bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modelling thermal energy transfer in a femtosecond pulsed laser ablation of metal using a coupled spring-mass oscillator
Authors: Sagisi Jenny Lou , Casero Marc Robert , Floro Andrian Lorenze , Salvador Mcgilvyn Cris , Dizon Rogelio , Garcia Wilson , Dasallas Lean
Published: March 2024

Femtosecond pulsed laser ablation (fs-PLA) is an interesting yet complicated field of study especially for undergraduate students entering the field. Hence, a bridging concept using classical and mechanical analog will be helpful. In this paper, we modelled the thermal energy transfer between electron and lattice system in a fs-PLA of metal described by two temperature model (TTM) using a coupled spring-mass oscillator. This was achieved by providing correspondence of TTM parameters to the coupled spring-mass oscillator, with temperature as position, electron thermal conductivity as coefficient of friction, electron-phonon coupling factor as spring term, electron/lattice heat capacity as the mass m
1/m
2 respectively, and laser source term as the driving force. The thermophysical properties considered are temperature dependent leading to position dependent parameters of coupled spring-mass oscillator. Results showed that the coupled spring-mass oscillator exhibit many behavior similar to the TTM. Additionally, maximum positions achieved by m
2 behave similarly with maximum lattice temperature after achieving certain threshold value. However, many features of TTM such as spatial dependence and crater formation are not observed in the coupled spring-mass oscillator. Despite its limitation, the coupled spring-mass oscillator model was able to represent many features of the thermal energy transfer of fs-PLA, and could be an easy and useful model in understanding fs-PLA.
Performance and reproducibility analysis of zinc sulfo-selenide and cuprous oxide based perovskite solar cell: A SCAPS study
Authors: Patil Santosh V , Bhargava Kshitij , Pharne Indrajit D
Published: March 2024

The combination of titanium dioxide (TiO2) as electron transport layer (ETL) and 2,2’,7,7’-Tetrakis [N,N-di(4-methoxyphenyl)amino]−9,9’-spirobifluorene (Spiro-OMeTAD) as hole transport layer (HTL) have been frequently used in solution-processed perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, the high sintering temperature required during the deposition of TiO2 layer and expensive Spiro-OMeTAD are limiting its commercial applicability. In this context, the combination of zinc sulfo-selenide (ZnS0.5Se0.5) (as ETL) which can be spray coated and inexpensive cuprous oxide (Cu2O) (as HTL) can serve as an alternative. This report computationally explores and compares the utility of the combination of ZnS0.5Se0.5 and Cu2O against that of TiO2 and Spiro-OMeTAD in terms of performance and reproducibility of MAPbI3 based PSC. The performance of optimized baseline models is quantitatively compared in terms of the values of performance metrics. Also, their performance is compared with respect to variations in bulk/interfacial defect density using the electrical and impedance spectroscopy characterizations. Further, their reproducibility is compared under variable carrier mobility of absorber layer. The optimized champion and mean power conversion efficiency of ZnS0.5Se0.5/Cu2O based cell are 25.6% and 25.3% respectively with standard deviation of 0.73% which is quite impressive and realistic when compared to the existing literature. The results obtained are quantitatively explained based on correlation between the cumulative effect of transit and recombination resistances evaluated using Nyquist profiles. The report systematically addresses the importance of ETL and HTL combination towards improving the performance and reproducibility of solution-processed PSCs.
Surface modification of ZrC dispersion-strengthened W under low energy He plasma irradiation
Authors: Li Long , Liu Zhe , Chen Ze , Yin Chao , Mao Shifeng , Wu Xuebang , Ohno Noriyasu , Ye Minyou
Published: March 2024

ZrC dispersion-strengthened W exhibits high strength/ductility, low ductile-to-brittle transition temperature, and excellent thermal shock resistance, making it a promising candidate plasma-facing material for future fusion devices. In this study, surface modification of 0.5 wt.% ZrC dispersion-strengthened W (WZrC) under low energy and high fluence He plasma irradiation at high temperature was presented. Under the energy of 90 eV and fluence ranging from 6 × 1024 He·m−2–2 × 1026 He·m−2 He irradiation at 920 °C, a typical fuzz nanostructure appeared on the W matrix of WZrC. The thickness of fuzz layer is proportional to the square root of He irradiation fluence. The fuzz showed comparable thickness and structural features to pure W, indicating limited effects of the particle’s addition on resistance to high fluence He irradiation at high temperatures. Under continuous He injection, the fuzz would grow extending onto the particle area, making the particle obscured. Besides, the erosion behavior of particles under He plasma irradiation has been investigated, which is thought to be dominated by a sputtering process. Under the He influence of 6 × 1024 He·m−2, only nanopores were observed in the surface region. With fluence increasing to 5 × 1025 He·m−2, the surface became relatively uneven with larger holes. W aggregated in spots and distributed on the surface of the particle, which might be the result of subthreshold sputtering and deposition. When fluence further increased to 2 × 1026 He·m−2, the particles were eroded completely and covered by the extended fuzz, forming cavities. In addition, distinctive layered nanotendrils were observed above the cavities, which were characterized to consist of inner W-riched skeletons and outer Zr-riched layers. It indicates that the layered nanotendrils should be the result of fuzz extension combined with particle sputtering/deposition.
Determination of the mean energy of fast electron losses and anisotropies through thick-target emission on WEST
Authors: Barbui T. , Delgado-Aparicio L.F. , Stratton B. , Chellaï O. , Dumont R. , Hill K.W. , Pablant N.A. , Savoye-Peysson Y. ,   the WEST Team
Published: March 2024

