bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Learning from wildfires: A scalable framework to evaluate treatment effects on burn severity
Authors: Chamberlain Caden P. , Meigs Garrett W. , Churchill Derek J. , Kane Jonathan T. , Sanna Astrid , Begley James S. , Prichard Susan J. , Kennedy Maureen C. , Bienz Craig , Haugo Ryan D. , Smith Annie C. , Kane Van R. , Cansler C. Alina
Published: December 2024

Interruption of frequent burning in dry forests across western North America and the continued impacts of anthropogenic climate change have resulted in increases in fire size and severity compared to historical fire regimes. Recent legislation, funding, and planning have emphasized increased implementation of mechanical thinning and prescribed burning treatments to decrease the risk of undesirable ecological and social outcomes due to fire. As wildfires and treatments continue to interact, managers require consistent approaches to evaluate treatment effectiveness at moderating burn severity. In this study, we present a repeatable, remote sensing–based, analytical framework for conducting fire‐scale assessments of treatment effectiveness that informs local management while also supporting cross‐fire comparisons. We demonstrate this framework on the 2021 Bootleg Fire in Oregon and the 2021 Schneider Springs Fire in Washington. Our framework used (1) machine learning to identify key bioclimatic, topographic, and fire weather drivers of burn severity in each fire, (2) standardized workflows to statistically sample untreated control units, and (3) spatial regression modeling to evaluate the effects of treatment type and time since treatment on burn severity. The application of our framework showed that, in both fires, recent prescribed burning treatments were the most effective at reducing burn severity relative to untreated controls. In contrast, thinning‐only treatments only produced low/moderate‐severity effects under the more moderate fire weather conditions in the Schneider Springs Fire. Our framework offers a robust approach for evaluating treatment effects on burn severity at the scale of individual fires, which can be scaled up to assess treatment effectiveness across multiple fires. As climate change brings increased uncertainty to dry forest ecosystems of western North America, our framework can support more strategic management actions to reduce wildfire risk and foster resilience.
Prognostic value of advanced lung cancer inflammation index in heart failure patients: A comprehensive analysis
Authors: Chen Wentao , Zhang Guihua , Lei Qiao , Lu Huixia
Published: December 2024

Aims

The prognosis of heart failure (HF) is closely linked to inflammation and nutritional status. The advanced lung cancer inflammation index (ALI) is a composite indicator consisting of several parameters used to assess inflammation and nutritional status. Our study aimed to investigate the prognostic value of ALI in HF patients.

Methods

The data from Study 1, which included 1359 HF patients, were extracted from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database spanning the years 1999 to 2018. Study 2 analysed data from patients with HF who underwent cardiac magnetic resonance imaging examinations from 2020 to 2023. Kaplan–Meier curve analysis, Cox proportional hazard model, time‐dependent receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were used to evaluate the relationship between ALI and long‐term prognosis of patients with HF in Study 1. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation between ALI and left ventricular reverse remodelling, and RCS was used to determine any dose–response relationship. Spearman correlation was used to evaluate the relationship between ALI and indicators of cardiac structural changes.

Results

Study 1 found that the average age of the patients was 68 years [inter‐quartile range (IQR) 58–76], the proportion of males was 54.3%, and there were 699 all‐cause mortality and 293 cardiovascular mortality cases. After adjusted by multivariable Cox regression analysis, elevated ALI levels were significantly associated with increased risks of all‐cause [hazard ratio (HR) = 0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.42–0.79, P < 0.001] and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.38–0.97, P = 0.036) in patients with HF. A linear negative correlation was observed between ALI and both all‐cause (P = 0.0011 and P < 0.001, P for nonlinear = 0.3993) and cardiovascular mortality (P = 0.0011, P for nonlinear = 0.5198). Time‐dependent ROC curves showed the predictive value of ALI for all‐cause mortality [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.678 in 3 years, AUC = 0.674 in 5 years and AUC = 0.683 in 10 years] and cardiovascular mortality (AUC = 0.694 in 3 years, AUC = 0.685 in 5 years and AUC = 0.697 in 10 years). Study 2 included 79 patients; the average age of the patients was 44 years (IQR 35–55); and the proportion of males was 74.7%. Adjusted multivariable logistic regression analysis indicated that high ALI levels were associated with left ventricular reverse remodelling (LVRR) in patients with HF following discharge from the hospital [odds ratio (OR) = 3.16, 95% CI = 1.06–10.8, P = 0.049]. Spearman analysis revealed a correlation between ALI and extracellular volume (ECV) (r = −0.25, P = 0.023).

