bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Bi Alloying on the Thermoelectric Properties of p‐Type Mg3Sb2‐xBix Solid Solutions
Authors: Zhu Bo , Lu Xu , Li Jiadang , Xie Wenhao , Wang Lifei , Zhang Qiang , Fan Jianfeng , Zheng Yun
Published: October 2022

Bismuth is the most common alloying element for high‐performance Mg3Sb2‐based thermoelectric compounds. However, the electrical and thermal transport data is lacking for undoped Mg3(Sb, Bi)2 solid solutions. In this study, theoretical calculation results show that Bi alloying can reduce the band gap of Mg3Sb2, favoring the regulation of carrier concentration. Both Mg3Sb2 and Mg3SbBi compounds present a single band structure on the valence band maximum at Γ of the Brillouin zone. Incorporating the Bi element can slightly increase the density of states (DOS) on the valence band maximum, which is beneficial for the Seebeck coefficient. Mg3Sb2‐xBix (0≤x≤0.8) compounds were experimentally prepared via ball milling (BM) combined with the spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique. The carrier concentration, electrical conductivity, and power factor of the samples tend to increase with the increasing Bi content. Bismuth alloying significantly reduces the total thermal conductivity in the low‐temperature range, with the lowest value of 0.65 Wm−1K−1 obtained at ∼400 K for the x=0.2 sample. The peak ZT value of 0.077 at 800 K and the average ZT of 0.051 in the temperature range of 450–800 K are obtained for the x=0.2 sample, which is 93% and 219% higher than those of the unalloyed sample, respectively. This work reveals the Bi‐alloying induced transport mechanism and provides fundamental thermoelectric data regarding the undoped Mg3Sb2‐xBix (0≤x≤0.8) solid solutions.
Energy‐efficient and privacy‐preserving approach forInternet of Thingsnodes using a novel hybrid fuzzy water cycle and evaporation strategy and matrix‐based Rivest–Shamir–Adleman encryption algorithm
Authors: Dhavamani Logeshwari , Prem Priya P.
Published: October 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) connects physical components all around the world via the internet and provides people with easy access. Even though IoT offers speedy operations, saves money, and provides automation and control, it suffers from different complexities such as data breaches, security issues, and load balancing. To overcome these complexities in the IoT environment, we propose a novel strategy to deal with energy consumption issues and offer a privacy‐preserving data transfer strategy. The proposed hybrid fuzzy water cycle and evaporation algorithm increases the lifetime of IoT networks by reducing the amount of energy required by massive IoT nodes and balancing traffic loads. To protect against malicious entries in cloud servers, the digital data block that is transported to be stored in the cloud is encrypted using the matrix‐based RSA encryption technique. The significance of the proposed methodology is proven by simulated results that compare it to state‐of‐the‐art methodologies in terms of security, system cost, resource utilization, and energy consumption. The resource utilization of this proposed methodology is 100% and the security level is 96%.
Stress wave propagation and incompatible deformation mechanisms in rock discontinuity interfaces in deep‐buried tunnels
Authors: Zhang Cong , Zhu Zhende , Wang Shanyong , Ren Xuhua , Shi Chong
Published: October 2022

Complex weak structural planes and fault zones induce significant heterogeneity, discontinuity, and nonlinear characteristics of a rock mass. When an earthquake occurs, these characteristics lead to extremely complex seismic wave propagation and vibrational behaviors and thus pose a huge threat to the safety and stability of deep buried tunnels. To investigate the wave propagation in a rock mass with different structural planes and fault zones, this study first introduced the theory of elastic wave propagation and elastodynamic principles and used the Zoeppritz equation to describe wave field decomposition and develop a seismic wave response model accordingly. Then, a physical wave propagation model was constructed to investigate seismic waves passing through a fault, and dynamic damage was analyzed by using shaking table tests. Finally, stress wave attenuation and dynamic incompatible deformation mechanisms in a rock mass with fault zones were explored. The results indicate that under the action of weak structural planes, stress waves appear as a complex wave field decomposition phenomenon. When a stress wave spreads to a weak structural plane, its scattering may transform into a tensile wave, generating tensile stress and destabilizing the rock mass; wave dynamic energy is absorbed by a low‐strength rock through wave scattering, which significantly weakens the seismic load. Wave propagation accelerates the initiation and expansion of internal defects in the rock mass and leads to a dynamic incompatible deformation. This is one of the main causes for large deformation and even instability within rock masses. These findings provide an important reference and guide with respect to stability analysis of rock mass with weak structural planes and fault zones.
Dopant‐free passivating contacts for crystalline silicon solar cells: Progress and prospects
Authors: Wang Yanhao , Zhang Shan‐Ting , Li Le , Yang Xinbo , Lu Linfeng , Li Dongdong
Published: October 2022

The evolution of the contact scheme has driven the technology revolution of crystalline silicon (c‐Si) solar cells. The state‐of‐the‐art high‐efficiency c‐Si solar cells such as silicon heterojunction (SHJ) and tunnel oxide passivated contact (TOPCon) solar cells are featured with passivating contacts based on doped Si thin films, which induce parasitic optical absorption loss and require capital‐intensive deposition processes involving flammable and toxic gasses. A promising solution to tackle this problem is to employ dopant‐free passivating contact, involving the use of transparent and cost‐effective wide band gap materials. In this review, we first introduce the dopant‐free passivating contact, from carrier transport mechanisms, material classification to evaluation methods. Then we focus on the advances in different strategies to improve cell performance, including material property optimization, structural and interfacial engineering, as well as various post‐treatments. At the end, the challenge and perspective of dopant‐free passivating contact c‐Si solar cells are discussed.

