bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Randomised Control Trial Comparing the Efficacy of LMA-Supreme and I-Gel as Rescue Ventilatory Device in Patients with Simulated Difficult Airway Undergoing Anaesthesia with Controlled Ventilation
Authors: Rahman Sadia , Agarwal Nidhi , Guria Sushil , Jain Swati , Swain Mona
Published: March 2021

Introduction: In an unanticipated difficult airway or in an emergency situation of cannot-intubate-cannot-ventilate scenario, Supraglottic Airway Devices (SGD) are recommended as rescue devices for establishing airway quickly to prevent hypoxia. Aim: To compare efficacy of i-gel airway and Laryngeal Mask Airway supreme (LMA supreme) as ventilatory devices and the time taken for their insertion in anaesthetised and paralysed patients with simulated difficult airway. Materials and Methods: One hundred and eighty adult patients with simulated difficult airway were randomly allocated to two groups of 90 patients each. In group I: i-gel and in group S: LMA supreme was inserted. Primary outcome studied was time taken for insertion of SGD. Secondary outcomes were the number of attempts taken for insertion of device, oropharyngeal leak pressure, ease of gastric catheter insertion, fibreoptic bronchoscopic view of anatomical alignment of device with glottic opening. Quantitative variables were compared using unpaired t-test/Mann-Whitney Test, between the two groups. Qualitative variable were compared using Chi-Square test/Fisher’s-exact test. Results: Total time taken for successful insertion was significantly shorter with group i-gel as compared to group LMA supreme {median (IQR) {19 (18.25-21)} versus {24 (23-24)} with p-value ≤0.0001. Overall success rate of insertion (96.67% vs 97.78%, p=1.000) and oropharyngeal leak pressure (p-value=0.555) of i-gel and LMA-S were comparable. i-gel has better anatomic alignment with glottic opening as compared to LMA-S (p-value ≤0.0001). Gastric tube insertion was easy in all patients in both the groups. Conclusion: Shorter time for the insertion of i-gel was observed due to absence of inflatable cuff, although both LMA-S and i-gel are equally efficacious as ventilatory devices in patients with simulated difficult airway under general anaesthesia with controlled ventilation.
Effects of Dexmedetomidine and Fentanyl Premedication on Quality of Extubation in Children undergoing Tonsillectomy: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Anjana Chathoth , Indu Suseela , Vineetha Prabhakaran
Published: March 2021

Introduction: Smooth extubation in children is a challenging task, especially those undergoing tonsillectomy. Dexmedetomidine, an alpha-2 receptor agonist has been found to be beneficial in paediatric anaesthesia due to its anxiolytic, sedative and analgesic properties. It also attenuates haemodynamic stress response and airway reflexes to intubation and extubation. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid is also extensively used in paediatric anaesthesia. Aim: To compare the effects of dexmedetomidine and fentanyl premedication on quality of extubation and extubation haemodynamics. Materials and Methods: The prospective cohort study was conducted in 120 children divided into two groups of 60 each, aged 5-12 years, belonging to American Society of Anaesthesiologists’ (ASA) physical status I and II, posted for elective tonsillectomy under general anaesthesia. Group F received fentanyl 2 μg/kg intravenously and group D, dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg/kg as intravenous infusion over 10 minutes as premedication. The time from discontinuation of anaesthetics to extubation and to opening the eyes in response to verbal stimuli were noted. The quality of extubation was evaluated according to the 5 point extubation score and postoperative sedation assessed using Ramsay sedation score. The haemodynamic parameters were monitored immediately after discontinuation of anaesthetics and at 1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes postextubation. Any complications like airway obstruction, bradycardia, and hypotension were noted and treated appropriately. Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software version 22 was used for statistical analysis and categorical outcomes compared with Chi-square test/Fisher’s-Exact test. Results: Extubation was smoother in group receiving dexmedetomidine. The median time from discontinuation of anaesthetics to extubation and eye opening was significantly shorter in dexmedetomidine group compared to fentanyl group (p<0.001). Postoperative sedation score was comparable between the two groups. Heart Rate (HR) and Mean Arterial Pressure (MAP) monitored showed significantly stable values in the dexmedetomidine group (p<0.001) when compared to fentanyl soon after discontinuation of anaesthetics and 1, 3, 5 and 10 minutes postextubation. Conclusion: Premedication with dexmedetomidine 0.5 μg/kg intravenously provides better quality and haemodynamics of extubation compared to fentanyl 2 μg/kg in children undergoing tonsillectomy, without causing significant sedation.
Automatic Generation of Scripts for Database Creation from Scenario Descriptions
Authors: Amarasinghe L. W. , Nawarathna R. D.
Published: March 2021

Aims: Database creation is the most critical component of the design and implementation of any software application. Generally, the process of creating the database from the requirement specification of a software application is believed to be extremely hard. This study presents a method to automatically generate database scripts from a given scenario description of the requirement specification.

Study Design: The method is developed based on a set of natural language processing (NLP) techniques and a few algorithms. Standard database scenario descriptions presented in popular textbooks on Database Design are used for the validation of the method.

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Statistics and Computer Science, Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, Between December 2019 to December 2020.

