bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid Meniscus‐Assisted Solution‐Printing of Conjugated Block Copolymers for Field‐Effect Transistors
Authors: Yin Yue , Zhu Shuyin , Chen Shuwen , Lin Zhiqun , Peng Juan
Published: December 2021

The ability to rapidly and precisely position semiconducting π‐conjugated polymers over a large area is necessary for various device‐related applications. However, the investigation into conjugated block copolymer‐based patterned materials and devices is somewhat limited. Herein, a robust meniscus‐assisted solution printing (MASP) route to highly ordered stripe arrays of conjugated poly(3‐butylthiophene)‐block‐poly(3‐dodecylthiophene) (P3BT‐b‐P3DDT) is reported, and different periodic stripes are correlated to their charge mobilities. The MASP renders the confined evaporation of P3BT‐b‐P3DDT solution between two nearly parallel plates and deposition into periodic stripes owing to the coffee‐ring effect. Remarkably, two types of stripe arrays, namely, large‐size stripe arrays and hierarchical arrays comprising small secondary stripes located between neighboring large‐size primary stripes are yielded, where their dimension and period can be delicately tailored. Finally, a distinct correlation between various stripe arrays of P3BT‐b‐P3DDT and the corresponding charge mobility is revealed. Conceptually, such convenient production of P3BT‐b‐P3DDT stripe arrays via MASP can be readily extended to other π‐conjugated polymers and diversity of nanomaterials for potential applications in optoelectronic devices.
Reprogrammable Soft Robot Actuation by Synergistic Magnetic and Light Fields
Authors: Han Bing , Ma Zhuo‐Chen , Zhang Yong‐Lai , Zhu Lin , Fan Hua , Bai Benfeng , Chen Qi‐Dai , Yang Guang‐Zhong , Sun Hong‐Bo
Published: December 2021

Soft robots controlled by different actuation schemes are flourishing owing to the continued development of smart materials. However, most of the existing actuators are powered by a single source with predetermined mechanical properties and motion characteristics. Speed, power, and efficiency of these actuators are thus far inferior to their conventional counter parts. How to preload or alter the internal energy distribution and trigger rapid kinetic energy release combined with re‐programmability is a challenge and corresponding solutions will extend the practical use of soft robotics. Herein, a hybrid magnetically and photothermally responsive actuator with high degrees of freedom by using a coupled‐field manipulation strategy is proposed. As a proof‐of‐concept, a crab robot (CraBot) that contains uniformly distributed superparamagnetic particles and localized light‐responsive joints is produced. The spatial magnetic field exerts force on the robot, leading to real‐time adjustment of energy distribution within the entire robot. Meanwhile, the focused light field enables selective deformation of specific joints, releasing the accumulated energy into kinetic energy of motion for quick actuation. The directional accumulation and addressable release of elastic energy enables the CraBot to walk efficiently with improved power and speed. Such a hybrid‐field manipulation strategy holds great promise for sophisticated actuation of soft robots.
Dynamic Nanocomposite Microgel Assembly with Microporosity, Injectability, Tissue‐Adhesion, and Sustained Drug Release Promotes Articular Cartilage Repair and Regeneration
Authors: Feng Qi , Li Dingguo , Li Qingtao , Li Shuxian , Huang Hanhao , Li Haofei , Dong Hua , Cao Xiaodong
Published: December 2021

Owing to the lack of blood vessels, nerves, and lymph, articular cartilage defect is difficult to self‐repair. Although several cartilage tissue engineering products have been authorized for clinical use, there are still some problems such as large surgical wounds, weak adhesion with the host tissue, and the limited source of autologous chondrocytes. In this paper, a novel dynamic nanocomposite microgel assembly with excellent microporosity, injectability, tissue‐adhesion, and sustained kartogenin (KGN) release is reported. Specifically, KGN‐loaded cyclodextrin nanoparticles are synthesized through nanoemulsification and incorporated into bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSCs)‐laden microgels via droplet‐based microfluidics and photo‐crosslinking, which are then bottom‐up assembled via dynamic crosslinking between dopamine‐modified hyaluronic acid and phenylboronic acid groups on microgel surface. Results reveal that the microgel assembly can avoid the cell endocytosis of nanoparticles, ensure the high BMSC viability during the regular cell culture, cryopreservation and injection process, promote the chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs. In addition, animal expriment proves the newborn cartilages present the typical characteristics of articular cartilage. In brief, this microgel assembly not only offers convenience for clinical use (injectability, tissue adhesion) but also provides good microenvironments for chondrogenesis (controlled drug release, interconnected micropores), indicative of its promising application for cartilage repair and regeneration.
Soil mineral availability and human mineral status: A review and evidence from Malawi
Authors: Bevis Leah E. M. , Kim Kichan
Published: December 2021

We review literature demonstrating that soil zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se) deficiencies drive human Zn and Se status in some developing contexts, largely through reducing local crop Zn and Se concentration. We then illustrate that in Malawi, human Se status is higher on calcareous soils (the only soils growing high‐Se crops) and close to lakes (which hold Se‐rich fish). We also show that human Se status is predicted by the soil type surrounding and lake proximity of one's nearest market. This makes sense, since Malawians depend heavily on crops from market, particularly during lean season when Se status was measured.
Determining robust reaction kinetics from limited data
Authors: Ozbuyukkaya Gizem , Parker Robert S. , Veser Goetz
Published: December 2021

