bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Akt enhances the vulnerability of cancer cells to VCP/p97 inhibition-mediated paraptosis
Authors: Lee Dong Min , Kim In Young , Lee Hong Jae , Seo Min Ji , Cho Mi-Young , Lee Hae In , Yoon Gyesoon , Ji Jae-Hoon , Park Seok Soon , Jeong Seong-Yun , Choi Eun Kyung , Choi Yong Hyeon , Yun Chae-Ok , Yeo Mirae , Kim Eunhee , Choi Kyeong Sook
Published: January 2024

Valosin-containing protein (VCP)/p97, an AAA+ ATPase critical for maintaining proteostasis, emerges as a promising target for cancer therapy. This study reveals that targeting VCP selectively eliminates breast cancer cells while sparing non-transformed cells by inducing paraptosis, a non-apoptotic cell death mechanism characterized by endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria dilation. Intriguingly, oncogenic HRas sensitizes non-transformed cells to VCP inhibition-mediated paraptosis. The susceptibility of cancer cells to VCP inhibition is attributed to the non-attenuation and recovery of protein synthesis under proteotoxic stress. Mechanistically, mTORC2/Akt activation and eIF3d-dependent translation contribute to translational rebound and amplification of proteotoxic stress. Furthermore, the ATF4/DDIT4 axis augments VCP inhibition-mediated paraptosis by activating Akt. Given that hyperactive Akt counteracts chemotherapeutic-induced apoptosis, VCP inhibition presents a promising therapeutic avenue to exploit Akt-associated vulnerabilities in cancer cells by triggering paraptosis while safeguarding normal cells.
Copper homeostasis and cuproptosis in atherosclerosis: metabolism, mechanisms and potential therapeutic strategies
Authors: Yang Shengjie , Li Yujuan , Zhou Lijun , Wang Xinyue , Liu Longtao , Wu Min
Published: January 2024

Copper is an essential micronutrient that plays a pivotal role in numerous physiological processes in virtually all cell types. Nevertheless, the dysregulation of copper homeostasis, whether towards excess or deficiency, can lead to pathological alterations, such as atherosclerosis. With the advent of the concept of copper-induced cell death, termed cuproptosis, researchers have increasingly focused on the potential role of copper dyshomeostasis in atherosclerosis. In this review, we provide a broad overview of cellular and systemic copper metabolism. We then summarize the evidence linking copper dyshomeostasis to atherosclerosis and elucidate the potential mechanisms underlying atherosclerosis development in terms of both copper excess and copper deficiency. Furthermore, we discuss the evidence for and mechanisms of cuproptosis, discuss its interactions with other modes of cell death, and highlight the role of cuproptosis-related mitochondrial dysfunction in atherosclerosis. Finally, we explore the therapeutic strategy of targeting this novel form of cell death, aiming to provide some insights for the management of atherosclerosis.
Prediction and understanding of barocaloric effects in orientationally disordered materials from molecular dynamics simulations
Authors: Escorihuela–Sayalero Carlos , Pardo Luis Carlos , Romanini Michela , Obrecht Nicolas , Loehlé Sophie , Lloveras Pol , Tamarit Josep–Lluís , Cazorla Claudio
Published: January 2024

Due to its high energy efficiency and environmental friendliness, solid-state cooling based on the barocaloric (BC) effect represents a promising alternative to traditional refrigeration technologies relying on greenhouse gases. Plastic crystals displaying orientational order-disorder solid-solid phase transitions have emerged among the most gifted materials on which to realize the full potential of BC solid-state cooling. However, a comprehensive understanding of the atomistic mechanisms on which order-disorder BC effects are sustained is still missing, and rigorous and systematic methods for quantitatively evaluating and anticipating them have not been yet established. Here, we present a computational approach for the assessment and prediction of BC effects in orientationally disordered materials that relies on atomistic molecular dynamics simulations and emulates quasi-direct calorimetric BC measurements. Remarkably, the proposed computational approach allows for a precise determination of the partial contributions to the total entropy stemming from the vibrational and molecular orientational degrees of freedom. Our BC simulation method is applied on the technologically relevant material CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPI), finding giant BC isothermal entropy changes (∣ΔSBC∣ ~ 10 J K−1 kg−1) under moderate pressure shifts of ~0.1 GPa. Intriguingly, our computational analysis of MAPI reveals that changes in the vibrational degrees of freedom of the molecular cations, not their reorientational motion, have a major influence on the entropy change that accompanies the order-disorder solid-solid phase transition.
The antidepressive mechanism of Longya Lilium combined with Fluoxetine in mice with depression-like behaviors
Authors: Ma Huina , Huang Hehua , Li Chenyu , Li Shasha , Gan Juefang , Lian Chunrong , Ling Yanwu
Published: January 2024

