bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Machine learning to predict completion of treatment for pancreatic cancer
Authors: Pasha Shamsher A. , Khalid Abdullah , Levy Todd , Demyan Lyudmyla , Hartman Sarah , Newman Elliot , Weiss Matthew J. , King Daniel A. , Zanos Theodoros , Melis Marcovalerio
Published: August 2024

Background

Chemotherapy enhances survival rates for pancreatic cancer (PC) patients postsurgery, yet less than 60% complete adjuvant therapy, with a smaller fraction undergoing neoadjuvant treatment. Our study aimed to predict which patients would complete pre‐ or postoperative chemotherapy through machine learning (ML).

Methods

Patients with resectable PC identified in our institutional pancreas database were grouped into two categories: those who completed all intended treatments (i.e., surgery plus either neoadjuvant or adjuvant chemotherapy), and those who did not. We applied logistic regression with lasso penalization and an extreme gradient boosting model for prediction, and further examined it through bootstrapping for sensitivity.

Results

Among 208 patients, the median age was 69, with 49.5% female and 62% white participants. Most had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status of ≤2. The PC predominantly affected the pancreatic head. Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapies were received by 26% and 47.1%, respectively, but only 49% completed all treatments. Incomplete therapy was correlated with older age and lower ECOG status. Negative prognostic factors included worsening diabetes, age, congestive heart failure, high body mass index, family history of PC, initial bilirubin levels, and tumor location in the pancreatic head. The models also flagged other factors, such as jaundice and specific cancer markers, impacting treatment completion. The predictive accuracy (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) was 0.67 for both models, with performance expected to improve with larger datasets.

Conclusions

Our findings underscore the potential of ML to forecast PC treatment completion, highlighting the importance of specific preoperative factors. Increasing data volumes may enhance predictive accuracy, offering valuable insights for personalized patient strategies.
Association of negative pressure wound therapy and surgical site infections in patients undergoing cytoreductive surgery: An entropy balanced analysis
Authors: Waheed Muhammad Talha , Malik Ibrahim , Ituarte Philip H. G. , Han Ernest , Lwin Thinzar , Paz Isaac B. , Woo Yanghee , Melstrom Laleh , Raoof Mustafa
Published: August 2024

Background and Objectives

Surgical site infections (SSIs) after cytoreductive surgery (CRS) ± hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) are a major cause of potentially avoidable morbidity. We explored the association of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) with SSI in patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC for non‐gynecologic cancers. Exposure was the receipt of NPWT versus traditional skin closure. Primary outcome was SSI within 90 days of surgery. We performed multivariable logistic regression (before and after entropy balancing) to evaluate the association of exposure with outcomes.

Results

A total of 251 patients were included, of which 43 (17%) received NPWT and 26 (10.4%) developed SSIs. Baseline demographics and clinicopathologic characteristics were similar between the two groups with some exceptions: Patients who received NPWT had a higher Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Index (median 19 vs. 11, p = 0.002) and operative time (10 vs. 8.2 h, p = 0.003) but were less likely to undergo HIPEC (84% vs. 95%, p < 0.05). After entropy balancing, on multivariable logistic regression, NPWT was not associated with 90‐day SSI (odds ratio = 0.90; 95% confidence interval = 0.21–3.80; p = 0.89).

Conclusion

NPWT was not associated with a reduction in SSIs. These findings prompt a reevaluation of the routine use of NPWT in CRS/HIPEC.
Social support and travel: Enhancing relationships, communication, and understanding for travel companions
Authors: Zhuang Xueqiu , Wang Yahui
Published: August 2024

This study explores the multifaceted relationship between travel patterns and mental health (MH) in China, offering a novel integrative approach that synthesizes various factors such as mode of transportation, cultural distance, financial implications, and trip planning. Utilizing a descriptive research design, 622 tourists were surveyed using a pen‐and‐paper questionnaire at designated tourist destinations in China. Findings reveal that travel positively influences MH by providing new experiences, socialization, and relaxation, leading to reduced stress and improved well‐being. Duration, frequency, and active travel modes are associated with better MH outcomes. Solo travel fosters personal growth, while group travel enhances social support. Natural environments offer greater MH benefits than urban settings, and leisure travel surpasses work‐related trips in promoting MH. Greater cultural distance, poor trip planning, and financial burdens negatively impact MH. This comprehensive framework offers insights into public health and tourism policies, advancing the understanding of how travel elements collectively influence MH.
Single‐Sided Peak Nasal Inspiratory Flow as an Adjunct Objective Measure in Functional Septorhinoplasty
Authors: Razavi Christopher R. , Ji Keven , Chen Patricia , Carlson Birgitta , Mace Jess C. , Krane Natalie A. , Wang Tom D. , Smith Timothy L. , Loyo Myriam
Published: August 2024

Objective

Nasal obstruction can negatively impact patient quality of life, which can be alleviated by functional nasal surgery. Quantification of improvement is most commonly evaluated with the use of validated survey instruments but lacks widely utilized objective measures. Herein, we evaluate the utility of single‐sided peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) as an objective outcome measure in the evaluation and management of nasal obstruction.