Accurate chemical kinetics are essential for reactor design and operation. However, despite recent advances in “big data” approaches, availability of kinetic data is often limited in industrial practice. Herein, we present a comparative proof‐of‐concept study for kinetic parameter estimation from limited data. Cross‐validation (CV) is implemented to nonlinear least‐squares (LS) fitting and evaluated against Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) and genetic algorithm (GA) routines using synthetic data generated from a simple model reaction. As expected, conventional LS is fastest but least accurate in predicting true kinetics. MCMC and GA are effective for larger data sets but tend to overfit to noise for limited data. LS‐CV strongly outperforms these methods at much reduced computational cost, especially for significant noise. Our findings suggest that implementation of CV with conventional regression provides an efficient approach to kinetic parameter estimation with high accuracy, robustness against noise, and only minimal increase in complexity.
Smooth penalty function method for rigorous optimization of distillation processes
Authors: Liu Xingwei , Jia Shengkun , Luo Yiqing , Yuan Xigang
Published: December 2021

Integer decisions on stage numbers and feed locations, and global optimality are still challenging for rigorous optimization of distillation processes. In the present article, we propose a smooth penalty function method to address both these problems. The proposed method is based on the relaxation of the integer decision problem into continuous nonlinear programming (NLP) problem by adopting the bypass efficiency model developed by Dowling and Biegler. A smooth penalty term (SPT) is proposed and added to the total annual cost (TAC) function to form a new objective function, namely, the smooth penalty function. Using the new objective function, the problem is initially solved with negative weight coefficients for the SPTs regarding each column section to get an optimum near the global optimum of the SPT. Then, starting from this solution, the problem is solved again iteratively by increasing the values of the weight coefficients until all the stage numbers become integers. The performance of the method is validated by an illustrating problem and in three case studies, including a reactive distillation optimization problem.
Integration of GWAS and brain transcriptomic analyses in a multiethnic sample of 35,245 older adults identifies DCDC2 gene as predictor of episodic memory maintenance
Authors: Gao Yizhe , Felsky Daniel , Reyes‐Dumeyer Dolly , Sariya Sanjeev , Rentería Miguel Arce , Ma Yiyi , Klein Hans‐Ulrich , Cosentino Stephanie , De Jager Philip L. , Bennett David A. , Brickman Adam M. , Schellenberg Gerard D. , Mayeux Richard , Barral Sandra ,   CHAP, UKBB, ADNI, ROSMAP, LLFS, NIA‐LOAD and ADGC consortia
Published: December 2021

Identifying genes underlying memory function will help characterize cognitively resilient and high‐risk declining subpopulations contributing to precision medicine strategies. We estimated episodic memory trajectories in 35,245 ethnically diverse older adults representing eight independent cohorts. We conducted apolipoprotein E (APOE)‐stratified genome‐wide association study (GWAS) analyses and combined individual cohorts’ results via meta‐analysis. Three independent transcriptomics datasets were used to further interpret GWAS signals. We identified DCDC2 gene significantly associated with episodic memory (Pmeta = 3.3 x 10‐8) among non‐carriers of APOE ε4 (N = 24,941). Brain transcriptomics revealed an association between episodic memory maintenance and (1) increased dorsolateral prefrontal cortex DCDC2 expression (P = 3.8 x 10‐4) and (2) lower burden of pathological Alzheimer's disease (AD) hallmarks (paired helical fragment tau P = .003, and amyloid beta load P = .008). Additional transcriptomics results comparing AD and cognitively healthy brain samples showed a downregulation of DCDC2 levels in superior temporal gyrus (P = .007) and inferior frontal gyrus (P = .013). Our work identified DCDC2 gene as a novel predictor of memory maintenance.
Bauphysikalische Untersuchungen von mit Leinölfirnis stabilisierten und beschichteten Lehmputzen
Authors: Chriti Manuela , Mitterböck Michael , Korjenic Azra
Published: December 2021

Aufgrund zahlreicher Vorurteile gegenüber traditionellen Baumaterialien aus nachwachsenden Rohstoffen, insbesondere aber aufgrund von Unkenntnis der Festigkeitseigenschaften und der bauphysikalischen und hygrothermischen Eigenschaften, stellt der Einsatz solcher Baumaterialien im Hochbau nach wie vor eine Randerscheinung dar. Dazu zählt auch die Anwendung von Lehmputz im Außenbereich. In zwei Forschungsvorhaben wurde zum einen die Wirkung von Leinölfirnis als Additiv in Lehmmörtel im Rahmen von Laboruntersuchungen analysiert. Laborproben mit einem Anteil von 1 % Leinölfirnis bezogen auf die Lehm‐Trockenmasse wiesen erhöhte Festigkeitswerte sowie Sorptionsfähigkeit auf, wohingegen sich der Wasserdampfdiffusionswiderstand dieser Proben nur geringfügig erhöhte. Zum anderen wurde ein In‐Situ‐Monitoring eines ökologisch nachhaltigen Wandaufbaus mit Lehmputz und Beschichtung aus Leinölfirnis über mehrere Jahre durchgeführt und bewertet. Die geforderte Funktionstüchtigkeit und Dauerhaftigkeit wurden durch den untersuchten Lehm‐Außenputz mit Leinölfirnis‐Anstrich erfüllt.
Cancer‐associated stroma reveals prognostic biomarkers and novel insights into the tumour microenvironment of colorectal cancer and colorectal liver metastases
Authors: Brown Kai M. , Xue Aiqun , Smith Ross C. , Samra Jaswinder S. , Gill Anthony J. , Hugh Thomas J.
Published: December 2021