Conclusion

ALI is associated with all‐cause and cardiovascular mortality risk and structural changes in the heart in patients with HF.
A Low‐Cost Microfluidic Device For the On‐Line Counting of Microparticle/Bacteria
Authors: Xun Zhen‐Yu , Liu Lv , Zhang Bai‐Chuan , Fan Liang‐Liang , Zhang Lu‐Wei , Zhao Hong , Iqbal Sohail , Shakoor Rana Iqtidar , Zhao Liang
Published: December 2024

On‐line counting of the microparticle/bacteria in the liquid medium has great potential in the food safety and biomedical fields. A new low‐cost microfluidic device is proposed for the on‐line counting of the microparticles/bacteria in the liquid medium. The gradually contracted microchannel and the viscoelastic fluid are combined to achieve the efficient elastic focusing of the particle/bacteria, which significantly improves the counting accuracy by aligning all particles/bacteria in a single position at the center of the microchannel. A simple light resistance‐based counting method is designed and integrated with the microchannel, where the low‐cost elements including the laser pointer, convex lens, diaphragm, and photodiode, are used to build the optical path of detection. The influence of the flow rate, the particle size, the property of fluid, and the channel structure on the focusing of the particle/bacteria are investigated by the experiment, and the counting ability of the integrated microfluidic device is validated by using different‐sized microparticles and the bifidobacterium. With its simple structure, low cost, easy operation, and high efficiency, this microfluidic device is suitable for the commercial applications, such as the on‐line counting of the plastic microparticle in water or the colony‐forming units (CFU) of bacteria in food.
Navigating the reality of school shootings with adolescents through middle grade novels
Authors: DeFauw Danielle L.
Published: December 2024

Personally and professionally, the author shares experiences with school safety and how the English Language Arts (ELA) classroom may utilize middle grade novels to address gun violence with adolescents. Highlighting five middle grade novels that address school shootings—Katherine Erskine's (2011) Mockingbird, Emily Barth Isler's (2021) Aftermath, J. S. Puller's (2022) The Lost Things Club, Jasmine Warga's (2022) The Shape of Thunder, and Erin Bow's (2023) Simon Sort of Says, this discussion provides ELA teachers and stakeholders with before, during, and after reading prompts to facilitate students' engagement with the topic through ELA tasks that support critical thinking and open dialog.
Shear Wave Optical Coherence Elastography and Structural Analysis of the Postnatal Mouse Cornea through Development
Authors: Lopez Andrew L. , Dehshiri Mohammad , Schill Alexander W. , Aglyamov Salavat , Larin Kirill
Published: December 2024

The cornea is a transparent lens at the forefront of the eye, serving as a structural barrier that protects the eye and provides the majority of the eye's refractive power. In this study, we utilized the postnatal mouse eye to characterize corneal structure and biomechanics. Between postnatal day (PN) 6 and PN24, we observed that elastic wave speeds are highest at PN6, gradually decrease through PN24, and then start to rise in adulthood (6 months). We found that corneal thickness is uncoupled from elastic wave speed and that the content and organization of the cornea primarily influence its mechanical properties. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first detailed assessment of the postnatal mouse cornea's structure and biomechanics and warrants further investigation into the dynamic properties of the postnatal eye.
Assessing the impact of online collaborative problem solving on a calculus class for first‐year engineering students: A communities of practice lens
Authors: Díaz Brayan , Luengo‐Aravena Daniela , Barahona Pia , Felmer Patricio
Published: December 2024

Background

We examine the efficacy of an online collaborative problem‐solving (CPS) teaching approach in academic performance and student connections with other peers, among first‐year engineering calculus students at a Latin American university. Our research uses communities of practice (CoP) to emphasize the social nature of learning and the importance of participation and interaction within a community.

Methods

The work applies a quasi‐experimental design and social network analysis (SNA). A total of 202 engineering students were instructed using CPS methodology (experimental group), while 380 students received traditional online teaching methods (control group) during one semester in the first calculus class for engineers.

Results

Results show no significant difference in the grades obtained between the experimental and control groups. However, students exposed to CPS reported a statistically significant higher passing rate, as well as larger and more significant academic and social connections. Additionally, SNA results suggest that CPS facilitated stronger peer connections and promoted a more equitable distribution of participation among students, particularly women, compared to students taught under traditional online teaching methods.

Conclusions

The study underscores the importance of fostering collaborative learning environments and highlights CPS as a strategy to enhance student performance and network formation. Findings suggest that CPS can improve academic outcomes and promote more equitable learning practices, potentially reducing dropout rates among women engineering students. These findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to address systematic biases and enhance learning experiences in engineering education.
Study on the Clinical Characteristics, Persistent Infection Ability and Viral Load of Human Papillomavirus Type 73 Single Infection
Authors: Chen Zuyi , Nie Shuangshuang , Ran Jing , Wang Ying , Li Qiongyao , Zhao Hongjuan , Chen Xiaoyan , Xiong Dake , Xiao Daimin
Published: December 2024

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a main cause of cervical cancer. Different HPV types exhibit significant differences in pathogenicity. Clinical data on HPV73 single infection is limited, this study aimed to analyze the clinical characteristics of HPV73 single infections. We collected cervical exfoliated cells to examine the infection rate and the clinical characteristics of patients with single HPV73 infection, and to investigate the association of viral load, persistent infection, and pathogenicity. The positive rate of HPV73 among women tested was approximately 0.14% (609/435 072). Among 214 HPV73 single infection cases, the number of patients with normal cytology, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)1, CIN2, CIN3, and cervical cancer were 182, 24, 5, 1, and 1, respectively. Follow‐up data showed that 14.29% (3/21) of CIN1 patients developed to higher‐grade lesions, with 3.73% (5/134) of normal patients progressed to CIN. The viral load in the CIN group was significantly higher than that in the normal group (p = 0.001), and the viral load in the persistent infection group was significantly higher than that of the viral‐clearance group (p < 0.001). HPV73 single infection can lead to cervical cancer, with relatively low pathogenicity. And high viral load is a crucial factor in its persistent infection and pathogenicity.
Neurologic Music Therapy's Impact on Neurological Disorders
Authors: Wei Yaming , Qiao Zhen
Published: December 2024

