bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The non-steroidal mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist finerenone is a novel therapeutic option for patients with Type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease
Authors: Barrera-Chimal Jonatan , Gerarduzzi Casimiro , Rossignol Patrick , Jaisser Frédéric
Published: June 2022

Despite strong preclinical data supporting the use of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) to provide cardiorenal protection in rodent models of diabetes, the clinical evidence of their utility in treating chronic kidney disease (CKD) has been limited. Two major clinical trials (FIDELIO-DKD and FIGARO-DKD) including more than 13,000 patients with albuminuric CKD and Type 2 diabetes randomized to placebo or finerenone (MRA) have recently provided exciting results showing a significant risk reduction for kidney and cardiovascular outcomes. In this review, we will summarize the major findings of these trials, together with post-hoc and pooled analyses that have allowed evaluation of the efficacy and safety of finerenone across the spectrum of CKD, revealing significant protective effects of finerenone against kidney failure, new-onset atrial fibrillation or flutter, new-onset heart failure, cardiovascular death, and first and total heart-failure hospitalizations. Moreover, we will discuss the current evidence that supports the combined use of MRAs with sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors, either by providing an additive cardiorenal benefit or by decreasing the risk of hyperkalemia. Although the mechanisms of protection by finerenone have only been partially explored in patients, rodent studies have shed light on its anti-inflammatory and anti-fibrotic effects in models of kidney disease, which is one of the main drivers for testing the efficacy of finerenone in non-diabetic CKD patients in the ongoing FIND-CKD trial.
Few‐shot multiscene fault diagnosis of rolling bearing under compound variable working conditions
Authors: Wang Sihan , Wang Dazhi , Kong Deshan , Li Wenhui , Wang Jiaxing , Wang Huanjie
Published: June 2022

As one of the most widely used rotating machinery components, whether the bearing can operate stably is related to the reliability of the equipment and the safety of the staff. Therefore, efficient and accurate intelligent fault diagnosis (IFD) technology is necessary for modern industrial equipment. Bearing fault diagnosis based on deep learning methods has made great progress in recent years. However, most methods rely heavily on massive data and the domain shift phenomenon caused by the high‐level compound variable working conditions would greatly affect the performance of the model. To solve the data sparsity and domain shift problem simultaneously, an effective feature disentanglement and restitution (FDR) few‐shot method is proposed for IFD under multiple scenes. First, the vibration signals are preprocessed and input into the metric‐based neural network. The model is trained based on the meta‐learning method to extract task‐level general features to alleviate the data sparsity problem. Then, the FDR method extracted task‐related features from the information discarded by the convolution kernel at different scales and fused them with the output features of the embedding module to reconstruct task‐specific features and alleviate the phenomenon of domain shift. Finally, the relational module automatically extracts the nonlinear relations between features and classifies them. A number of high‐level compound variable working condition tasks were constructed on two experimental platforms, and the fault diagnosis tests with small samples and multiple scenes were carried out. The results show that our proposed method has superior accuracy and transferability under compound variable working conditions.
An improved second‐order kinetic model for degradation analysis of transformer paper insulation under non‐uniform thermal field
Authors: Liu Jiefeng , Jiang Kuo , Wang Qingyin , Zhang Heng , Zhang Enze , Fan Xianhao , Zhang Yiyi
Published: June 2022

The ageing kinetic model is regarded as an effective tool to describe the degradation of transformer paper insulation. However, the temperature of the transformer winding is unevenly distributed, and the existing ageing kinetic models only depend on experimental data of accelerated thermal ageing at a constant temperature. Given this issue, this work proposes an improved second‐order kinetic model accounting for the non‐uniform thermal field. First, oil‐paper insulation samples with different ageing stages are prepared under the non‐uniform thermal field. Then, the sample's experimental data of moisture dispersion and distribution of degree of polymerisation are collected. On this basis, the improved second‐order kinetic model is derived to simulate insulating paper's ageing process subjected to an axial temperature gradient. Further, the relationship of the parameters in the improved second‐order kinetic model with the temperature and moisture content at different winding heights is obtained. Finally, the proposed model is validated, and the results show that the proposed model is more scientific than the traditional models to describe the degradation of paper insulation. In that respect, this work illustrates an improved second‐order kinetic model to provide a reference for the ageing assessment/life prediction of transformer paper insulation under the non‐uniform thermal field.
Method of technical training of elite para athletes throwing in sitting position
Authors: Voroshin Igor , Donets Aleksey , Baryaev Aleksey , Zayko Dmitry , Kuznetsov Aleksey
Published: June 2022

