bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The role of ANCA in the management of cocaine‐induced midline destructive lesions or ENT pseudo‐granulomatosis with polyangiitis: a London multicentre case series
Authors: Pendolino Alfonso Luca , Benshetrit Guy , Navaratnam Annakan V. , To Caroline , Bandino Fabrizio , Scarpa Bruno , Kwame Ivor , Ludwig Dalia R. , McAdoo Stephen , Kuchai Romana , Gane Simon , Saleh Hesham , Pusey Charles D. , Randhawa Premjit S. , Andrews Peter J.
Published: December 2023

Objective

In this multicentric study involving three London hospitals, we compared ANCA‐positive and ANCA‐negative cocaine‐induced midline destructive lesions (CIMDL) patients to assess how presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) may correlate with disease severity. Our secondary aims are to better classify etiology centered around ANCA positivity and, consequently, better disease management.

Methods

A retrospective review was performed to identify patients with CIMDL seen between January 2019 and December 2022. Population data including age, sex, presentation, endoscopic findings, duration of cocaine use and active use of cocaine, type of treatment, laboratory (including ANCA serology), radiological, and histological findings were collected.

Results

Forty CIMDL patients (25 male, median age of 42 years) were identified. The majority of them (72.5%) presented with either a septal perforation, a saddle nose deformity (22.5%), and/or a palatal fistula (20.0%). ANCA was positive in 71.1% of cases (66.7% p‐ANCA). No statistically significant differences in the general characteristics, type of treatment, laboratory results, radiological or histological findings were observed when comparing ANCA‐positive and ANCA‐negative CIMDL patients or when comparing p‐ANCA and c‐ANCA patients. Similarly, no statistically significant difference was obtained when comparing the pattern of distribution of lesions between the two groups.

Conclusions

A large percentage of CIMDL patients showed positive ANCA test (71.1%) and in the majority of the cases a p‐ANCA pattern specifically targeting PR3 (p‐ANCA, PR3 + MPO‐). However, ANCA positivity or presence of a specific ANCA pattern was not associated with more severe presentation or more aggressive disease. Given its similarities to granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), we recommend the use of the term “cocaine‐induced ENT pseudo‐GPA” instead of CIMDL.

Level of Evidence

IV Laryngoscope, 134:2609–2616, 2024
The potential risk of soil salinization on vegetation restoration by ecological water conveyance project in Qingtu Lake Wetland, northwestern China
Authors: Hu Shun , Meng Keyu , Ma Rui , Sun Ziyong , Wang Zheng , Ge Mengyan , Zeng Linglin , Yin Lihe
Published: December 2023

The Ecological Water Conveyance Project (EWCP) is an important measure to restore the degraded vegetation ecosystem in Qingtu Lake Wetland (QLW), a terminal lake wetland of an arid inland river basin in northwestern China. Although many previous studies have demonstrated the positive effect of EWCP for vegetation restoration, they have ignored the possible soil salinization by EWCP which could lead to re‐degradation of restored vegetation in QLW. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to reveal the potential risk of soil salinization on sustainable vegetation restoration in QLW. Three satellite remote sensing‐based indices (i.e., Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Salinity Index, and Normalized Difference Water Index) are used to indicate the spatio‐temporal evolutions of vegetation growth status, surface soil salinity, and water surface. Additionally, ground data of groundwater, soil, and ecological water volume are collected. The development of soil salinization and its risk on vegetation restoration as well as its controlling factors are subsequently studied by combining remote sensing and ground‐based data. The results indicate that the vegetation restored during the first few years of EWCP in the southwest, west, and north of QLW has degraded again due to the aggravation of soil salinization in these regions since 2019. Soil salinization was accelerated by the low groundwater depth with high mineralization and high evaporation capacity of climate without adequate inundation of ecological water. Under current ecological water management in QLW, soil salinization will intensify and vegetation will further degrade. The artificial management of ecological water in QLW has created a complex relationship among vegetation growth, soil salinization, and groundwater. This indicates the irrationality of using a fixed relationship between groundwater depth and NDVI for the computation of optimal ecological water volume in previous studies. More field monitoring of groundwater‐soil‐surface water‐plant‐atmosphere continuum and process‐based modeling of water‐salt transport and vegetation growth should be conducted in the future.
Prenatal diagnosis of developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 9 with a 10.05‐Mb microdeletion at Xq21.31q22.1 inherited from mother: A case report and literature review
Authors: Zhu Juan , Liu Zhenzhen , Geng Feng , Peng Jing , Li Zhimin , Yang Qin
Published: December 2023

Background

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 9 (DEE9) is characterized by early infantile seizures and mild‐to‐severe neuropsychiatric symptoms. Despite being an X‐linked dominant disorder, DEE9 mainly affects heterozygous females or mosaic males, while hemizygous males are less affected. PCDH19 gene has been documented as the causative gene.

Methods

Karyotyping analysis and copy number variation sequencing (CNV‐seq) were performed on a pregnant woman with epilepsy, together with her husband, son, and fetus.

Results

A disease‐causing microdeletion, seq[GRCh37] del(X)(q21.31q22.1) (90310001–100360000), was identified in the pregnant woman and her female fetus. The microdeletion includes the entire PCDH19 gene and is classified as “pathogenic” according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines.