Methods

Adults presenting with nasal obstruction who were recommended septorhinoplasty were included in the study. Single‐sided and bilateral PNIF measures, nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scores, surgeon‐rated percent nasal obstruction, and nasal obstruction visual analog scale (VAS) scores were recorded preoperatively with Spearman's correlation coefficients (ρ) calculated. Correlation coefficients were also calculated between the change in the above variables from the pre‐ to postoperative state.

Results

One Hundred Fifteen patients were enrolled in the study and underwent septorhinoplasty. Significant correlations between single‐sided PNIF and the associated VAS scores of the same laterality were found for the worse (ρ = −0.366; p < 0.001) and better (ρ = −0.313; p < 0.001) breathing sides. Correlations between postoperative improvement in single‐sided PNIF and improvement in VAS scores were also found (ρ = −0.330; p = 0.007, ρ = −0.354; p = 0.004). No correlation between NOSE scores and single‐sided PNIF was found except in the subgroup of patients presenting with bilateral asymmetric nasal obstruction, in who NOSE scores correlated with worse side PNIF (ρ = −0.369; p = 0.038).

Conclusions

Single‐sided PNIF has a better correlation to patients' symptoms as rated by VAS score than bilateral PNIF and may be a useful adjunct objective measure in the evaluation and quantification of improvement in patients undergoing septorhinoplasty.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 135:641–647, 2025
Impact of cultural tightness on consumers' preference for anthropomorphic AI services
Authors: Sui Jiarui , Shen Henry , Zhou Xinyue
Published: August 2024

The current research examines how cultural factors shape consumer preferences for anthropomorphic AI services. The authors investigate the impact of cultural tightness‐looseness, a measure of the strictness of social norms and the tolerance for nonconformity, on the acceptance of anthropomorphic AI services. Through analysis of more than 12,000 product reviews and four experiments, the findings indicate that cultural tightness reduces consumer preference for AI services with anthropomorphic characteristics. The results pinpoint social interaction anxiety as a mediator, whereby increased anxiety due to high cultural tightness subsequently lowers the preference for anthropomorphic AI services. Perceived human identity threat as an alternative explanation for this effect is ruled out. The results further show that the effect of cultural tightness is context‐dependent, affecting preferences in public settings but not private ones. This research bridges a critical gap in knowledge about consumer preferences for AI services, highlighting the significant impact of cultural factors. These findings are crucial for designing products, crafting marketing strategies, and shaping policies in a world increasingly influenced by AI.
Detection of Epstein‒Barr virus DNA methylation as tumor markers of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients in saliva, oropharyngeal swab, oral swab, and mouthwash
Authors: Zheng Xiao‐Hui , Li Xi‐Zhao , Tang Cao‐Li , Zhang Yu‐Meng , Zhou Ting , Yang Xiao‐Jing , Liao Ying , He Yong‐Qiao , Wang Tong‐Min , Xue Wen‐Qiong , Jia Wei‐Hua
Published: August 2024

Saliva biopsy of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) has been developed in our latest study, indicating the application of oral sampling in NPC detection. Further exploration of the potential for self‐sampling from the oral cavity is necessary. A total of 907 various samples from oral cavity, including saliva (n = 262), oropharyngeal swabs (n = 250), oral swabs (n = 210), and mouthwash (n = 185), were collected. Epstein‒Barr virus (EBV) DNA methylation at the 12,420 bp CpG site in EBV genome from the repeat‐copy W promoter (Wp) region and at the 11,029 bp CpG site in the single‐copy C promoter (Cp) region were simultaneously detected in these samples. A significant increase in EBV methylation, no matter at Wp or Cp region, was found in all types of samples from NPC patients. However, EBV DNA methylation in saliva and oropharyngeal swab showed a better diagnostic performance in detecting NPC. The combination of these two sample types and two markers could help to improve the detection of NPC. Our study further explored the optimal self‐sampling methods and detection target in the detection of NPC and may facilitate the application of EBV DNA methylation detection in a home‐based large‐scale screening of NPC.
An improved Dai‐Liao‐style hybrid conjugate gradient‐based method for solving unconstrained nonconvex optimization and extension to constrained nonlinear monotone equations
Authors: Yuan Zihang , Shao Hu , Zeng Xiaping , Liu Pengjie , Rong Xianglin , Zhou Jianhao
Published: August 2024

In this work, for unconstrained optimization, we introduce an improved Dai‐Liao‐style hybrid conjugate gradient method based on the hybridization‐based self‐adaptive technique, and the search direction generated fulfills the sufficient descent and trust region properties regardless of any line search. The global convergence is established under standard Wolfe line search and common assumptions. Then, combining the hyperplane projection technique and a new self‐adaptive line search, we extend the proposed conjugate gradient method and obtain an improved Dai‐Liao‐style hybrid conjugate gradient projection method to solve constrained nonlinear monotone equations. Under mild conditions, we obtain its global convergence without Lipschitz continuity. In addition, the convergence rates for the two proposed methods are analyzed, respectively. Finally, numerical experiments are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Simultaneous frequency and phase corrections of single‐shot MRS data using cross‐correlation
Authors: Deelchand Dinesh K.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The objective of this study was to propose a novel preprocessing approach to simultaneously correct for the frequency and phase drifts in MRS data using cross‐correlation technique.

