bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of push‐out bond strength of endodontic sealers after root canal drying with different techniques
Authors: Sarrafan Ahmadreza , Soleymani Ali , Bagheri Chenari Tasnim , Seyedmajidi Seyedali
Published: February 2023

Objectives

An ideal endodontic sealer should bond to both dentin and root‐filling material. This study aimed to assess the push‐out bond strength (PBS) of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)‐Fillapex, Endoseal MTA, AH26, and Sure‐Seal Root to root dentin after root canal drying with different techniques.

Materials and Methods

This in vitro study was conducted on 160 extracted mandibular premolars. After root canal preparation, the teeth were randomly divided into four groups (n = 40) of drying with ethanol, paper point, air vacuum, and control (wet canal). Each group was divided into four subgroups (n = 10) for use of AH26, Sure‐Seal Root, MTA‐Fillapex, and Endoseal MTA sealers. The mean PBS was measured by a universal testing machine. The mode of failure was determined under a stereomicroscope. Data were analyzed by the Kruskal–Wallis and Games–Howell tests.

Results

The maximum mean PBS was equally recorded in ethanol and paper point groups, and was significantly higher than that of control and air vacuum groups (p < .001). In the use of AH26 sealer, the mean PBS in drying with ethanol was significantly higher than all other methods (p < .05). The mean PBS in drying with a paper point was also significantly higher compared with control and air vacuum methods (p < .05). In the use of Sure‐Seal, the mean PBS in drying with a paper point was significantly higher than other methods (p < .05). The mean PBS in drying with ethanol was significantly higher than that in control and air vacuum methods (p < .001). In the use of MTA‐Fillapex and Endoseal‐MTA, the technique of drying had no significant effect on PBS. Adhesive and mixed failures were the most common in all drying groups.

Conclusions

Drying with ethanol and paper point enhanced the PBS of sealers to root dentin.
Beyond bacteria: Reconstructing microorganism connections and deciphering the predicted mutualisms in mammalian gut metagenomes
Authors: Dai Qinlong , Ding Jingjing , Cui Xinyuan , Zhu Yudong , Chen Hua , Zhu Lifeng
Published: February 2023

Numerous gut microbial studies have focused on bacteria. However, archaea, viruses, fungi, protists, and nematodes are also regular residents of the gut ecosystem. Little is known about the composition and potential interactions among these six kingdoms in the same samples. Here, we unraveled the complex connection among them using approximately 123 gut metagenomes from 42 mammalian species (including carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores). We observed high variation in bacterial and fungal families and relatively low variation in archaea, viruses, protists, and nematodes. We found that some fungi in the mammalian intestine might come from environmental sources (e.g., soil and dietary plants), and some might be native to the intestine (e.g., the occurrence of Neocallimastigomycetes). The Methanobacteriaceae and Plasmodiidae families (archaea and protozoa, respectively) were predominant in these metagenomes, whereas Onchocercidae and Trichuridae were the two most common nematodes, and Siphoviridae and Myoviridae the two most common virus families in these mammalian gut metagenomes. Interestingly, most of the pairwise co‐occurrence patterns were significantly positive among these six kingdoms, and significantly negative networks mainly occurred between fungi and prokaryotes (both bacteria and archaea). Our study revealed some inconvenient characteristics in the mammalian gut microorganism ecosystem: (1) the community formed by members of the analyzed kingdoms reflects the life history of the host and the potential threat posed by pathogenic protists and nematodes in mammals; and (2) the networks suggest the existence of predicted mutualism among members of these six kingdoms and of the predicted competition, mainly among fungi and other kingdoms.
An analytical solution for the horizontal vibration behavior of a cylindrical rigid foundation in poroelastic soil layer
Authors: Yang Zijian , Zou Xinjun
Published: February 2023

The large size embedded foundation is widely used in the engineering, but the finite thickness of soil layer underlying this foundation is usually neglected in design, which leads to the non‐negligible error of calculation. By virtue of Biot's elastodynamic theory, this paper proposes a simple method to discuss the horizontal dynamic response of the cylindrical rigid foundation partially embedded in a poroelastic soil layer. First, based on the Novak plane strain model, the shaft resistance from the surrounding soil is simulated and solved. Second, the foundation end soil is assumed as a continuous medium of finite thickness, whose initial mechanism is derived from the dynamic interaction between the rigid disk and soil. Finally, the horizontal dynamic response factor is calculated by adopting newton's second law. Several cases are set to verify the rationality of the presented solution and to develop the analysis of key parameters. The numerical results suggest that the soil layer thickness has a significant influence on the dynamic vibration of the embedded foundation, and its effect is consistent with that of poroelastic half‐space when the thickness exceeds certain value.
Sleep and emotionality in adolescents with anorexia nervosa during the Covid‐19 pandemic
Authors: Rossi Lucia , Silva Catarina , Charvin Isabelle , Da Fonseca David , Bat‐Pitault Flora
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The recent Covid‐19 pandemic and its lockdown measures raised concerns about people's mental health, leading to an increased interest in identifying vulnerable groups especially at risk for mental distress. This cross‐sectional study investigated the impact of this unprecedented situation on sleeping patterns and emotionality in adolescents with anorexia nervosa (AN).

