bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Flow cytometry and 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine (EdU) labeling to detect the cell cycle dynamics of Phaeodactylum tricornutum under light
Authors: Zhang Ting , Huang Jingyi , Zhang Zhixia , Lv Jie , Zhang Dongqun , Qing Renwei , Lan Liqiong
Published: March 2022

Cell cycle studies in plants and algae are highly dependent on reliable methods for detecting cellular DNA replication. With its short growth cycle and ease of genetic transformation, Phaeodactylum tricornutum is an important model organism for the study of pennate diatoms. Here we explored two different methods to detect the cell cycle of P. tricornutum, one using SYBR‐green I to via flow cytometry, and the other using EdU labeling to observe cell cycle changes under fluorescence microscopy. Both EdU labeling fluorescence microscopy and SYBR‐green I staining flow cytometry accurately indicated that the cells of P. tricornutum enter the G2/M phase after 12 h of light exposure. The results indicate that SYBR Green I was an adequate detection method for nuclear DNA quantitation in cells of P. tricornutum using a flow cytometer and without RNase A treatment. In addition, EdU can be applied to P. tricornutum to reliably detect cell proliferation. Besides, Mg‐ProtoIX was able to reverse the cell cycle division inhibition of P. tricornutum and allow the nuclear DNA replication to proceed normally. Taken together, the photoperiodic division time point was clearly identified, which sheds light on the regulation of cell division mechanism in P. tricornutum.
Calonectria in the age of genes and genomes: Towards understanding an important but relatively unknown group of pathogens
Authors: Li JieQiong , Wingfield Michael J. , Barnes Irene , Chen ShuaiFei
Published: March 2022

The genus Calonectria includes many aggressive plant pathogens causing diseases on various agricultural crops as well as forestry and ornamental tree species. Some species have been accidentally introduced into new environments via international trade of putatively asymptomatic plant germplasm or contaminated soil, resulting in significant economic losses. This review provides an overview of the taxonomy, population biology, and pathology of Calonectria species, specifically emerging from contemporary studies that have relied on DNA‐based technologies. The growing importance of genomics in future research is highlighted. A life cycle is proposed for Calonectria species, aimed at improving our ability to manage diseases caused by these pathogens.
Clinical Outcome of Free Vascularized Fibula Graft for Nonunion of Garden IV Femoral Neck Fracture of 13 Years Duration: A Case Report
Authors: Zhang Yangming , Liu Yongguang , Yan Qulun , Xiang Zhou
Published: March 2022

Background

Femoral neck fractures in young patients are mostly caused by high‐energy trauma and demonstrate more displacement and vertical fracture surfaces, which increase nonunion and osteonecrosis risks. Free vascularized fibula graft (FVFG) is effective in treating old femoral neck fractures and nonunion; however, available data are limited to patients within 2 years after injury or revision surgery. We present the case of a patient who was diagnosed with femoral neck fracture at the age 9 and treated with FVFG 13 years later.

Case presentation

A 9‐year‐old Asian girl who experienced left hip pain after an injury was diagnosed with Garden IV left femoral neck fracture, which was treated through manipulation reduction and fixed with splints. At age 16, the pain worsened after another injury and was considered to be in the physical development stage. She refused surgical treatment; hence, the fracture was fixed externally with splints. At age 22, she was hospitalized owing to a 12‐day left hip pain with restricted movement caused by a fall. She was diagnosed with old Garden IV femoral neck fracture nonunion and treated with FVFG. Seven years postoperatively, imaging showed that the left femoral neck was internally fixed, the fracture had healed, and the Harris score was 90 points. The 36‐Item Short Form Health Survey responses revealed that the patient's physiological functioning, emotional well‐being, energy, and mental health were normal. She achieved satisfactory functional results and resumed her normal daily life.

Conclusion

FVFG could provide satisfactory outcomes for long‐term old femoral neck fractures.
Simple: Statistical Inference on Membership Profiles in Large Networks
Authors: Fan Jianqing , Fan Yingying , Han Xiao , Lv Jinchi
Published: March 2022

Network data are prevalent in many contemporary big data applications in which a common interest is to unveil important latent links between different pairs of nodes. Yet a simple fundamental question of how to precisely quantify the statistical uncertainty associated with the identification of latent links still remains largely unexplored. In this paper, we propose the method of statistical inference on membership profiles in large networks (SIMPLE) in the setting of degree-corrected mixed membership model, where the null hypothesis assumes that the pair of nodes share the same profile of community memberships. In the simpler case of no degree heterogeneity, the model reduces to the mixed membership model for which an alternative more robust test is also proposed. Both tests are of the Hotelling-type statistics based on the rows of empirical eigenvectors or their ratios, whose asymptotic covariance matrices are very challenging to derive and estimate. Nevertheless, their analytical expressions are unveiled and the unknown covariance matrices are consistently estimated. Under some mild regularity conditions, we establish the exact limiting distributions of the two forms of SIMPLE test statistics under the null hypothesis and contiguous alternative hypothesis. They are the chi-square distributions and the noncentral chi-square distributions, respectively, with degrees of freedom depending on whether the degrees are corrected or not. We also address the important issue of estimating the unknown number of communities and establish the asymptotic properties of the associated test statistics. The advantages and practical utility of our new procedures in terms of both size and power are demonstrated through several simulation examples and real network applications.
Bromus tectorum responses to intergenerational drought: Implications for evolvability and selection under climate warming
Authors: Moler Ehren R. V. , Zorio Stephanie D. , Aho Ken
Published: March 2022