Background and Aims

Cancer‐associated stroma (CAS) is emerging as a key determinant of metastasis in colorectal cancer (CRC); however, little is known about CAS in colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). This study aimed to validate the prognostic significance of stromal protein biomarkers in primary CRC and CRLM. Secondly, this study aimed to describe the transcriptome of the CAS of CRLM and identify novel targetable pathways of metastasis.

Methods

A case–control study design from a prospectively maintained database was adopted. The prognostic value of epithelial and stromal CALD1, IGFBP7, POSTN, FAP, TGF‐β and pSMAD2 expression was assessed by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in multivariate models. Pathway enrichment and sparse partial least square‐discriminant analysis (sPLS‐DA) were performed on a nested cohort after isolating epithelial tumour and CAS by laser capture microdissection.

Results

110 CRCs with 124 paired CRLMs, and 110 matched non‐metastatic control CRCs were included. Median follow‐up was 62 and 45 months for primary and CRLM groups, respectively. Stromal FAP and POSTN were independent predictors for the development of CRLM. After CRLM resection, stromal IGFBP7 and POSTN were predictors of poorer survival. sPLS‐DA on the nested cohort identified a number of novel targetable stromal genes and pathways that defined poor prognosis CRC and the CAS of CRLM.

Conclusions

This study is the first to describe key differences in stromal gene expression between paired primary CRC and CRLM as well as identifying several targetable biomarkers and transcriptomic pathways whose relevance specifically in the CAS of CRC and CRLM have not been previously described.
Semantic interaction learning for fine‐grained vehicle recognition
Authors: Zhang Jingjing , Lei Jingsheng , Yang Shengying , Yang Xinqi
Published: December 2021

Fine‐grained vehicle recognition is a challenging problem due to high inter‐class confusion among vehicle models under the influence of pose and viewpoint. To effectively describe the discriminative characteristics, many approaches try to learn detailed information from an individual image. Inspired by Siamese network that addresses the case where two inputs are relatively similar, the semantic interaction learning network (SIL‐Net) is designed to discover semantic differences between two fine‐grained categories via pairwise comparison. Specifically, SIL‐Net first collecting contrastive information by learning the mutual feature of input image pair, and then compare it with individual features to generate corresponding semantic features. These features learn semantic differences from contextual comparison, this gives SIL‐Net the ability to distinguish between two confusing images via pairwise interaction. After training, SIL‐Net can adaptively learn feature priorities under the supervision of the margin ranking loss and converge quickly. SIL‐Net performs well on two public vehicle benchmarks (Stanford Cars and CompCars), showing the suitability of SIL‐Net to fine‐grained vehicle recognition.
Lichen planus flare following COVID‐19 vaccination: A case report
Authors: Herzum Astrid , Burlando Martina , Molle Mattia F. , Micalizzi Claudia , Cozzani Emanuele , Parodi Aurora
Published: December 2021

We report the third case of cutaneous lichen planus (LP) following COVID‐19 BNT162b2 vaccination in a 59‐year‐old woman with previous LP. The reactivation of LP in patients with dormant LP suggests a possible vaccine‐induced immune dysregulation. We suggest that the already described vaccine‐induced upregulation of Th1 response may play a relevant role in LP reactivation, through an increase in inflammatory cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of LP. Interestingly, LP has already been associated with vaccinations and viral infections including COVID‐19 disease. However, the exact mechanism underlying LP (re)activation after Pfizer‐BiotNtech COVID‐19 vaccination is still widely unknown and needs to be further investigated.
Clinical and radiographic success of injection‐molded 2‐piece zirconia implants submitted to immediate loading: A 12‐month report of two cases
Authors: Thomé Geninho , Uhlendorf Jean , Vianna Camila Pereira , Caldas Waleska , Bernardes Sergio Rocha , Trojan Larissa Carvalho
Published: December 2021

This case report describes the treatment of two patients who presented with single edentulous sites in the region of upper premolars and were rehabilitated through the placement of injection‐molded 2‐piece zirconia implants and immediate single crowns. Three months after surgery, definitive prostheses were confectioned through digital workflow. Both patients were followed for 12 months during which clinical and radiographic implant success were observed, concerning implant stability, absence of peri‐implantitis signs, complete implant osseointegration, good marginal bone‐level maintenance, and excellent soft tissue esthetics. No biological or mechanical complications were observed within this period.
Implanting jejunostomy tube as conservative management of tracheoesophageal fistula in a COVID‐19 patient
Authors: Negaresh Mohammad , Hoseininia Saeed , Samadi Takaldani Ali Hossein , Feyzi‐Khankandi Iraj , Mohammadzadeh Germi Bahman , Ghobadi Hassan
Published: December 2021

