bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Survey of Knowledge and use of Modern Contraceptives among Female Students in a Public University in Ghana
Authors: Botchwey Charles Owusu-Aduomi , Takyiwaa Linda , Boateng Agartha Afful , Opoku Richmond , Baidoo Michael Afari , Acquah Francis
Published: June 2022

Introduction: Studies have shown that knowledge of contraceptives, especially among undergraduate female students, remains limited and the rate of premarital unprotected sexual activity, unwanted pregnancies, and illegal abortions remain higher among university students in Ghana.

Aim: This study was carried out to assess the knowledge and use of modern contraceptives among female undergraduate students at the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.

Methodology: A descriptive survey design was adopted as the framework for the study. A purposive sampling method was used to deploy 108 sexually active female undergraduate students from a department in the Faculty of Science Education using structured questionnaires. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Science (IBM SPSS, Version 25) and presented using quantitative metrics.

Results and discussion: The results of the study showed that the majority of the respondents (89.8%) have heard about a modern contraceptive method. 57.4%  of the respondents reported that they used contraceptives in the past, while 36 (58.1%) were current contraceptive users. The most popular methods of contraception used were pills (96.9%), female condoms (72.2%), and injectable (52.6%). The main sources of information about contraceptives were found to be social media and followed by peers, radio/TV, and health workers. Reasons that most influenced the decision of respondents to use modern contraceptives included knowledge of modern contraceptives, availability of service points, partner support, and religious beliefs. Even though participants were sexually active, the rate of contraceptive use was found to be relatively low.

Conclusion: Even though the majority of the respondent knew of a particular contraceptive, a significant number of them were found not utilising it. There is the need for active promotion of modern contraceptives among female university students to bridge the gap between knowledge and use.
Machine learning models to predict the delivered positions of Elekta multileaf collimator leaves for volumetric modulated arc therapy
Authors: Sivabhaskar Sruthi , Li Ruiqi , Roy Arkajyoti , Kirby Neil , Fakhreddine Mohamad , Papanikolaou Nikos
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Accurate positioning of multileaf collimator (MLC) leaves during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) is essential for accurate treatment delivery. We developed a linear regression, support vector machine, random forest, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and an artificial neural network (ANN) for predicting the delivered leaf positions for VMAT plans.

Methods

For this study, 160 MLC log files from 80 VMAT plans were obtained from a single institution treated on 3 Elekta Versa HD linear accelerators. The gravity vector, X1 and X2 jaw positions, leaf gap, leaf position, leaf velocity, and leaf acceleration were extracted and used as model inputs. The models were trained using 70% of the log files and tested on the remaining 30%. Mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE), the coefficient of determination R2, and fitted line plots showing the relationship between delivered and predicted leaf positions were used to evaluate model performance.

Results

The models achieved the following errors: linear regression (MAE = 0.158 mm, RMSE = 0.225 mm), support vector machine (MAE = 0.141 mm, RMSE = 0.199 mm), random forest (MAE = 0.161 mm, RMSE = 0.229 mm), XGBoost (MAE = 0.185 mm, RMSE = 0.273 mm), and ANN (MAE = 0.361 mm, RMSE = 0.521 mm). A significant correlation between a plan's gamma passing rate (GPR) and the prediction errors of linear regression, support vector machine, and random forest is seen (p < 0.045).

Conclusions

We examined various models to predict the delivered MLC positions for VMAT plans treated with Elekta linacs. Linear regression, support vector machine, random forest, and XGBoost achieved lower errors than ANN. Models that can accurately predict the individual leaf positions during treatment can help identify leaves that are deviating from the planned position, which can improve a plan's GPR.
Understanding of Sodium Storage Mechanism in Hard Carbons: Ongoing Development under Debate
Authors: Sun Ning , Qiu Jieshan , Xu Bin
Published: June 2022

Hard carbons are promising anode candidates for sodium‐ion batteries due to their excellent Na‐storage performance, abundant resources, and low cost. Despite the recent advances in hard carbons, the interpretation of the Na‐storage mechanism in hard carbons remains unclear, with discrepancies over a general model describing the corresponding structure–property relationship. For the rational structural design of high‐performance hard carbon anodes, a thorough understanding of the charge storage mechanism and the relationship between microstructure and Na‐storage performance is critical. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the known models to describe the Na‐storage mechanism in hard carbons with a discussion focused on Na‐storage active sites such as interlayer space, pores, heteroatoms, and defects. The present models, including the “insertion‐filling”, “adsorption‐filling”, “adsorption‐insertion”, and “multistage mechanism” and the associated analytical characterization, are elaborately discussed with a view to the present challenges and the prospects for unveiling Na‐storage mechanism in hard carbons. The review serves to clarify the Na‐storage mechanism in hard carbons with guidance toward the design of high‐performance anodes for sodium‐ion batteries.
Herbicide pyrazosulfuron ethyl induces genotoxicity, cell cycle alterations and apoptosis in tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)
Authors: Upadhyay Ankur , Pandya Parth , Salunke Ankita , Parikh Pragna
Published: June 2022

