bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Asymptotical outer synchronization control of the complex dynamical networks via unknown interaction and links dynamics
Authors: Chen Qingfeng , Wang Yinhe , Tang Xiao , Li Shengping
Published: October 2022

The nodes and links connecting them are the two main geometric elements of a complex network. If the nodes and links change over time, all the nodes and all the links are regarded the dynamic systems, respectively, and thus, a complex dynamical network (CDN) can be regarded to be composed of the two interconnected subsystems: the nodes subsystem (NS) and the links subsystem (LS). The outer synchronization happens in two CDNs, which means that the state error between the two NSs converges to zero. However, the dynamics of LS is ignored in the existing literature about the outer synchronization. In addition, the existing literature rarely consider the unknown interaction between two CDNs into the outer synchronization. In view of this, this paper investigates the outer synchronization of two CDNs with the unknown interaction. By using the dynamics of LSs and synthesizing the adaptive control scheme, the outer synchronization is asymptotically achieved. The results in this paper show that the outer synchronization happens when the two LSs can track, respectively, the synthesized auxiliary dynamic tracking targets. Finally, the numerical simulation is given to show the effectiveness of the theoretical results in this paper.
A three‐step Oseen‐linearized finite element method for incompressible flows with damping
Authors: Zheng Bo , Shang Yueqiang
Published: October 2022

This paper introduces a three‐step Oseen‐linearized finite element method for the 2D/3D steady incompressible Navier–Stokes equations with nonlinear damping term. Within this method, we solve a nonlinear problem over a coarse grid followed by solving two Oseen‐linearized problems over a fine grid, which possess the same stiffness matrices with only various right‐hand sides. We theoretically analyze the stability of the present method, and derive optimal error estimates of the finite element solutions. We conduct a series of numerical experiments which support the theoretical analysis and test the effectiveness of the proposed method. We demonstrate numerically that there is a significant improvement in the accuracy of the approximate solutions over those for the standard two‐level method.
Experimental study of the ballistic resistance of micro‐bead modified epoxy resin filled S‐shaped folded sandwich panels
Authors: Deng Yunfei , Liu Bing , Wang Ruiwen , Du Jing , Wang Xuang
Published: October 2022

The proposed folding structure is inspired by origami, which has unique mechanical properties. To investigate the ballistic properties of the optimized S‐shaped folded sandwich structure, micro‐bead modified (HGB) epoxy resin was injected into S‐shaped folded sandwich panels and high‐velocity impact tests were conducted. The experimental results demonstrated that the damage pattern of the core determines the ballistic properties of the sandwich panel. And the node position's ballistic performance is superior to that of the base position. The modified resin improves the ballistic resistance of the sandwich panel and increases the weight of the sandwich structure. Moreover, the effect of the back‐filled modified resin on the ballistic properties of the sandwich panel can counteract the negative effect of increased weight. While the front‐filled configuration may compromise the weight‐related ballistic performance index of the sandwich structure.
Contrasts among cationic phytochemical landscapes in the southern United States
Authors: Santiago‐Rosario Luis Y. , Harms Kyle E. , Craven Dylan
Published: October 2022

Understanding the phytochemical landscapes of essential and nonessential chemical elements to plants provides an opportunity to better link biogeochemical cycles to trophic ecology. We investigated the formation and regulation of the cationic phytochemical landscapes of four key elements for biota: Ca, Mg, K, and Na. We collected aboveground tissues of plants in Atriplex, Helianthus, and Opuntia and adjacent soils from 51, 131, and 83 sites, respectively, across the southern United States. We determined the spatial variability of these cations in plants and soils. Also, we quantified the homeostasis coefficient for each cation and genus combination, by using mixed‐effect models, with spatially correlated random effects. Additionally, using random forest models, we modeled the influence of bioclimatic, soil, and spatial variables on plant cationic concentrations. Sodium variability and spatial autocorrelation were considerably greater than for Ca, Mg, or K. Calcium, Mg, and K exhibited strongly homeostatic patterns, in striking contrast to non‐homeostatic Na. Even so, climatic and soil variables explained a large proportion of plants' cationic concentrations. Essential elements (Ca, Mg, and K) appeared to be homeostatically regulated, which contrasted sharply with Na, a nonessential element for most plants. In addition, we provide evidence for the No‐Escape‐from‐Sodium hypothesis in real‐world ecosystems, indicating that plant Na concentrations tend to increase as substrate Na levels increase.
Comparison of the Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) for identifying cognitive impairments and predicting rehabilitation outcomes in an inpatient rehabilitation facility
Authors: Harmon Erin Y. , Gillen Robert W.
Published: October 2022

Background

The Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) is the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' primary cognitive assessment for multiple health care settings. However, research suggests that the BIMS has low sensitivity in detecting mild cognitive impairment in community samples and nursing home residents.

Objective

To determine the sensitivity of the BIMS in identifying patients with mild or moderate cognitive impairments in an inpatient rehabilitation setting and the relationship of BIMS and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores with rehabilitation outcomes.

Design

Retrospective cohort.

Setting

Inpatient rehabilitation facility.

Patients

A total of 2252 patients admitted for orthopedic or general rehabilitation.