A 44‐year‐old woman with Behcet's disease experienced a severe COVID‐19 infection and developed a tracheoesophageal fistula. Despite the need for surgical treatment, she did not consent. Therefore, the patient underwent supportive treatment with a jejunostomy tube. After four weeks of follow‐up, the fistula was repaired spontaneously.
Use of temporary abutment to assess implant osseointegration before final impression: A case report
Authors: Labban Nawaf
Published: December 2021

In implant dentistry, a temporary abutment, either plastic or metal, also called an implant cylinder, is used to construct a provisional restoration. This provisional restoration can be cemented on or integrated with a temporary abutment for a screw‐retained prosthesis. It can be further used as a diagnostic tool to evaluate esthetics and promote tissue healing around implants. After achieving osseointegration of the implant with the adjacent bone and a proper soft tissue profile, both the temporary abutment and the prosthesis can be replaced with permanent ones. In the present case report, a simple technique using a temporary abutment was utilized for the assessment of implant osseointegration before making the final impression. In this study, we discuss the advantages of this method over other methods. It is impossible to verify the stability of the implant at all stages of implant placement; however, the clinical procedure explained in the case report is easy to apply and provides good results.
Hyperthyroidism secondary to a primary mediastinal goiter with normal functional cervical thyroid gland
Authors: Kardi Asma , Oueslati Ibtissem , Yazidi Meriem , Sadok Boudaya Mohamed , Znaidi Nadia , Chihaoui Melika
Published: December 2021

Primary mediastinal goiter is extremely uncommon. The majority of primary mediastinal goiters were reported as incidental findings on chest imaging of asymptomatic patients. Symptoms related to compression of adjacent structures or hyperthyroidism were rarely described. Herein we report a case of hyperthyroidism secondary to a primary mediastinal goiter.
A rare case of neurological dysfunction due to severe hyponatremia after carotid artery endarterectomy: A review of the clinical approach to hyponatremia
Authors: Ferrero Natalie A. , Ward Ceressa T. , Groff Robert F. , Prabhakar Amit , Fiza Babar
Published: December 2021

Development of severe hyponatremia after carotid endarterectomy procedure is rare. Several pathophysiological mechanisms related to the carotid endarterectomy procedure may infer an increased risk of developing this complication in specific populations.
Pyelonephritis‐associated Staphylococcus saprophyticus bacteremia in an immunocompetent host: Case report and review of the literature
Authors: Matarneh Ahmad , Ali Gawahir A. , Goravey Wael
Published: December 2021

Staphylococcus saprophyticus is one of the coagulase‐negative staphylococcus species. It is the second most frequent causative microorganism in acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections in young women. However, it is potentially capable of causing more invasive infections including bacteremia, particularly secondary to pyelonephritis. We present a young, previously healthy lady who presented with urinary symptoms and hemodynamic instability and was found to have multiple renal and ureteric calculi with pyelonephritis. Later, blood and urine cultures isolated methicillin‐resistant S. saprophyticus. The patient was successfully treated with a course of antibiotics targeting the organism with a favorable outcome. The clinical presentations and management of this rare entity of S. saprophyticus bacteremia‐related pyelonephritis are outlined. In addition, the literature on similar cases was reviewed to raise awareness and avoid devastating consequences.
Gatekeeper identity development: An application of bioecological systems theory
Authors: DeCino Daniel A. , Waalkes Phillip L. , Chang Victor
Published: December 2021

Using Bronfenbrenner's bioecological system theory as a framework, we propose an individual's gatekeeper identity development occurs through interactions within multiple social contexts. We conducted a thematic analysis of 11 counselor educators’ experiences gatekeeping within each bioecological system. Implications for counselor educators to promote gatekeeper identity development are provided.
Potenzial von Membranen zur verbesserten Reaktionsführung von Selektivoxidationen: Katalysator‐, Reaktor‐ und Prozessebene
Authors: Hamel Christof , Seidel‐Morgenstern Andreas
Published: December 2021

Die Selektivität und Ausbeute gewünschter intermediärer Produkte ist oft thermodynamisch und kinetische begrenzt. Alternative Synthese‐ und Prozessführungen sind nötig und gewinnen vor dem Hintergrund der Rohstoff‐ und Energiewende zusätzlich an Bedeutung. Jürgen Caro hat hierzu systematisch Pionierarbeit in Form der membranunterstützten Reaktionslenkung und Prozessintensivierung geleistet. In diesem Beitrag wird eine hierarchische Betrachtung membranunterstützter Reaktionsprozesse auf den drei Ebenen Katalysator, Reaktor und Prozess vorgestellt. Zur Illustration werden vier heterogen katalysierte Selektivoxidationen analysiert. Die Reaktionskinetik nimmt dabei eine Schlüsselrolle ein, um durch membranunterstützte Reaktionsführung optimale Konzentrationsprofile einzustellen. Durch die abschließende Betrachtung der gesamten Prozessebene inkl. Rückführungsstrategien wird das signifikante Verbesserungspotenzial mittels Membranreaktoren aufgezeigt.
Colloidal Virus Particles with Hierarchical Nanomorphology and Facile Biosurface Modification
Authors: Zhong Hailan , Wu Hao , Chen Shuoran , Cao Liwei , Ye Changqing , Xia Fan , Li Fengyu
Published: December 2021

