTBT as it can be easily removed from the thin-film through an ordinary annealing process. Micro-nano pores allow the dopant molecules (2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, F4-TCNQ) to access the conductive channel of OTFT, which is beneficial for charge injection. Indeed, we further discover that F4-TCNQ doped porous C8-BTBT thin-films exhibit better charge mobility than those of neat and F4-TCNQ doped C8-BTBT films in OTFTs. This work proposes an effective way to expose OSC conjugated core to the dopant, which not only improves the charge transfer reaction between organic/dopant semiconductor through cofacial stacking, but also reduces the trap density and contact resistance.
Supersonic cooling film flow evolution on a curved wall under hypersonic flow
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Yi Shihe , Liu Xiaolin , Hu Yufa , Chen Shikang
Published: March 2024

Curvature plays a crucial role in evolving supersonic cooling film flow-field structures. Flow-field structural images were captured using nanotracer-based planar laser scattering,, and wall pressure values were obtained using experimentally validated numerical simulations. A supersonic cooling film is tangentially injected at the Mach number of Maj = 2.3 into a laminar boundary layer at a mainstream of Ma = 6. The supersonic cooling film inhibits mixing-layer instability on the convex curved wall (CV) and promotes it on the concave curved wall (CC). After increasing the total incoming pressure, the reduction ratio of static pressure (RSP) between the supersonic cooling film and the mainstream flow causes a delay in the position of the mixing-layer instability, smaller-scale vortex structures, and decreased flow velocity of the typical vortex structures on the CC and CV. The wall pressure increases for the CV and decreases for the CC, indicating that the supersonic cooling film suppresses the changes in wall pressure due to curvature. The supersonic cooling film suppresses the decrease in the impulses for bulk dilatation (Ip) due to convex curvature and the increase in Ip due to concave curvature. The growth rate of Ip on the CC increases from −15% to −8% and decreases on the CV from 31% to 12% in the bending impulse (IΦ) range of |IΦ| = 1.337–3.624 for a total inlet pressure of 0.5 MPa. Increasing the RSP could control the Ip values on curved surfaces more effectively. The results of this study can be applied to cooling the infrared optics window on hypersonic vehicles.
Terahertz phased array antenna based on integrated taper emitters
Authors: Seliverstov S. , Kozhukhovsky A. , Svyatodukh S. , Goltsman G.
Published: March 2024

We report on an all-dielectric integrated taper as a radiating element for terahertz phased array antenna. The taper was manufactured on the base of the silicon substrate and was integrated with effective-medium waveguide. The obtained value of return loss of the taper emitter is 12.9 dB at a radiation frequency of 145.5 GHz. The width of the radiation pattern is 56.2° in the plane of the substrate. To demonstrate the change of the radiation pattern at different values of the phase difference between the elements of the phased array antenna, an appropriate simulation was carried out. It was found that with a phase difference between each pair of adjacent elements of a phased array antenna of 60°, the direction angle of the mainlobe of the radiation pattern changes by 5.5°. A proof of concept experimental demonstration of scanning by the mainlobe of the radiation pattern of a terahertz phased array antenna was carried out. The obtained results open up the possibility of use of the proposed taper emitter in future phased array antennas as part of a new generation communication system with ultra-high data transfer rate.
Experiences and perspectives of colorectal cancer survivors and general practitioners on the delivery of survivorship care in general practice: a mixed methods study
Authors: Kim Bora , White Kate , Tracy Marguerite , Mahadeva Janani , Marker Julie , Ostroff Cheri , Acret Louise , Willcock Simon , Rutherford Claudia
Published: March 2024