Methods

Variations in sleeping patterns and emotionality of two groups of adolescents with AN, assessed before (N = 50) and during (N = 51) the Covid‐19 lockdown were analysed. We further investigated these variations over time, considering the two lockdown periods in France.

Results

Adolescents self‐reported significantly more sleep difficulties and lower rates of positive emotions during lockdown, compared to those evaluated before it. Furthermore, present findings overall suggest that as the lockdown progresses, adolescents with AN show an increased deterioration of sleep quality, as indicated by greater insomnia severity levels. They also show a significant decrease in the subjective experience of positive emotionality, in particular in feelings of tenderness.

Conclusions

These sleep and emotionality alterations may have amplified the severity and the incidence of AN in adolescents during the Covid‐19 pandemic. These features may therefore represent therapeutic targets to optimise care of adolescents with AN. This is particularly urgent, considering kinetics of the deterioration. Tools such as those provided by cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia and by the positive psychology framework seem appropriate to guide clinicians in this context.

Level Of Evidence

Level V, descriptive study (evaluation data retrospectively studied).
Gender differences in individuals with obesity and binge eating disorder: A retrospective comparison of phenotypical features and treatment outcomes
Authors: Brandt Gerrit , Halbeisen Georg , Braks Karsten , Huber Thomas J. , Paslakis Georgios
Published: February 2023

Objective

Phenotypical comparisons between individuals with obesity without binge eating disorder (OB) and individuals with obesity and comorbid binge eating disorder (OB + BED) are subject to ongoing investigations. At the same time, gender‐related differences have rarely been explored, raising the question whether men and women with OB and OB + BED may require differently tailored treatments.

Method

We retrospectively compared pre‐ versus post‐treatment data in a matched sample of n = 180 men and n = 180 women with OB or OB + BED who received inpatient treatment.

Results

We found that men displayed higher weight loss than women independent of diagnostic group. In addition, men with OB + BED showed higher weight loss than men with OB after 7 weeks of treatment.

Conclusions

The present findings add to an emerging yet overall still sparse body of studies comparing phenotypical features and treatment outcomes in men and women with OB and OB + BED; implications for further research are discussed.

Clinical Trial Registration

The study was prospectively registered with the German Clinical Trial Register as part of application DRKS00028441.
A linear wake expansion function for the double‐Gaussian analytical wake model
Authors: Soesanto Qidun Maulana Binu , Yoshinaga Tsukasa , Iida Akiyoshi
Published: February 2023

The double‐Gaussian (DG) approach for analytical wake modeling leads to a better understanding of the wake transition mechanism within a full‐wake region behind a non‐yawed horizontal‐axis wind turbine (HAWT). To date, a key parameter of the wake expansion in the DG model still has yet to be defined explicitly instead of tuning, thus limiting its usability for practical applications. The present work aims to overcome this limitation by proposing a simple linear wake expansion function for the DG model constructed from the existing parameters based on the conservation of mass and momentum. Considering the physical and statistical approaches, the proposed function is specifically intended to approximate the wake expansion downstream of a non‐yawed HAWT under turbulence inflow. Seven case studies from wind tunnel measurements and large eddy simulations under different inflow conditions were used to examine the effectiveness of the proposed function. In general, the evaluation results in the present study show the effectiveness of the proposed expansion function for the DG wake model to predict the wake expansion and its recovery behind a non‐yawed HAWT without a prior adjustment or tuning of the wake expansion parameter.
Large‐scale modelling of highly braided and laterally confined reach of a sand‐bed river
Authors: Han Kai , Sun Jian , Lin Binliang , Huang Zhe , Shi Xi
Published: February 2023

Morphological processes in sand‐bed braided rivers are highly complicated and dynamic, and it is challenging to fully comprehend and predict them quantitatively or even qualitatively. In this paper, we report the application of a physics‐based model with a single sediment fraction (D50 = 0.23 mm), based on field data, to simulate the morphodynamic processes of a large‐scale braided system in a wide valley of the middle Yarlung Tsangpo River in China. The model is capable of reproducing the evolution of large braided patterns at both microscopic and macroscopic scales, and simulating the formation of a high‐intensity braided reach from an initial lateral flat bed under lateral valley confinement. A narrow strip zone of braided corridor presents long‐term concentrated anabranches in the wide valley reach. Moreover, sensitivity analyses suggest that physics‐based modelling can simulate the multi‐thread river pattern even with relatively coarse grids and a large morphological acceleration factor. The model results show that active riverbed movement occurs and additional chutes are encouraged during flooding, while rising water level makes subchannels merge so that the statistical braiding index decreases. Conversely, only about 40% of the total channels are active in transporting sediment at low‐discharge stages, resulting in a local and slow bed scouring. The planimetric confinement of width variations and valley curvatures acts as a primary control on the local braided corridor and the forced bar assemblages. Width variations restrict the section‐average stream power for a given discharge event, while valley curvatures regulate velocity distribution through several control points. Moreover, the activities of riparian vegetation and sandstorm can interfere with the ability of rivers to braid in the corridor area, which requires much more attention in the follow‐up research.
Chemical composition and biological activities of Jamaican Cannabis sativa essential oils as the plant matures
Authors: Clarke Kellyann , Porter Roy , Facey Petrea , Thoms‐Rodriguez Camille
Published: February 2023

