bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PEI‐PLGA nanoparticles significantly enhanced the immunogenicity of IsdB137‐361 proteins from Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Wang Beiyan , Dong Yazun , Cen Yuwei , Chen Shujie , Wen Xue , Liu Kaiyue , Wu Shuangshuang , Yu Liquan , Yu Yongzhong , Zhu Zhanbo , Ma Jinzhu , Song Baifen , Cui Yudong
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Staphylococcus aureus seriously threatens human and animal health. IsdB137‐361 of the iron surface determinant B protein (IsdB) from S. aureus exhibits the strong immunogenicity, but its immunoprotective effect is still to be further promoted. Because PEI‐PLGA nanoparticles are generated by PEI conjugate with PLGA to develop great potential as a novel immune adjuvant, the immunogenicity of IsdB137‐361 is likely be strengthened by PEI‐PLGA.

Methods

Here, PEI‐PLGA nanoparticles containing IsdB137‐361 proteins were prepared by optimizing the entrapment efficiency. Mice were immunized with IsdB137‐361‐PEI‐PLGA nanoparticles to assess their anti‐S. aureus effects. The level of IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐17, and IL‐10 cytokines from spleen lymphocytes in mice and generation of the antibodies against IsdB137‐361 in serum was assessed by ELISA, the protective immune response was appraised by S. aureus challenge.

Results

IsdB137‐361 proteins loaded by PEI‐PLGA were able to stimulate effectively the proliferation of spleen lymphocytes and increase the secretion of IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐17, and IL‐10 cytokine from spleen lymphocytes, and significantly enhance generation of the antibodies against IsdB137‐361 in serum, reduce the level of bacterial load in liver, spleen and kidney, and greatly improve the survival rate of mice after challenge.

Conclusion

These data showed that PEI‐PLGA nanoparticles can significantly enhance the immunogenicity of IsdB137‐361 proteins, and provide an important reference for the development of novel immune adjuvant.
On the dynamic effects of the cross‐section distribution of sectoral price changes in China
Authors: Gu Biao , Fu Liying , Yu Kehuan
Published: July 2023

This paper investigates the dynamic interactions of the cross‐section distribution of sectoral price changes and the output growth in the Chinese economy. We compare in depth the results of Granger causality tests, Impulse Response, and Forecast Error Variance Decompositions from Mixed Sampling Frequency Vector Autoregression (MFVAR) with those from common frequency vector autoregression (VAR). It shows that potential causalities for inflation, relative price variability, relative price skewness, and output growth can be successfully detected by the MFVAR. The cross‐section distribution of sectoral price changes stands to be a fundamental determinant of fluctuations in the aggregate economy, not only in the short run but also in the long run. Moreover, the empirical results are robust to the identification restrictions imposed as well as to alternative measures for model variables. Our findings are in line with the predictions of a standard sticky‐price model, and thus pricing frictions are important factors behind the short‐run nonneutrality of nominal shocks. We highlight the primacy of the information contained in the higher‐order moments of cross‐section distribution of sectoral price changes. We propose that policy authorities should make proper use of all of the valuable information available, particularly those embodied in the distribution of sectoral prices.
Imaging inside highly scattering media using hybrid deep learning and analytical algorithm
Authors: Wiesel Ben , Arnon Shlomi
Published: July 2023

Imaging through highly scattering media is a challenging problem with numerous applications in biomedical and remote‐sensing fields. Existing methods that use analytical or deep learning tools are limited by simplified forward models or a requirement for prior physical knowledge, resulting in blurry images or a need for large training databases. To address these limitations, we propose a hybrid scheme called Hybrid‐DOT that combines analytically derived image estimates with a deep learning network. Our analysis demonstrates that Hybrid‐DOT outperforms a state‐of‐the‐art ToF‐DOT algorithm by improving the PSNR ratio by 4.6 dB and reducing the resolution by a factor of 2.5. Furthermore, when compared to a deep learning stand‐alone model, Hybrid‐DOT achieves a 0.8 dB increase in PSNR, 1.5 times the resolution, and a significant reduction in the required dataset size (factor of 1.6–3). The proposed model remains effective at higher depths, providing similar improvements for up to 160 mean‐free paths.
Association of intrinsic capacity with incidence and mortality of cardiovascular disease: Prospective study in UK Biobank
Authors: Ramírez‐Vélez Robinson , Iriarte‐Fernández Maria , Santafé Guzman , Malanda Armando , Beard John R. , Garcia‐Hermoso Antonio , Izquierdo Mikel
Published: July 2023

Background

The World Health Organization proposed the concept of intrinsic capacity (IC; the composite of all the physical and mental capacities of the individual) as central for healthy ageing. However, little research has investigated the interaction and joint associations of IC with cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence and CVD mortality in middle‐ and older‐aged adults.

Methods

Using data from 443 130 UK Biobank participants, we analysed seven biomarkers capturing the level of functioning of five domains of IC to calculate a total IC score (ranging from 0 [better IC] to +4 points [poor IC]). Associations between IC score and incidence of six long‐term CVD conditions (hypertension, stroke/transient ischaemic attack stroke, peripheral vascular disease, atrial fibrillation/flutter, coronary artery disease and heart failure), and grouped mortality from these conditions were estimated using Cox proportional models, with a 1‐year landmark analysis to triangulate the findings.