Background Many colorectal cancer (CRC) survivors experience ongoing sequelae from their cancer treatment. Limited evidence exists regarding how CRC survivors and general practitioners (GPs) manage these sequelae in the community. This study aimed to explore the experiences and perspectives of CRC survivors and GPs on current approaches to monitoring and managing sequelae of CRC treatment. Methods We conducted a mixed-methods study using cross-sectional national surveys and qualitative interviews with CRC survivors and GPs to explore: (1) treatment sequelae experienced by CRC survivors, (2) how these were monitored and managed by general practitioners, and (3) suggestions to improve ongoing management of the treatment sequelae. Survey responses were reported descriptively. Qualitative data were thematically analysed using an interpretive descriptive approach. Results Seventy participants completed surveys: 51 CRC survivors and 19 GPs, and four interviews were conducted with GPs. CRC survivors experienced a range of treatment sequelae, but often did not discuss these with their GPs (experienced vs discussed: 86% vs 47% for fatigue/lack of energy, 78% vs 27% for psychological/emotional concern, 63% vs 22% for impaired sleep, 69% vs 29% for weight loss/gain, 59% vs 16% for sexual and intimacy concerns). GPs reported inadequate information transfer from cancer services and workload as major barriers to optimal care. Conclusions System-level changes that facilitate adequate information transfer from cancer services to GPs upon CRC treatment completion, as well as addressing time constraint issues essential for comprehensive monitoring and management of CRC treatment sequelae, could enhance the care of CRC survivors in the community setting.
Matching strategy and skip-scale head configuration guideline based traffic object detection
Authors: Shi Yi , Zhang Xin , Xie Changyong , Lu Jiawen , Yuan Lvfan , Yan Hongmei , Liu Yong , Liu Shulin
Published: March 2024

The configuration of the detection head has a significant impact on detection performance. However, when the input resolution or detection scene changes, there is not a clear method for quantitatively and efficiently configuring the detection head. We find that there is a rule of matching degrees between the object scale and the detection head across different input resolutions or detection scenes by careful analysis. Based on this matching rule, we propose simple yet very effective methods for detection head configuration. The methods consist of two main parts. The first is the matching strategy of detection head and object scale, which can handily and quantitatively guide the rational configuration of detection heads to effectively detect objects at vastly different scales. The second is the skip-scale detection head configuration guideline, which instructs to replace multiple detection heads with only two detection heads to decrease model parameters as well as achieve high detection accuracy and speed. Extensive experimental results on three benchmarks, BDD100K, nuImages and our proposed ETFOD-v2, validate the effectiveness and convenience of our proposed methods, showing potential application prospect in future intelligent traffic systems. The code and ETFOD-v2 dataset are available in https://github.com/YiShi701/MR-Net.
Dynamic error modeling and analysis of articulated arm coordinate measuring machine with integrated joint module
Authors: Shen Mei , Yang Hongtao , Chang Di , Jiang Xixiang , Hu Yi
Published: March 2024

The self-driven articulated arm coordinate measuring machine (AACMM) is a new non-orthogonal flexible coordinate measuring equipment providing automatic positioning and measurement with integrated joint modules introduced to its rotary joints. The dynamic measuring accuracy is the crucial indicator of the self-driven AACMM performance. However, the part manufacturing assembly error and structural dynamic deformation error will seriously reduce the dynamic measuring accuracy. Therefore, a modeling compensation approach based on error propagation and accumulation mechanism analysis of the above two aspects is necessarily required to preserve the automatic measuring accuracy of the self-driven AACMM. In this paper, the authors propose an innovative modeling method for evaluating and compensating for the dynamic measuring errors of the self-driven AACMM. The ideal measuring model is constructed assisted with on the classical Denavit–Hartenberg parameter methodology and the complex structure of the self-driven AACMM. The source and its propagation mechanism of the dynamic error from the self-driven AACMM were analyzed systematically to decouple the superposed error impact on measuring precision. The dynamic measurement error compensation mechanism model is presented considering the influence of instantaneous spatial attitude on the dynamic structural parameters of self-driven AACMM. Experimental results indicate that the single-point repeatability measurement error fluctuation of the self-driven AACMM is 0.046 mm. The radius measuring error of the gauge ball reduces from −0.26 mm to −0.19 mm after the error model compensation. Additionally, the measuring accuracy is demonstrated to be effectively improved by the dynamic error compensation mechanism model.
Pulsed plasma thruster exhaust reconstruction
Authors: Barquero Scherezade , Navarro-Cavallé Jaume , Merino Mario
Published: March 2024