Comprehensive Summary

Aiming to the enormous requirement for the epidemic defense researches, we designed and constructed a spherical colloidal virus particle (CVP) to mimic nature virus in morphology, physical, chemical and biological characteristics, via coating spiky protein on colloidal nanoparticles (CNPs) core with bulge hierarchical nanomorphology. The novel virus‐like surface nanoparticles can easily be synthesized. The physical, chemical nature and the formation mechanism of the prepared CVPs were characterized and discussed. The synthesized CVPs are similar in size and envelope thickness to common natural viruses. It was demonstrated that the diameter of CVPs is about 238 ± 12 nm, including an 8 nm thickness protein crown with bulges of 33 nm in average width. The CVPs with an isoelectric point of 4.5, meets the native virus property of negative charge under neutral condition. The protein crown enhances the roughness remarkably from 10 nm (CNPs) to 22 nm (CVPs) determined by atomic force microscopy. Thanks to the biomimetic rough morphology, the CVPs show greatly superior cellular uptake performance compared to CNPs, ovalbumin (OVA) and smoothed colloidal particles (SCPs). The formation mechanism of protein crown with specific thickness can be attributed to the electrostatic interaction, protein's flexible structure and specific wettability. These results indicate that the as‐prepared artificial virions mimic nature viruses in multi‐dimension, in terms of size, surface rough morphology, surface negative charge and glycoprotein envelope composition. The synthetic colloidal virus particles pave a facile way toward engineering virus particles substitute for virus‐related diseases prevention, diagnostics and cellular delivery vectors.
Mismatch repair deficiency in early‐onset duodenal, ampullary, and pancreatic carcinomas is a strong indicator for a hereditary defect
Authors: Kryklyva Valentyna , Brosens Lodewijk AA , Marijnissen‐van Zanten Monica AJ , Ligtenberg Marjolijn JL , Nagtegaal Iris D
Published: December 2021

Mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) is a hallmark of Lynch syndrome (LS), but its prevalence in early‐onset (diagnosed under the age of 50 years) duodenal, ampullary, and pancreatic carcinomas (DC, AC, and PC, respectively) is largely unknown. We explored the prevalence of dMMR and the underlying molecular mechanisms in a retrospectively collected cohort of 90 early‐onset carcinomas of duodenal, ampullary, and pancreatic origin. dMMR was most prevalent in early‐onset DCs (47.8%); more than half of those were associated with hereditary cancer syndromes (LS or constitutional mismatch repair deficiency syndrome). All dMMR AC and PC were due to LS. Concordance of dMMR with underlying hereditary condition warrants ubiquitous dMMR testing in all early‐onset DC, AC, and PC.
Mismatch repair and clinical response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in endometrial cancer
Authors: Antill Yoland , Buchanan Daniel D. , Scott Clare L.
Published: December 2021

Lay Summary

Endometrial cancer is common, and a subset recurs and requires additional treatment.

Some of these are recognized as being susceptible to immune therapies and are said to have mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR).

However, this clinical trial highlights which cases are more likely to respond well: those containing mutations in genes known as Lynch genes and also some with mutations in POLE/POLD1 (“ultra‐hypermutation” genes).

In contrast, the majority of dMMR endometrial cancers have silencing or DNA methylation of one of these genes, MLH1, and do not seem to be as responsive to single‐agent immune therapy.

The availability of combination therapies may be important to consider for these women.
Scalable grid‐based approximation algorithms for partially observable Markov decision processes
Authors: Kavaklioglu Can , Cevik Mucahit
Published: December 2021

Partially observable Markov decision processes (POMDPs) are a well‐established sequential decision making framework. Once a problem is modeled using this framework, a suitable POMDP solution algorithm is employed to obtain a policy that guides the user throughout the decision making process. However, POMDPs are notoriously difficult to solve to optimality. Therefore, there exist many approximate solution algorithms that are designed to generate policies for large‐scale POMDP models. On the other hand, many such approaches lack performance guarantees in terms of the solution quality. In this article, we focus on exact solution methods as well as approximate methods that provide bounds on the optimal value. Specifically, we investigate the performance improvements for the POMDP solution algorithms obtained through distributed implementations. We provide a detailed empirical analysis on various test problems, which highlights the benefits of the proposed approach.
Self‐adaptation on parallel stream processing: A systematic review
Authors: Vogel Adriano , Griebler Dalvan , Danelutto Marco , Fernandes Luiz Gustavo
Published: December 2021

A recurrent challenge in real‐world applications is autonomous management of the executions at run‐time. In this vein, stream processing is a class of applications that compute data flowing in the form of streams (e.g., video feeds, images, and data analytics), where parallel computing can help accelerate the executions. On the one hand, stream processing applications are becoming more complex, dynamic, and long‐running. On the other hand, it is unfeasible for humans to monitor and manually change the executions continuously. Hence, self‐adaptation can reduce costs and human efforts by providing a higher‐level abstraction with an autonomic/seamless management of executions. In this work, we aim at providing a literature review regarding self‐adaptation applied to the parallel stream processing domain. We present a comprehensive revision using a systematic literature review method. Moreover, we propose a taxonomy to categorize and classify the existing self‐adaptive approaches. Finally, applying the taxonomy made it possible to characterize the state‐of‐the‐art, identify trends, and discuss open research challenges and future opportunities.
Empirical DFT Model to Predict Triplet Quantum Yield Through Singlet Oxygen Yields
Authors: Steinkamp Bret A. , Lutkus Luke V. , Lewis Rob , McCormick Theresa M.
Published: December 2021