This study presents a new way to improve technical training in para-athletic disciplines (for athletes with musculoskeletal disorders). The experimental group included 5 men and 1 woman. 5 athletes were preparing to perform in shot put, 2 athletes were preparing to perform in discus throw and 5 athletes were preparing to perform in javelin throw. An algorithm for technical training was developed, comprising three stages. The first stage includes high-speed video recording of the performed exercises in the front plane (from the front, from the back), sagittal plane (from the right, from the left), and transverse plane using a video camera attached to the quadcopter. The second stage includes synchronization of video recordings, recognition of markers, and obtaining 3D biomechanical model of the exercise. The third stage includes the analysis of kinematic characteristics of equipment of competitive exercises with the subsequent interpretation and comparison with the model characteristics revealed earlier by identification of parameters of available motor actions. The recommendations for updating the individual locomotion in the activity and guidance on the selection of major exercises were elaborated. According to the developed algorithm, six measurements were performed in each competitive discipline during the preparatory period of 2 months. After identifying the reserves of equipment, the technique was corrected in each competitive exercise, and the individual recommendations for optimizing the technique were given. At the end of the experiment, the average improvements of athletes were 0.85±0.13 m in discus throw (n=5, P<0.01), 3.15±0.69 m in shot put (n=2, P<0.05); 2.53±0.41 m in javelin throw (n=5, P<0.001). At important competitions at the end of the experiment, the athletes set 10 personal records.
The influence of organized motor activity on the health indicators of mature women
Authors: Gulyaeva S.S. , Abramova V.R. , Voloshina L.I. , Sentizova M.I.
Published: June 2022

The relevance of the research is due to the situation in the modern world, characterized by socio-economic instability, adverse environmental factors, the introduction of restrictive measures caused by the spread of coronavirus infection and, as a consequence, tense psycho-emotional atmosphere in society, paradigm shift in thinking and reduction of motor activity of the population. Modern conditions of life with its urbanization, mechanization and automation, computerization of labor, the development of communications, transportation, and household appliances, have not bypassed the female half of mankind. The fight against sedentary lifestyle, hypodynamia and hypokinesia has become an acute social problem. Special attention of specialists requires the involvement of the population in motor activity as a means of preserving health in the conditions of the region with a cold climate, where harsh conditions do not affect in the best way the well-being of people. The problem of preservation of the person in extreme conditions of the North is a subject of scientific researches by the representatives of medicine and pedagogical science. This paper puts into practice the idea of improving the quality of women’s health in a specially created wellness environment, considering their age characteristics and motivational and value potential.
Exploring the potential of total polyphenols in the leaves of berry plants for a healthy diet
Authors: Martynenko Konstantin , Balanov Petr , Smotraeva Irina , Vanchenko Olga I
Published: June 2022

Today, most researchers believe that polyphenols have wide-ranging applications and protect the human body from many diseases. This paper studies the total phenolic content (TPC) and the content of heavy metals in the selected leaves of plants that athletes actively use as a supplement to a healthy diet. For analysis, blackberry, raspberry, currant, and hawthorn leaves are used, and green tea, black tea, and chamomile flowers are used for comparison of characteristics. The extractive and total content of phenols in the vegetative part of berry crops are the most favorable indicators for fortifying sports nutrition products because these indicators are comparable to that of green and black tea. Berries and fruits have small antioxidant capacities, since they have high sugar content. Sugar provides high extractability but does not contribute to antioxidant effectiveness.
Fermentation of an oat drink enriched with sunflower root inulin
Authors: Korshunova Natalia , Balanov Petr , Smotraeva Irina , Ivanchenko Olga
Published: June 2022

The use of secondary raw materials to obtain useful products is a relevant direction of research. So sunflower root remains in large quantities after harvesting sunflower. For example, in 2021, after harvesting sunflower, about 67 million tons of dry organic residues of this plant remained in the fields. The possibility to use sunflower roots for inulin production is interesting, so earlier sunflower roots were examined for the presence of inulin in it. Studies have shown that up to 10% of inulin can be found in sunflower roots. Inulin is a dietary fiber and a prebiotic and has a beneficial effect on the microbiome of the gastrointestinal tract. The development of fermented oat drinks will provide a combination of the functional properties of probiotic cultures with the prebiotic properties of inulin from sunflower root. In this article, two technological schemes for the production of a functional oat drink containing inulin extract from sunflower root are investigated. For the fermentation of the drink, lactic acid bacteria of the species Lactobacillus acidophilus were chosen. Several variants of beverage formulations were investigated. The dynamics of changes in the content of inulin during fermentation for 24 hours is presented.
The content of polyphenolic compounds in feijoa fruits in the humid subtropics of Russia
Authors: Platonova Nataliia , Omarova Zuchra , Belous Oksana
Published: June 2022

Experimental data on the content of total polyphenols and rutin in promising feijoa varieties selected by the Subtropical Scientific Center (Sochi, Russia) are presented. The performed analysis did not reveal a correlation between the content of rutin and polyphenols (r = 0.40), as well as a relationship between the time of fruit ripening and the amount of phenolic compounds in them. The compared varieties differ significantly in the content of polyphenols (LSD=5.67) and rutin (LSD=1.5). The results obtained revealed promising varieties with a high content of polyphenols that can be used for breeding work as sources of valuable traits and as functional food products with antioxidant activity. The highest polyphenolic content was found in fruits of cv. Dachnaja (41.16 mg/100 g of raw weight). The highest content of rutin was found in fruits of cv. Dagomysskaja (42.1 mg/100 g of raw weight), cv. Dachnaja (38.4 mg/100 g) and control cv. Superba (36.8 mg/100 g). The minimum level of synthesis of flavonoid compounds was found in the ShV-07 form. Since the factor of genotypic features of varieties is essential in the accumulation of phenolic compounds, it became possible to select an assortment characterized by an optimal content of phenolic compounds.
Study of the relationship between the quality indicators of flour and its technological properties
Authors: Kuznetsova Lina , Savkina Olesya , Burikina Maria , Parakhina Olga , Nutchina Maria , Lavrenteva Natalia
Published: June 2022