Methods

The performance of the proposed method was first investigated at different SNR levels using simulation. Random frequency and phase offsets were added to a previously acquired STEAM human data at 7 T, simulating two different noise levels with and without baseline artifacts. Alongside the proposed spectral cross‐correlation (SC) method, three other simultaneous alignment approaches were evaluated. Validation was performed on human brain data at 3 T and mouse brain data at 16.4 T.

Results

The results showed that the SC technique effectively corrects for both small and large frequency and phase drifts, even at low SNR levels. Furthermore, the mean square measurement error of the SC algorithm was comparable to the other three methods used, with much faster processing time. The efficacy of the proposed technique was successfully demonstrated in both human brain MRS data and in a noisy MRS dataset acquired from a small volume‐of‐interest in the mouse brain.

Conclusion

The study demonstrated the availability of a fast and robust technique that accurately corrects for both small and large frequency and phase shifts in MRS.
Dixon‐based B0 self‐navigation in radial stack‐of‐stars multi‐echo gradient echo imaging
Authors: Stelter Jonathan , Weiss Kilian , Wu Mingming , Raspe Johannes , Braun Philipp , Zöllner Christoph , Karampinos Dimitrios C.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To develop a Dixon‐based self‐navigation approach to estimate and correct temporal variations in radial stack‐of‐stars gradient echo imaging for quantitative body MRI.

Methods

The proposed method estimates temporal variations using a self‐navigator estimated by a graph‐cut‐based water‐fat separation algorithm on the oversampled k‐space center. The self‐navigator was employed to correct for phase differences between radial spokes (one‐dimensional [1D] correction) and to perform a motion‐resolved reconstruction to correct spatiotemporal pseudo‐periodic variations (three‐dimensional [3D] correction). Numerical simulations, phantom experiments and in vivo neck scans were performed to evaluate the effects of temporal variations on the field‐map, proton density fat fraction (PDFF) and map, and to validate the proposed method.

Results

Temporal variations were found to cause signal loss and phase shifts on the multi‐echo images that lead to an underestimation of , while PDFF mapping was less affected. The self‐navigator captured slowly varying temporal drifts and temporal variations caused by respiratory motion. While the 1D correction effectively corrected drifts in phantom studies, it was insufficient in vivo due to 3D spatially varying temporal variations with amplitudes of up to 25 Hz at 3 T near the lungs. The proposed 3D correction locally improved the correction of field‐map and and reduced image artifacts.

Conclusion

Temporal variations particularly affect mapping in radial stack‐of‐stars imaging. The self‐navigation approach can be applied without modifying the MR acquisition to correct for drift and physiological motion‐induced variations, especially in the presence of fat.
Data‐driven models for optimizing second‐hand ship trading strategies under contextual information
Authors: Wang Haoqing , Sun Qinghe , Wang Shuaian
Published: August 2024

Second‐hand ship online trading platforms (SOTPs) are reshaping the traditional broker‐reliant second‐hand ship transactions. This study investigates the decision‐making process within the context of SOTP from a shipowner's perspective. We introduce a comprehensive framework tailored to guide shipowners in strategically navigating pivotal decisions, including the adoption of SOTP and the specification of optimal minimum starting prices while leveraging the value of online transaction data. Our approach is rooted in data‐driven decision‐making under uncertainty, employing quantile regression forests (QRF), and weighted sample average approximation (wSAA). The latter encompasses a predictive wSAA model, a local wSAA model, and a residual‐based wSAA model. Each of these models provides a unique perspective on weight determination within the wSAA paradigm. To validate our proposed approach, we draw upon extensive real‐world data sourced from a Chinese SOTP between January 2017 and May 2023. Within this context, our numerical experiments pursue three primary objectives: (i) identifying performance disparities among the models, (ii) assessing the value of contextual information, and (iii) evaluating the optimal strategy for shipowners. Our findings not only underscore the efficacy of our approaches but also provide invaluable insights into the adoption of SOTPs, establishing a robust foundation for informed decision‐making in the continually evolving SOTP landscape.
Significant age‐related differences between lower leg muscles of older and younger female subjects detected by ultrashort echo time magnetization transfer modeling
Authors: Jerban Saeed , Shaterian Mohammadi Hamidreza , Athertya Jiyo S. , Afsahi Amir Masoud , Shojaeiadib Niloofar , Moazamian Dina , Ward Samuel R. , Woods Gina , Chung Christine B. , Du Jiang , Chang Eric Y.
Published: August 2024