Fishes are excellent subjects for the study of the mutagenic and carcinogenic potential of contaminants present in water. Herbicides are one of the toxic contaminants that cause lethal effects in fish. In this context, the present study was designed to study the sub‐lethal toxic effect (low dose [LD] 25 mg/L, medium dose‐50 mg/L, and high dose [HD] 100 mg/L) of a commonly used herbicide, pyrazosulfuron ethyl (PE), on erythrocytes of tilapia. The genotoxic effect was studied to understand the sub‐lethal potential by means of (a) the nuclear abnormalities, including the micronucleus (MN) frequency; (b) further, each stage of the cell cycle was analysed using flow cytometry and (c) finally, the targets of PE was deciphered using in silico analysis. The results showed that there were significant effects of time (7 and 14 days) and doses in the increase in the frequency of MN in erythrocytes of fish treated with PE, compared to the control group. After exposing fish to PE for 7 and 14 days, there was a proportional increase in the frequency of the apoptotic population of erythrocytes for LD to HD. During both time exposures (7 and 14 days), the highest cell death was accounted for in HD. Moreover, the majority of the cells showed a dysregulated cell cycle in the G1 phase in all the treated groups of PE, compared to the control group. This study showed that PE might initiate genotoxicity in non‐target species (tilapia) of the aquatic ecosystem near agricultural fields.
Pathogenic variants in CASK: Expanding the genotype–phenotype correlations
Authors: Dubbs Holly , Ortiz‐Gonzalez Xilma , Marsh Eric D.
Published: June 2022

Pathogenic variants in CASK, an X‐linked gene that plays a role in brain development and synaptic function, are the cause of both microcephaly with pontine and cerebellar hypoplasia (MICPCH), and X‐linked intellectual disability (XLID) with or without nystagmus. MICPCH is caused by loss of function variants in CASK, typically affects females, and is associated with moderate‐to‐severe intellectual disability (ID). Additional findings, present in about one‐third of individuals, include feeding difficulties, ophthalmologic issues, hypertonicity, epilepsy, and sensorineural hearing loss. Only a few affected males with MICPCH phenotype have been reported and most have had profound developmental disability and intractable epilepsy. The XLID phenotype is typically caused by missense variants and most often manifests in males; carrier females are mildly affected or unaffected. Nystagmus is often present. In total, over 175 patients have been reported in the literature. We now report an additional 11 patients with pathogenic variants in CASK that expand these phenotypes and reported genotype–phenotype correlations.
Catalyst‐free Synthesis of Benzothiazolopyrimidines via Visible‐Light‐Induced Wolff Rearrangement/[4+2] Cycloaddition Process
Authors: Wang Jiao‐Mei , Chen Yang‐Xu , Yao Chang‐Sheng , Zhang Kai
Published: June 2022

A visible‐light‐induced highly practical catalyst‐free Wolff rearrangement/domino [4+2] cycloaddition of 2‐benzothiazolimines with α‐diazo ketones has been developed. This protocol provides a concise and facile synthetic approach to construct a broad range of benzothiazolopyrimidine derivatives bearing a quaternary carbon center under mild reaction conditions with high isolated yields and excellent diastereoselectivities (up to >99% yield and >20 : 1 d.r.).
Association of cytokine profile with prior treatment failure and revision surgery in chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Longino Elizabeth S. , Labby Alex B. , Wu Jeffanie , Chapurin Nikita , Li Ping , Chandra Rakesh K. , Turner Justin H. , Chowdhury Naweed I.
Published: June 2022

Background

Inflammatory patterns in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) may predict disease severity, need for multiple sinus surgeries, and treatment response. This study analyzes nasal mucus inflammatory cytokine patterns in patients with (CRSwNP) and without (CRSsNP) nasal polyposis and their association with revision sinus surgery.

Methods

A total of 319 CRS patients who underwent sinus surgery were included. Cytokines were quantified in intraoperative mucus specimens using a multiplex flow cytometric bead assay. Cytokine expression patterns in patients with 0, 1, and ≥2 previous surgeries were analyzed using Kruskal‐Wallis and principal component (PC) regression analyses.

Results

There were 122 (38%) patients with CRSsNP and 197 (62%) with CRSwNP. On univariate analysis, interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8, and IL‐21 were associated with increasing number of sinus surgeries in CRSsNP, as were IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐6, IL‐9, IL‐17A, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α in CRSwNP. PC analysis with continuous Poisson regression in CRSwNP demonstrated that high IL‐5 and IL‐13 and low IL‐1β, IL‐12, and IL‐21 were associated with more prior surgeries. In CRSsNP low IL‐13 and high IL‐5 and regulated‐on‐activation, normal T‐cell–expressed and secreted (RANTES) were associated with more prior surgeries. Age remained a significant covariate in the full regression model for CRSsNP, but was nonsignificant in CRSwNP.

Conclusion

In CRSwNP, elevated IL‐5 and IL‐13 levels were higher at time of surgery in patients with more prior surgeries. Type 2 cytokines in CRSsNP demonstrated mixed associations with revision surgery. For both phenotypes, IL‐10, IL‐12, and IL‐21 were consistently lower as number of prior surgeries increased, suggesting that treatment‐resistant disease may be modulated by impairment in these signaling pathways.
Persistent discharge or edema after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis is associated with a type 1 or 3 endotype
Authors: Stein Eli , Schneider Alexander L. , Harmon Regan , Racette Samuel D. , Reddy Abhita T. , Price Caroline P. E. , Huang Julia H. , Kato Atsushi , Shintani‐Smith Stephanie , Conley David B. , Welch Kevin C. , Kern Robert C. , Tan Bruce K.
Published: June 2022

Background

Patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) may have persistence of polyps, discharge, or edema after endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Inflammation in CRS can be classified into three endotypes, with the presence of polyps associated with the type 2 endotype. Here, we evaluate the endotypic underpinnings of discharge or edema without polyps after ESS.