This work aimed to study the quality indicators and technological properties of rye and wheat flour. 24 samples of wheat flour and 18 samples of rye flour obtained from different milling companies located in Russia were assessed. No correlation between protein content and wheat gluten quality was found. 5 samples of wheat flour containing 10-10.3% of protein had good quality gluten, while wheat flour containing 11% and 12.7% of protein had satisfactory weak gluten. At the same time, in 5 samples of flour containing 10.3% protein, both gluten of good quality and unsatisfactory weak gluten were found. Only 3 from 18 samples of rye flour met the requirements of the standards for the studied quality indicators. Fifteen samples of rye flour had increased ash content (higher than 1.45%). Two samples of rye flour had increased enzymatic activity and one sample had reduced enzymatic activity. Additives with an alkaline reaction were found, which were used to adjust the baking properties of the flour of these samples.
Adaptability and stability of potato samples in the forest-steppe conditions of the Northern Caucasus
Authors: Likhnenko Svetlana
Published: June 2022

This work aimed to study the response of 10 potato varieties to changes in environmental conditions during the 2018-2020 growing season in the forest-steppe zone of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania. Ecological adaptability, stability, and genetic flexibility were evaluated for 8 varieties and 2 hybrids of the North Caucasian Research Institute of Mountain and Piedmont Agriculture (SKNIIGPSKh) breeding. Analysis of variance revealed that the proportion of the influence of genotype (factor-variety) on the yield of the studied samples for three years of observation was 40%. The effect of weather conditions on the variability of potato productivity during the years of research was 42% and the effect of other factors was 18%. Complex evaluation of flexibility, stability, genetic flexibility was carried out according to the methods of S.A. Eberhart and W.A. Russell, A.A. Rosielle and J. Hamblin, V.V. Khangildin and N.A. Litvinenko. The calculated indices of flexibility, stability, homeostability, and genetic flexibility allowed us to identify a group of intensive varieties responding with increased yield under optimal conditions: Udacha, El Mundo, Hybrid 0.4.560/4. The second group included extensive varieties: Sambo, Primabel, hybrid 04.573/1. The hybrid 04.573/1 selected by SKNIIGPSKh is adapted to forest-steppe conditions, resistant to stress (Ymin-Ymax)=8, and shows genetic flexibility (Ymax+Ymin)/2=31.2. In the hot year of 2020, it gave the yield higher than all the studied samples (27.7t/ha). Hybrids o4.560/4 and 04/573/1 are being prepared for state variety testing.
Effect of chitosan complexes on the bacterial community of cecum and productivity of broiler chickens
Authors: Egorov I.A. , Egorova T.A. , Yildirim E.A. , Kalitkina K.A. , Ilina L.A. , Frolov V.G.
Published: June 2022

The search and development of natural biological additives that have a comprehensive effect as immunostimulants and improve digestion in poultry is relevant. This study was carried out at the Selection and Genetics Center “Zagorskoe EPH”. The control and experimental groups were formed of the 1-day-old Ross-308 cross broilers (35 heads in each). Six groups were formed. The broilers of the group No.1 (control) received basic feed (BF) with the addition of feed antibiotic Maxus. The group No.2 (control) received BF without feed antibiotic. The broilers of the group No.3 (experimental) received BF and the KH-1 chitosan complex. The group No.4 (experimental) received BF and the KHM chitosan complex with the addition of copper nanoparticles. The group No.5 (experimental) received BF and drinking preparation based on the KH-Aqua chitosan complex. The group No.6 (experimental) received BF and drinking preparation based on the KH-Aqua chitosan complex enriched with copper nanoparticles. The bacterial community of the gut cecum was analyzed using the molecular genetics method of next-generation sequencing (NGS). The addition of chitosan complexes (both supplemented with copper nanoparticles and in the drinking form) made it possible to obtain high livability of broilers with increased live body weight and decreased feed consumption per 1 kg of live body weight gain. The live body weight of 35-day-old broilers in the experimental groups was 2.96-5.70% higher than that of the control with a 5.86-8.23% decrease in feed consumption per 1 kg of live body weight gain. The results of NGS showed that the effect of chitosan complexes on the regulation of the composition of the microbiome of broilers’ cecum was predominantly positive. There was an up to 4.4-fold increase in the content of representatives of the normoflora, bacteria of the family Lactobacillaceae. The number of bacteria of genus Helicobacter, among which pathogens are often found, in the experimental groups was 2.6-33.3 times lower than in the group received antibiotics. So, the chitosan complexes were proved to be valuable supplements for poultry.
Minimization of radioactive waste volume from nuclear power plants using precipitation-membrane technologies
Authors: Vinnitskii Vadim , Chugunov Aleksander
Published: June 2022