Traditional Chinese medicine is one of the most commonly used complementary and alternative medicine therapies for depression. Integrated Chinese-western therapies have been extensively applied in numerous diseases due to their superior efficiency in individual treatment. We used the meta-analysis, network pharmacology, and bioinformatics studies to identify the putative role of Longya Lilium combined with Fluoxetine in depression. Depression-like behaviors were mimicked in mice after exposure to the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). The underlying potential mechanism of this combination therapy was further explored based on in vitro and in vivo experiments to analyze the expression of COX-2, PGE2, and IL-22, activation of microglial cells, and neuron viability and apoptosis in the hippocampus. The antidepressant effect was noted for the combination of Longya Lilium with Fluoxetine in mice compared to a single treatment. COX-2 was mainly expressed in hippocampal CA1 areas. Longya Lilium combined with Fluoxetine reduced the expression of COX-2 and thus alleviated depression-like behavior and neuroinflammation in mice. A decrease of COX-2 curtailed BV-2 microglial cell activation, inflammation, and neuron apoptosis by blunting the PGE2/IL-22 axis. Therefore, a combination of Longya Lilium with Fluoxetine inactivates the COX-2/PGE2/IL-22 axis, consequently relieving the neuroinflammatory response and the resultant depression.
A universal tool for marine metazoan species identification: towards best practices in proteomic fingerprinting
Authors: Rossel Sven , Peters Janna , Charzinski Nele , Eichsteller Angelina , Laakmann Silke , Neumann Hermann , Martínez Arbizu Pedro
Published: January 2024

Proteomic fingerprinting using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is a well-established tool for identifying microorganisms and has shown promising results for identification of animal species, particularly disease vectors and marine organisms. And thus can be a vital tool for biodiversity assessments in ecological studies. However, few studies have tested species identification across different orders and classes. In this study, we collected data from 1246 specimens and 198 species to test species identification in a diverse dataset. We also evaluated different specimen preparation and data processing approaches for machine learning and developed a workflow to optimize classification using random forest. Our results showed high success rates of over 90%, but we also found that the size of the reference library affects classification error. Additionally, we demonstrated the ability of the method to differentiate marine cryptic-species complexes and to distinguish sexes within species.
Precise detection of coal and gangue based on natural γ-ray
Authors: Zhang Ningbo , Liu Changyou , Zhu Chuanqi , Chen Baobao , Wang Zhongbin , Wu Xiaojie
Published: January 2024

To address the technical limitations of automatic coal and gangue detection technology in fully mechanized top coal caving mining operations, the low radiation level radioactivity measurement method is utilized to assess the degree of coal-gangue mixture in top coal caving process. This approach is based on the distinguishing radiation characteristics of natural γ-rays between coal and gangue. This study analyzed the distribution characteristics of natural γ-rays in coal and rock layers of thick coal seams and the applicability of this method, introduced the basic principle of coal-gangue detection technology based on natural γ-ray, developed the test system about automatic coal-gangue detection, studied the radiation characteristics of coal and gangue, proposed determination model of the coal-gangue mixed degree, combined with the time sequence characteristics of the top coal’s releasing flow and the energy spectrum characteristics of different layers of rock, realized the precise coal-gangue detection technology in complex structure thick coal seam with multiple gangue. Field tests were conducted in Lilou, Xiaoyu and Tashan Coal Mine. The test results were well corroborated with the research results and achieved the expected results, which laid the foundation for the field application of intelligent coal mining.
Attenuation properties of poly methyl methacrylate reinforced with micro/nano ZrO2 as gamma-ray shields
Authors: Alabsy Mahmoud T. , Abbas Mahmoud I. , El-khatib Alaa Y. , El-Khatib Ahmed M.
Published: January 2024

This research aimed to examine the radiation shielding properties of unique polymer composites for medical and non-medical applications. For this purpose, polymer composites, based on poly methyl methacrylate (PMMA) as a matrix, were prepared and reinforced with micro- and nanoparticles of ZrO2 fillers at a loading of 15%, 30%, and 45% by weight. Using the high purity germanium (HPGe) detector, the suggested polymer composites’ shielding characteristics were assessed for various radioactive sources. The experimental values of the mass attenuation coefficients (MAC) of the produced composites agreed closely with those obtained theoretically from the XCOM database. Different shielding parameters were estimated at a broad range of photon energies, including the linear attenuation coefficient (μ), tenth value layer (TVL), half value layer (HVL), mean free path (MFP), effective electron density (Neff), effective atomic number (Zeff), and equivalent atomic number (Zeq), as well as exposure buildup factor (EBF) and energy absorption buildup factor (EABF) to provide more shielding information about the penetration of γ-rays into the chosen composites. The results showed that increasing the content of micro and nano ZrO2 particles in the PMMA matrix increases μ values and decreases HVL, TVL, and MFP values. P-45nZ sample with 45 wt% of ZrO2 nanoparticles had the highest μ values, which varied between 2.6546 and 0.0991 cm−1 as γ-ray photon energy increased from 0.0595 to 1.408 MeV, respectively. Furthermore, the highest relative increase rate in μ values between nano and micro composites was 17.84%, achieved for the P-45nZ sample at 59.53 keV. These findings demonstrated that ZrO2 nanoparticles shield radiation more effectively than micro ZrO2 even at the same photon energy and filler wt%. Thus, the proposed nano ZrO2/PMMA composites can be used as effective shielding materials to lessen the transmitted radiation dose in radiation facilities.
Phytofabricated bimetallic synthesis of silver-copper nanoparticles using Aerva lanata extract to evaluate their potential cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities
Authors: Thirumoorthy Gopishankar , Balasubramanian Balamuralikrishnan , George Jincy A. , Nizam Aatika , Nagella Praveen , Srinatha N. , Pappuswamy Manikantan , Alanazi Amer M. , Meyyazhagan Arun , Rengasamy Kannan R. R. , Veerappa Lakshmaiah Vasantha
Published: January 2024