Bromus tectorum poses a substantial threat to sagebrush steppe in the North American intermountain west. Responses of B. tectorum to increasing aridity across the western USA may influence the species’ ability to invade new habitats and further dominate colonised regions. We investigated the phenotypic plasticity of stomatal density, root and shoot length, and root:shoot length ratio across replicates of 23 genotypes subjected to two generations of high and low watering regimes. Shoot lengths greatly increased, root lengths increased and root:shoot ratios decreased with higher levels of progeny (F1) watering. We did not detect explicit transgenerational parental (P) effects on the reaction norms of any trait. Stomatal density did not vary consistently with F1 watering, suggesting a diversified bet‐hedging strategy. As a consequence, heritability for stomatal density did not differ significantly from zero, indicating that evolvability was extremely low. Highest overall potentials for phenotypic selection (the ratio of among‐to‐within genotype trait variances) occurred for shoot length, followed by root length, stomatal density and root:shoot length ratio. Potentials for phenotypic selection were variable among traits and watering treatments. Highest potentials for stomatal density occurred in well‐watered progeny of water‐starved parent plants (i.e. plants from the combined low P H2O, high F1 H2O regime), whereas the highest potentials for phenotypic selection for shoot length occurred for the combined high P H2O, high F1 H2O treatment. We conclude that B. tectorum expresses complex phenotypic trade‐offs with successive exposure to drought, and that phenotypic responses for some traits may allow the species to expand its fundamental niche in response to climate change.
A Guide to Implementing Inclusive and Accessible Virtual Poster Sessions
Authors: Arcila Hernández Lina , Chodkowski Nicole , Treibergs Kira
Published: March 2022

Poster sessions are an integral part of conferences because they facilitate networking opportunities and provide a platform for researchers at every career stage to present and get feedback on their work. In Spring 2020, prompted by the rapid transition of the SABER (Society for the Advancement of Biology Education Research) Summer 2020 meeting to an online format, we designed and implemented a no-cost and accessible, asynchronous, and synchronous virtual poster session.
The Impact of Evolving SARS-CoV-2 Mutations and Variants on COVID-19 Vaccines
Authors: McLean Gary , Kamil Jeremy , Lee Benhur , Moore Penny , Schulz Thomas F. , Muik Alexander , Sahin Ugur , Türeci Özlem , Pather Shanti
Published: March 2022

The emergence of several new variants of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in recent months has raised concerns around the potential impact on ongoing vaccination programs. Data from clinical trials and real-world evidence suggest that current vaccines remain highly effective against the alpha variant (B.1.1.7), while some vaccines have reduced efficacy and effectiveness against symptomatic disease caused by the beta variant (B.1.351) and the delta variant (B.1.617.2); however, effectiveness against severe disease and hospitalization caused by delta remains high.
In SilicoDrug Discovery Strategies Identified ADMET Properties of Decoquinate RMB041 and Its Potential Drug Targets against Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Knoll Kirsten E. , van der Walt Mietha M. , Loots Du Toit
Published: March 2022

This article elaborates on the mechanism of action of a novel antibiotic compound against both, active and dormantMycobacterium tuberculosisand describes its pharmacokinetics (including oral bioavailability and toxicity). Information provided in this article serves useful during the search for drugs that shorten the treatment regimen for Tuberculosis and cause minimal adverse effects.
Prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in Lao People’s Democratic Republic: the Vientiane Eye Study
Authors: Tan Yiran , Guo Brad , Nygaard Stephen , Carillo Cesar , Pham Huy-Dat , Nouansavanh Kham Od , Souksamone Kitar , Casson Robert J
Published: March 2022

Aims

To determine the prevalence and causes of visual impairment and blindness in Vientiane Province, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR).

Methods

We conducted a population-based, cross-sectional study of 1264 participants aged 40 years and older from urban and rural areas of Vientiane Province. The ophthalmic examination included presenting and pinhole Snellen visual acuity (VA) with an illiterate E chart, slit-lamp examination of the anterior segment and dilated stereoscopic fundus examination. Visual impairment and blindness were defined by both presenting and pinhole VA based on the better eye according to WHO criteria: VA worse than 6/12 to 6/18 for mild impairment, VA worse than 6/18 to 6/60 for moderate impairment, VA worse than 6/60 to 3/60 for severe impairment and VA worse than 3/60 for blindness.

Results

Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed on 1264 participants (77.8% participation rate). Population-weighted prevalence of presenting bilateral blindness was 1.4% (95% CI 0.8 to 2.0) and bilateral visual impairment was 22.4% (95% CI 14.7 to 30.1). After pinhole correction, the corresponding prevalence of blindness was 1.3% (95% CI 0.8 to 2.0) and that of visual impairment was 12.6% (95% CI 8.2 to 16.9). Cataract was the leading cause of presenting bilateral blindness (52.9%), whereas uncorrected refractive error was the predominant cause of presenting visual impairment (40.3%).