The purpose of this study is the development and experimental testing on simulation solutions of a precipitation-membrane method for fractionation of liquid radioactive waste and sorption post-treatment of the filtrate. The choice of processing method is based on the analysis of factors affecting the efficiency of ion-exchange purification of solutions; properties of complex compounds of polyvalent metals; characteristics of commercially available membrane elements and economic aspects of the preparation and disposal of radioactive waste. The basic idea is to use the internal properties of solutions to isolate polyvalent cations and acidoligands in the form of poorly soluble compounds in the volume of an inert polypropylene element, which will increase the efficiency of ion-exchange post-treatment and reduce the amount of waste. The architecture and operating parameters of the experimental setup are designed to provide favorable conditions for the formation in solution of complexes (ion pairs) of polycharged cations with acid ligands of various nature.
Exclusions in the Cambodian irrigation sector: perspectives from Battambang province
Authors: Diepart Jean-Christophe , Thuon Try
Published: June 2022

This article offers a case study in Battambang province that examines agrarian and land dynamics in an irrigated command area. Building on the “powers of exclusion” framework developed by Hall, Hirsch and Li, we show how irrigation reshapes socio-spatial configurations locally and reinforces the dynamics of social differentiation between smallholder farmers. We argue that the uneven geography of water and the transformation of land ownership structures to which the irrigation project in question contributes run in the opposite direction of a pathway that would support the development of inclusive pro-smallholder irrigation.
Extreme Learning Machine versus Multilayer perceptron for rainfall estimation from MSG Data
Authors: Lazri Mourad , Ouallouche Fethi , Labadi Karim , Ameur Soltane
Published: June 2022

The application of artificial neural networks (ANN) in several fields has shown considerable success for classification or regression. Learning algorithms such as artificial neural networks must constantly readjust during the learning phase. This requires a relatively long learning time compared to the size and dimension of the data used. Contrary to these considerations, a new neural network, such as Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) has recently been implemented. The ELM does not care much about the size of the neural network, the hidden layer parameters are randomly generated and remain constant instead of being adjusted during training. In this paper, we will present a comparison between two neural networks, namely ELM and MLP (Multilayer perceptron) implemented for the precipitation estimation from meteorological satellite data. The architecture chosen for the two neural networks consists of an input layer (7 neurons), a hidden layer (8 neurons) and an output layer (7 neurons). The MLP has undergone standard training as soon as the ELM is trained according to the characteristics mentioned above. The results show that MLP prevails over ELM. However, the time cost during learning is too high for MLP compared to ELM.
Optimized Fractional Order Based Droop Control with Improving the Flexibility of a Microgrid
Authors: Hadjaidji Fatma-Zohra , Boukhetala Djamel , Barbot Jean-Pierre
Published: June 2022

This work presents an improved four-levels hierarchical control strategy for flexible microgrid based on three-phase voltage source inverters (VSIs) connected in parallel. In the proposed strategy, zero-level control is required to handle current and voltage control of VSIs. The primary-level that consists of a decentralized controller is based on a modified universal droop control by introducing a fractional-order derivative. It is used to enhance the power sharing quality during islanded mode and the desired power generation in grid-connected mode. In the secondary centralized control, the voltage and frequency deviations caused by the primary-control are restored. Also, this level includes the synchronization control loop that enables a seamless transition between both operation modes. In order to improve the flexibility of the microgrid, a sequential logic approach is proposed in the tertiary level. It is exploited to manage both the restoration and the synchronization loops at each transition, as well as the static switch (SS) which is used to connect/disconnect the microgrid to/from the main grid. The control parameters are optimized by using the self-learning particle swarm optimizer (SLPSO) algorithm. Simulations were performed to highlight the performances of the proposed hierarchical control approach compared with the well-known three-levels control scheme.
Principe et applicabilité de la chirurgie de précision aux cancers de la tête et du cou
Authors: Saidak Zuzana , Galmiche Antoine , Ouendo Martial , Chatelain Denis , Constans Jean-Marc , Testelin Sylvie
Published: June 2022

La chirurgie est la modalité de traitement curatif la plus fréquemment utilisée dans les cancers de la tête et du cou. Elle est intégrée dans des schémas de stratification thérapeutique précis, mais la conduite de l’acte chirurgical et son évaluation ne tiennent, la plupart du temps, pas compte de la biologie tumorale. Nous présentons dans cette revue plusieurs études qui montrent comment les analyses de la biologie tumorale pourraient préciser les indications et le contour d’une résection chirurgicale, personnaliser la prise en charge péri-opératoire du patient, et faciliter la détection des récurrences tumorales. Ces études apportent ainsi une preuve de principe qu’une chirurgie de précision, c’est-à-dire adossée à la biologie tumorale, à la façon de la médecine de précision pour d’autres cancers, est applicable aux cancers de la tête et du cou.
Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen,
Authors: Proff Peter , Deschner James
Published: June 2022

Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen

die Kieferorthopädie ist ein zentraler Bestandteil der zahnärztlichen
Versorgung und kann einen wesentlichen Beitrag zur Rehabilitation im parodontal
kompromittierten Gebiss leisten. Aufgrund der demografischen Entwicklung in
Deutschland ist auch in Zukunft von einem zunehmenden Behandlungsbedarf
auszugehen.
Klassifikation parodontaler und periimplantärer Erkrankungen
und Zustände
Authors: Deschner James , Hagner Martin
Published: June 2022