In this study, we demonstrate the green synthesis of bimetallic silver-copper nanoparticles (Ag–Cu NPs) using Aerva lanata plant extract. These NPs possess diverse biological properties, including in vitro antioxidant, antibiofilm, and cytotoxic activities. The synthesis involves the reduction of silver nitrate and copper oxide salts mediated by the plant extract, resulting in the formation of crystalline Ag–Cu NPs with a face-centered cubic structure. Characterization techniques confirm the presence of functional groups from the plant extract, acting as stabilizing and reducing agents. The synthesized NPs exhibit uniform-sized spherical morphology ranging from 7 to 12 nm. They demonstrate significant antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, inhibiting extracellular polysaccharide secretion in a dose-dependent manner. The Ag–Cu NPs also exhibit potent cytotoxic activity against cancerous HeLa cell lines, with an inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 17.63 µg mL−1. Additionally, they demonstrate strong antioxidant potential, including reducing capability and H2O2 radical scavenging activity, particularly at high concentrations (240 µg mL−1). Overall, these results emphasize the potential of A. lanata plant metabolite-driven NPs as effective agents against infectious diseases and cancer.
AI improves accuracy, agreement and efficiency of pathologists for Ki67 assessments in breast cancer
Authors: Dy Amanda , Nguyen Ngoc-Nhu Jennifer , Meyer Julien , Dawe Melanie , Shi Wei , Androutsos Dimitri , Fyles Anthony , Liu Fei-Fei , Done Susan , Khademi April
Published: January 2024

The Ki-67 proliferation index (PI) guides treatment decisions in breast cancer but suffers from poor inter-rater reproducibility. Although AI tools have been designed for Ki-67 assessment, their impact on pathologists' work remains understudied. 90 international pathologists were recruited to assess the Ki-67 PI of ten breast cancer tissue microarrays with and without AI. Accuracy, agreement, and turnaround time with and without AI were compared. Pathologists’ perspectives on AI were collected. Using AI led to a significant decrease in PI error (2.1% with AI vs. 5.9% without AI, p < 0.001), better inter-rater agreement (ICC: 0.70 vs. 0.92; Krippendorff’s α: 0.63 vs. 0.89; Fleiss’ Kappa: 0.40 vs. 0.86), and an 11.9% overall median reduction in turnaround time. Most pathologists (84%) found the AI reliable. For Ki-67 assessments, 76% of respondents believed AI enhances accuracy, 82% said it improves consistency, and 83% trust it will improve efficiency. This study highlights AI's potential to standardize Ki-67 scoring, especially between 5 and 30% PI—a range with low PI agreement. This could pave the way for a universally accepted PI score to guide treatment decisions, emphasizing the promising role of AI integration into pathologist workflows.
Manganese nutrient mitigates ammonia, arsenic toxicity and high temperature stress using gene regulation via NFkB mechanism in fish
Authors: Kumar Neeraj , Thorat Supriya Tukaram , Kochewad Sanjivkumar Angadrao , Reddy Kotha Sammi
Published: January 2024

The ongoing challenges of climate change and pollution are major factors disturbing ecosystems, including aquatic systems. They also have an impact on gene regulation and biochemical changes in aquatic animals, including fish. Understanding the mechanisms of gene regulation and biochemical changes due to climate change and pollution in aquatic animals is a challenging task. However, with this backdrop, the present investigation was conducted to explore the effects of arsenic (As) and ammonia (NH3) toxicity and high-temperature (T) stress on gene regulation and biochemical profiles, mitigated by dietary manganese (Mn) in Pangasianodon hypophthalmus. The fish were exposed to different combinations of As, NH3, and T, and fed with dietary Mn at 4, 8, and 12 mg kg−1 to evaluate the gene expression of immunity, antioxidative status, cytokine, and NfKB signaling pathway genes. HSP 70, cytochrome P450 (CYP 450), metallothionein (MT), DNA damage-inducible protein (DDIP), caspase (CAS), tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), toll-like receptor (TLR), interleukin (IL), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) were noticeably highly upregulated by As + NH3 + T stress, whereas Mn diet at 8 mg kg−1 downregulated these genes. Further, total immunoglobulin (Ig), myostatin (MYST), somatostatin (SMT), growth hormone (GH), growth hormone regulator 1 and β, insulin-like growth factors (IGF1X1 and IGF1X2) were significantly upregulated by Mn diets. The biochemical profiles were highly affected by stressors (As + NH3 + T). The bioaccumulation of arsenic in different tissues was also notably reduced by Mn diets. Furthermore, the infectivity of the fish was reduced, and survival against pathogenic bacteria was enhanced by Mn diet at 8 mg kg−1. The results of the present investigation revealed that dietary Mn at 8 mg kg−1 controls gene regulation against multiple stressors (As, NH3, As + NH3, NH3 + T, As + NH3 + T) in fish.
High depressive symptomatology reduces emotional reactions to pictures of social interaction
Authors: Lacerda Kíssyla Christine Duarte , Souza Fabiana Cristina de Oliveira , Araújo Cassia Regina Vieira , Mota Bruna Eugênia Ferreira , Muñoz Pedro Maria Guerra , Berger Willian , Vilete Liliane , Bearzoti Eduardo , Guerra Leal Souza Gabriela
Published: January 2024