Conclusions

Visual impairment and blindness remain major public health problems in Lao PDR. There is an ongoing need to fund ophthalmic care resources and community education programmes to improve access to healthcare in this region.
Disease-specific assessment of Vision Impairment in Low Luminance in age-related macular degeneration – a MACUSTAR study report
Authors: Terheyden Jan Henrik , Pondorfer Susanne G , Behning Charlotte , Berger Moritz , Carlton Jill , Rowen Donna , Bouchet Christine , Poor Stephen , Luhmann Ulrich F O , Leal Sergio , Holz Frank G , Butt Thomas , Brazier John E , Finger Robert P
Published: March 2022

Background/aims

To further validate the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance (VILL) questionnaire, which captures visual functioning and vision-related quality of life (VRQoL) under low luminance, low-contrast conditions relevant to age-related macular degeneration (AMD).

Methods

The VILL was translated from German into English (UK), Danish, Dutch, French, Italian and Portuguese. Rasch analysis was used to assess psychometric characteristics of 716 participants (65% female, mean age 72±7 years, 82% intermediate AMD) from the baseline visit of the MACUSTAR study. In a subset of participants (n=301), test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficient of repeatability (CoR)) and construct validity were assessed.

Results

Four items were removed from the VILL with 37 items due to misfit. The resulting Vision Impairment in Low Luminance with 33 items (VILL-33) has three subscales with no disordered thresholds and no misfitting items. No differential item functioning and no multidimensionality were observed. Person reliability and person separation index were 0.91 and 3.27 for the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance Reading Subscale (VILL-R), 0.87 and 2.58 for the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance Mobility Subscale (VILL-M), and 0.78 and 1.90 for the Vision Impairment in Low Luminance Emotional Subscale (VILL-E). ICC and CoR were 0.92 and 1.9 for VILL-R, 0.93 and 1.8 for VILL-M and 0.82 and 5.0 for VILL-E. Reported VRQoL decreased with advanced AMD stage (p<0.0001) and was lower in the intermediate AMD group than in the no AMD group (p≤0.0053).

Conclusion

The VILL is a psychometrically sound patient-reported outcome instrument, and the results further support its reliability and validity across all AMD stages. We recommend the shortened version of the questionnaire with three subscales (VILL-33) for future use.

Trial registration number

NCT03349801.
Primary care gap: factors associated with persistent lack of primary care after hospitalisation
Authors: Cummings Elizabeth , Martinez Sandra , Mourad Michelle
Published: March 2022

Introduction

Access to primary care in the USA is associated with decreased acute care utilisation and better health outcomes, yet millions of Americans lack a primary care provider (PCP). In our study, we report the risk factors for having no assigned PCP for hospitalised patients both at the time of discharge and over the course of the following year.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 12 663 adult patients discharged from the medicine service at our academic inpatient hospital from 2017 to 2018. We compared the characteristics of patients with and without a PCP listed in the electronic health record at time of discharge. In a second analysis, for those patients without a PCP, we used subsequent encounters with our health system to compare characteristics of those who had a PCP assigned within 1 year after discharge with those who did not.

Results

At time of discharge, patients without a PCP were more likely to be younger, male, non-Asian and non-Black, to have Medicaid insurance or to be self-pay, to be experiencing homelessness and to have a substance use disorder diagnosis. During the year after discharge, the most significant risk factors for persistently lacking a PCP were non-private insurance status (Medicaid, Medicare, self-pay), experiencing homelessness and having a substance use disorder diagnosis.

Discussion

Our study demonstrates important risk factors for persistently lacking an assigned PCP in our urban patient population, including health insurance status, homelessness and substance use disorders. Targeted interventions are indicated to connect these high-risk individuals to primary care.
Mortality after acute kidney injury and acute interstitial nephritis in patients prescribed immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy
Authors: Baker Megan L , Yamamoto Yu , Perazella Mark A , Dizman Nazli , Shirali Anushree C , Hafez Navid , Weinstein Jason , Simonov Michael , Testani Jeffrey M , Kluger Harriet M , Cantley Lloyd G , Parikh Chirag R , Wilson F Perry , Moledina Dennis G
Published: March 2022

Background

In patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy, acute kidney injury (AKI) is common, and can occur either from kidney injury unrelated to ICI use or from immune activation resulting in acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). In this study, we test the hypothesis that occurrence of AIN indicates a favorable treatment response to ICI therapy and therefore among patients who develop AKI while on ICI therapy, those with AIN will demonstrate greater survival compared with others with AKI.

Methods

In this observational cohort study, we included participants initiated on ICI therapy between 2013 and 2019. We tested the independent association of AKI and estimated AIN (eAIN) with mortality up to 1 year after therapy initiation as compared with those without AKI using time-varying Cox proportional hazard models controlling for demographics, comorbidities, cancer type, stage, and therapy, and baseline laboratory values. We defined eAIN as those with a predicted probability of AIN >90th percentile derived from a recently validated diagnostic model.

Results

Of 2207 patients initiated on ICIs, 617 (28%) died at 1 year and 549 (25%) developed AKI. AKI was independently associated with higher mortality (adjusted HR, 2.28 (95% CI 1.90 to 2.72)). Those AKI patients with eAIN had more severe AKI as reflected by a higher peak serum creatinine (3.3 (IQR 2.1–6.1) vs 1.4 (1.2–1.9) mg/dL, p<0.001) but exhibited lower mortality than those without eAIN in univariable analysis (HR 0.43 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.89)) and after adjusting for demographics, comorbidities, and cancer type and severity (adjusted HR 0.44 (95% CI 0.21 to 0.93)).