Neurologic music therapy (NMT) represents a groundbreaking, interdisciplinary approach that combines the therapeutic properties of music with neuroscientific principles to treat a range of neurological and psychiatric conditions. This interdisciplinary approach, increasingly recognized in clinical and research settings, leverages advances in neuroimaging to explore how music affects the structure and activity of the brain. This review provides an in‐depth exploration of the multifaceted effects of NMT on brain function, highlighting its role in promoting neuroplastic changes and enhancing cognitive, emotional and motor functions in diverse patient groups. This review consolidates current knowledge on NMT and provides insights into how music affects brain structure and function and the mechanisms of action. The article then discusses the application and research results of NMT in various diseases such as stroke, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Its potential in personalizing therapeutic interventions and its ability to improve treatment access and effectiveness in various settings are highlighted.
Beyond One‐Size‐Fits‐All: Understanding the Impacts Of Heterogeneous Stakeholders On Firm Performance
Authors: Bischoff Lena , López Manuel Lucas , Vázquez Vicente Xosé Henrique
Published: December 2024

Drawing on stakeholder and transaction cost theory, we empirically investigate how managerial efforts to engage five different key stakeholder groups affect firm financial performance. Building upon the existing literature on stakeholder heterogeneity, we propose a framework that highlights inter‐stakeholder differences to empirically test whether the commonly used overarching stakeholder groupings are sufficient. This approach allows us to hypothesize about the financial value creation and value destruction potential of integrating each stakeholder individually. Our propositions are tested using a panel dataset consisting of 4926 multinational companies from 2005 to 2020. The results show that the integration of minority shareholders and communities negatively affects financial performance. Conversely, integrating customers and suppliers has a positive impact on financial performance in the long run, while integrating employees has a positive impact in the short run. These findings underscore the particularities of each stakeholder group, pointing to the need to consider heterogeneity in future stakeholder research.
Diagnostic value of sFlt‐1/PlGF‐1 ratio and plasma PROK1 for adverse pregnancy outcomes in women with hypertensive disease of pregnancy
Authors: Lv Ping , Lu Lin‐Fei
Published: December 2024

Hypertensive disease of pregnancy (HDP) is one of the most important causes of increased maternal mortality and perinatal complications during pregnancy. We investigated the pregnancy outcomes of 156 HDP patients (65 gestational hypertension [GH], 13 chronic hypertension [CH], 74 preeclampsia‐eclampsia [PE‐EC], and 4 superimposed on PE [CH with PE]). In patients with different types of HDP, levels of soluble fms like tyrosine kinase‐1 (sFlt‐1), placental growth factor (PlGF)‐1, and prokinin‐1 (PROK1) were measured and compared. The predictive efficacy of these indicators was evaluated using receiving operating characteristics curves and area under the curve. Results showed that the PE cohort had a higher sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio (46.12 [39.24, 68.85]) and PROK1 (498.84 [213.67, 678.30] pg/mL) level than the GH (sFlt‐1/PlGF, 32.3 [21.98, 58.00], PROK1 300.77[250.0, 345.29]pg/mL) and CH cohort (sFlt‐1/PlGF, 37.49 [32.68, 39.68], PROK1, 281.48 [229.25, 453.94]pg/mL). In the HDP cohort, 54 patients experienced adverse pregnancy events, and the sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio, PROK1, and the combined indicators (sFlt‐1/PlGF ratio and PROK1) were excellent predictors of adverse pregnancy events, especially for PE patients.
Low‐frequency noise affects development and movement patterns of a calanoid copepod
Authors: Tremblay Nelly , Juma Gabriel A. , Herstoff Emily M. , Meunier Cédric L. , Boersma Maarten
Published: December 2024

Anthropogenic stressors are omnipresent in marine environments and interfere with organisms of all sizes, from large whales to small organisms. We investigated potential interactive multistressor effects of increased temperature with chronic low‐frequency sound on the development and movement patterns of the calanoid copepod Acartia tonsa, a model species for small marine zooplankton. Copepods were reared while exposed to chronic low‐frequency sound around 15 and 22 dB re 1 μPa2 Hz−1 above control sound pressure levels at frequencies between 110 and 120 Hz, at 21°C (increased temperature) and 18°C (control temperature). For each sound and temperature scenario, we assessed after‐incubation development rate, stage distribution, and movement patterns. We found that fewer copepods reached the developmental stages copepodites IV to VI in low‐frequency sound conditions, even though warmer conditions increased developmental rate. By using high‐speed videography in both control and low‐frequency sound conditions, we observed that copepods showed more escape behaviors (drops) and fewer feeding‐associated behaviors (helical swimming) when exposed to low‐frequency sound (~ 42 dB higher than normal at 142 Hz). Copepods reared with added low‐frequency sound showed fewer feeding‐associated behaviors and did not reverse these trends despite the absence of added sound in their feeding environment. These significant behavioral changes suggest detrimental negative, life‐long, consequences for copepods exposed to low‐frequency sound.
Differences in factors determining taxon‐based and trait‐based community structures: a field test using zooplankton
Authors: Suzuki Hiromichi , Ichiyanagi Hidetaka , Kass Jamie M. , Urabe Jotaro
Published: December 2024

