bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioinspired preactivation reflex increases robustness of walking on rough terrain
Authors: Bunz Elsa K. , Haeufle Daniel F. B. , Remy C. David , Schmitt Syn
Published: August 2023

Walking on unknown and rough terrain is challenging for (bipedal) robots, while humans naturally cope with perturbations. Therefore, human strategies serve as an excellent inspiration to improve the robustness of robotic systems. Neuromusculoskeletal (NMS) models provide the necessary interface for the validation and transfer of human control strategies. Reflexes play a crucial part during normal locomotion and especially in the face of perturbations, and provide a simple, transferable, and bio-inspired control scheme. Current reflex-based NMS models are not robust to unexpected perturbations. Therefore, in this work, we propose a bio-inspired improvement of a widely used NMS walking model. In humans, different muscles show an increase in activation in anticipation of the landing at the end of the swing phase. This preactivation is not integrated in the used reflex-based walking model. We integrate this activation by adding an additional feedback loop and show that the landing is adapted and the robustness to unexpected step-down perturbations is markedly improved (from 3 to 10 cm). Scrutinizing the effect, we find that the stabilizing effect is caused by changed knee kinematics. Preactivation, therefore, acts as an accommodation strategy to cope with unexpected step-down perturbations, not requiring any detection of the perturbation. Our results indicate that such preactivation can potentially enable a bipedal system to react adequately to upcoming unexpected perturbations and is hence an effective adaptation of reflexes to cope with rough terrain. Preactivation can be ported to robots by leveraging the reflex-control scheme and improves the robustness to step-down perturbation without the need to detect the perturbation. Alternatively, the stabilizing mechanism can also be added in an anticipatory fashion by applying an additional knee torque to the contralateral knee.
Physical exercise and major depressive disorder in adults: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Pérez Bedoya Édison Andrés , Puerta-López Luisa Fernanda , López Galvis Daniel Alejandro , Rojas Jaimes Diego Alejandro , Moreira Osvaldo Costa
Published: August 2023

The objective of this study was to assess the benefits and potential risks associated with different physical exercise modalities for managing symptoms in adults with major depressive disorder who were not receiving second-generation antidepressants or cognitive behavioral therapy. A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted. The search included multiple databases: Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Embase, PsycInfo, Web of Science, Clinical Trials repository, gray literature, and manual search. No language restrictions were applied. Eligible studies involved RCTs of adults with major depressive disorder who were not on antidepressants or receiving psychological therapy, comparing various exercise modalities with second-generation antidepressants or cognitive behavioral therapy, body-mind exercise, or no exercise interventions. Nine RCTs involving 678 adults were analyzed. The pooled results indicated a small clinical effect favoring exercise in reducing depressive symptoms, although the difference was not statistically significant (SMD = 0.27, 95% CI [− 0.58, 0.04], P = 0.09). Subgroup analyses suggested that intervention duration, frequency, intensity, supervision, age, overweight/obesity status, and diagnosis of depression could influence treatment outcomes. A sensitivity analysis was conducted for studies with controls without exercise interventions and a low risk of bias in the domains related to the randomization process and deviations from the intended interventions. The results showed that there are no statistically significant differences when interventions are compared with medication and body-mind exercise (p = 0.12, I2 = 78%). Furthermore, the analysis showed a moderate effect size favoring exercise, but no statistically significant difference between groups (p = 0.05), with high heterogeneity (I2 = 85%). The evidence quality was generally low to very low, and methodological limitations compromised the certainty of the findings. Adverse events associated with exercise were manageable. The study emphasizes the need for well-designed RCTs to provide clearer insights into the potential benefits of exercise in managing major depressive disorder symptoms. Caution is warranted in interpreting these results due to the limitations of the included studies.

Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42022356741.
Association of serum beta hCG levels in women with palpable malignant breast lesions
Authors: Mohammed Ashfaque , Ahmed Talha , Bhat Rahul R. , Mallik Esha , Arulprakasam Aashika
Published: August 2023

This study aims to determine whether serum Beta hCG can be used as a tumour marker in Breast malignancies. The objective of this study is to evaluate the serum Beta hCG in various stages of breast carcinoma and to correlate its level with disease severity and prognosis. Cross sectional analytical study of assessing serum Beta hCG in 200 patients with palpable breast malignancies at hospitals in urban Mangalore, India. In our study there was No increase in serum Beta hCG, in women with breast malignancies, but there was a pattern amongst the negative results. A Beta hCG of < 5mIU/mL is taken as negative, but in our study of 200 individuals, a mean value of 2mIU/mL was used as differentiation between low and high risk individuals. With our study we tried to correlate the value of Beta hCG with malignant breast lesions, and even though women with such lesions did not have a value of > 5mIU/mL, we found substantial evidence that women who had a value of > 2mIU/mL had a more advanced disease, be it in terms of staging, and comparing it with markers like ki67. A direct correlation between Beta hCG and severity of the disease in terms of staging was proved, hereby directly affecting the outcome of patients. Higher the level of Beta hCG, graver the prognosis. Even though Beta hCG cannot be used as tumour marker, it can be used to prognosticate the severity in women with palpable breast malignancies.
Asymmetric charge balanced waveforms direct retinal ganglion cell axon growth
Authors: Peng M. G. , Iseri E. , Simonyan A. , Lam P. , Kim T. , Medvidovic S. , Paknahad J. , Machnoor M. , Lazzi G. , Gokoffski K. K.
Published: August 2023