Conclusion

In patients treated with ICI, mortality was higher in those with AKI unrelated to ICI but lower in those where the underlying etiology was AIN. Future studies could evaluate the association of biopsy-proven or biomarker-proven AIN with mortality in those receiving ICI therapy.
Comparison of cardiac CT angiography coronary artery dimensions and ethnicity in Trinidad: the CADET pilot study
Authors: Welch Tonya , Rampersad Fidel , Motilal Shastri , Seecheran Naveen Anand
Published: March 2022

Background

This study aimed to determine if there were any significant differences in coronary artery (CA) dimensions at prespecified segments during cardiac CT angiography (CCTA) compared with ethnicity at an academic tertiary medical centre in Trinidad and Tobago.

Methods

Patients (n=170) who underwent CCTA from July 2016 to June 2021 at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex were selected based on predefined selection criteria. The size of the left main and proximal, mid and distal diameters of the left anterior descending, left circumflex and right coronary artery (RCA) were measured using quantitative coronary angiography, syngo.CT Coronary Analysis (Siemens Healthineers AG, Erlangen, Germany). Routine medical history, cardiovascular medications and anthropometric data were also recorded. Comparisons were performed using an independent sample t-test and analysis of variance for continuous variables.

Results

One hundred and seventy participants were enrolled in this study. There were no statistically significant associations between gender and CA dimensions; however, there were significant associations between South Asian and Caribbean black ethnicities for almost all CA dimensions except for the distal RCA segment. These findings were replicated when the analysis was adjusted for body surface area with the addition of the mid-RCA segment, which was bordering near-significance (p value 0.051).

Conclusions

Significantly smaller CA dimensions were observed in South Asian patients compared with Caribbean black patients undergoing CCTA. This pilot study could be clinically significant for Trinidadian patients at risk of developing coronary artery disease.

Trial registration number

NCT04774861.
Summer habitat use and movements of invasive wild pigs (Sus scrofa) in Canadian agro-ecosystems
Authors: Kramer Corey J. , Boudreau Melanie R. , Miller Ryan S. , Powers Ryan , VerCauteren Kurt C. , Brook Ryan K.
Published: March 2022

Resource selection informs understanding of a species’ ecology and is especially pertinent for invasive species. Since introduced to Canada, wild pigs ( Sus scrofa Linnaeus, 1978) remain understudied despite recognized negative impacts on native and agricultural systems globally. Elsewhere in North America, pigs typically use forests and forage in agricultural crops. We hypothesized Canadian wild pigs would behave similarly, and using GPS locations from 15 individuals, we examined diel and seasonal resource selection and movement in the Canadian prairie region. Forests were predominately selected during the day, while corn ( Zea mays L.), oilseeds, and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) were predominately selected at night. Forests and corn were consistently selected throughout the growing season. Wetlands and forests showed greater use rates than other habitats, with evident trade-offs as crop use increased with the timing of maturation. Activity was consistent with foraging in growing crops. Results indicate diel patterns were likely a function of short-term needs to avoid daytime anthropogenic risk, while seasonal patterns demonstrate how habitats that fill multiple functional roles — food, cover, and thermoregulation — can be optimized. Understanding selection by invasive species is an important step in understanding their potential environmental impacts in novel environments and informs their management.
Counting Subgraphs in Degenerate Graphs
Authors: Bera Suman K. , Gishboliner Lior , Levanzov Yevgeny , Seshadhri C. , Shapira Asaf
Published: March 2022

We consider the problem of counting the number of copies of a fixed graph
H
within an input graph
G
. This is one of the most well-studied algorithmic graph problems, with many theoretical and practical applications. We focus on solving this problem when the input
G
has
bounded degeneracy
. This is a rich family of graphs, containing all graphs without a fixed minor (e.g., planar graphs), as well as graphs generated by various random processes (e.g., preferential attachment graphs). We say that
H
is
easy
if there is a linear-time algorithm for counting the number of copies of
H
in an input
G
of bounded degeneracy. A seminal result of Chiba and Nishizeki from ’85 states that every
H
on at most 4 vertices is easy. Bera, Pashanasangi, and Seshadhri recently extended this to all
H
on 5 vertices and further proved that for every

\( k \gt 5 \)

there is a
k
-vertex
H
which is not easy. They left open the natural problem of characterizing all easy graphs
H
.

Bressan has recently introduced a framework for counting subgraphs in degenerate graphs, from which one can extract a sufficient condition for a graph
H
to be easy. Here, we show that this sufficient condition is also necessary, thus fully answering the Bera–Pashanasangi–Seshadhri problem. We further resolve two closely related problems; namely characterizing the graphs that are easy with respect to counting induced copies, and with respect to counting homomorphisms.
Here’s What I’ve Learned:
Asking Questions that Reveal Reward Learning
Authors: Habibian Soheil , Jonnavittula Ananth , Losey Dylan P.
Published: March 2022