Methods

At a visit 6–12 months post ESS, patients underwent endoscopy and completed the CRS‐PRO and SNOT‐22. Luminex analysis of middle meatal mucus obtained at that visit was performed for IFN‐γ, ECP, and IL‐17a. Type 1, 2, and 3 endotypes were defined as greater than the 90th percentile expression of each marker, respectively, in controls. Wilcoxon rank‐sum and chi‐squared tests were used to compare cytokine levels and endotype prevalence between those with and without endoscopic findings.

Results

A total of 122 CRS patients completed a clinical exam (median: 8.2 months post ESS). Of the 122 patients, 107 did not have polyps on endoscopy. Of these 107 patients, 48 had discharge, 44 had edema, and 46 had neither discharge nor edema. Compared with those patients without any findings, patients with discharge or edema reported significantly worse severity as measured by CRS‐PRO (10.5 vs. 7.0, p = 0.009; 12.0 vs. 7.0, p < 0.001; respectively), and had higher post‐ESS IFN‐γ, ECP, and IL‐17a. Patients with discharge had higher prevalence of only T1 and T3 endotypes, while patients with edema had higher prevalence of only the T3 endotype.

Conclusions

Post‐ESS discharge or edema in the absence of polyps was associated with higher patient‐reported outcome severity and was more strongly associated with type 1 or 3 inflammation.
Effects of microstructure on the breakdown characteristics of polyethylene–montmorillonite nanocomposites
Authors: Li Lili , Wang Yulong , Gao Junguo , Chi Xiaohong , Han Gang , Guo Ning
Published: June 2022

Polyethylene (PE) has numerous applications in electrical and electronic products. However, PE insulation materials have a short service life, which poses a safety risk during power system operation. To address this issue, a molecular model of polyethylene–montmorillonite (PE–MMT) nanocomposites is developed to simulate and explore the microscopic mechanisms influencing their breakdown characteristics. PE–MMT nanocomposites loaded with 0, 3.3, 4.0, or 5.1 wt% organically modified MMT are obtained via disordered doping. X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy experimentally demonstrate the effects of modifying these nanofillers and dispersing them in PE, while radial distribution function, interaction energy, and fractional free volume studies reveal the microscale characteristics of the nanocomposites. Hydrogen bonds form in the PE–MMT nanocomposites, and the nanocomposite with 4.0 wt% nanofillers exhibits better breakdown properties than pure PE. The simulation results are in agreement with the data collected from experimental analogs, which confirms the accuracy and effectiveness of the PE–MMT nanocomposite models described herein. The findings of this study thus provide both a model for studying breakdown in PE and a modification procedure for improving PE as an insulating material.
Decomposition of Irganox 1010 in plastic bonded explosives
Authors: Freye Chris E.
Published: June 2022

Degradation pathways of Irganox 1010 in aged plastic bonded explosive (PBX) 9501 were investigated using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled to quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC‐QTOF). Using a targeted approach, a total of 44 Irganox 1010 decomposition products were discovered. These decomposition products were formed through hydrolysis, scission, and/or oxidation of Irganox 1010. The hydrolytic decomposition of Irganox is a straightforward process resulting in the cleavage of the ester group(s) while oxidation and scission are more complicated and can happen at multiple locations on the Irganox 1010 molecule. Moreover, due to the symmetric nature of Irganox 1010, multiple decomposition reactions can occur. Indeed some decomposition products exhibited hydrolysis, oxidation, and scission. In order to probe any trends in the aged PBX 9501 samples, principal component analysis (PCA) was implemented. The greatest chemical differences between the aged PBX samples was hydrolysis of the ester functional groups on Irganox 1010. Despite the negative connotations of hydrolysis, the Irganox 1010 decomposition products are still able to function as a radical scavenger in PBX 9501 as intended.
On performance of polycarbonate/silica aerogel nanoparticle mixed matrix hollow fiber membrane coated with polydimethylsiloxane for membrane distillation
Authors: Rezaei Mohsen , Hashemifard Seyed Abdollatif , Abbasi Mohsen
Published: June 2022

The membrane distillation process is one of the most important membrane technologies being developed for water desalination, which has the ability to compete with expensive processes such as reverse osmosis. In this study, the performance of polycarbonate (PC) hollow fiber membranes modified with silica aerogel nanoparticles (SIA‐NPs) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating solution for direct contact membrane distillation was investigated. The membranes were fabricated by dry jet‐wet spinning method. In this respect, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 wt% of SIA nanoparticles were coated over the hollow fiber surface in order to improve the performance of the membranes. The results indicated that the optimum loading of SIA was 0.5 wt% at which the contact angle of the surface shifted from 77.5° to 100° relative to the unmodified PC membrane. Although the addition of SIA nanoparticles to the membrane matrix did not alter the membrane conductivity, it increased the membrane thickness, thereby reduced the heat loss of the membrane. Accordingly, the results of performance tests for the membrane distillation (MD) showed that by adding 0.5% SIA nanoparticles to the membrane bulk and coating the surface with 0.5% SIA nanoparticles in 1.0% PDMS solution and 96% increase in energy efficiency, 33% increase in water flux, as well as higher stability of salt rejection were obtained. This study proved that the application of SIA nanoparticles have a great potential to modify and improve MD performance.
Assessing statewide water utility affordability at the census tract scale
Authors: Van Abs Daniel J. , Evans Tim , Irby Kimberley
Published: June 2022