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Fossil footprints and what they mean for hominin paleobiology
Authors: Hatala Kevin G. , Roach Neil T. , Behrensmeyer Anna K.
Published: October 2022

Hominin footprints have not traditionally played prominent roles in paleoanthropological studies, aside from the famous 3.66 Ma footprints discovered at Laetoli, Tanzania in the late 1970s. This contrasts with the importance of trace fossils (ichnology) in the broader field of paleontology. Lack of attention to hominin footprints can probably be explained by perceptions that these are exceptionally rare and “curiosities” rather than sources of data that yield insights on par with skeletal fossils or artifacts. In recent years, however, discoveries of hominin footprints have surged in frequency, shining important new light on anatomy, locomotion, behaviors, and environments from a wide variety of times and places. Here, we discuss why these data are often overlooked and consider whether they are as “rare” as previously assumed. We review new ways footprint data are being used to address questions about hominin paleobiology, and we outline key opportunities for future research in hominin ichnology.
Advances in upconversion luminescence nanomaterial‐based biosensor for virus diagnosis
Authors: Ma Yingjin , Song Menglin , Li Lihua , Lao Xinyue , Wong Man‐Chung , Hao Jianhua
Published: October 2022

Various infectious viruses have been posing a major threat to global public health, especially SARS‐CoV‐2, which has already claimed more than six million lives up to now. Tremendous efforts have been made to develop effective techniques for rapid and reliable pathogen detection. The unique characteristics of upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) pose numerous advantages when employed in biosensors, and they are a promising candidate for virus detection. Herein, this Review will discuss the recent advancement in the UCNP‐based biosensors for virus and biomarkers detection. We summarize four basic principles that guide the design of UCNP‐based biosensors, which are utilized with luminescent or electric responses as output signals. These strategies under fundamental mechanisms facilitate the enhancement of the sensitivity of UCNP‐based biosensors. Moreover, a detailed discussion and benefits of applying UCNP in various virus bioassays will be presented. We will also address some obstacles in these detection techniques and suggest routes for progress in the field. These progressions will undoubtedly pose UCNP‐based biosensors in a prominent position for providing a convenient, alternative approach to virus detection.
Diagnostic relevance of 2‐[18F]‐FDG PET/CT in patients recently diagnosed with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance
Authors: Rudolphi‐Solero Teodoro , Triviño‐Ibáñez Eva María , González‐Jiménez Antonio Daniel , Ramos‐Font Carlos , Ríos‐Tamayo Rafael , Rebollo‐Aguirre Angel Custodio , Sánchez‐Sánchez Rocío
Published: October 2022

2‐[18F]‐FDG PET/CT is a useful diagnostic technique to assess bone and soft tissue disease in multiple myeloma (MM) but is not recommended by the International Myeloma Working Group for the evaluation of monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS). The objective of this study was to evaluate the role of 2‐[18F]‐FDG PET/CT in the management of these patients. An observational retrospective study was conducted on 338 patients with MGUS who underwent 2‐[18F]‐FDG PET/CT. The mean age was 70.80 ± 11.84 years, and 69.2% of patients had cardiovascular risk factors. Patients were classified according to their progression risk (Mayo Clinic). The mean post‐diagnosis follow‐up was 8.35 ± 14.46 months. Pathological findings were recorded in 49 patients: 30 with myeloma bone lesions (15 in the initial study and 15 in follow‐up) and 19 with other neoplastic (n = 13) or pathologically significant findings (n = 6). Body mass index, monoclonal component rate (MCR) > 1 g/dL and ≥1 risk factors for MM were significant in univariate logistic regression analyses. The MCR emerged as the main predictor of a positive 2‐[18F]‐FDG PET/CT in adjusted multivariate regression analysis, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.785 and cutoff for optimal sensitivity/specificity of 1.0 ng/mL (71.4% sensitivity, 71.2% specificity). 2‐[18F]‐FDG PET/CT results correctly classify patients with MGUS and could improve the detection of bone lesions over existing techniques, with the additional possibility of detecting neoplastic processes. The best parameter to predict a positive 2‐[18F]‐FDG PET/CT was the MCR.
Does the market value the accounting expertise of chief financial officers? Evidence from the market value of cash holdings
Authors: Gao Li , Lee Jay Junghun , Shin Yong‐Chul
Published: October 2022

This study investigates whether and how equity investors value the accounting expertise of chief financial officers (CFOs) in managing cash assets. Using hand‐collected CFO data of S&P 1500 firms from 1999 to 2015, we find that the stock market places a higher value on cash assets when firms replace a non‐accountant CFO with an accountant CFO. Specifically, the market value of an additional dollar of cash increases by 92 cents following such CFO turnovers. Moreover, we find that the positive effect of CFOs’ accounting backgrounds on the market value of cash is particularly evident for firms in low growth industries and firms with weak corporate governance. Our evidence highlights efficient cash management as an important channel through which accountant CFOs contribute to firm value.
A black box congenital heart defect: Anomalous superior vena cava drainage into the left atrium
Authors: Karev Egor , Karpova Darya , Stovpyuk Oksana , Kozlenok Andrey
Published: October 2022