Robots can learn from humans by asking questions. In these questions, the robot demonstrates a few different behaviors and asks the human for their favorite. But how should robots choose which questions to ask? Today’s robots optimize for
informative
questions that actively probe the human’s preferences as efficiently as possible. But while informative questions make sense from the robot’s perspective, human onlookers may find them arbitrary and
misleading
. For example, consider an assistive robot learning to put away the dishes. Based on your answers to previous questions this robot knows where it should stack each dish; however, the robot is unsure about right height to carry these dishes. A robot optimizing only for informative questions focuses purely on this height: it shows trajectories that carry the plates near or far from the table, regardless of whether or not they stack the dishes correctly. As a result, when we see this question, we mistakenly think that the robot is still confused about where to stack the dishes! In this article, we formalize active preference-based learning from the human’s perspective. We hypothesize that—from the human’s point-of-view —the robot’s questions
reveal
what the robot has and has not learned. Our insight enables robots to use questions to make their learning process
transparent
to the human operator. We develop and test a model that robots can leverage to relate the questions they ask to the information these questions reveal. We then introduce a tradeoff between informative and revealing questions that considers both human and robot perspectives: a robot that optimizes for this tradeoff actively gathers information from the human while simultaneously keeping the human up to date with what it has learned. We evaluate our approach across simulations, online surveys, and in-person user studies. We find that robots, which consider the human’s point of view learn just as quickly as state-of-the-art baselines while also communicating what they have learned to the human operator. Videos of our user studies and results are available here: https://youtu.be/tC6y_jHN7Vw.
The Possibility of Intermediate–Temperature (120 °C)–Operated Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells using Perfluorosulfonic Acid Polymer Membranes
Authors: Kakinuma Katsuyoshi , Taniguchi Hitoshi , Asakawa Takayuki , Miyao Toshihiro , Uchida Makoto , Aoki Yasuhito , Akiyama Tsuyoshi , Masuda Akihiro , Sato Nobuyuki , Iiyama Akihiro
Published: March 2022

The technical possibility and possible issues of an intermediate–temperature–operated polymer electrolyte fuel cell (@120 °C) is investigated with an eye toward the launching of new fuel cell heavy–duty vehicles on the world market. Commercial perfluorosulfonic acid membrane and a commercial Pt catalyst supported on carbon are selected to clarify the possible issues in the fuel cells. The cell resistivity at high humidity is less than 0.1 Ω cm–2. The mass activity (@ 0.85 V, Pt loading amount: 0.33 mgPt cm−2) approaches 850 A gPt
–1. The high gas crossover rate through the membrane leads to decreased open circuit voltage, which necessitates the use of higher Pt loadings (>0.30 mgPt cm–2) at the cathode to mitigate the effect of the mixed potential. Pt degradation during 120 °C operation at low humidity is found to be much lower than that during 80 °C operation at high humidity based on the results of load–cycle durability testing.
Studies on the Electrodeposition of UO2 Production in UO2Cl2-LiCl-KCl Melt
Authors: Li Yuhe , Huang Wei , Li Qingnuan
Published: March 2022

UO2 is an important nuclear fuel, also has potentials in the field of functional materials. In this work, the electrochemical behavior of UO2
2+ in LiCl-KCl molten salt (500 °C) and the effects of reduction potential (−0.1 to −1.0 V) and uranyl concentration (0.5 wt% to 4.0 wt%) on morphology and grain size of electrolytic products were studied. The reduction potential was found playing a decisive role in the morphology of cathodic products. When the potential was ≤−0.4 V (vs Pt(II)/Pt), dendritic and cracked characteristic of the UO2 crystal appeared. The average current density had a positive correlation with the grain size of cathodic products, and it increased first and then decreased with the increase of overpotential, having a maximum at −0.6 V (vs Pt(II)/Pt). On the other hand, the uranyl concentration also had a positive correlation with the grain size of the cathodic product without changing the integrity of grain morphology. For the preparation of large and granular UO2 crystal, the reduction potential of −0.2to−0.3 V (vs Pt(II)/Pt), as well as the uranyl concentration of greater than 2.0 wt% were recommended, and UO2 crystal with average grain size greater than 500 μm and high uniformity could be finally obtained.
Optical Characteristics of Thermally Evaporated Thin a-(Cu2ZnGe)50−xSe50+x Films
Authors: El-Denglawey A. , Aly Kamal A. , Dahshan A. , Hassanien Ahmed Saeed
Published: March 2022

This article is allocated to study optical characteristics of a-(Cu2ZnGe)50−xSe50+x, CZGSe,

(
0
≤
x
≤
20

at

wt
%
)

films. The amorphous nature of films was affirmed via X-ray diffractograms. energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy confirmed the matching between selected compositional element percentages and those measured for all films. Many optical properties and parameters of CZGSe films were studied using UV–vis-INR spectroscopic transmission and reflection measurements. The envelope methods have been successfully applied on the measured transmission spectra according to Swanepoel technique, along with reflection spectra in accordance with Minkov method. Obtained results based on Swanepoel analysis are in excellent agreement with those inferred from Minkov method. A clear blueshift of the absorption edge was observed from 854 nm to 720 nm, in accordance with the increasing optical bandgap energy values from 1.456 eV to become 1.722 eV, as Se-content increases from 50 to 70 at wt%. The electronic transitions of (Cu2ZnGe)50−xSe50+x films arose from allowed indirect transitions. This observed energy gap increases was interpreted according to the Mott and Davies model. The absorption coefficient values have been estimated and discussed, it is found to be larger than 10−4 cm−1. All discussed parameters strongly depend on the Se-concentration. The bonding strength between the elements of samples strongly affects the optical properties.
Analysis and Design of Piled Raft Foundation Taking into Account Interaction Factors
Authors: Jamil Irfan , Ahmad Irshad , Ali Khan Shahid , Ullah Wali , Amjad Maaz , Jehan Khan Beenish , Nasir Hassan
Published: March 2022