Magnetization transfer (MT) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be used to estimate the fraction of water and macromolecular proton pools in tissues. MT modeling paired with ultrashort echo time acquisition (UTE‐MT modeling) has been proposed to improve the evaluation of the myotendinous junction and fibrosis in muscle tissues, which the latter increases with aging. This study aimed to determine if the UTE‐MT modeling technique is sensitive to age‐related changes in the skeletal muscles of the lower leg. Institutional review board approval was obtained, and all recruited subjects provided written informed consent. The legs of 31 healthy younger (28.1 ± 6.1 years old, BMI = 22.3 ± 3.5) and 20 older (74.7 ± 5.5 years old, BMI = 26.7 ± 5.9) female subjects were imaged using UTE sequences on a 3 T MRI scanner. MT ratio (MTR), macromolecular fraction (MMF), macromolecular T2 (T2‐MM), and water T2 (T2‐W) were calculated using UTE‐MT modeling for the anterior tibialis (ATM), posterior tibialis (PTM), soleus (SM), and combined lateral muscles. Results were compared between groups using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Three independent observers selected regions of interest (ROIs) and processed UTE‐MRI images separately, and the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated for a reproducibility study. Significantly lower mean MTR and MMF values were present in the older compared with the younger group in all studied lower leg muscles. T2‐MM showed significantly lower values in the older group only for PTM and SM muscles. In contrast, T2‐W showed significantly higher values in the older group. The age‐related differences were more pronounced for MMF (−17 to −19%) and T2‐W (+20 to 47%) measurements in all muscle groups compared with other investigated MR measures. ICCs were higher than 0.93, indicating excellent consistency between the ROI selection and MRI measurements of independent readers. As demonstrated by significant differences between younger and older groups, this research emphasizes the potential of UTE‐MT MRI techniques in evaluating age‐related skeletal muscle changes.
Intrusion Detection for Blockchain‐Based Internet of Things Using Gaussian Mixture–Fully Convolutional Variational Autoencoder Model
Authors: Om Kumar C. U. , Marappan Suguna , Murugeshan Bhavadharini , Beaulah P. Mercy Rajaselvi
Published: August 2024

The Internet of Things (IoT) is an evolving paradigm that has dramatically transformed the traditional style of living into a smart lifestyle. IoT devices have recently attained great attention due to their wide range of applications in various sectors, such as healthcare, smart home devices, smart industries, smart cities, and so forth. However, security is still a challenging issue in the IoT environment. Because of the disparate nature of IoT devices, it is hard to detect the different kinds of attacks available in IoT. Various existing works aim to provide a reliable intrusion detection system (IDS) technique. But they failed to work because of several security issues. Thus, the proposed study presents a blockchain‐based deep learning model for IDS. Initially, the input data are preprocessed using min‐max normalization, converting the raw input data into improved quality. In order to detect the presented attacks in the provided dataset, the proposed work introduced Gaussian mixture–fully convolutional variational autoencoder (GM‐FCVAE) model. The implementation is performed in Python, and the performance of the proposed GM‐FCVAE model is analyzed by evaluating several metrics. The proposed GM‐FCVAE model is tested on three datasets and attained superior accuracy of 99.18%, 98.81%, and 98.4% with UNSW‐NB15, CICIDS 2019, and N_BaIoT datasets, respectively. The comparison reveals that the proposed GM‐FCVAE model obtained higher results than the other deep learning techniques. The outperformance shows the efficacy of the proposed study in identifying security attacks.
The influence of crocodile density on the prevalence of human attacks
Authors: Baker Cameron J. , Campbell Mariana A. , Udyawer Vinay , Kopf R. Keller , Campbell Hamish A.
Published: August 2024

Large predator attacks on humans often provoke calls for animal population reduction, assuming it will reduce such incidents. Whilst this seems logical, there is currently little evidence supporting a consistent link between large predator density and attacks on humans.

Here, we assessed whether large predator density is linked to the frequency of attacks on humans using estuarine crocodile (Crocodylus porosus) data in the Northern Territory (NT), Australia. Over the past 50 years, the estuarine crocodile population in the NT has grown from a few thousand to over 100,000 non‐hatchling individuals. Crocodile and human population densities have been closely monitored throughout this period, allowing the frequency of attacks on humans to be assessed over a wide range of densities for both populations.

Our analysis showed an increase in the frequency of attacks on humans as the crocodile population recovered from very low levels in the 1970s. However, the attack rates stabilised around 2009, despite crocodile density and the human population continuing to increase. Based on the relationship between crocodile density and human‐attack frequency, scenario modelling suggested that the crocodile population would need to be culled to a critically endangered level (e.g. 90% population reduction) to reduce attacks on humans from 2.16 to 1.16 attacks per year.

We conclude that whilst crocodile density significantly influences crocodile attack rates at low crocodile population sizes, this relationship becomes weaker as the density increases. For estuarine crocodiles in the NT, a plateauing of attack risk occurred once crocodile density attained ~2 crocodiles per km of river, and we argue that this was because high crocodile densities instigated management (e.g. removal of bold animals, exclusion zones) and education initiates by the government (e.g. ‘Be crocwise’ campaign) that subsequently evoked a change in human behaviour around waterways and stabilised the attack rate.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Physical properties of isolated cellulose fiber from jute and banana fiber through kraft pulping: Potential applications in packaging and regenerated fibers
Authors: Rahman Md. Mahfuzur , Payel Md. Turab Haque , Asaduzzaman Md. , Hossain Sajid , Ali Mohammad
Published: August 2024

Cellulose, a naturally abundant biopolymer, holds great potential as a sustainable alternative to synthetic fibers. However, the limited understanding and awareness surrounding cellulose utilization, particularly from agricultural origins, have impeded the complete harnessing of this highly biodegradable resource. This study aimed to extract and characterize cellulose from jute and banana fibers. The extracted cellulose exhibits a light yellow to white color, and microscopic analysis of the fibers showed micro‐fibrils. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) characterization indicated that the extracted cellulose from biomass primarily consists of cellulose II structures, except for the treated banana fiber (M:L = 1:8), which contains both cellulose I and II. Moreover, increasing the M:L ratio of alkali treatment enhanced the percentage of cellulose‐II, as observed from the XRD data. The findings of this study carry significant implications for the efficient production of cellulose fibers, with diverse applications spanning from high‐volume products like regenerated fibers, automotive parts, packaging, absorbent products (diapers), textiles, and precast concrete, drug delivery mediums, electronics, additive manufacturing, bone and tissue scaffolding, and so on. This research opens the door to harnessing the potential of cellulose derived from jute and banana fibers in various industries.