Methods

The sensitivity and specificity of the BIMS for identification of cognitive impairments were determined using validated cutoff scores on the MoCA as criterion. Multivariable ordinal regression was employed to determine if MoCA and BIMS scores were independent predictors of rehabilitation outcomes.

Main Outcome Measurements

Functional independence at discharge (GG scores), rehabilitation efficiency (GG change per day), length of stay (LOS), and discharge destination.

Results

The BIMS had low sensitivity in identifying moderate (0.384) or mild (0.257) cognitive impairment. Patients classified as having moderate cognitive impairment on the MoCA had lower GG scores at discharge (odds ratio [OR] 0.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30 to 0.46) and rehabilitation efficiency (OR 0.43, CI 0.34 to 0.53) compared to individuals identified as impaired on the BIMS (GG scores: OR 0.63, CI 0.52 to 0.78; efficiency: OR 0.71, CI 0.58 to 0.86). LOS (OR 1.49, CI 1.19 to 1.85) and discharge destination (OR 0.47, CI 0.28 to 0.77) were uniquely predicted in patients identified as moderately impaired on the MoCA but not the BIMS (LOS: OR 0.99, CI 0.80 to 1.21; discharge home: OR 0.93, CI 0.62 to 1.38).

Conclusions

The BIMS had low sensitivity for detection of mild and moderate cognitive impairments. Compared to the MoCA, the BIMS was less effective at predicting rehabilitation outcomes.
Family styles and quality of life in adolescents with bronchial asthma: The important role of self‐esteem and perceived threat of the disease
Authors: Valero‐Moreno Selene , Montoya‐Castilla Inmaculada , Pérez‐Marín Marián
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Analyze the relationship between family styles and quality of life (QoL) in adolescents with bronchial asthma and study the influence of self‐esteem as a protective factor and threat perception as a risk factor.

Methods

Family styles, QoL, perceived threat of the disease, and self‐esteem were assessed in a total of 150 adolescents diagnosed with bronchial asthma with ages ranging from 12 to 16 years (M = 13.28;SD = 1.29), 60.7% being male. Descriptive statistics and mean comparisons were conducted according to the level of self‐esteem. Relationships between variables were also studied using Pearson's correlations, and finally, the mediating role of self‐esteem and the perceived threat of the disease was assessed using PROCESS.

Results

Adolescents shown healthy family characteristics (high scores on affect and parental mood and low scores on psychological control) and high scores on QoL. Thirty‐five percent of adolescents showed low self‐esteem and a tendency to underestimate the disease. There are existing relationships between family styles and QoL; thus, healthy family characteristics (affection, parental mood, autonomy promotion) were positively associated with QoL, while psychological control was negatively associated with QoL. Disease threat and self‐esteem mediated the relationship between family styles and adolescent QoL. Disease threat was negatively, and self‐esteem was positively associated with QoL.

Conclusions

Self‐esteem and family support are protective factors for the well‐being of adolescents with bronchial asthma; however, the high perceived threat of the disease can have negative consequences for the adolescent's health and negatively impact their QoL.
An updated meta‐analysis of hemodynamics markers of prognosis in patients with pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease
Authors: Baratto Claudia , Caravita Sergio , Soranna Davide , Dewachter Céline , Bondue Antoine , Zambon Antonella , Badano Luigi P. , Parati Gianfranco , Vachiéry Jean‐Luc
Published: October 2022

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is associated with a poor prognosis in left heart disease (LHD). We sought to provide an updated analysis on the association of hemodynamic variables, such as pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), pulmonary artery compliance (PAC), and diastolic pressure gradient (DPG), with prognosis in PH‐LHD, through a systematic literature review. Sixteen articles were identified, including 9600 patients with LHD, heterogeneous in terms of age, sex, and etiology of cardiac disease. In this large population, PVR (hazard ratio [HR], 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.05−1.0), DPG (HR, 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01−1.02) and PAC (HR, 0.76; 95% CI: 0.69−0.84) were associated with an increased risk of adverse outcome, albeit with a less solid performance of DPG. Similar results were found when hemodynamic variables were analyzed according to the thresholds commonly applied in clinical practice, or subdividing cohorts according to the underlying LHD. Furthermore, cumulative metanalysis indicated that these results are consistently stable since 2018. Thus, PVR, DPG and PAC have an established prognostic value in PH‐LHD. These results are consistent through the years and unlikely to change with further studies.
Mechanism of the Resistivity Switching Induced by the Joule Heating in Crystalline NbO2
Authors: Olin Samuel W. , Razek S. Abdel , Piper Louis F. J. , Lee Wei‐Cheng
Published: October 2022

Recently, the memristive electrical transport properties in NbO2 have attracted much attention for their promising application to neuromorphic computation. At the center of debate is whether the metal‐to‐insulator transition (MIT) originates from the structural distortion (Peierls) or the electron correlation (Mott). With inputs from experiments and first principles calculations, a thermodynamical model is developed rooted in the scenario of the MIT driven by a 2nd order Peierls instability. It is found that the temperature dependence of the electrical conductivity can be accurately fit by the band gap varying with temperature due to the gradual weakening of the Nb‐Nb dimers. The resistivity switching can consequently be understood by dimer‐free metallic domains induced by local Joule heating. In solving the heat equation, it is found that the steady state cannot be reached if the applied voltage exceeds a threshold, resulting in the chaotic behavior observed in the high voltage and current states. With the Ginzburg–Landau theory and the Joule heating equation, the evolution of the metallic domains under bias voltage can be simulated and directly verified by experiments.
Facile Synthesis of Copper‐5‐Aminoisophthalic Acid Metal Organic Framework as a Potential Drug Carrier for Ibuprofen
Authors: Inbasekar Chandrasekar , Akshaya Arul , Fathima Nishter Nishad
Published: October 2022