Conclusion

In this case study, we have not only identified the epilepsy type of the woman as DEE9 but have also made an unfavorable prognosis for her fetus. Our findings from this prenatal case provide valuable clinical resources for prenatal diagnosis and genetic counseling, while also implying the potential of CNV‐seq as a viable method for uncovering PCDH19‐related epilepsy.
Coupled variational–hemivariational inequalities with constraints and history‐dependent operators
Authors: Hao Jianwei , Wang JinRong , Han Jiangfeng
Published: December 2023

The aim of the paper is to study a new class of coupled variational–hemivariational inequalities with unilateral constraints and history‐dependent operators. First, by employing a fixed‐point theorem for history‐dependent operators combined with surjectivity theorem, we establish the existence and uniqueness of solution for coupled system. Second, we obtain a convergence result, namely, related penalized problems of solutions converge to the solution to the original system. Finally, we conclude with a new contact problem of the body pressure of two elastic materials.
Fast high‐resolution prospective motion correction for single‐voxel spectroscopy
Authors: Adanyeguh Isaac M. , Bikkamane Jayadev Nutandev , Henry Pierre‐Gilles , Deelchand Dinesh K.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To develop a fast high‐resolution image‐based motion correction method using spiral navigators with multislice‐to‐volume registration.

Methods

A semi‐LASER sequence was modified to include a multislice spiral navigator for prospective motion correction (∼305 ms including acquisition, processing, and feedback) as well as shim and frequency navigators for prospective shim and frequency correction (∼100 ms for each). MR spectra were obtained in the prefrontal cortex in five healthy subjects at 3 T with and without prospective motion and shim correction. The effect of key navigator parameters (number of slices, image resolution, and excitation flip angle) on registration accuracy was assessed using simulations.

Results

Without prospective motion and shim correction, spectral quality degraded significantly in the presence of voluntary motion. In contrast, with prospective motion and shim correction, spectral quality was improved (metabolite linewidth = 6.7 ± 0.6 Hz, SNR= 67 ± 9) and in good agreement with baseline data without motion (metabolite linewidth = 6.9 ± 0.9 Hz, SNR = 73 ± 9). In addition, there was no significant difference in metabolites concentrations measured without motion and with prospective motion and shim correction in the presence of motion. Simulations showed that the registration precision was comparable when using three navigator slices with 3 mm resolution and when using the entire volume (all slices) with 8 mm resolution.

Conclusion

The proposed motion correction scheme allows fast and precise prospective motion and shim correction for single‐voxel spectroscopy at 3 T. With 3 mm resolution, only a few navigator slices are necessary to achieve excellent motion correction performance.
GRASP reconstruction amplified with view‐sharing and KWIC filtering reduces underestimation of peak velocity in highly‐accelerated real‐time phase‐contrast MRI: A preliminary evaluation in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease
Authors: Yang Huili , Hong KyungPyo , Baraboo Justin J. , Fan Lexiaozi , Larsen Andrine , Markl Michael , Robinson Joshua D. , Rigsby Cynthia K. , Kim Daniel
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To develop a highly‐accelerated, real‐time phase contrast (rtPC) MRI pulse sequence with 40 fps frame rate (25 ms effective temporal resolution).

Methods

Highly‐accelerated golden‐angle radial sparse parallel (GRASP) with over regularization may result in temporal blurring, which in turn causes underestimation of peak velocity. Thus, we amplified GRASP performance by synergistically combining view‐sharing (VS) and k‐space weighted image contrast (KWIC) filtering. In 17 pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD), the conventional GRASP and the proposed GRASP amplified by VS and KWIC (or GRASP + VS + KWIC) reconstruction for rtPC MRI were compared with respect to clinical standard PC MRI in measuring hemodynamic parameters (peak velocity, forward volume, backward volume, regurgitant fraction) at four locations (aortic valve, pulmonary valve, left and right pulmonary arteries).

Results

The proposed reconstruction method (GRASP + VS + KWIC) achieved better effective spatial resolution (i.e., image sharpness) compared with conventional GRASP, ultimately reducing the underestimation of peak velocity from 17.4% to 6.4%. The hemodynamic metrics (peak velocity, volumes) were not significantly (p > 0.99) different between GRASP + VS + KWIC and clinical PC, whereas peak velocity was significantly (p < 0.007) lower for conventional GRASP. RtPC with GRASP + VS + KWIC also showed the ability to assess beat‐to‐beat variation and detect the highest peak among peaks.

Conclusion

The synergistic combination of GRASP, VS, and KWIC achieves 25 ms effective temporal resolution (40 fps frame rate), while minimizing the underestimation of peak velocity compared with conventional GRASP.
Association of frailty with activity levels and sedentary behaviours in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Li Lili , Fu Xia , He Na , Gan Weiqiang , Zhao Yang , Xie Ri‐hua
Published: December 2023

Background and Aims

Research on the association between activity levels and sedentary behaviour with frailty in patients affected by hepatitis B cirrhosis is sparse. This study aimed to explore the association of frailty with activity levels and sedentary behaviours in patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis.

Design

This cross‐sectional study followed the STROBE checklist.

Methods

This study was conducted in Guangzhou, China, between August 2021 and October 2022. The frailty condition of patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis was assessed using the liver frailty index (LFI). Their physical activity levels and sedentary time were assessed using the International Questionnaire of Physical Activity. Pearson correlation and binary logistic regression were used to analyse the data.