A new method to obtain the mean energy of fast electron losses in fusion plasmas using a versatile multi-energy hard x-ray (HXR) detector is presented. The method is based on measuring the thick-target emission of tungsten in the divertor region produced by fast electron losses interacting with the target and modeling the tungsten spectra by a Monte Carlo code which simulates the interaction between a beam of electrons and a solid target. The mean energy of the fast electron losses is determined through the comparison between the experimental and synthetic emission. The results show that fast electron losses during lower hybrid current drive discharges at WEST have a mean energy of 90–140 keV and represent only 2% of the total heat flux at the target. Additionally, anisotropic HXR emission has been detected for the first time at the WEST core and edge plasma, with opposite directions. It is due to the forward-peak emission of two distinctive populations of fast electrons: co-current fast electrons in the core and counter-current fast electron losses at the inner strike point. In view of future experiments like ITER where electron cyclotron current drive will generate a fast electron population, this technique could serve as a real-time monitor of fast electron losses and eventually feed an actuator on the current drive generation.
A review on transfer methods of two-dimensional materials
Authors: Cheliotis I , Zergioti I
Published: March 2024

Over the years, two-dimensional (2D) materials have attracted increasing technological interest due to their unique physical, electronic, and photonic properties, making them excellent candidates for applications in electronics, nanoelectronics, optoelectronics, sensors, and modern telecommunications. Unfortunately, their development often requires special conditions and strict protocols, making it challenging to integrate them directly into devices. Some of the requirements include high temperatures, precursors, and special catalytic substrates with specific lattice parameters. Consequently, methods have been developed to transfer these materials from the growth substrates onto target substrates. These transfer techniques aim to minimize intermediate steps and minimize defects introduced into the 2D material during the process. This review focuses on the transfer techniques directly from the development substrates of 2D materials, which play a crucial role in their utilization.
Spatially-resolved UV-C emission in epitaxial monolayer boron nitride
Authors: Rousseau A , Plo J , Valvin P , Cheng T S , Bradford J , James T S S , Wrigley J , Mellor C J , Beton P H , Novikov S V , Jacques V , Gil B , Cassabois G
Published: March 2024

We report hyperspectral imaging in the UV-C spectral domain in epitaxial monolayers of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN). Under quasi-resonant laser excitation, the UV-C emission of monolayer hBN consists in resonant Raman scattering and photoluminescence, which appear to be spatially uncorrelated. Systematic measurements as a function of the excitation energy bring evidence of a photoluminescence singlet at

∼

6.045

eV. The spatial variations of the photoluminescence energy are found to be around

∼

10

meV, revealing that the inhomogeneous broadening is lower than the average photoluminescence linewidth of

∼

25

meV, a value close to the radiative limit in monolayer hBN. Our methodology provides an accurate framework for assessing the opto-electronic properties of hBN in the prospect of scalable hBN-based devices fabricated by epitaxy.
Characterizing the stress relaxation behavior of unidirectional prepreg through a parallel fractional-order viscoelastic model
Authors: Liu Jun , Li Zhefu , Yue Guangquan , Liu Weiping , Cheng Zitong
Published: March 2024

In the hot-stamp molding and hot diaphragm forming processes of composites, pressure significantly influences shaping quality. This study establishes a novel parallel fractional-order viscoelastic (PFOV) model with two Scott-Blair elements, achieving remarkable accuracy (R2 = 0.99) with fewer parameters. Unlike traditional models, it incorporates the force history of prepreg, providing a more precise representation of its mechanical response. Comparative analysis against established models underscores its superior ability to capture intricate stress relaxation behaviors. Notably, the model’s reduced parameters enhance its physical interpretability, offering a significant advantage in simulating and predicting prepreg material compression behavior for diverse manufacturing processes.
On the microstructure, texture and electrochemical properties of severely deformed and artificially aged lightweight AA2050 Al–Cu–Li alloy
Authors: Jagadeesh C , H Shivananda Nayaka , S Prithivirajan , S Ramesh , Anne Gajanan
Published: March 2024

Lightweight 3rd generation Al–Cu–Li alloy AA2050 was severely deformed via Multi Axial Forging (MAF) at 170 °C followed by artificial aging at 150 °C. Effect of MAF and post MAF aging on microstructure and precipitation was investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Formation of deformation bands and large dislocation cells were evident on MAF processed samples. Post MAF peak aging resulted in the distribution of fine T1 precipitates in grain interiors with reduction in grain boundary precipitation. Bulk texture studies reveal the formation of strong Goss and S texture components upon MAF processing. Further, low temperature artificial aging doesn’t exhibit significant changes in texture characteristics, either in terms of texture intensities or texture components. Polarization studies showed that peak aged samples exhibited better corrosion resistance compared to un-aged samples. Overall, 12 pass MAF processed and peak aged samples showed higher corrosion resistance. Further, corrosion surface morphologies examination revealed the change in corrosion mechanisms with thermomechanical treatments. Improved corrosion resistance after MAF and peak aging widens the requirements in aerospace and aircraft applications for such engineering alloys.
Investigation of the effect of silica particles and silane coupling agent on silica-filled tire tread compounds
Authors: Um Gi-Yong , Kwon Taehoon , Lee Seong Hwan , Kim Seong Hye , Kim Min Yu , Choi Sejin , Yu Seunggun , Lee Jin Hong
Published: March 2024

