bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reverse Trendelenburg Lithotomy with Certain Inclination Angles Reduces Stone Retropulsion during Ureteroscopic Lithotripsy for Proximal Ureteral Stone
Authors: Li Shihai , Wu Jianchen , Li Qiang , Zhang Jiawei
Published: December 2022

The objective of this study is to investigate how different inclination angles of reverse Trendelenburg lithotomy affect stone retropulsion and stone-free rates during ureteroscopic lithotripsy for proximal ureteral stones. Patients with proximal ureteral stones undergoing ureteroscopic lithotripsy in our institution between January 2019 and December 2020 were included according to predefined criteria. The rigid ureteroscope and Holmium: YAG laser were utilized to perform lithotripsy, and a stone basket was used to keep the stone in place and to avoid retropulsion. Before initiating lithotripsy, the upper part of the patient’s body was tilted up to establish a reverse Trendelenburg posture with appropriate inclination angles. To quantify the stone-free rate, computed tomography was used to evaluate the residual stones in the kidney one month following surgery. Patients’ clinical data were obtained retrospectively, including age, gender, the largest diameter of stone, stone density on computed tomography, and the distance between stone and ureteral pelvic junction, etc. Patients were divided into four groups based on the inclination angles of reverse Trendelenburg lithotomy: 0°, 10°, 20°, and 30°. The chi-square test was used to compare stone retropulsion and stone-free rates between groups. To discover possible determinants of the stone-free rate, logistic regression analyses were used. There were 189 patients that qualified. There were no differences in clinical characteristics between groups (p > 0.05). Multiple comparisons between groups revealed that the 20° and 30° groups had less retropulsion and a greater stone-free rate than the 0° and 10° groups (p < 0.05), whereas there were no significant differences in stone retropulsion or stone-free rates between the 20° and 30° groups or between the 0° and 10° groups (p > 0.05). The inclination angles as well as distance between the stone and ureteral pelvic junction were identified by using logistic regression analyses as the related factors for the stone-free rate. According to our results, the appropriate inclination angles of reverse Trendelenburg lithotomy during ureteroscopic lithotripsy for proximal ureteral stones would help preclude stone retropulsion and increase the stone-free rate.
Deep Learning-Based Prediction of Molecular Tumor Biomarkers from H&E: A Practical Review
Authors: Couture Heather D.
Published: December 2022

Molecular and genomic properties are critical in selecting cancer treatments to target individual tumors, particularly for immunotherapy. However, the methods to assess such properties are expensive, time-consuming, and often not routinely performed. Applying machine learning to H&E images can provide a more cost-effective screening method. Dozens of studies over the last few years have demonstrated that a variety of molecular biomarkers can be predicted from H&E alone using the advancements of deep learning: molecular alterations, genomic subtypes, protein biomarkers, and even the presence of viruses. This article reviews the diverse applications across cancer types and the methodology to train and validate these models on whole slide images. From bottom-up to pathologist-driven to hybrid approaches, the leading trends include a variety of weakly supervised deep learning-based approaches, as well as mechanisms for training strongly supervised models in select situations. While results of these algorithms look promising, some challenges still persist, including small training sets, rigorous validation, and model explainability. Biomarker prediction models may yield a screening method to determine when to run molecular tests or an alternative when molecular tests are not possible. They also create new opportunities in quantifying intratumoral heterogeneity and predicting patient outcomes.
Effects of Spartina alterniflora Invasion on Soil Carbon, Nitrogen and Phosphorus in Yancheng Coastal Wetlands
Authors: Sheng Yufeng , Luan Zhaoqing , Yan Dandan , Li Jingtai , Xie Siying , Liu Yao , Chen Li , Li Min , Wu Cuiling
Published: December 2022