Academic and government research regarding the affordability of household drinking water and sewer utility (water utility) costs have resulted in the development of several methodologies that have been tested at various geographic levels. A New Jersey study on potential household affordability stresses from water utility costs at or below the Census tract‐level estimates that approximately one‐fifth of all New Jersey households could face affordability stresses, assuming that they directly pay all water utility costs. The methodology is adapted from the Affordability Ratio method of Teodoro. The results show the potential for use of county‐level household essential expenditure estimates in areas with high‐density populations. They also show the value of the methodology as a basis for policy discussions regarding the severity and geographic distribution of affordability stresses, as the analysis clearly indicates that significant affordability stresses exist in many suburban municipalities and rural town centers, not just historic urban cities.
Comprehensive analyses indicated the association between m6A related long non‐coding RNAs and various pathways in glioma
Authors: Chen Zhuohui , Zhang Wei , Yan Zhouyi , Zhang Mengqi
Published: June 2022

Background

Glioma is one of the most malignant brain tumors and diseases. N6‐methyladenosine modification (m6A) is the most abundant and prevalent internal chemical modification of mRNA and long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in eukaryotes. Nevertheless, the correlated pathways and clinical utilization of m6A‐related lncRNAs have not been fully evaluated in glioma.

Methods

Public RNA‐sequencing and clinical annotation data were retrieved from TCGA, CGGA and GEO database. Differential expression analysis and univariate Cox regression analysis were performed to identify the m6A‐related and differentially expressed lncRNAs with prognostic function (m6A‐DELPF). The consensus clustering was performed to identify the expression pattern of m6A‐DELPF. LASSO Cox regression analysis was performed to construct the lncRNA‐based signature. The CIBERSORT and ESTIMATE algorithms were performed to analyze immune infiltration and tumor microenvironment, respectively. Immunotherapy sensitivity analysis was performed using data from TCIA. The small molecule drugs prediction analysis was performed using The Connectivity Map (CMap) database and STITCH database. A competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNA) network was constructed based on miRcode, miRDB, miRTarBase, TargetScan database.

Results

Two clusters (cluster1 and cluster2) were identified after unsupervised cluster analysis based on m6A‐DELPF. Additionally, a 15‐gene prognostic signature namely m6A‐DELPFS was constructed. Analyses of epithelial‐mesenchymal‐transition score, tumor microenvironment, immune infiltration, clinical characterization analysis, and putative drug prediction were performed to confirm the clinical utility and efficacy of m6A‐DELPFS. The potential mechanisms including tumor immune microenvironment of m6A‐DELPF influence the initiation and progression of glioma. A clinically accessible nomogram was also constructed based on the m6A‐DELPF and other survival‐relevant clinical parameters. Two miRNAs and 114 mRNAs were identified as the downstream of seven m6A‐related lncRNAs in a ceRNA network.

Conclusion

Our present research confirmed the clinical value of m6A related lncRNAs and their high correlation with tumor immunity, tumor microenvironment, tumor mutation burden and drug sensitivity in glioma.
Impacts of ADH1B rs1229984 and ALDH2 rs671 polymorphisms on risks of alcohol‐related disorder and cancer
Authors: Chang Ting‐Gang , Yen Ting‐Ting , Wei Chia‐Yi , Hsiao Tzu‐Hung , Chen I‐Chieh
Published: June 2022

Background

ADH1B rs1229984 and ALDH2 rs671 are the specifically prevalent functional variants in the East Asians. These variants, which result in a dramatic change in enzyme activity, are highly associated with alcohol‐related disorders and cancer. Previous studies focusing on the additive and synergic effects of the variants are few and inconsistent. The aim of the research was to evaluate the associations of ADH1B rs1229984 and ALDH2 rs671 with the risks of alcohol‐related disorder and cancer.

Methods

This cohort study enrolled 42,665 participants from the Taiwan Precision Medicine Initiative database, including 19,522 and 20,534, ADH1B and ALDH2 carriers, respectively. The associations between the two variants and cancer risk were analyzed by univariable and multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Compared with the noncarriers, the ADH1B rs1229984 variant had a stronger effect on alcohol‐related disorders and was related to an increased risk of alcohol‐related cancers. The CC genotype of ADH1B rs1229984 was significantly associated with cancer of the larynx, pharynx, and nasal cavities [odds ratio (OR) = 1.56, p = 0.0009], cancer of the pancreas (OR = 1.66, p = 0.018), and cancer of the esophagus (OR = 4.10, p < 0.001). Participants who carried the rs1229984 TC/CC and rs671 GG genotypes were at higher risk of esophageal cancer (OR = 3.02, p < 0.001). The risk of esophageal cancer was increased by 381% (OR = 4.81, p < 0.001) in those carrying the rs1229984 TC/CC and rs671 GA/AA genotypes.