A 25‐year‐old pregnant woman with low oxygen saturation due to unclear congenital heart disease was admitted. During work‐up the rare anomaly of superior vena cava drainage to the left atrium was diagnosed by transthoracic bubble test with agitated saline. The pathology was later confirmed by contrast multislice computed tomography angiography after delivery.
Dimensions of cognition, behaviour, and mental health in struggling learners: A spotlight on girls
Authors: Guy Jacalyn , Mareva Silvana , Franckel Grace ,   the CALM Team, Holmes Joni
Published: October 2022

Background

Fewer girls than boys are identified as struggling at school for suspected problems in attention, learning and/or memory. The objectives of this study were to: i) identify dimensions of cognition, behaviour and mental health in a unique transdiagnostic sample of struggling learners; ii) test whether these constructs were equivalent for boys and girls, and; iii) compare their performance across the dimensions.

Methods

805 school‐aged children, identified by practitioners as experiencing problems in cognition and learning, completed cognitive assessments, and parents/carers rated their behaviour and mental health problems.

Results

Three cognitive [Executive, Speed, Phonological], three behavioural [Cognitive Control, Emotion Regulation, Behaviour Regulation], and two mental health [Internalising, Externalising] dimensions distinguished the sample. Dimensions were structurally comparable between boys and girls, but differences in severity were present: girls had greater impairments on performance‐based measures of cognition; boys were rated as having more severe externalising problems.

Conclusions

Gender biases to stereotypically male behaviours are prevalent among practitioners, even when the focus is on identifying cognitive and learning difficulties. This underscores the need to include cognitive and female‐representative criteria in diagnostic systems to identify girls whose difficulties could go easily undetected.
Potential for femoral size optimization for off‐the‐shelf implants: A CT derived implant database analysis
Authors: Grothues Sonja , Hohlmann Benjamin , Zingde Sumesh M. , Radermacher Klaus
Published: October 2022

In total knee arthroplasty, the femoral implant size is chosen mainly based on the femoral anteroposterior (AP) height and mediolateral (ML) width. This choice often is a compromise, due to limited size availability. Inadequate AP fit is expected to alter flexion laxity and thus knee function. Inadequate ML fit entails underhang or overhang, which is linked to worse clinical outcomes. Hence, we aimed to find implant size distributions, which maximize population coverage, and to evaluate the sensitivity regarding error bounds and the number of implant sizes for a database of 85,143 cases. All patients in the database have been provided with a patient‐specific implant in the past. For a subset of 1049 cases, three‐dimensional preoperative bone surface models were available. These were used to validate whether the implant dimensions were representative of the bone dimensions. Particle Swarm Optimization was used for optimizing the implant size distribution. The deviations between implant and bone measures in the subset were found to be clinically irrelevant. Therefore, the full database of 85,143 cases was used for further analyses. A higher sensitivity of the population coverage regarding the error bounds compared to the number of implant sizes was found. For an exemplary setup of 12 optimized implant sizes and error bounds of ±1.5 mm for AP and ±3 mm for ML, a population coverage of almost 85% was achieved. In contrast, even with 30 implant sizes, a full population coverage could not be reached. Hence, remaining cases should be provided with patient‐specific implants.
Improving the bioaccessibility of lipophilic ingredient in its oral intestinal delivery by ultrasound and biological cross‐linker
Authors: Wei Yun‐Shan , Teng Meng‐Jing , Feng Kun , Hu Teng‐Gen , Zong Min‐Hua , Wu Hong
Published: October 2022

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Great efforts have been made to improve the oral bioaccessibility of lipophilic ingredients with multi‐functionalities. Achieving intestinal delivery of lipophilic ingredients and their encapsulation in micelles composed of bile salts and lipid hydrolysates (i.e. fatty acids) is critical for improving oral bioaccessibility. Therefore, oil‐core microcapsules are considered ideal carriers of lipophilic ingredients. Previous studies have reported oil‐core/zein‐shell microcapsules constructed by a one‐step anti‐solvent process. Still, its efficacy as an intestinal delivery system was limited because if the porous shell structure.

RESULTS

Zein solution was pretreated with ultrasound and tannic acid (TA) cross‐linking. Composite oil‐core microcapsule (COM) with a compact shell structure was successfully prepared by using modified zein solution in the anti‐solvent process. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy and circular dichroism analyses indicated that ultrasound and TA synergistically promote the conformational transition of zein from α‐helix to β‐sheet and enhance the hydrophobic interactions among protein chains. The above changes contribute to the strengthen of shell zein network. Correspondingly, COM presents superior encapsulation efficiency and environmental stability over the simple oil‐core microcapsule (SOM) prepared without the use of ultrasound and TA. Furthermore, antioxidant activity of β‐carotene was well retained during the encapsulation process. In vitro studies indicated that COM was more resistant to digestibility and acid‐induced swelling. More than 87% of β‐carotene could be released in the intestine in a sustainable way. The controllable release behavior thus promoted a significant increase in bioaccessibility of β‐carotene encapsulated in COM compared to SOM (85.9% versus 48.5%).