Results

Among the 503 patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis in the final analysis, 107 (21.3%) were identified as frail. Frailty was negatively correlated with walking time (r = −0.174, p < 0.001), moderate‐intensity activity time (r = −0.185, p < 0.001), high‐intensity activity time (r = −0.243, p < 0.001) and total activity time (r = −0.256, p < 0.001). Patients with insufficient activity (<150 min/week) and sedentary behaviour (≥420 min/day) were found to have 2.829 times higher risk of frailty than those with sufficient activity (≥150 min/week) and no sedentary behaviour (<420 min/day) (95% CI: 1.380, 5.799).

Conclusion

Patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis who exhibited frailty demonstrated limited physical activity and engaged in sedentary behaviours.

No patient or public contribution

Patients with hepatitis B cirrhosis contributed their data to the study.
“Fin‐tastic Fish Science”: Using a comic book to disseminate and enhance science literacy
Authors: Wayne C. Rose , Kaller Michael D. , Wischusen William E. , Maruska Karen P.
Published: December 2023

The need for more interaction between scientists and the public is widely recognized. If we want the public to support science, we need to effectively convey its nature and benefits. Science outreach can help reverse negative attitudes, spark curiosity and enthusiasm, and encourage communities to support science. Better communication tools than traditional texts are needed to increase positive attitudes toward science, which may lead to more self‐motivated engagement with science in the future. The unique language of comics has the potential to portray abstract scientific concepts more easily than just words. Here we report findings from an assessment of how a science comic can affect student learning and attitudes toward engaging with science, compared to more traditional written texts, a journal article, and popular science summary. We used a pre‐ and post‐reading questionnaire to measure learning gains and attitudes toward science engagement. Students who read the comic have the highest learning gain, equivalent to a journal publication, and see the most positive changes in attitude toward engagement with science. Our findings suggest that science comics could be a highly effective form of communication and outreach among the public.
Monolithic FE2 approach for the thermomechanical modeling of beam structures
Authors: Klarmann Simon , Gebhart Philipp , Wallmersperger Thomas , Klinkel Sven
Published: December 2023

In the present contribution, the FE2 scheme for beam elements is extended to thermomechanically coupled problems. Beam elements have the advantage of drastically reducing the number of degrees of freedom compared to solid elements. However, the major challenge in modeling structures with beam elements lies in developing sophisticated non‐linear beam material models. This drawback resides in the fact that these elements require effective cross‐sectional properties involving material and geometric properties. The FE2 method, combined with a homogenization scheme based on the Hill‐Mandel condition, solves this problem. Within this scheme, homogenization of a representative volume element (RVE) on the mesoscopic scale provides effective cross‐sectional properties for the macroscopic scale. This homogenization procedure allows the consideration of non‐linear material formulations and cross‐sectional deformation within the analysis of a beam structure. The applicability of such a FE2 scheme for purely mechanical problems was already shown. In the present contribution, an extension to thermomechanically coupled problems is provided. In the proposed setting, the macroscopic scale is represented by beam elements with displacement, rotation, and temperature degrees of freedom. Solid elements with displacements and temperature degrees of freedom describe the behavior of the RVE. Hence, the proposed extension solves both scales in a monolithic approach. The assumption of a steady state problem at both scales allows a focus on a consistent scale transition and a discussion about the choice of suitable boundary conditions under the assumption of beam kinematics.
Reaching the target dose with one single 131I‐mIBG administration in high‐risk neuroblastoma: The determinant impact of the primary tumour
Authors: Fiz Francesco , Cirone Alessio , Righi Sergio , Massollo Michela , Amoroso Loredana , Bottoni Gianluca , Conte Massimo , Gambaro Monica , Massone Federico , Orengo Stefano , Bruzzone Guido Semino , Sorrentino Stefania , Garaventa Alberto , Piccardo Arnoldo
Published: December 2023

Background: 131I‐metaiodobenzylguanidine (131I‐mIBG) effectiveness in children with metastasised neuroblastoma (NB) is linked to the effective dose absorbed by the target; a target of 4 Gy whole‐body dose threshold has been proposed. Achieving this dose often requires administering 131I‐mIBG twice back‐to‐back, which may cause haematological toxicity. In this study, we tried identifying the factors predicting the achievement of 4 Gy whole‐body dose with a single radiopharmaceutical administration.

Materials and methods: Children affected by metastatic NB and treated with a high 131I‐mIBG activity (>450 MBq (megabecquerel)/kg) were evaluated retrospectively. Kinetics measurements were carried out at multiple time points to estimate the whole‐body dose, which was compared with clinical and activity‐related parameters.

Results: Seventeen children (12 females, median age 3 years, age range: 1.5–6.9 years) were included. Eleven of them still bore the primary tumour. The median whole‐body dose was 2.88 Gy (range: 1.63–4.22 Gy). Children with a ‘bulky’ primary (>30 mL) received a higher whole‐body dose than those with smaller or surgically removed primaries (3.42 ± 0.74 vs. 2.48 ± 0.65 Gy, respectively, p = .016). Conversely, the correlation between activity/kg and the whole‐body dose was moderate (R: 0.42, p = .093). In the multivariate analysis, the volume of the primary tumour was the most relevant predictor of the whole‐body dose (p = .002).