Enhancing attributes such as abrasion resistance, wet grip, and rolling resistance significantly impacts the overall performance optimization in tire tread applications. These attributes are predominantly influenced by the dispersity of silica filler within tire tread compounds. Therefore, it becomes imperative to enhance silica dispersion by thoroughly investigating the impact of each constituent in the tire tread compound. This study aims to elucidate the effects of silica particle size and silane coupling agents on tire tread compound properties. The results demonstrate that larger specific surface area silica particles alongside 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane coupling agents effectively reduce filler–filler interactions and enhance silica dispersion within the tire tread compound. Consequently, these improvements contribute to the overall enhancement of tire tread compound performance. These findings offer valuable insights into advancing the reinforced performance of tire tread compounds through the synergistic utilization of each constituent.
3D printed grafts with gradient structures for organized vascular regeneration
Authors: Chen Yuewei , Zou Zhongfei , Fu Tao , Li Zhuang , Zhang Zhaojie , Zhu Meng , Gao Qing , Wu Shaofei , Fu Guosheng , He Yong , Fu Jiayin
Published: March 2024

Synthetic vascular grafts suitable for small-diameter arteries (<6 mm) are in great need. However, there are still no commercially available small-diameter vascular grafts (SDVGs) in clinical practice due to thrombosis and stenosis after in vivo implantation. When designing SDVGs, many studies emphasized reendothelization but ignored the importance of reconstruction of the smooth muscle layer (SML). To facilitate rapid SML regeneration, a high-resolution 3D printing method was used to create a novel bilayer SDVG with structures and mechanical properties mimicking natural arteries. Bioinspired by the collagen alignment of SML, the inner layer of the grafts had larger pore sizes and high porosity to accelerate the infiltration of cells and their circumferential alignment, which could facilitate SML reconstruction for compliance restoration and spontaneous endothelialization. The outer layer was designed to induce fibroblast recruitment by low porosity and minor pore size and provide SDVG with sufficient mechanical strength. One month after implantation, the arteries regenerated by 3D-printed grafts exhibited better pulsatility than electrospun grafts, with a compliance (8.9%) approaching that of natural arteries (11.36%) and significantly higher than that of electrospun ones (1.9%). The 3D-printed vascular demonstrated a three-layer structure more closely resembling natural arteries while electrospun grafts showed incomplete endothelium and immature SML. Our study shows the importance of SML reconstruction during vascular graft regeneration and provides an effective strategy to reconstruct blood vessels through 3D-printed structures rapidly.
Production of a double cermet coating to treatment of the turbine blades
Authors: Antar Riyadh S , Darweesh Salih Y , Ridha Fatima W
Published: March 2024

Turbine blades commonly encounter external defects, such as cracks and high porosity, while in operation. To mitigate these challenges, the method of thermal spraying by flame is utilized for the application of cermet materials, which comprise both metal and ceramics, onto the blades. This process involved incorporating manganese (Mn) into a chromium oxide (Cr2O3) base in varying proportions (3,6,9,12,15)%. Before this, the two blends underwent multiple preparatory stages, such as being combined in a micro-mill for two hours and subsequently dried at 80 °C for thirty minutes to eliminate any moisture in the lab. The coating bases were prepared from an out-of-service turbine bit and shaped into squares with a side length of 1 cm. The bases were then roughened and indented using a paint gun. The resulting models were sintered at a temperature of 1000 °C for two hours. A number of structural and physical tests were carried out for the painted models before and after thermal sintering. Scanning electron microscope tests revealed crystalline regularity and lattice consistency of the outer surface especially at 15%Mn. The observed results of actual density indicated a gradual increase in density with successive additions of manganese. However, there was a consistent decrease in real porosity and water absorption, resulting in lower values at 15%. The hardness and adhesion strength exhibited significant improvements, increasing by approximately 15%. Conversely, the addition of the stiffener led to a continuous decrease in thermal conductivity. Consequently, it was concluded that the ideal coating settings for achieving favorable results were a coating distance of 16cm, a coating angle of 90°, and thermal sintering at 1000 °C.
In-situ S/TEM DC biasing of p-GaN/AlGaN/GaN heterostructure for E-mode GaN HEMT devices
Authors: Mehta Abhas B , Zhu Xiangyu , Shichijo S , Kim M J
Published: March 2024