Results

Over 10.6 years of follow‐up, CVD morbidity grouped (n = 384 380 participants for the final analytic sample) was associated with IC scores (0 to +4): mean hazard ratio (HR) [95% confidence interval, CI] 1.11 [1.08–1.14], 1.20 [1.16–1.24], 1.29 [1.23–1.36] and 1.56 [1.45–1.59] in men (C‐index = 0.68), and 1.17 [1.13–1.20], 1.30 [1.26–1.36], 1.52 [1.45–1.59] and 1.78 [1.67–1.89] in women (C‐index = 0.70). In regard to mortality, our results indicated that the higher IC score (+4 points) was associated with a significant increase in subsequent CVD mortality (mean HR [95% CI]: 2.10 [1.81–2.43] in men [C‐index = 0.75] and 2.29 [1.85–2.84] in women [C‐index = 0.78]). Results of all sensitivity analyses by full sample, sex and age categories were largely consistent independent of major confounding factors (P < 0.001).

Conclusions

IC deficit score is a powerful predictor of functional trajectories and vulnerabilities of the individual in relation to CVD incidence and premature death. Monitoring an individual's IC score may provide an early‐warning system to initiate preventive efforts.
Prognostic impact of cachexia by multi‐assessment in older adults with heart failure: FRAGILE‐HF cohort study
Authors: Maekawa Emi , Noda Takumi , Maeda Daichi , Yamashita Masashi , Uchida Shota , Hamazaki Nobuaki , Nozaki Kohei , Saito Hiroshi , Saito Kazuya , Ogasahara Yuki , Konishi Masaaki , Kitai Takeshi , Iwata Kentaro , Jujo Kentaro , Wada Hiroshi , Kasai Takatoshi , Nagamatsu Hirofumi , Ozawa Tetsuya , Izawa Katsuya , Yamamoto Shuhei , Aizawa Naoki , Yonezawa Ryusuke , Oka Kazuhiro , Ako Junya , Momomura Shin‐ichi , Kagiyama Nobuyuki , Matsue Yuya , Kamiya Kentaro
Published: July 2023

Background

Cachexia substantially impacts the prognosis of patients with heart failure (HF); however, there is no standard method for cachexia diagnosis. This study aimed to investigate the association of Evans's criteria, consisting of multiple assessments, with the prognosis of HF in older adults.

Methods

This study is a secondary analysis of the data from the FRAGILE‐HF study, a prospective multicentre cohort study that enrolled consecutive hospitalized patients aged ≥65 years with HF. Patients were divided into two groups: the cachexia and non‐cachexia groups. Cachexia was defined according to Evans's criteria by assessing weight loss, muscle weakness, fatigue, anorexia, a decreased fat‐free mass index and an abnormal biochemical profile. The primary outcome was all‐cause mortality, as assessed in the survival analysis.

Results

Cachexia was present in 35.5% of the 1306 enrolled patients (median age [inter‐quartile range], 81 [74–86] years; 57.0% male); 59.6%, 73.2%, 15.6%, 71.0%, 44.9% and 64.6% had weight loss, decreased muscle strength, a low fat‐free mass index, abnormal biochemistry, anorexia and fatigue, respectively. All‐cause mortality occurred in 270 patients (21.0%) over 2 years. The cachexia group (hazard ratio [HR], 1.494; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.173–1.903; P = 0.001) had a higher mortality risk than the non‐cachexia group after adjusting for the severity of HF. Cardiovascular and non‐cardiovascular deaths occurred in 148 (11.3%) and 122 patients (9.3%), respectively. The adjusted HRs for cachexia in cardiovascular mortality and non‐cardiovascular mortality were 1.456 (95% CI, 1.048–2.023; P = 0.025) and 1.561 (95% CI, 1.086–2.243; P = 0.017), respectively. Among the cachexia diagnostic criteria, decreased muscle strength (HR, 1.514; 95% CI, 1.095–2.093; P = 0.012) and low fat‐free mass index (HR, 1.424; 95% CI, 1.052–1.926; P = 0.022) were significantly associated with high all‐cause mortality, but there was no significant association between weight loss alone (HR, 1.147; 95% CI, 0.895–1.471; P = 0.277) and all‐cause mortality.

Conclusions

Cachexia evaluated by multi‐assessment was present in one third of older adults with HF and was associated with a worse prognosis. A multimodal assessment of cachexia may be helpful for risk stratification in older patients with HF.
Differential recovery ability from infections by two blood parasite genera in males of a Mediterranean lacertid lizard after an experimental translocation
Authors: Megía‐Palma R. , Redondo L. , Blázquez‐Castro S. , Barrientos R.
Published: July 2023