Cannabis sativa is a flowering plant belonging to the Cannabinaceae family. There have been numerous ongoing studies globally on C. sativa which include investigating the yield and quality of essential oils. However, this study is the first to assess the chemical composition and biological activities of Jamaican C. sativa essential oils (EOs) extracted via hydrodistillation as the plants mature from week 8 through to week 12. EOs from fresh landrace female plants were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) and GC coupled to a flame ionization detector (GC‐FID). Cannabis sativa essential oils were screened for their in vitro antimicrobial activity using the disc diffusion method and further with tube dilution method. The antioxidant properties were investigated using the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay. In total, 36 constituents were identified in the C. sativa EOs by comparison of the Kováts retention indices (RI), the mass spectra data with those in the Natural Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) library and by co‐elution with authentic samples where available. The major constituents were β‐caryophyllene (25.34%) and α‐humulene (α‐caryophyllene) (10.94%) both at the highest levels in week nine and were the most abundant constituents present at all stages of maturity. All extracted C. sativa essential oils did not exhibit antioxidant properties. However, the C. sativa essential oils exhibit significant to moderate antimicrobial property against the test gram‐positive microorganisms, Enterococcus faecalis, Streptococcus Group A and Streptococcus Group B with MIC values ranging from 16 to 125 μg/mL.
AI‐assisted scenario generation for strategic planning
Authors: Spaniol Matthew J. , Rowland Nicholas J.
Published: February 2023

This “reflections from practice” piece explores some of the implications of emerging, artificially intelligent tools for the futures and foresight prac‐ademic community. The authors provide background on these emerging, artificially intelligent tools, and explore, with special emphasis on scenarios, a specific tool named “Chat Generative Pre‐trained Transformer” (hereafter, ChatGPT). The authors examine the utility of scenarios generated by artificial intelligence (AI) and explore whether or not the futures and foresight prac‐ademic community should selectively embrace advances in AI to assist in the generation of scenarios. In particular, the authors will consider (1) the utility of using scenarios generated completely by AI, (2) whether what is produced, in fact, constitute scenarios, based on conventional definitions, and (3) assess the utility of using AI to assist in the production of scenarios. At this point in time, artificially intelligent tools can now generate numerous scenarios on seemingly any topic at essentially zero cost to the user. Still, the authors insist that the utility of those scenarios is largely predicated on the user's ability to coax the appropriate “raw material” from the artificially intelligent bot, which implicates, the authors contend, that such bots can usefully provide base material for the development of scenarios but are unlikely to fully eclipse scenarists in the production of scenarios. Additionally, the authors recommend that the futures and foresight prac‐ademic community pay especially close attention to artificially intelligent tools for novel insights with regard to the differences in human cognition and, in this case, the logic of large language model outputs.
Plant protein nanogel–based patchy Janus particles with tunable anisotropy for perishable food preservation
Authors: Wang Zhigao , Chen Yao , Zhang Nan , Zhang Rui Xue , He Rong , Ju Xingrong , Mamadalieva Nilufar Z.
Published: February 2023

Janus particles with anisotropic surfaces possess considerable potential for biological functionalization. However, little is known about the effect of surface anisotropy of Janus particles on the shelf life of perishable food. Herein, plant protein–based nanogels prepared by acylated rapeseed protein isolate (ARPI) are exploited as novel building blocks to decorate the surface of latex particles for Janus particle synthesis. The surface anisotropy of patchy latex particles can be facilely tailored via the suspension polymerization of the Pickering emulsion using ARPI nanogels as stabilizers. The surface distribution of ARPI nanogel on latex particles can be controlled by varying the aqueous phase conditions, and thus, the tunable hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (viz., Janus balance) varied from 0.78 to 1.76 for resulting patchy latex particles. Patchy latex particles with varied Janus balance were further investigated for the effects of their anti‐perishable coatings on perishable fruit preservation. The anisotropic patchy latex particles can act as a novel type of antibacterial agent to inhibit Ascomycota microorganisms’ growth on the surface of fruits and reduce the dehydration and respiration of fruits, all of which devote to a lengthened shelf life while being safe. Furthermore, it is found that the patchy latex particle with a spatial pattern of a hydrophobic area on its surface occupying 51.3% (Janus balance = 0.95) extends the shelf life of perishable food more effectively than that of other spatial arrangements. Overall, the exploration of anisotropic Janus particles offers an alternative strategy to preserve perishable food without using antimicrobial agents.
Gene–environment interaction analysis via deep learning
Authors: Wu Shuni , Xu Yaqing , Zhang Qingzhao , Ma Shuangge
Published: February 2023