The rapid invasion of Spartina alterniflora threatens the ability of soils to store carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) in coastal wetlands. This study analyzed the temporal and spatial distribution characteristics of soil C, N and P in Spartina alterniflora wetland in the Dafeng Elk Nature Reserve of Yancheng, China, in different invasion stages from 1995 to 2020. The results suggest that: (1) the invasion of Spartina alterniflora increased the content and storage of soil C and N, and decreased the content and storage of soil P; (2) altered soil properties caused by Spartina alterniflora invasion also indirectly affected the accumulation of soil C, N and P in wetland ecosystem. Organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were positively correlated with soil moisture content (SMC) and electrical conductivity (SEC), and negatively correlated with bulk density (SBD) and pH; (3) Spartina alterniflora invasion increased soil C/P and N/P, and decreased soil C/N. In conclusion, Spartina alterniflora invasion has changed the ecosystem, increased the storage capacity of soil C and N in the invasive ecosystem, but reduced the storage capacity of soil P to a certain extent.
Spatial–Temporal Evolution Patterns and Influencing Factors of China’s Urban Housing Price-to-Income Ratio
Authors: Hu Wei , Yin Shanggang , Gong Haibo
Published: December 2022

The housing price-to-income ratio (PIR) is an important indicator for measuring the health of the real estate market and detecting residents’ housing affordability. Including data of 336 cities in China from 2009 to 2020 as the research unit, the PIR’s spatial and temporal evolution characteristics are explored by using the urban rank-size rule and Markov chain, and its influencing factors are explored using the random forest model. The results show the following: (1) The PIR is in a normal distribution pattern, and there was a significant positive spatial correlation, which tended to increase. (2) Spatially, the PIR shows an overall distribution trend of “high in the east and low in the west”, and a rising trend of fluctuation is shown in the average PIR. (3) The PIR’s time evolution has high stability. China’s urban PIR is primarily the stable type from 2009 to 2015 and mainly the upward transfer type from 2015 to 2020. (4) The influence of economic, demographic, social, and expected factors on the PIR decreases, among which real estate investment density, industrial structure level, residents’ consumption level, and real estate activity are the dominant factors enhancing trends and showing a complex nonlinear relationship.
Repair Kinetics of DSB-Foci Induced by Proton and α-Particle Microbeams of Different Energies
Authors: Belchior Ana , Canhoto João F. , Giesen Ulrich , Langner Frank , Rabus Hans , Schulte Reinhard
Published: December 2022

In this work, the induction and repair of radiation-induced 53BP1 foci were studied in human umbilical vein endothelial cells irradiated at the PTB microbeam with protons and α-particles of different energies. The data were analyzed in terms of the mean number of 53BP1 foci induced by the different ion beams. The number of 53BP1 foci found at different times post-irradiation suggests that the disappearance of foci follows first order kinetics. The mean number of initially produced foci shows the expected increase with LET. The most interesting finding of this work is that the absolute number of persistent foci increases with LET but not their fraction. Furthermore, protons seem to produce more persistent foci as compared to α-particles of even higher LET. This may be seen as experimental evidence that protons may be more effective in producing severe DNA lesions, as was already shown in other work, and that LET may not be the best suited parameter to characterize radiation quality.
1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-methyl-2-phenyl-5-(thiophen-2-yl)-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrrol-3-one
Authors: Volkov Pavel A. , Khrapova Kseniya O. , Telezhkin Anton A. , Bidusenko Ivan A. , Albanov Alexander I. , Trofimov Boris A.
Published: December 2022

1-(4-Chlorophenyl)-2-methyl-2-phenyl-5-(thiophen-2-yl)-1,2-dihydro-3H-pyrrol-3-one, was synthesized for the first time in 75% yield by the base-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of 4-((4-chlorophenyl)amino)-4-phenyl-1-(thiophen-2-yl)pent-2-yn-1-one. The starting aminoacetylenic ketone was prepared by cross-coupling of available propargylamines with acyl chlorides in the presence of the PdCl2/CuI/Ph3P catalytic system.
Improved Mesh Stiffness Method and Vibration Analysis of a Planetary Gear System with a Spatial Tooth Crack
Authors: Yang Yi , Hu Niaoqing , Cheng Zhe , Hu Jiao , Zhang Lun
Published: December 2022