Highlights

Extraction cellulose using the kraft process.

Isolated cellulose shows a micron‐sized structure.

Optimal extraction achieved with M:L ratio of 1:4.

Applications of isolated cellulose: regenerated fibers, packaging, absorbent products (diapers), textiles, and so on.
Relaxation and entropy generation in dewetting thin glassy polymer films trapped far from equilibrium
Authors: Madhusudanan Mithun , Chowdhury Mithun
Published: August 2024

Polymers when confined to a dimension comparable to the length scale of polymer chain coils such as thin films, often lead to molecular relaxation processes distinct from their bulk counterpart. Often observed as thermal and mechanical responses such relaxation has been frequently associated with the squeezing of polymer chains having conformations trapped far from thermodynamic equilibrium and subsequently generating processing‐induced molecular recoiling stress. Relaxation in polymer films can be modified by tuning the molecular recoiling stress, which is directly influenced by the preparation conditions of the polymer thin films. Hence a comprehensive understanding of the genesis and relaxation of molecular recoiling stress becomes necessary. Here, we provide insights into the nonequilibrium nature observed in polymer thin films, focusing majorly on the investigations into the molecular recoiling stress using the dewetting technique. The impact of various factors like temperature of dewetting, thickness of films, molecular weight of polymers, and physical aging affecting the relaxation of molecular recoiling stress is discussed. In addition, discussions on the possible mechanisms of relaxation and modification of molecular recoiling stress by varying the spin‐coating speed and addition of plasticizers are also provided. An alternate approach which gives a new perspective into the relaxation of molecular recoiling stress considering the entropy generated during the dewetting of polymer films is also included. The present work is expected to give the reader a comprehensive understanding of the characteristics of molecular recoiling stress relaxation occurring in polymer thin films.
Crown ether dopant to reduce ion suppression and improve detection in the liquid microjunction surface sampling probe
Authors: Metwally Haidy , Yu Jian , Theriault Rachel , Kolwich Jennifer L. , Ellis Randy , Ross Avena C. , Oleschuk Richard D.
Published: August 2024

Rationale

Sodium and potassium are required in agar media for the growth of some microorganisms (e.g., marine bacteria). However, alkali cations are a significant source of contamination for mass spectrometry causing ion suppression and adduct formation. Conventionally, salts can be removed before mass spectrometric analysis with appropriate and often lengthy sample preparation. The direct mass spectrometric sampling of bacterial colonies grown on agar media seeks to minimize or eliminate sample preparation to improve workflow. However, this may exacerbate ion suppression and contamination since these metal cations will degrade spectral quality and limit the rapid profiling of microbial metabolites. Different approaches are needed to sequester sodium and potassium ions to minimize unwanted background interferences. Herein, we use crown ethers (CEs) in combination with a liquid microjunction surface sampling probe (LMJ‐SSP) to directly sample the surface of the bacterial colonies from two marine bacteria species (Pseudoalteromonas rubra DSM6842 and Pseudoalteromonas tunicata DSM 14096). CEs (e.g., 18‐crown‐6 or 15‐crown‐5) are added to the carrier solvent of the LMJ‐SSP, the chemical noise is reduced, and spectra are easier to interpret.

Methods

The liquid microjunction formed at the tip of LMJ‐SSP was used to directly touch bacterial colonies on agar. The carrier solvent was either methanol (100%) or methanol: H2O (50:49.9%) with or without 0.01% CEs. Information‐theoretic measures are employed to investigate qualitative changes between spectra before and after adding CEs.

Results

Our work demonstrates the capability of CEs to reduce background interferences within the direct profiling of bacterial colonies from agar plates. The data obtained from both P. rubra DSM6842 and P. tunicata DSM 14096 show that CEs can be used to mitigate the salty background and improve compound detection.

Conclusion

Our approach can be implemented in natural product discovery using LMJ‐SSP to allow fast and accurate detection of interesting/novel compounds.
Advancing structural elucidation of conjugation drug metabolites in metabolite profiling with novel electron‐activated dissociation
Authors: Yao Ming , Tong Nian , Baghla Rahul , Ruan Qian
Published: August 2024

Rationale

This study focuses on the advantage of using the novel electron‐activated dissociation (EAD) technology on the QTOF system for structural elucidation of conjugation metabolites. In drug metabolite identification, conceptual “boxes” are generally used to represent potential sites of modifications, which are proposed based on MS/MS data. Electron‐activated dissociation (EAD) provides unique fragmentation patterns, potentially allowing for more precise localization of the metabolic modification sites compared to CID, particularly for conjugations.