Different blood parasites can co‐infect natural populations of lizards. However, our knowledge of the host's ability to recover from them (i.e., significantly reduce parasitemia levels) is scarce. This has interest from an ecological immunology perspective. Herein, we investigate the host recovery ability in males of the lizard Psammodromus algirus infected by parasite genera Schellackia and Karyolysus. The role of lizard hosts is dissimilar in the life cycle of these two parasites, and thus different immune control of the infections is expected by the vertebrate host. As Schellackia performs both sexual and asexual reproduction cycles in lizards, we expect a better immune control by its vertebrate hosts. On the contrary, Karyolysus performs sexual reproductive cycles in vectors, hence we expect lower immune control by the lizards. We carried out a reciprocal translocation experiment during the lizards’ mating season to evaluate both parasitemia and leukocyte profiles in male lizards, being one of the sampling plots close to a road with moderate traffic. These circumstances provide a combination of extrinsic (environmental stress) and intrinsic factors (reproductive vs. immune trade‐offs) that may influence host's recovery ability. We recaptured 33% of the lizards, with a similar proportion in control and translocated groups. Karyolysus infected 92.3% and Schellackia 38.5% of these lizards. Hosts demonstrated ability to significantly reduce parasitemia of Schellackia but not of Karyolysus. This suggests, in line with our predictions, a differential immune relationship of lizards with these parasites, at time that supports that parasites with different phylogenetic origins should be analyzed separately in investigations of their effects on hosts. Furthermore, lizards close to the road underwent a stronger upregulation of lymphocytes and monocytes when translocated far from the road, suggesting a putative greater exposure to pathogens in the latter area.
Patient satisfaction of primary care services in Gulf Cooperation Council Countries: A scoping review
Authors: Alhenaidi Abdulaziz , Al Nadabi Waleed , Al‐Haqan Asmaa , Kelender Hisham
Published: July 2023

Patient satisfaction (PS) is an essential element in evaluating and improving healthcare systems. Few studies have gathered evidence about patient satisfaction with primary care (PC) services in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Therefore, it is important to review the existing literature examining PS with PC services in the GCC countries. This scoping review was conducted for primary data studies published between 2000 to March 2022. Out of 4461 screened articles, 37 met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted in Saudi Arabia and were of cross sectional methodology. PS with primary care in the GCC is affected by multiple provider‐related and patient‐related factors and users are generally satisfied with the service provided. Future research should focus on the effects of the factors that were not explored and validate the existing results.
Study on the effect of protein lysine lactylation modification in macrophages on inhibiting periodontitis in rats
Authors: Liu Xiaochuan , Wang Jinsi , Lao Mo , Liu Fuyu , Zhu Hong , Man Kenny , Zhang Jingying
Published: July 2023

Background

Protein lysine lactylation (Kla) has been proved to be closely related to inflammatory diseases, but its role in periodontitis (PD) is unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to establish the global profiling of Kla in PD models in rats.

Methods

Clinical periodontal samples were collected, the inflammatory state of tissues was verified by H&E staining, and lactate content was detected by a lactic acid kit. Kla levels were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot. Subsequently, the rat model of PD was developed and its reliability verified by micro‐CT and H&E staining. Mass spectrometry analysis was conducted to explore the expression profile of proteins and Kla in periodontal tissues. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis were performed, and a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed. The lactylation in RAW264.7 cells was confirmed by IHC, immunofluorescence and Western blot. The relative expression levels of inflammatory factors IL‐1β, IL‐6, TNF‐α, macrophage polarization‐related factors CD86, iNOS, Arg1, and CD206 in RAW264.7 cells were detected by real time‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR).

Results

We observed substantial inflammatory cell infiltration in the PD tissues, and the lactate content and lactylation levels were significantly increased. The expression profiles of protein and Kla were obtained by mass spectrometry based on the established rat model of PD. Kla was confirmed in vitro and in vivo. After inhibiting the “writer” of lactylation P300 in RAW264.7 cells, the lactylation levels decreased, and the expression of inflammatory factors IL‐1β, IL‐6, and TNF‐α increased. Meanwhile, the levels of CD86 and iNOS increased, and Arg1 and CD206 decreased.

Conclusions

Kla may play an important role in PD, regulating the release of inflammatory factors and polarization of macrophages.
Postharvest hexanal application delays senescence and maintains quality in persimmon fruit during low‐temperature storage
Authors: Öz Ayşe Tülin , Eryol Büşra , Ali Md. Arfan
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) fruit is characterized by rapid metabolic changes following ripening, and softening occurs due to the gradual breakdown of the cell membrane by direct catabolic cascades of phospholipase D enzyme on the phospholipid bilayer. Cell membrane weakening is also enhanced by the generation of reactive oxygen species during stress conditions such as cold storage and postharvest handling. This research evaluated the postharvest hexanal dipping application on persimmon fruit storage quality.

RESULTS

The response of ‘MKÜ Harbiye’ persimmon fruit to exogenous hexanal at different concentrations (0.04% and 0.08%, named as HEX‐I and HEX‐II, respectively) on quality parameters, chilling injury (CI), microbial growth, antioxidant compounds and free radical scavenging capacity (FRSC) during storage at 0 °C and 80–90 ± 5% relative humidity for 120 days were evaluated. Both hexanal treatments retained quality and delayed senescence, as indicated by greener peel (lower a* and L* values), higher firmness, total phenol concentration, FRSC and titratable acidity, but lower weight loss, electrical conductivity, rate of CO2, ethylene production, decay and microbial growth than the control. Total soluble solids were lower in treated fruit than the control up to 100 days, and were much lower in HEX‐I treatment as compared to HEX‐II treatment. HEX‐I treatment exhibited lower CI than the other treatments during storage.