Failure to direct axon regeneration to appropriate targets is a major barrier to restoring function after nerve injury. Development of strategies that can direct targeted regeneration of neurons such as retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are needed to delay or reverse blindness in diseases like glaucoma. Here, we demonstrate that a new class of asymmetric, charge balanced (ACB) waveforms are effective at directing RGC axon growth, in vitro, without compromising cell viability. Unlike previously proposed direct current (DC) stimulation approaches, charge neutrality of ACB waveforms ensures the safety of stimulation while asymmetry ensures its efficacy. Furthermore, we demonstrate the relative influence of pulse amplitude and pulse width on the overall effectiveness of stimulation. This work can serve as a practical guideline for the potential deployment of electrical stimulation as a treatment strategy for nerve injury.
Identification of new cold tolerant Zoysia grass species using high-resolution RGB and multi-spectral imaging
Authors: Ku Ki-Bon , Mansoor Sheikh , Han Gyung Deok , Chung Yong Suk , Tuan Thai Thanh
Published: August 2023

Zoysia grass (Zoysia spp.) is the most widely used warm-season turf grass in Korea due to its durability and resistance to environmental stresses. To develop new longer-period greenness cultivars, it is essential to screen germplasm which maintains the greenness at a lower temperature. Conventional methods are time-consuming, laborious, and subjective. Therefore, in this study, we demonstrate an objective and efficient method to screen maintaining longer greenness germplasm using RGB and multispectral images. From August to December, time-series data were acquired and we calculated green cover percentage (GCP), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Red Edge Index (NDRE), Soil-adjusted Vegetation Index (SAVI), and Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) values of germplasm from RGB and multispectral images by applying vegetation indexs. The result showed significant differences in GCP, NDVI, NDRE, SAVI, and EVI among germplasm (p < 0.05). The GCP, which evaluated the quantity of greenness by counting pixels of the green area from RGB images, exhibited maintenance of greenness over 90% for August and September but, sharply decrease from October. The study found significant differences in GCP and NDVI among germplasm. san208 exhibiting over 90% GCP and high NDVI values during 153 days. In addition, we also conducted assessments using various vegetation indexes, namely NDRE, SAVI, and EVI. san208 exhibited NDRE levels exceeding 3% throughout this period. As for SAVI, it initially started at approximately 38% and gradually decreased to around 4% over the course of these days. Furthermore, for the month of August, it recorded approximately 6%, but experienced a decline from about 9% to 1% between September and October. The complementary use of both indicators could be an efficient method for objectively assessing the greenness of turf both quantitatively and qualitatively.
The causal effects of leisure screen time on irritable bowel syndrome risk from a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Lu Liesheng , Liu Changqin , Liu Kunpeng , Shi Chenzhang , Liu Zhongchen , Jiang Xun , Wang Feng
Published: August 2023

Associations between leisure sedentary behavior (especially leisure screen time, LST) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) have been reported, but causality is unclear. Here, the two-sample Mendelian randomization was performed to investigate the causal association between LST and IBS. Two recently published genome-wide association studies (GWASs) including a total of 1,190,502 people from Europe were used as our data source. Inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.120, 95% CI 1.029–1.219) and weighted median (OR = 1.112, 95% CI 1.000–1.236) analyses revealed a causal effect between LST and IBS. There was no evidence of pleiotropy in the sensitive analysis (MR-Egger, p = 0.139). After removing potentially confounding single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), similar results were found using inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.131, 95% CI 1.025–1.248) and weighted median (OR = 1.151, 95% CI 1.020–1.299), as well as in the validation analyses using inverse variance weighting (OR = 1.287, 95% CI 0.996–1.662). This study provided support for a possible causal relationship between leisure screen time and IBS.
Stability evaluation of rock pillar between twin tunnels using the YAI
Authors: Zhang Huijian , Liu Gongning , Liu Weixiong , Chen Zekun , Miao Zengrun , Liu Qiuyang
Published: August 2023

The stability of rock pillar is crucial for ensuring the construction safety of twin tunnels with small clearance, especially when transitioning from the traditional left–right tunnel layouts to the up-down configurations due to complex and variable site constraints. However, there are limited researches on the evaluation and comparative study of the stability of these two types of rock pillars in twin tunnels. This paper introduces the yield approach index (YAI) as a measure to assess the stability of rock pillar in twin tunnels with small clearance, and various influencing factors including side pressure coefficient (SPC), stress release rate (SRR), and the thickness of rock pillar (characterised by the ratio of rock pillar thickness to tunnel diameter, RPT/TD) are considered in the analysis. The study compares and analyzes the stability differences of the rock pillar in different situations. It is observed that the two sides of up-down tunnels pose a higher risk while the rock pillar in the left–right configuration being the most vulnerable. The stability of the rock pillar between the up-down tunnels is significantly higher than that of the left–right tunnels under similar conditions. Moreover, the up-down tunnels exhibit greater sensitivity to SPC, whereas the left–right tunnels are more sensitive to SRR. Additionally, the study reveals that increasing the RPT/TD can effectively improve the stability of the rock pillar within a specific range (1/4 to 2/3). The research method and obtained results of this paper can provide some important references for the stability evaluation and design of twin tunnels with small clearance.
Irrigated barley–grass pea crop mixtures can revive soil microbial activities and alleviate salinity in desertic conditions of southern Morocco
Authors: Ashilenje Dennis S. , Amombo Erick , Hirich Abdelaziz , Devkota Krishna P. , Kouisni Lamfeddal , Nilahyane Abdelaziz
Published: August 2023