Conclusions: These data suggest that the presence of a bulky primary tumour can significantly prolong the 131I‐mIBG biological half‐life, effectively increasing the absorbed whole‐body dose. This information could be used to model the administered activity, allowing to attain the target dose without needing a two‐step radiopharmaceutical administration.
Effect of recycled fibers and shredded intermediates variation on the mechanical properties and energy absorption of fiber‐reinforced composite panels
Authors: Vaidya Uday , Fono Tamo Romeo Sephyrin , Chahine Georges , Hiremath Nitilaksha , Ozcan Soydan , Unser John , Holmes Jay
Published: December 2023

The global composite industry generates large quantities of waste which mostly ends up in landfills due to a lack of established end‐use applications for multiple waste streams. The scrap from end‐of‐life (EoL) includes manufacturing waste such as dry chopped fiber tows, loose fibers, shredded fibers from fabric textile operations, cured/semi‐cured prepregs, and fully cured composite structure waste from aircraft, automobiles, wind blades, boats, and pressure vessels. In this work, different composite waste streams were reduced to shredded intermediates, followed by simple blending, and subjected to wet compression molding to produce composite panels. The panels/plaques were tested for mechanical properties (flexure and impact), fiber‐matrix wet‐out, and property bounds. It was found that wet‐compression molding was a viable and scale‐able approach to produce recycled panels from EoL composites shredded scrap. Furthermore, full‐scale size panels for use in truck bodies and intermodal shipping container flooring were manufactured and their impact resistance was tested using a drop weight impact test. They were tested both for high‐ and low‐velocity load. In the case of high‐velocity load, the average impact load was 14,673 N; the average absorbed energy was 101.6 J; the average elastic energy was 11.7 J and the impact resistance was 1065 J/m. In the case of the low‐velocity drop weight impact test, it was found that the average impact load was 7877.358 N; the average absorbed energy was 9.718 J; the average elastic energy was 9.14 J, and the impact resistance was 184.1 J/m. The shredded composite was shown to be a candidate material for the manufacture of truck bodies and intermodal containers’ flooring panels.

Highlights

By using shredded intermediates from different composite waste streams, it is possible to manufacture composite panels.

Wet–compression process is an appropriate technique for manufacturing recycled fiber composite panels.

Regardless of the source of scrap, the mechanical properties of the produced composite panels were improved.

The recycling process technology can be transformed to commercial scale to produce full‐size transportation flooring panels.

A product pathway is established in consideration of lower cost and improved recyclability.
Highly thermally conductive electrically insulating composites composed of core–shell structure fiber boron nitride@titanium dioxide filler
Authors: Yang Kailun , Feng Yu , Liang Liang , Zhang Zhonghua , Chen Xuesong , Chen Qingguo
Published: December 2023

With the increasing integration and power density of electronic and electrical equipment, highly thermally conductive insulating materials have a wide range of application scenarios. In this paper, a novel core–shell structure fiber thermal conductive filler hexagonal boron nitride@anatase titanium dioxide (h‐BN@AT) has been prepared by electrospinning technology first. The h‐BN@AT/epoxy resin (EP) thermally conductive and insulating composite was prepared by hot pressing. When the filler content was 30 wt%, the optimal thermal conductivity (λ) of h‐BN@AT/EP composite was 7.62 W/(m·K) (in‐plane) and 0.76 W/(m·K) (out‐of‐plane), which were 3088% and 324% higher than EP. The incorporation of high aspect ratio core–shell structural fibers significantly improves the efficiency of thermal conduction (TC) pathways formation within the composite. Moreover, the utilization of one‐dimensional (1‐D) anatase titanium dioxide fiber (ATO) and two‐dimensional (2‐D) boron nitride (h‐BN) establishes a multi‐level TC channel in EP, significantly increasing the λ of the composite. Notably, the composite retains outstanding insulation properties. The innovative core–shell structural fibers filler developed in this study provides a feasible method for producing thermal conductivity insulating materials.

Highlights

A new type of core–shell structure h‐BN@AT fiber filler is designed.

High thermal conductivity insulating composite h‐BN@AT/EP are prepared by hot pressing.

h‐BN@AT can effectively improve the thermal conductivity of composite to ensure good electrical properties.

The effect of h‐BN content in h‐BN@AT filler on the properties of the composite was obtained.

The superiority of h‐BN@AT in heat conduction is verified by the classical heat conduction model and simulation.
Aramid nanofiber‐reinforced poly(lactic acid) nanocomposites with enhanced thermal stability, melt‐crystallization rates, and mechanical toughness
Authors: Kim Seok‐Ju , Eom Tae‐Gyeong , Seo Minyoung , Song Young‐Gi , Tang Feng , Park Jin‐Hyeok , Jeong Young Gyu
Published: December 2023

The main goal of this study is to investigate the impact of aramid nanofiber (ANF) on enhancing various properties of poly(lactic acid) (PLA), including thermal stability, crystallization rates, melt‐rheological behavior, and mechanical properties. To achieve this, ANF fillers were produced using a modified deprotonation process from commercial aramid fibers, and a masterbatch (PLA/ANF = 90/10 by wt%) was prepared through solution blending and drying. The masterbatch was then combined with neat PLA through melt‐blending to create a range of PLA nanocomposites containing 1–10 wt% ANF loadings. Microscopic and spectroscopic analyses confirmed the uniform dispersion and intermolecular interaction of ANFs within the PLA matrix, respectively. As a result, the nanocomposites exhibited a slight increase in glass transition temperature with higher ANF loading, while the cold‐crystallization temperature decreased due to ANFs acting as nucleating agents during PLA crystallization. Isothermal crystallization analysis confirmed accelerated melt‐crystallization rates in nanocomposites with greater ANF content. The introduction of ANFs enhanced the thermal degradation temperature of the PLA matrix and the 700°C residue of the nanocomposites, attributed to ANFs' barrier and flame retardant effects on PLA. Moreover, the nanocomposites with higher ANF loading demonstrated superior tensile strength, strain at break, toughness, and impact strength owing to the effective bonding interactions at the interfaces between the PLA matrix and the ANF fillers.