CONCLUSION

Hexanal at 0.04% could be used to increase the storage period of ‘MKÜ Harbiye’ persimmon fruit up to 120 days at 0 °C and 80–90 ± 5% relative humidity by retaining quality and delaying senescence. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
The links between knowledge management structures and national culture: A comparative study of Apple users in Italy and Brazil
Authors: Gattermann‐Perin Marcelo , Garcia‐Perez Alexeis , Cegarra‐Leiva David , Cegarra‐Navarro Juan Gabriel
Published: July 2023

Knowledge management structures (KMs) can be defined as structures whose purpose is to encourage people to build relationships, networks and trust. Global companies like Apple, Inc. have promoted these structures to transform its organisation into a knowledge‐based organisation. This paper identifies the role of national culture on four KMs namely open‐mindedness (OM), counter‐knowledge (CK), environmental innovation (EF) and customer capital (CC). In doing so, this study uses data collected from 354 end users of Apple (161 from Italy and 193 from Brazil). This paper provides evidence that while Apple end users from Brazil are more positively associated with higher levels of OM and CC, Italy users are more positively associated with higher levels of CK and EF. This paper discusses the role of the six dimensions of national culture–power distance, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long‐term orientation and indulgence of a nation that plays a significant role in how they impact the KMs. Hence, this study serves as an important contribution to global companies that are trying to develop their KMs to sustain competitive advantages.
Telecoupling indirect ecological impacts of urban expansion in China from the perspective of the food trade
Authors: Jia Qiqi , Jiao Limin , Hu Yuanchao , Lian Xihong , Tian Yuxi , Liu Xiaoping , Zhang Honghui
Published: July 2023

A comprehensive evaluation of the ecological cost of urban expansion is crucial for preventing ecosystem degradation and improving ecosystem governance. However, the indirect impacts of urban expansion through cropland displacement are grossly underestimated, particularly the spillover effects on distant regions. This study proposed a telecoupling framework for the total indirect ecological losses (TIEL) of urban expansion. It was divided into the near losses (NIEL) and distant losses (DIEL), depending on whether cropland displacement occurs inside or outside the region. An inter‐provincial network of DIEL can also be constructed by ecological impact embodied in food trade with other regions. We found that approximately 80% of urban expansion occurred on croplands, which caused indirect loss of 86,586 km2 of ecological land through cropland displacement in China during 2000–2019. The total indirect ecological losses were 8.4 times greater than direct losses at the average of all provinces. Food trade induced more serious indirect ecological losses owing to the higher yield difference between encroached cropland import regions and new cropland in export regions. The proportion of DIEL in TIEL was more than 50% in developed regions such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Jiangsu. The distant impacts of urban expansion in the eastern coastal provinces were mainly transferred to north‐eastern China and the rest of the world. This study identified the teleconnection between local urban development and distant environments and infromed inter‐regional ecological compensation policies to mitigate regional inequalities.
Systematic review: Validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy of the electrogustometer
Authors: Blijleven Esther E. , Fuchten Denise , Dullaart Max J. , Stokroos Robert J. , Thomeer Henricus G. X. M. , Wegner Inge
Published: July 2023

Objective

What are the electrogustometer's (EGM) validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy in assessing taste sensation in adults compared to other taste tests?

Data Sources

PubMed Medline, Elseviers's Embase, and the six databases of Cochrane Library.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search on December 20, 2022, consisting of synonyms for EGM. We considered randomized controlled trials and observational studies with original data for inclusion if they included adults who underwent electrogustometry. Articles were excluded if no analysis regarding validity, reliability, or diagnostic accuracy had been performed or if these analyses could not be performed with the published data.

Results

Nineteen articles discussing 18 studies were included for data extraction. The included studies carry a high risk of bias. Overall, the association between a variety of reference taste tests and EGM was moderate or weak with correlation coefficients ranging from −0.51 to 0.40 with one outlier of −0.74 found in one study correlating EGM and taste solutions. Test–retest reliability was good with reported correlation coefficients between 0.78 and 1.0. The sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV of EGM in identifying abnormal taste function varied widely between the four studies on diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusion

The included studies in this review lack the required standards regarding study design to draw firm conclusions about the validity, reliability, and diagnostic accuracy of the EGM. Future research is needed to assess these measurement properties. Based on the reported results, we would not recommend using the EGM as a screening test for taste disturbance in clinical practice.

Level of Evidence

NA.
Thermal and Rheological Properties of Fischer–Tropsch Wax/High‐Flow LLDPE Blends
Authors: Mhlabeni Thobile , Ramjee Shatish , López Jorge , Díaz‐Díaz Ana‐María , Artiaga Ramón , Focke Walter
Published: July 2023

Waxes find use as processing aids in filled compounds and polyethylene‐based masterbatches. In such applications, the thermal and physical property changes they impart to the polymer matrix are important. Therefore, this study details results obtained for blends prepared by mixing a Fischer–Tropsch (F–T) wax with a high‐flow linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE). The melting and crystallization behavior are studied using hot‐stage polarized optical microscopy (POM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The calorimetry results are consistent with partial cocrystallization of the two components. The melting and crystallization exo‐ and endotherms for the wax‐ and LLDPE‐rich phases remained separate. However, they change in shape and shift toward higher‐ and lower temperature ranges, respectively. It is found that increasing the wax content delays the crystallization, decreases the overall crystallinity, and reduces the size of the crystallites of the polyethylene‐rich phase. Rotational viscosity is measured at 170 °C in the Newtonian shear‐rate range. The variation of the zero‐shear viscosity with blend composition is consistent with the assumption of a homogeneous melt in which the chains are in an entangled state. Therefore, it is concluded that the wax and LLDPE are, in effect, miscible in the melt and partially compatible in the solid state.
Degeneration of the spectral gap with negative Robin parameter
Authors: Kielty Derek
Published: July 2023