Dynamic modeling and analysis are generally regarded as effective tools to investigate the vibration characteristics and fault mechanisms of planetary gear systems with a tooth crack fault. In actual gearboxes, the tooth crack is always a three-dimensional spatial surface, but it was usually simplified as a two-dimensional domain in most previous studies. In this paper, the tooth crack is modeled as a spatial shape that propagates along the crack depth, length and height directions simultaneously. Based on the potential energy principle, an improved analytical method is proposed to calculate the time-varying mesh stiffness (TVMS) of a planetary gear system with a spatial tooth crack. Furthermore, a coupled translational–torsional dynamic model is established for a planetary gear system including time-varying parameters and nonlinear factors. Numerical simulations are conducted to reveal the influences of the spatial crack propagation on the TVMS and vibration responses. In addition, an experimental study is carried out on a gear transmission test rig to verify the proposed analytical method and dynamic model. The mesh stiffness calculation method of the spatial cracked tooth and corresponding analysis results in this study might provide references to detect tooth crack faults in planetary gear systems.
Design and Implementation of Simulation-Based Scheduling System with Reinforcement Learning for Re-Entrant Production Lines
Authors: Jeon Seung-Woo , Lee Donggun , Oh Seog-Chan , Park Kyu-Tae , Noh Sang-Do , Arinez Jorge
Published: December 2022

Recently, manufacturing companies have been making efforts to increase resource utilization while ensuring the flexibility of production lines to respond to rapidly changing market environments and customer demand. In the high-tech manufacturing industry, which requires expensive manufacturing facilities and is capital-intensive, re-entrant production lines are used for efficient production with limited resources. In such a production system, a part visits a specific station repeatedly during the production period. However, a re-entrant production line requires an appropriate scheduling system because other parts with different processing requirements are processed at the same station. In this study, a re-entrant production line was modeled as a manufacturing environment via simulation, and an adaptive scheduling system was developed to improve its operational performance by applying deep reinforcement learning (DRL). To achieve this, a software architecture for integrating DRL with the simulation was developed and the states, actions, and rewards of the reinforcement learning (RL) agent were defined. Moreover, a discrete-event simulation control module was designed to collect data from the simulation model and evaluate the policy network trained via DRL. Finally, the applicability and effectiveness of the developed scheduling system were verified by conducting experiments on a hypothetical re-entrant production line.
Human-like Attention-Driven Saliency Object Estimation in Dynamic Driving Scenes
Authors: Jin Lisheng , Ji Bingdong , Guo Baicang
Published: December 2022

Identifying a notable object and predicting its importance in front of a vehicle are crucial for automated systems’ risk assessment and decision making. However, current research has rarely exploited the driver’s attentional characteristics. In this study, we propose an attention-driven saliency object estimation (SOE) method that uses the attention intensity of the driver as a criterion for determining the salience and importance of objects. First, we design a driver attention prediction (DAP) network with a 2D-3D mixed convolution encoder–decoder structure. Second, we fuse the DAP network with faster R-CNN and YOLOv4 at the feature level and name them SOE-F and SOE-Y, respectively, using a shared-bottom multi-task learning (MTL) architecture. By transferring the spatial features onto the time axis, we are able to eliminate the drawback of the bottom features being extracted repeatedly and achieve a uniform image-video input in SOE-F and SOE-Y. Finally, the parameters in SOE-F and SOE-Y are classified into two categories, domain invariant and domain adaptive, and then the domain-adaptive parameters are trained and optimized. The experimental results on the DADA-2000 dataset demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms the state-of-the-art methods in several evaluation metrics and can more accurately predict driver attention. In addition, driven by a human-like attention mechanism, SOE-F and SOE-Y can identify and detect the salience, category, and location of objects, providing risk assessment and a decision basis for autonomous driving systems.
Experimental and Numerical Analyses of a Novel Magnetostatic Force Sensor for Defect Inspection in Ferromagnetic Materials
Authors: Wang Bo , Zhang San , Chen Xinyue , Wang Fujie , Xu Baohui
Published: December 2022

An innovative magnetostatic force sensor consisting of a laser source, a tiny cantilever beam, and a small permanent magnet was developed and used for defect inspection in ferromagnetic samples in the present article. The penetrating zone within a ferromagnetic material under the magnetic field provided by a permanent magnet was called the magnetic sensing zone (MSZ), and surface or internal defects within the MSZ were inspected by measuring the change in the magnetostatic force. This magnetostatic force could be calculated by the Maxwell tensor integrating over the surface and interface of a ferromagnetic material. Numerical and experimental results demonstrated that this sensor was reliable and could precisely inspect the defects of different sizes in ferromagnetic samples. In summary, the sensor proposed in this paper has the potential for industrial applications to detect surface and sub-surface tiny defects on ferromagnetic steel thin sheets, such as the zinc slag defect of hot galvanized sheets, cracks on cold-rolled sheets, and the ferromagnetic oscillation marks of continuous casting.
Project-Based STEM Learning Using Educational Robotics as the Development of Student Problem-Solving Competence
Authors: Coufal Petr
Published: December 2022