Auf einer gemeinsamen Konsensuskonferenz der American Academy of Periodontology
(AAP) und der European Federation of Periodontology (EFP) im November 2017 wurde
ein neues Schema zur Klassifikation parodontaler und periimplantärer
Erkrankungen und Zustände beschlossen. Entsprechend diesem neuen
Klassifikationsschema gibt es nun nur noch drei Formen der Parodontitis: 1)
Parodontitis, 2) nekrotisierende parodontale Erkrankungen und 3) Parodontitis
als Manifestation einer systemischen Erkrankung. Jeder Parodontitis kann ein
Stadium, ein Grad sowie die Ausdehnung bzw. das Verteilungsmuster zugeordnet
werden. Das Stadium der Parodontitis ergibt sich aus dem Schweregrad der
Erkrankung und der Komplexität des Therapiemanagements. Der Grad der
Parodontitis liefert vor allem Informationen über die Progressionsrate
der Erkrankung. Das neue Klassifikationsschema ist komplex, stellt aber im
Vergleich mit der alten Klassifikation parodontaler Erkrankungen einen
deutlichen Fortschritt dar. Das neue Klassifikationsschema definiert erstmals
gingivale und parodontale Gesundheit, berücksichtigt die
Komplexität der Behandlung und würdigt zudem den
möglichen Einfluss von Risikofaktoren auf den Krankheitsverlauf.
Die kieferorthopädische Aufrichtung gekippter
Molaren
Authors: Sabbagh Hisham , Sabbagh Aladin
Published: June 2022

Die kieferorthopädische Aufrichtung gekippter Molaren stellt eine
häufige Behandlungsaufgabe dar. Dabei stehen neben funktionellen und
präventiven Überlegungen vor allem parodontologische und
prothetische Aspekte bei der Therapieplanung im Vordergrund. In der Literatur
sind eine Vielzahl von Mechaniken und Methoden zur kieferorthopädischen
Molarenaufrichtung beschrieben. Dabei erweitert der Einsatz von Mini-Implantaten
heute das Spektrum der Verankerungsmöglichkeiten. Für die
Auswahl einer geeigneten Mechanik sind die individuelle Ausgangsituation, das
für die Therapieziele benötigte Kräftesystem und die
Verankerung zu berücksichtigen. Im vorliegenden Artikel soll neben
differentialtherapeutischen Überlegungen zu ausgewählten
Mechaniken die Klinik der Molarenaufrichtung anhand von Fallbeispielen
dargestellt werden.
A Rare Case of Life-Threatening Extensive Mucocutaneous Adverse Reaction Induced by Docetaxel in a Breast Cancer Patient: Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis, a Case Report with Review of Literature
Authors: Shrivastava Shiv Prasad , Elhence Aditya , Jinwala Prutha , Bansal Shashank , Chitalkar Prakash , Bhatnagar Shweta , Patidar Rajesh , Asati Vikas
Published: June 2022

Fever and extensive necrosis with 30% or more epidermal involvement along with mucous membrane is known as toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN). It is a life-threatening mucocutaneous disease and is usually drug induced. We report a rare case of docetaxel-induced TEN. A patient with metastatic breast carcinoma received single agent docetaxel and developed severe skin and mucous membrane reaction involving more than 30% of the skin, and managed conservatively in intensive care unit but she succumbed to her illness. Although common toxicities reported with docetaxel include alopecia, nail damage, myelosuppression, and erythema multiforme major, TEN after docetaxel is very rare and can be a life-threatening complication as in our case.
Planar 99mTc-PSMA Imaging of Prostate Cancer in a Low-Resource Setting: A Series Report
Authors: Orunmuyi A.T. , Oladeji A.A. , Azodoh E.U. , Omisanjo O.A. , Olapade-Olaopa E.O.
Published: June 2022

Objective Technetium-99m labeled prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) is a suitable alternative to prostate-specific membrane antigen-positron emission tomography (PSMA-PET) imaging. However, the availability of SPECT/CT in many developing countries is limited.

Materials and Methods To evaluate the utility of planar 99mTc-PSMA in the absence of SPECT/CT, we compared planar 99mTc-PSMA and routine bone scan imaging in low-, intermediate-, and high-risk prostate cancer in five patients with histologically confirmed prostate cancer who had both scans within a period of less than 4 days. The mean age of patients was 66.8 ± 5.24, and the median prostate-specific antigen level was 175 ng/mL (range: 0–778 ng/mL).

Results Planar 99mTc-PSMA scan provided no additional benefit over bone scans in the low-risk prostate cancer cases. In the cases with intermediate-risk prostate cancers, planar 99mTc-PSMA indicated complete and partial response to treatment in oligometastatic and widespread metastatic disease, respectively. In one patient with high-risk prostate cancer, planar 99mTc-PSMA detected additional skeletal lesions that were not seen on bone scan.