Highlights

ANF‐reinforced PLA nanocomposites are prepared by masterbatch melt‐compounding.

Uniform dispersion of ANFs in PLA is attained via effective interfacial bonding.

ANFs boost the melt‐crystallization of the PLA matrix.

ANFs enhance the thermal stability of the PLA matrix.

Tensile strength and toughness of PLA are improved with higher ANF content.
Icariside II prevents kidney fibrosis development in chronic kidney disease by promoting fatty acid oxidation
Authors: Wang Meng , Wang Jing , Wang Lingchen , Feng Xiaoxuan , Qian Yiling , Ye Chaoyang , Wang Chen
Published: December 2023

Renal interstitial fibrosis (RIF) is the main pathological basis for the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD), however, effective interventions are limited. Here, we investigated the effect of Icariside II (ICA‐II) on RIF and explored the underlying mechanisms. Rats receiving 5/6 ablation and infarction (A/I) surgery were gavaged with ICA‐II (5 or 10 mg/kg) for 8 weeks. In vitro, TGF‐β1‐stimulated NRK‐52E cells were treated with ICA‐II and (or) oleic acid, etomoxir, ranolazine, fenofibrate, and GW6471. The effects of ICA‐II on RIF, fatty acid oxidation, lipid deposition, and mitochondrial function were determined by immunoblotting, Oil red O staining, colorimetric, and fluorometric assays. Using adeno‐associated virus injection and co‐culture methods, we further determined mechanisms of ICA‐II anti‐RIF. ICA‐II ameliorated the fibrotic responses in vivo and in vitro. RNA‐seq analysis indicated that ICA‐II regulated fatty acid degradation and PPAR pathway in 5/6 (A/I) kidneys. ICA‐II attenuated lipid accumulation and up‐regulated expression of PPARα, CPT‐1α, Acaa2, and Acadsb proteins in vivo and in vitro. Compared to ICA‐II treatment, ICA‐II combined with Etomoxir exacerbated mitochondrial dysfunction and fibrotic responses in TGF‐β‐treated NRK‐52E cells. Importantly, we determined that ICA‐II improved lipid metabolism, fatty acid oxidation, mitochondrial function, and RIF by restoring PPARα. Co‐culture revealed that ICA‐II decreased the expression of Fibronectin, Collagen‐I, α‐SMA, and PCNA proteins in NRK‐49F cells by restoring PPARα of renal tubular cells. ICA‐II may serve as a promising therapeutic agent for RIF in 5/6 (A/I) rats, which may be important for the prevention and treatment of CKD.
An unsupervised subdomain adversarial network for remaining useful life estimation under various conditions
Authors: Wen Zhenfei , Lyu Yi , Chen Aiguo
Published: December 2023

Domain adaptation is a transfer learning method that is widely applied for remaining useful life (RUL) prediction under different operating conditions. However, current RUL prediction methods based on domain adaptation only consider minimizing degradation feature differences, while ignoring the correlation between features and labels, which may result in significant errors in the mapping relationship between the two learned by the model, and thus reduce the accuracy of prediction. To address this issue, this paper proposes an unsupervised subdomain adversarial network (USDAN) for RUL estimation under various conditions. On the basis of traditional domain adversarial adaptation networks, the network uses temporal convolutional networks to construct the feature extractor to learn the long‐term dependencies between degradation data, and a multilinear conditioning scheme is designed to combine the features and subdomain labels as input features to the domain discriminator. Finally, with backpropagation and gradient reversal, the feature extractor is prompted to generate cross‐domain invariant features that are correlated with the labels, improving the prediction accuracy and enhancing the transferability of the network. In the experimental section, the public turbofan engine degradation dataset is used to validate the effectiveness of the network, and the comparison with other approaches demonstrates its advantages.
Design of shifting state‐feedback controllers for constrained feedback linearized systems: Application to quadrotor attitude control
Authors: Ruiz Adrián , Rotondo Damiano , Morcego Bernardo
Published: December 2023

This paper proposes a shifting feedback linearization controller for nonlinear systems under input saturation. The suggested approach for determining a linear parameter‐varying (LPV) state‐feedback controller is based on employing a linear matrix inequality (LMI)‐based methodology, the input‐output feedback linearization approach, and the shifting paradigm concept. The resultant controller deals with a full linearized version of the nonlinear system under state‐dependent input constraints, and it modifies the closed‐loop convergence speed of the system in accordance with changes in the system's region of linearity. The proposed approach is validated by means of an experimental example.
ZnO2‐Based Carbon Composite Doped with Sulphur for the Removal of Highly Toxic Thiamethoxam from Wastewater
Authors: Kumar Shrawan , Yadav Sachin , Gupta Harshit , Varathan Ezhilselvi , Gautam Arvind , Singh Nahar
Published: December 2023