Triplet photosensitizers can be used for a variety of applications, including photocatalysis, OLEDs, and photodynamic therapy. Excited triplet states can be quenched by triplet oxygen to make singlet oxygen. Often the singlet oxygen quantum yield (Φ▵) is used as a lower approximation for the triplet yield. Unpredictable effects of even minor structural changes can drastically alter the Φ▵ and complicate the design of new triplet photosensitizers. The most common strategy to increase Φ▵ is to incorporate heavy atoms, promoting the “heavy atom effect”. However, the position and the identity of the heavy atom greatly influences the Φ▵. We have created a predictive model that correlates calculated natural atomic orbital composition of the heavy atom(s) contributing to the frontier molecule orbitals of a photosensitizer with the experimental Φ▵. The model, derived from several fluorescein derivatives, provides a calculated Φ▵ in agreement with the experimental values for a variety of well‐known photosensitizers, including rhodamine dyes, fluorescein derivatives, and octahedral metal complexes.
Tunable Circularly Polarized Luminescent Supramolecular Systems: Approaches and Applications
Authors: Chen Xu‐Man , Zhang Shu , Chen Xiao , Li Quan
Published: December 2021

Circularly polarized luminescence is an important optical property that combines chirality and luminescence in molecular and supramolecular systems. Recently, tunable circularly polarized luminescent (CPL) supramolecular systems with stimuli‐ responsiveness have emerged as promising materials for applications including smart displays and optical data storage. Owing to the adaptive capacity of supramolecular systems, intelligent CPL materials have been developed by incorporating chiral and achiral building blocks, thus expanding the available approaches for realizing CPL materials. Non‐covalent interactions in supramolecular systems offer various opportunities for regulating CPL emission using stimuli such as light, temperature, pH, mechanical force, electric field, and magnetic field. Several media modulation methods such as host‐guest complexation, solvent effect, and gelation have also been introduced to realize tunable CPL emission by ensuring effective chirality transfer, charge transfer, and energy transfer. Herein, recent progress in supramolecular CPL systems regulated using diverse stimuli is presented, and corresponding mechanisms and potential applications are briefly highlighted.
A novel drug delivery system using acyclovir nanofiber patch for topical treatment of recurrent herpes labialis: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Golestannejad Zahra , Khozeimeh Faezeh , Mehrasa Mohammad , Mirzaeei Shahla , Sarfaraz Dorna
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Topical treatment with acyclovir cream has shown low efficacy in recent studies. Nano drug delivery systems, have received much attention in recent decades. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of acyclovir nanofiber patch with acyclovir cream.

Material and Methods

In this double‐blind three‐armed randomized clinical trial, a total of 60 patients with recurrent labial herpes, were randomly divided into three groups, each consisting of 20. The patients in the first, second, and third groups were treated with acyclovir nanofiber patch, placebo nanofiber patch, and acyclovir cream, respectively. A numerical scale was used by the patients to record the self‐reported symptoms. Symptoms score, crusting time and healing time were assessed by the clinician. Kruskal‐Wallis test was used to compare the symptoms between the three groups, a survival test was also performed to evaluate the crusting and healing time. Data were analyzed in SPSS V22 at P‐value < 0.05.

Results

The mean scores of symptoms at baseline were 1.6, 1.5, and 1.4 in the first, second, and third groups, respectively. The symptoms were not significantly different between the three groups on different treatment days. The mean crusting time was 2.3, 2.4, and 2.6 days in the three groups, and the mean healing time was 7.4, 7.2, and 7.7 days, respectively. Crusting time and healing time were not significantly different between the three groups.

Conclusions

Acyclovir nanofiber patches are recommended for accelerating symptom relief in recurrent labial herpes, however, they are not effective in shortening the crusting or healing time.

Clinical Trial Registration Number: IRCT20141124020073N2.

Registered in: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials (www.irct.ir).
Responsible Leadership Competencies in leaders around the world: Assessing stakeholder engagement, ethics and values, systems thinking and innovation competencies in leaders around the world
Authors: Muff Katrin , Delacoste Coralie , Dyllick Thomas
Published: December 2021

This article builds on the competency assessment of responsible leadership (CARL) developed by Muff et al. (Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management Journal, 2020, 27, 2254–2274) and assesses the data collected from a sample of 9’566 participants across 122 countries in the timeframe. The analysis reveals interesting, sometimes counter‐intuitive, insights that advance current thinking on the topic of responsible leadership (RL). As such “self‐awareness” emerges as the central element in RL. There is evidence suggesting that higher education leads to a better RL performance. Interestingly, the study highlights that participants in the African region outperform other participants. In addition, a sustainability affinity does not lead to a higher RL score, and CEOs from sustainability‐conscious organizations do not perform better than their demographic peers. The data suggests that executives do not increase their RL performance after a leadership development course, while undergraduate students do. The paper explores some answers while acknowledging that more research is needed to understand how these insights inform leadership education.
C‐reactive protein flare‐response predicts long‐term efficacy to first‐line anti‐PD‐1‐based combination therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Klümper Niklas , Schmucker Philipp , Hahn Oliver , Höh Benedikt , Mattigk Angelika , Banek Severine , Ellinger Jörg , Heinzelbecker Julia , Sikic Danijel , Eckstein Markus , Strauß Arne , Zengerling Friedemann , Hölzel Michael , Zeuschner Philip , Kalogirou Charis
Published: December 2021