Gene–environment (G–E) interaction analysis plays an important role in studying complex diseases. Extensive methodological research has been conducted on G–E interaction analysis, and the existing methods are mostly based on regression techniques. In many fields including biomedicine and omics, it has been increasingly recognized that deep learning may outperform regression with its unique flexibility (e.g., in accommodating unspecified nonlinear effects) and superior prediction performance. However, there has been a lack of development in deep learning for G–E interaction analysis. In this article, we fill this important knowledge gap and develop a new analysis approach based on deep neural network in conjunction with penalization. The proposed approach can simultaneously conduct model estimation and selection (of important main G effects and G–E interactions), while uniquely respecting the “main effects, interactions” variable selection hierarchy. Simulation shows that it has superior prediction and feature selection performance. The analysis of data on lung adenocarcinoma and skin cutaneous melanoma overall survival further establishes its practical utility. Overall, this study can advance G–E interaction analysis by delivering a powerful new analysis approach based on modern deep learning.
MR‐BOIL: Causal inference in one‐sample Mendelian randomization for binary outcome with integrated likelihood method
Authors: Shi Dapeng , Wang Yuquan , Zhang Ziyong , Cao Yunlong , Hu Yue‐Qing
Published: February 2023

Mendelian randomization is a statistical method for inferring the causal relationship between exposures and outcomes using an economics‐derived instrumental variable approach. The research results are relatively complete when both exposures and outcomes are continuous variables. However, due to the noncollapsing nature of the logistic model, the existing methods inherited from the linear model for exploring binary outcome cannot take the effect of confounding factors into account, which leads to biased estimate of the causal effect. In this article, we propose an integrated likelihood method MR‐BOIL to investigate causal relationships for binary outcomes by treating confounders as latent variables in one‐sample Mendelian randomization. Under the assumption of a joint normal distribution of the confounders, we use expectation maximization algorithm to estimate the causal effect. Extensive simulations demonstrate that the estimator of MR‐BOIL is asymptotically unbiased and that our method improves statistical power without inflating type I error rate. We then apply this method to analyze the data from Atherosclerosis Risk in Communications Study. The results show that MR‐BOIL can better identify plausible causal relationships with high reliability, compared with the unreliable results of existing methods. MR‐BOIL is implemented in R and the corresponding R code is provided for free download.
Group citizenship behaviour in healthcare organization, doctor‐patient relationship, work engagement and turnover intention: A moderated mediation model
Authors: Zeng Weilong , Ma Shaozhuang , Wu Linghong , Wang Canghong , Huang Yujie , Li Bing
Published: February 2023

The effective functioning of health care organisations depends on the inter‐professional collaboration among healthcare professionals from diverse backgrounds, representing different work units, to provide quality services. This study aims to understand how group citizenship behaviour (GCB) that supports other work groups may moderate the relationship between doctor‐patient relationship (DPR), Work Engagement (WE) and Turnover Intention (TI). The data for this study were collected through two waves of questionnaire survey at a tertiary public hospital in China. The hypothesised model was tested by Hayes' PROCESS macro. There were significant differences of perceived GCB across different professional units with work units practicing a multidisciplinary working approach and working in the high‐stake working environment reported higher levels of GCB. The results show that WE mediates the relationships between DPR and TI and GCB accentuates the positive relationship between DPR and WE. Specifically, the path between DPR and WE was stronger for individuals with high perceived GCB than those with low perceived GCB. The study contributes to the development of Job Demands‐Resources model with integrating GCB into the model and enriching the challenge job demand conceptualisation by focussing on DPR in Chinese health care setting. In practice, the hospital administrators should encourage GCB to improve organizational effectiveness and doctors' attitudes.
Comparative analysis of cranial morphology in Middle‐American heroine cichlids (Actinopterygii: Cichliformes)
Authors: Olvera‐Ríos Yuriria Noemy , González‐Díaz Alfonso A. , Soria‐Barreto Miriam , Castillo‐Uscanga María Mercedes , Cazzanelli Matteo
Published: February 2023

Heroine cichlids are characterized by high morphological diversity, mainly in structures related to the capture and processing of food. The existence of ecomorphological groups has been proposed based on feeding behavior, where it is common for some phylogenetically unrelated species to show evolutionary convergence. Using geometric morphometrics and comparative phylogenetic methods, the variation in cranial morphology was evaluated for 17 species of heroine cichlids representing 5 ecomorphs. Cranial ecomorphs were recovered and significant differences were determined. Morphological variation of the ecomorphs was mainly explained by two axes: (1) the position of the mouth determined by the shape of the bones of the oral jaw and (2) the height of the head, defined by the size and position of the supraoccipital crest and the distance to the interopercle–subopercle junction. Cranial variation among species was related to phylogeny. To better understand the evolution of cranial morphology, it is necessary to evaluate the morphofunctional relationship of other anatomical structures related to feeding, as well as to increase the number of study species in each ecomorph by including other lineages.
Response of diatom assemblages to orbital‐ and millennial‐scale climatic variability since the penultimate glacial maximum in the northern limit of the Neotropics
Authors: Avendaño Diana , Caballero Margarita , Ortega‐Guerrero Beatriz , Lozano‐García Socorro
Published: February 2023