Methodology: The description of the problem scenario is processed using NLP operations such as tokenization, complex word handling, basic group handling, complex phrase handling, structure merging, and template construction to extract the necessary information required for the entity relational model. New algorithms are proposed to automatically convert the entity relational model to the logical schema and finally to the database script. The system can generate scripts for relational databases (RDB), object relational databases (ORDB) and Not Only SQL (NoSQL) databases. The proposed method is integrated into a web application where the users can type the scenario in natural or free text. The user can select the type of database (i.e., one of RDB, ORDB, NoSQL) considered in their system and accordingly the application generates the SQL scripts.

Results: The proposed method was evaluated using 10 scenario descriptions connected to 10 different domains such as company, university, airport, etc. for all three types of databases. The method performed with impressive accuracies of 82.5%, 84.0% and 83.5% for RDB, ORDB and NoSQL scripts, respectively.

Conclusion: This study is mainly focused on the automatic generation of SQL scripts from scenario descriptions of the requirement specification of a software system. Overall, the developed method helps to speed up the database development process. Further, the developed web application provides a learning environment for people who are novices in database technology.
Deep Learning Detection of COVID-19, Temporal Variation and its Link with Temperature in Nigeria
Authors: Precious Ebiendele Eromosele
Published: March 2021

COVID-19 was announced as a global pandemic on 11 March 2020 by the World Health Organization due to its spread globally.  Nigeria recorded its first case on 27 February 2020. Since then, it has spread to all parts of the country. In this paper we study the effectiveness and skill performance of deep learning architectures in assisting health workers in detecting COVID-19 infected patient through X-ray images. Analytical deductions obtained from 500 X-ray images of both infected and non-infected patients confirmed that our proposed model InceptionV3 is effective in detecting COVID-19 and attain an average accuracy of 92%. The relationship or link between the COVID-19 daily occurrence and two meteorological variables (minimum and maximum temperatures) are further assessed. The result also indicated that the cases recorded in Wednesdays and Fridays are observed to be higher than other days which usually coincide with either religious activities or market days in the country, while a progressively decline in weekday cases is observed towards the weekend with Sundays (ranging from 152 to 280 cases) having the lowest cases. The study further indicated statistically that COVID-19 daily cases significantly decline when maximum and minimum temperature are increasing (-0.79 and -0.44 correlation coefficient).
Ethnobotanical Practices among the People of Dagana District, Bhutan
Authors: Sherub Karma , Suberi Bhagat , Chapagai Purna Prasad , Penjor . , Jurmey Kelzang , Wangdra Karma , Neopaney Moni Kumar
Published: March 2021

Medicinal plants are one of the most affordable and accessible method available for the treatment of various ailments and diseases by the local people. In this regards, the study aimed to document the ethno-medicinal knowledge of plants used by the local people of Dagana district of Bhutan. Data were collected between June and November of 2020 using semi-structured interviews from the local people, following snowball sampling.  The study documented 74 medicinal plant species, used for treating 30 different body ailments and diseases. Maximum number of species (14) was used in treating cut/body wounds and commonly used plant parts was leaves (30 species). Current study area was found to be rich in ethno-medicinal knowledge, but equally threatened with declining practices and management of resources. Thus, appropriate conservation of resources and preservation of traditional knowledge is required.
Genetic Variability and Correlation Studies for Pre-harvest Sprouting Tolerance and Associated Traits in Soybean [Glycine max L. Merrill.]
Authors: Kumar G. Praveen , Pallavi M. , Swapna N. , Shahana Firdoz , Reddy G. Eswara , Rakesh G.
Published: March 2021

Evaluation of a set of 65 diverse genotypes of soybean was carried out for their pre-harvest sprouting (PHS) tolerance in a field study during kharif 2019. Percentage of pods ruptured by sprouting seed (PPR) was used as a measure of pre-harvest sprouting tolerance. It ranged from 0-5.8% among the genotypes. High estimates of genotypic (GCV) and phenotypic coefficients of variation (PCV) were recorded for the percentage of pods ruptured by sprouting seed (PPR) indicating the presence of wider variability over which selection can be effective. High heritability coupled with high genetic advance as percent mean was recorded for number of pods ruptured by sprouting seed per plant and PPR. The phenotypic character association revealed a significant negative correlation of PPR with pod wall thickness, number of pods per plant, and number of clusters per plant. Path coefficient analysis revealed number of pods per plant, plant height, and pod wall thickness have a negative influence on pre-harvest sprouting.
Contactless Academia – The Case for Automated Essay Scoring (AES) System in COVID 19 Pandemic
Authors: Osakwe Kennedy A. , Ola Kunle , Omotosho Pete
Published: March 2021

Background: The 2019 SAR COV- 2 outbreak ushered and made the term ‘contactless’ a new normal for most businesses as a mitigation measure to risky coronavirus exposure. Similarly, there are several exposure scenarios in higher education where contact poses a threat. One of which is the handling and marking of essay scripts from assignments, task, research outputs and more. An invaluable measure worth considering is the inclusion of ‘Automated Essay Scoring’ (AES) system in the mitigation toolkits for higher institutions of learning.

Objectives:  We conducted this scoping review to identify the suitability of AES products in higher education and examine the type of methods used to present these products.

Methods: This study was undertaken in the form of a scoping review using the Prisma flow sequence of literature search and selection from 6 databases.

Findings: Different AES products, literatures and research designs were employed in the investigation of AES products. The outcome of reviewed literatures varied on suitability of AES in scoring essay task in Higher Institution of Learning.