The spectral gap of the Neumann and Dirichlet Laplacians are each known to have a sharp positive lower bound among convex domains of a given diameter. Between these cases, for each positive value of the Robin parameter, an analogous sharp lower bound on the spectral gap is conjectured. In this paper, we show that the extension of this conjecture to negative Robin parameters fails by proving that the spectral gap of double cone domains are exponentially small, for each fixed parameter value.
Lateral order on complex vector lattices and narrow operators
Authors: Dzhusoeva Nonna , Huang Jinghao , Pliev Marat , Sukochev Fedor
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we continue investigation of the lateral order on vector lattices started in [25]. We consider the complexification of a real vector lattice E and introduce the lateral order on . Our first main result asserts that the set of all fragments of an element of the complexification of an uniformly complete vector lattice E is a Boolean algebra. Then, we study narrow operators defined on the complexification of a vector lattice E, extending the results of articles [22, 27, 28] to the setting of operators defined on complex vector lattices. We prove that every order‐to‐norm continuous linear operator from the complexification of an atomless Dedekind complete vector lattice E to a finite‐dimensional Banach space X is strictly narrow. Then, we prove that every C‐compact order‐to‐norm continuous linear operator from to a Banach space X is narrow. We also show that every regular order‐no‐norm continuous linear operator from to a complex Banach lattice is narrow. Finally, in the last part of the paper we investigate narrow operators taking values in symmetric ideals of compact operators.
Dynamics of nonlinear Reissner–Mindlin–Timoshenko plate systems
Authors: Feng B. , Freitas M. M. , Costa A. L. C. , Santos M. L.
Published: July 2023

The problem of Reissner–Mindlin–Timoshenko plate systems with nonlinear damping terms is considered. The main result is the existence of global attractors. By showing the system is gradient and asymptotic smoothness via a stabilizability inequality, we establish the existence of global attractors with finite fractal dimension. The continuity of global attractors regarding the parameter in a residual dense set is also proved. The above results allow the damping terms with polynomial growth.
Controlled Ring Opening Metathesis Polymerization of a New Monomer: On Switching the Solvent—Water‐Soluble Homopolymers to Degradable Copolymers
Authors: Mandal Ankita , Pal Subhajit , Kilbinger Andreas F. M.
Published: July 2023

A new heterocyclic monomer is developed via simple Diels–Alder reaction which is reluctant to polymerize in dichloromethane (DCM) whereas undergoes facile polymerization in tetrahydrofuran with excellent control over molecular weight (Mn) and dispersities (Đ) using Grubbs' third generation catalyst (G3). The deprotection of the tert‐butoxycarbonyl group from the polymeric backbone yielded a water‐soluble ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) polymer easily. Moreover, in DCM this new monomer copolymerizes with 2,3‐dihydrofuran under catalytic living ROMP conditions to give backbone degradable polymers. All the synthesized polymers are characterized by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It is believed that this new route to water soluble ROMP homopolymers as well as the cost‐effective and environmentally friendly route to degradable copolymers and block‐copolymers could find applications in biomedicine in the near future.
Stable transition layer for the Allen–Cahn equation when the spatial inhomogeneity vanishes on a nonsmooth hypersurface in ℝn
Authors: Sônego Maicon , Biesdorf João
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we consider an inhomogeneous Allen–Cahn problem

where
(
) is a bounded set with smooth boundary and
is a non‐negative Lipschitz‐continuous function in
. Let
be an
‐dimensional hypersurface that divides
into two disjoints components
(
) such that
on
and
in
. Using the variational concept of
‐convergence, we prove the existence of stable stationary solutions developing a transition layer on
as
.
Online in situ detection and identification of smoke generated by traditional Chinese medicine fumigation based on laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy and machine learning
Authors: Zhu Junyi , Zhou Wentao , Xu Hui , Sun Zhongmou , Liu Yuzhu
Published: July 2023

Traditional Chinese Medicine fumigation is a traditional treatment and the composition of the air is changed to achieve therapeutic effect. In this study, a new experimental system based on laser‐induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is developed to online in situ detect the smoke and monitor the influence on air composition by smoke. Atractylodis rhizome, wormwood, and perilla are chosen as samples to test the feasibility and accuracy of this system. Some characteristic lines can be seen in the spectra, and detailed elemental information is obtained. The spectra of three types of smoke were analyzed via an identification system based on principal component analysis, random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM). The contribution rate of the first two major components is 81.6% in total. The accuracy of classification by RF reaches 87.5% and SVM realizes a classification accuracy of 91.7%. The innovative and developed system based on LIBS and machine learning is demonstrated having a promising application in online in situ detection of air components and classification of smoke generated by Chinese medicine fumigation.
Solar cell integrated multiband reconfigurable antenna
Authors: Lin Peiying , Wu Yuting , Wu Zhouyi , Ma Hengjian , Huangfu Jiangtao
Published: July 2023