CONCLUSION

The COM generated here shows potential for bioaccessibility improvement of lipophilic ingredients. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.
Preparative isolation of antioxidative furanocoumarins from Dracocephalum heterophyllum and their potential action target
Authors: Lv Yue , Li Chengzhao , Wang Ze , Wang Qilan , Li Gang , Dang Jun
Published: October 2022

Traditional Tibetan medicine has extensively documented the health benefits of Dracocephalum heterophyllum. However, there are few reports on the chemical composition of furanocoumarins, probably because of their complicated isolation and purification procedures. In this study, four antioxidative furanocoumarins were isolated from Dracocephalum heterophyllum by medium‐ and high‐pressure liquid chromatography in combination with on‐line high‐performance liquid chromatography−1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl recognition. Crude samples were sequentially pretreated by medium‐pressure liquid chromatography using silica gel, MCI GEL CHP20P, and diol as stationary phases, whereas on‐line high‐performance liquid chromatography−1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl system was used to recognize antioxidant peaks in target fractions. Thereafter, the antioxidative peaks were separated and purified through high‐pressure liquid chromatography to obtain four furanocoumarins with purities greater than 95%; namely isodemethylfuropinarine, demethylfuropinarine, alloimperatorin, and alloisoimperatorin. Finally, the antioxidant capacity of the isolated furanocoumarins was determined using in vitro experiments (1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl assays, molecular docking, and cellular validation) and it was concluded that nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 protein is a potential target of these compounds for their antioxidation effects. Thus, the proposed methodology exhibits excellent efficacy for the preparative isolation of high‐purity antioxidative furanocoumarins from extracts of Dracocephalum heterophyllum and it can be efficiently utilized for isolating antioxidants from other natural products.
A Humanized In Vitro Model of Innervated Skin for Transdermal Analgesic Testing
Authors: Malheiro Afonso , Thon Maria , Lourenço Ana Filipa , Gamardo Adrián Seijas , Chandrakar Amit , Gibbs Susan , Wieringa Paul , Moroni Lorenzo
Published: October 2022

Sensory innervation of the skin is essential for its function, homeostasis, and wound healing mechanisms. Thus, to adequately model the cellular microenvironment and function of native skin, in vitro human skin equivalents (hSE) containing a sensory neuron population began to be researched. In this work, a fully human 3D platform of hSE innervated by induced pluripotent stem cell‐derived nociceptor neurospheres (hNNs), mimicking the native mode of innervation, is established. Both the hSE and nociceptor population exhibit morphological and phenotypical characteristics resembling their native counterparts, such as epidermal and dermal layer formation and nociceptor marker exhibition, respectively. In the co‐culture platform, neurites develop from the hNNs and navigate in 3D to innervate the hSE from a distance. To probe both skin and nociceptor functionality, a clinically available capsaicin patch (Qutenza) is applied directly over the hSE section and neuron reaction is analyzed. Application of the patch causes an exposure time‐dependent neurite regression and degeneration. In platforms absent of hSE, axonal degeneration is further increased, highlighting the role of the skin construct as a barrier. In sum, an in vitro tool of functional innervated skin with high interest for preclinical research is established.
New Pharmacophore Fingerprints and Weight‐matrix Learning for Virtual Screening. Application to Bcr‐Abl Data
Authors: Rehioui Hajar , Cuissart Bertrand , Ouali Abdelkader , Lepailleur Alban , Lamotte Jean‐Luc , Bureau Ronan , Zimmermann Albrecht
Published: October 2022

In this work, we propose to analyze the potential of a new type of pharmacophoric descriptors coupled to a novel feature transformation technique, called Weight‐Matrix Learning (WML, based on a feed‐forward neural network). The application concerns virtual screening on a tyrosine kinase named BCR‐ABL. First, the compounds were described using three different families of descriptors: our new pharmacophoric descriptors, and two circular fingerprints, ECFP4 and FCFP4. Afterwards, each of these original molecular representations were transformed using either an unsupervised WML method or a supervised one. Finally, using these transformed representations, K‐Means clustering algorithm was applied to automatically partition the molecules. Combining our pharmacophoric descriptors with supervised Weight‐Matrix Learning (SWMLR) leads to clearly superior results in terms of several quality measures.
Dose and dose rate objectives in Bragg peak and shoot‐through beam orientation optimization for FLASH proton therapy
Authors: Ramesh Pavitra , Gu Wenbo , Ruan Dan , Sheng Ke
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The combined use of Bragg peak (BP) and shoot‐through (ST) beams has previously been shown to increase the normal tissue volume receiving FLASH dose rates while maintaining dose conformality compared to conventional intensity‐modulated proton therapy (IMPT) methods. However, the fixed beam optimization method has not considered the effects of beam orientation on the dose and dose rates. To maximize the proton FLASH effect, here, we incorporate dose rate objectives into our beam orientation optimization framework.