The transient exhaust of an ablative pulsed plasma thruster is characterized experimentally for three capacitances and three discharge voltages, for discharge energies below 11 J. A novel analysis technique is introduced, which reconstructs the exhaust as a superposition of different Maxwellian-like ion groups. Each ion group is characterized by its own mean velocity, thermal spread, initial density, generation time and divergence rate. The time series of three probes working in the ion saturation regime are used to determine the model parameters by least-squares fitting. This approach allows a higher level of accuracy and insight than time-of-flight analysis based on direct feature correlation alone. A good fit of the main part of the discharge time series is achieved with just three ion groups, with mean velocities ranging in 50–70, 30–45 and 10–25 km s−1 respectively. Each ion group differs in the lateral divergence rate and axial thermal spread, and potentially corresponds with a different charge/mass ratio and/or creation time. Some trends with bank capacitance and discharge voltage are identified and discussed.
Goos–Hänchen shifts on spin representation
Authors: Chen Ze , Zhang Xiaoguang , Zhang Hu , Meng Yang , Zhen Weiming
Published: March 2024

We analyze the Goos–Hänchen (GH) shift and longitudinal spin splitting (LSS) at a planar interface between two optical media in the spin representation. While these optical effects have been studied previously, we examine the direct and cross-reflected light fields, and their interference from the spin representation to reveal the physical mechanism of the GH shift and establish a quantitative relationship between it and LSS. Furthermore, we show that angular asymmetric spin splitting occurs under the spin representation when linearly polarized light with a phase difference of 180° and an amplitude ratio angle deviating from 45° impinges on the air–glass interface at Brewster’s angle. Finally, we reveal that the spin component field of the reflected light field for the total reflection case is different from that of the Brewster angle reflection, the most typical manifestation is that the intensity of the two spin component fields is not equal.
Ferromagnetic and ohmic effects on nanofluid flow via permeability rotative disk: significant interparticle radial and nanoparticle radius
Authors: Shamshuddin MD , Panda Subhajit , Pattnaik P K , Mishra S R
Published: March 2024

The significance of interparticle spacing and nanoparticle radius for the case of single-phase nanofluid flow has often been neglected. Tremendous applications of this phenomenon can be witnessed in different fields, especially in electron microscopes, heat exchange processes, and many others. This research highlights this vital aspect of Ohmic heating in nanofluid flow over a spinning disk. To ensure the novelty, a ferromagnetic nanoparticle (Manganese ferrite) has been incorporated to examine interparticle spacing and particle radius to explore the features of heat transfer. The ferromagnetic nanofluids are vital in carriers for drug delivery systems, in cancer treatment, design of systems for hyperthermia therapy, in microfluidic devices used for chemical synthesis, etc. The quantiles of dimensional equations are converted into dimensionless ones by adopting similarity transformations and to solve highly coupled nonlinear equations numerically, built-in bvp5c MATLAB tool is utilized. The effect of a few revealed factors, the velocity and temperature distributions, are examined via visualization. Furthermore, streamlined plots are also visualized. The outcomes produced showed excellent agreement with those made in the literature in the same direction by assuming some exceptional cases on different gradients. Further, the outstanding results are reported as; the permeability of the surface produces the suction velocity, and the enhanced suction velocity attenuates the fluid velocity in either of the case of pure and nanofluid. The increase in thermal radiation boosts up the heat transfer rate whereas the augmentation in the Eckert number retards it significantly.
An improved FMECA method for equipment reliability based on information fusion
Authors: Zhang Yangyang , Fang Liqing , Zhao Jianxin , Qi Ziyuan , Deng Huiyong
Published: March 2024