This work describes an in-situ electrical DC bias study of the E-mode GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) device. A single transistor structure is biased and studied in real-time. The sample was made from an E-mode GaN HEMT device using Focused Ion Beam (FIB) milling and upright lift-off. The device lamella is subjected to forward gate bias to understand the device operation and physical changes under the bias. Active device area and micron level changes due to biasing were studied and identified as crucial factors affecting device reliability during continuous operation. Electric bias-induced physical changes are observed at the p-GaN layer and AlGaN interface on the p-GaN and GaN sides. Localized damage and defect formation, along with elemental diffusion, is observed. The formation of new defects over existing growth defects was seen in the p-GaN/AlGaN/GaN heterostructure. The study helped us identify the exact location of the failure, the region affected under bias, and the occurrence of physical changes due to the electrical bias on the in-situ device. Based on the study, gate breakdown failure and its location at the metal/p-GaN interface are understood to result from physical changes activated by electrical bias.
Dynamic mechanical characteristics of natural fiber hybrid composites, bio composites and nano composites –a review
Authors: Krishnasamy Prabu , G Rajamurugan , Belaadi Ahmed , R Sasikumar
Published: March 2024

Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is a helpful technique in the evaluation of natural fiber composites (NFCs) for investigating the viscoelastic behavior concerning time, temperature, and frequency and calculating the phase shift. In this work, the DMA responses of biocomposites, nanocomposites, and hybrid natural fiber composites are compared, and the factors influencing the responses are evaluated. Fiber loading, filler addition, fiber treatment, fiber stacking, and matrix all affect how viscoelastic NFCs behave. Previous investigations have indicated that the ranges for the storage modulus are 2000 MPa to 5800 MPa, the loss modulus is 150 MPa to 450 MPa, and the tan δ is 0.2 to 0.6. The nanocomposite mesh reinforcement improves the interaction between all of its constituent parts, which raises the storage modulus. More specifically, because of the better component-to-component contact in the nanocomposite, the mesh size of the reinforcement improved the storage modulus. This review study has contributed to a broad understanding of the viscoelastic behavior of fiber composites utilized in automobile, aerospace, building science, housing, textile, and food packaging applications.
Probe with a metallic bowl termination to determine the electric material parameters from variable thicknesses
Authors: Bouesse Ghislain Fraidy , Moukanda Mbango Franck
Published: March 2024

This paper discusses a new approach to determining the material electric parameters (dielectric constant and dissipation factor) through a technique based on identical material variation thicknesses. The copper bowl controls the material thicknesses and allows quick and safe measurements to get to the electromagnetic material information. This approach assumes that the discontinuities generated at the probe and bowl are identical and removed through mathematical operations. The material under test (MUT) gap thickness doesn’t exceed one millimeter. Some formulations have been developed to determine the discontinuity condensers and both capacitors of each thickness. Two proposed developments have been given to extract the complex effective and relative permittivities. A mathematical formula has been proposed to ensure the transition from effective to intrinsic parameters, where the MUT thicknesses and the probe’s outer diameter of the inner conductor are considered. A de-embedding operation is necessary, and the method is suitable but not limited to low-k. The coaxial probe is flat terminated, and the experimental validation has been made in the frequency ranges 1 MHz—2.2 GHz for FR-4 HTG-175 and 1 MHz—0.8 GHz for Alumina 99.5%. All MUTs are

5.0
×
5.0

cm2, except their thicknesses. The suggested approach is straightforward in sample insertion, simple in data acquisition and implementation, and precise in the final parameters’ results.
Autonomous data extraction from peer reviewed literature for training machine learning models of oxidation potentials
Authors: Lee Siwoo , Heinen Stefan , Khan Danish , Anatole von Lilienfeld O
Published: March 2024

We present an automated data-collection pipeline involving a convolutional neural network and a large language model to extract user-specified tabular data from peer-reviewed literature. The pipeline is applied to 74 reports published between 1957 and 2014 with experimentally-measured oxidation potentials for 592 organic molecules (−0.75 to 3.58 V). After data curation (solvents, reference electrodes, and missed data points), we trained multiple supervised machine learning (ML) models reaching prediction errors similar to experimental uncertainty (∼0.2 V). For experimental measurements of identical molecules reported in multiple studies, we identified the most likely value based on out-of-sample ML predictions. Using the trained ML models, we then estimated oxidation potentials of ∼132k small organic molecules from the QM9 (quantum mechanics data for organic molecules with up to 9 atoms not counting hydrogens) data set, with predicted values spanning 0.21–3.46 V. Analysis of the QM9 predictions in terms of plausible descriptor-property trends suggests that aliphaticity increases the oxidation potential of an organic molecule on average from ∼1.5 V to ∼2 V, while an increase in number of heavy atoms lowers it systematically. The pipeline introduced offers significant reductions in human labor otherwise required for conventional manual data collection of experimental results, and exemplifies how to accelerate scientific research through automation.
Determination of droplet size from wide-angle light scattering image data using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Kirstein Tom , Aßmann Simon , Furat Orkun , Will Stefan , Schmidt Volker
Published: March 2024

Wide-angle light scattering (WALS) offers the possibility of a highly temporally and spatially resolved measurement of droplets in spray-based methods for nanoparticle synthesis. The size of these droplets is a critical variable affecting the final properties of synthesized materials such as hetero-aggregates. However, conventional methods for determining droplet sizes from WALS image data are labor-intensive and may introduce biases, particularly when applied to complex systems like spray flame synthesis. To address these challenges, we introduce a fully automatic machine learning-based approach that employs convolutional neural networks (CNNs) in order to streamline the droplet sizing process. This CNN-based methodology offers further advantages: it requires few manual labels and can utilize transfer learning, making it a promising alternative to conventional methods, specifically with respect to efficiency. To evaluate the performance of our machine learning models, we consider WALS data from an ethanol spray flame process at various heights above burner surface, where the models are trained and cross-validated on a large dataset comprising nearly 35000 WALS images.
WaveFormer: transformer-based denoising method for gravitational-wave data
Authors: Wang He , Zhou Yue , Cao Zhoujian , Guo Zongkuan , Ren Zhixiang
Published: March 2024