Due to their large surface area and porous nature, metal organic frameworks hold a promising application in drug delivery. Among several combinations of metals with organic linkers, copper as a metal possesses synergistic behavior in drug delivery due to its antibacterial, antioxidant properties, and other biological functional necessities. This study uses the copper‐5‐aminoisophthalic acid metal organic framework (AIPA‐Cu (II) MOF) for drug delivery. From the experimental studies, AIPA‐Cu (II) MOF exhibited a potentially good loading capacity of Ibuprofen drug and excellent controlled release in in‐vitro drug release studies. The loading efficiency of Ibuprofen in AIPA‐Cu (II) MOF has been confirmed using BET adsorption, X‐Ray Diffraction, XPS spectroscopy, UV‐Visible Spectroscopy, and IR spectroscopy by comparing it against unloaded AIPA‐Cu (II) MOF. The uncoordinated free amino group in the 5‐aminoisophthalic acid ligand is expected to form an interaction between Ibuprofen and AIPA‐Cu (II) MOF through van der Waals force to induce better loading. Thus, the current study opens up a new avenue for the potential usage of AIPA‐Cu (II) MOF as an effective and compatible drug carrier for hydrophobic drugs like Ibuprofen.
Formal Pericyclic‐Coupled Electron Transfer: I. Stepwise Formal Diels‐Alder Cycloaddition Enabled by Addition‐Coupled Electron Transfer
Authors: Ma Yumiao , Hussein Aqeel A.
Published: October 2022

The formal Diels‐Alder (D−A) reaction of alkenes with 1,2‐diimine and related substrates is designed and studied by density functional theory (DFT), multi‐reference and quasi‐classical trajectory calculations in the presence of a benzoquinone‐based organic oxidant. The reaction is found to occur through an Addition‐Coupled Electron Transfer (ACET) with one electron transferred to the oxidant in one elementary step, affording a carbon‐radical, followed by an intramolecular radical addition. The overall barrier is significantly reduced as compared to the traditional concerted D−A reaction. The reaction with two new bond formation events in one elementary step coupled with electron transfer (concerted Pericyclic‐Coupled Electron Transfer, cPeriCET) was not found. This work reveals that coupling to electron transfer might be a tool to achieve cycloaddition reactions with unactivated substrates.
A Short Review Comparing Carbon‐Based Electrochemical Platforms With Other Materials For Biosensing SARS‐Cov‐2
Authors: Soni Isha , Kumar Pankaj , Jayaprakash Gururaj Kudur , Pandith Anup
Published: October 2022

Due to the 2019 SARS‐CoV‐2 outbreak, low‐cost, fast, and user‐friendly diagnostic kits for biosensing SARS‐CoV‐2 in real samples employing multiple working electrodes are in high demand. Choosing SARS‐CoV‐2 detecting electrodes is difficult because each has advantages and limitations. Carbon‐based electrochemical sensing applications have attracted attention from the electrochemical sensing community because carbon and carbon‐based materials have been a godsend for testing utilizing an electrochemical platform. Carbon working electrode electrochemical platforms are cost‐effective and fast. Covid‐sensors use carbon‐based materials because they can be easily changed (with inorganic and organic functionalities), have quick response kinetics, and are chemically resistant. Covid‐19 sensing materials include graphene and graphite. This review explains how carbon materials have been employed in N and S protein electrochemical detection. Here, we discussed a carbon‐based technology for SARS‐CoV‐2 biosensing. We′ve compared carbon‐based electrochemical sensing to different electrodes.
Insights into the Third Phase Formation Behaviour of N,N‐Didodecyl‐N’,N’‐Dioctyl Diglycolamide in n‐Dodecane Investigated by Dynamic Light Scattering and FTIR Spectroscopy
Authors: Narayanan Parvathy , Swami Kantamani Rama , Prathibha Thonakot , Venkatesan Konda Athmaram
Published: October 2022

N,N‐didodecyl‐N’,N’‐dioctyl diglycolamide (D3DODGA) was regarded as a promising ligand for the extraction of trivalent lanthanides and actinides from nuclear waste, owing to the absence of undesirable third phase formation during liquid‐liquid extraction. However, the reason for the absence of third phase formation in D3DODGA as compared to other diglycolamides was not known. To unravel the absence of third phase formation, the extraction behaviour of nitric acid and Nd(III) in 0.2 M D3DODGA in n‐dodecane (n‐DD) was studied and the reverse micellar aggregation behaviour of the organic phase was probed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and FTIR spectroscopy. The results were compared with those obtained in popular ligands abbreviated as TODGA, TEHDGA and TDdDGA in n‐dodecane under similar conditions. The limiting reverse micellar aggregate size for third phase formation was determined to be 11.6 nm at the limiting nitric acid concentration of 0.54 M in organic phase. The investigations revealed that the absence of third phase in D3DODGA and TDdDGA was due to the presence of long chain dodecyl group attached to the molecule, as compared to the octyl moiety present in TODGA and TEHDGA. As a result, it was possible to load higher concentration of nitric acid or Nd(III) in D3DODGA without the problem of third phase formation. In view of this, the D3DODGA in n‐DD can be employed efficiently for the separation of trivalent actinides and lanthanides from nuclear waste.
Two New C21 Steroids from Gymnema tingens
Authors: He Jin‐Hua , Yao Yu‐Di , Liu Mei‐Yu , Liao Guang‐Feng , Yang Xin‐Zhou , Lu Ru‐Mei
Published: October 2022