Whether in the design and manufacturing stage of complex equipment, or in its operation and maintenance stage, equipment reliability is a key indicator. In order to improve and maintain the reliability of equipment, using FMECA method to determine the key components of equipment is an important foundation. To solve the problem of determining the key components of a complex reciprocating mechanical system, this paper proposes an improved FMECA method based on an adaptive weighted information fusion model, on the basis of the fuzzy FMECA method. By constructing an initial weight judgment support matrix, the weights of different information sources are determined, and the weight results of each influence factor are obtained. Finally, the comprehensive criticality of each fault mode is calculated to rank the importance of each component. The effectiveness of the proposed method was verified using a complex reciprocating mechanical system as an example.
Effect of lattice distortion on spin admixture and quantum transport in organic devices with spin–orbit coupling
Authors: Wang 王 Ying 莹 , Li 李 Dan 丹 , Sun 孙 Xinying 新英 , Zhang 张 Huiqing 惠晴 , Ma 马 Han 晗 , Li 李 Huixin 慧欣 , Ren 任 Junfeng 俊峰 , Wang 王 Chuankui 传奎 , Hu 胡 Guichao 贵超
Published: March 2024

With an extended Su–Schrieffer–Heeger model and Green’s function method, the spin–orbit coupling (SOC) effects on spin admixture of electronic states and quantum transport in organic devices are investigated. The role of lattice distortion induced by the strong electron–lattice interaction in organics is clarified in contrast with a uniform chain. The results demonstrate an enhanced SOC effect on the spin admixture of frontier eigenstates by the lattice distortion at a larger SOC, which is explained by the perturbation theory. The quantum transport under the SOC is calculated for both nonmagnetic and ferromagnetic electrodes. A more notable SOC effect on total transmission and current is observed for ferromagnetic electrodes, where spin filtering induced by spin-flipped transmission and suppression of magnetoresistance are obtained. Unlike the spin admixture, a stronger SOC effect on transmission exists for the uniform chain rather than the organic lattices with distortion. The reason is attributed to the modified spin-polarized conducting states in the electrodes by lattice configuration, and hence the spin-flip transmission, instead of the spin admixture of eigenstates. This work is helpful to understand the SOC effect in organic spin valves in the presence of lattice distortion.
Endowing low fatigue for elastocaloric effect by refined hierarchical microcomposite in additive manufactured NiTiCuCo alloy
Authors: Feng Bo , Liu Helong , Yang Ying , Shen Hui , Ren Yang , Liu Yinong , Cui Lishan , Huang Bingmin , Hao Shijie
Published: March 2024

NiTiCu-based shape memory alloys have been considered as ideal materials for solid-state refrigeration due to their superb cycling stability for elastocaloric effect. However, the embrittlement and deterioration caused by secondary phase and coarse grains restrict their applications, and it is still challenging since the geometric components are required. Here, bulk NiTiCuCo parts with excellent forming quality were fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) technique. The as-fabricated alloy exhibits refined three-phases hierarchical microcomposite formed based on the rapid cooling mode of LPBF, composed of intricate dendritic Ti2Ni–NiTi composite and nano Ti2Cu embedded inside the NiTi-matrix. This configuration endows far superior elastocaloric stability compared to the as-cast counterpart. The low fatigue stems from the strong elastic coupling between the interphases with reversible martensite transformation, revealed by in-situ synchrotron high-energy x-ray diffraction. The fabrication of NiTiCuCo alloy via LPBF fills the bill of complex geometric structures for elastocaloric NiTiCu alloys. The understanding of interphase micro-coupling could provide the guide for designing LPBF fabricated shape memory-based composites, enabling their applications for special demands on other functionalities.
Fabrication and bonding of In bumps on Micro-LED with 8 μm pixel pitch
Authors: Jiang Bing-Xin , Chen Hui , Zhang Wen-Jing , Lan Jin-Hua , Yang Tian-Xi , Lin Chang , Huang Zhong-Hang , Zhang Kai-Xin , Zhu Xue-Qi , He Jun , Yang Yi-Fan , Zhang Yong-Ai , Yan Qun , Sun Jie
Published: March 2024