Ecological community structure, which has traditionally been described in terms of taxonomic units, is driven by dispersal and environmental filters. Traits have recently been recognized as alternative units for quantifying community parameters, but they may have important differences with taxonomic units. For example, as taxon‐based community structure is determined by the local species pool, it may be more dispersal‐limited, whereas trait‐based community structure may be more regulated by environmental conditions because traits are less tied to specific habitat locations. This implies that the relative importance of these two filters may vary depending on the units describing community structure, but no study has yet quantified how the contributions of these filters can differ. In this study, we examined zooplankton assemblages in 87 artificial reservoirs throughout the Japanese archipelago to quantify the relative importance of two filters by examining the effects of spatial configuration (reflecting dispersal filters) and biotic and abiotic variables (reflecting environmental filters) for taxon‐ and trait‐based community structure. Variation in the taxon‐based community structure was explained equally well by the spatial and the environmental variables, while variation in the trait‐based community structure was explained more by environmental variables. These results support the idea that environmental filters play a more central role in determining trait‐based community structures, and show that the relative importance of spatial and environmental filters changes with the way we define community structure.
Consistent cell‐specific carbon fixation rates by small eukaryotic phytoplankton in contrasting nutrient‐limited conditions
Authors: Ong Denise Rui Ying , Gutiérrez‐Rodríguez Andrés , Safi Karl A. , Marie Dominique , Selph Karen E. , Stukel Michael R. , Décima Moira , Lopes dos Santos Adriana
Published: December 2024

Small phytoplankton, consisting of pico and nano size fractions, are diverse in size and taxonomy. Yet, the differences in their productivity and taxonomic diversity are poorly described. Here, we measured the cell‐specific carbon fixation rates of picocyanobacteria Synechococcus, picoeukaryote, and nanoeukaryote populations, while unveiling their taxonomic composition in oligotrophic subtropical and high‐nutrient low‐chlorophyll subantarctic waters. We coupled 24 h in situ radiolabeled 14C incubations to flow cytometry sorting and DNA metabarcoding from the same incubated samples, offering a direct account of the community associated with the carbon fixation rates measured. In both water masses, nanoeukaryotes had the highest cell‐specific carbon fixation rate, followed by picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus (2.24 ± 29.99, 2.18 ± 2.08, and 0.78 ± 0.55 fgC cell−1 h−1, respectively). The cell‐specific carbon fixation rates and growth rates of Synechococcus were threefold higher in subtropical compared to subantarctic waters, while the rates of picoeukaryotes and nanoeukaryotes had no significant difference between the biogeochemically‐contrasting water masses. Sorted picoeukaryote populations were dominated by Mamiellophyceae, Pelagophyceae, Prymnesiophyceae, and Chrysophyceae, while nanoeukaryote populations were dominated by Dinophyceae and Prymnesiophyceae. Despite significant differences in their taxonomic composition, the sorted picoeukaryote populations in subantarctic waters and nanoeukaryote populations in subtropical and subantarctic waters were dominated by taxa reported in the literature as able to engage in phago‐mixotrophic strategies (Prymnesiophyceae, Chrysophyceae, and Dinophyceae), suggesting that such trophic strategy might be applied by discrete small photosynthetic eukaryote populations to alleviate macronutrient and iron stress.
Sodium dodecyl sulfate‐coated silver nanoparticles accelerate antimicrobial potentials by targeting amphiphilic membranes
Authors: Jin Xiuyan , Peng Na , Cui Aoran , Liu Yue , Peng Xianqi , Huang Linlin , Ed‐Dra Abdelaziz , He Fang , Li Yan , Yang Shikuan , Yue Min
Published: December 2024

Compelling concerns about antimicrobial resistance and the emergence of multidrug‐resistant pathogens call for novel strategies to address these challenges. Nanoparticles show promising antimicrobial activities; however, their actions are hindered primarily by the bacterial hydrophilic–hydrophobic barrier. To overcome this, we developed a method of electrochemically anchoring sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) coatings onto silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), resulting in improved antimicrobial potency. We then investigated the antimicrobial mechanisms and developed therapeutic applications. We demonstrated SDS‐coated AgNPs with anomalous dispersive properties capable of dispersing in both polar and nonpolar solvents and, further, detected significantly higher bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects compared to silver ions (Ag+). Cellular assays suggested multipotent disruptions targeting the bacterial membrane, evidenced by increasing lactate dehydrogenase, protein and sugar leakage, and consistent with results from the transcriptomic analysis. Notably, the amphiphilic characteristics of the AgNPs maintained robust antibacterial activities for a year at various temperatures, indicating long‐term efficacy as a potential disinfectant. In a murine model, the AgNPs showed considerable biocompatibility and could alleviate fatal Salmonella infections. Collectively, by gaining amphiphilic properties from SDS, we offer novel AgNPs against bacterial infections combined with long‐term and cost‐effective strategies.
Genetics of Nonsyndromic Microtia and Congenital Aural Atresia: A Scoping Review
Authors: Govindan Aparna , Fiest Carly , Chou David W. , Saade Mia , Gray Mingyang , Cosetti Maura
Published: December 2024

Objective

To review the literature on genetics of nonsyndromic microtia and congenital aural atresia (CAA).