Two new C21 steroids, named 12‐O‐acetyl‐(20S)‐O‐(N‐methyl)anthraniloyl sarcostin‐5α,6β‐hexahydroxypregnane (1) and 12‐O‐acetyl‐(20S)‐O‐(N‐methyl)anthraniloyl sarcostin 3‐O‐β‐D‐cymaropyranoside (2), together with eight known compounds (3–10) were isolated from the dried whole plants of Gymnema tingens. The structures of the new compounds were established by extensive 1D and 2D nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra with mass spectroscopy data. Compounds 1–9 were tested for glucose uptake in L6 cells, and compounds 3 and 4 showed the most potent glucose uptake activity with the enhancement by 2.98‐ and 3.36‐fold.
Arylethynyl Substituents at Plane Node of Pyrene: Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Photophysical Properties
Authors: Liu Yiwei , Song Xinyi , Guo Hongxi , Yu Shuning , Islam Md. Monarul , Chen Qing , Feng Xing
Published: October 2022

Pyrene derivatives with substituents at 2‐ or 2,7‐positions have an exceptional electronic structure due to the nodal plane at these two positions. Herein, a series of linear‐shaped pyrene derivatives1–3were designed and synthesizedviacombining (4‐tert‐butylphenyl)ethynyl & (4‐tert‐butylphenyl) substituents at 2‐ and 7‐position by using the Pd‐catalysis coupling reaction with high yield. The molecular structures are completely confirmed by1H/13CNMR, high‐resolution mass spectrometry, X‐ray single crystal diffraction technology, etc. Indeed, compared to reported arylethynyl substituents pyrenes, the 2,7‐substituted molecules2and3exhibited a deep blue emission (CIE y<0.04) with considerable quantum yield both in solution and in the solid‐state. X‐ray crystallographic results indicated that the molecular pattern has a considerable impact on the emission behavior of the synthesized derivatives. In addition, theoretical studies of compounds1–3were also preformed to understand the relationship between molecular structure and photophysical features.
Construction of Biomimetic Tissues with Anisotropic Structures via Stepwise Algorithm‐Assisted Bioprinting
Authors: Li Cuidi , Chen Jialei , Jie Tianyang , Wu Wen , Wang Kan , Wang Jinwu , Deng Lianfu , Wang Ben , Cui Wenguo
Published: October 2022

Tissue‐specific natural anisotropic microstructures play an important role in the normal functioning of tissues, yet they remain difficult to construct by current printing techniques. Herein, a stepwise algorithm‐assisted bioprinting technology for the construction of biomimetic tissues with a customizable anisotropic microstructure by combining the Adaptive Mesh Generation algorithm and the Greedy Search algorithm is developed. Based on the mechanical topology optimization design mechanism, the Adaptive Mesh Generation algorithm can generate controllable anisotropic mesh patterns with the minimum free energy in plane models according to tissue‐specific requirements. Subsequently, the Greedy Search algorithm can program the generated pattern data into optimized printing paths, effectively avoiding structural deformations caused by the multiple stacking of materials and reducing the printing time. The developed bioprinting technique is suitable for various types of bioinks including polymers, hydrogels, and organic/inorganic complexes. After combining with a calcium phosphorus bioink, the compound algorithm‐assisted bioprinting technique successfully customizes femurs with biomimetic chemical compositions, anisotropic microstructures, and biological properties, demonstrating its effectiveness. Additionally, algorithm‐assisted bioprinting is generally suitable for most commercial extrusion bioprinters that function in the geometric code (G‐code) drive mode. Therefore, the algorithm‐assisted extrusion bioprinting technology offers an intelligent manufacturing strategy for the customization of anisotropic microstructures in biomimetic tissues.
Surface, Interface and Structure Optimization of Metal‐Organic Frameworks: Towards Efficient Resourceful Conversion of Industrial Waste Gases
Authors: He Chengpeng , Zhao Xiuwen , Huo Mengjia , Dai Wenrui , Cheng Xuejian , Yang Junhe , Miao Yingchun , Xiao Shuning
Published: October 2022

Industrial waste gas emissions from fossil fuel over‐exploitation have aroused great attention in modern society. Recently, metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs) have been developed in the capture and catalytic conversion of industrial exhaust gases such as SO2, H2S, NOx, CO2, CO, etc. Based on these resourceful conversion applications, in this review, we summarize the crucial role of the surface, interface, and structure optimization of MOFs for performance enhancement. The main points include (1) adsorption enhancement of target molecules by surface functional modification, (2) promotion of catalytic reaction kinetics through enhanced coupling in interfaces, and (3) adaptive matching of guest molecules by structural and pore size modulation. We expect that this review will provide valuable references and illumination for the design and development of MOF and related materials with excellent exhaust gas treatment performance.
Dimension Engineering in Noble‐Metal‐Based Electrocatalysts for Water Splitting
Authors: Yang Xin , Ouyang Yuejun , Guo Ruike , Yao Zufu
Published: October 2022