Individuals with severe depressive symptoms present diminished facial expressions compared to healthy individuals. This reduced facial expression, which occurs in most depressive patients could impair social relationships. The current study sought to investigate whether pictures with social interaction cues could elicit different modulations of facial expressions and mood states in individuals with depressive symptoms compared to healthy individuals. A total of 85 individuals were divided into depressive and non-depressive groups based on their beck depression inventory scores. Participants viewed pictures containing neutral (objects), affiliative (people interacting socially), and control (people not interacting) scenes. Electromyographic signals were collected during the entire period of visualization of the blocks, and emotional questionnaires were evaluated after each block to assess sociability and altruism (prosocial states). In non-depressed individuals, affiliative pictures increased the activity of the zygomatic muscle compared to both neutral and control pictures and reduced fear of rejection compared to neutral pictures. During the visualization of the affiliative block, zygomatic major muscle activation was higher and fear of rejection was lower in the non-depressive individuals than in the depressive. These effects reflected the low expressions of smiling and sociability to affiliative pictures in depressive individuals. These findings highlight the importance of smiling and prosocial states in social interactions, especially in these individuals.
Naturally acquired antibodies against Plasmodium vivax pre-erythrocytic stage vaccine antigens inhibit sporozoite invasion of human hepatocytes in vitro
Authors: Ntumngia Francis Babila , Kolli Surendra Kumar , Annamalai Subramani Pradeep , Barnes Samantha J. , Nicholas Justin , Ogbondah Madison M. , Barnes Brian B. , Salinas Nichole D. , Thawornpan Pongsakorn , Tolia Niraj H. , Chootong Patchanee , Adams John H.
Published: January 2024

In Plasmodium vivax, the most studied vaccine antigens are aimed at blocking merozoite invasion of erythrocytes and disease development. Very few studies have evaluated pre-erythrocytic (PE) stage antigens. The P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (CSP), is considered the leading PE vaccine candidate, but immunity to CSP is short-lived and variant specific. Thus, there is a need to identify other potential candidates to partner with CSP in a multivalent vaccine to protect against infection and disease. We hypothesize that sporozoite antigens important for host cell infection are considered potential targets. In this study, we evaluated the magnitude and quality of naturally acquired antibody responses to four P. vivax PE antigens: sporozoite surface protein 3 (SSP3), sporozoite protein essential for traversal 1 (SPECT1), cell traversal protein of ookinetes and sporozoites (CelTOS) and CSP in plasma of P. vivax infected patients from Thailand. Naturally acquired antibodies to these antigens were prevalent in the study subjects, but with significant differences in magnitude of IgG antibody responses. About 80% of study participants had antibodies to all four antigens and only 2% did not have antibodies to any of the antigens. Most importantly, these antibodies inhibited sporozoite infection of hepatocytes in vitro. Significant variations in magnitude of antigen-specific inhibitory antibody responses were observed with individual samples. The highest inhibitory responses were observed with anti-CelTOS antibodies, followed by anti-SPECT1, SSP3 and CSP antibodies respectively. These data highlight the vaccine potential of these antigens in protecting against hepatocyte infection and the need for a multi-valent pre-erythrocytic vaccine to prevent liver stage development of P. vivax sporozoites.
Baseflow significantly contributes to river floods in Peninsular India
Authors: Sharma Shailza , Mujumdar P. P.
Published: January 2024

Extreme rainfall prior to a flood event is often a necessary condition for its occurrence; however, rainfall alone is not always an indicator of flood severity. Antecedent wetness condition of a catchment is another important factor which strongly influences the flood magnitudes. The key role of soil moisture in driving floods is widely recognized; however, antecedent conditions of deeper saturated zone may contribute to river floods. Here, we assess how closely the flood magnitudes are associated to extreme rainfall, soil moisture and baseflow in 70 catchments of Peninsular India for the period 1979–2018. Annual flood magnitudes have declined across most of the catchments. Effect of flow regulations is also assessed to understand the impact of human interventions on flood characteristics. Reservoir regulation has positive effect by reducing the flood peak and volume, whereas the duration of flood events has increased after the construction of dams. Baseflow exhibits similar patterns of trends as floods, whereas trends in rainfall and soil moisture extremes are weakly correlated with trends in flood magnitudes. Baseflow is found to be more strongly influencing the flood magnitudes than soil moisture at various time lags. Further analysis with event coincidence analysis confirms that baseflow has stronger triggering effect on river floods in Peninsular India.
Evaluation of the benefits of neutral bicarbonate ionized water baths in an open-label, randomized, crossover trial
Authors: Ushikoshi-Nakayama Ryoko , Yamazaki Tomoe , Omagari Daisuke , Matsumoto Naoyuki , Inoue Hiroko , Nukuzuma Chiyoko , Nishino Seiji , Saito Ichiro
Published: January 2024