Data Sources

Embase, Ovid (Medline), and Web of Science.

Review Methods

The search was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines for scoping reviews. Included studies were original research studies discussing the genetics or pattern of inheritance of non‐syndromic microtia and/or CAA, defined as microtia and/or CAA that was completely isolated except for the presence of hearing loss.

Results

Thirty studies met inclusion criteria, describing 40 unique genes and one susceptibility gene locus (4p15.32‐4p16.2) associated with nonsyndromic microtia, CAA, or microtia and CAA. The 3 most cited genes describing microtia genetics alone were HOXA2, MUC6, and GSC. A single article describing nonsyndromic CAA alone identified the TSHZ1 as a candidate gene. Among 194 subjects from 18 manuscripts describing mendelian inheritance for non‐syndromic microtia or microtia and CAA, 49% of the individuals were found to have autosomal dominant transmission, 4% had autosomal recessive, 5% had X‐linked recessive, and 42% had no reported pattern of inheritance.

Conclusion

Current literature on the genetics of microtia and CAA is largely derived from genetic analysis of syndromic patients. Despite comprising over half of the clinical population, available data on non‐syndromic patients remains limited. Understanding genetic polymorphisms and their correlation to phenotypic data more readily available to otolaryngologists offers the prospect of categorizing severity of anatomic malformation and hearing loss to guide future intervention, and improve ability to provide patient‐ and family‐centered counseling.
Flexible, Lightweight, and Hydrophobic TPU/CNT Nanocomposite Foam With Different Surface Microstructures for High‐Performance Wearable Piezoresistive Sensors
Authors: Huang An , Gu Shengguo , Yang Zhenyu , Chen Xin , He Minghui , Peng Xiangfang
Published: December 2024

Flexible piezoresistive pressure sensors, due to their lightweight, bendable, and highly sensitive characteristics, have been widely used in fields such as wearable devices, electronic skin, and intelligent robotics. Besides the development of various high‐performance materials, the performance of these sensors is closely related to the design of their surface microstructures. Different surface microstructures can significantly enhance the sensitivity, stability, and durability of piezoresistive sensors. In this paper, three types of flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanocomposite foam piezoresistive sensors with different surface microstructures and internal porous structures were prepared using supercritical carbon dioxide (sc‐CO₂) foaming process. The effects of the three surface microstructures on the piezoresistive sensing performance of TPU/CNT nanocomposite foams were studied in detail. The results show that the foam sensor with a double‐ridge surface microstructure exhibits significantly enhanced sensing performance, including high sensitivity (0.309 kPa−1), fast response time (~40 ms), wide working range (0–80 kPa), and stability over more than 600 cycles. Additionally, the prepared flexible piezoresistive sensors can be integrated into smartwatches, fitness bands, and smart clothing, enabling real‐time monitoring of heart rate, blood pressure, respiratory rate, and physical activity. This provides precise data support, demonstrating the promising application prospects of these flexible surface microstructure foam piezoresistive sensors in the future.
ECMHA‐PP: A Breast Cancer Prognosis Prediction Model Based on Energy‐Constrained Multi‐Head Self‐Attention
Authors: Zhang Fan , Liu Chaoyang , Zhang Xinhong
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Breast cancer is a significant threat to women's health. Precise prognosis prediction for breast cancer can help doctors implement more rational treatment strategies. Artificial intelligence can assist doctors in decision‐making and enhance prediction accuracy.

Experimental Design

In this paper, a deep learning model ECMHA‐PP (Energy Constrained Multi‐Head Self‐Attention based Prognosis Prediction) is proposed to predict the prognosis of breast cancer. ECMHA‐PP utilizes patients' clinical data and extracts features through a cross‐position mix and a channel mix multi‐layer perceptron. Then, it incorporates an energy‐constrained multi‐head self‐attention layer to improve feature extraction capability. The source code of ECMHA‐PP has been hosted on GitHub and is available at https://github.com/xiaoliu166370/ECMHA‐PP.

Results

To evaluate our proposed method, prognostic prediction experiments were performed on the METABRIC dataset, yielding outstanding results with an average accuracy of 93.0% and an average area under the curve of 0.974. To further validate the model's performance, we conducted tests on another independent dataset, BRCA, achieving an accuracy of 87.6%.