Conclusion: There exist substantial case for the use of AES in most literatures amongst few opposing authors; however, in order to achieve contactless interface with human and materials in COVID 19 pandemic, AES should be used with triggers for human raters’ intervention in exceptional cases.
Strategies to Mitigate the Impact of COVID-19 on Food Security and Malnutrition in Nigeria
Authors: Onyeaka H. , Agbugba I. , Ekwebelem O. C. , Anumudu C. , Anyogu A. , Odeyemi O. , Agbagwa S.
Published: March 2021

As a developing nation and the most populous nation in Africa, Nigeria has faced challenges associated with meeting the food needs of its expanding population over the years. This is due to the nation transitioning from a net exporter of foods to being dependent on food imports, leading to many people suffering from stunting and severe malnourishment. The COVID-19 pandemic has compounded this food insufficiency within the country with its attendant global impacts. The restrictions in the movement of people and goods in the country, due to the current pandemic, have affected access to food and agricultural input, heavily affecting the financial ability of families. This mini-review highlights the impact of COVID-19 on the country's nutritional status, the rising incidence of food insecurity and proposes approaches that can be employed to mitigate these adverse effects. Approaches to improving food security and the nutritional status of the country during the pandemic and post-pandemic era will involve deliberate policies of the government which focuses on increasing funding to local food producers, lifting restrictions on the transport of food commodities, encouraging markets for the retail of locally produced foods and more importantly instituting nutritional intervention programmes for children and the vulnerable within the community.
An Alternative Approach to Solving Cubic and Quartic Polynomial Equations
Authors: Tiruneh Ababu Teklemariam
Published: March 2021

Aims: The aim of the research study was to develop a more direct and intuitive approach for the solution of polynomial equations of degree 3 and four.

Study Design:  The study employed equivalent polynomial substitution that is more intuitive and direct to formulate than the traditional formulations and one that is easily solvable.

Place and Duration of Study: The study has been undertaken by the author at the university of Eswatini in the period from February to March 2021.

Methodology: Two alternative procedures have been presented for the analytical solution of cubic and quartic equations and demonstrated with worked examples. The solution is derived through a direct procedure without involving intermediate variable substitution.

Results: For cubic equations, the solution provides explicit expression of an equivalent cubic that is formed directly in terms of the original variable x. As such, the formula is intuitive and simple to derive or understand as well as apply. For the quartic equations, the same decomposition form is used as that of the cubic equation using two quadratic polynomials that have symmetric form thus making it easy to develop the solution as well as solve the equations

Conclusion: The alternative formula is easy to formulate and solve and provides a more intuitive basis for understanding and solving polynomial equations.
Etiological and Clinical Spectrum of Pancytopenia Based on Peripheral Blood Smear and Bone Marrow Examination: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Porwal Vipin , Deshpande Rajesh , Modi Rohit
Published: March 2021

Aims: Pancytopenia is a common clinic-haematological problem suspected in patients with anaemia, prolonged fever, and a bleeding tendency.  This study was performed to find the prevalence of pancytopenia and to determine the common causes of pancytopenia.

Study Design:  Cross-sectional observational study.

Place and Duration of Study: department of general medicine at R. D. Gardi Medical College, Ujjain, India between November 2017 toAugust 2019.

Methodology: The study was conducted among patients with pancytopenia during a two-year period. The etiological pattern was assessed through routine blood tests to determine their clinical features, peripheral blood pictures, and bone marrow morphologies.

Results: Out of 100 patients with pancytopenia, the majority (64.0%) were men. A total of 34 patients were aged between the 21 and 30 years and 28 were aged between 31 and 40 years. Generalized weakness was the most common (88%) presentation and the most common clinical finding was pallor (94.0%), followed by splenomegaly (40.0%) and hepatomegaly (30.0%). Megaloblastic anaemia was the most common cause of pancytopenia that was observed in 58 patients, followed by aplastic anaemia (n=12), cirrhosis of the liver (n=8), leukaemia (n=6), dengue, myelodysplastic syndrome, and malaria (n=4 each), paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (n=2 each). A total of 28.0% patients had normocellular bone marrow and 72.0% had cellular marrow.

Conclusion: Megaloblastic anaemia was the most common aetiology of pancytopenia.
Toxicity Studies on Aqueous Stem Bark of Khaya senegalensis Extract of Kidneys and Its Biochemical Parameters in Wistar Rats
Authors: Abubakar U. , Adisa J. O. , Mohammed U. , Tsamiya R. I. , Mohammed M. O. , Muhammad A. T. , Mohammed I. , Umar A. , Sani S. M. , Umar S. , Imam A. B. , Kabir H. , Dogondaji F. A. , Bello B. A. , Aruf S. Y. Ma , Fasogbon S. A. , Isah D. , Abdullahi H.
Published: March 2021

Introduction: Khaya senegalensis is a genus of seven species of trees in the mahogany family Meliaceae, native to tropical Africa and Madagascar. Mahogany  in  English, Aganwo  in  Yoruba,  Madachi  in  Hausa  and  Ono  in  Igbo. All species become big trees 30–35m tall, rarely 45m, with a trunk over 1 m trunk diameter, often buttressed at the base. The leaves are pinnate, with 4-6 pairs of leaflets, the terminal leaflet absent; each leaflet is 10–15 cm long abruptly rounded toward the apex but often with an acuminate tip.