The ongoing exponential increase in population intensifies the overexploitation of food, water, energy, and other resources. Overcoming the problem has emerged as a tedious task, and the most probable solution seems to be upgradation in agricultural practices. To achieve a superior quality harvest with maximum yield, synthetic herbicides, insecticides, weedicides, and pesticides have been extensively developed and employed. These pesticides generally wash down to the water bodies, polluting the water and causing serious health issues for human, animal, and aquatic lives. The suggested study uses a zinc peroxide (ZnO2) based carbon composite doped with sulphur adsorbent to remove the very hazardous pesticide thiamethoxam (TMX) from the contaminated water in a cost‐effective and efficient manner. In an acidic environment, a remarkable removal efficiency of 99.5 % is achieved at pH levels 1–3. Additionally, at pH level 11, an impressive removal rate of 96.4 % is obtained. Furthermore, this composite material exhibits a high adsorption capacity of 142.86 mg/g. The batch studies experiments revealed that the adsorption of TMX. complied with the Langmuir isotherm model and demonstrated Pseudo‐second order kinetics. The adsorbent eco‐friendly and effective, can be prepared easily, is ecologically friendly, and does not cause any sort of secondary pollution. The present work has high potential to take the science of water purification to the next step further.
Development of Carbon Dots Synthesized from Green Tea and Alpha‐hydroxyl Acids with Enhanced Antioxidant Activity, Photostability and UV Protection Properties
Authors: Nuntahirun Pattaraporn , Hanchaina Rattanavinan , Ratchatacharoensak Arsikan , Supjaroenpisan Monthakarn , Suptawornkul Siriwas , Wang Yao , Kangsamaksin Thaned , Paoprasert Peerasak
Published: December 2023

The exhaustion of the ozone layer in the atmosphere has caused an escalation of dangerous UV radiation penetrating the earth's surface. Reactive oxygen species generated under UV exposure through photocatalytic reactions can lead to severe skin health risks, such as skin cancer and premature aging. Although chemical sunscreens are widely used for protection against UV radiation, their long‐term use poses safety concerns and causes environmental damage. In this regard, we have developed carbon dots (CDs) with excellent UV absorption along with extraordinary antioxidant activity, photostability, and biocompatibility from green tea as the main precursor and alpha‐hydroxy acids (AHA) as the co‐precursors, including gluconic acid (GA), citric acid (CA), and tartaric acid (TA). All CDs have a strong UV absorption, especially in the UVB and UVC regions, with G‐CDs having the highest UV absorption. The G‐CDs also have the highest antioxidant activity, which is also higher than that of their parent green tea, AHAs, and ascorbic acid, a well‐known antioxidant. The photostability and cell viability of the G‐CDs were also excellent. The potential of G‐CDs as multifunctional materials makes them a promising candidate for cosmetic applications, particularly for their ability to absorb UV radiation with exceptionally high antioxidant activity, photostability, and biocompatibility.
Thiazole Heterocycle: An Incredible and Potential Scaffold in Drug Discovery and Development of Antitubercular Agents
Authors: Bhanwala Neeru , Gupta Vaibhav , Chandrakar Lokesh , Khatik Gopal L.
Published: December 2023

In 2020, 15 million people were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), and 2.4 million died. Additionally, the TB situation is worse with multidrug resistance (MDR) and extended‐drug resistance (XDR)‐TB. Research into innovative anti‐tubercular drugs with improved MDR‐TB activity, lower toxicity, and shorter therapy duration is crucial for solving this issue. Fortunately, numerous novel potential anti‐tubercular candidates are currently under clinical trials. Most of these candidates have five‐membered rings and are most likely effective against sensitive and resistant strains. This review discusses current developments in the five‐membered heterocyclic thiazole ring, emphasizing its anti‐tubercular properties, toxicity, structure‐activity relationship, and mechanism of action. Thiazole ring has a wide range of biological activities and thus gained much synthetic interest. Due to the popularity of thiazole as an anti‐tubercular moiety, it combined with other medicinally active chemical functionality and nuclei to design and synthesize novel hybrid analogues with maximum activity and minimal toxicity. In this review we have done the literature survey of the past 10 years, and compiled the structural and functional studies of thiazole as an anti‐tubercular agent with its potent chemical entities showing prominent pharmacological action.
Synthesis of Tamarind Gum and Poly (N‐isopropyl acrylamide)‐based Copolymer through Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization for Dual‐responsive Release Study
Authors: Karmakar Puja Das , Pal Aniruddha
Published: December 2023

Over the past decades, thermoresponsive polymers are attracted much scientific attention and can be widely used in a wide range of applications. Synthesis of polymers throughCfunctionalization of polysaccharide using synthetic materials paves the way for producing much desirable natural biopolymer‐based copolymers. Therefore, this study reported about synthesis of thermo and pH‐responsive polymers, based on tamarind kernel polysaccharide (TKP) and poly (N‐isopropyl acrylamide) (pNIPAM) through atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) with controlled polymer chain length. The chemical structure and surface morphology have been investigated by different characterization techniques. Lower Critical Solution Temperature (LCST) confirmed the thermo‐responsive nature of the copolymer. The self‐aggregation among the polymer chains was found above LCST (34 °C). Rheological characterizations suggested that our prepared copolymers are non‐Newtonian shear thinning in nature. Finally, the developed material shows worthy efficacy towards the thermo‐responsive release of encapsulated dye at pH 7.4 (53 % and 65 % at 37 °C and 25 °C, respectively) suggesting that our prepared material could be a good candidate for therapeutic release in tissue engineering application.
Low‐Temperature Vapor‐Phase Growth of 2D Metal Chalcogenides
Authors: Zhang Kenan , Zhang Tianyi , You Jiawen , Zheng Xudong , Zhao Mei , Zhang Lijie , Kong Jing , Luo Zhengtang , Huang Shaoming
Published: December 2023