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance

In comparison with other widely used advanced methods, ECMHA‐PP demonstrated higher comprehensive performance, making it a reliable prognostic prediction model for breast cancer. Given its robust feature extraction and prediction capabilities.
α/β Hydrolases: Toward Unraveling Entangled Classification
Authors: Ozhelvaci Fatih , Steczkiewicz Kamil
Published: December 2024

α/β Hydrolase‐like enzymes form a large and functionally diverse superfamily of proteins. Despite retaining a conserved structural core consisting of an eight‐stranded, central β‐sheet flanked with six α‐helices, they display a modular architecture allowing them to perform a variety of functions, like esterases, lipases, peptidases, epoxidases, lyases, and others. At the same time, many α/β hydrolase‐like families, even enzymatically distinct, share a high degree of sequence similarity. This imposes several problems for their annotation and classification, because available definitions of particular α/β hydrolase‐like families overlap significantly, so the unambiguous functional assignment of these superfamily members remains a challenging task. For instance, two large and important peptidase families, namely S9 and S33, blend with lipases, epoxidases, esterases, and other enzymes unrelated to proteolysis, which hinders automatic annotations in high‐throughput projects. With the use of thorough sequence and structure analyses, we newly annotate three protein families as α/β hydrolase‐like and revise current classifications of the realm of α/β hydrolase‐like superfamily. Based on manually curated structural superimpositions and multiple sequence and structure alignments, we comprehensively demonstrate structural conservation and diversity across the whole superfamily. Eventually, after detailed pairwise sequence similarity assessments, we develop a new clustering of the α/β hydrolases and provide a set of family profiles allowing for detailed, reliable, and automatic functional annotations of the superfamily members.
Risk Factors and Prediction Model for Pressure Injuries in Patients Undergoing Da vinci Surgery
Authors: Shen Yang , Huang Peipei , Zhu Qin , Niu Shoujun , Hu Jia , Qin Wen , Dai Xiaoyun , Luo Jun
Published: December 2024

Background

Most patients present at high risk of perioperative pressure injury. Patients may experience severe agony from pressure injuries, which can also result in potentially fatal infections and increase hospital stays and medical expenses. This is a critical issue that requires immediate attention and resolution.

Methods

From December 2019 to August 2023, 335 patients receiving Da vinci surgery in a grade A tertiary hospital were chosen to serve as the participants, and univariate analysis and patients undergoing Da vinci surgery had their risk factors for pressure injuries screened using logistic regression analysis, and in patients having Da vinci surgery, a pressure injury risk prediction model was developed.

Results

Among 335 patients, 195 patients acquired pressure injuries, and the results of logistic regression analysis showed that age, length of surgery, BMI, and nasogastric tube (NGT) were independent risk factors for pressure injuries (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

With great risk prediction ability, the risk prediction model for pressure injuries in patients undergoing Da vinci surgery established in this study can be used as an effective assessment tool.
A Backstepping‐Based Nonlinear Controller for Glucose‐Insulin System Dynamics in Type‐1 Diabetes Patients
Authors: Noshad Erfan , Toopchi Yashar , Abbasi Nozari Hasan , Jalil Sadati Rostami Seyed , Castaldi Paolo , Hedayati Shahrzad
Published: December 2024

This paper investigates the function of the artificial pancreas, which is devised based on a dynamical backstepping approach. The Bergman's minimal model, used to describe the glucose‐insulin system, has been extended to encompass the dynamics of the insulin pump and external disturbances to closely simulate real‐world scenarios. Three techniques, namely feedback linearization, conventional backstepping, and super‐twisting sliding‐mode control, are evaluated in comparison to dynamical backstepping in the context of regulating blood glucose levels in individuals with type‐1 diabetes. In order to enhance the comparison of the controllers, we have taken into account the measurement noise and faults in the insulin pump as well. Additionally, Monte‐Carlo analysis is utilized as a practical tool to experimentally evaluate the robustness of the nonlinear controllers against measurement errors and variations in model parameters for different individuals, as would be encountered in a clinical trial. The extensive numerical simulations confirm that the dynamical backstepping method closely emulates the functionality of the natural pancreas and surpasses the super‐twisting sliding‐mode control method, the feedback linearization method, and the conventional backstepping method when faced with measurement noise, insulin pump faults, and parameter variations.
Stability Analysis and Stabilization of Fractional‐Order Systems With Distributed Delay
Authors: Chen Yi‐Nan , Lu Jun‐Guo , Zhu Zhen
Published: December 2024

This paper investigates the stability and stabilization problems of fractional‐order systems with distributed delays (FOSDDs). Firstly, with the frequency sweeping technique and generalized Kalman‐Yakubovi‐Popov (KYP) lemma, a novel stability condition for FOSDDs is proposed. Secondly, based on the proposed stability condition, a robust stability condition for the uncertain FOSDDs with norm‐bounded uncertainties is derived. Thirdly, based on the proposed robust stability condition, a novel stabilization condition for the uncertain FOSDDs with norm‐bounded uncertainties is obtained. Finally, several numerical examples are provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed results. Moreover, in the numerical examples, the comparison of the proposed results with the existing results for FOSDDs is shown to demonstrate that the obtained results are less conservative.
Discrete‐Time Integral Fast Terminal Sliding Mode Predictive Control for Dynamic Positioning Ships With Lumped Uncertainties and Input Constraints
Authors: Deng Fang , Yang Hualin , Ding Qiang , Li Boyang
Published: December 2024