Dimension engineering plays a critical role in determining the electrocatalytic performance of catalysts towards water electrolysis since it is highly sensitive to the surface and interface properties. Bearing these considerations into mind, intensive efforts have been devoted to the rational dimension design and engineering, and many advanced nanocatalysts with multidimensions have been successfully fabricated. Aiming to provide more guidance for the fabrication of highly efficient noble‐metal‐based electrocatalysts, this review has focused on the recent progress in dimension engineering of noble‐metal‐based electrocatalysts towards water splitting, including the advanced engineering strategies, the application of noble‐metal‐based electrocatalysts with distinctive geometric structure from 0D to 1D, 2D, 3D, and multidimensions. In addition, the perspective insights and challenges of the dimension engineering in the noble‐metal‐based electrocatalysts is also systematically discussed.
Hollow Heterostructured Nanocatalysts for Boosting Electrocatalytic Water Splitting
Authors: Tian Lin , Liu Yuanyuan , He Changchun , Tang Shirong , Li Jing , Li Zhao
Published: October 2022

The implementation of electrochemical water splitting demands the development and application of electrocatalysts to overcome sluggish reaction kinetics of hydrogen/oxygen evolution reaction (HER/OER). Hollow nanostructures, particularly for hollow heterostructured nanomaterials can provide multiple solutions to accelerate the HER/OER kinetics owing to their advantageous merit. Herein, the recent advances of hollow heterostructured nanocatalysts and their excellent performance for water splitting are systematically summarized. Starting by illustrating the intrinsically advantageous features of hollow heterostructures, achievements in engineering hollow heterostructured electrocatalysts are also highlighted with the focus on structural design, interfacial engineering, composition regulation, and catalytic evaluation. Finally, some perspective insights and future challenges of hollow heterostructured nanocatalysts for electrocatalytic water splitting are also discussed.
The role of dyadic cognitive report and subjective cognitive decline in early ADRD clinical research and trials: Current knowledge, gaps, and recommendations
Authors: Nosheny Rachel L. , Amariglio Rebecca , Sikkes Sietske A.M. , Van Hulle Carol , Bicalho Maria Aparecida Camargos , Dowling N. Maritza , Brucki Sonia Maria Dozzi , Ismail Zahinoor , Kasuga Kensaku , Kuhn Elizabeth , Numbers Katya , Aaronson Anna , Moretti Davide Vito , Pereiro Arturo X. , Sánchez‐Benavides Gonzalo , Sellek Rodríguez Allis F. , Urwyler Prabitha , Zawaly Kristina ,   for the Dyadic Patterns of Subjective Report working group within the Subjective Cognitive Decline Professional Interest Area, Alzheimer's Association ISTAART
Published: October 2022

Efficient identification of cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk in early stages of the AD disease continuum is a critical unmet need. Subjective cognitive decline is increasingly recognized as an early symptomatic stage of AD. Dyadic cognitive report, including subjective cognitive complaints (SCC) from a participant and an informant/study partner who knows the participant well, represents an accurate, reliable, and efficient source of data for assessing risk. However, the separate and combined contributions of self‐ and study partner report, and the dynamic relationship between the two, remains unclear. The Subjective Cognitive Decline Professional Interest Area within the Alzheimer's Association International Society to Advance Alzheimer's Research and Treatment convened a working group focused on dyadic patterns of subjective report. Group members identified aspects of dyadic‐report information important to the AD research field, gaps in knowledge, and recommendations. By reviewing existing data on this topic, we found evidence that dyadic measures are associated with objective measures of cognition and provide unique information in preclinical and prodromal AD about disease stage and progression and AD biomarker status. External factors including dyad (participant–study partner pair) relationship and sociocultural factors contribute to these associations. We recommend greater dyad report use in research settings to identify AD risk. Priority areas for future research include (1) elucidation of the contributions of demographic and sociocultural factors, dyad type, and dyad relationship to dyad report; (2) exploration of agreement and discordance between self‐ and study partner report across the AD syndromic and disease continuum; (3) identification of domains (e.g., memory, executive function, neuropsychiatric) that predict AD risk outcomes and differentiate cognitive impairment due to AD from other impairment; (4) development of best practices for study partner engagement; (5) exploration of study partner report as AD clinical trial endpoints; (6) continued development, validation, and optimization, of study partner report instruments tailored to the goals of the research and population.
Optimal delivery of poorly soluble drugs using electrospun nanofiber technology: Challenges, state of the art, and future directions
Authors: Pattnaik Satyanarayan , Swain Kalpana , Ramakrishna Seeram
Published: October 2022