Methods

From our previously developed group‐sparsity dose objectives, we add upper and lower dose rate terms using a surrogate dose‐averaged dose rate definition and solve using the fast‐iterative shrinking threshold algorithm. We compare the dosimetry for three head‐and‐neck cases between four techniques: (1) spread‐out BP IMPT (BP), (2) dose rate optimization using BP beams only (BP‐DR), (3) dose rate optimization using ST beams only (ST‐DR), and (4) dose rate optimization using combined BP and ST (BPST‐DR), with the goal of sparing organs at risk without loss of tumor coverage and maintaining high dose rate within a 10 mm region of interest (ROI) surrounding the clinical target volume (CTV).

Results

For BP, BP‐DR, ST‐DR, and BPST‐DR, CTV homogeneity index and Dmax were found to be on average 0.886, 0.867, 0.687, and 0.936 and 107%, 109%, 135%, and 101% of prescription, respectively. Although ST‐DR plans were not able to meet dosimetric standards, BPST‐DR was able to match or improve either maximum or mean dose in the right submandibular gland, left and right parotids, constrictors, larynx, and spinal cord compared to BP plans. Volume of ROIs receiving greater than 40 Gy/s ( was 51.0%, 91.4%, 95.5%, and 92.1% on average.

Conclusions

The dose rate techniques, particularly BPST‐DR, were able to significantly increase dose rate without compromising physical dose compared with BP. Our algorithm efficiently selects beams that are optimal for both dose and dose rate.
ClusterNet: a clustering distributed prior embedded detection network for early‐stage esophageal squamous cell carcinoma diagnosis
Authors: Wang Peisheng , Cai Shilun , Tan Weimin , Yan Bo , Zhong Yunshi
Published: October 2022

Background

Early and accurate diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is important for reducing mortality. Analyzing intrapapillary capillary loops' (IPCLs) patterns on magnification endoscopy with narrow band imaging (ME‐NBI) has been demonstrated effective in the diagnosis of early‐stage ESCC. However, even experienced endoscopists may face difficulty in finding and classifying countless IPCLs on ME‐NBI.

Purpose

We propose a novel clustering prior embedded detection network: ClusterNet. ClusterNet is capable of analyzing the distribution of IPCLs on ME‐NBI automatically and enables endoscopists to overview multiple types of visualization. With ClusterNet assisting, endoscopists may observe ME‐NBI images more efficiently, thus they may also predict the pathology and make medical decisions more easily.

Methods

We propose the first large‐scale ME‐NBI dataset with fine‐grained annotations by consensus of expert endoscopists. The dataset is splitted into a training set and an independent testing set based on patients. With two strategies for embedding, ClusterNet can automatically take the clustering effect into consideration. Prior to this work, none of the existing approaches take the clustering effect, which is rather important in classifying the IPCLs, into account.

Results

ClusterNet achieves an average precision of 81.2% and an average recall of 90.0% for the detection of IPCLs patterns on each patient of the independent testing set. We also compare ClusterNet with other state‐of‐the‐art detection approaches. The performance of ClusterNet with embedding strategies is consistently superior to that of other approaches in terms of average precision, recall and F2‐Score.

Conclusions

Experiments demonstrate that our proposed method is able to detect almost all the IPCLs patterns on ME‐NBI and classify them according to the Japanese Endoscopic Society (JES) classification accurately.
99mTechnetium‐pyrophosphate bone scan: A potential biomarker for the burden of transthyretin amyloidosis in skeletal muscle: A preliminary study
Authors: Wlodarski Richard , Seibert Kaitlin , Issa Naoum P. , O'Brien‐Penney Bill , Soliven Betty , Sarswat Nitasha , Appelbaum Daniel , Rezania Kourosh
Published: October 2022

Introduction/Aims

Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) proteins can infiltrate skeletal muscle and infrequently cause a myopathy. 99mTechnetium‐pyrophosphate (99mTc‐PYP) is a validated biomarker for cardiac involvement in variant and wild‐type ATTR (ATTRv and ATTRwt, respectively). The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that 99mTc‐PYP is a biomarker for muscle burden of ATTR.

Methods

Radioisotope uptake in the deltoid muscles of patients with ATTR was compared to uptake in control subjects without amyloidosis in a retrospective study. 99mTc‐PYP scans were evaluated in 11 patients with ATTR (7 ATTRv, 4 ATTRwt) and 14 control subjects. Mean count (MC) values were measured in circular regions of interest (ROIs) 2.5–3.8 cm2 in area. Tracer uptake was quantified in the heart, contralateral chest (CC), and deltoid muscles.

Results

Tracer uptake was significantly higher over the deltoids and heart but not the CC, in patients with ATTR than in control subjects. MC values were 120.1 ± 43.7 (mean ± SD) in ATTR patients and 78.9 ± 20.4 in control subjects over the heart (p = 0.005), 73.3± 21.0 and 63.5 ± 14.4 over CC (p = 0.09), and 37.0 ± 11.7 and 26.0 ± 7.1 averaged over both deltoid muscles (p = 0.014).