Conclusion In the absence of SPECT/CT, planar 99mTc-PSMA was useful for confirming extent of disease in treated intermediate- and high-risk prostate cancer. It showed little value in low-risk prostate cancer, especially when bone scan is normal. It was particularly useful for treatment response assessment in oligometastatic disease, and its utility should be further explored.
Experimental and simulation studies of thermal transport based on plasma flow motion in laser-ablated dense regions of Au and CH
Authors: Zhang Yuxue , Qing Bo , Zhao Yang , Song Tianming , Zhang Zhiyu , Xiong Gang , Huang Chengwu , Zhu Tuo , Lv Min , Zhao Yan , Zhang Jiyan , Yang Jiamin
Published: June 2022

A practical experimental method is proposed to investigate thermal transport by characterizing the motion of plasma flows through a x-ray spectroscopic technique using tracers. By simultaneously measuring multiple parameters, namely, the mass-ablation rate, the temporal evolution of plasma flow velocities and trajectories and the temperature, it is possible to observe a variety of physical processes, such as shock wave compression, heating by thermal waves, and plasma thermal expansion, and to determine their relative importance in different phases during the irradiation of CH and Au targets. From a comparison with hydrodynamic simulations, we find significant differences in the motion of the plasma flows between CH and Au, which can be attributed to different sensitivities to the thermal transport process. There are also differences in the ablation and electron temperature histories of the two materials. These results confirm that velocities and trajectories of plasma motion can provide useful evidence in the investigation of thermal conduction, and the approach presented here deserves more attention in the context of inertial confinement fusion and high-energy-density physics.
High-order (N = 4–6) multiphoton absorption and mid-infrared Kerr nonlinearity in GaP, ZnSe, GaSe, and ZGP crystals
Authors: Kawamori Taiki , Schunemann Peter G. , Gruzdev Vitaly , Vodopyanov Konstantin L.
Published: June 2022

We report a study of high-order multiphoton absorption, nonlinear refraction, and their anisotropy in four notable mid-infrared χ(2) crystals: GaP, ZnSe, GaSe, and ZGP using femtosecond pulses at 2.35 μm with peak intensity in excess of 200 GW/cm2. We found that the nonlinear absorption obeys a perturbation model with multiphoton absorption (MPA) orders from N = 4–6, in agreement with the bandgaps of the crystals. A study of the role of free carrier absorption, performed by changing the pulse duration from 30 to 70 fs while maintaining a constant peak intensity, showed that, at our intensity levels, free carriers generated during the MPA process absorb much more strongly than would be expected from their known linear absorption cross section. Possible mechanisms for this anomalous behavior are high-field effects, such as intravalley scattering in the conduction band and absorption to higher lying bands. Nonlinear refractive indices were measured using (i) closed aperture Z-scan and (ii) spectral broadening due to self-phase modulation, both methods agreeing with each other.
Bacteriophages evolve enhanced persistence to a mucosal surface
Authors: Chin Wai Hoe , Kett Ciaren , Cooper Oren , Müseler Deike , Zhang Yaqi , Bamert Rebecca S. , Patwa Ruzeen , Woods Laura C. , Devendran Citsabehsan , Korneev Denis , Tiralongo Joe , Lithgow Trevor , McDonald Michael J. , Neild Adrian , Barr Jeremy J.
Published: June 2022

The majority of viruses within the gut are obligate bacterial viruses known as bacteriophages (phages). Their bacteriotropism underscores the study of phage ecology in the gut, where they modulate and coevolve with gut bacterial communities. Traditionally, these ecological and evolutionary questions were investigated empirically via in vitro experimental evolution and, more recently, in vivo models were adopted to account for physiologically relevant conditions of the gut. Here, we probed beyond conventional phage–bacteria coevolution to investigate potential tripartite evolutionary interactions between phages, their bacterial hosts, and the mammalian gut mucosa. To capture the role of the mammalian gut, we recapitulated a life-like gut mucosal layer using in vitro lab-on-a-chip devices (to wit, the gut-on-a-chip) and showed that the mucosal environment supports stable phage–bacteria coexistence. Next, we experimentally coevolved lytic phage populations within the gut-on-a-chip devices alongside their bacterial hosts. We found that while phages adapt to the mucosal environment via de novo mutations, genetic recombination was the key evolutionary force in driving mutational fitness. A single mutation in the phage capsid protein Hoc—known to facilitate phage adherence to mucus—caused altered phage binding to fucosylated mucin glycans. We demonstrated that the altered glycan-binding phenotype provided the evolved mutant phage a competitive fitness advantage over its ancestral wild-type phage in the gut-on-a-chip mucosal environment. Collectively, our findings revealed that phages—in addition to their evolutionary relationship with bacteria—are able to evolve in response to a mammalian-derived mucosal environment.
Phase transformation behaviours and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V-0.55Fe alloy during continuous cooling
Authors: Li Xin , Zhu Qisong , Liu Sinong , Wang Changliang , Li Feng , Chen Fuwen , Feng Liang , Wang Hui , Cheng Jialin , Chang Hui
Published: June 2022

The phase transformation and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V-0.55Fe alloy were investigated during the continuous cooling process. The curves of α phase precipitation exhibit a typical S-shaped pattern, which indicated that β→α phase transformation is a nucleation-growth-controlled process. The average activation energy is 231 kJ mol−1 calculated by Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose method. The Avrami exponent during β→α transformation significantly changes with the increasing transformed volume fraction. It is found that the thickness of α phase lamellar decreased, while the strength and hardness increased with the increasing cooling rate. Moreover, the fracture morphology of the samples gradually changes from ductile fracture to brittle fracture under the cooling rate from 1 to 15 K min−1, which illuminates that the plasticity of the alloy will decrease.
Medical management of acute radiation syndrome
Authors: Dainiak Nicholas , Albanese Joseph
Published: June 2022