Aim: The  aim of  the study  was  to determine  the Toxic  effect of prolonged oral administration  of  the  aqueous stem bark of  Khaya senegalensis extract  on the histology of  Kidneys and its biochemical parameters in wistar rats.

Methods: This work is an experimental research. A total of 20 wistar rats were randomly divided in to 5 groups each of which consist of 4 rats. Group 1 received distilled water to serve as control while group 2, 3, 4, and 5 received 500 mg/kg bw, 1000 mg/kg bw 2000 mg/kg bw  and 4000 mg/kg bw of the aqueous extract respectively for 60 days after which they were sacrificed, processed in Automatic Tissue Processor machine, Sectioned and stained with H &E.

Results: There was statistical significant increase in urea and potassium in all the test groups but is not dose dependent. The creatinine was significantly increased in groups 2, 4 and 5. While other parameters such as sodium, chloride and bicarbonate no significant difference when compared to the control group. The kidney sections showed normal structure in group 1 when compared with the test groups. However, there was significant infiltration of inflammatory cell across all the groups which were suggestive of kidney damage or injury. Similarly phenomenon was noticed in group 5 with additional congestion in the glomerulus and more polymorphs seen.

Conclusion: The LD50 was found to be greater than 5000 mg/kg bw, therefore, 400 mg/kgbw was used as higher dose in the experimental wistar rats. There were statistical significant increases in some parameters groups while some groups not significant. The kidney section showed significant infiltration of polymorphs across all the groups more marked in group 5 with distension and damaging of the glomerulus indicating renal injury.
Healthcare Professionals (Nurses') Perceived Stress and Coping: Amid COVID-19
Authors: Alsolami Fatmah J. , Ramaiah Pushpamala , Tayyib Nahla A. , Alshmemri Mohammad S. , Alsulami Sanaa A. , Lindsay Grace , Asfour Hayam I.
Published: March 2021

Background: Nurses are the frontline health professional more likely to undergo various stressors during the pandemic Covid-19 situation. The ongoing unprecedented crisis causes more stress, especially among nurses, as they are the most vulnerable group who predominantly get impacted while delivering comprehensive care.

Aim: This study explored the level of stress among nurses working in different healthcare settings.

Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study among nurses from developed and developing countries between 7 February and 7 April 2020 was adopted for this research. Sixty-four nurses working in different healthcare settings were included in the study. A self-developed online questionnaire using google documents was used to collect data that comprised baseline data, Cohen Perceived stress scale, simplified coping items, and items of psychosocial perception. Results: It was revealed that 75.64% of studied participants (N=64) had a high level of stress, with a mean anxiety score and Standard deviation of 3.52± 1.084, during the Covid-19 pandemic situation. A statistically significant association was found between the demographic variables such as experience and participation in the COVID-19 team at p<.05, whereas gender, age, and working unit do not show any significant associations.

Conclusion: Heath institutions' effective and efficient protocols are required to enhance nurses' mental strength and alleviate their lack of coping strategies, particularly during a crisis.
Characterization of inpatient care for patients admitted to a psychiatric hospital with a home opioid prescription
Authors: Takamura Kei , Hebbard Amy M. , Robert Sophie
Published: March 2021

Introduction

Patients with mental illness are particularly at risk for OUD, and due to this higher risk, providers may be more inclined to withhold their home opioids when they are admitted to a psychiatric hospital. Patients whose home opioids are continued or withheld during admission may be treated differently with respect to pain control, orders for nonopioid adjunctive pain agents, orders for intramuscular as-needed medications, orders for seclusion and/or restraints, and outpatient referrals for OUD treatment. The objective of this retrospective pilot study was to characterize inpatient care for these 2 patient populations.

Methods

Thirty-one inpatient encounters were reviewed for patients who had opioid prescriptions before admission and were discharged from the medical center's psychiatric service from June 1 through August 31, 2019.

Results

Orders for nonopioid adjunctive pain agents and intramuscular as-needed medications trended higher for the opioid-withheld group, suggesting greater polypharmacy and patient dissatisfaction compared with the opioid-continued group. Additionally, what became evident was the lack of consistent and clear documentation regarding the discharge plans for the patients' home opioid and OUD treatment.

Discussion

These findings may prompt inpatient interdisciplinary teams to develop a better process of documentation to facilitate continuity of care.
Effects of Morphological Awareness Training on Reading Accuracy in Children with Dyslexia and its Transfer Effect on Phonological Awareness
Authors: Layes Smail , Kaddouri Amel , Lalonde Robert , Rebai Mohamed
Published: March 2021

We examined the effects of a morphological awareness (MA) training program on the enhancement of word and pseudo-word reading and phonological awareness in Arabic-speaking children with dyslexia. We compared two groups of children with dyslexia from Grade 3, an experimental group (n = 12; mean age = 112.4 months) with a control group (n = 13; mean age = 111.61 months). The training program focused on morphological analysis, derivational morphology and inflexional morphology. Results revealed that the experimental group outperformed controls on all post-training measures for MA, reading words and pseudo-words as well as phonological awareness. Also, the post-training measures were better achieved in the experimental group than pre-training ones, which confirm the efficacy of the morphological training program. We discuss these findings in light of the relationship between morphological awareness and word reading and phonological awareness, and the Arabic orthographic features as a morphological based language.
Comparison of Responsiveness of British Isles Lupus Assessment Group 2004 Index, Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000, and British Isles Lupus Assessment Group 2004 Systems Tally
Authors: Yee Chee‐Seng , Gordon Caroline , Isenberg David A. , Griffiths Bridget , Teh Lee‐Suan , Bruce Ian N. , Ahmad Yasmeen , Rahman Anisur , Prabu Athiveeraramapandian , Akil Mohammed , McHugh Neil , Edwards Christopher J. , D'Cruz David , Khamashta Munther A. , Farewell Vernon T.
Published: March 2021

Objective

To compare the responsiveness of the British Isles Lupus Assessment Group 2004 index (BILAG‐2004) and the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI‐2K) disease activity indices and to determine whether there was any added value in combining BILAG‐2004, BILAG‐2004 system tally (BST), or simplified BST (sBST) with SLEDAI‐2K.