Conclusion

rs1229984 and rs671 are common and functionally important genetic variants in the Taiwanese population. Our findings provide strong evidence of additive and synergic risks of ADH1B and ALDH2 variants for alcohol‐related disorders and cancer. The results suggested that are reduction in alcohol consumption should be advised as a preventive measure for high‐risk patients carrying ADH1B rs1229984 C or the ALDH2 rs671 A allele.
Direct and imagined contact moderates the effect of need for cognitive closure on attitudes towards women managers
Authors: Baldner Conrad , Viola Marta , Capozza Dora , Vezzali Loris , Kruglanski Arie W. , Pierro Antonio
Published: June 2022

This research investigated the relationship between individual preference for the need for cognitive closure (NCC) and attitudes towards women as managers and the moderating role of direct or imagined contact with women leaders. In two studies (totalN = 369) collected in different countries and with different methods (Study 1: Italy, correlational; Study 2: U.S., experimental), it was found that the positive relationship between NCC andnegativeattitudes towards women as managers was moderated by the quality, but not the quantity of current or past direct contact experiences with women managers. In Study 1, employees with higher scores on NCC had more positive attitudes towards women managers when they had more positive work experience with women managers. In Study 2, those with higher NCC scores had less negative attitudes towards women as managers when they merely imagined (positive) contact with them (vs. a control group). These results advance the literature on the interaction between NCC and positive intergroup contact; theoretical and practical implications of NCC and positive intergroup contact are presented.
The influence of personal and public health and smart applications on biking behavior in South Korea
Authors: Kim Myung Ja , Hall Colin Michael
Published: June 2022

Bicycling is an important form of active transport that contributes to sustainability mobility as a result of its role in personal and public health and emissions reduction. The significance of which has grown since the COVID‐19 pandemic outbreak. However, biking studies have neglected, in theoretical terms, developing an understanding of why consumers bike. Therefore, this research designs and verifies an extended theory of planned behavior adding personal and public health and a moderator of perceived smart application usage to help explain such consumer behavior. This study is based on a digital survey of South Koreans who biked for leisure, tourism, and/or work, utilizing partial least squares‐structural equation modeling with multi‐group analysis and Fuzzy‐set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. Results revealed that personal health is most important to cyclists, followed by public health, attitude, and subjective norm. Interestingly, people with perceived high usage of smart applications for biking show stronger relationships between public health and attitude and perceived behavioral control and behavioral intention than low users. In contrast, individuals with perceived low usage of smart applications for biking reveal a stronger relationship between attitude and behavioral intention than high users. The high and low user groups of smart applications also distinctively differ in levels of cycling behavior. Consequently, this work offers several theoretical and managerial implications for research and practice.
Data‐driven research on eczema: Systematic characterization of the field and recommendations for the future
Authors: Duverdier Ariane , Custovic Adnan , Tanaka Reiko J.
Published: June 2022

Background

The past decade has seen a substantial rise in the employment of modern data‐driven methods to study atopic dermatitis (AD)/eczema. The objective of this study is to summarise the past and future of data‐driven AD research, and identify areas in the field that would benefit from the application of these methods.

Methods

We retrieved the publications that applied multivariate statistics (MS), artificial intelligence (AI, including machine learning‐ML), and Bayesian statistics (BS) to AD and eczema research from the SCOPUS database over the last 50 years. We conducted a bibliometric analysis to highlight the publication trends and conceptual knowledge structure of the field, and applied topic modelling to retrieve the key topics in the literature.

Results

Five key themes of data‐driven research on AD and eczema were identified: (1) allergic co‐morbidities, (2) image analysis and classification, (3) disaggregation, (4) quality of life and treatment response, and (5) risk factors and prevalence. ML&AI methods mapped to studies investigating quality of life, prevalence, risk factors, allergic co‐morbidities and disaggregation of AD/eczema, but seldom in studies of therapies. MS was employed evenly between the topics, particularly in studies on risk factors and prevalence. BS was focused on three key topics: treatment, risk factors and allergy. The use of AD or eczema terms was not uniform, with studies applying ML&AI methods using the term eczema more often. Within MS, papers using cluster and factor analysis were often only identified with the term AD. In contrast, those using logistic regression and latent class/transition models were “eczema” papers.

Conclusions

Research areas that could benefit from the application of data‐driven methods include the study of the pathogenesis of the condition and related risk factors, its disaggregation into validated subtypes, and personalised severity management and prognosis. We highlight BS as a new and promising approach in AD and eczema research.
Evolving strategies for management of desmoid tumor
Authors: Riedel Richard F. , Agulnik Mark
Published: June 2022