The antennas that share radiators with solar cells are applicable to collect energy and integrate radio frequency functions. In this paper, a solar cell integrated multiband antenna is proposed on the basis of Vivaldi antenna structure. Unlike prior research, it has the capacity to reconfigure working frequencies and radiation performance of the antenna through optical control of the solar cell. The purpose of reconfiguration is achieved by means of two switching diodes placed between the differential Vivaldi radiator and conducted via biasing from the solar cell. The integrated solar cell functions both as part of the radiator and as the biasing source for switching diodes. According to the simulation and measurement results, the antenna performs consistently at around 5 GHz, while the radiation performance can be reconfigured at 1.16 and 3 GHz under illumination. In this way, the proposed antenna can fulfill various functions such as green energy collection, wireless communication, and light detection, which makes it applicable in the Internet of Things for low‐power wireless sensor terminal.
MR‐guided ion therapy: Detector response in magnetic fields during carbon ion irradiation
Authors: Fuchs Hermann , Padilla‐Cabal Fatima , Georg Dietmar , Palmans Hugo
Published: July 2023

Background

Combining carbon ion therapy with on‐bed MR imaging has the potential to bring particle therapy to a new level of precision. However, the introduction of magnetic fields brings challenges for dosimetry and quality assurance. For protons, a small, but significant change in detector response was shown in the presence of magnetic fields previously. For carbon ion beams, so far no such experiments have been performed.

Purpose

To investigate the influence of external magnetic fields on the response of air‐filled ionization chambers.

Methods

Four commercially available ionization chambers, three thimble type (Farmer, Semiflex, and PinPoint), and a plane parallel (Bragg peak) detector were investigated. Detectors were aligned in water such that their effective point of measurement was located at 2 cm depth. Irradiations were performed using square fields for carbon ions of 186.1, 272.5, and 402.8 MeV/u employing magnetic field strengths of 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1 T. In addition, the detector response for protons and carbon ions was compared taking into account the secondary electron spectra and employing protons of 252.7 MeV for comparison.

Results

For all four detectors, a statistically significant change in detector response, dependent on the magnetic field strength, was found. The effect was more pronounced for higher energies. The highest effects were found at 0.5 T for the PinPoint detector with a change in detector response of 1.1%. The response of different detector types appeared to be related to the cavity diameter. For proton and carbon ion irradiation with similar secondary electron spectra, the change in detector response was larger for carbon ions compared to protons.

Conclusion

A small, but significant dependence of the detector response was found for carbon ion irradiation in a magnetic field. The effect was found to be larger for smaller cavity diameters and at medium magnetic field strengths. Changes in detector response were more pronounced for carbon ions compared to protons.
Recent Advances in MicroLED Displays with Integrated Image Capture
Authors: Slobodin David
Published: July 2023

MicroLED displays afford the space for integrating more complex sensors by virtue of a smaller emitter size relative to the display's pixel area.
Stochastic modeling of obesity status in United States adults using Markov Chains: A nationally representative analysis of population health data from 2017–2020
Authors: Huang Alexander A. , Huang Samuel Y.
Published: July 2023

Importance

The prevalence of obesity among United States adults has increased from 34.9% in 2013–2014 to 42.8% in 2017–2018. Developing methods to model the increase of obesity over‐time is a necessity to know how to accurately quantify its cost and to develop solutions to combat this national public health emergency.

Methods

A cross‐sectional cohort study using the publicly available National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 2017–2020) was conducted in individuals who completed the weight questionnaire and had accurate data for both weight at the time of survey and weight 10 years ago. To model the dynamics of obesity, a Markov transition state matrix was created, which allowed for the analysis of weight transitions over time. Bootstrap simulation was incorporated to account for uncertainty and generate multiple simulated datasets, providing a more robust estimation of the prevalence and trends in obesity within the cohort.

Results

Of the 6146 individuals who met the inclusion criteria, 3024 (49%) individuals were male and 3122 (51%) were female. There were 2252 (37%) White individuals, 1257 (20%) Hispanic individuals, 1636 (37%) Black individuals, and 739 (12%) Asian individuals. The average BMI was 30.16 (SD = 7.15), the average weight was 83.67 kilos (SD = 22.04), and the average weight change was a 3.27 kg (SD = 14.97) increase in body weight. A total of 2411 (39%) individuals lost weight, and 3735 (61%) individuals gained weight. 87 (1%) individuals were underweight (BMI <18.5), 2058 (33%) were normal weight (18.5 ≤ BMI <25), 1376 (22%) were overweight (25 ≤ BMI <30) and 2625 (43%) were in the obese category (BMI >30).

Conclusion

United States adults are at risk of transitioning from normal weight to the overweight or obese category. Markov modeling combined with bootstrap simulations can accurately model long‐term weight status.
“OCTOPUS”: An Intelligent Tool for Assisted Multidisciplinary ORL Oncology Meetings—Preliminary Study
Authors: Ouattassi Naouar , Azdad Anas , Debaghi Hamza , Zarghili Arsalane , El Amine El Alami Mohamed Nouredine
Published: July 2023