Lake Chalco, in Central Mexico, has a long diatom record which provides an excellent opportunity to document the biotic and hydrological responses of this ecosystem to orbital‐ and millennial‐scale climatic variability during the last 150 ka. Detrended correspondence analysis was used to evaluate the ecological turnover and to identify diatom species associations throughout the sequence. Millennial‐scale climatic fluctuations were identified as peaks in freshwater (mostly small Fragilariaceae spp.) or as peaks in salt‐tolerant species. At orbital scales, species turnover involved changes between freshwater assemblages dominated by Stephanodiscus spp. – small Fragilariaceae spp. – Cocconeis placentula, present during low‐evaporation, cool intervals [late Marine Isotope Stage (MIS)6, MIS5d, MIS2] against salt‐tolerant taxa, dominated by Stephanocyclus and Cyclotella spp., in higher evaporation, higher salinity conditions (MIS5e, MIS5c–a, MIS4, MIS3, early MIS1). Comparatively, MIS6 and MIS5d seem to have been cooler (~ −6 to −7 °C) and wetter than MIS2 (~ − 4 to −5 °C). In contrast, MIS5e and early MIS1 (11.5–6 ka) had similar warmer, low lake level, saline conditions. In addition, MIS5 was a period of intense climatic change associated with wide‐amplitude orbital forcing that favored a Stephanocyclus–Cyclotella spp. ecological succession (S. meneghinianus, C. tlalocii, C. poyeka, S. quillensis). In contrast, smaller temperature changes were inferred during MIS4 and MIS3.
Palaeogeographic reconstruction of the Late Weichselian ice sheet in north‐central Poland based on relief analysis
Authors: Teodorski Artur
Published: February 2023

North‐central Poland was originally shaped by the Płock lobe of the ice sheet formed during the Weichselian Glaciation. The majority of the studied area comprises the Dobrzyń Lakeland, where numerous terminal moraine hills preserve a record of recession of the ice sheet from the maximum extent of the last glaciation (LGM). Analysis of a digital elevation model enabled the determination of a network of morpholineaments, referring to the formation of linear glacial forms. Recession of the ice sheet from the LGM extent in north‐central Poland was uneven and proceeded in stages. Ice‐sheet recession stages were interspersed with local or regional ice‐sheet advance stages. During these individual periods of ice‐sheet behaviour, ice‐sheet movement changed direction from WNW–ESE to NNW–SSE. Transgression of the ice sheet into the central part of the study area as well as the Kujawy–Dobrzyń subphase may be related to cooling of the climate during 18.5–17.7 ka before ad 2000.
Characterisation of 3000 ppm Cr2O3 doped UO2 and its precipitates
Authors: Devillaire Aubin , Desgranges Lionel , Tarisien Nicolas , Iltis Xavière , Riglet‐Martial Chantal , Roure Ingrid , Bienvenu Philippe , Canizares Aurelien
Published: February 2023

The thermochemical state of UO2‐based nuclear fuel is a key parameter for which experimental data are difficult to obtain. A new experimental procedure using in situ oxido‐reduction indicators was applied to irradiated fuel, and we aim to use it with chromium‐doped unirradiated UO2. Nevertheless, we had first to characterise the chemical state of the chromium precipitates in our sample before. Here, we present the method we used for statistical characterisation of these precipitates using several methods, amongst which Raman spectroscopy plays a major role. Moreover, the Raman spectra of the precipitates were interpreted as evidence of a uranium stabilised Cr3O4 phase.
Control of chaos and bifurcation by nonfeedback methods in an autocatalytic chemical system
Authors: Kannan Karuppasamy Suddalai , Ansari Mohamed Ali Thameem , Amutha Kasinathan , Chinnathambi Veerapadran , Rajasekar Shunmuganathan
Published: February 2023

Nonfeedback methods of chaos and bifurcation control are suited for practical applications because of their speed, flexibility, no online monitoring, and processing requirements. In this paper, we analyze the control performance of various nonfeedback methods such as (i) adding a weak periodic force, (ii) adding a second periodic force, and (iii) adding a quasiperiodic force. We apply these methods to control chaos and bifurcation in an autocatalytic chemical system. By choosing the amplitudes of the external excitation as control parameters, we investigate what effect the amplitudes have on the dynamics of the chemical system with suitable system's parameters value. Controlling of chaotic and bifurcation behaviors has been investigated through the bifurcation diagram, phase portrait, and time series.
A journey to understand SFRT
Authors: Chang Sha
Published: February 2023

This article tells the story of a medical physicist's journey to understand SFRT which started by accident more than 15 years ago. For decades, clinical application and preclinical research have shown that spatially fractionated radiation therapy (SFRT) can achieve a magically high therapeutic index. However, only recently, SFRT received well‐deserved attention from mainstream radiation oncology. Today, our understanding of SFRT remains limited, which significantly hinders the advancement of SFRT for patient care. In this article, the author intends to shed some light on several important but unanswered SFRT research questions, including what is the essence of SFRT, which dosimetric parameters have clinical relevance and which do not, how does SFRT spare normal tissue but not tumor, and why radiobiological models developed for conventional radiation therapy may not be suitable for SFRT.
Spasticity evaluation and management tools
Authors: Howard Ileana M. , Patel Atul T.
Published: February 2023

Spasticity is a complex and often disabling symptom for patients with upper motor neuron syndromes. Although spasticity arises from neurological disease, it often cascades into muscle and soft tissue changes, which may exacerbate symptoms and further hamper function. Effective management therefore hinges on early recognition and treatment. To this end, the definition of spasticity has expanded over time to more accurately reflect the spectrum of symptoms experienced by persons with this disorder.