Soil salinity adversely limits crop and soil health, and this can be reversed by cropping systems where species exclude salts and activate microbial nutrient cycling. A randomized complete block design experiment was established in Laayoune–Morocco to evaluate the influence of irrigated grass pea and barley monocrops or combined together in 50–50% and 70–30% mixtures against soil salinity and CO2-C flux in sites with varying salinity. Site by treatment interaction significantly influenced (p < 0.05) soil salinity and CO2-C flux. Salinity reduced by 37 to 68 dS m−1 in highly saline soils across season regardless of treatment and barley monocrop retained the least salinity (15 dS m−1). Same applied to sites with low (1 to 2 dS m−1) and medium (2 to 5 dS m−1) salinity although less pronounced. The 70–30% grass pea, barley mixture maintained the greatest CO2-C flux in soils with low salinity and marginally enhancing soil active carbon (130 to 229 mg kg−1 soil) in different sites. Increasingly saline water filled pore space devastated CO2-C flux, although this process recovered under barley at extreme salinity. Overall, barley in mixture with grass pea can alleviate salinity and accelerate microbial carbon sequestration if irrigation is modulated in shallow desertic soils.
Artificial intelligence in diagnosing dens evaginatus on periapical radiography with limited data availability
Authors: Choi Eunhye , Pang KangMi , Jeong Eunjae , Lee Sangho , Son Youngdoo , Seo Min-Seock
Published: August 2023

This study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) model using deep learning techniques to diagnose dens evaginatus (DE) on periapical radiography (PA) and compare its performance with endodontist evaluations. In total, 402 PA images (138 DE and 264 normal cases) were used. A pre-trained ResNet model, which had the highest AUC of 0.878, was selected due to the small number of data. The PA images were handled in both the full (F model) and cropped (C model) models. There were no significant statistical differences between the C and F model in AI, while there were in endodontists (p = 0.753 and 0.04 in AUC, respectively). The AI model exhibited superior AUC in both the F and C models compared to endodontists. Cohen’s kappa demonstrated a substantial level of agreement for the AI model (0.774 in the F model and 0.684 in C) and fair agreement for specialists. The AI’s judgment was also based on the coronal pulp area on full PA, as shown by the class activation map. Therefore, these findings suggest that the AI model can improve diagnostic accuracy and support clinicians in diagnosing DE on PA, improving the long-term prognosis of the tooth.
Unexpected growth of an illegal water market
Authors: Klassert Christian , Yoon Jim , Sigel Katja , Klauer Bernd , Talozi Samer , Lachaut Thibaut , Selby Philip , Knox Stephen , Avisse Nicolas , Tilmant Amaury , Harou Julien J. , Mustafa Daanish , Medellín-Azuara Josué , Bataineh Bushra , Zhang Hua , Gawel Erik , Gorelick Steven M.
Published: August 2023

Scarce and unreliable urban water supply in many countries has caused municipal users to rely on transfers from rural wells via unregulated markets. Assessments of this pervasive water re-allocation institution and its impacts on aquifers, consumer equity and affordability are lacking. We present a rigorous coupled human–natural system analysis of rural-to-urban tanker water market supply and demand in Jordan, a quintessential example of a nation relying heavily on such markets, fed by predominantly illegal water abstractions. Employing a shadow-economic approach validated using multiple data types, we estimate that unregulated water sales exceed government licences 10.7-fold, equalling 27% of the groundwater abstracted above sustainable yields. These markets supply 15% of all drinking water at high prices, account for 52% of all urban water revenue and constrain the public supply system’s ability to recover costs. We project that household reliance on tanker water will grow 2.6-fold by 2050 under population growth and climate change. Our analysis suggests that improving the efficiency and equity of public water supply is needed to ensure water security while avoiding uncontrolled groundwater depletion by growing tanker markets.
An approach to zwitterionic peptide design for colorimetric detection of the Southampton norovirus SV3CP protease
Authors: Yeung Justin , Jin Zhicheng , Ling Chuxuan , Retout Maurice , Barbosa da Silva Elany , Damani Manan , Chang Yu-Ci , Yim Wonjun , O'Donoghue Anthony J. , Jokerst Jesse V.
Published: August 2023

A colorimetric tool to identify noroviruses.
Triple ligation-based formation of a G-quadruplex for simultaneous detection of multiple miRNAs
Authors: Alom Kazi Morshed , Seo Young Jun
Published: August 2023

This study presents a simultaneous triple miRNA detection system utilizing a one-step ligation-rolling circle transcription reaction combined with fluorescent signal amplification by lutidine DESA probe and cMYC G-quadruplex binding.
Exploring a Streptomyces wax synthase using acyl-SNACs as donor substrates
Authors: Casolari Federica , Alrashdi Saad , Carr Reuben , Deng Hai
Published: August 2023

A streptomyces wax synthase utilizes CoA-synthetic mimic, acyl-SNAC and displays substrate promiscuity towards short/branched/aromatic acyl chains.
Elucidation of the mechanism of melamine adsorption on Pt(111) surface via density functional theory calculations
Authors: Tada Kohei , Yamazaki Shin-ichi , Asahi Masafumi , Ioroi Tsutomu
Published: August 2023