Method

Known compounds were incubated with rat liver microsomes in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), uridine dihosphate‐glucuronic acid (UDPGA), and glutathione. Conjugation metabolites were analyzed using the QTOF system. High‐resolution MS/MS spectra were collected using EAD and CID fragmentations along with TOF MS full scan for tested drugs and metabolites. Fragmentation patterns were compared to evaluate their efficiency in structural elucidation.

Results

Metabolite profiling identified conjugation metabolites (glucuronides and GSH adducts), using characteristic mass shifts. A comparison of EAD and CID fragmentation revealed EAD‐specific fragments for most conjugates. EAD was able to break the relatively stable bonds on parent drug motifs while keeping relatively weak conjugation bonds intact, despite the generally low intensity of EAD. EAD effectively narrowed the conceptual “box” representing modification sites, providing more definitive information on conjugation sites and facilitating the structural elucidation of conjugated metabolites.

Conclusion

EAD is a powerful tool for metabolite profiling in drug development, particularly for identifying conjugation sites. EAD‐enabled MS/MS spectra offer a greater variety of signature fragments compared to CID, resulting in more comprehensive and unique structural information for metabolic modification analysis. Overall, EAD, complementary to CID, has the potential to narrow down potential modification sites, significantly enhancing the precision of conjugation metabolite structure elucidation.
Distributed event‐triggered consensus control for multi‐agent systems under independent DoS attacks: A randomized transmission approach
Authors: Sun Yuan‐Cheng , Yao Lina , Yang Feisheng , Lu An‐Yang
Published: August 2024

In this article, the consensus problem for disturbed multi‐agent systems (MASs) under independent denial‐of‐service (DoS) attacks is investigated. The concerned attacks can jam different channels independently, resulting in a time‐varying and unknown network topology. In this situation, a dynamic event‐triggered control scheme with a hybrid communication strategy is presented to schedule information interaction over the network, and a distributed prediction‐based control algorithm is proposed to ameliorate the resilience. The system stability is proved in present of DoS attacks by introducing the decay rates of Lyapunov functions associated with different connectivity modes. In comparison with the most existing MASs studies under DoS attacks, the triggering mechanism that possibly subject to the malicious attacks executed at the triggering times is protected by the proposed randomized transmission protocol, and the tolerable attack intensities are quantified. Finally, simulations are presented to substantiate that the proposed strategy is effective.
Modeling climatic, terrain and soil factors using AHP in GIS for grapevines suitability assessment
Authors: D'Antonio Paola , Fiorentino Costanza , AbdelRahman Mohamed A. E. , Sannino Maura , Scalcione Emanuele , Lacertosa Giovanni , Modugno Felice , Marsico Antonella , Donvito Angelo R. , Conceição Luis Alcino , Drosos Marios , Scopa Antonio
Published: August 2024

The study carried out in Matera, Italy, used multi‐criteria decision‐making techniques and geographic information systems to identify optimal area management for sustainable grape production. Terrain parameters such as temperature, pH, humidity, soil texture, slope, altitude, nutrients and precipitation were considered. ArcGIS maps were created, and the northwest part of the field was identified as a favorable area. Fuzzy maps were generated, and measurements were taken in each area to determine optimal land management. The results revealed that 51% of the area was very highly suitable for agricultural activities, and 49% was considered high suitable. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis of the AHP results demonstrated a high level of accuracy, as indicated by the area under the curve (AUC). The produced maps indicated a similar trend of increasing zone management priorities for physico‐chemicals as depth fluctuate. Additionally, results showed that remote sensing indices were the most important variables to predict physico‐chemicals zone management. The study also highlighted that the majority of the area supported plant growth due to favorable temperature and humidity conditions, with only a small portion in the northwest showing less favorable results. By identifying management zones, the study aimed to protect crops, better use of irrigation water and improve yields. This study highlights the potential of integrating satellite remote sensing, GIS technology and AHP as a valuable tool for agricultural land use planners and policy makers in identifying optimal locations for managing grape production.
Vicarious trauma and the COVID‐19 pandemic: The role of organisations
Authors: Meeker Samantha A. , Lincoln Alisa K. , Molnar Beth E.
Published: August 2024

Vicarious trauma (VT) is an occupational challenge incurred through hearing about traumatic experiences of others such as child maltreatment, mass casualties, and others while serving in helping professions. Without sufficient resources and support, long‐term exposure can lead to symptoms such as intrusion, avoidance, arousal, emotional numbing, anxiety, and decline in one's ability to work. Organisations can mitigate VT's impact by addressing the needs of staff through 5 evidence‐informed areas of occupational health. This project explored the impact of VT‐informed practices on organisational responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic. We compared responses from 50 organisations on strengths and weaknesses in core areas of being VT‐informed to how those organisations responded to the COVID‐19 pandemic. Subscales of the VT Organizational Readiness Guide (VT‐ORG) were utilized as the exposure variables and 4 new COVID‐19 questions served as the outcome. We ran a series of multilevel linear regression models with clustering controlled for at the organisational level. Staff ratings on 4 of the 5 pillars of the VT‐ORG were positively associated with the organisation's responsiveness to the pandemic. Various demographic factors of the employees were negatively associated with organisations’ responsiveness to the pandemic. While this study contributes to the growing research on VT, it also provides justification for helping organisations to become VT‐informed; it provides evidence that being prepared for VT can also be useful to support workers and their communities during emergencies such as the COVID‐19 pandemic.
High‐Performance Tunable Near‐Infrared Emitters of Cr3+‐Activated Garnet Phosphor Enabled by Chemical Unit Co‐Substitution
Authors: Liu Ling , Yang Ye , Shen Linawa , Song Shichang , Huang Jinling , Mo Fuwang , Pang Qi , Chen Peican , Zhou Liya
Published: August 2024