With the advent of gravitational-wave astronomy and the discovery of more compact binary coalescences, data quality improvement techniques are desired to handle the complex and overwhelming noise in gravitational wave (GW) observational data. Though recent machine learning-based studies have shown promising results for data denoising, they are unable to precisely recover both the GW signal amplitude and phase. To address such an issue, we develop a deep neural network centered workflow, WaveFormer, for significant noise suppression and signal recovery on observational data from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). The WaveFormer has a science-driven architecture design with hierarchical feature extraction across a broad frequency spectrum. As a result, the overall noise and glitch are decreased by more than one order of magnitude and the signal recovery error is roughly 1% and 7% for the phase and amplitude, respectively. Moreover, on 75 reported binary black hole events of LIGO we obtain a significant improvement of inverse false alarm rate. Our work highlights the potential of large neural networks in GW data analysis and, while primarily demonstrated on LIGO data, its adaptable design indicates promise for broader application within the International Gravitational-Wave Observatories Network in future observational runs.
The Perils of Gender Self-Determination: Global Shifts in Sex Reclassification Law and Policy
Authors: Katri Ido
Published: March 2024

The Article maps the global rise of the emerging gold standard for recognition and protection of trans populations: laws and policies allowing for self-identification of gender identity, commonly referred to as “gender self-determination.” The Article suggests that, while gender self-determination allows for greater access to resources and opportunities for transgender people because it removes grave breach to bodily autonomy, it also formulates “gender identity” as a private entity of the self, separated from publicly assigned sex. Thus, gender self-determination inevitably redraws the public–private divide along the contours of the transgender body, suggesting a need to examine the apparatus of assigning sex at birth and its pivotal role in both the systemic exclusions of trans people and gender inequality more broadly. To make this case, the Article provides a comparative review and analysis of laws and policies allowing for sex reclassification on identity documents from over a hundred jurisdictions worldwide, from a complete ban on classification, through medical and corroborations requirements, to gender self-identification. The Article demonstrates a shift within sex reclassification policies from the body to the self, from external to internal truth, revealing a growing emphasis on the separation of gender identity from sex in legal analysis, pointing to its possible detrimental effects on questions of sex-based equality. To secure the autonomy of the trans legal subject, self-determination laws and policies formulate gender identity as an inherent and internal feature of the self. Yet, the sovereignty of a right to gender identity is circumscribed by the system of sex classification and its individuating logics, in which one must be stamped with a sex classification to be an autonomous legal subject. Finally, the Article argues that addressing the distribution of life prospects along gender lines requires going back to the category of sex and critically rethinking its fundamental differentiating structures.
Implementation of endometrial cancer molecular subtyping into a hybrid community-academic practice
Authors: Ferreira Elizabeth O , Schefter Alexandra M , Brustad Abby , Klein Molly E , Khalifa Mahmoud A , Winterhoff Boris , Nelson Andrew C
Published: March 2024

Objectives

We sought to confirm utility of our institution’s modified Proactive Molecular Risk Classifier for Endometrial Cancer protocol in our daily practice, which includes mismatch repair (MMR), p53, and L1 cell adhesion molecule (L1CAM) immunohistochemistry with in-house next-generation sequencing for POLE, TP53, and CTNNB1.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective review of all patients in our institution who underwent primary endometrial carcinoma resection from the year prior to protocol implementation (PRE; October 1, 2020, to September 30, 2021) through first year of implementation (POST; October 1, 2021, to September 30, 2022) to compare the distribution of molecular and traditional staging factors using GOG-249 criteria to assign clinical risk.

Results

In total, 136 of 260 PRE patients were classified as clinically low risk (LR), of whom 31 were MMR deficient. Of the 157 LR POST patients with endometrioid-type carcinoma, 45 were MMR deficient, 5 were POLE mutant, 5 were TP53 mutant, 56 were of no specific molecular profile (NSMP), and 46 did not receive full protocol testing. Of all 79 POST NSMP endometrioid-type cases, 18 were CTNNB1 mutated and 8 showed L1CAM expression.