Indium (In) is currently used to fabricate metal bumps on micro-light-emitting diode (Micro-LED) chips due to its excellent physical properties. However, as Micro-LED pixel size and pitch decrease, achieving high-quality In bumps on densely packed Micro-LED chips often presents more challenges. This paper describes the process of fabricating In bumps on micro-LEDs using thermal evaporation, highlighting an issue where In tends to grow laterally within the photoresist pattern, ultimately blocking the pattern and resulting in undersized and poorly dense In bumps on the Micro-LED chip. To address this issue, we conducted numerous experiments to study the height variation of In bumps within a range of photoresist aperture sizes (3 μm −7 μm) under two different resist thickness conditions (3.8 μm and 4.8 μm). The results showed that the resist thickness had a certain effect on the height of In bumps on the Micro-LED chip electrodes. Moreover, we found that, with the photoresist pattern size increasing under constant resist thickness conditions, the height and quality of the bumps significantly improved. Based on this finding, we rationalized the adjustment of the photoresist pattern size within a limited emission platform range to compensate for the height difference of In bumps caused by different resist thicknesses between the cathode and anode regions. Consequently, well-shaped and dense In bumps with a maximum height of up to 4.4 μm were fabricated on 8 μm pitch Micro-LED chips. Afterwards, we bonded the Micro-LED chip with indium bumps to the CMOS chip, and we found that we could successfully control the CMOS chip to drive the Micro-LED chip to display specific characters through the Flexible Printed Circuit (FPC). This work is of significant importance for the fabrication of In bumps on Micro-LED chips with pitches below 10 μm and subsequent bonding processes.
Strategies used during the cognitive evaluation of older adults with dual sensory impairment: a scoping review
Authors: Dumassais Shirley , Pichora-Fuller Margaret Kathleen , Guthrie Dawn , Phillips Natalie A , Savundranayagam Marie , Wittich Walter
Published: March 2024

Background

Dual sensory impairment (DSI), the combination of visual and hearing impairments, is associated with increased risk for age-related cognitive decline and dementia. Administering cognitive tests to individuals with sensory impairment is challenging because most cognitive measures require sufficient hearing and vision. Considering sensory limitations during cognitive test administration is necessary so that the effects of sensory and cognitive abilities on test performance can be differentiated and the validity of test results optimized.

Objective

To review empirical strategies that researchers have employed to accommodate DSI during cognitive testing of older adults.

Methods

Seven databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Global Health and the Evidence-Based Medicine Reviews databases) were searched for relevant articles integrating the three concepts of cognitive evaluation, aging, and DSI. Given the inclusion criteria, this scoping review included a total of 67 papers.

Results

Twenty-eight studies reported five categories of strategies for cognitive testing of older adult participants with DSI: the assistance of experts, the modification of standardized test scoring procedures, the use of communication strategies, environmental modifications, and the use of cognitive tests without visual and/or auditory items.

Conclusions

The most used strategy reported in the included studies was drawing on the assistance of team members from related fields during the administration and interpretation of cognitive screening measures. Alternative strategies were rarely employed. Future research is needed to explore the knowledge-to-practice gap between research and current clinical practice, and to develop standardized testing strategies.
Exitrons: offering new roles to retained introns—the novel regulators of protein diversity and utility
Authors: Shamnas v Muhammed , Singh Akanksha , Kumar Anuj , Mishra Gyan Prakash , Sinha Subodh Kumar
Published: March 2024

Exitrons are exonic introns. This subclass of intron retention alternative splicing does not contain a Pre-Terminating stop Codon. Therefore, when retained, they are always a part of a protein. Intron retention is a frequent phenomenon predominantly found in plants, which results in either the degradation of the transcripts or can serve as a stable intermediate to be processed upon induction by specific signals or the cell status. Interestingly, exitrons have coding ability and may confer additional attributes to the proteins that retain them. Therefore, exitron-containing and exitron-spliced isoforms will be a driving force for creating protein diversity in the proteome of an organism. This review establishes a basic understanding of exitron, discussing its genesis, key features, identification methods and functions. We also try to depict its other potential roles. The present review also aims to provide a fundamental background to those who found such exitronic sequences in their gene(s) and to speculate the future course of studies.
Calcified left ventricular apical aneurysm with intramural thrombus: a case report
Authors: Nelson Dean M , Brennan Anthony P , Raman Jaishankar , Burns Andrew T
Published: March 2024

Background

Left ventricular aneurysms (LVAs) are a well-appreciated complication of acute myocardial infarction. Ventricular aneurysms involving the left ventricle (LV) typically evolve as a result of anterior myocardial infarction and are associated with greater morbidity, complication rates, and hospital resource utilization. Incidence of LVA is decreasing with advent of modern reperfusion therapies; however, in the setting of excess morbidity, clinicians must maintain an appreciation for their appearance to allow timely diagnosis and individualized care.