The study focuses on teaching students using educational robots in the field of STEM. The study focused on the influence of project-based teaching on the development of student competences, especially problem-solving competences. The research part of the study describes the conducted pedagogical experiment—teaching pupils the programming of educational robots. The experiment compared two groups of students in the 8th grade of elementary school, using the “Skills for Life” test, which is used to test student competencies. Project-based teaching in STEM fields using educational robotics is very popular among students and, according to research results, has an impact on the development of student competencies. The results of the presented study clearly demonstrate the positive influence of project-based teaching using educational robots on the development of student competencies, especially the important key competencies for solving problems. The key competence to solve problems is applicable both in the areas of STEM education, but also in the everyday life of the student.
Equiareal Parameterization of Triangular Bézier Surfaces
Authors: Chen Jun , Kong Xiang , Xu Huixia
Published: December 2022

Parameterization is the key property of a parametric surface and significantly affects many kinds of applications. To improve the quality of parameterization, equiareal parameterization minimizes the equiareal energy, which is presented as a measure to describe the uniformity of iso-parametric curves. With the help of the binary Möbius transformation, the equiareal parameterization is extended to the triangular Bézier surface on the triangular domain for the first time. The solution of the corresponding nonlinear minimization problem can be equivalently converted into solving a system of bivariate polynomial equations with an order of three. All the exact solutions of the equations can be obtained, and one of them is chosen as the global optimal solution of the minimization problem. Particularly, the coefficients in the system of equations can be explicitly formulated from the control points. Equiareal parameterization keeps the degree, control points, and shape of the triangular Bézier surface unchanged. It improves the distribution of iso-parametric curves only. The iso-parametric curves from the new expression are more uniform than the original one, which is displayed by numerical examples.
Matrix Approach for Analyzing n-Site Generalized ASIP Systems: PGF and Site Occupancy Probabilities
Authors: Yechiali Uri , Yeger Yaron
Published: December 2022

The Asymmetric Simple Inclusion Process (ASIP) is an n-site tandem stochastic network with a Poisson arrival influx into the first site. Each site has an unlimited buffer with a gate in front of it. Each gate opens, independently of all other gates, following a site-dependent Exponential inter-opening time. When a site’s gate opens, all particles occupying the site move simultaneously to the next site. In this paper, a Generalized ASIP network is analyzed where the influx is to all sites, while gate openings are determined by a general renewal process. A compact matrix approach—instead of the conventional (and tedious) successive substitution method—is constructed for the derivation of the multidimensional probability-generating function (PGF) of the site occupancies. It is shown that the set of (2nn) linear equations required to obtain the PGF of an n-site network can be first cut by half into a set of 2n−1n equations, and then further reduced to a set of 2n−n+1 equations. The latter set can be additionally split into several smaller triangular subsets. It is also shown how the PGF of an n+1-site network can be derived from the corresponding PGF of an n-site system. Explicit results for networks with n=3 and n=4 sites are obtained. The matrix approach is utilized to explicitly calculate the probability that site k k=1,2,…,n is occupied. We show that, in the case where arrivals occur to the first site only, these probabilities are functions of both the site’s index and the arrival flux and not solely of the site’s index. Consequently, refined formulas for the latter probabilities and for the mean conditional site occupancies are derived. We further show that in the case where the arrival process to the first site is Poisson with rate λ, the following interesting property holds: Psite k is occupied | λ=1=Psite k+1 is occupied | λ→∞. The case where the inter-gate opening intervals are Gamma distributed is investigated and explicit formulas are obtained. Mean site occupancy and mean total load of the first k sites are calculated. Numerical results are presented.
An Innovative Hunter-Prey-Based Optimization for Electrically Based Single-, Double-, and Triple-Diode Models of Solar Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Elshahed Mostafa , El-Rifaie Ali M. , Tolba Mohamed A. , Ginidi Ahmed , Shaheen Abdullah , Mohamed Shazly A.
Published: December 2022