Discussion

99mTc‐PYP is a potential biomarker for ATTR amyloid burden in skeletal muscle.
The effect of fiber orientation and stacking sequence on carbon/E‐glass/epoxy intraply hybrid composites under dynamic loading conditions
Authors: Edwin Samson Ponnusamy , Senthil Kumaran Selvadurai , Vigneshwaran Shanmugam , Oisik Das
Published: October 2022

This study investigated the dynamic mechanical properties of hybrid intraply carbon/E‐glass epoxy composites with different orientations and stacking sequences under different loading conditions with increasing temperature. A neat epoxy and five various hybrid composites such as Carbon (0°)/E‐glass (90°), Carbon (45°)/E‐glass (135°), Carbon (90°)/E‐glass (0°), Carbon/E‐glass (alternating layer), and Carbon/E‐glass (alternating layer 45°) were manufactured. Three‐point bending test and dynamic mechanical test were conducted to understand the flexural modulus and viscoelastic behavior (storage modulus, loss modulus, and loss tangent) of the composites. Dynamic mechanical test was performed with the dual cantilever method, at four different frequencies (1, 5, 10, and 20 Hz) and temperatures ranging from 30 to 150°C. The experimental results of storage modulus, loss modulus, and loss tangents were compared with the theoretical findings of neat epoxy and various hybrid composites. The glass transition temperature (Tg) increased with the increase in frequency. A linear fit of the natural log of frequency to the inverse of absolute temperature was plotted in the activation energy estimation. The interphase damping (tanδi) between plies and the strength indicator (Si) of the hybrid composites were estimated. It was observed that the neat epoxy had more insufficient storage and loss modulus and a high loss tangent at all the frequencies whereas hybrid composites had high storage and loss modulus and a low loss tangent for all the frequencies. Compared with other hybrid composites, Carbon (90°)/E‐glass (0°) had higher strength and activation energy. The result of reinforcement of hybrid fiber in neat epoxy significantly increases the material's strength and stability at higher temperatures whereas decreasing free molecular movement.
In situ synthesis of calcium pimelate as a highly dispersed β‐nucleating agent for improving the crystallization behavior and mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene
Authors: Xie Li , Zhong Jin‐Rong , Li Yan , Zhang Yue‐Fei
Published: October 2022

The reaction precursors pimelic acid (Pi) and calcium stearate (CaSt) were added in situ during extrusion of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) to generate self‐dispersed calcium pimelate (CaPi[IS]). The results reveal that the nucleating agents (NAs) synthesized in situ obviously affected the nucleation effect in iPP. The crystallization, mechanical properties and melting behavior of nucleated iPP were investigated. The crystallization temperature (Tc) of iPP modified with CaPi(IS) increased by 4–5°C when compared to that of pure iPP. Especially, when the addition amount of CaPi(IS) in iPP was 0.30 wt%, the relative β‐crystal concentration of iPP/CaPi(IS) reached the highest level of 96.47%, 22.71% higher than that of iPP/CaPi. However, Pi and CaSt has hardly impact on the nucleation effect in iPP. The mechanical properties of iPP show that CaPi and CaPi(IS) have excellent toughening effect on iPP while Pi and CaSt greatly improved the stiffness of iPP. Furthermore, the dispersion of these NAs in iPP was investigated by scanning electronic microscope (SEM). It can be clearly seen that the CaPi(IS) particles are uniformly distributed in the iPP after magnification.
International Society for Prenatal Diagnosis 2022 debate 3—Fetal genome sequencing should be offered to all pregnant patients
Authors: Van den Veyver Ignatia B. , Yaron Yuval , Deans Zandra C.
Published: October 2022

Prenatal trio exome sequencing (ES) has become integrated into the care for pregnant women when the fetus has structural anomalies. Details regarding optimizing indications for prenatal exome sequencing, its detection rates with different categories of fetal anomalies, and principles of interpretation of pathogenicity of sequence variants are still under investigation. However, there is now growing consensus about its benefits for finding the cause of fetal structural anomalies. What is not established, is whether exome or genome sequencing (GS) has a place in the care of all pregnant women. This report is a summary of the debate on this topic at the 26th International Conference on Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy. Both expert debaters considered the advantages and disadvantages. Advantages include the ability to diagnose serious childhood conditions without a prenatally observable phenotype, which creates the potential of early treatments. Disadvantages include difficulties with variant classification, counseling complexities, healthcare cost, and the burden on healthcare systems and families, in particular with the discovery of adult‐onset disorders or variants of uncertain significance. Although both debaters weighed the balance of these conflicting arguments differently, they agreed that more research is needed to further explore the clinical utility and ethical aspects of GS for all pregnant women.
Upgrading an intronic TMEM67 variant of unknown significance to likely pathogenic through RNA studies and community data sharing
Authors: Kurolap Alina , Mory Adi , Simchoni Sharon , Krajden Haratz Karina , Malinger Gustavo , Birnbaum Roee , Baris Feldman Hagit , Yaron Yuval
Published: October 2022

Fetal phenotype

A couple of Ashkenazi Jewish descent was referred for an early anatomy scan at 14 + 2 weeks of gestation following a previous pregnancy termination due to posterior encephalocele and enlarged kidneys. The index pregnancy was also positive for several fetal abnormalities, including enlarged kidneys with cystic dysplasia and abnormal cerebellar morphology highly suggestive of Joubert syndrome.