Poor aqueous solubility of both, existing drug molecules and those which are currently in the developmental stage, have posed a great challenge to pharmaceutical scientists because they often exhibit poor dissolution behavior and subsequent poor and erratic bioavailability. This has triggered extensive research to explore nanotechnology‐based technology platforms for possible rescue. Recently, nanofibers have been exploited widely for diverse biomedical applications including for drug delivery. Electrospun nanofibers are capable of preserving the homogeneously loaded therapeutic agents in amorphous state potentialy impairing devitrification. The present review aims at providing an overview of the various key factors that affect the electrospinning process and characteristics of the nanofibers while fabrication of drug loaded nanofibers for poorly soluble drug candidates. The review explores various methodological advancements in the electrospinning process and set‐ups for production scale‐up. The various types of electrospun nanofibers (like simple matrix, core‐sheath, Janus, and inclusion complex nanofibers) that have been exploited for the delivery of poorly soluble drugs are also critically assessed.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Chapter 13: Multivariate Analysis of Variation
Authors: Mathai Arak , Provost Serge , Haubold Hans
Published: October 2022

Given multivariate random samples originating from several Gaussian populations sharing the same covariance matrix, the one-way multivariate analysis of variation (also known as multivariate analysis of variance) technique enables one to test whether or not the population mean value vectors are equal. When a second set of treatments is also considered, the technique is referred to as MANOVA for the two-way classification. Test statistics are derived for the one- and two-way layouts. Additionally, a multivariate extension of the two-way classification is discussed.
Chapter 15: Cluster Analysis and Correspondence Analysis
Authors: Mathai Arak , Provost Serge , Haubold Hans
Published: October 2022

Cluster analysis is an exploratory technique that enables one to classify a set of multivariate observations into groups by maximizing their similarity within each group. Both hierarchical and non-hierarchical methods of clustering are discussed. The second subject being treated in this last chapter is correspondence analysis, which is a descriptive technique whereby relationships among categorical variables are examined. Two-way as well as multi-way contingency tables are considered, and alternative representations of Pearson’s chisquare statistic are also provided.
Improved site-specific mutagenesis in Rhodococcus opacus using a novel conditional suicide plasmid
Authors: Jain Garima , Ertesvåg Helga
Published: October 2022

Rhodococcus opacus PD630 is a biotechnologically important bacterium with metabolic capability for bioremediation, metal recovery, and storage of triacylglycerols. Genome editing by homologous recombination in R. opacus is hampered by a very low combined frequency of DNA transfer and recombination. To improve recombination in the species, a conjugative, conditional suicide plasmid based on the replicon derived from the Corynebacterium glutamicum plasmid pGA1 was constructed and evaluated in R. opacus. The replication of this plasmid is controlled by a dual inducible and repressible promoter system originally developed for Mycobacterium spp. Next, we demonstrated that a derivative of this plasmid containing sacB as a counterselection marker and homologous regions of R. opacus could be used for homologous recombination, and that the problem of obtaining recombinants had been solved. Like for other Corynebacteriales, the cell wall of Rhodococcus spp. contains mycolic acids which form a hydrophobic and impermeable outer layer. Mycolic acids are essential for Mycobacterium smegmatis, but not for Corynebacterium glutamicum, and the new vector was used to study if mycolic acid is essential for R. opacus. We found that accD3 that is necessary for mycolic acid synthesis could only be deleted from the chromosome in strains containing a plasmid-encoded copy of accD3. This indicates that mycolic acid is important for R. opacus viability. The conditional suicide vector should be useful for homologous recombination or for delivering gene products like recombinases or Cas proteins and gRNA to Rhodococcus and related genera, while the approach should be applicable for any plasmid needing a plasmid-encoded protein for replication.

Key points

• Improved vector for homologous recombination in R. opacus.

• Mycolic acid is important for survival of R. opacus like it is for Mycobacterium.

• Similar conditional suicide plasmids may be constructed for other bacteria.

Graphical abstract
Reinforcement learning as a basis for cross domain fusion of heterogeneous data
Authors: Christensen Sören , Tomforde Sven
Published: October 2022

We propose to establish a research direction based on Reinforcement Learning in the scope of Cross Domain Fusion. More precisely, we combine the algorithmic approach of evolutionary rule-based Reinforcement Learning with the efficiency and performance of Deep Reinforcement Learning, while simultaneously developing a sound mathematical foundation. A possible scenario is traffic control in urban regions.
State-of-the-art CT and MR imaging and assessment of atherosclerotic carotid artery disease: the reporting—a consensus document by the European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR)
Authors: Saba Luca , Loewe Christian , Weikert Thomas , Williams Michelle C. , Galea Nicola , Budde Ricardo P. J. , Vliegenthart Rozemarijn , Velthuis Birgitta K. , Francone Marco , Bremerich Jens , Natale Luigi , Nikolaou Konstantin , Dacher Jean-Nicolas , Peebles Charles , Caobelli Federico , Redheuil Alban , Dewey Marc , Kreitner Karl-Friedrich , Salgado Rodrigo
Published: October 2022

The European Society of Cardiovascular Radiology (ESCR) is the European specialist society of cardiac and vascular imaging. This society’s highest priority is the continuous improvement, development, and standardization of education, training, and best medical practice, based on experience and evidence. The present intra-society consensus is based on the existing scientific evidence and on the individual experience of the members of the ESCR writing group on carotid diseases, the members of the ESCR guidelines committee, and the members of the executive committee of the ESCR. The recommendations published herein reflect the evidence-based society opinion of ESCR. The purpose of this second document is to discuss suggestions for standardized reporting based on the accompanying consensus document part I.