Resonance structures and coordination explain the interactions between triazine derivatives with amino groups and Pt. The elucidated adsorption mechanisms will be useful for clarifying the ORR enhancement mechanisms of molecule-decoration.
Exploration of AB3Si3 (A = Na/K/Rb/Cs) compounds under moderate pressure
Authors: Cui Xiangyue , Zhang Miao , Gao Lili
Published: August 2023

Among the nine structures, KB3Si3 compounds exhibit strong light absorption performance, including a regular octahedron structure (B8) and hold promise for widespread applications in semiconductor physics.
Bounding [AnO2]2+(An = U, Np) covalency by simulated O K-edge and An M-edge X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy
Authors: Stanistreet-Welsh Kurtis , Kerridge Andrew
Published: August 2023

Simulated O K-edge and an M-edge XANES data are combined to bound actinide covalency in uranyl and neptunyl, demonstrating the validity of inferring ground state bonding character from core-excited state electronic structures for these compounds.
Aircraft measurements of single particle size and composition reveal aerosol size and mixing state dictate their activation into cloud droplets
Authors: Saliba G. , Bell D. M. , Suski K. J. , Fast J. D. , Imre D. , Kulkarni G. , Mei F. , Mülmenstädt J. H. , Pekour M. , Shilling J. E. , Tomlinson J. , Varble A. C. , Wang J. , Thornton J. A. , Zelenyuk A.
Published: August 2023

Activated cloud droplet fraction versus the below-cloud aerosol hygroscopicity for spring and summer campaigns.
Method for growing edibleEuglena gracilisin an inexpensive medium with tomato juice to a high cell density equivalent to the density in KH medium
Authors: Yamashita Kyohei , Yamada Koji , Suzuki Kengo , Tokunaga Eiji
Published: August 2023

This paper proposes a low-cost technology for growingEuglena gracilisusing beverages that people consume on a daily basis as a nutrient source.
Fabrication of a self-assembled and vascularized tumor array via bioprinting on a microfluidic chip
Authors: Lee Gihyun , Kim Soo Jee , Park Je-Kyun
Published: August 2023

This paper describes a novel integrative technology to fabricate a self-assembled and vascularized tumor array via bioprinting on a microfluidic chip for the recreation of a tumor microenvironment.
Material-level countermeasures for securing microfluidic biochips
Authors: Baban Navajit Singh , Saha Sohini , Jancheska Sofija , Singh Inderjeet , Khapli Sachin , Khobdabayev Maksat , Kim Jongmin , Bhattacharjee Sukanta , Song Yong-Ak , Chakrabarty Krishnendu , Karri Ramesh
Published: August 2023

We present novel material-level countermeasures in the form of watermarking and machine learning-based solutions that biochip companies can effectively utilize to secure their products against malicious and intellectual property (IP) theft attacks.
Label-free virtual staining of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in microfluidics
Authors: Petchakup Chayakorn , Wong Siong Onn , Dalan Rinkoo , Hou Han Wei
Published: August 2023

A virtual staining using convolutional neural networks was used to facilitate label-free quantification of NETs trapped in a microfluidic device based on morphological features in phase-contrast images.
Matrix metalloproteinase responsive hydrogel microplates for programmed killing of invasive tumour cells
Authors: Cook Alexander B. , Palange Annalisa , Schlich Michele , Bellotti Elena , Brahmachari Sayanti , di Francesco Martina , Decuzzi Paolo
Published: August 2023

Hydrogel microplates are formed through photoinitiated thiol–ene chemistry in a soft-lithography process, leading to enzyme responsive drug nanoparticle release to MMP-2/9 expressing brain cancer cell line U87-MG.
Antibacterial surface based on hierarchical polyurethane acrylate/zinc oxide structures
Authors: Oopath Sruthi Venugopal , Kakarla Akesh Babu , Kong Ing , Nguyen Thanh Tien , Truong Vi Khanh , Baji Avinash
Published: August 2023

Polyurethane acrylate film with hierarchical surface structures produced using UV-imprinting followed by a hydrothermal method for antibacterial applications.
Optical properties of NIR photoluminescent PbS nanocrystal-based three-dimensional networks
Authors: Pluta Denis , Kuper Henning , Graf Rebecca T. , Wesemann Christoph , Rusch Pascal , Becker Joerg August , Bigall Nadja C.
Published: August 2023

NIR photoluminescent PbS nanocrystal-based aerogels are synthesized and characterized for the first time. The influence of surface facets and surface ligands on the resulting network structure is investigated and related to their optical properties.
New construction method of Bi2MoO6/kaolinite with efficient visible photocatalytic activity
Authors: Zhang Guangxin , Li Shilin , Li Yifei
Published: August 2023

Bi2MoO6/kaolinite composites were fabricated by a precipitation-calcined crystallization method, with Bi2MoO6 nanoparticles loaded on the surface of kaolinite.
The fundamental nature and importance of electrostatic potential in hydrogen bond formation: a case study of heterocycles frequently observed in drugs
Authors: Haritha Mambatta , Suresh Cherumuttathu H.
Published: August 2023

The study utilizes MESP topology data of CO–HC, CN–HN, CN–HC, CF–HC, and CN–OC motifs in rings in drugs to predict hydrogen bond strength with H2O, while also elucidating how even minor variations in bond strength correspond to MESP features.
Spiro-based hole-transporting materials utilized in green perovskite quantum dot light-emitting diodes with high luminance
Authors: Huang Zetian , Li Xiansheng , Li Guohong , Zhang Daqing , Zhang Qin , Luo Xin , Zhou Haitao , Xu Bo , Huang Jinhai , Su Jianhua
Published: August 2023