Genetic diagnostic test performed, result, and interpretation

Trio exome sequencing revealed compound heterozygosity for variants in the TMEM67 gene: a known pathogenic maternally inherited variant found in trans with a paternal intronic variant of unknown significance. RNA analysis revealed that the intronic variant creates a cryptic acceptor splice site in intron 12, leading to the insertion of 22 bp and causing a frameshift with a premature stop codon. This analysis enabled the reclassification of the intronic variant to likely pathogenic.

Implications and novelty

This information empowered the couple to make informed reproductive choices and opt for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for future pregnancies.
Path of least recurrence: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of fidaxomicin versus vancomycin for Clostridioides difficile infection
Authors: Liao J. Xin , Appaneal Haley J. , Vicent Martie L. , Vyas Ami , LaPlante Kerry L.
Published: October 2022

Study Objective

Current Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) treatment guidelines recommend either fidaxomicin or vancomycin as first‐line therapy for initial and recurrent CDI. The objective of this study was to compare recurrence rates of fidaxomicin and vancomycin for the treatment of CDI in clinically relevant and real‐world subgroups via systematic review and meta‐analysis.

Design & Data Sources

A systematic literature review was performed by searching PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ClinicalTrials.gov from inception to September 1, 2021, for randomized and observational studies comparing vancomycin and fidaxomicin for CDI treatment in adults. The meta‐analysis was performed with Review Manager 5.4 software (Cochrane Library, Oxford, United Kingdom) using a random‐effects model. The primary end point was CDI recurrence after treatment with fidaxomicin or vancomycin. Subgroup analyses were conducted.

Patients, Intervention, Measurements & Main Results

The literature search identified six randomized controlled trials and eight observational trials, with a total of 3944 patients (fidaxomicin 32%; vancomycin 68%) included in the meta‐analysis. The mean age of study patients ranged from 46 to 75 years. The CDI recurrence rate was 22.4% (fidaxomicin 16.1%, vancomycin 25.4%). Compared to vancomycin, treatment with fidaxomicin was associated with a 31% reduction in the risk of recurrence (risk ratio 0.69; 95% confidence interval: 0.52–0.91, I2 = 62%). This reduction in recurrence risk was also seen in subgroup analyses for patients with initial CDI, first recurrent CDI, non‐severe and severe CDI, and in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

Conclusion

Our systematic review and meta‐analysis found fidaxomicin was consistently associated with a lower risk of CDI recurrence than vancomycin. These results confirm CDI guideline recommendations and indicate that fidaxomicin may be preferred over vancomycin to minimize CDI recurrence across multiple clinical scenarios, although further studies are warranted.
Detection of Ecballium elaterium in hedgerow olive orchards using a low‐cost uncrewed aerial vehicle and open‐source algorithms
Authors: Torres‐Sánchez Jorge , Mesas‐Carrascosa Francisco Javier , Pérez‐Porras Fernando , López‐Granados Francisca
Published: October 2022

BACKGROUND

Ecballium elaterium (common name: squirting cucumber) is an emerging weed problem in hedgerow or superintensive olive groves under no tillage. It colonizes the inter‐row area infesting the natural or sown cover crops, and is considered a hard‐to‐control weed. Research in other woody crops has shown E. elaterium has a patchy distribution, which makes this weed susceptible to design a site‐specific control strategy only addressed to E. elaterium patches. Therefore, the aim of this work was to develop a methodology based on the analysis of imagery acquired with an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) to detect and map E. elaterium infestations in hedgerow olive orchards.

RESULTS

The study was conducted in two superintensive olive orchards, and the images were taken using a UAV equipped with an RGB sensor. Flights were conducted on two dates: in May, when there were various weeds infesting the orchard, and in September, when E. elaterium was the only infesting weed. UAV‐orthomosaics in the first scenario were classified using random forest models, and the orthomosaics from September with E. elaterium as the only weed, were analyzed using an unsupervised algorithm. In both cases, the overall accuracies were over 0.85, and the producer's accuracies for E. elaterium ranged between 0.74 and 1.00.

CONCLUSION

These results allow the design of a site‐specific and efficient herbicide control protocol which would represent a step forward in sustainable weed management. The development of these algorithms in free and open‐source software fosters their application in small and medium farms. © 2022 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Near‐Field Thermal Profiling and 3D Anisotropic Thermal Analysis of Quantum Cascade Lasers
Authors: Abbas Farhat , Daunis Trey , Pandey Binay J. , Clark Kevin , Lascola Kevin , Dikmelik Yamac , Robbins Dennis , Hodges Kimari L. , Roodenko Katy , Gu Qing
Published: October 2022

The development of a scanning near‐field optical microscopy (SNOM) method with high temperature and spatial resolution to probe the thermal behavior of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) is reported. Specifically, thermal profiling of InGaAs/InAlAs/InP buried heterostructure (BH) mounted epi‐layer side down QCLs is performed. The findings are verified by 3D anisotropic thermal analysis of QCLs with anisotropic thermal conductivities in the superlattice active region. Good agreement is observed between the simulated and the measured time constants. Within this design, various realistic device configurations, such as overhanging the laser chip on the submount and placing different dielectric coatings on the front facet, are considered. Analytical studies of the steady‐state thermal performance of QCL arrays compared to an isolated QCL are demonstrated for high‐power requirements with minimal thermal damage and future application in spectroscopic devices.
Constructing Microcavity for Perovskite Laser Power Converter: A Theoretical Study
Authors: Ding Guoyu , Zheng Yifan , Li Qingyuan , Zhang Guodong , Guo Xin , Wang Haonan , Xiao Xun , Feng Yaomiao , Bai Yang , Shao Yuchuan
Published: October 2022