We previously demonstrated that neutral bicarbonate ionized water (NBIW) bathing enhances blood flow by bicarbonate ions and described the underlying mechanism. However, additional clinical investigation was warranted to investigate the efficacy of NBIW bathing. Hence, we performed a randomized, open-label, crossover trial to examine the effects of NBIW bathing on mental stress, sleep, and immune function. Participants who regularly felt stressed were randomly assigned to NBIW or regular bathing for 4 weeks. Mental stress was assessed with the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) and the Profile of Mood States Second Edition; sleep quality, with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index Japanese version (PSQI-J) and actigraphy; and immune function, with laboratory tests. PSQI-J scores and actigraphy sleep latency and bed out latency improved significantly more with NBIW bathing than with regular bathing (p < 0.05). Furthermore, NBIW bathing reduced both stress-induced fluctuations in CD4+ and CD8+ T cell counts and fluctuations in the naive to memory T cell ratio and neutrophil phagocytosis, indicating improved immune function. These findings suggest that daily NBIW bathing could improve mental stress, sleep quality, and immune function and bring about positive health effects in those who experience stress in their daily lives.
The relationship of atrial fibrillation with left atrial size in patients with essential hypertension
Authors: Saadeh Rami , Abu Jaber Bara , Alzuqaili Taqwa , Ghura Sara , Al-ajlouny Taiba , Saadeh Abdallah M.
Published: January 2024

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia and it is a major public health problem worldwide. Hypertension is one of the major risk factors for the development of AF. This study is carried out to determine the prevalence and independent risk factors for atrial fibrillation (AF) in hypertensive patients and to evaluate the relationship of AF with left atrial size. This is a retrospective observational cross – sectional study that used a retrospective electronic chart review of all admitted patients to cardiology department at King Abdullah university hospital (KAUH) in Irbid, Jordan, with a diagnosis of hypertension along with various acute cardiac admissions, including AF during 1-year period (January 1st to December 31 of 2021). Risk factors for AF (age, sex, DM, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, Cor-pulmonale, obstructive sleep apnea, and congestive cardiac failure) were retrieved from electronic charts of the patients. A total of 958 patients were admitted to the coronary care unit (CCU) and intermediate care unit (IMCU) during a 1-year period. Among them, 276 had 2 or 3 admissions. The main reason of admission was acute coronary syndrome (n = 491), heart failure (n = 180), and AF (n = 144), indicating AF prevalence of 15%. However, there were 40 patients with combined causes. All patients in the study (n = 958) were diagnosed with hypertension, including patients with atrial fibrillation (n = 144). The mean age of patients was 61.4 (± 11.46) years, and approximately two thirds of them were males (65.4%). The binary logistic regression model demonstrated a significant statistical relationship of age, left atrial size, coronary artery disease, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular dimensions in systole and diastole, and heart failure with the occurrence of AF after controlling for gender, smoking, and diabetes. Findings indicate that left atrial size plays a significant role in the development of AF in patients with hypertension. However, the prevalence of AF significantly increased with advancing age in both sexes because of increased left ventricular hypertrophy, which leads to increased left atrial size.
Anatomical considerations for nerve transfer in axillary nerve injury
Authors: Kim Soo-Jung , Bang Jong-Ho , Yang Hee-Jun , Moon Seong-Hwan , Choi Yun-Rak , Lee Hye-Yeon
Published: January 2024

This study investigated the anatomical details of the axillary and radial nerves in 50 upper limbs from 29 adult formalin-embalmed cadavers, and ten fresh upper limbs. The focus was on understanding the course, division, and ramifications of these nerves to improve treatment of shoulder dysfunction caused by axillary nerve damage. The axillary nerve divided anteriorly and posteriorly before passing the quadrangular space in all specimens, with specific distances to the first ramifications. It was found that the deltoid muscle's clavicular and acromial parts were always innervated by the anterior division of the axillary nerve, whereas the spinous part was variably innervated. The longest and thickest branches of the radial nerve to the triceps muscles were identified, with no statistically significant differences in fiber numbers among triceps branches. The study concludes that nerve transfer to the anterior division of the axillary nerve can restore the deltoid muscle in about 86% of shoulders, and the teres minor muscle can be restored by nerve transfer to the posterior division. The medial head branch and long head branch of radial nerve were identified as the best donor options.
Implementation of cloud computing in the German healthcare system
Authors: Putzier M. , Khakzad T. , Dreischarf M. , Thun S. , Trautwein F. , Taheri N.
Published: January 2024

With the advent of artificial intelligence and Big Data - projects, the necessity for a transition from analog medicine to modern-day solutions such as cloud computing becomes unavoidable. Even though this need is now common knowledge, the process is not always easy to start. Legislative changes, for example at the level of the European Union, are helping the respective healthcare systems to take the necessary steps. This article provides an overview of how a German university hospital is dealing with European data protection laws on the integration of cloud computing into everyday clinical practice. By describing our model approach, we aim to identify opportunities and possible pitfalls to sustainably influence digitization in Germany.
Spatiotemporal heterogeneity reveals urban-rural differences in post-disaster recovery
Authors: Park Sangung , Yao Tong , Ukkusuri Satish V.
Published: January 2024