Pe-QLEDs based on two spiro-cored HTMs achieved high brightness of 45 056 and 46 382 cd m−2, respectively.
A V–Ni-based nitride heterostructure as a highly efficient electrode for flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors
Authors: Feng Yue , Chen Yu , Yang Lan , Chen Ningna , Liu Ruiqing , Lin Xiujing , Wang Wencai , Feng Xiaomiao
Published: August 2023

The as-prepared VN/Ni3N–Ni/CC can be used as electrode materials for high-performance flexible all-solid-state supercapacitors.
Kinetics and possible mechanism of chlorogenic acid–water complex formation
Authors: Hołowiński Piotr , Dawidowicz Andrzej L. , Typek Rafał
Published: August 2023

The transformation degree of a 5-CQA to 5-CQA water complex strongly depends on the incubation conditions of its water solution. Each 5-CQA water complex consists of two water molecules trapped between two 5-CQA molecules.
Wound healing efficacy of curcumin-loaded sandalwood bark-derived carbon nanosphere/PVA nanofiber matrix
Authors: Roopesh M. , Davis Deljo , Jyothi M. S. , Vandana M. , Thippeswamy B. S. , Hegde Gurumurthy , Vinod T. P. , Keri Rangappa S.
Published: August 2023

The present investigation deals with the evaluation of the wound healing efficacy of sandalwood bark-derived carbon nanospheres loaded with curcumin-embedded polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) nanofiber membranes (NF).
CuI-catalyzed synthesis of multisubstituted pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones through tandem Ullmann-type C–N cross-coupling and intramolecular amidation reaction
Authors: Mo Baichuan , Chen Chunxia , Peng Jinsong
Published: August 2023

Starting from 2-halopyridines and ester (Z)-3-amino-3-arylacrylates, one-pot tandem syntheses of diverse pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-ones have been established via CuI-catalyzed Ullmann-type C–N bond formation/intramolecular amidation reaction.
Correction: Vat photopolymerization-based 3D printing of polymer nanocomposites: current trends and applications
Authors: Shah Mussadiq , Ullah Abid , Azher Kashif , Rehman Asif Ur , Juan Wang , Aktürk Nizami , Tüfekci Celal Sami , Salamci Metin U.
Published: August 2023

Correction for ‘Vat photopolymerization-based 3D printing of polymer nanocomposites: current trends and applications’ by Mussadiq Shah et al., RSC Adv., 2023, 13, 1456–1496. https://doi.org/10.1039/D2RA06522C
Correction: Indocyanine-green-loaded microbubbles for localization of sentinel lymph node using near-infrared fluorescence/ultrasound imaging: a feasibility study
Authors: Wang Long , Hu Yihe , Peng Qinghai , Zhou Jiawei , Zhou Qichang , An Senbo , Niu Chengcheng
Published: August 2023

Correction for ‘Indocyanine-green-loaded microbubbles for localization of sentinel lymph node using near-infrared fluorescence/ultrasound imaging: a feasibility study’ by Long Wang et al., RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 50513–50520, https://doi.org/10.1039/C5RA26814A.
Lattice anharmonicity in charge compensated higher manganese silicide single crystals
Authors: Chauhan Nagendra Singh , Ono Ichiro , Miyazaki Yuzuru
Published: August 2023

Lattice anharmonicity driven by weakening interatomic interactions inherits an intrinsically low lattice thermal conductivity in a crystal.
Regulation of polysulfide adsorption and LiF-rich interface chemistry to achieve high-performance PEO-based lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Duan Huanhuan , Liao Leiping , Bi Ran , Deng Yuanfu , Chen Guohua
Published: August 2023

The MgF2 functional additive achieves the regulation of polysulfide adsorption and in situ construction of the LiF-rich/LixMg interface, enabling a stable PEO-based Li–S battery, with high coulombic efficiency.
Red emissive carbon dots: a promising next-generation material with intracellular applicability
Authors: Warjurkar Khushboo , Panda Satyajit , Sharma Vinay
Published: August 2023

In this article, we present a thorough review on the use of RCDs in biomedical applications, including in vivo and in vitro bioimaging, photoacoustic imaging, monitoring temperature and polarity changes in living cells, tumour therapy, and drug delivery.
The future of electronic materials is…degradable!
Authors: Rai Rajat , Mantione Daniele
Published: August 2023

In the last decade, electronic applications have multiplied and thus various materials have been widely used. This study focuses on the last years of degradable/disintegrable electronic materials both as supporting and active materials.
Spherical correlation as a similarity measure for 3-D radiation patterns of musical instruments
Authors: Carpentier Thibaut , Einbond Aaron
Published: August 2023

We investigate the use of spherical cross-correlation as a similarity measure of sound radiation patterns, with potential applications for their study, organization, and manipulation. This work is motivated by the application of corpus-based synthesis techniques to spatial projection based on the radiation patterns of orchestral instruments. To this end, we wish to derive spatial descriptors to complement other audio features available for the organization of the sample corpus. Considering two directivity functions on the sphere, their spherical correlation can be computed from their spherical harmonic coefficients. In addition, one can search for the 3-D rotation matrix which maximizes the cross-correlation, i.e. which offers the optimal spherical shape matching. The mathematical foundations of these tools are well established in the literature; however, their practical use in the field of acoustics remains relatively limited and challenging. As a proof of concept, we apply these techniques both to simulated radiation data and to measurements derived from an existing database of 3-D directivity patterns of orchestral instruments. Using these examples we present several test cases to compare the results of spherical correlation to mathematical and acoustical expectations. A range of visualization methods are applied to analyze the test cases, including multi-dimensional scaling, employed as an efficient technique for data reduction and navigation. This article is an extended version of a study previously published in [Carpentier and Einbond. 16th Congrès Français d’Acoustique (CFA), Marseille, France, April 2022, pp. 1–6.https://openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/28202/].
Measuring winery tourism experience: a holistic scale development study
Authors: Zhang Yuqing , Lee Hoffer , Ji Kate Mingjie
Published: August 2023