Methods

This was a multicenter longitudinal study of SLE patients. Data were collected on BILAG‐2004, SLEDAI‐2K, and therapy on consecutive assessments in routine practice. The external responsiveness of the indices was assessed by determining the relationship between change in disease activity and change in therapy between 2 consecutive visits. Comparison of indices and their derivatives was performed by assessing the main effects of the indices using logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic curves analysis was used to describe the performance of these indices individually and in various combinations, and comparisons of area under the curve were performed.

Results

There were 1,414 observations from 347 patients. Both BILAG‐2004 and SLEDAI‐2K maintained an independent relationship with change in therapy when compared. There was some improvement in responsiveness when continuous SLEDAI‐2K variables (change in score and score of previous visit) were combined with BILAG‐2004 system scores. Dichotomization of BILAG‐2004 or SLEDAI‐2K resulted in poorer performance. BST and sBST had similar responsiveness as the combination of SLEDAI‐2K variables and BILAG‐2004 system scores. There was little benefit in combining SLEDAI‐2K with BST or sBST.

Conclusion

The BILAG‐2004 index had comparable responsiveness to SLEDAI‐2K. There was some benefit in combining both indices. Dichotomization of BILAG‐2004 and SLEDAI‐2K leads to suboptimal performance. BST and sBST performed well on their own; sBST is recommended for its simplicity and clinical meaningfulness.
Adaptive fuzzy finite‐time quantized control for stochastic nonlinear systems with full state constraints
Authors: Zhang Jun , Tong Shaocheng , Sui Shuai
Published: March 2021

This article studies the adaptive fuzzy finite‐time quantized control problem of stochastic nonlinear nonstrict‐feedback systems with full state constraints. During the control design process, fuzzy logic systems are used to identify the unknown nonlinear functions, integral barrier Lyapunov functions are employed to solve the state constrained problem. In the frame of backstepping design, an adaptive fuzzy finite‐time quantized control scheme is developed. Based on the stochastic finite‐time Lyapunov stability theory, it can be guaranteed that the closed‐loop system is semiglobal finite‐time stable in probability, and the tracking errors converge to a small neighborhood of the origin in a finite time. Finally, two simulation examples are provided to testify the effectiveness of the developed control scheme.
An In Situ High‐Energy Synchrotron X‐Ray Diffraction Study of Directional Solidification in Binary TiAl Alloys
Authors: Oehring Michael , Matthiessen Dirk , Blankenburg Malte , Schell Norbert , Pyczak Florian
Published: March 2021

Phase formation and microstructure selection during solidification in γ‐TiAl alloys are highly relevant, both with respect to the microstructure and texture of cast alloys and to directional solidification, which allows to obtain a unique combination of properties. However, during cooling to room temperature, the solidifying phases transform to low‐temperature phases, which mask the prior situation during solidification. A new inductive crucible‐free zone melting furnace is used in this work, which is specially designed for in situ investigations of solidification using synchrotron radiation. Herein, alloys with 45 and 48 at% Al are studied, and it can be shown that with varying withdrawal rate, a change from α solidification to synchronous β + α solidification occurs in Ti–48Al, as it is predicted in the literature. Furthermore, it is observed that by increasing the withdrawal rate, a preferred <001> growth of the β phase occurs in alloys with 45 at% Al, which is interpreted as a transition to dendritic solidification. The observations are compared with a microstructure selection map calculated according to the nucleation and constitutional undercooling (NCU) model proposed in the literature.
Recent Progress of Methods to Enhance Photovoltaic Effect for Self‐Powered Heterojunction Photodetectors and Their Applications in Inorganic Low‐Dimensional Structures
Authors: Hu Xin , Li Xiangyang , Li Guiye , Ji Tao , Ai Fujin , Wu Jianghong , Ha Enna , Hu Junqing
Published: March 2021

An important class of photoelectronic devices, self‐powered photodetectors, has attracted worldwide attention because of its crucial role in both basic scientific research and commercial/public applications. Thanks to a special synergistic effect, excellent photoelectric properties, and outstanding mechanical stability, the study of heterojunction devices can provide valuable insights and new possibilities for the future of self‐powered photodetectors. This paper reviews the recent years of fundamental research of photovoltaic efficiency based on the ferroelectric‐enhanced photovoltaic effect, the pyro‐phototronic effect, and the piezo‐phototronic effect. It also highlights important topics related to heterojunctions and materials that are suitable for self‐powered photodetectors. The article concludes with an outlook of the future development in this important and rapidly advancing field.
Reconfigurable Three‐Dimensional Mesotructures of Spatially Programmed Liquid Crystal Elastomers and Their Ferromagnetic Composites
Authors: Li Yi , Yu Huabin , Yu Kai , Guo Xiaogang , Wang Xueju
Published: March 2021