A post-disaster recovery process necessitates significant financial and time investment. Previous studies have found the importance of post-disaster spatial recovery heterogeneity, but the recovery heterogeneity has not been extended to the directed recovery relationships despite the significance of sequential recovery plans. Identifying a causal structure between county-level time series data can reveal spatial relationships in the post-disaster recovery process. This study uses a causal discovery method to reveal the spatiotemporal relationships between counties before, during, and after Hurricane Irma in 2017. This study proposes node aggregation methods at different time scales to obtain internally validated causal links. This paper utilizes points of interest data with daily location information from mobile phones and county-level daily nighttime light data. We find intra-regional homogeneity, inter-regional heterogeneity, and a hierarchical structure among urban, suburban, and rural counties based on a network motif analysis. Subsequently, this article suggests county-level post-disaster sequential recovery plans using the causal graph methods. These results help policymakers develop recovery scenarios and estimate the corresponding spatial recovery impacts.
First-in-human phase I dose escalation trial of the first-in-class tumor microenvironment modulator VT1021 in advanced solid tumors
Authors: Mahalingam Devalingam , Harb Wael , Patnaik Amita , Bullock Andrea , Watnick Randolph S. , Vincent Melanie Y. , Chen Jian Jenny , Wang Suming , Pestana Harold , Chao Judy , Mahoney James , Cieslewicz Michael , Watnick Jing
Published: January 2024

Background

VT1021 is a cyclic peptide that induces the expression of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) recruited to the tumor microenvironment (TME). TSP-1 reprograms the TME via binding to CD36 and CD47 to induce tumor and endothelial cell apoptosis as well as immune modulation in the TME.

Methods

Study VT1021-01 (ClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT03364400) used a modified 3 + 3 design. The primary objective was to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D) in patients with advanced solid tumors. Safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) were assessed. Patients were dosed twice weekly intravenously in 9 cohorts (0.5–15.6 mg/kg). Safety was evaluated using CTCAE version 5.0 and the anti-tumor activity was evaluated by RECIST version 1.1.

Results

The RP2D of VT1021 is established at 11.8 mg/kg. VT1021 is well tolerated with no dose-limiting toxicities reported (0/38). The most frequent drug-related adverse events are fatigue (15.8%), nausea (10.5%), and infusion-related reactions (10.5%). Exposure increases proportionally from 0.5 to 8.8 mg/kg. The disease control rate (DCR) is 42.9% with 12 of 28 patients deriving clinical benefit including a partial response (PR) in one thymoma patient (504 days).

Conclusions

VT1021 is safe and well-tolerated across all doses tested. RP2D has been selected for future clinical studies. PR and SD with tumor shrinkage are observed in multiple patients underscoring the single-agent potential of VT1021. Expansion studies in GBM, pancreatic cancer and other solid tumors at the RP2D have been completed and results will be communicated in a separate report.
Planar tetracoordinate fluorine atom: global minimum with viable possibility
Authors: Sarmah Kangkan , Kalita Amlan J. , Guha Ankur Kanti
Published: January 2024

Quantum chemical calculations at DFT and ab initio level confirm the existence of planar tetracoordinate fluorine in Li3H4F− cluster.
Determination of bisulfite in food using the Etch-Cu-HCF nanozyme with enhanced polyphenol oxidase-like activity
Authors: Wang Luwei , Cheng Qi , Li Jie , Lei Lulu , Huang Hui , Zhang Ling , Li Yongxin
Published: January 2024

Determination of bisulfite in food using the Etch-Cu-HCF nanozyme with enhanced polyphenol oxidase-like activity.
Photo-induced 1,2-alkylarylation/cyclization of alkenes, alkyl halides and N-alkylindoles via an EDA-complex
Authors: Ju Tao , Ge Min , Ren Li-Hang , Lu Ai-Ling , Wang Zhi-Hao , He Shi-Ji , Sun Jing , Han Ying , Yan Chao-Guo
Published: January 2024

Herein, we developed a photo-induced 1,2-alkylarylation and 1,2-alkylarylation cyclization of alkenes, alkyl halides and N-alkylindoles to synthesize indoles derivatives and polysubstituted tetrahydrofuran under mild conditions without the use of external redox reagents and photosensitizers.
Performance Enhancement of Flux Switching Motor for Electric Vehicle Applications: An Overview
Authors: Faiz Jawad , Maktobian Majid
Published: January 2024

As the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions becomes crucial, electric vehicles (EVs) are expected to enter the market extensively in the coming years. The efficiency of the electrical motor used in EVs plays a significant role in their overall performance. This paper explores the flux switching motor (FSM) and its applications in EVs. The FSM is compared to other electrical motors, highlighting its potential as a suitable choice for EV traction. Various configurations and techniques are reviewed to enhance the performance of FSMs, including magnetic materials, torque ripple alleviation, and magnetic flux weakening. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are discussed, providing valuable insights for designing FSMs for EVs. Generally, EV traction requires high torque density and high power density electrical motor. To achieve these goals, high electric and magnetic loading must be considered in design stage of the motor. Application of the FSM may be one of the appropriate option. For many reasons, three‐phase FSM is preferred. Considering the base speed of machine in the EV and high electric loading, the FSM with 12 stator teeth and 10 rotor teeth may be the most appropriate choice in which the stator core is oriented and rotor core is nonoriented iron. To enhance the torque density and applied flux weakening method, combination of Nd and Al–Ni–Co magnets is preferred.
A two‐stage solution method for the design problem of medium‐thick plates in steel plants
Authors: Peng Gongzhuang , Zhang Boyu , Jiang Shenglong
Published: January 2024