Current sessions of multidisciplinary team meetings (MDMs) have several limitations, including increased costs and duration, as well as limited discussion time for each case. To address these issues, we have developed a computer application called OCTOPUS, which helps manage the patients' list for MDMs. The application allows for the generation of automatic MDM decisions based on predetermined criteria filled in by the patient's doctor and algorithms that comply with the latest oncology guidelines from the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. These decisions must be validated by the MDM faculty members. In cases of nonagreement or complex cases, the application proposes a “face‐to‐face MDM.” The internal mailing system connects all members and allows for the request of a second opinion regarding pathology or imaging results. Initial results suggest that this ergonomic tool provides more flexibility in time management and improved uniformity in selecting cases that would most benefit from face‐to‐face MDMs.
Children's Oncology Group's 2023 blueprint for research: Young investigators
Authors: Esbenshade Adam J. , Kahalley Lisa S. , Wistinghausen Birte , Cash Thomas , Baertschiger Reto M. , Zarnegar‐Lumley Sara , Green Adam , Dhall Girish ,   the COG Young Investigators Committee
Published: July 2023

The Children's Oncology Group (COG) Young Investigators (YI) Committee is an administrative committee in which liaisons represent 30 COG committees, and was created to facilitate the integration of YIs into the organization, and prepare them for future COG leadership roles. The mentorship program has mentored over 400 YIs since 2005 and currently has 175 active participants. The COG YI Master Roster is a database YIs can join, which allows them to post their interests and accomplishments to COG leadership, and 321 YIs have already joined this list. The YI Committee has held virtual symposia designed to describe how COG operates and provide guidance on how YIs can reach their goals; over 300 YIs have attended these since 2021 and have consistently rated them as helpful. Through these and other elements of the program, the YI Committee remains committed to developing a future pipeline of new investigators.
The weathering resistance of quaternary High‐density polyethylene (HDPE) composites: Effects of weld lines, formulation and degradation on tensile properties
Authors: Viljoen David , Labuschagné Johan , Kuehnert Ines
Published: July 2023

In this work, the effects of weld lines, additives and the degree of QUV weathering on the tensile behavior of a range of high‐density polyethylene composites with calcium carbonate, stabilizers and a carbon black/SEBS masterbatch are studied. The degree of weathering is characterized using FTIR‐derived carbonyl, double‐bond and carbonate indexes based on curve fitting, to allow for the fairer comparison of specimens with and without calcium carbonate. Weld‐line specimens exhibited more rapid degradation than that seen in the reference specimens, while the exposed surfaces of the specimens degraded more quickly than the unexposed surfaces. ISO G154 Cycle 1 and Cycle 6 weathering protocols were compared. The additives were found to be effective at decreasing oxidative degradation, albeit with reduced effects at higher loadings and in mixed systems. These findings were mirrored in the mechanical properties of the specimens, with the modified specimens even exhibiting broadly improved properties with increasing aging. Elongation at break was most sensitive to weathering, with increasing degradation with increasing weathering across almost all specimens.
Antibacterial activity and action mechanism of curcusionol from Carex siderosticta Hance against Ralstonia nicotianae
Authors: Ren Xingyu , Zhou Juan , Liu Ting , Zhong Chenquan , Wang Yong , Yan He , Feng Juntao
Published: July 2023

BACKGROUND

Tobacco bacterial wilt is a typical soil‐borne disease caused by Ralstonia nicotianae, which causes huge losses in tobacco production every year. The crude extract of Carex siderosticta Hance was shown to have antibacterial activity against R. nicotianae during our search, and the natural antibacterial components were sought after using bioassay‐guided fractionation of the compounds.

RESULT

Ethanol extract of Carex siderosticta Hance with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of 100 μg/mL against R. nicotianae in vitro. The potential of these compounds as antibactericides against R. nicotianae were assessed. Curcusionol (1), showed the highest antibacterial activity against R. nicotianae with MIC value of 12.5 μg/mL in vitro. In the protective effect tests, the control effect of curcusionol (1) was 92.31 and 72.60%, respectively, after application of 7 and 14 days, at a concentration of 1500 μg/mL, being comparable to that of streptomycin sulfate at a concentration of 500 μg/mL, confirming that curcusionol (1) showed the potential for the development of new antibacterial drugs. RNA‐sequencing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis confirmed that curcusionol mainly destroys R. nicotianae cell membrane structure and affects quorum sensing (QS) to inhibit pathogenic bacteria.

CONCLUSION

This study revealed that the antibacterial activity of Carex siderosticta Hance makes it a botanical bactericide against R. nicotianae, while curcusionol as lead structures for antibacterial development is obvious by its potent antibacterial activity. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Partially hydrolyzed guar gum suppresses the progression of pulmonary arterial hypertension in a SU5416/hypoxia rat model
Authors: Sanada Takayuki J. , Hosomi Koji , Park Jonguk , Naito Akira , Sakao Seiichiro , Tanabe Nobuhiro , Kunisawa Jun , Tatsumi Koichiro , Suzuki Takuji
Published: July 2023

This study investigated the effects of partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) on the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension using a SU5416/hypoxia rat model. Our results demonstrated that PHGG treatment suppressed the development of pulmonary hypertension and vascular remodeling with an altered gut microbiota composition.
Assessing the effects of embedding resins on carbonate stable and clumped isotope analyses
Authors: Guo Jingjing , Zong Xiulan , de Winter Niels J. , Goudsmit‐Harzevoort Barbara , Peterse Francien , Ziegler Martin
Published: July 2023

Rationale

Embedding resins are widely used to fix carbonates for high‐precision sample preparation and high‐resolution sampling. However, these embedding materials are difficult to remove after sample preparation and are known to affect the accuracy of carbonate stable isotope analyses. Nevertheless, their impact on clumped isotope analysis, which is particularly sensitive to contamination artifacts, has so far not been tested. The observation that running resin‐containing samples decreased the reproducibility of clumped isotope values for internal laboratory carbonate standards and increased the external standard deviation (SD 0.061–0.088‰) compared to the long‐term observations (0.034‰), prompted us to set up an experiment to test the influence of resin addition on instrument performance.