2D metal chalcogenides (MCs) have garnered significant attention from both scientific and industrial communities due to their potential in developing next‐generation functional devices. Vapor‐phase deposition methods have proven highly effective in fabricating high‐quality 2D MCs. Nevertheless, the conventionally high thermal budgets required for synthesizing 2D MCs pose limitations, particularly in the integration of multiple components and in specialized applications (such as flexible electronics). To overcome these challenges, it is desirable to reduce the thermal energy requirements, thus facilitating the growth of various 2D MCs at lower temperatures. Numerous endeavors have been undertaken to develop low‐temperature vapor‐phase growth techniques for 2D MCs, and this review aims to provide an overview of the latest advances in low‐temperature vapor‐phase growth of 2D MCs. Initially, the review highlights the latest progress in achieving high‐quality 2D MCs through various low‐temperature vapor‐phase techniques, including chemical vapor deposition (CVD), metal‐organic CVD, plasma‐enhanced CVD, atomic layer deposition (ALD), etc. The strengths and current limitations of these methods are also evaluated. Subsequently, the review consolidates the diverse applications of 2D MCs grown at low temperatures, covering fields such as electronics, optoelectronics, flexible devices, and catalysis. Finally, current challenges and future research directions are briefly discussed, considering the most recent progress in the field.
Mesophilic Argonaute‐Based Single Polystyrene Sphere Aptamer Fluorescence Platform for the Multiplexed and Ultrasensitive Detection of Non‐Nucleic Acid Targets
Authors: Lu Yingying , Wen Junping , Wang Chengming , Wang Mengjiao , Jiang Feng , Miao Lin , Xu Minggao , Li Yingjun , Chen Xiaohua , Chen Yiping
Published: December 2023

The rapid, simultaneous, and accurate identification of multiple non‐nucleic acid targets in clinical or food samples at room temperature is essential for public health. Argonautes (Agos) are guided, programmable, target‐activated, next‐generation nucleic acid endonucleases that could realize one‐pot and multiplexed detection using a single enzyme, which cannot be achieved with CRISPR/Cas. However, currently reported thermophilic Ago‐based multi‐detection sensors are mainly employed in the detection of nucleic acids. Herein, this work proposes a Mesophilic Argonaute Report‐based single millimeter Polystyrene Sphere (MARPS) multiplex detection platform for the simultaneous analysis of non‐nucleic acid targets. The aptamer is utilized as the recognition element, and a single millimeter‐sized polystyrene sphere (PSmm) with a large concentration of guide DNA on the surface served as the microreactor. These are combined with precise Clostridium butyricum Ago (CbAgo) cleavage and exonuclease I (Exo I) signal amplification to achieve the efficient and sensitive recognition of non‐nucleic acid targets, such as mycotoxins (<60 pg mL−1) and pathogenic bacteria (<102 cfu mL−1). The novel MARPS platform is the first to use mesophilic Agos for the multiplex detection of non‐nucleic acid targets, overcoming the limitations of CRISPR/Cas in this regard and representing a major advancement in non‐nucleic acid target detection using a gene‐editing‐based system.
Constitutive Modeling for Flow Stress and Processing Maps of a 0.2C–2.0Mn–0.5Cr Microalloyed Steel
Authors: Feng Yijie , Zhang Ning , Zhang Jiamin , Wang Zhilin , Zhao Haidong , Gao Xing , Jiang Bo
Published: December 2023

Low‐carbon microalloyed steel with the microstructure of bainite is frequently utilized to produce automotive parts. The systematic investigation of the hot deformation behavior can serve as a reference for the optimization of deformation process parameters. The hot deformation of 0.2C–2.0Mn–0.5Cr microalloyed steel is studied. Based on the stress–strain curve, an Arrhenius model with strain compensation is established. The correlation coefficient R2 and the average absolute relative error calculated according to this model are 0.962 and 4.871%. The microstructure evolution at the strain of 0.90 is studied. In the stable region with substantial power dissipation, the microstructure is uniformly fine. The strain rate is high in the stable region with low‐power dissipation, and the room‐temperature microstructure after deformation retains a large amount of deformation storage energy and fine substructures. During deformation, the banded structures are formed in the instable region. The difference in dislocation density between the band structure and the nearby regions promotes the formation of necklace microstructures. Therefore, the 0.2C–2.0Mn–0.5Cr microalloyed steel has an ideal deformation process window in the range of a hot deformation temperature of 880–920 °C and a strain rate of 0.1–0.3 s−1.
Photocatalytic Enhancement Strategy with the Introduction of Metallic Bi: A Review on Bi/Semiconductor Photocatalysts
Authors: Song Yankai , Bao Zongqi , Gu Yingying
Published: December 2023

Semiconductor photocatalysis has great potential in the fields of solar fuel production and environmental remediation. Nevertheless, the photocatalytic efficiency still constrains its practical production applications. The development of new semiconductor materials is essential to enhance the solar energy conversion efficiency of photocatalytic systems. Recently, the research on enhancing the photocatalytic performance of semiconductors by introducing bismuth (Bi) has attracted widespread attention. In this review, we briefly overview the main synthesis methods of Bi/semiconductor photocatalysts and summarize the control of the micromorphology of Bi in Bi/semiconductors and the key role of Bi in the catalytic system. In addition, the promising applications of Bi/semiconductors in photocatalysis, such as pollutant degradation, sterilization, water separation, CO2 reduction, and N2 fixation, are outlined. Finally, an outlook on the challenges and future research directions of Bi/semiconductor photocatalysts is given. We aim to offer guidance for the rational design and synthesis of high‐efficiency Bi/semiconductor photocatalysts for energy and environmental applications.
At the Crossroads of History: The Cohabitation of Past and Present in Kettly Mars’s L’Ange du patriarche
Authors: Sapp Robert
Published: December 2023