Key Points

• CT and MR imaging-based evaluation of carotid artery disease provides essential information for risk stratification and prediction of stroke.

• The information in the report must cover vessel morphology, description of stenosis, and plaque imaging features.

• A structured approach to reporting ensures that all essential information is delivered in a standardized and consistent way to the referring clinician.
The efficacy of the “Talk-to-Me” suicide prevention and mental health education program for tertiary students: a crossover randomised control trial
Authors: Afsharnejad Bahareh , Milbourn Ben , Hayden-Evans Maya , Baker-Young Ellie , Black Melissa H. , Thompson Craig , McGarry Sarah , Grobler Melissa , Clifford Rhonda , Zimmermann Frank , Kacic Viktor , Hasking Penelope , Bölte Sven , Romanos Marcel , Machingura Tawanda , Girdler Sonya
Published: October 2022

Despite suicide ideation being one of the most frequently reported health issues impacting tertiary students, there is a paucity of research evaluating the efficacy of preventive interventions aimed at improving mental health outcomes for students studying at two tertiary institutes. The current study evaluated the efficacy of the “Talk-to-Me” Mass Open Online Course (MOOC) in improving tertiary students’ abilities to support the mental health of themselves and their peers via a randomised controlled trial design, comparing them to a waitlist control group. Overall, 129 tertiary students (M = 25.22 years, SD = 7.43; 80% female) undertaking a health science or education course at two Western Australian universities were randomly allocated to either “Talk-to-Me” (n = 66) or waitlist control (n = 63) groups. The participants’ responses to suicidal statements (primary outcome), knowledge of mental health, generalised self-efficacy, coping skills, and overall utility of the program (secondary outcomes) were collected at three timepoints (baseline 10-weeks and 24-weeks from baseline). Assessment time and group interaction were explored using a random-effects regression model, examining changes in the primary and secondary outcomes. Intention-to-treat analysis (N = 129) at 10-weeks demonstrated a significant improvement in generalised self-efficacy for “Talk-to-Me” compared to the control group (ES = 0.36, p = .04), with only the “Talk-to-Me” participants reporting increased knowledge in responding to suicidal ideation (primary outcome). This change was sustained for 24 weeks. Findings provide preliminary evidence suggesting that the “Talk-to-Me” MOOC can effectively improve tertiary students’ mental health and knowledge of how to support themselves and others in distress. ACTRN12619000630112, registered 18-03-2019, anzctr.org.au.
The energy threshold in dynamic probing
Authors: Ibanez Sergio J. , Sagaseta Cesar , Fernandez del Rincon Alfonso
Published: October 2022

In dynamic probing tests, penetration is closely related to the potential energy of the hammer (nominal energy). This energy stems from the mass and free fall of the hammer after being released from a certain height. Penetration depends on energy, although only on a portion of that nominal energy that is effectively transferred to the rods (ENTHRU) and, more precisely, the energy that reaches the cone (ENTHRUcone).ENTHRUcan be measured by monitoring the upper part of the drive rods. To calculateENTHRUcone,ENTHRUneeds to be corrected in three ways. Firstly, the energy loss in the energy transmission through the rods has to be subtracted, as well as the energy loss due to the skin friction of the rods along the soil around them. It is also necessary to add the energy due to the rod weight penetrating the soil. The main hypothesis assumed and later experimentally proved in this paper is based on the fact thatENTHRUconehas to be greater than a certain value or minimum energy (energy threshold:Th) in order to be able to cause penetration. After analyzing more than one hundred blows with different hammer mass and drop height, a small but consistentThand a linear relationship between energy and penetration beyond it were found. The energy that really produces penetration (ENPEN) will beENTHRUcone, minusTh. This allows for improved energy corrections and correlations between results from various kinds of penetration tests.
Decompression with or without fusion in degenerative adjacent segment stenosis after lumbar fusions
Authors: Früh Anton , Leißa Patrick , Tkatschenko Dimitri , Truckenmüller Peter , Wessels Lars , Vajkoczy Peter , Bayerl Simon
Published: October 2022