The medium‐thick plate is an important type of steel product widely used in construction and engineering machinery. The orders are usually characterised by multiple specifications and small quantities. The plate design is an important part in the production process of medium‐thick plate, which includes the combination of sub‐plates and the size design of the motherboard. A multi‐objective model for medium‐thick plate design is proposed based on the 2D bin packing model, comprehensively considering spatial and size constraints of the plate production. A two‐stage genetic algorithm (TSGA) is developed to solve the proposed model. In the first stage, an improved GA is used to optimise the corresponding relationship between the sub‐plates and the slab, as well as the size of the motherboard. In the second stage, an exact algorithm based on the integer programming model is applied to calculate the order layout to minimise the surplus materials. To validate the proposed method, computational experiments are conducted based on actual production data from a steel plant. The experimental results show the effectiveness of the TSGA algorithm in solving the plate design problem.
Fault estimation for nonlinear uncertain time‐delay systems based on unknown input observer
Authors: Azarbani Ataollah , Fakharian Ahmad , Menhaj Mohammad Bagher
Published: January 2024

In this paper, a novel nonlinear unknown input observer is proposed in order to fault estimation for nonlinear uncertain systems with time delays. By the estimation of the faults, the features are detected such as shape, size occurrence time etc. The time delay is considered a constant and known parameter in the states. The disturbances are investigated in the states and outputs and also, and sensor and actuator faults are considered. The stability of the closed‐loop system is guaranteed by Lyapunov–Krasovskii theory and some feasible Linear matrix inequalities (LMI). The proposed method is simulated on a continuous‐stirred tank reactor (CSTR) with uncertainties and time delay. Simulation results show the appropriate efficiency of the proposed method.
A 3‐D metal printed folded‐shorted patch array with an integrated feeding circuit offering dual‐band circularly polarised radiation for cubesat applications
Authors: Li Yuepei , Rao Jiayu , Wang Lei , Ding Yuan , Podilchak Symon K.
Published: January 2024

This letter presents a three‐dimensional (3‐D) printed metallic antenna array that combines folded‐shorted patches (FSPs) and meandering for structure compactness. The design provides dual‐band functionality, operating in the L‐band and the S‐band. The compact and broadband feeding network, which is also integrated onto the backside of the antenna ground plane, enables circularly polarised radiation over an operational bandwidth of more than 80%. The dimensions of the array are 0.4 × 0.4 × 0.056 (where λ0 is the free space wavelength at 1.2 GHz), making the design suitable for CubeSats and other space constraint applications. The measured right‐handed circular polarised realised gains are 2.32 dBic and 1.84 dBic at 1.2 GHz and 2.45 GHz, respectively. In addition, the 3‐D metallic printed FSP elements can be flexibly arranged for different link requirements and other applications like beam steering.
New single‐stage bidirectional three‐phase ac‐dc solid‐state transformer
Authors: Kopacz Rafał , Menzi David , Krismer Florian , Rąbkowski Jacek , Kolar Johann W. , Huber Jonas
Published: January 2024

High‐power applications with low‐voltage (LV) dc loads, for example, fast charging stations for electric vehicles (EVs), are typically supplied from the medium‐voltage (MV) grid. Aiming for low volume, MVac‐LVdc solid‐state transformers (SSTs) that provide galvanic separation with medium‐frequency transformers (MFTs) are thus considered, which are conventionally realized as two‐stage systems that consist of an ac‐dc power‐factor‐correction (PFC) rectifier and an isolated dc‐dc converter. This letter extends a new single‐stage isolated bidirectional PFC rectifier concept to MV levels, resulting in an SST that performs MVac‐LVdc conversion in a single converter stage and, unlike many modular SST concepts, employs only a single MFT. The SST's primary side operates modular‐multilevel‐converter (MMC) bridge legs, whose input voltages contain large ac components, in the quasi‐two‐level mode to minimize the cell capacitors. The secondary side employs a standard LV three‐phase rectifier, and a dual‐active‐bridge‐(DAB)‐like modulation strategy allows power flow regulation and ensures sinusoidal grid currents. The concept is explained and validated using detailed circuit simulations of an exemplary 1‐MW system operating between a 10‐kV three‐phase grid and an 800‐V dc output. The component stresses are evaluated, and an efficiency of 98.1% and a power density of up to 0.6 kW/dm3 are estimated.
Analysis of waist and wrist positioning wearable machine learning models to detect falls
Authors: Ordoñez Nuñez Teddy , Garcia Ramirez Alejandro Rafael , Becherán Marón Liliam
Published: January 2024

Falls have a global impact, affecting people worldwide, with a notably high occurrence among the elderly. This study employs machine learning techniques to analyze falls and simulate Activities of Daily Living (ADL). The objective is to predict human falls by leveraging signals from accelerometers and gyroscopes as wearable sensors. By deriving statistical features such as mean, standard deviation, and range the authors successfully trained and assessed six machine learning models allowing them to compare solutions based on both wrist and waist data. The combination of these characteristics and sensors resulted in the Random Forest waist model achieving the most favorable metrics, with an accuracy rate of 97.22% in a 5‐s window.
Robust receive beamforming and reflection coefficients optimization in an IRS‐aided decode‐and‐forward relay system
Authors: Lu Yingxing , Huang Yongwei
Published: January 2024