In the post-COVID-19 era, Chinese holiday seekers have shown significant interest in outdoor leisure opportunities or rural tourism, with a notable increase in enotourism. Wine tasting and related experiences have extended beyond consumption to become more experiential and sophisticated. To better capture this deepening yet under-addressed experience, this study developed a multi-item scale to measure wine tourism experiences. The scale covers six dimensions, namely escapism, entertainment, esthetics, education, novelty and hedonism, which are based on Pine and Gilmore’s (1998) experience economy model. The scale measures a wide breadth of experiences that are associated with wine tourism in the new era. Hence, it provides revised and pertinent market intelligence for winery to better market their products.
Concomitant Venous Thrombosis in Cellulitis of the Upper Extremity
Authors: Gawaz Andrea , Gonser Lena , Walter Vincent , Strölin Anke , Kofler Katrin
Published: August 2023

Objectives Concurrent thrombosis is observed in up to 15 % of the patients with cellulitis of the lower extremity. The risk of concomitant venous thrombosis in patients with upper extremity cellulitis has not been investigated, yet. Aim of this study is to examine the frequency of concomitant venous thrombosis in patients with cellulitis of the upper extremity and to identify risk factors, comorbidities, and complications.

Materials and Methods From 2014 to 2021, patients with cellulitis of the arm that received duplexsonography of the same limb were included. Files were reviewed for demographic data, comorbidities, and risk factors.

Results 53 patients with upper limb cellulitis were included. In 11.3 % of the patients (n = 6), concomitant venous thrombosis of the upper extremity was detected. Three patients had deep arm thrombosis (brachial and subclavian veins), three had superficial vein thrombosis.

Conclusion Cellulitis may increase the risk for venous thrombosis. Venous catheters and chronic lymphedema favor the occurrence of both cellulitis and venous thrombosis. Oncological patients are at particular risk for developing concomitant venous thrombosis.
Was kommt nach der Rehabilitation? Schnittstelle Reha –
Nachsorgeprogramme
Authors: Schilling Georgia
Published: August 2023

Eine Reha ist der erste Schritt zurück ins Leben, in den Alltag, in den
Beruf. Viele Patienten erleben einen sogenannten „teachable moment“,
eine Phase in der sie offen sind für Lebensstilveränderungen oder
auch psycho-soziale Hilfen annehmen. Die in der Reha erreichten Behandlungserfolge,
wie z. B. eine signifikante Steigerung der psychischen und physischen
Lebensqualität 1 können jedoch
nicht dauerhaft aufrechterhalten werden und klingen bereits nach wenigen Monaten
wieder ab 2.
Update Perioperative Antibiotikaprophylaxe in der
Neonatologie
Authors: Simon Arne , Meier Clemens Magnus , Baltaci Yeliz , Müller Rachel , Heidtmann Solvej Agneta , Zemlin Michael , Renk Hanna
Published: August 2023

In dieser Übersicht werden Grundprinzipien der perioperativen
Antibiotikaprophylaxe (PAP) bei Früh- und Reifgeborenen diskutiert und
es wird auf einige Besonderheiten bei den Indikationen und der Dosierung der PAP
eingegangen. Auch wenn intensivmedizinisch behandelte Neugeborene eine
vulnerable Patientengruppe darstellen, soll die PAP in ihrem Wirkspektrum
gezielt und in der Regel nicht länger als 24 Stunden verabreicht
werden.
Muscle versus Fascia Free Tissue Transfer for Treatment of Chronic Osteomyelitis in the Comorbid Population
Authors: Huffman Samuel S. , Berger Lauren E. , Li Karen , Spoer Daisy L. , Gupta Nisha J. , Truong Brian N. , Akbari Cameron M. , Evans Karen K.
Published: August 2023

Background In patients with chronic lower extremity (LE) wounds, chronic osteomyelitis confers additional complexity to achieving adequate treatment. Previous reviews demonstrate increased rates of osteomyelitis recurrence in patients who receive muscle flaps compared with fasciocutaneous flaps for LE limb salvage; however, these studies were not limited to atraumatic populations who receive exclusively free flaps. Thus, this study compared rates of recurrence in chronic osteomyelitis patients undergoing LE reconstruction with fasciocutaneous versus muscle free flaps.

Methods Patients undergoing free tissue transfer (FTT) between July 2011 and July 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were stratified into fasciocutaneous and muscle free flap groups. Primary outcomes included osteomyelitis recurrence, flap complications, limb salvage, and ambulatory status.