Case summary

This case report describes the clinical history, investigation, appearance, and management of a patient with calcified apical LVA with history of previous anterior ST-elevation myocardial infarction. The patient was initially admitted for elective coronary angiography in the setting of worsening exertional dyspnoea and subsequently underwent coronary artery bypass graft, aneurysm resection, and LV reconstruction.

Discussion

Left ventricular aneurysms are an uncommon complication experienced in the modern era of acute myocardial infarction and current reperfusion therapies, but remain an important cause of excess morbidity and complication. Evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis, workup, and subsequent management of LVAs are lacking. The imaging findings presented in this case serve as an important reminder of the appearance of LVAs so that timely diagnosis and individualized care considerations can be made.
Deep learning to detect left ventricular structural abnormalities in chest X-rays
Authors: Bhave Shreyas , Rodriguez Victor , Poterucha Timothy , Mutasa Simukayi , Aberle Dwight , Capaccione Kathleen M , Chen Yibo , Dsouza Belinda , Dumeer Shifali , Goldstein Jonathan , Hodes Aaron , Leb Jay , Lungren Matthew , Miller Mitchell , Monoky David , Navot Benjamin , Wattamwar Kapil , Wattamwar Anoop , Clerkin Kevin , Ouyang David , Ashley Euan , Topkara Veli K , Maurer Mathew , Einstein Andrew J , Uriel Nir , Homma Shunichi , Schwartz Allan , Jaramillo Diego , Perotte Adler J , Elias Pierre
Published: March 2024

Background and Aims

Early identification of cardiac structural abnormalities indicative of heart failure is crucial to improving patient outcomes. Chest X-rays (CXRs) are routinely conducted on a broad population of patients, presenting an opportunity to build scalable screening tools for structural abnormalities indicative of Stage B or worse heart failure with deep learning methods. In this study, a model was developed to identify severe left ventricular hypertrophy (SLVH) and dilated left ventricle (DLV) using CXRs.

Methods

A total of 71 589 unique CXRs from 24 689 different patients completed within 1 year of echocardiograms were identified. Labels for SLVH, DLV, and a composite label indicating the presence of either were extracted from echocardiograms. A deep learning model was developed and evaluated using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). Performance was additionally validated on 8003 CXRs from an external site and compared against visual assessment by 15 board-certified radiologists.

Results

The model yielded an AUROC of 0.79 (0.76–0.81) for SLVH, 0.80 (0.77–0.84) for DLV, and 0.80 (0.78–0.83) for the composite label, with similar performance on an external data set. The model outperformed all 15 individual radiologists for predicting the composite label and achieved a sensitivity of 71% vs. 66% against the consensus vote across all radiologists at a fixed specificity of 73%.

Conclusions

Deep learning analysis of CXRs can accurately detect the presence of certain structural abnormalities and may be useful in early identification of patients with LV hypertrophy and dilation. As a resource to promote further innovation, 71 589 CXRs with adjoining echocardiographic labels have been made publicly available.
Prenatal cannabis use disorder and gastroschisis in California, 2007–19
Authors: Delker Erin , Baer Rebecca J , Kelly Ann E , Chambers Christina , Bandoli Gretchen
Published: March 2024

Background

Gastroschisis is a congenital anomaly of the abdominal wall with an unknown aetiology. Recent trends in the prevalence of gastroschisis suggest that changing environmental or behavioural factors may contribute. We examined whether prenatal cannabis use disorder was associated with gastroschisis.