Once identified, clinical and research quantitative assessments of spasticity are hindered by the uniqueness of presentations both for individuals and for specific neurological diagnoses. Objective measures in isolation often fail to reflect the complex functional impact of spasticity. Multiple tools exist to quantitatively or qualitatively assess the severity of spasticity, including clinician and patient‐reported measures as well as electrodiagnostic, mechanical, and ultrasound measures. A combination of objective and patient‐reported outcomes is likely required to better reflect the burden of spasticity symptoms in an individual.

Therapeutic options exist for the treatment of spasticity along a broad spectrum from nonpharmacologic to interventional procedures. Treatment strategies may include exercise, physical agent modalities, oral medications, injections, pumps, and surgery. Optimal spasticity management most often requires a multimodal approach, combining pharmacological management with interventions that match the functional needs, goals, and preferences of the patient. Physicians and other healthcare providers who manage spasticity must be familiarized with the full array of spasticity interventions and must frequently reassess results of treatment to ensure the patient's goals of treatment are met.
Estimation of 3D earth pressure with inclined backfill surface considering seismic loads and suction effects
Authors: Wang Long , Hu Wei , Gao You , Zhou Enquan , Li Jie , Chen Guoxing
Published: February 2023

Earthquake remains the main factor in triggering the slope failures and the rigid gravity retaining wall is an effective technique in guaranteeing the slope safety. In earth pressures estimations, considering simultaneously the three‐dimensional (3D) features of backfills, the suction‐induced effects and the dynamic characteristics of seismic excitations warrants producing more realistic solutions. In the category of upper bound limit analysis theorem, a modified semi‐analytical method for determining the seismic earth pressures of inclined unsaturated backfills is provided. Applicability and reliability of this method is varied through comparisons and the seismic responses of 3D inclined unsaturated backfills are studied. The results indicate that the 3D effect relates closely to the seismic excitations and the SWCC and can hardly be ignored in earth pressure estimations. The 3D effect varies periodically as the seismic wave propagates and is more evident in fine‐grain soil slopes but is relatively less obvious in coarse‐grain soil slopes.
Haemodialysis nurses' occupational health and work‐related musculoskeletal hand pain after work: A cluster analysis
Authors: Westergren Eva , Lindberg Magnus
Published: February 2023

Aim

To identify clusters based on haemodialysis nurses' self‐rated work ability, work engagement and self‐reported work hours and to compare the identified clusters regarding hand pain after work.

Design

Cross‐sectional survey.

Methods

Data based on the Work Ability Index, Utrecht Work Engagement Scale and hand pain severity after work were collected through a web‐based survey among 503 haemodialysis nurses working in Sweden and Denmark. A two‐step cluster analysis was used to identify homogenous groups of cases within the dataset, followed by comparative analyses of the clusters.

Results

Four distinct clusters were identified, illustrating differing profiles of haemodialysis nurses' work ability, work engagement and working hours. Nurses who worked part‐time and reported moderate work ability and average work engagement had significantly higher ratings of hand pain after work.

Conclusions

Haemodialysis nurses are a heterogeneous group as regards work ability, work engagement and self‐reported work hours. The four distinct clusters of nurses indicate a need for customized interventions for retaining each subgroup at work.
Optimization of Charpy‐impact strength of 3D‐printed carbon fiber/polyamide composites by Taguchi method
Authors: Beylergil Bertan , Al‐Nadhari Abdulrahman , Yildiz Mehmet
Published: February 2023

This study utilizes the Taguchi optimization technique to investigate the effects of FDM processing parameters on the Charpy impact strength of 3D printed CF/PA composites experimentally and statistically. The four 3D printing parameters employed in the experiment are the infill density, raster angle, extruder temperature, and printing speed, which were used to create the experimental plan with the L18 orthogonal array. Signal to noise (S/N) ratios and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were utilized to identify the optimum values and the interactions between the process parameters. SEM and thermography techniques were employed to assess the microstructural and damage status of the CF/PA composite specimens. ANOVA results determined that only three factors–infill density, raster angle, and extruder temperature–had a statistical significance, while printing speed did not. The outcomes demonstrated that the optimal 3D printing parameters are infill density (100%), raster angle (60°), extruder temperature (260°C), infill density (100%), and printing speed (30 mm/s), with the maximum contribution of 54.19% belonging to infill density, and the minimum contribution of 2.84% belonging to printing speed. The optimal combination of these 3D printing parameters yielded a Charpy impact strength of 10.54 kJ/m2, resulting in an increase of almost 150% compared to the worst‐case situation. The Taguchi approach proves to be a proficient technique to boost the Charpy impact strength of 3D‐printed CF/PA composites.
Label‐free single cell proteomics utilizing ultrafast LC and MS instrumentation: A valuable complementary technique to multiplexing
Authors: Matzinger Manuel , Mayer Rupert L. , Mechtler Karl
Published: February 2023