Laser power converters (LPCs) used in wireless energy transmission can realize noncontact power supply under extreme conditions and provide continuous energy support to unmanned probes, which is believed to play an essential role in the exploration of deep ocean. However, commercially available LPCs usually employ III–V semiconductors as light absorbers due to their industrial maturity. In order to match the underwater 450∼540 nm laser source, it requires an epitaxial growth method to tune the bandgap of those materials, which is highly costly that severely restricts the industrial preparation of LPCs on a large scale. Herein, the potential of perovskite in the application of underwater LPCs is presented theoretically by constructing MAPbBr3 LPC and its theoretical power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 48.55% is demonstrated. Moreover, a microcavity (MC) constructing strategy to further improve the device performance is proposed, in which the transfer matrix method and an admittance‐based antireflection condition approach are combined for the optical simulation. By modulating the MC condition, the significant optical resonance inside the device while avoiding the obvious light reflection is realized. As a result, MC LPCs can obtain a simulated PCE of 64.27%, which is highly competitive with the existing UV–vis LPCs.
Effects of film tension and contamination on the seal quality of flexible food packaging films made of polypropylene and low density polyethylene blends containing talc filler
Authors: Ilhan Ilknur , ten Klooster Roland , Gibson Ian
Published: October 2022

Seal integrity and seal strength are important requirements in the heat sealing of flexible packaging. In this article, the influence of talc compounds and different process parameters, such as film tension and contamination on the sealant films consisting of polypropylene and low‐density polyethylene blend were investigated. According to the results, increasing the talc ratio from 0% wt to 30% wt positively influenced both hot and cold seal strength. Among different polymer blends having same talc ratio, the sample having the lowest melt flow index (2.84 dg/min at 230°C and 2.16 kg) showed the highest cold seal strength with 9.07 N/25 mm. On the other hand, in the samples with higher melt flow indexes, less seal integrity issues were observed in the presence of contaminants. Elevated film tensions from 0 to 0.4 N/mm2 enhanced the seal strengths significantly at the seal initiation temperatures of each film. However, this situation changed at higher operating temperatures due to the increased orientation and brittleness. Besides, in the presence of contaminant coffee particles at the seal interphase, high film tensions adversely affected the seal integrity since the average leakage increased 2.7% for samples A and B, and 7.4% for sample C. In summary, it has been shown that talc incorporation can improve seal strength, high MFI can fill the gaps at the seal interphase and the high levels of film tension (above 0.16 N/mm2) during sealing as well as the contamination need to be avoided to ensure integrity sealing.
Remote Phase Sensing by Coherent Single Photon Addition
Authors: Biagi Nicola , Francesconi Saverio , Gessner Manuel , Bellini Marco , Zavatta Alessandro
Published: October 2022

A remote phase sensing scheme is proposed, inspired by the high sensitivity of the entanglement produced by coherent multimode photon addition on the phase set in the remote heralding apparatus. By exploring the case of delocalized photon addition over two modes containing identical coherent states, the optimal observable to perform remote phase estimation from heralded quadrature measurements is derived. The technique is experimentally tested with calibration measurements and then used for estimating a remote phase with a sensitivity that is found to scale with the intensity of the local coherent states, which never interacted with the sample.
Collision‐induced dissociation as “mass spectrometric filter” for rapid screening of tetrapyrrole derivatives and their chelated metal species in complex biological and environmental samples
Authors: Liu Xiao‐Lei
Published: October 2022

Rationale

Cyclic tetrapyrroles, such as chlorophylls and their diagenetic derivatives, are structurally diverse and often chelated with certain metal species in the natural environment. A high throughput analytical method enabling quick tetrapyrrole screening in complex samples will promote the study of tetrapyrrole biogeochemistry and probably discoveries of new tetrapyrroles.

Methods

Total lipid extracts of biological and environmental samples were injected onto a C18 column to separate compounds with a reverse‐phase gradient. Collision‐induced dissociation (CID) was performed at different energy levels, from 40 to 200 eV, on a quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (QTOF‐MS) to identify cyclic tetrapyrroles in complex matrices.

Results

Under 200 eV CID cyclic tetrapyrroles exhibit a unique fragmentation behavior, the production of fragments larger than 300 Da. Utilizing such feature as a filter to extract product ions in the range of 300–500 Da, various cyclic tetrapyrrole derivatives are readily recognized in all tested biological and environmental samples. The 200 eV CID setup also dissociates chelated to porphyrin metals, including Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and V, as single‐charged ions for direct MS detection.

Conclusions

The 200 eV CID setup provides an efficient approach for the identification of cyclic tetrapyrroles, such as chlorophylls and fossil metalloporphyrins, in complex environmental samples. The direct detection of chelated to porphyrin metal ions with QTOF‐MS shows the potential for compound‐specific metal isotope analysis.