Results Forty-eight patients with pathologic diagnosis of chronic osteomyelitis of the wound bed were identified, of which 58.3% received fasciocutaneous (n = 28) and 41.7% received muscle flaps (n = 20). The most common comorbidities included diabetes mellitus (n = 29, 60.4%), peripheral neuropathy (n = 27, 56.3%) and peripheral vascular disease (n = 24, 50.0%). Methicillin-resistant or methicillin -sensitive Staphylococcus aureus were the most common pathogen in 18.7% (n = 9) of procedures. The majority of patients underwent a median of three debridements followed by negative pressure wound therapy prior to receiving FTT. At a median follow-up of 16.6 months, the limb salvage and ambulatory rates were 79.2 (n = 38) and 83.3% (n = 40), respectively. The overall rate of microsurgical flap success was 93.8% (n = 45). Osteomyelitis recurred in 25% of patients (n = 12) at a median duration of 4.0 months. There were no significant differences in rates of osteomyelitis recurrence, flap complications, limb salvage, ambulation, and mortality. On multivariate analysis, flap composition remained a nonsignificant predictor of osteomyelitis recurrence (odds ratio: 0.975, p = 0.973).

Conclusion This study demonstrates that flap composition may not influence recurrence of osteomyelitis following free flap reconstruction of chronic LE wounds, suggesting that optimal flap selection should be based on wound characteristics and patient goals.
Rat Microvascular Model is Tolerant to Technical Errors
Authors: Paladino Joseph R. , Zheng YuanDian , Gasteratos Konstantinos , Corvi John J. , Park Katherine H. , Akelina Yelena
Published: August 2023

Background Extensive studies have been conducted using the rat model to understand the potential technical errors that lead to anastomotic failure. However, current literature indicates that the rat model has excellent tolerance to diverse errors committed by microsurgeons. The error-investigating rat model is often created by one or two experienced surgeons, and only one isolated technical error is examined. These biases may potentially cause limitations of the results from previous studies. Meanwhile, venous anastomoses have rarely been investigated in previous literature. Therefore, it is important to elucidate this topic with a more comprehensive study design.

Methods Ninety-four arterial and 94 venous anastomoses on Sprague–Dawley rat femoral vessels that were performed by 47 microsurgeons who participated in the microsurgery course at the Columbia University and the University of Thessaloniki were evaluated. In total, 10 technical errors were examined: (1) disruption of suture line, (2) back-wall stitch, (3) oblique stitch, (4) wide bite, (5) partial thickness bite, (6) unequal suture distance, (7) tear in vessel wall, (8) excessively tight suture, (9) suture threads in lumen, and (10) large edge overlap. The frequency of each error committed, and the 30-minute postoperative patency was also recorded. The underlying causal relationship between these errors, potential interaction, and the short-term anastomosis patency was analyzed statistically.

Results Only the back-wall stitch was found to have a significant causal effect on arterial anastomosis failure (p < 0.001). Back-wall stitch, wide bite, and partial thickness bite significantly impact venous anastomosis patency (p < 0.001). No other statistically significant result was found.

Conclusion Overall, the rat model is highly resilient to various technical errors despite these mistakes being often considered clinically unacceptable. Therefore, researchers need to consider the resilience of the rat model when designing and analyzing future studies. In addition, microsurgery instructors should focus on individual stitch quality rather than the final patency.
A Combination of Computational and Experimental Studies to Correlate Electronic Structure and Reactivity of Donor–Acceptor Singlet Carbenes
Authors: Sen Subhabrata , Maiti Debajit , Singh Shweta , Gremaud Ludovic
Published: August 2023

Most of the reactivities of donor–acceptor (D–A) singlet carbenes are similar to metal carbenoids. However, the lone pair at the carbenoid carbon, coordinated with metal, is free in D–A carbene thereby making it nucleophilic as well. Herein, DFT-optimized structural features of D–A carbene has been investigated and is compared with rhodium carbenoid. It was observed that, when a D–A carbene reacts with cyclic-1,3-diones in different ethereal solvents, it is the lone pair at the sp2
orbital of the carbene that abstracts the proton from the enol form (of the cyclic-1,3-diones) to form a benzylic carbocation and an enolate. Subsequently, the carbocation undergoes nucleophilic attack by O of the ether solvents and then by the enolate to afford the desired ether-linked products. Accordingly, herein the reaction in THF, which otherwise had failed to work as a substrate in reported amino etherification reactions, worked well. DFT-calculated orbital energy levels and reaction profile support this reverse reactivity of singlet carbenes. Furthermore, HOMO–LUMO calculations indicated that electron-rich arenes in D–A carbene stabilizes the LUMO and destabilizes the HOMO which increases yield. Additionally, a library of 37 enol ether and 39 ether-linked compounds of potential medicinal relevance have been synthesized with good to excellent yields using numerous cyclic-1,3-diones.
Retrospective Use of Patients' Characteristics to Assess Variation in Prenatal Care Utilization
Authors: Peahl Alex F. , Pennathur Harini , Zacharek Nicholas , Naccarato Amanda , Heberle-Rose Hannah , Goodman Jordan , Smith Roger D. , Cohn Amy , Stout Molly J. , Fendrick A Mark , Moniz Michelle H.
Published: August 2023

Objective We used patients' medical and psychosocial risk factors to explore prenatal care utilization and health outcomes to inform prenatal care tailoring.

Study Design This retrospective cohort study assessed patients who gave birth at an academic institution from January 1 to December 31, 2018, using electronic health record (EHR) data. Patients were categorized into four phenotypes based on medical/psychosocial risk factors available in the EHR: Completely low risk; High psychosocial risk only; High medical risk only; and Completely high risk. We examined patient characteristics, visit utilization, nonvisit utilization (e.g., phone calls), and outcomes (e.g., preterm birth, preeclampsia) across groups.