The ability to map a proteomic fingerprint to transcriptomic data would master the understanding of how gene expression translates into actual phenotype. In contrast to nucleic acid sequencing, in vitro protein amplification is impossible and no single cell proteomic workflow has been established as gold standard yet. Advances in microfluidic sample preparation, multi‐dimensional sample separation, sophisticated data acquisition strategies, and intelligent data analysis algorithms have resulted in major improvements to successfully analyze such tiny sample amounts with steadily boosted performance. However, among the broad variation of published approaches, it is commonly accepted that highest possible sensitivity, robustness, and throughput are still the most urgent needs for the field. While many labs have focused on multiplexing to achieve these goals, label‐free SCP is a highly promising strategy as well whenever high dynamic range and unbiased accurate quantification are needed. We here focus on recent advances in label‐free single‐cell mass spectrometry workflows and try to guide our readers to choose the best method or combinations of methods for their specific applications. We further highlight which techniques are most propitious in the future and which applications but also limitations we foresee for the field.
Incidence and risk factors for patellofemoral dislocation in adults with Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease: An observational study
Authors: Leone Enza , Davenport Sally , Robertson Claire , Laurà Matilde , Skorupinska Mariola , Reilly Mary M. , Ramdharry Gita
Published: February 2023

Background and Purpose

Patellofemoral (PF) dislocation is frequently encountered in clinical practice among people with Charcot‐Marie‐Tooth disease (CMT), but the frequency and risk factors for PF dislocation in adults with CMT are unknown. This study aimed to establish the incidence of PF dislocation in adults with CMT and to explore the risk factors associated with PF dislocation.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional study involving adults with a diagnosis of CMT, attending their outpatient clinics at a specialist neuromuscular centre in the United Kingdom. Eighty‐one individuals were interviewed about any PF dislocation and underwent a lower‐limb assessment, with a focussed knee examination, to identify possible risk factors for PF dislocation. The incidence of PF dislocation was expressed as a percentage (number of individuals with a positive history of patellar dislocation/overall sample) and the association between different risk factors and PF dislocation was explored using logistic regression analysis.

Results

The incidence of PF dislocation was 22.2% (18/81). PF dislocation was associated with a younger age at the time of the assessment (p = 0.038) and earlier disease onset (p = 0.025). All people bar two who dislocated had CMT1A (88.9%), but there was no difference in terms of CMT distribution with the non‐dislocation group (p = 0.101). No association was found between PF dislocation and CMT severity measured by CMTSS (p = 0.379) and CMTES (p = 0.534). Patella alta (p = 0.0001), J‐sign (p = 0.004), lateral patellar glide (p = 0.0001), generalised joint hypermobility (p = 0.001) and knee flexors weakness (p = 0.008) were associated with an increased risk of dislocation. Patella alta (p = 0.010) and lateral patellar glide (p = 0.028) were independent PF dislocation predictors.

Conclusions

PF dislocation was common in this cohort with CMT and was associated with multiple risk factors. Future studies should be conducted to confirm the present findings so that the identified risk factors may be addressed by clinicians through preventive, supportive and corrective measures.
Study of Charged Anisotropic Karmarkar Stars in f(R,T2)$f(\mathcal {R},\mathbb {T}^{2})$ Theory
Authors: Sharif M. , Gul M. Zeeshan
Published: February 2023

This paper examines the viable attributes of charged compact stars with anisotropic matter configuration in theory. For this purpose, we use the embedding class‐1 technique and consider a specific functional form of this modified theory, i.e, to examine the geometry of compact objects. The values of unknown parameters are found by the smooth matching of interior (static spherical metric) and exterior (Reissner‐Nordstrom metric of energy‐momentum squared gravity) spacetimes. We investigate the impact of effective fluid parameters anisotropy, equation of state parameters and energy bounds in the inner region of the charged stellar objects. The stability of the stellar models in the presence of charge is examined by speed of sound and adiabatic index. We find that embedding class‐1 solution is physically viable and stable for charged anisotropic stellar objects in this modified theory.
NICE on the diagnosis and management of osteoarthritis
Authors: Chaplin Steve
Published: February 2023

NICE has recently published an update of its guidance on the diagnosis and non‐surgical management of osteoarthritis. This article provides a summary of the new guidance, which focuses on the benefits of therapeutic exercise for people with osteoarthritis.
Impute‐then‐exclude versus exclude‐then‐impute: Lessons when imputing a variable used both in cohort creation and as an independent variable in the analysis model
Authors: Austin Peter C. , Giardiello Daniele , van Buuren Stef
Published: February 2023