Reversible programming of 3D soft mesostructures is desired for many applications including soft robotics and biomedical devices. The large, reversible shape changes of liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs), which result from the coupling between the alignment of liquid crystal (LC) molecules and the macroscopic deformation of polymer networks, have attracted much attention for such applications. Here, a facile and versatile strategy is introduced to create reconfigurable, freestanding 3D mesostructures of LCEs and magnetic LCE composites that are inaccessible with existing techniques via spatially programming LC molecules through mechanical buckling. Demonstrations include experimental and theoretical results of more than 20 reconfigurable 3D LCE mesostructures of diverse configurations, from coils and spirals to structures that resemble fences and frameworks, with characteristic feature sizes and thicknesses ranging from micro to macro. The large, reversible shape‐switching behaviors of these structures over multiple cycles are also demonstrated. An LCE gripper is shown to grab/release objects of both regular and irregular geometries. Furthermore, a robot of ferromagnetic LCE composites that simultaneously responds to magnetic and thermal stimuli for diverse biomimetic behaviors, especially crawling underneath a narrow crack, illustrates the integration of other functional materials to LCEs for multifunctional systems.
NIR‐II J‐Aggregates Labelled Mesoporous Implant for Imaging‐Guided Osteosynthesis with Minimal Invasion
Authors: Sun Caixia , Sun Xiaofei , Pei Peng , He Haisheng , Ming Jiang , Liu Xuan , Liu Minchao , Zhang Yuntong , Xia Yan , Zhao Dongyuan , Li Xiaomin , Xie Yang , Zhang Fan
Published: March 2021

Medical implants are widely used in clinical practice, such as cardiovascular stenting, maxillofacial surgery, and orthopedics. However, most of the traditional implant operations are open and invasive, resulting in massive dissection of soft tissue and interruption of blood supply. The accurate navigation for the implant operations is considered as one of the most effective ways to reduce the damage, which is urgently desired in clinic. Herein, a biocompatible NIR‐II J‐aggregates labelled mesoporous implant for imaging‐guided osteosynthesis with minimal invasion is reported. Mesoporous silica layer with vertical channels is grown on the surface of titanium plate, which can provide the confining space for the formation of the FD‐1080 J‐aggregates. Both the absorption and fluorescence peaks of the FD‐1080 J‐aggregates are located in NIR‐II window (beyond 1300 nm), which are ideal for high resolution and real time surgical navigation in deep tissue. NIR‐II imaging can clearly display the location and outline of the implant both in vitro and in vivo. This NIR‐II imaging‐guided osteosynthesis can effectively reduce the surgical wound and operational duration, which is crucial for the implant surgeries.
Solid‐State NMR and MRI Spectroscopy for Li/Na Batteries: Materials, Interface, and In Situ Characterization
Authors: Liu Xiangsi , Liang Ziteng , Xiang Yuxuan , Lin Min , Li Qi , Liu Zigeng , Zhong Guiming , Fu Riqiang , Yang Yong
Published: March 2021

Enhancing the electrochemical performance of batteries, including the lifespan, energy, and power densities, is an everlasting quest for the rechargeable battery community. However, the dynamic and coupled (electro)chemical processes that occur in the electrode materials as well as at the electrode/electrolyte interfaces complicate the investigation of their working and decay mechanisms. Herein, the recent developments and applications of solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance (ssNMR) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in Li/Na batteries are reviewed. Several typical cases including the applications of NMR spectroscopy for the investigation of the pristine structure and the dynamic structural evolution of materials are first emphasized. The NMR applications in analyzing the solid electrolyte interfaces (SEI) on the electrode are further concluded, involving the identification of SEI components and investigation of ionic motion through the interfaces. Beyond, the new development of in situ NMR and MRI techniques are highlighted, including their advantages, challenges, applications and the design principle of in situ cell. In the end, a prospect about how to use ssNMR in battery research from the perspectives of materials, interface, and in situ NMR, aiming at obtaining deeper insight of batteries with the assistance of ssNMR is represented.
Second‐Order Optical Response in Electrically Polarized Sodo‐Niobate Amorphous Thin Films: Particularity of Multilayer Systems
Authors: Karam Lara , Adamietz Frédéric , Michau Dominique , Murugan Ganapathy Senthil , Cardinal Thierry , Fargin Evelyne , Rodriguez Vincent , Richardson Kathleen A. , Dussauze Marc
Published: March 2021

Herein, our attention is focused on the second‐order optical properties of thermally poled sodo‐niobate amorphous thin films through an original methodology that combines both macroscopic and microscopic second harmonic generation techniques. By probing the geometry and the magnitude of the second‐order nonlinear (SONL) optical response at different scales, a key aspect of thin film's poling mechanisms compared with bulk glasses is demonstrated that lies in the appearance of a charge accumulation at the film/substrate interface and that is described by the Maxwell–Wagner effect. A way to minimize this effect is then proven by promoting an induced built‐in static field in the plane of the film using a microstructured electrode. A SONL optical susceptibility as high as 29 pm V−1 is measured and its geometry and location are controlled at the micrometer scale; it constitutes an improvement of at least one order of magnitude compared with other poled amorphous inorganic materials and is comparable with that of lithium niobate single crystal.
Base‐Mediated Generation of Ketenimines from Ynamides: [3+2] Annulation with Azaallyl Anions
Authors: D'Hollander Agathe C. A. , Romero Eugénie , Vijayakumar Kamsana , Le Houérou Camille , Retailleau Pascal , Dodd Robert H. , Iorga Bogdan I. , Cariou Kevin
Published: March 2021