Consider a decode‐and‐forward wireless relay system assisted by an intelligent reflection surface (IRS), where a robust design on receive beamforming at the relay and reflection coefficients at the IRS is studied. The worst‐case signal‐to‐noise ratio maximization problem is formulated, subject to the reflection coefficients (with either continuous or discrete phases) constraints, under the assumption of imperfect channel state information for all channels. To cope with the hard problem, an equivalent nonconvex quadratic optimization problem with a simpler form is derived, and then the Cauchy‐Schwarz inequality is applied to update the beamforming and a cyclic process is proposed to update the reflection coefficients, where a closed‐form optimal solution is computed in each step. It turns out that the proposed algorithm achieves a locally optimal solution for the robust design problem. Simulation results show that the proposed robust design outperforms an existing non‐robust design and two robust designs via semidefinite relaxation technique.
Real‐time defect detection method based on YOLO‐GSS at the edge end of a transmission line
Authors: Hou Chao , Li ZhiLei , Shen XueLiang , Li GuoChao
Published: January 2024

Combining edge devices with intelligent inspection for transmission lines can fulfill the demand for real‐time defect detection in the field. However, there has been limited research on algorithms suitable for edge devices with low computational power and memory, and the existing research primarily focuses on CPU optimization. To address these issues, this paper proposes a real‐time defect detection method for transmission line endpoints based on YOLO‐GSS (YOLOv8 with Mosaic‐9, G‐GhostNet, S‐FPN, and Spatial Intersection over Union (SIoU) modifications). First, the authors improve the input of the YOLOv8 network using Mosaic‐9 to increase the number of input features in the training phase and enhance algorithm robustness. Next, the authors introduce G‐GhostNet and S‐FPN to enhance the backbone and neck sections while improving inference speed and accuracy. Finally, the authors modify the Complete Intersection over Union loss function of YOLOv8 using SIoU to further improve the detection accuracy. Experimental results demonstrate that compared to the original YOLOv8, the proposed method achieves a 5x increase in inference speed on Nvidia Jetson NX edge devices and a 7.7% improvement in accuracy, meeting the real‐time defect detection requirements for transmission line field inspections.
Common mode far field radiation mechanisms and prediction of a buck converter with cables based on common mode voltage mutation method
Authors: He Junping , Wang Han , Zhao Pengyang , Wang Weixin , Cao Lingling
Published: January 2024

In the field of electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) research, the knowledge of the formation mechanism of the far field electromagnetic radiation and its prediction is essential for the electromagnetic noise suppression design of a switched mode power supply. This paper investigates the equivalent driving sources of the common mode (CM) current of a Buck converter with cables. Based on the concept of CM voltage mutation, this paper proposes two mechanism models of the same‐direction CM voltage driving mode and the opposite‐direction CM voltage driving mode and derives the approximate analytical formulas for the far field intensity estimation of the horizontal cables. To evaluate the predictive effectiveness of the CM far field radiation model, a 30 MHz very high frequency (VHF) Buck prototype with shielded cables is built and tested, and a shielding shell and low impedance ground conductor suppression designs are then verified. The CM electromagnetic radiation mechanisms of a non‐isolated power converter are demonstrated here. The proposed electromagnetic radiation models, approximate analytical formulas, and improvement design can help to advance the CM radiation analysis and optimization design.
Sensorless model predictive control of permanent magnet synchronous motor based on hybrid parallel observer under parameter uncertainty
Authors: Liu Tao , Zhao Qingqing , Zhao Kangfan , Li Longnv , Zhu Gaojia
Published: January 2024

Model predictive control (MPC)‐based permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive system has high dependence on parameter accuracy, while the traditional single observer architecture makes it difficult to solve the multi‐parameter observation problem. The authors propose the hybrid observer architecture for MPC in this paper. By constructing an adaptive parameter observer and a sliding mode observer (SMO) working in parallel, the variable exchange mechanism between the observers is designed and the current prediction model is reconstructed. The sensorless control of the PMSM under parameter uncertainty is achieved without affecting the dynamic and steady‐state performance. Compared with the single SMO architecture, the proposed algorithm improves the position identification precision under the uncertainty of the motor resistance and inductance, reducing the dependence of model parameters and improving the performance of sensorless MPC under parameter uncertainty. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Wireless quantum key distribution at terahertz frequencies: Opportunities and challenges
Authors: Kundu Neel Kanth , McKay Matthew R. , Mallik Ranjan K.
Published: January 2024

Quantum key distribution (QKD) is one of the major applications of quantum information technology. It can provide ultra‐secure key distribution with security guaranteed by the laws of quantum physics. Quantum key distribution is necessary to protect data transmission from quantum computing attacks in future communication networks. The laws of quantum mechanics dictate that as opposed to microwave frequencies, quantum coherence is preserved at room temperatures for terahertz (THz) frequencies. This makes the THz band a promising solution for room‐temperature QKD implementation in future wireless communication networks. The authors present the principles of continuous variable QKD (CV‐QKD) systems and review the latest developments in the design and analysis of CV‐QKD systems operating at microwave and THz frequencies. The authors also discuss how multiple‐input multiple‐output transmission can be incorporated into the quantum communications framework to improve the secret key rates and increase the coverage distances of the THz CV‐QKD system. Furthermore, major hardware challenges that must be surmounted to practically realise THz CV‐QKD systems are highlighted.