Acute radiation syndrome (ARS) is a clinical syndrome involving four organ systems, resulting in the hematopoietic syndrome (HS), gastrointestinal subsyndrome (GIS), neurovascular subsyndrome (NVS) and cutaneous subsyndrome (CS). Since few healthcare providers have seen an ARS case, evidence-based recommendations are needed to guide medical management in a mass casualty scenario. The authors reviewed recommendations from evidence-based and narrative reviews by expert consultants to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a subsequent review of published HS cases, and infectious disease guidelines for management of febrile neutropenia. The WHO Consultancy applied a rigorous grading system to evaluate treatment strategies described in published ARS cases as of 2009, strategies to manage HS in unirradiated persons, results of ARS studies in animal models of ARS, and recommendations of prior expert panels. Major findings for HS were (a) no randomised controlled studies have been performed, (b) data are restricted by the lack of comparator groups, and (c) reports of countermeasures for management of injury to non-hematopoietic organs are often incomplete. Strength of recommendations ranged from strong to weak. Countermeasures of potential benefit include cytokines and for a subgroup of HS patients, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. These recommendations did not change in a subsequent analysis of HS cases. Recommendations also included fluoroquinolones, bowel decontamination, serotonin receptor antagonists, loperamide and enteral nutrition for GIS; supportive care for NVS; and topical steroids, antihistamines and antibiotics, and surgical excision/grafting for CS. Also reviewed are critical care management guidelines, the role of mesenchymal stem cells for CS, the potential of a platelet-stimulating cytokine for HS, and the author’s approach to clinical management of microbial infections associated with ARS based on published guidelines of infectious disease experts. Today’s management of HS is supported by evidence-based guidelines. Management of non-HS subsyndromes is supported by a narrative review of the literature and recommendations of infectious disease societies.
Embedded sensing and actuating in CFRP composite structures—concept and technology demonstration for tailored embeddable sensor-actuator layers (TEmSAL)
Authors: Hornig Andreas , Frohberg Richard , Bätzel Tim , Gude Maik , Modler Niels
Published: June 2022

Carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) materials are of interest for the aerospace and aviation industry to master growing economic and ecological challenges. In contrast to conventional metallic materials, they offer both higher specific material properties, such as strengths, stiffnesses, and an increased energy absorption capacity in case of impact loading scenarios. Additionally, the possibility of integrating functional elements, such as actuators and sensors, predestine CFRP for the development of more lightweight structural components. In this study, a generic composite structure is instrumented with embedded piezo ceramic sensor elements. A technology for TEmSAL is presented and applied within an autoclave manufacturing process. Aspects of the designing process, manufacturing and instrumentation as well as experimental impact sensing and self-actuation results are presented and discussed.
All-angle broadband ENZ metamaterials
Authors: Sun Lei , Lin Yashan , Yu Kin Wah , Wang Guo Ping
Published: June 2022

A novel type of metamaterial is presented to produce broadband near-zero effective permittivity to a defined polarized probing electromagnetic wave with varying angles of incidence. The metamaterial has a uniaxial unit cell structure made up of symmetric periodic multilayer superlattices with a rotational symmetry about the polarization of the probing electromagnetic wave. The unit cell is rigorously constructed based on the Bergman–Milton spectral representation of the effective permittivity, and its electrodynamic properties are theoretically verified by the eigenmode analysis, the band structure, the dispersion relation, and the isofrequency contours. The eigenmode analysis illustrates that the unit cell can be effectively regarded as a photonic crystal or a waveguide according to the incidence direction of the probing electromagnetic wave, and either of them is of the dynamic microstructure related to the frequency, which results in a broadband response. Meanwhile, the band structure, the dispersion relation, and the isofrequency contours show that the unit cell has the near-zero effective permittivity at all angles of incidence of the specified polarized probing electromagnetic wave. Finally, the reflection/transmission/absorption spectra to the prescribed polarization probing electromagnetic wave vividly reveal the all-angle broadband near-zero effective permittivity property of the metamaterial.
Feasibility studies of strangeness production in heavy-ion interactions at the BM@N experiment using Monte Carlo simulations
Authors: Baranov D , Kapishin M , Schmidt H R , Senger P , Vasendina V , Zinchenko A , Zinchenko D
Published: June 2022

In 2022, the Baryonic Matter at Nuclotron (BM@N) experimental setup at JINR (Dubna) will be ready in its full configuration to investigate heavy-ion interactions. At the same time, the accelerator complex of the Booster and Nuclotron is being prepared to accelerate and deliver extracted heavy-ion beams to the BM@N fixed target zone. One of the physics objectives, which BM@N will be able to pursue, is measurement of the (multi)strange hyperon excitation functions, i.e. hyperon yields at different energies. These measurements can help to determine the equation of state of the high-density baryonic matter. In this paper, the results of the Monte Carlo simulation of the BM@N detector performance for studying strangeness production in heavy-ion interactions in future runs are presented.
Experimental Study of Micrometeoroids Impacts on an X-Ray Telescope Model using Micro-pore Optics and CMOS Detector with Micron-sized Particles
Authors: Yang Xue , Zhang Chen , Wang Wenxin , Li Hongwei , Zhang Shuang-Nan , Yuan Weimin , Ling Zhixing , Jin Ge , Zhang Zhen , Li Longhui
Published: June 2022