Adjacent segment stenosis can occur after lumbar fusion surgery, leading to significant discomfort and pain. If further surgeries are required, the choice of the operative technique is an individual decision. In patients without over instability, it is still uncertain whether patients with adjacent spinal stenosis should be treated like primary lumbar spinal stenosis via decompressive surgery alone or with decompression and fusion. This is a retrospective analysis with prospective collected data. We included patients with adjacent segment stenosis after lumbar fusion. Patients with spinal deformity and/or obvious instability and/or significant neuroforaminal stenosis were excluded. All patients were divided into two groups according to the surgical technique that has been used: (a) treated via microsurgical decompression (MDG), (b) decompression and fusion of the adjacent segment (FG). Treatment decision was at discretion of the surgeon. Primary outcome was the need for further lumbar surgery after 1 year. In addition, patient reported outcome was measured via numerical rating scale (NRS), SF-36, Oswestry disability Index (ODI), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and General Depression Scale before and after 1 year after surgery. In a further follow-up, need for additional lumbar surgery was redetermined. Total study population was 37 patients with a median age of 72 years. A total of 86.1% of patients suffered from a proximal adjacent segment stenosis and most common level was L3/4 (51.4%). A total of 61.1% of included patients developed adjacent segment stenosis after fusion of one single lumbar segment. Eighteen patients were included in MDG and 19 patients in FG. Both groups benefited from surgical interventions and there was no significant difference concerning pain, pain associated disability, sleeping, life quality, and mood after 1 year or the need of follow-up surgeries 1 year after primary fusion (5 in MDG vs. 5 in FG, p = 0.92) and at the second follow-up with a median time after surgery of 30 months (6 in MDG vs. 7 in FG, p = 0.823). Duration of surgery and hospital stay was significant shorter in MDG. There was no difference concerning operative complications rate. Both groups improved significantly in pain associated disability index, pain in motion, and concerning the sleeping quality. The present study indicates that decompression may not be inferior to decompression and fusion in patients suffering from degenerative adjacent segment stenosis without obvious signs of instability, deformation, and neuroforaminal stenosis after lumbar fusion in short-term follow-up. Due to significant shorter time of surgery, a pure microsurgical decompression may be a sufficient alternative to a decompression and fusion, particular regarding old age of this patient cohort.
Wisdom of the contexts: active ensemble learning for contextual anomaly detection
Authors: Calikus Ece , Nowaczyk Sławomir , Bouguelia Mohamed-Rafik , Dikmen Onur
Published: October 2022

In contextual anomaly detection, an object is only considered anomalous within a specific context. Most existing methods use a single context based on a set of user-specified contextual features. However, identifying the right context can be very challenging in practice, especially in datasets with a large number of attributes. Furthermore, in real-world systems, there might be multiple anomalies that occur in different contexts and, therefore, require a combination of several “useful” contexts to unveil them. In this work, we propose a novel approach, called wisdom of the contexts (WisCon), to effectively detect complex contextual anomalies in situations where the true contextual and behavioral attributes are unknown. Our method constructs an ensemble of multiple contexts, with varying importance scores, based on the assumption that not all useful contexts are equally so. We estimate the importance of each context using an active learning approach with a novel query strategy. Experiments show that WisCon significantly outperforms existing baselines in different categories (i.e., active learning methods, unsupervised contextual and non-contextual anomaly detectors) on 18 datasets. Furthermore, the results support our initial hypothesis that there is no single perfect context that successfully uncovers all kinds of contextual anomalies, and leveraging the “wisdom” of multiple contexts is necessary.
Prioritized scheduling technique for healthcare tasks in cloud computing
Authors: Elshahed Eman M. , Abdelmoneem Randa M. , Shaaban Eman , Elzahed Hayam A. , Al-Tabbakh Shahinaz M.
Published: October 2022

The Internet-of-things (IoT) plays a significant role in healthcare monitoring, where the IoT Cloud integration introduces many new opportunities for real-time remote monitoring of the patient. Task scheduling is one of the major challenges in cloud environment. Solving that problem reduces delay, missed tasks, and failure rate, and increases the guarantee ratio. This paper proposes a new task scheduling and allocation technique: Prioritized Sorted Task-Based Allocation (PSTBA) for healthcare monitoring implemented in IoT cloud-based architecture. The proposed technique selects the best virtual machine to execute the health task considering multiple factors such as; the wait time of the VM and the Expected processing time (EPT) of the task as well as its criticality. An extensive simulation study is conducted using the CloudSim simulator to evaluate the performance of the proposed technique. The proposed technique is compared to the Sorted Task-Based Allocation (STBA) and FCFS techniques and it reduces the delay by 13.7% and 80.2%, the failure rate by 21% and 37.5%, and increases the guarantee ratio by 2.2% and 4.5% compared to STBA and FCFS, respectively. In analyzing the critical health tasks, the proposed PSTBA has also reduced the critical health tasks missed ratio by 15.7% and 50.9% compared to STBA and FCFS, respectively. The simulation results demonstrate that PSTBA is more effective than the STBA and FCFS techniques in terms of delay, missed critical tasks, guarantee ratio, and failure rate.
Estimating Design Loads for Floating Structures Using Environmental Contours
Authors: Liao Zhenkun , Zhao Yuliang , Dong Sheng
Published: October 2022

Nonlinear time-domain simulations are often used to predict the structural response at the design stage to ensure the acceptable operation and/or survival of floating structures under extreme conditions. An environmental contour (EC) is commonly employed to identify critical sea states that serve as the input for numerical simulations to assess the safety and performance of marine structures. In many studies, marginal and conditional distributions are defined to construct bivariate joint probability distributions for variables, such as significant wave height and zero-crossing period. Then, ECs can be constructed using the inverse first-order reliability method (IFORM). This study adopts alternative models to describe the generalized dependence structure between environmental variables using copulas and discusses the Nataf transformation as a special case. ECs are constructed using measured wave data from moored buoys. Derived design loads are applied on a semisubmersible platform to assess possible differences. In addition, a linear interpolation scheme is utilized to establish a parametric model using short-term extreme tension distribution parameters and wave data, and the long-term tension response is estimated using Monte Carlo simulation. A 3D IFORM-based approach, in which the short-term extreme response that is ignored in the EC approach is used as the third variable, is proposed to help establish accurate design loads with increased accuracy. Results offer a clear illustration of the extreme responses of floating structures based on different models.