Objectives

Immune checkpoint blockade (IO) has revolutionised the treatment of metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Early C‐reactive protein (CRP) kinetics, especially the recently introduced CRP flare‐response phenomenon, has shown promising results to predict IO efficacy in mRCC, but has only been studied in second line or later. Here, we aimed to validate the predictive value of early CRP kinetics for 1st‐line treatment of mRCC with αPD‐1 plus either αCTLA‐4 (IO+IO) or tyrosine kinase inhibitor (IO+TKI).

Methods

In this multicentre retrospective study, we investigated the predictive potential of early CRP kinetics during 1st‐line IO therapy. Ninety‐five patients with mRCC from six tertiary referral centres with either IO+IO (N = 59) or IO+TKI (N = 36) were included. Patients were classified as CRP flare‐responders, CRP responders or non‐CRP responders as previously described, and their oncological outcome was compared.

Results

Our data validate the predictive potential of early CRP kinetics in 1st‐line immunotherapy in mRCC. CRP responders, especially CRP flare‐responders, had significantly prolonged progression‐free survival (PFS) compared with non‐CRP responders (median PFS: CRP flare‐responder: 19.2 months vs. responders: 16.2 vs. non‐CRP responders: 5.6, P < 0.001). In both the IO+IO and IO+TKI subgroups, early CRP kinetics remained significantly associated with improved PFS. CRP flare‐response was also associated with long‐term response ≥ 12 months.

Conclusions

Early CRP kinetics appears to be a low‐cost and easy‐to‐implement on‐treatment biomarker to predict response to 1st‐line IO combination therapy. It has potential to optimise therapy monitoring and might represent a new standard of care biomarker for immunotherapy in mRCC.
Development and assessment of a brief screening tool for psychosis in dementia
Authors: Cummings Jeffrey L. , Ismail Zahinoor , Dickerson Bradford C. , Ballard Clive , Grossberg George , McEvoy Bradley , Foff Erin , Atri Alireza
Published: December 2021

Introduction

Hallucinations and delusions (H+D) are common in dementia, but screening for these symptoms—especially in busy clinical practices—is challenging.

Methods

Six subject matter experts developed the DRP3™ screen, a novel valid tool to detect H+D in dementia, assessed its content validity through alignment with DRP reference assessments (Scale for the Assessment of Positive Symptoms‐Hallucinations + Delusions, Neuropsychiatric Inventory‐Questionnaire, International Psychogeriatric Association Criteria), and retrospectively investigated its ability to detect H+D in HARMONY trial (NCT03325556) enrollees.

Results

All items from three reference assessments demonstrated significant agreement with the DRP3 screen among raters (P < .0001). Retrospectively applying the DRP3 screen to HARMONY identified all (N = 392) trial enrollees.

Discussion

The DRP3 screen, comprising three yes/no questions, is a content‐valid tool for detecting H+D in dementia that aligned with current reference assessments and successfully identified trial participants when retrospectively applied to a completed trial. Within busy practice constraints, the DRP3 screen provides a brief tool for sensitive detection of H+D in patients with dementia.
Carbon Dots Derived from Waste Psidium Guajava Leaves for Electrocatalytic Sensing of Chlorpyrifos
Authors: Dash Smruti Ranjan , Bag Subhendu Sekhar , Golder Animes Kumar
Published: December 2021

Carbon dots (CDs) modified GCE was used for the electrochemical sensing of Chlorpyrifos (CHL). The hydrothermal synthesis (200 °C for 10 h) produced CDs of 3.7 nm using Psidium guajava leaves. Square wave voltammetry was employed for the determination of CHL and the electrokinetic parameters. The reduction of CHL involved an irreversible two‐electron process with heterogeneous reaction rate (k°) and formal potential (E°) of 1.21 s−1 and −1.34 V respectively. The modified GCEs exhibited good repeatability (RSD 4.7 %), reproducibility (RSD 1.17 %), and sensitivity (1.30 mA μM−1 cm−2). The detection limit and linear ranges were 1.5 nM and 0.01–1 μM, respectively. Electrochemical sensing of CHL was comparable with the HPLC (∼5 % variation).
In‐plane/out‐of‐plane interaction of strong masonry infills: From cyclic tests to out‐of‐plane verifications
Authors: Morandi Paolo , Hak Sanja , Milanesi Riccardo R. , Magenes Guido
Published: December 2021