Conclusions

Our protocol identified 22 (14%) of 157 LR tumors that harbored incipient intermediate- to high-risk molecular aberrations in TP53, CTNNB1, or L1CAM. Moving forward, results of ongoing trials assessing adjuvant therapy decisions based on molecular classification are necessary to confirm protocol utility and identify appropriate modifications.
The Styles of Style
Authors: Roof Judith
Published: March 2024

This review considers two books—Benjamin Bateman’s Queer Disappearance in Modern and Contemporary Fiction and Taylor Black’s Style: A Queer Cosmology—that define and comment on queer male style in literature and culture. Each study defines style itself as a species of dynamic interrelationships among personal presentations, literary works, and cultural environments. Bateman’s book focuses on environmental issues in E. M. Forster’s Maurice, as well as on questions about the disappearances of birds. Sharing Bateman’s interest in birds, Black’s analysis demonstrates the ways the figure of the bird offers an apt analogy to queer male style.
Neonatal epidermolysis bullosa: a clinical practice guideline
Authors: Saad Rebecca , Duipmans José , Yerlett Natalie , Plevey Katie , McCuaig Catherine , Woolfe William , Steinau K , Phillips Jennifer , Azzopardi Nina , Thompson Kerry , Ferreira da Rocha Anna Carolina , Torres-Pradilla Maurico , Ott Hagen , Patton Declan , Moore Zena , Murphy Paul , Mayre-Chilton Kattya
Published: March 2024

DEBRA International is undertaking a long-term initiative to develop clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for epidermolysis bullosa (EB), to ­improve the clinical care of people living with EB. Current neonatal care is based on evidence, clinical expertise and trial and error, with collaboration between the EB specialist team, parent or carer and patient, and is dependent on the neonate’s individual presentation and type of EB.

Early intervention based on research and clinical practice is needed to establish a foundation of knowledge to guide international practitioners to create and improve standards of care and to be able to work effectively with those newly diagnosed with EB. This CPG was created by an international panel with expertise working with persons with EB. The CPG focuses on neonatal care using a systematic review methodology covering four key areas: (i) diagnosis and parental psychosocial support; (ii) hospital management: medical monitoring, wound care and pain; (iii) feeding and nutrition; and (iv) discharge planning and EB education.

These four areas highlight the importance of a multidisciplinary team approach, to provide a patient-specific holistic care model that incorporates the needs and wishes of the parents and carers. The Hospital Implementation Tool included promotes transfer of theory to clinical practice.
Sustainable pathways to ammonia: a comprehensive review of green production approaches
Authors: Ahmed Hafiz Sharjeel , Yahya Zaid , Ali khan Waqar , Faraz Ali
Published: March 2024

Ammonia production is vital in global industries but faces increasing environmental concerns, necessitating a shift towards sustainable methods. This review comprehensively explores diverse hydrogen production approaches and their potential impact on sustainable ammonia synthesis. The primary focus is investigating hydrogen production methods that enhance both efficiency and sustainability in ammonia synthesis, which is crucial for reducing its environmental footprint. Furthermore, the review highlights the pivotal role of catalysts in improving Faradaic efficiency in ammonia synthesis, emphasizing their significance in overall process efficiency. The study identifies innovative technologies that have the potential to revolutionize ammonia production while aligning with global sustainability goals. Through a thorough examination of hydrogen production methods and catalytic advances, this review provides valuable insight into greener and more efficient ammonia production practices. In conclusion, it emphasizes the importance of exploring hydrogen production methods and leveraging catalysts to improve ammonia production sustainability and efficiency. It addresses a critical research gap and paves the way for an environmentally responsible and globally aligned ammonia production industry.
Assessing the biennial conference on science and technology (BICOST IX) 2023 technical output on renewable energy, energy storage, and green hydrogen in line with UN SDG commitments
Authors: Silva S K B D , Piyumali K G D , Perera Rasitha Thilini Suranjana , Kaluarachchi K D K G , Munagamage Thilini , Ahammed R M R , Piyankarage C S P , Shahmy Seyed , Karunaratne Veranja
Published: March 2024

The development, production and utilization of renewable energy, energy storage and green hydrogen and the associated technologies in Sri Lanka have great potential to contribute to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The island aims to achieve 70% electricity generation from renewable energy sources by 2030 (within the target of 40% utilization of renewable energy sources for the entire energy generation of the country by 2030). The power sector has to invest US$11 billion from 2023 to 2030 to contribute to reaching this target. This commentary aims to provide a critical perspective on the recommendations of the report from the National Science and Technology Commission’s 9th biennial conference in 2023 on science and technology, the sub-thematic technical report on clean energy, energy storage and green hydrogen in line with the SDGs in the Sri Lankan context. The technical report provides insightful recommendations for Sri Lanka’s energy sector under three main sections: renewable energy, energy storage and green hydrogen. Also, it explores the potential of various renewable energy sources, energy storage systems and green hydrogen as sustainable solutions to address the country’s energy challenges while emphasizing the spillover effects of them, which could contribute to the enterprise’s job creation and uplift the economy.
Efficacy of omalizumab for the treatment of bullous pemphigoid: Spanish multicentre real-world experience
Authors: Aguado Vázquez Álvaro , Estébanez Corrales Andrea , Melgosa Ramos F Javier , Mascaró Galy José Manuel , Fulgencio-Barbarin Jon , Bosch Amate Xavier , Curto Barredo Laia , Blanes-Martínez Mar , Ruiz-Villaverde Ricardo , Ballester Martínez Asunción , Martín-Torregrosa Daniel , Castaño Fernández Juan Luis , Cabeza Martínez Rita , Pérez-Ferriols Amparo , Ramos Rodríguez Daniel , Boix Vilanova Julian , Melé-Ninot Gemma , Expósito Serrano Vicente , España Alonso Agustin , Mateu-Puchades Almudena
Published: March 2024

Background

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is the most common autoimmune blistering disease. Most patients are older and have associated multiple comorbidities. Topical and systemic corticosteroids are considered the first-line treatment for BP, and immunosuppressants are used as steroid-sparing treatments. However, both have side-effects and contraindications, which are even more common in this older population. New treatments targeting interleukins and receptors related to BP pathogenesis have been proposed to decrease these side-effects while achieving equal or better effectiveness and response rates. Omalizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets IgE and has been proposed for the treatment of BP due to the evidence that IgE autoantibodies play an essential role in BP pathogenesis.