Under basic conditions and heat, ynamides can serve as precursors to ketenimines, whose synthetic potential is often hampered by their difficulty of access. Herein, we report that they can undergo a [3+2] cycloaddition with 2‐azaallyl anions, obtained from benzylimines under the same reaction conditions. This reaction between two highly reactive intermediates, both generated in situ from bench stable starting materials, gives access to various nitrogen‐rich heterocycles. The reaction usually proceeds with excellent diastereoselectivity, in favor of the cis adduct. Deuteration experiments and DFT calculations helped rationalize the regio‐ and stereoselectivity of the process as well as the formation of side products.

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Synthesis of Dibenzosiloles through Electrocatalytic Sila‐Friedel‐Crafts Reaction
Authors: Han Pan , Yin Mengyun , Li Haiqiong , Yi Jundan , Jing Linhai , Wei Bangguo
Published: March 2021

A novel electrocatalyzed method for the preparation of dibenzosiloles was developed through intramolecular C−H/Si−H dehydrogenative coupling strategy starting from biarylhydrosilanes. Both electro‐donating and electro‐withdrawing substitution groups were tolerated for this transformation, and the desired dibenzosilole products could be obtained in moderate to excellent yields. A sila‐Friedel‐Crafts reaction mechanism was proposed on the basis of previous literature and our controlled experiments.

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Graphene Quantum Dots for Fluorescent Labeling of Gelatin‐Based Shear‐Thinning Hydrogels
Authors: Nasrollahi Fatemeh , Nazir Farzana , Tavafoghi Maryam , Hosseini Vahid , Ali Darabi Mohammad , Paramelle David , Khademhosseini Ali , Ahadian Samad
Published: March 2021

The efficiency of injectable biomaterials as minimally invasive therapeutics significantly relies on biomaterial's characteristics, such as stability, biodegradation rate, and interaction with the host tissue, which requires real‐time tracking of the biomaterials. Fluorescence imaging is considered as a noninvasive technique for monitoring biomaterials; however, the commonly used fluorescent agents are often accompanied by photobleaching and toxicity. Herein, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are introduced as a biocompatible and stable fluorophore for imaging and noninvasive monitoring of a physically cross‐linked injectable shear‐thinning biomaterial (STB) of gelatin–silicate nanoplatelets. Silicate nanoplatelets and GQDs serve as the physical cross‐linkers of gelatin making electrostatic interaction with gelatin chains. Different STB‐GQDs formulations are assessed in terms of fluorescence intensity, injectability, thermal stability, and cellular biocompatibility. STB‐GQDs with 0.06% GQDs, 6% solid material, and 50% silicate in the solid material show the strongest in vitro fluorescence and the highest thermal stability. In vivo monitoring of STB‐GQDs is also achieved through fluorescent imaging where incorporated GQDs exhibit a robust and stable signal, suggesting their promising applications in long‐term tracking of gelatin‐based STBs.
Sensitive silica‐alumina modified capacitive non‐Faradaic glucose sensor for gestational diabetes
Authors: Chen Lizhen , Xie Wenyang , Luo Yao , Ding Xiaolan , Fu Bing , Gopinath Subash C.B. , Xiong Yuanhuan
Published: March 2021

A highly sensitive silica‐alumina (Si‐Al)‐modified capacitive non‐Faradaic glucose biosensor was introduced to monitor gestational diabetes. Glucose oxidase (GOx) was attached to the Si‐Al electrode surface as the probe through amine‐modification followed by glutaraldehyde premixed GOx as aldehyde‐amine chemistry. This Si‐Al (∼50 nm) modified electrode surface has increased the current flow upon binding of GOx with glucose. Capacitance values were increased by increasing the glucose concentrations. A mean capacitance value was plotted and the detection limit was found as 0.03 mg/mL with the regression coefficient value, R² = 0.9782 [y = 0.8391x + 1.338] on the linear range between 0.03 and 1 mg/mL. Further, a biofouling experiment with fructose and galactose did not increase the capacitance, indicating the specific glucose detection. This Si‐Al–modified capacitance sensor detects a lower level of glucose presence and helps in monitoring gestational diabetes.
Neonatal Ebstein anomaly national outcomes from 2000 to 2018 using the National Inpatient Sample
Authors: Peluso Allison M. , Othman Hasan F. , Zahka Kenneth , Perez Antonio L. , Sammour Ibrahim , Aly Hany
Published: March 2021

Background

The prevalence, morbidity, and mortality associated with Ebstein anomaly (EA) remains poorly characterized in neonates. EA is a rare form of congenital heart disease (CHD) with significant heterogeneity.

Objective

To determine the recent, 2000–2018, prevalence, mortality, outcomes, and healthcare utilization of infants admitted at ≤28 days of life with EA in comparison to other critical congenital heart defects (CCHD) in the United States using a national data set.

Methods

The National Inpatient Sample (NIS) from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) was queried for infants admitted for any reason at ≤28 days of life with a diagnosis of EA between 2000 and 2018 using ICD‐9 and 10 codes in the United States. Patient characteristics, morbidity, mortality, and healthcare utilization were evaluated for EA and compared with other CCHD.