Methods

The Study of Outcomes of Mothers and Infants is a population-based cohort compiled of California birth records that have been linked to Department of Health Care Access and Information hospitalization, emergency department and ambulatory surgery records. We included 2007–19 singleton live births (n = 5 774 656). Cannabis use disorder was measured by diagnosis codes at any visit during pregnancy or at birth. Gastroschisis was measured by diagnosis or surgical repair procedure codes at birth or during the first year of life.

Results

The prevalence of cannabis use disorder was about 1%. The prevalence of gastroschisis was 0.14% and 0.06% among those with and without cannabis use disorder, respectively. There were positive associations between cannabis use disorder and gastroschisis when using a multivariable model [adjusted risk ratio (aRR) = 1.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0, 1.7) and a matched sample approach (aRR = 1.5, 95% CI 1.1, 2.1). The association varied by maternal age and was largest among people aged >34 years (aRR = 2.5, 95% CI 1.0, 5.8).

Conclusions

We confirm findings of a positive association between cannabis exposure and gastroschisis and add that it is strongest when maternal age is greater than 34 years. More investigation into whether the association is causal, and why the association varies by maternal age, is encouraged.
Genetic Diversity From Proviral DNA as a Proxy for Time Since HIV-1 Infection
Authors: Zeeb Marius , Frischknecht Paul , Huber Michael , Schenkel Corinne D , Neumann Kathrin , Leeman Christine , Notter Julia , Rauch Andri , Stöckle Marcel , Cavassini Matthias , Bernasconi Enos , Braun Dominique L , Günthard Huldrych F , Metzner Karin J , Kouyos Roger D
Published: March 2024

HIV-1 RNA genetic diversity predicts time since infection, which is important for clinical care and research. It is unclear, however, whether proviral DNA genetic diversity sampled under suppressive antiretroviral therapy can be used for this purpose. We tested whether proviral genetic diversity from next-generation sequencing predicts time since infection and recency in 221 people with HIV-1 with known infection time. Proviral diversity was significantly associated with time since infection (P < 5×10−7, R2 up to 25%) and predictive of treatment initiation during recent infection (area under the curve-receiver operating characteristic up to 0.85). This shows the utility of proviral genetic diversity as a proxy for time since infection.
Evaluating Laboratory Communications to NKF-WG Recommended Stakeholders during Implementation of the CKD-EPI 2021 Equation
Authors: Luby Shawn W
Published: March 2024

Background

In 2022, the National Kidney Foundation's Laboratory Engagement Working Group (NKF-WG) released recommendations for clinical implementation of the race-free Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) 2021 estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) equation.

This study examined laboratory communications during CKD-EPI 2021 implementation including communication methods and delivery, content inclusion, and alignment with stakeholder inclusion as defined by the NKF-WG.

Methods

An anonymous web-based survey was distributed to members of ADLM (AACC) and the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science (ASCLS) in November 2022 to solicit laboratory directors of CLIA-licensed clinical laboratories in the United States. Seventeen questions covering topics related to implementation of CKD-EPI 2021, stakeholder inclusion, methods and timing of communications delivery, and content inclusion were surveyed.

Results

All participating laboratories (n = 28) reported including physicians/advanced practitioners in implementation communications, while only 10.7% reported inclusion of patients. When reporting on methods of communication, 81.5% (n = 27) of respondents reported using multiple methods of communication with providers and 88.8% issued provider communications prior to implementation. In contrast, when patient communications were delivered, 87.5% (n = 8) issued these communications exclusively after CKD-EPI 2021 implementation and the majority (6 of 8) reported using only one method of communication during delivery. When reporting on content inclusion, 64.3% (n = 28) of laboratories reported including concerns regarding previous race-based eGFR equations in communications with physicians/advanced practitioners, while only 16.7% (n = 18) of those who included this information did so with patients.

Conclusions

Participants reported limited engagement in CKD-EPI 2021 laboratory-to-patient implementation communications as well as limited inclusion of additional stakeholder groups, as defined in the NKF-WG recommendations. Laboratories utilized multiple communication methods and deliveries in physician/advanced practitioner communications; however, this strategy was not replicated when engaging with additional NKF-WG stakeholder groups.