We examined the setting in which a variable that is subject to missingness is used both as an inclusion/exclusion criterion for creating the analytic sample and subsequently as the primary exposure in the analysis model that is of scientific interest. An example is cancer stage, where patients with stage IV cancer are often excluded from the analytic sample, and cancer stage (I to III) is an exposure variable in the analysis model. We considered two analytic strategies. The first strategy, referred to as “exclude‐then‐impute,” excludes subjects for whom the observed value of the target variable is equal to the specified value and then uses multiple imputation to complete the data in the resultant sample. The second strategy, referred to as “impute‐then‐exclude,” first uses multiple imputation to complete the data and then excludes subjects based on the observed or filled‐in values in the completed samples. Monte Carlo simulations were used to compare five methods (one based on “exclude‐then‐impute” and four based on “impute‐then‐exclude”) along with the use of a complete case analysis. We considered both missing completely at random and missing at random missing data mechanisms. We found that an impute‐then‐exclude strategy using substantive model compatible fully conditional specification tended to have superior performance across 72 different scenarios. We illustrated the application of these methods using empirical data on patients hospitalized with heart failure when heart failure subtype was used for cohort creation (excluding subjects with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) and was also an exposure in the analysis model.
Emerging antibacterial nanozymes for wound healing
Authors: Shan Jingyang , Che Junyi , Song Chuanhui , Zhao Yuanjin
Published: February 2023

Wound infections continuously impose a huge economic and social burden on public healthcare. Despite the effective treatment of bacteria‐infected wounds after using traditional antibiotics, the misuse of antibiotics usually causes the spread of bacterial resistance and decreases therapeutic outcomes. Therefore, the development of efficient antibacterial agents is urgently needed. Nanozymes, as a new generation of artificial enzymes, combine the intrinsic abilities of nanomaterials and natural enzymes. Recently, nanozymes has been widely developed to kill bacteria and treat wound infections by catalyzing the generation of various reactive oxygen species. Thus, this new concept of “antibacterial nanozymes” will promote the further advances of connecting nanozymes and bacterial elimination. To highlight these achievements, we summarize different types of antibacterial nanozymes for wound healing. It is believed that such a promising therapeutic strategy of developing antibacterial nanozymes will make a great contribution in the field of skin regeneration. We expect that antibacterial nanozymes will play the significant roles in both basic research and clinical applications.
Smart One‐for‐All Agent with Adaptive Functions for Improving Photoacoustic /Fluorescence Imaging‐Guided Photodynamic Immunotherapy
Authors: Gao Heqi , Qi Xinwen , Zhang Jingtian , Wang Nan , Xin Jingrui , Jiao Di , Liu Kaining , Qi Ji , Guan Yong , Ding Dan
Published: February 2023

Multifunctional phototheranostics that integrate several diagnostic and therapeutic strategies into one platform hold great promise for precision medicine. However, it is really difficult for one molecule to possess multimodality optical imaging and therapy properties that all functions are in the optimized mode because the absorbed photoenergy is fixed. Herein, a smart one‐for‐all nanoagent that the photophysical energy transformation processes can be facilely tuned by external light stimuli is developed for precise multifunctional image‐guided therapy. A dithienylethene‐based molecule is designed and synthesized because it has two light‐switchable forms. In the ring‐closed form, most of the absorbed energy dissipates via nonradiative thermal deactivation for photoacoustic (PA) imaging. In the ring‐open form, the molecule possesses obvious aggregation‐induced emission features with excellent fluorescence and photodynamic therapy properties. In vivo experiments demonstrate that preoperative PA and fluorescence imaging help to delineate tumors in a high‐contrast manner, and intraoperative fluorescence imaging is able to sensitively detect tiny residual tumors. Furthermore, the nanoagent can induce immunogenic cell death to elicit antitumor immunity and significantly suppress solid tumors. This work develops a smart one‐for‐all agent that the photophysical energy transformation and related phototheranostic properties can be optimized by light‐driven structure switch, which is promising for multifunctional biomedical applications.
Module intersection and uniform formula for iterative reduction of one-loop integrals
Authors: Chen Jiaqi , Feng Bo
Published: February 2023

Abstract

In this paper, we develop an iterative sector-level reduction strategy for Feynman integrals, which bases on module intersection in the Baikov representation and auxiliary vector for tensor structure. Using this strategy we have studied the reduction of general one-loop integrals, i.e., integrals having arbitrary tensor structures and arbitrary power for propagators. Inspired by these studies, a uniform and compact formula that iteratively reduces all one-loop integrals has been written down, where messy polynomials in integration-by-parts (IBP) relations have organized themselves to Gram determinants.
Transfer of Energy from Flexural to Torsional Modes for the Fish-Bone Suspension Bridge Model
Authors: Marchionna Clelia , Panizzi Stefano
Published: February 2023

We consider a conservative coupled oscillators system which arises as a simplified model of the interaction of flexural and torsional modes of vibration along the deck of the so-called fish-bone (Berchio and Gazzola in Nonlinear Anal 121:54–72, 2015) model of suspension bridges. The elastic response of the cables is supposed to be asymptotically linear under traction, and asymptotically constant when compressed (a generalization of the slackening regime). We show that for vibrations of sufficiently large amplitude, transfer of energy from flexural modes to torsional modes may occur provided a certain condition on the parameters is satisfied. The main result is a non-trivial extension of a theorem in Marchionna and Panizzi (Nonlinear Anal 140:12–28, 2016) to the case when the frequencies of the normal modes are no more supposed to be the same. Several numerical computations of instability diagrams for various slackening models respecting our assumptions are presented.