Desmoid tumors (DTs) are rare soft tissue mesenchymal neoplasms that may be associated with impairments, disfigurement, morbidity, and (rarely) mortality. DT disease course can be unpredictable. Most DTs are sporadic, harboring somatic mutations in the gene that encodes for β‐catenin, whereas DTs occurring in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis have germline mutations in the APC gene, which encodes for a protein regulator of β‐catenin. Pathology review by an expert soft tissue pathologist is critical in making a diagnosis. Magnetic resonance imaging is preferred for most anatomic locations. Surgery, once the standard of care for initial treatment of DT, is associated with a significant risk of recurrence as well as avoidable morbidity because spontaneous regressions are known to occur without treatment. Consequently, active surveillance in conjunction with pain management is now recommended for most patients. Systemic medical treatment of DT has evolved beyond the use of hormone therapy, which is no longer routinely recommended. Current options for medical management include tyrosine kinase inhibitors as well as more conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy (e.g., anthracycline‐based or methotrexate‐based regimens). A newer class of agents, γ‐secretase inhibitors, appears promising, including in patients who fail other therapies, but confirmation in Phase 3 trials is needed. In summary, DTs present challenges to physicians in diagnosis and prognosis, as well as in determining treatment initiation, type, duration, and sequence. Accordingly, evaluation by a multidisciplinary team with expertise in DT and patient‐tailored management are essential. As management strategies continue to evolve, further studies will help clarify these issues and optimize outcomes for patients.
Cellulose‐Based Electrolytes for Advanced Lithium‐Ion Batteries: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives
Authors: Zhang Lei , Gao Haiqi , Jin Gan , Liu Shuo , Wu Jiawei , Wu Hao , Yang Yuqing , Wang Qian , Wang Shi
Published: June 2022

In the coming decades, it is urgent to find a way to power the future while keeping a clean environment and strong economic growth. Thus, it is expected to transition from using fossil fuels to renewable energy. Materials based on cellulose are abundant, low cost, sustainable, possess a high surface area, good thermal stability, biocompatibility, mechanical flexibility, and inherit unique layered fiber structure from cellulose, which can act as an ideal electrolyte matrix for sustainable and high energy density lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). In this review, we focus on energy storage application of different forms of cellulose‐based electrolytes in LIBs. Specifically, we summarize the recent advances of cellulose‐based gel and solid‐state electrolytes, focusing on the gel electrolytes based on different types of plasticizers (cellulose‐based electrolytes for flexible LIBs also are introduced). Finally, several perspectives related to the cellulose‐based‐electrolytes for LIBs are proposed based on recent progress and our own evaluation.
Fast and accurate variable batch size convolution neural network training on large scale distributed systems
Authors: Hu Zhongzhe , Xiao Junmin , Sun Ninghui , Tan Guangming
Published: June 2022

Large‐scale distributed convolution neural network (CNN) training brings two performance challenges: model performance and system performance. Large batch size usually leads to model test accuracy loss, which counteracts the benefits of parallel SGD. The existing solutions require massive hyperparameter hand‐tuning. To overcome this difficult, we analyze the training process and find that earlier training stages are more sensitive to batch size. Accordingly, we assert that different stages should use different batch size, and propose a variable batch size strategy. In order to remain high test accuracy under larger batch size cases, we design an auto‐tuning engine for automatic parameter tuning in the proposed variable batch size strategy. Furthermore, we develop a dataflow implementation approach to achieve the high‐throughput CNN training on supercomputer system. Our approach has achieved high generalization performance on SOAT CNN networks. For the ShuffleNet, ResNet‐50, and ResNet‐101 training with ImageNet‐1K dataset, we scale the batch size to 120 K without accuracy loss and to 128 K with only a slight loss. And the dataflow implementation approach achieves 93.5% scaling efficiency on 1024 GPUs compared with the state‐of‐the‐art.
Automated Bonding Analysis with Crystal Orbital Hamilton Populations
Authors: George Janine , Petretto Guido , Naik Aakash , Esters Marco , Jackson Adam J. , Nelson Ryky , Dronskowski Richard , Rignanese Gian‐Marco , Hautier Geoffroy
Published: June 2022

Understanding crystalline structures based on their chemical bonding is growing in importance. In this context, chemical bonding can be studied with the Crystal Orbital Hamilton Population (COHP), allowing for quantifying interatomic bond strength. Here we present a new set of tools to automate the calculation of COHP and analyze the results. We use the program packagesVASPandLOBSTER, and the Python packagesatomateandpymatgen. The analysis produced by our tools includes plots, a textual description, and key data in a machine‐readable format. To illustrate those capabilities, we have selected simple test compounds (NaCl, GaN), the oxynitrides BaTaO2N, CaTaO2N, and SrTaO2N, and the thermoelectric material Yb14Mn1Sb11. We show correlations between bond strengths and stabilities in the oxynitrides and the influence of the Mn−Sb bonds on the magnetism in Yb14Mn1Sb11. Our contribution enables high‐throughput bonding analysis and will facilitate the use of bonding information for machine learning studies.
A Comprehensive and Advanced Mouse Model of Post‐Traumatic Epilepsy with Robust Spontaneous Recurrent Seizures
Authors: Reddy Doodipala Samba , Golub Victoria M. , Ramakrishnan Sreevidhya , Abeygunaratne Hasara , Dowell Samantha , Wu Xin
Published: June 2022