In a combined piled raft foundation (CPRF) both raft and piles take their share of the total load applied. However, in practice, the contribution of a raft in taking load is usually ignored and the load is assumed to be supported on piles. This way of CPRF becomes excessively conservative and uneconomical. To economize the design, relative load sharing of raft and piles in CPRF has to be found. In this connection, different simplified methods have been developed, each one with some limitations. In this study, three simplified methods have been applied to two cases of pile‐raft systems. The methods include Randolph, Poulos‐Davis‐Randolph, and modified Poulos‐Davis‐Randolph. The first case is a hypothetical case consisting of a 12 m × 12 m raft supported on a square group of nine piles. The second case study is an actual eight‐story building to be constructed in Peshawar, Pakistan. The building is supported on a pile‐raft system, with raft resting on very soft clay underlain by dense sand. The two case studies are also modelled in the finite element program PLAXIS 3D for comparison. The results of all the simplified methods are comparable with PLAXIS 3D. However, the Randolph method is much closer to PLAXIS 3D for the two cases studied. Furthermore, it is also shown that piles in a piled raft system can be used as “stress reducers” as well as a “settlement reducers.” Additionally, the effect of interaction factors is also evaluated with the s/d ratio as well as with varying soil stiffness. It was concluded that ignoring these factors leads to a very unsafe design of the pile‐raft system.
Soluble Sema4D Level Is Positively Correlated with Sema4D Expression in PBMCs and Peripheral Blast Number in Acute Leukemia
Authors: Xue Li , Shi Shulan , Lei Hongtao , Zhang Zhen , Tian Xin , Qiu Lijuan , Tang Jiaolian , Kui Liyue , Nan Weiwei , Cao Xiaoyue , Sun Qiangming , Yu Ming , Jiang Hongchao
Published: March 2022

Semaphorin 4D (Sema4D) is highly expressed in various cancers and leukemia. It is involved in the development of acute leukemia. A high level of soluble Sema4D is also present in the plasma of acute leukemia patients. However, it remains unknown whether Sema4D is associated with the clinical characteristics of acute leukemia. In this study, Sema4D expression was examined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and bone marrow mononuclear cells (BMMCs) of patients with acute leukemia, and it was highly expressed in the PBMCs of B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), T-ALL, and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients and in the BMMCs of B-ALL and AML patients but not in the BMMCs of T-ALL patients. Sema4D expression was higher in the PBMCs of T-ALL patients than in the PBMCs of B-ALL or AML patients. In addition, Sema4D expression in BMMCs was reduced in B-ALL patients during the chemotherapy process. It was lower in remission patients than in newly diagnosed and patients without remission. In acute leukemia, soluble Sema4D level in serum is positively correlated with Sema4D expression in PBMCs, leukocyte number, and peripheral blast number. Those results suggest that the levels of Sema4D and its soluble form are associated with acute leukemia development and may be regarded as a potential biomarker in pediatric acute leukemia.
Retinal Vessel Automatic Segmentation Using SegNet
Authors: Xu Xiaomei , Wang Yixin , Liang Yu , Luo Siyuan , Wang Jianqing , Jiang Weiwei , Lai Xiaobo
Published: March 2022

Extracting retinal vessels accurately is very important for diagnosing some diseases such as diabetes retinopathy, hypertension, and cardiovascular. Clinically, experienced ophthalmologists diagnose these diseases through segmenting retinal vessels manually and analysing its structural feature, such as tortuosity and diameter. However, manual segmentation of retinal vessels is a time-consuming and laborious task with strong subjectivity. The automatic segmentation technology of retinal vessels can not only reduce the burden of ophthalmologists but also effectively solve the problem that is a lack of experienced ophthalmologists in remote areas. Therefore, the automatic segmentation technology of retinal vessels is of great significance for clinical auxiliary diagnosis and treatment of ophthalmic diseases. A method using SegNet is proposed in this paper to improve the accuracy of the retinal vessel segmentation. The performance of the retinal vessel segmentation model with SegNet is evaluated on the three public datasets (DRIVE, STARE, and HRF) and achieved accuracy of 0.9518, 0.9683, and 0.9653, sensitivity of 0.7580, 0.7747, and 0.7070, specificity of 0.9804, 0.9910, and 0.9885,

F

1

score of 0.7992, 0.8369, and 0.7918, MCC of 0.7749, 0.8227, and 0.7643, and AUC of 0.9750, 0.9893, and 0.9740, respectively. The experimental results showed that the method proposed in this research presented better results than many classical methods studied and may be expected to have clinical application prospects.
Physical Layer Security of Two-Way Ambient Backscatter Communication Systems
Authors: Wang Hao , Jiang Junjie , Huang Gaojian , Wang Wenbin , Deng Dan , Elhalawany Basem M. , Li Xingwang
Published: March 2022