Objectives

To assess the efficacy and safety of omalizumab for the treatment of BP.

Methods

We carried out a multicentre, retrospective, observational study including patients diagnosed with BP who received omalizumab for ≥ 3 months from 15 tertiary hospitals in Spain. IgE levels prior to treatment were measured, and we evaluated the possible correlation with clinical response. We excluded patients treated with omalizumab for < 3 months, as we consider this duration to be insufficient for a comprehensive assessment of its efficacy. To evaluate the effectiveness of the treatment, we used the percentage of body surface area improvement.

Results

We included 36 patients. The vast majority had associated multiple comorbidities, and all patients had used other systemic therapies apart from corticosteroids before omalizumab. In total, 83% experienced some kind of treatment response and 42% of all patients treated achieved complete response. We did not find any correlation between higher IgE levels and a better response (P = 0.2). All patients tolerated omalizumab without reported side-effects.

Conclusions

Omalizumab is a good therapeutic alternative for BP as it provided clinical response in most patients, and nearly one-half of the cases achieved complete response. It showed no side-effects, which is crucial in older patients with BP.
The developmental trajectory of 1H-MRS brain metabolites from childhood to adulthood
Authors: Thomson Alice R , Hwa Hannah , Pasanta Duanghathai , Hopwood Benjamin , Powell Helen J , Lawrence Ross , Tabuenca Zeus G , Arichi Tomoki , Edden Richard A E , Chai Xiaoqian , Puts Nicolaas A
Published: March 2024

Human brain development is ongoing throughout childhood, with for example, myelination of nerve fibers and refinement of synaptic connections continuing until early adulthood. 1H-Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H-MRS) can be used to quantify the concentrations of endogenous metabolites (e.g. glutamate and γ -aminobutyric acid (GABA)) in the human brain in vivo and so can provide valuable, tractable insight into the biochemical processes that support postnatal neurodevelopment. This can feasibly provide new insight into and aid the management of neurodevelopmental disorders by providing chemical markers of atypical development. This study aims to characterize the normative developmental trajectory of various brain metabolites, as measured by 1H-MRS from a midline posterior parietal voxel. We find significant non-linear trajectories for GABA+ (GABA plus macromolecules), Glx (glutamate + glutamine), total choline (tCho) and total creatine (tCr) concentrations. Glx and GABA+ concentrations steeply decrease across childhood, with more stable trajectories across early adulthood. tCr and tCho concentrations increase from childhood to early adulthood. Total N-acetyl aspartate (tNAA) and Myo-Inositol (mI) concentrations are relatively stable across development. Trajectories likely reflect fundamental neurodevelopmental processes (including local circuit refinement) which occur from childhood to early adulthood and can be associated with cognitive development; we find GABA+ concentrations significantly positively correlate with recognition memory scores.
CSF Biomarkers in Longitudinal Alzheimer Disease Cohorts: Pre-Analytic Challenges
Authors: Jonaitis Erin M , Jeffers Beckie , VandenLangenberg Monica , Ma Yue , Van Hulle Carol , Langhough Rebecca , Du Lianlian , Chin Nathaniel A , Przybelski Robert J , Hogan Kirk J , Christian Bradley T , Betthauser Tobey J , Okonkwo Ozioma C , Bendlin Barbara B , Asthana Sanjay , Carlsson Cynthia M , Johnson Sterling C
Published: March 2024

Background

The sensitivity of amyloid to pre-analytic factors complicates cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diagnostics for Alzheimer disease. We report reliability and validity evidence for automated immunoassays from frozen and fresh CSF samples in an ongoing, single-site research program.

Methods

CSF samples were obtained from 2 Wisconsin cohorts (1256 measurements; 727 participants). Levels of amyloid beta 1–42 (Aβ42), phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau181), and total tau (tTau) were obtained using an Elecsys cobas e 601 platform. Repeatability and fixed effects of storage tube type, extraction method, and freezing were assessed via mixed models. Concordance with amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) was investigated with 238 participants having a temporally proximal PET scan.

Results

Repeatability was high with intraclass correlation (ICC) ≥0.9, but tube type strongly affected measurements. Discriminative accuracy for PET amyloid positivity was strong across tube types (area under the curve [AUC]: Aβ42, 0.87; pTau181Aβ42 , 0.96), although optimal thresholds differed.