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of epilepsy in military persons and civilians. Spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRSs) occur in the months or years following the injury, which is commonly referred to as post‐traumatic epilepsy (PTE). Currently, there is no effective treatment or cure for PTE; therefore, there is a critical need to develop animal models to help further understand and assess mechanisms and interventions related to TBI‐induced epilepsy. Despite many attempts to induce PTE in animals, success has been limited due to a lack of consistent SRSs after TBI. We present a comprehensive protocol to induce PTE after contusion brain injury in mice, which exhibit robust SRSs along with neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation. This article provides a complete set of protocols for injury, outcomes, troubleshooting, and data analysis. Our broad profiling of a TBI mouse reveals features of progressive, long‐lasting epileptic activity, hippocampal sclerosis, and comorbid mood and memory deficits. Overall, the PTE mouse shows striking consistency in recapitulating major hallmark features of human PTE. This mouse model will be helpful in assessing mechanisms of and interventions for TBI‐induced epileptogenesis, epilepsy, and neuropsychiatric dysfunction. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Inducing controlled cortical impact injuries

Support Protocol: Creating the custom domed camp

Basic Protocol 2: Recording long‐term video‐EEG signals

Basic Protocol 3: Analyzing video‐EEG recordings
A low‐power wideband LNA exploiting current‐reuse and noise cancelation techniques
Authors: Khanehbeygi Mehran , Jafarnejad Roya , Koozehkanani Ziaddin Daie , Sobhi Jafar
Published: June 2022

This paper presents an inductorless low‐power wideband Low Noise Amplifier (LNA) in TSMC 0.18 μm CMOS technology. The proposed LNA is based on the Common‐Gate (CG) topology, which consists of three consecutive stages: CG, Common‐Source (CS), and Collector stage. The CG and CS configurations are responsible for providing the wideband input impedance matching and the majority of the gain, respectively. The overall performance of the LNA has been improved by applying noise cancelation, capacitive‐peaking, and current reuse techniques. Unlike the conventional structure, the CG and CS sections' noise is canceled by utilizing a novel noise‐canceling mechanism, simultaneously. Furthermore, with the capacitive‐peaking technique, the voltage gain drop across hi gher frequencies is prevented, and thus, the bandwidth of the structure is improved. The trade‐off between power consumption and input impedance has been dramatically resolved by employing the current reuse technique in the CG stage. Post‐layout simulation results of the presented noise‐canceling LNA demonstrate a Noise Figure (NF) of 2.19–2.58 dB and a maximum voltage gain of 19.84 dB with a −3 dB bandwidth of 0.2–2.85 GHz. The simulated input/output matching (i.e., S11/S22) is better than −14.73/−19.43 dB in the entire bandwidth. Additionally, Input Third Intercept Point (IIP3) of −4.56 dBm is achieved. The results are gained by consuming only 2.87 mW under a supply voltage of 1.2 V and occupying a 0.0429 mm2 of die area.
Understanding the tumor microenvironment in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Rad Habib Sadeghi , Shiravand Yavar , Radfar Payar , Ladwa Rahul , Perry Chris , Han Xiaoyuan , Warkiani Majid Ebrahimi , Adams Mark N , Hughes Brett GM , O'Byrne Ken , Kulasinghe Arutha
Published: June 2022

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a heterogeneous group of tumors. While significant progress has been made using multimodal treatment, the 5‐year survival remains at 50%. Developing effective therapies, such as immunotherapy, will likely lead to better treatment of primary and metastatic disease. However, not all HNSCC tumors respond to immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Understanding the complex cellular composition and interactions of the tumor microenvironment is likely to lead to new knowledge for effective therapies and treatment resistance. In this review, we discuss HNSCC characteristics, predictive biomarkers, factors influencing immunotherapy response, with a focus on the tumor microenvironment.
Evolution of genetic mechanisms regulating cortical neurogenesis
Authors: Espinós Alexandre , Fernández‐Ortuño Eduardo , Negri Enrico , Borrell Víctor
Published: June 2022

The size of the cerebral cortex increases dramatically across amniotes, from reptiles to great apes. This is primarily due to different numbers of neurons and glial cells produced during embryonic development. The evolutionary expansion of cortical neurogenesis was linked to changes in neural stem and progenitor cells, which acquired increased capacity of self‐amplification and neuron production. Evolution works via changes in the genome, and recent studies have identified a small number of new genes that emerged in the recent human and primate lineages, promoting cortical progenitor proliferation and increased neurogenesis. However, most of the mammalian genome corresponds to noncoding DNA that contains gene‐regulatory elements, and recent evidence precisely points at changes in expression levels of conserved genes as key in the evolution of cortical neurogenesis. Here, we provide an overview of basic cellular mechanisms involved in cortical neurogenesis across amniotes, and discuss recent progress on genetic mechanisms that may have changed during evolution, including gene expression regulation, leading to the expansion of the cerebral cortex.
Environmental and spatial processes shaping Quercus‐dominated forest communities in the Neotropics
Authors: Figueroa‐Rangel Blanca Lorena , Olvera‐Vargas Miguel
Published: June 2022