This paper proposes a robust discrete‐time integral fast terminal sliding mode predictive control (DIFTSMPC) scheme for DP ship trajectory tracking under the consideration of unmodeled dynamics, environmental disturbance, and input constraints. An improved single closed‐loop control strategy is designed by adopting the earth‐fixed reference velocity as the virtual velocity. The improved nonlinear PID discrete‐time integral fast terminal sliding mode is designed to achieve faster convergence. The unknown nonlinear dynamics and the environmental disturbance are combined as a lumped uncertainty term and estimated using the one‐step delay observation method. Then the corrected sliding model state is optimized to track the reference sliding reaching law in the prediction horizon. The lumped uncertainty estimation is integrated into the sliding mode prediction to guarantee the robustness of the control scheme. The stability of the proposed scheme has been verified. Comparison results demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority in chattering suppressing and constraint handling of the proposed scheme.
Growth of InxGa1−xAs Films on GaAs (100): Inserting an Ultrathin InxGa1−xAs Buffer Using a Surface Technology
Authors: Fang Qiuyue , Zhao Lei , Liu Yuhua , Guo Zuoxing , Han Shuang , Zhao Liang
Published: December 2024

The mechanism of the In‐catalyzed reaction of GaAs with In metal to form InxGa1−xAs was explained by comparing the interfacial reactions of metallic In and GaAs at high and low temperatures. Specifically, GaAs dissolved in In metal at the defects under the catalysis of In, and then In diffused into the GaAs crystals to replace Ga in the lattices. Based on this mechanism, a new method was developed for preparing an InxGa1−xAs buffer layer on GaAs by combining the ion‐sputtering method and annealing. The buffer layer and its effect on the quality of the epitaxial layer grown on GaAs were verified and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy, X‐ray diffraction, Hall effect measurements, and Raman scattering. The buffer layer was found to adopt the original dislocations on the GaAs surface, which prevented substrate dislocations from entering the epitaxial layer and reduced the dislocations generated due to the mismatch between the substrate and buffer layer. When the composition of the epitaxial layer is similar to that of the buffer layer, the quality of the epitaxial layer is significantly improved.
Structural Evolution of Stapes Controls the Electrochemical CO2 Reduction on Bimetallic Cu‐doped Gold Nanoclusters
Authors: Ibáñez‐Alé Enric , Hu Jiajun , Albero Josep , Simonelli Laura , Marini Carlo , López Núria , Barrabés Noelia , García Hermenegildo , Goberna‐Ferrón Sara
Published: December 2024

Ligand protected gold nanoclusters have been proposed for electrochemical CO2 reduction (eCO2R) as an alternative to polycrystalline catalysts, showing higher selectivity control due to the tailored composition and precise microenvironment. Here, two gold cluster families are studied with different staple motifs (Au25(SR)18 and Au144(SR)60, where SR = thiolate) doped with Ag or Cu to understand the interplay between the composition and the performance of these catalysts. Detailed cluster characterization and Density Functional Theory simulations demonstrate that the dynamic aspects involving ligand removal are crucial to unraveling the role of the dopant, the cluster curvature, and the staple structure. The best activity performance toward CO is obtained for Cu‐doped Au144(SR)60 at U = –0.8 VRHE as ligands are only partially depleted and the staple can bend to stabilize *CO intermediate, while Cu‐containing Au25(SR)18 can produce formate but shows worse CO selectivity. This study points toward the importance of ligand stability during eCO2R on bimetallic gold nanoclusters, paving the way for improving the design and operation of this family of catalysts.
Mapping of Internal Ionic/Electronic Transient Dynamics in Current–Voltage Operation of Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: H. Balaguera Enrique , Bisquert Juan
Published: December 2024

Metal halide perovskites are mixed ionic‐electronic semiconductors that involve an important and particular phenomenology that negatively affects the performance and stability of next‐generation photovoltaic devices based on such material. The ionic nature of perovskites is shown to undergo not only a simple redistribution of charges but also influences the electronic processes and ultimately the steady‐state device operation. Nevertheless, a comprehensive understanding of the internal contributions of ionic and electronic conductivities to the evolution of current during device performance experiments and to degradation losses in ageing tests is currently missing. Here the ionic‐ and electronic‐based currents are separately shown in photovoltaic perovskites by means of transient experiments, beyond the external measured response. From an advanced mathematical model, the experimental observations attributing the partial transient features to physical effects in perovskites are rationalized. It is revealed that ion‐driven surface recombination effects are a dominant factor in the slowdown of efficiency measurements and in the long‐term degradation of perovskites under operational conditions. This work contributes to tracing a more accurate physical picture of the complex energy landscape of the perovskite‐based solar cells, which will be key to taking steps toward industrialization.
Spatially Aware Domain Adaptation Enables Cell Type Deconvolution from Multi‐Modal Spatially Resolved Transcriptomics
Authors: Wang Lequn , Bai Xiaosheng , Zhang Chuanchao , Shi Qianqian , Chen Luonan
Published: December 2024