The escalating demand for portable near‐infrared (NIR) light sources has posed a formidable challenge to the development of NIR phosphors characterized by high efficiency and exceptional thermal stability. Taking inspiration from the chemical unit co‐substitution strategy, high‐performance tunable (Lu3‐xCax)(Ga5‐xGex)O12:6%Cr3+ (x = 0–3) phosphors are designed with an emission center from 704 to 780 nm and a broadest full width at half maximum (FWHM) of up to 172 nm by introducing Ca2+ and Ge4+ ions into the garnet structure. In particular, Lu3Ga5O12:6%Cr3+ demonstrates an anti‐thermal quenching phenomenon (I423K = 113.1%). Compared to Lu3Ga5O12:6%Cr3+, Lu2CaGa4GeO12:6%Cr3+ exhibits significantly improved FWHM and IQE by 108 nm and 25.5%, respectively, while maintaining good thermal stability (I423K = 80.4%). Finally, Lu2CaGa4GeO12:6%Cr3+ phosphor is combined with a 465 nm blue LED chip to fabricate NIR LED devices, exhibiting a NIR electroluminescence efficiency of 13.31%@100 mA and demonstrating successful applications in nocturnal illumination and biomedical imaging technology. This work offers a fresh perspective on the design of highly efficient NIR garnet phosphors.
A Matter of Charge: Electrostatically Tuned Coassembly of Amphiphilic Peptides
Authors: Arad Elad , Levi Topaz , Yosefi Gal , Kass Itamar , Cohen‐Erez Ifat , Azoulay Ziv , Bitton Ronit , Jelinek Raz , Rapaport Hanna
Published: August 2024

Coassembly of peptide biomaterials offers a compelling avenue to broaden the spectrum of hierarchically ordered supramolecular nanoscale structures that may be relevant for biomedical and biotechnological applications. In this work coassemblies of amphiphilic and oppositely charged, anionic and cationic, β‐sheet peptides are studied, which may give rise to a diverse range of coassembled forms. Mixtures of the peptides show significantly lower critical coassembly concentration (CCC) values compared to those of the individual pure peptides. Intriguingly, the highest formation of coassembled fibrils is found to require excess of the cationic peptide whereas equimolar mixtures of the peptides exhibited the maximum folding into β‐sheet structures. Mixtures of the peptides coassembled sequentially from solutions at concentrations surpassing each peptide's intrinsic critical assembly concentration (CAC), are also found to require a higher portion of the cationic peptide to stabilize hydrogels. This study illuminates a systematic investigation of oppositely charged β‐sheet peptides over a range of concentrations, in solutions and in hydrogels. The results may be relevant to the fundamental understanding of such intricate charge‐driven assembly systems and to the formulation of peptide‐based nanostructures with diverse functionalities.
Self‐Exfoliating Benzotristriazine Macrocyclic Network: A New 2D Material for High‐Performance Electrochemical Energy Storage
Authors: Vijayakumar Samyyappan , Mohanachandran Anjana P. , Rakhi Raghavan B. , Shankar Sreejith , Pillai Renjith S. , Ajayaghosh Ayyappanpillai
Published: August 2024

Aza‐fused aromatic π–conjugated networks are an important class of 2D graphitic analogs, which are generally constructed using aromatic precursors. Herein, the study describes a new synthetic approach and electrochemical properties of a self‐exfoliating benzotristriazine 2D network (BTTN) constructed using aliphatic precursors, under relatively mild conditions. The obtained BTTN exhibits a nanodisc‐like morphology, the self‐exfoliation tendency of which is ascribed to the presence of structurally different macrocycles with high electronic repulsion between the layers. The benzotristriazine repeat units of BTTN is electroactive and holds higher carbon/nitrogen ratio when compared with the conventional graphitic aza‐fused π‐conjugated networks. The self‐exfoliated BTTN nanodiscs show excellent electrochemical energy storage of 485 and 333 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 in three‐electrode and two‐electrode measurements, respectively. BTTN in a symmetric coin‐cell architecture exhibits a high specific energy value of 46 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 1 kW kg−1 and shows excellent cyclic stability of 96% for 10 000 and 90% for 30 000 charge–discharge cycles at a higher current density of 5 A g−1, surpassing the device performance of most of the reported all‐organic pseudocapacitive 2D networks.
Controllable Metal–Organic Framework‐Derived NiCo‐Layered Double Hydroxide Nanosheets on Vertical Graphene as Mott–Schottky Heterostructure for High‐Performance Hybrid Supercapacitor
Authors: He Mingliang , Qiao Jia , Zhou Binghua , Wang Jie , Guo Shien , Melvin Gan Jet Hong , Wang Mingxi , Ogata Hironori , Kim Yoong Ahm , Tanemura Masaki , Wang Shuwen , Terrones Mauricio , Endo Morinobu , Zhang Fei , Wang Zhipeng
Published: August 2024