Conclusions

Under real-world conditions, the Elecsys platform had high repeatability. However, strong effects of pre-analytic factors suggest caution in drawing longitudinal inferences.
Biventricular interaction and aortic function in adult patients with repaired tetralogy of Fallot: a two-dimensional–three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiographic study
Authors: Vitarelli Antonio , Capotosto Lidia , Miraldi Fabio , Mukred Khaled , Francone Marco , Galea Nicola , Mangieri Enrico , Tanzilli Gaetano , Viceconte Nicola , Mancone Massimo , Nguyen Bich Lien , Smaldone Costantino , Al-Kindy Sulaiman
Published: March 2024

Aims

In patients late after correction of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF), the combined effects of pre-operative hypertrophy and hypoxia, ventricular interdependence, acquired post-operative lesions such as pulmonary or aortic regurgitation, and congenital vasculopathy may result in impaired right ventricular (RV) and left ventricular (LV) function. The aim of the present study was to investigate the interventricular interactions in repaired TOF (rTOF) and the impact of aortic function on biventricular performance using two-dimensional (2D-STE) and three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (3D-STE).

Methods and results

Twenty-five adult patients with rTOF and 25 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were studied. LV and RV volumes were determined by 3D-STE and cardiac magnetic resonance. LV and RV longitudinal strains (LVLS and RVLS) and LV and RV area strains (LVAS and RVAS) and LV twist/rotation were calculated by 3D-STE. Ascending aorta circumferential strain (AAo-CS) was obtained using 2D-STE. LV 3D-STE parameters were decreased in rTOF patients compared with controls even in patients with normal ejection fraction. AAo-CS was decreased (6.7 ± 1.9 vs. 10.1 ± 2.6, P = 0.003) in rTOF patients compared with controls even in the presence of normal aortic dimensions and correlated with AAo diameter (r = −0.69, P = 0.0001), LV twist (r = 0.54, P = 0.004), LVAS (r = −0.56, P = 0.003), and RVLS (r = −0.39, P = 0.036). LVAS and AAo-CS were associated with disease severity (peak oxygen consumption and arrhythmia occurrence). Significant improvement in global χ2 value was noted with RV 3D-STE parameters + LVAS + AAo-CS compared with RV dysfunction alone for detecting exercise capacity impairment (from 77.1 to 84.4 to 91.2, P = 0.003).

Conclusion

Speckle-tracking echocardiography revealed subtle LV and AAo dysfunction in adults with rTOF. A correlation was observed between LV and RV strain changes and between AAo strain impairment and LV/RV dysfunction. LV and AAo changes had an incremental value in evaluating disease severity.
Multiparametric evaluation of mediastinal lymph node metastases in clinical T0–T1c stage non-small-cell lung cancers
Authors: Wang Siyang , Bao Xiao , Yang Feixing , Shi Hongcheng
Published: March 2024

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the predictive factors of lymph node metastases in clinical T0–T1c stage non-small-cell lung cancers, so as to help making surgical strategy.

METHODS

From January 2016 to December 2017, patients with clinical T0–T1c stage non-small-cell lung cancers were retrospectively reviewed. We elucidated the lymph node metastatic incidence and distribution according to the primary tumour radiographic findings and maximal standard uptake values, and extracted the associated clinicopathological factors. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were used to identify independent predictive parameters for lymph node metastases. The performance of predictive model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 517 patients were included. Seventy-two patients had lymph node metastases. Among patients with pure ground-glass nodule and solid component size ≤10 mm, none had any lymph node metastasis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age, carcinoembryonic antigen level, solid component size, consolidation–tumour ratio and tumour maximal standard uptake values were independent predictors of lymph nodal metastases. Receiver operating characteristic analyses indicated that the area under the curve of predictive model in evaluating lymph node metastases was 0.838 (95% CI 0.791–0.886).

CONCLUSIONS

Younger age, elevated carcinoembryonic antigen level, larger solid component size, higher consolidation–tumour ratio and tumour maximal standard uptake values were associated with lymph node involvement. Employing such a predictive model in the future may affect the surgical option of lymph node excision for patients in cT1 stage non-small-cell lung cancer.
MARS and RNAcmap3: The Master Database of All Possible RNA Sequences Integrated with RNAcmap for RNA Homology Search
Authors: Chen Ke , Litfin Thomas , Singh Jaswinder , Zhan Jian , Zhou Yaoqi
Published: March 2024

Recent success of AlphaFold2 in protein structure prediction relied heavily on co-evolutionary information derived from homologous protein sequences found in the huge, integrated database of protein sequences (Big Fantastic Database). In contrast, the existing nucleotide databases were not consolidated to facilitate wider and deeper homology search. Here, we built a comprehensive database by incorporating the non-coding RNA (ncRNA) sequences from RNAcentral, the transcriptome assembly and metagenome assembly from metagenomics RAST (MG-RAST), the genomic sequences from Genome Warehouse (GWH), and the genomic sequences from MGnify, in addition to the nucleotide (nt) database and its subsets in National Center of Biotechnology Information (NCBI). The resulting Master database of All possible RNA sequences (MARS) is 20-fold larger than NCBI’s nt database or 60-fold larger than RNAcentral. The new dataset along with a new split–search strategy allows a substantial improvement in homology search over existing state-of-the-art techniques. It also yields more accurate and more sensitive multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) than manually curated MSAs from Rfam for the majority of structured RNAs mapped to Rfam. The results indicate that MARS coupled with the fully automatic homology search tool RNAcmap will be useful for improved structural and functional inference of ncRNAs and RNA language models based on MSAs. MARS is accessible at https://ngdc.cncb.ac.cn/omix/release/OMIX003037, and RNAcmap3 is accessible at http://zhouyq-lab.szbl.ac.cn/download/.