Spatially Resolved Transcriptomics (SRT) offers unprecedented opportunities to elucidate the cellular arrangements within tissues. Nevertheless, the absence of deconvolution methods that simultaneously model multi‐modal features has impeded progress in understanding cellular heterogeneity in spatial contexts. To address this issue, SpaDA is developed, a novel spatially aware domain adaptation method that integrates multi‐modal data (i.e., transcriptomics, histological images, and spatial locations) from SRT to accurately estimate the spatial distribution of cell types. SpaDA utilizes a self‐expressive variational autoencoder, coupled with deep spatial distribution alignment, to learn and align spatial and graph representations from spatial multi‐modal SRT data and single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) data. This strategy facilitates the transfer of cell type annotation information across these two similarity graphs, thereby enhancing the prediction accuracy of cell type composition. The results demonstrate that SpaDA surpasses existing methods in cell type deconvolution and the identification of cell types and spatial domains across diverse platforms. Moreover, SpaDA excels in identifying spatially colocalized cell types and key marker genes in regions of low‐quality measurements, exemplified by high‐resolution mouse cerebellum SRT data. In conclusion, SpaDA offers a powerful and flexible framework for the analysis of multi‐modal SRT datasets, advancing the understanding of complex biological systems.
Experimental investigation and analytical model for the shear behavior of composite beams with prefabricated U‐shaped RPC permanent formworks
Authors: Wang Xinying , Ju Yanzhong , Wang Dehong
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to investigate the shear performance of composite beams with prefabricated U‐shaped reactive powder concrete (RPC) permanent formworks with normal strength concrete poured inside. Three‐point bending tests were performed on eight composite beams with prefabricated U‐shaped RPC‐reinforced formworks and one reinforce concrete beam. Additional parameters, such as the stirrup spacing, shear span ratio, and inner core concrete strength, were evaluated. The test results indicated that the prefabricated U‐shaped RPC permanent formworks increased the shear capacity of the composite beams. Under the same configuration, the bending cracking load, stirrup yield load, and peak load of the composite beams increased by 51.54%, 88.02%, and 78.38%, respectively. An analytical model was proposed to predict the shear strength of composite beams with prefabricated U‐shaped RPC formwork and validated using the experimental results.
A retrospective study of the aetiology of increased mean platelet volume in dogs presented to a small animal teaching hospital in Greece
Authors: Oikonomidis Ioannis L. , Antoniadis Harris , Papathanasiou Afroditi , Tsouloufi Theodora K. , Kousi Timokleia , Kalafati Maria Rafaella , Kritsepi‐Konstantinou Maria
Published: December 2024

Background

The aetiology of increased mean platelet volume in dogs is currently uncertain. Our aim was to investigate the aetiology of increased mean platelet volume in dogs with and without thrombocytopenia.

Methods

The database of a teaching hospital was retrospectively searched for dogs with increased mean platelet volume (>14.4 fL) over a 3‐year period. Complete blood counts were performed with an Advia 120 analyser. Cases with incomplete medical records or belonging to breeds known to be associated with macrothrombocytopenia were excluded.

Results

Sixty‐six dogs were included, with Group 1 consisting of non‐thrombocytopenic dogs (49/66, 74.2%) and Group 2 consisting of thrombocytopenic dogs (17/66, 25.8%). Diagnoses significantly differed between the two groups (p = 0.003). In Group 1, inflammatory/infectious diseases (69.4%) were the most common cause, followed by neoplastic diseases (8.2%) and diabetes mellitus (6.1%). Dogs in Group 2 were diagnosed with either inflammatory/infectious diseases (50.0%) or neoplastic diseases (50.0%). The small sample size‐ and a potential delayed haematological analysis of some of the blood samples, could have artifactually affected the mean platelet volume.

Conclusions

In dogs with thrombocytopenia and increased mean platelet volume, inflammatory/infectious or neoplastic diseases should be considered. In non‐thrombocytopenic dogs, increased mean platelet volume is primarily associated with inflammatory/infectious diseases, with neoplasia and diabetes mellitus being infrequent causes.
The Hidden Global Diversity of the Yeast Genus Carlosrosaea: A Biodiversity Databases Perspective
Authors: Félix Ciro Ramon , Navarro Hector M. C. , Landell Melissa Fontes
Published: December 2024

Biodiversity gaps in microorganisms, such as yeasts, blur our understanding of microbial diversity, introducing biases in their biogeography, ecology, and taxonomy. The genus Carlosrosaea is a potential plant growth booster, yet it is still a little‐known yeast group. Considering that databases like GBIF and GenBank are powerful tools for exploring biodiversity data, we aimed to map the geographic distribution, ecological patterns, and taxonomic potential of the genus Carlosrosaea. We found 176 records of the genus, with about 70% associated with plant material, mostly leaves. Furthermore, 55% of the records pertained to the tropical region and only 12% to the temperate. The data indicates the existence of more than a dozen possible new species of the genus, cataloged yet undescribed. This study advances our understanding of the geographic, ecological, and taxonomic aspects of Carlosrosaea. It also highlights how public databases and literature reviews provide accessible ways to analyze information about microbial groups with limited data.
An EU Citizenship Approach
Authors: Carrera Sergio , Colombi Davide
Published: December 2024

EU citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not a national can also find themselves without legal residence status and, in some cases, be deported to their country of origin. Interestingly, the term ‘irregular’ or ‘irregularity’ is not used by the Commission to define such situations.