Quercus‐dominated forests in the Neotropics compose one of the broadest distributed ecosystems of mountainous zones whose species distribution has been explained by climate change adaptation over an abrupt physiography. This study aims to comprehend the contribution of environmental and spatial processes influential in species composition of Quercus‐dominated forests. A database of 86 plots, randomly located in a highly diverse spot of the Mexican Neotropics, was examined; it involved vegetation, environment, and spatial data. Local spatial variables were derived from distance‐based Moran's eigenvector maps, while regional spatial variables were obtained from geographical coordinates (latitude/longitude). Redundancy analysis and variance partitioning were run to reveal the relative importance of environmental and spatial processes explaining plant species composition of Quercus‐dominated forests and ascertain the environmental variables controlling the species composition at the different spatial scales (local and regional). Results showed that both local and regional spatial variables significantly control species composition in Quercus‐dominated forests, with the regional scale accounting for a higher explained variance than the local scale. At the regional scale, elevation, aspect, litter, maturity, and Mg were significant in explaining species community composition; elevation variance was twofold higher than variance for aspect and litter. At the local scale, elevation accounted for the highest variation followed by maturity, P, N, and Mg. The analysis also tested the variation of species community composition over environmental gradients mainly determined by elevation. This study indicated the importance of elevation at both local and regional spatial scales as an important driver in Quercus‐dominated forests distribution, probably related to Quercus species adaptation to temperature and precipitation. Finally, evidence from this research emphasizes the significance and necessity of a multiscale analysis to discern the spatial structured environment responsible for the high species diversity and broad distribution of forests dominated by Quercus genus in the Neotropics.
A 16th‐century biodiversity and crop inventory
Authors: Viana Duarte S. , Blanco‐Garrido Francisco , Delibes Miguel , Clavero Miguel
Published: June 2022

Documenting and understanding long‐term biodiversity change is limited by the availability of historical data, particularly from periods preceding major anthropogenic changes associated with the Industrial Revolution. We mined the information of a standardized historical survey developed in 628 localities across Spain between 1574 and 1582 (Relaciones Topográficas de Felipe II) with the goal of producing a general characterization of Spanish settlements, including, though not limited to, natural resources. From this survey, we were able to gather 7309 records for 75 wild plant taxa, 89 wild animal taxa, and 60 crop and domestic animal taxa. These data can be used to reconstruct historical land use and habitat cover, and model historical distributions of many species, including emblematic ones such as wolf and bear, which can establish reference distributions to assess range and niche expansion, contraction, and shifts. Data are provided under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC‐BY‐NC) 4.0 License. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications. The authors are open to collaborate in projects based on this dataset.
Multimodal piezoelectric wind energy harvester for aerospace applications
Authors: Sheeraz Muhammad Abdullah , Malik Muhammad Sohail , Rahman Khalid , Elahi Hassan , Khurram Muhammad , Eugeni Marco , Gaudenzi Paolo
Published: June 2022

Piezoelectric transduction has been an emerging concept, especially in the aerospace industry for sensor networking and onboard generation of reliable electrical energy. A significant gap has been noticed in the generalized and multimodal analytics of piezoelectric sensors for wind energy harvesting. Therefore, herein, a simplified yet effective transfer‐function ‐based, experimentally validated analytical model of the piezoelectric sensor is presented. MATLAB is utilized to analyze the proposed model for two different categories of piezoelectric sensors (ie, PIC‐255, and PZT‐5A) under the various conditions of wind speed, piezoelectric configuration, and piezoelectric geometrical features. The developed model has also shown the promising features of flutter energy harvesting, and limit cycle oscillations (LCOs) that play an imperative role in aerospace applications such as energy harvesting from unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Results emphasize that under the same parametric, and geometric conditions, the PZT‐5A harvester reaches quickly to critical flutter mode as compared to PIC‐255. Subsequently, the PZT‐5A harvester is capable of generating 7.105 mW during the particular region of the limit cycle oscillations (LCOs). Based on the outcomes of multimodal analytics, the proposed model is best suited to both conventional wind energy harvesting (Up to nominal range) and flutter harvesting (Critical limit), making it suitable for aerospace applications. It is also recommended to utilize the model for piezoelectric vibrational energy scavengers by incorporating the additional parameters of the structure in the developed transfer function of the piezoelectric sensor.
Temperature effect and kinetics, LiZr2(PO4)3 and Li1.2Al0.2Zr1.8(PO4)3 and electrochemical properties for rechargeable ion batteries
Authors: Akkinepally Bhargav , Reddy I. Neelakanta , Manjunath V. , Reddy M. V. , Mishra Yogendra Kumar , Ko Tae Jo , Zaghib Karim , Shim Jaesool
Published: June 2022

A NASICON‐type LiZr2(PO4)3 (LZP) and Li1.2Al0.2Zr1.8(PO4)3 (LAZP) anode materials are synthesized via a facile method, materials were characterized by a variety of structural techniques, investigated the electrochemical performance for rechargeable battery applications. A highly stable rhombohedral phase of LAZP is noticed at room temperature, with a discharge capacity of 909 mAh.g−1, which is 1.6 times higher than that of LZP. Further, the highly stable charge storage performance is observed up to 3000 cycles with a Coulombic efficiency of 99%. For the first time, we investigated the in‐situ temperature effect on the discharge capacity of the assembled anode material, found a strong effect on the discharge capacity, and achieved ~120 and 149 mAh.g−1 at 65°C for LZP and LAZP anodes. Furthermore, the real‐time charge holding effect of LAZP cell is performed with the computer, the cell worked well in the CMOS battery slot without a CMOS battery error during CPU turn‐on condition for 1536 h. In brief, an optimized electrode material of LAZP showed greater stability and capacity with high efficiency compared with LZP even at elevated temperatures. Hence, LAZP may be utilized to fabricate a coin cell for real time applications.