This laboratory study aimed to assess the potential damage caused by the impact of micrometeoroids or space debris on a novel X-ray focusing telescope composed of Micro-pore Optics (MPO) plates and Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensors. An impact experiment was conducted on a simplified model of an X-ray telescope composed of two MPO plates and one CMOS sensor. The diameters of the projectiles we used are 1 ∼ 50 μm. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) are methods for investigating the morphology of the impact craters and analyzing the composition of residues. We described the impact crater morphology on both MPO plates and CMOS chips. Results of impact craters size and number show that one 1 μm particle produces a damaged area of 18 μm2 in aluminum (Al) film of the MPO plate on average (at a median speed of 2 km s−1), resulting in 10 light leak spots on the CMOS chip. Meanwhile, one particle with a diameter of 50 μm may damage 3 micropores (about 7 × 10−3 mm2) on the MPO plate at a median speed of 6 km s−1. About 1.5 particles could cause one bad pixel on the CMOS chip behind the MPO plates. Nevertheless, no failure of the CMOS sensor or severe damage to the MPO device was observed after the impact.
Parallel optimization of underwater acoustic models: A survey
Authors: Zhu Zi-jie , Ma Shu-qing , Zhu Xiao-Qian , Lan Qiang , Piao Sheng-Chun , Cheng Yu-Sheng
Published: June 2022

Underwater acoustic models are effective tools for simulating underwater sound propagation. More than 50 years of research have been conducted on the theory and computational models of sound propagation in the ocean. Unfortunately, underwater sound propagation models were unable to solve practical large-scale three-dimensional problems for many years due to limited computing power and hardware conditions. Since the mid-1980s, research on high performance computing for acoustic propagation models in the field of underwater acoustics has flourished with the emergence of high-performance computing platforms, enabling underwater acoustic propagation models to solve many practical application problems that could not be solved before. In this paper, the contributions of research on high-performance computing for underwater acoustic propagation models since the 1980s are thoroughly reviewed and the possible development directions for the future are outlined.
Lévy processes in bounded domains: path-wise reflection scenarios and signatures of confinement
Authors: Garbaczewski Piotr , Żaba Mariusz
Published: June 2022

We discuss an impact of various (path-wise) reflection-from-the barrier scenarios upon confining properties of a paradigmatic family of symmetric α-stable Lévy processes, whose permanent residence in a finite interval on a line is secured by a two-sided reflection. Depending on the specific reflection ‘mechanism’, the inferred jump-type processes differ in their spectral and statistical characteristics, like e.g. relaxation properties, and functional shapes of invariant (equilibrium, or asymptotic near-equilibrium) probability density functions in the interval. The analysis is carried out in conjunction with attempts to give meaning to the notion of a reflecting Lévy process, in terms of the domain of its motion generator, to which an invariant pdf (actually an eigenfunction) does belong.
Evaluation of mechanical and wear properties of AA6063/(Si3N4)6%–12% /(CuN2O6)2%–4% composite via PM route and optimization through robust design technique
Authors: Sureshkumar P , Sasikumar C , Rajan S Thanga Kasi , Jagadeesha T , L Natrayan , Ravichandran M , Veeman Dhinakaran , Borek Wojciech
Published: June 2022

The study is to investigate the physical, mechanical, and tribological properties of Al6063 alloy reinforced by Silicon Nitride (Si3N4) & compound Copper Nitrate (CuN2O6) processed via Powder Metallurgy (PM) Techniques. Incorporation of reinforcement in matrix material ranged from 6 to 12% Si3N4 in a 6-step interval, and 2 to 6%CuN2O6 in a two-step interval. The characterizations were made on the PM produced specimens using OM, EDS, XRD and hardness. The reinforcement particles were distributed uniformly is attributed by homogeneous mixer of matrix and reinforcements. The tests were carried out in accordance with ASTM Standards on the Al6063 alloy and its composites. The test findings show that as the reinforcing percentage of ceramic and inorganic compound is increased, properties such as hardness and density rise monolithically and considerably. The dispersion of Si3N4 and CuN2O6 reinforcement in the AA6061 matrix was ensured by x-ray diffraction patterns. In comparison to the base alloy, the hardness of AA6063/12%Si3N4/6% CuN2O6 improved by 88% due to the mismatch of thermal expansion between the Al matrix and reinforcement causes huge internal stress, causing the aluminium matrix to deform plastically to lodge the smaller volume expansion of Si3N4 and CuN2O6 particles. The dry sliding wear test was carried out on a tribometer with a pin-on-disc arrangement, and the findings show that the composite has a higher wear resistance. The Taguchi design of experiments was used to investigate the solution containing parameters employing an orthogonal array, the signal-to-noise ratio, and analysis of variance. The weight percentage of Si3N4/CuN2O6 compound and the relationship between wt% of reinforcement and applied load had the highest impact on composite wear resistance, accounted for 31.66%. Before and after the wear morphology during the wear test, images from a scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive microscopy were used to examine the manufactured composites.