Results Of 4,681 patients, the majority were age 18 to 35 (3,697, 79.0%), White (3,326, 70.9%), multiparous (3,263, 69.7%), and Completely high risk (2,752, 58.8%). More Black and Hispanic patients had psychosocial risk factors than White patients. Patients with psychosocial risk factors had fewer prenatal visits (10, interquartile range [IQR]: 8–12) than those without (11, IQR: 9–12). Patients with psychosocial risk factors experienced less time in prenatal care, more phone calls, and fewer EHR messages across the same medical risk group. Rates of preterm birth and gestational hypertension were incrementally higher with additional medical/psychosocial risk factors.

Conclusion Data readily available in the EHR can assess the compounding influence of medical/psychosocial risk factor on patients' care utilization and outcomes.

Key Points
Maternal Well-Being in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Practices: Findings from the ROLO Study
Authors: Yelverton Cara A. , Geraghty Aisling A. , O'Brien Eileen C. , Killeen Sarah L. , Larkin Elizabeth , Mehegan John , Cronin Martina , McAuliffe Fionnuala M.
Published: August 2023

Objective Low mood is common during the perinatal period, which may negatively impact breastfeeding practices. Exploring predictors of successful breastfeeding is a health priority area. This study investigated if maternal well-being during pregnancy is associated with breastfeeding practices.

Study Design This is a secondary analysis of a randomized control trial of a low glycemic index diet in pregnancy. A total of 610 secundigravida women were recruited in the National Maternity Hospital, Dublin, Ireland. Data on maternal education attainment, early pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and age were collected from hospital records. Well-being was self-reported by mothers between 10 and 28 weeks' gestation using the World Health Organization 5-Item well-being index. Scores were transformed to give percentage well-being. Mothers recorded breastfeeding practices at hospital discharge and at the study follow-up appointments. Chi-squares and independent t-tests determined initial differences in breastfeeding practices. Multiple and logistic regression analyses were used to adjust for confounders.

Results Average maternal age was 32.7 years; average BMI was 26.6 kg/m2, and 56% had achieved third-level education. The average well-being score was 58.2%. In unadjusted analysis, high well-being scores were associated with exclusive breastfeeding (56.2% breastfed vs. 46%, breastfed p < 0.03). After adjusted analysis, these associations were no longer significant (odds ratio: 1.00, 95% confidence interval: 0.99–1.01). No other associations were found.

Conclusion Our findings indicated 25% of pregnant women in the first trimester reported low well-being scores. Associations between maternal well-being and breastfeeding patterns were explained by maternal age and education level, suggesting low mood may not be a barrier to breastfeeding initiation or duration. This trial is registered at:
https://www.isrctn.com/

ISRCTN54392969.

Key Points
Heparin in the Management of Extensive Burns
Authors: Srivastava J. L. , Babu K. Ramesh , Tewari V. K. , Narayan R. P.
Published: August 2023

The severe burn injury patients (more than 40%) were studied in two randomized groups. Both groups were treated similarly except that one group received heparin both topically and systemically. Significant relief of pain, early healing in cases of superficial and deep dermal burns without hypertrophic scarring and contracture formation, early separation of eschar, excellent graft take in full thickness burns were few of the important advantages observed in heparin group patients. Significant decrease in the incidence of respiratory complications, septic shock and decreased mortality were also noticed in patients receiving heparin. The only disadvantage being that the doses required are quite heavy. No complication in the form of bleeding disorder, despite heavy dosages have been observed.
Dupuytrens Contracture of the Hand and Its Treatment by Open Palm Technique
Authors: Tripathi F. M. , Sinha J. K. , Bhattacharya V. , Chaudhury A. K. , Singh O. P.
Published: August 2023

Two cases of Dupuytrens contracture of the hand treated by open palm technique have been reported for their clinical interest.
The Use of Lyofoam as a Dressing for Split Skin Graft Donor Sites
Authors: Bilwani P. K. , Sheth Hansraj
Published: August 2023

Experiences with LYOFOAM ( Polyurethane Foam Sheets) as a dressing for split skin graft donor sites have been described. Complete absence of pain and discomfort post-operatively with LYOFOAM gives it a distinct edge over the conventional dressings.
Causal interaction in high frequency turbulence at the biosphere–atmosphere interface: Structural behavior
Authors: Hernandez Rodriguez Leila Constanza , Kumar Praveen
Published: August 2023

High-frequency (e.g., 10 Hz) eddy covariance measurements are typically used to estimate fluxes at the land–atmosphere interface at timescales of 15–60 min. These multivariate data contain information about the interdependency at high frequency between the interacting variables such as wind, humidity, temperature, and CO2. We use data at 10 Hz from an eddy covariance instrument located at 25 m above agricultural land in the Midwestern US, which offers an opportunity to move beyond the traditional spectral analyses to explore causal dependency among variables. In this study, we quantify the structure of inter-dependencies of interacting variables at high frequency represented by a directed acyclic graph (DAG). We compare DAGs to investigate changes in structural differences in causal interactions. We then apply a distance-based classification and k-means clustering approach to identify the evolution of the causal structure represented by a DAG. Our method selects an unbiased number of clusters of similar structures and characterizes the similarities and differences between them. We explore a range of dynamic behavior using data from a clear sky day and during a solar eclipse in 2017. Our results show well-defined clusters of similar causal dependencies as the system evolves. Our approach provides a methodological framework to understand how causal dependence in turbulence manifests in high-frequency data when represented through a DAG.