The construction of RC frame structures with masonry infills is part of the traditional building practice in many European countries and worldwide. Several studies have been recently conducted to improve further the understanding of the seismic response of masonry infills, which are mainly focused on weak/slender clay masonry panels representing a common typology of the past, whereas very limited research has been devoted to stronger/thicker masonry infills, which nowadays are being adopted with increasing frequency in newly designed RC structures for their excellent thermal and acoustic performance. In order to fill this gap, within a systematic experimental and numerical research program, the in‐plane and out‐of‐plane experimental response of ‘strong’ masonry infills has been investigated at the Eucentre and the University of Pavia. In particular, this paper presents the framework and discusses the results of out‐of‐plane static cyclic tests on full‐scale, single‐storey, single‐bay RC frame specimens infilled with 35 cm thick tongue and groove clay unit walls, the related damage propagation and the failure mechanisms. The in‐plane/out‐of‐plane experimental interaction evaluated in terms of stiffness and strength reduction and period increase in function of previous in‐plane damage is also introduced, with the aim of providing a simplified out‐of‐plane strength verification within the European codified design procedures.
Innovation in the Energy Industry Spurs NAESB Standards Development in 2022
Authors: Trum Caroline
Published: December 2021

Modern innovations and technological advancements have significantly changed the electric and natural gas marketplace over the last few decades. As a result, the industry has had to accommodate the integration of a wider variety of non‐traditional energy resource types, account for growth in renewables, and incorporate new technologies, all while ensuring a secure, reliable, and resilient energy market. While there are a number of challenges that must be addressed to ensure the implementation of new technologies and energy resources, the use of consensus‐based standards can support expedited adoption of these resources by industries through the establishment of uniformly agreed upon best practices.
Understanding the effects of rhythmic coordination on children's prosocial behaviours
Authors: Wan Yingjia , Zhu Liqi
Published: December 2021

Joint rhythmic activities are known to be able to enhance prosociality in both adults and children. A large body of research shows that rhythmic coordination could promote bonding and increase prosocial behaviours such as helping, cooperating and sharing, suggesting that rhythmic interaction could be an effective tool to promote children's prosocial development. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying the prosocial effects of rhythmic activities remains under debate. In this brief paper, we review a selection of literature that examines this mechanism from the perspective of interpersonal coordination, discussing the roles mimicry, synchrony, coordination and shared intentionality play in the process. In the end, we provide recommendations for future work to advance our understanding of the effects of rhythmic interaction on prosociality and future practice to improve children's prosocial development.
The chorioallantoic membrane: A novel approach to extrapolate data from a well‐established method
Authors: Maugeri Alessandro , Lombardo Giovanni E. , Navarra Michele , Cirmi Santa , Rapisarda Antonio
Published: December 2021

The chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of the chicken embryo is a highly vascularized extra‐embryonic structure that has been widely used as an in vivo model for the evaluation of angiogenesis. This study was designed to optimize data extrapolation from the most exploited experimental protocol to improve its efficiency and the reliability of the obtainable results. In our study, we followed the most common procedure for CAM assay, employing retinoic acid and vascular endothelial growth factor as standards. CAMs were photographed at t0, t24, and t48; then, the main parameters of the predefined vascular network/area were evaluated. Subsequently, their variations in each CAM were calculated comparing them within the same CAM over the course of the whole treatment (t24 and t48), also comparing the treated CAMs respect to the untreated ones. Thus, we provide a novel approach aimed at extrapolating data from CAM assay that allows to (i) have a greater reliability and richness of data; (ii) better estimate the potential pro‐ and anti‐angiogenic activity of new candidate drugs; (iii) save both eggs and time for the experiments.
Respiratory rate monitoring in healthy volunteers by central photoplethysmography compared to capnography
Authors: Henricson Joakim , Glasin Joakim , Rindebratt Sandra , Wilhelms Daniel
Published: December 2021

Monitoring of respiration is a central task in clinical medicine, crucial to patient safety. Despite the uncontroversial role of altered respiratory frequency as an important sign of impending or manifest deterioration, reliable measurement methods are mostly lacking outside of intensive care units and operating theaters. Photoplethysmography targeting the central blood circulation in the sternum could offer accurate and inexpensive monitoring of respiration. Changes in blood flow related to the different parts of the respiratory cycle are used to identify the respiratory pattern. The aim of this observational study was to compare photoplethysmography at the sternum to standard capnography in healthy volunteers. Bland Altman analysis showed good agreement (bias −0.21, SD 1.6, 95% limits of agreement −3.4 to 2.9) in respiratory rate values. Photoplethysmography provided high‐quality measurements of respiratory rate comparable to capnographic measurements. This suggests that photoplethysmography may become a precise, cost‐effective alternative for respiratory monitoring.
Improving the resilience of SMEs in times of crisis: The impact of mobile money amid Covid‐19 in Zambia
Authors: Nan Wenxiu (Vince) , Park Minseok
Published: December 2021

This study investigates the impact of mobile money (MM) on SMEs' resilience and the associated business outcome in developing countries amid Covid‐19. Despite the potential of MM to improve SMEs' resilience, little evidence has been documented. Using Enterprise Survey data in Zambia, we show that SMEs are more likely than large firms to experience catastrophic sales decline, reflecting their inherent vulnerability. Further analysis reveals that this unfavourable effect can be effectively counteracted when SMEs incorporate MM into daily business. An important policy implication is that the use of digital technologies should be a key element of policy responses to Covid‐19.