In her seminal work Framing Silence: Revolutionary Novels by Haitian Women (1997), Myriam J. A. Chancy posits that Haitian women writers offer a feminized version of Haitian history where fiction serves as a conduit for historical discourse that too often silences women. Similarly, Kettly Mars’s L’ange du patriarche (2018) shifts the emphasis of the Bois-Caïman ceremony from Boukman to the lesser-known woman said to have assisted at the ritual. In the novel, the spirit of Marinette pye chèch, a vengeful lwa believed to have been the woman who slaughtered the black pig at the Bois-Caïman ceremony, haunts the family of the protagonist Emmanuela. Through a close reading of Emmanuela’s reluctant engagement with the spirits that haunt her family, this chapter argues that Mars develops a notion of cohabitation, a willingness to stand at the crossroads of the empirical and the mythical in order to transcend the presumed binaries of past and present. Through Emmanuela, Mars offers a praxis by which one might live with the ghosts of the past, to bring their voices to life, without being dominated by them: a skeptical acceptance of events like the Bois-Caïman ceremony that individuals may simultaneously doubt and accept as truth.
Chronotropic Visions: Conclusion
Authors: Ferly Odile , Zimmerman Tegan
Published: December 2023

The twenty-first-century Caribbean women writers featured in Chronotropics: Caribbean Women Writing Spacetime deconstruct androcentric approaches to spacetime inherited from Western modernity. They turn to autochthonous ontologies and epistemologies to restore a temporal connection and expand conceptions of space within and beyond the region. They promote social justice and collective healing through literary acts of archival disruption, radical remapping, and epistemic marronnage. We name this the chronotropics. Julia Alvarez, Yolanda Arroyo Pizarro, Vashti Bowlah, Dionne Brand, Erna Brodber, Maryse Condé, Nalo Hopkinson, Rita Indiana, Fabienne Kanor, Karen Lord, Kettly Mars, Pauline Melville, Mayra Montero, Shani Mootoo, Elizabeth Nunez, Ingrid Persaud, Gisèle Pineau, Krystal M. Ramroop, and Mayra Santos Febres intend to repair the present and envision a positive, sustainable future within the Caribbean and its diaspora. They redress the colonial archive and its systemic practice of exclusion, recuperate the old ways of knowing and doing as a means toward remapping spacetime, or engage with other forms of marronnage intimately connected to belief and knowledge systems, in particular spirituality and science. Their literary trajectories and the plurality of their political engagements concord in expressing chronotropic visions that foreground women’s lives and voices in concert with, not in opposition to, the natural-spiritual worlds that we inhabit.
Past Histories and Present Realities: The Paradox of Time and the Ritual of Performance in Mayra Santos Febres’ Fe en disfraz
Authors: Roberts Nicole
Published: December 2023

In her short historical novel Fe en disfraz (2009), Mayra Santos Febres uses re/presentations of time to re-invoke historical memory and to illuminate the ways in which black women’s lives were eclipsed from the Puerto Rican landscape. The novel offers a bold examination of the consequences of sexual exploitation and abuse on black women during enslavement, a topic which is under-explored in Puerto Rican and Latin American narrative. The intersection between the past and present that occurs through the unraveling of the narrator Fe’s life story reveals how the historical forces that shaped the lives of enslaved women continue to echo across time for contemporary black women. The treatment of time and the questioning of historical archives in the text both question and disrupt the official accounts of history: for instance, the intermittence of Santos Febres’ reconstructed historiography, which appears as a handful of short vignettes disseminated throughout the text, highlights the ways in which official stories have silenced black women’s lives. Countering this erasure, Santos Febres’ text anchors the black female body, depicting it as a site of cultural inscription and resilience.
A Site of Memory: Revisiting (in) Gisèle Pineau’s Mes quatre femmes
Authors: Larrier Renée
Published: December 2023

Gisèle Pineau’s Mes quatre femmes: récit (2007) is set in a “geôle obscure de la mémoire,” where different generations of the author’s female relatives are confined. Contrary to the reader’s expectations, however, this memory jail functions as a welcoming, nurturing, womb-like space, as conceptualized by Betty Wilson. Scenes from the past are revisioned and at times, reenacted, as Pineau’s eighteenth-century ancestor Angélique, grandmother Julia, mother Daisy, and aunt Gisèle, after whom Pineau is named, tell stories, all the while imparting knowledge about how they navigated enslavement, colonialism, migration, and patriarchy with various degrees of success during a time when Guadeloupean society and history marginalized them and their experiences. These embodiments of memory remain within her and provide models of behavior for shaping her own identity. In this chapter, I analyze this “geôle obscure de la mémoire”—a veritable site of memory that produces an alternative, oral archive—focusing on the role, dynamic, and storytelling gifts of its inhabitants. I argue that the collective presence of these four women in this atypical spatio-temporal landscape not only haunts their descendant Gisèle in a positive way, but their oral storytelling skills anticipate and inform her own talent for writing.