Results

From 2000 to 2018 a total of 68,312,952 neonatal admissions were identified, of them 4,398 neonates with isolated EA were identified, representing 7 per 100,000 neonatal admissions and 2.2% of CCHD admissions (4,398/197,881). The number of new EA cases ranged from 138 to 375 per year. In‐hospital mortality was 12.3% and surgical repair occurred in 4.2% for infants with EA. There were 470 deaths without surgical repair which is 86.6% of the mortality. Arrhythmias were diagnosed in 10.6% and ECMO was used for 2.6% of neonates with EA.

Conclusion

EA is a rare form of CHD. The prevalence has remained stable over the 19 years whereas other congenital heart defects have had an increase. The mortality in neonates with EA was significantly higher than in pooled CCHD; the burden of mortality occurred in the neonates without surgical intervention.
Probabilistic model by Bayesian network for the prediction of antibody glycosylation in perfusion and fed‐batch cell cultures
Authors: Zhang Liang , Wang MingLiang , Castan Andreas , Hjalmarsson Håkan , Chotteau Veronique
Published: March 2021

Glycosylation is a critical quality attribute of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). The glycan pattern can have a large impact on the immunological functions, serum half‐life and stability. The medium components and cultivation parameters are known to potentially influence the glycosylation profile. Mathematical modelling provides a strategy for rational design and control of the upstream bioprocess. However, the kinetic models usually contain a very large number of unknown parameters, which limit their practical applications. In this article, we consider the metabolic network of N‐linked glycosylation as a Bayesian network (BN) and calculate the fluxes of the glycosylation process as joint probability using the culture parameters as inputs. The modelling approach is validated with data of different Chinese hamster ovary cell cultures in pseudo perfusion, perfusion, and fed batch cultures, all showing very good predictive capacities. In cases where a large number of cultivation parameters is available, it is shown here that principal components analysis can efficiently be employed for a dimension reduction of the inputs compared to Pearson correlation analysis and feature importance by decision tree. The present study demonstrates that BN model can be a powerful tool in upstream process and medium development for glycoprotein productions.
Cerium Doping Double Perovskite Scintillator for Sensitive X‐ray Detection and Imaging
Authors: Wang Zhilin , Xu Xieming , Wang Shuaihua , Xu Hui , Xu Weiwei , Zeng Qingyou , Deng Guoping , Jiang Yongzheng , Wu Shaofan
Published: March 2021

Scintillators are widely used for nondestructive testing, nuclear medicine imaging, space exploration and security inspection. Recently, lead halide perovskite scintillation crystals have been brought into focus due to their effective atomic number, fast scintillation decay time, strong luminous efficiency, and tunable band gap. However, their application is limited by lead toxicity. Here we report that Ce‐doping can increase sensitivity in lead‐free double perovskite crystals (Cs2NaTbCl6) for X‐ray detection and imaging. The introduction of Ce ions as sensitizer can be used to improve the radioluminescence of the crystals. The light output of Ce : Cs2NaTbCl6 crystals is about 52153 ph/MeV, which is 25 % higher than that of un‐doped crystal. The X‐ray sensitivity is significantly enhanced. Based on our scintillation film X‐ray detector the detection limit is 30 nGy ⋅ s−1, which is about 1/183 of the typical medical imaging dose. Our scintillating film has excellent imaging ability with spatial resolution of up to 10 lp/mm. This research shows that Ce : Cs2NaTbCl6 perovskite crystal scintillators are promising materials for X‐ray imaging application.
Somatosensory innervation of healthy human oral tissues
Authors: Moayedi Yalda , Michlig Stéphanie , Park Mark , Koch Alia , Lumpkin Ellen A.
Published: March 2021

The oral somatosensory system relays essential information about mechanical stimuli to enable oral functions such as feeding and speech. The neurochemical and anatomical diversity of sensory neurons across oral cavity sites have not been systematically compared. To address this gap, we analyzed healthy human tongue and hard‐palate innervation. Biopsies were collected from 12 volunteers and underwent fluorescent immunohistochemistry (≥2 specimens per marker/structure). Afferents were analyzed for markers of neurons (βIII tubulin), myelinated afferents (neurofilament heavy, NFH), and Merkel cells and taste cells (keratin 20, K20). Hard‐palate innervation included Meissner corpuscles, glomerular endings, Merkel cell‐neurite complexes, and free nerve endings. The organization of these somatosensory endings is reminiscent of fingertips, suggesting that the hard palate is equipped with a rich repertoire of sensory neurons for pressure sensing and spatial localization of mechanical inputs, which are essential for speech production and feeding. Likewise, the tongue is innervated by afferents that impart it with exquisite acuity and detection of moving stimuli that support flavor construction and speech. Filiform papillae contained end bulbs of Krause, as well as endings that have not been previously reported, including subepithelial neuronal densities, and NFH+ neurons innervating basal epithelia. Fungiform papillae had Meissner corpuscles and densities of NFH+ intraepithelial neurons surrounding taste buds. The differing compositions of sensory endings within filiform and fungiform papillae suggest that these structures have distinct roles in mechanosensation. Collectively, this study has identified previously undescribed neuronal endings in human oral tissues and provides an anatomical framework for understanding oral mechanosensory functions.