Achieving high network traffic demand in limited spectrum resources is a technical challenge for the beyond 5G and 6G communication systems. To this end, ambient backscatter communication (AmBC) is proposed for Internet-of-Things (IoT), because the backscatter device (BD) can realize communication without occupying extra spectrum resources. Moreover, the spectral efficiency can be further improved by using two-way (TW) communication. However, secure communication is a great challenge for accessing massive IoT devices due to the broadcasting nature of wireless propagation environments. In light of this fact, this article proposed a two-way ambient backscatter communication (TW-AmBC) network with an eavesdropper. Specifically, the physical layer security (PLS) is studied through deriving the analytical/asymptotic expressions of the outage probability (OP) and intercept probability (IP). Moreover, the outage probabilities (OPs) in high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) regions are studied for the asymptotic behavior and the intercept probabilities (IPs) in high main-to-eavesdropping ratio (MER) regions as well. Through analysis and evaluation of simulation performance, the results show that (i) when considering the target node, the OP of the BD decreases with increasing SNR, that is, enhancing the reliability; (ii) an optimal value of BD’s reflection coefficient that maximize the reliability of backscatter link can be obtained; (iii) in high SNR regions, the OPs approach a constant; thus, the diversity orders are zero; (iv) when increasing the MER, the IP of target node decreases, suggesting the security enhances; (v) a trade-off exists between reliability and security which can be optimized by carefully designing the parameters.
Routine Use of the “Penumbra” Thrombectomy Device in Myocardial Infarction: A Real-World Experience—ROPUST Study
Authors: Tashtish Nour , Chami Tarek , Dong Tony , Chami Besher , Al-Kindi Sadeer , Mously Haytham , Janus Scott , Hammad Tarek , Shishehbor Mehdi H. , Gupta Anjan
Published: March 2022

Objectives. Evaluation of the safety and efficacy of the Penumbra device as an adjunct to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in patients with myocardial infarction (MI) and a large thrombus burden that requires thrombectomy. Background. For patients with acute MI, PCI is the primary reperfusion method. Large thrombus burden has always been a limitation of successful reperfusion. However, the use of current aspiration devices has been associated with an increased incidence of stroke. Methods. We performed a retrospective chart review at the University Hospitals Medical Center in Cleveland. Our study included data from patients who underwent PCI for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and non-ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) assisted by the Penumbra Cat RX device (a wide-lumen thrombus aspiration catheter) between May 2019 and February 2021. The primary outcome was the final thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow. The secondary endpoints were a composite of adverse cardiac events at 6 months. About 50% of the patients did undergo transfemoral PCI as per preference of individual operators. The Penumbra thrombectomy device can be used both by radial and femoral approach and does not need any different guide catheter use. Results. TIMI flow 3 was achieved in 111 patients (90.2%). The secondary endpoint occurred in 11 patients (8.9%, 3 MI, 8 heart failure hospitalizations). There were no stroke events or device-related complications. The door-to-balloon time was not affected by usage of the Penumbra device. Failure in the restoration of TIMI 3 flow was associated with the use of balloon angioplasty prior to the application of the Penumbra device, leading to distal embolization. Conclusions. The Penumbra Cat RX provides safe and effective thrombus removal with better clinical outcomes, even in high-risk patients with acute coronary syndrome.
An Investigation on Effects by Adding Cerium and Lithium on Mechanical and Metallurgical Properties of AZ91D + XCe + XLi Cast Mg Alloy
Authors: Krishnan R. , Manivannan S. , Das A. Daniel , Kannan C. Ramesh , Sasikumar Bashyam
Published: March 2022

In this research work, the analysis of mechanical and metallurgical properties of AZ91D + XCe + XLi cast magnesium (Mg) alloys in adding cerium (Ce) and lithium (Li), where X can be varied. The destructive tests viz. mechanical test, tensile strength test, and microhardness test are used to investigate mechanical properties of AZ91D alloy in adding various weight percentages viz. 0.5, 1, 2, of Ce and Li. This result of this present investigation reveals that there will be refinement of grain size on AZ91D alloy in adding Ce and Li. The formation of second phase Al2Ce that has superior melting point, changes the distribution of the phase Mg17Al12 from a continuous network morphological transition to a tiny and dispersive distribution along the grain boundary. Furthermore, adding Li to the AZ91D magnesium alloy lowers the corrosion current density in a 3.5 percent NaCl solution, improving the alloy’s corrosion resistance. The results show that the AZ91D magnesium alloy, which contains 0.5 percent Ce + 1.0wt.%, outperforms other magnesium alloys.
Thermal Hazards of Synthesizing a Grignard Reagent under Different Dosing Rates
Authors: Wang Wei , Gao Jiancun , Shi Chenguang , Wang Shengnan , Li Yujing , Dai Xiong , Jiang Tianmeng
Published: March 2022

Thermal safety during the synthesis of a Grignard reagent under different dosing rates was evaluated in this work. A reaction calorimeter (SIMULAR) was used to investigate the heat release under isothermal experiment in the range of 0.5–2.0 g⋅min−1 dosing rates. The thermal decomposition of the Grignard reagent was analyzed using accelerating rate calorimetry (ARC). Furthermore, the risk assessment of thermal runaway was analyzed using a risk matrix and a Stoessel criticality diagram. The results indicate that decreasing the dosing rate can decrease the risk level of synthesizing the Grignard reagent from class 3 to class 1. However, the risk level was class 3 at different dosing rates when the induction period was considered. In the case of cooling failure, the most hazardous moment was the induction period, followed by the dosing period. These findings provide further evidence that the dose rate of 0.5 g⋅min−1 was safer to produce Grignard reagents.
Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with High-Bolus Dose Tirofiban: The FASTER (Favorite Approach to Safe and Effective Treatment for Early Reperfusion) Multicenter Registry
Authors: Rigattieri Stefano , Lettieri Corrado , Tiberti Gianluca , Romano Michele , Ferlini Marco , Testa Luca , Pierini Simona , Ettori Federica , Passamonti Enrico , Marchese Alfredo , Musumeci Giuseppe , Esposito Giovanni , Tarantini Giuseppe
Published: March 2022