Methods

Here we analyzed the stable and clumped isotope composition of a pure calcium carbonate standard (ETH‐4) mixed with three types of embedding resins in 2:1 and 1:1 proportions. Our aim was to assess how resin addition affects isotope analyses.

Results

We found that none of the stable isotopic values were significantly different. The δ13C values were −10.22 ± 0.07‰ (mean ± SD) for pure ETH‐4, while the δ13C values of ETH‐4 mixed with embedding resins in 2:1 and 1:1 proportions were −10.21 ± 0.06‰ and −10.18 ± 0.06‰, respectively (p > 0.05). The δ18O values were −18.82 ± 0.11‰ for pure ETH‐4 versus −18.81 ± 0.09‰ and −18.82 ± 0.08‰ for 2:1 and 1:1 ETH‐4:resin mixtures, respectively (p > 0.05). Given the large uncertainty in our results, we did not find significant differences between different mixtures in the carbonate clumped isotope values (Δ47), with 0.458 ± 0.107‰, 0.464 ± 0.086‰, and 0.417 ± 0.089‰ in pure ETH‐4 and ETH‐4 with 2:1 and 1:1 resin mixtures, respectively (p > 0.05). However, a resin‐related bias in the results might be masked by the large uncertainty. The measured ETH‐4 values in our study are similar to the InterCarb values (δ13C = −10.20‰, δ18O = −18.81‰, Δ47 = 0.450‰, InterCarb‐Carbon Dioxide Equilibrium Scale). However, the external SD of Δ47 in sessions measuring ETH‐4 with resins is higher than in sessions without deliberate resin addition for the same measuring period.

Conclusions

We find that the potential contamination from the resin addition leads to a larger variability for Δ47 values in sessions measuring ETH‐4 including resins. We therefore recommend purification of embedded samples using a contamination trap with Porapak prior to analysis, if possible, or avoiding resins during sample preparation and workup, as well as monitoring the measurement quality during and after sessions with samples containing embedding resins.
Determination of rosmarinic acid and its N‐substituted analog A1 in rat plasma using high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry and its application in pharmacokinetics
Authors: Fu Shujie , Zhang Qinglang , Zhang Shiyu , Jiang Weizhe , Jiang Minjie
Published: July 2023

Background

The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of rosmarinic acid (RA) and its analog (E)‐3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)‐2‐(3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)acrylamido)propanoic acid (A1) in rat plasma following oral administration. The significance of this study lies in the development of a rapid, sensitive, and alternative method using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry for the accurate quantification and identification of RA and A1 in vivo.

Methods

Liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry was employed to analyze RA and A1 in rat plasma. A C18 column (1.9 µm, 2.1 × 100 mm) with a C18 guard column (5 µm, 2.1 × 10 mm) and a triple‐quadrupole mass spectrometer combined with an electrospray ionization source were utilized. Sample pretreatment involved a one‐step protein precipitation using isopropanol:ethyl acetate (20:80, v/v) as the solvent. Pseudoephedrine hydrochloride served as a standard.

Results

The developed method exhibited a linear relationship within the concentration ranges of 5‐750 ng/ml for both RA and A1. Relative standard deviations in daily courses were less than 15%, and the relative errors recorded were within 15%. This is the first study to concentrate on determining A1 and RA in rat plasma through oral administration.

Conclusions

The liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry method developed in this study offers a rapid, sensitive, and alternative approach for the accurate quantification and identification of RA and A1 in vivo. The findings serve as a significant foundation for evaluating the clinical applications of the medicine.
Switching tube model predictive based controller design for multi‐agent unmanned aerial vehicle system with hybrid topology
Authors: Nejabat Erfan , Nikoofard Amirhossein
Published: July 2023

The decentralized control is provided for the multi‐agent unmanned aerial vehicle system and is designed based on leader‐follower configuration by graph theory. Next, primary model predictive control (MPC) is proposed in order to steer the error signal to the origin and specifically, an optimization algorithm is considered for the primary MPC controller in which the Newton optimization with back‐stepping step size definition is proposed for this manner. A robust modification is investigated for the system based on tube definition and considered to overcome the high‐frequency noise and external disturbances in a bound of 20% of the system output. The high‐frequency noises are designed outside of the primary controller band‐width. The hybrid controller is proposed for the system. The closed‐loop swarm system's control architecture, switches between the primary MPC controller to tube‐MPC controller in the presence of high‐frequency noises and external disturbances. The hybrid controller provides a more energy‐efficient outcome compared to the single mode controller. The final results provides a 7% faster simulation time. Afterward, the flexible formation theory is generalized for system. The possibility of changing leader is investigated in flexible formation and a scenario of switching leader is proposed for the system. The result of tracking for the controller is compared to proportional‐integral‐derivative and the problem of four agents in a flight scenario illustrates the issues and the comparison between the robust controller and the switching Tube‐MPC controller is provided. The results provide that the novel control architecture has a 47.6% lower rise time and 30.8% lower overshoot.