Layered double hydroxide (LDH) is considered a highly promising electrode material for supercapacitors (SCs) due to its high theoretical specific capacitance. However, LDH powders often suffer from poor electrical conductivity, structure pulverization, slow charge transport, and insufficient active sites. Herein, a self‐supporting electrode with a Mott–Schottky heterostructure has been designed for high‐performance SCs. The electrode consists of low crystallinity NiCo‐LDH nanosheets and vertical graphene (VG) directly grown on carbon cloth. The LDH was converted from a metal–organic framework (MOF) by the sol–gel method. This self‐supporting electrode provides fast charge transfer, reducing the pulverization effect and energy barrier. The Mott–Schottky heterostructure of LDH@VG regulates electron density and enhances electron transfer, as confirmed by density functional theory calculation. The optimized LDH@VG heterostructure electrode exhibits an excellent areal capacitance of 5513.8 mF cm−2 and rate capability of 82.1%. Furthermore, the fabricated hybrid SC demonstrates excellent energy density of 404.8 μWh cm−2 at 1.6 mW cm−2 and a remarkable cycling life, with a capacitance of 92.0% after 10 000 cycles. This work not only provides a simple dip‐coating and MOF conversion method to synthesize heterojunction‐based electrodes, but also broadens the horizon for designing advanced electrode materials for SCs.
In Situ Electrochemical Interfacial Manipulation Enabling Lithiophilic Li Metal Anode with Inorganic‐Rich Solid Electrolyte Interphases for Stable Li Metal Batteries
Authors: Kim Subin , Cho Ki‐Yeop , Kwon JunHwa , Sim Kiyeon , Eom KwangSup , Fuller Thomas F.
Published: August 2024

Lithium‐metal anodes (LMAs) are the ultimate choice for realizing high‐energy‐density batteries; however, its use is hindered by problematic Li growth in the form of dendrites. To alleviate dendritic Li growth, the preparation of LMAs with a lithiophilic current collector (CC) is effective; however, applying a lithiophilic CC to LMAs is still challenging due to the manufacturing complexity involved in the separate lithiophilic treatment and lithiation processes. Herein, a facile one‐pot LMA fabrication method by utilizing thiourea (TU) as a precursor is proposed. A lithiophilic Cu2S layer is formed on Cu foam (CF) by the in situ electrochemical oxidation of TU (CuxSCF), and the lithiation of CC is performed via subsequent Li electrodeposition (Li@CuxSCF). The Cu2S on CuxSCF can lead to uniform Li deposition by providing lithiophilic sites, and it is converted to form ionic‐conductive Li2S‐rich solid electrolyte interphase layer. Resultantly, CuxSCF significantly enhances the cycling performance of LMAs compared to CF. Specifically, a LiFePO4/Li@CuxSCF full‐cell lithium‐metal battery (LMB) with a low n/p ratio (1.6) exhibits capacity retention of 95.6% at 0.5 C (220 cycles) and can maintain 85.0% of initial capacity (425 cycles, n/p = 4) at 2.0 C. LMBs with LiNi0.6Co0.2Mn0.2 and LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1 also exhibit improved electrochemical performance.
Scalable 2D Semiconductor‐Based van der Waals Heterostructure Interface with Built‐in Electric Field for Enhanced Electrochemical Water Splitting
Authors: Eom Jeongha , Cho Yun Seong , Lee Jihun , Heo Jae Won , Plutnarová Iva , Sofer Zdeněk , Kim In Soo , Rhee Dongjoon , Kang Joohoon
Published: August 2024

Electrochemical water splitting has received tremendous attention as an eco‐friendly approach to produce hydrogen. Noble metals and their oxides are commonly used as electrocatalysts to reduce activation energy barriers for hydrogen and oxygen evolution reactions in high‐performance electrodes, but their cost, scarcity, and limited stability hinder widespread adoption of electrochemical water splitting. Further advancements are therefore needed to reduce reliance on noble metals and improve the long‐term stability. Herein, solution‐processed 2D van der Waals (vdW) p–n heterostructures as an interfacial layer between catalysts and the electrode are introduced to enhance the catalytic performance. These heterostructures are formed by sequentially assembling electrochemically exfoliated black phosphorus and molybdenum disulfide nanosheets into electronic‐grade p‐ and n‐type semiconductor thin films, with the scalability extending across tens‐of‐centimeter scale areas. Benefiting from the charge distribution and built‐in electric field developed upon heterojunction formation, the vdW heterostructure interfacial layer increases both the catalytic activity and stability of commercial Pt/C and Ir/C catalysts compared to when these catalysts are directly loaded onto electrodes. Additionally, the vdW heterostructure also serves as a template for synthesizing nanostructured Pt and Ir catalysts through electrodeposition, further enhancing the catalytic performance in terms of mass activity and stability.