Objectives. To investigate the safety and clinical efficacy of tirofiban during primary percutaneous coronary interventions (pPCI). Background. Gp IIb/IIIa inhibitors (GPI) use during pPCI has declined over years, mainly for the increased hemorrhagic risk associated to their use and for the availability of potent, fast-acting oral antiplatelet drugs. However, several pharmacodynamic studies showed suboptimal platelet inhibition with P2Y12-blockers, such as prasugrel or ticagrelor. Methods. Patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) undergoing pPCI were prospectively enrolled in a multicenter registry conducted in high-volume centers in Italy. All patients received intraprocedural tirofiban. The primary safety endpoint was the occurrence of in-hospital bleedings according to the Bleeding Academic Research Consortium definition. In-hospital major adverse coronary events (MACE, defined as death, reinfarction, stent thrombosis, and target vessel revascularization), final TIMI flow, myocardial blush grade, and ST-segment resolution were also evaluated. Results. A total of 472 patients (mean age 61 ± 11 years, 83% males) were enrolled in 16 Italian centers from October 2015 to June 2018. Mean basal thrombus grade score was 3.47 ± 1.25. PCI was performed by transradial approach in 88% of patients. We observed a very low rate of 30 days BARC bleedings (2.1%) and MACE (0.8%). Complete (>70%) ST-segment resolution was observed in 67% of patients. Conclusions. In the FASTER registry, the use of tirofiban during primary PCI, performed with a transradial approach in most cases, in patients with high thrombus burden was associated with high rates of complete ST-segment resolution and low rates of in-hospital bleeding and MACE.
Habitat Analysis of Breast Cancer‐Enhanced MRI Reflects BRCA1 Mutation Determined by Immunohistochemistry
Authors: Du Tianming , Zhao Haidong
Published: March 2022

Objective. To use habitat analysis (also termed habitat imaging) for classifying untreated breast cancer‐enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in women. Moreover, we intended to obtain clustering parameters to predict the BReast CAncer gene 1 (BRCA1) gene mutation and to determine the use of MRI as a noninvasive examination tool. Methods. We obtained enhanced MRI data of patients with breast cancer before treatment and selected some sequences as the source of habitat imaging. We used the k‐means clustering to classify these images. According to the formed subregions, we calculated several parameters to evaluate the clustering. We used immunohistochemistry to detect BRCA1 mutations. Moreover, we separately determined the ability of these parameters through independent modeling or multiple parameter joint modeling to predict these mutations. Results. Of all extracted values, separation (SP) demonstrated the best prediction performance for a single parameter (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), 0.647; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.557–0.731). Simultaneously, models based on the Calinski‐Harabasz Index and sum of square error performed better in the training (AUC, 0.903; 95% CI, 0.831–0.96) and verification (AUC, 0.845; 95% CI, 0.723–0.942) sets for multiparameter joint modeling. Conclusion. Based on the enhanced MRI of breast tumors and the subregions generated according to the habitat imaging theory, the parameters extracted to describe the clustering effect could reflect the BRCA1 status. Differences between clusters, including the general differences of cluster centers and clusters and the similarity of samples within clusters, were the embodiment of this mutation. We propose an algorithm to predict the BRCA1 mutation of a patient according to the enhanced MRI of the breast tumor.
Anti-IgLON5 Encephalopathy with Concomitant Herpes Virus Encephalitis
Authors: Wang Yuge , Li Rui , Sun Xiaobo , Liao Jinchi , Li Jianfang , Xia Han , Peng Lisheng , Qiu Wei , Shu Yaqing
Published: March 2022

Anti-IgLON5 encephalopathy is a new and rare autoimmune encephalitis with unclear pathophysiology. In this study, we reported an unusual case of anti-IgLON5 encephalopathy with concomitant herpes virus encephalitis. A 51-year-old man with HLA-DQB1*05:01 and HLA-DRB1*10:01, who suffered from an episode of acute encephalitis, mental disorders, and memory impairment was admitted to our hospital. Human alpha herpes virus 1, human gamma herpes virus 4 (Epstein-Barr virus), and IgLON5-IgG were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid, indicating anti-IgLON5 encephalopathy with concomitant herpes virus encephalitis of this patient. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed T2 hyperintensities in the left temporal lobe and enhancement in the hippocampus. A mild sleep disorder was also found by video polysomnography. The patient was then treated with antiviral drugs, intravenous immunoglobulins, methylprednisolone, and protein A immunoadsorption. After treatment, the patient’s clinical symptoms were partially improved. This is the first reported case of anti-IgLON5 encephalopathy with concomitant herpes virus encephalitis.
A Giant Low-Grade Appendiceal Mucinous Neoplasm in a Middle-Aged Female: A Case Report and Review of Literature
Authors: Alabboudi Yousif Habib , Al-Ozaibi Labib Sallam , Salman Alaa Haitham
Published: March 2022

Appendiceal mucoceles represent abnormal accumulation of mucin in the appendix. They are rare and can be due to neoplastic and nonneoplastic causes, the most common cause being low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm (LAMN), also known as mucinous cystadenoma of the appendix. We present the case of a 48-year-old woman who had complaints of abdominal pain for 2 months. Imaging showed mucocele of the appendix. She was taken for open appendectomy which revealed a huge (16.5 × 7 × 6 cm) mucocele, and histology proved it to be a LAMN with negative margins.