The derivation of PV model parameters is crucial for the optimization, control, and simulation of PV systems. Although many parameter extraction algorithms have been developed to address this issue, they might have some limitations. This work presents an efficient hybrid optimization approach for reliably and effectively extracting PV parameters based on the hunter–prey optimizer (HPO) technique. The proposed HPO technique is a new population-based optimizer inspired by the behavior of prey and predator animals. In the proposed HPO mechanism, the predator attacks the prey that leaves the prey population. Accordingly, the position of a hunter is adjusted toward this distant prey, while the position of the prey is adjusted towards a secure place. The search agent’s position, which represents the best fitness function value, is considered a secure place. The proposed HPO technique worked as suggested when parameters are extracted from several PV models, including single-, double-, and triple-diode models. Moreover, a statistical error analysis was used to demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method. The proposed HPO technique outperformed other recently reported techniques in terms of convergence speed, dependability, and accuracy, according to simulation data.
The Nexus between Institutional Quality and Global Market Structure: Export versus FDI
Authors: Jung Jaewon
Published: December 2022

Though many important links between the productivity/resource differences of countries and their trade patterns have been highlighted by traditional trade theories, much less attention has been devoted to studying the role of institutional quality in global trade/investment patterns. To study this role, the present paper develops a two-country general equilibrium trade/FDI model that solves a complementarity problem with different firm types. Four different firm types—two types of national exporting firms and two types of multinational firms based in each country—compete in the global market and emerge endogenously. By incorporating multinational firms and country-specific institutional quality into the traditional factor endowment trade theory, this study investigates the impacts of institutional quality on the equilibrium global market structure (regime changes) in detail. The study shows that even a small variation in institutional quality can greatly affect the equilibrium of the global market structure in both magnitude and direction. In particular, multinational firms that have to incur higher fixed setup costs than national competitors are more influenced by country-specific institutional quality, and base their headquarter in countries with better institutional quality, which is not captured by traditional trade theories in which institutional quality factors are not considered.
Identification of Systemic Sclerosis through Machine Learning Algorithms and Gene Expression
Authors: Alfonso Perez Gerardo , Castillo Raquel
Published: December 2022

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoimmune, chronic disease that remains not well understood. It is believed that the cause of the illness is a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The evolution of the illness also greatly varies from patient to patient. A common complication of the illness, with an associated higher mortality, is interstitial lung disease (ILD). We present in this paper an algorithm (using machine learning techniques) that it is able to identify, with a 92.2% accuracy, patients suffering from ILD-SSc using gene expression data obtained from peripheral blood. The data were obtained from public sources (GEO accession GSE181228) and contains genetic data for 134 patients at an initial stage as well as at a follow up date (12 months later) for 98 of these patients. Additionally, there are 45 control (healthy) cases. The algorithm also identified 172 genes that might be involved in the illness. These 172 genes appeared in all the 20 most accurate classification models among a total of half a million models estimated. Their frequency might suggest that they are related to the illness to some degree. The proposed algorithm, besides differentiating between control and patients, was also able to distinguish among different variants of the illness (diffuse variants). This can have a significance from a treatment point of view. The different type of variants have a different associated prognosis.
Sulfur-Containing Metabolites from Marine and Terrestrial Fungal Sources: Origin, Structures, and Bioactivities
Authors: Liu Zhaoming , Li Mingqiong , Wang Shuo , Huang Huibin , Zhang Weimin
Published: December 2022

Organosulfur natural products (NPs) refer to the different kinds of small molecular-containing sulfur (S) elements. Sulfur-containing NPs tightly link to the biochemical processes and play an important role in the pharmaceutical industry. The majority of S-containing NPs are generally isolated from Alliaceae plants or bacteria, and those from fungi are still relatively rare. In recent years, an increasing number of S-containing metabolites have been discovered in marine and terrestrial fungi, but there is no comprehensive and targeted review to summarize the studies. In order to make it more straightforward to better grasp the fungal-derived S-containing NPs and understand the particularity of marine S-containing NPs compared to those from terrestrial fungi, we summarized the chemical structures and biological activities of 89 new fungal-derived S-containing metabolites from 1929 when the penicillin was discovered to the present in this current review. The structural and bioactive diversity of these S-containing metabolites were concluded in detail, and the preliminary mechanism for C-S bond formation in fungi was also discussed briefly.
Eckmaxol Isolated from Ecklonia maxima Attenuates Particulate-Matter-Induced Inflammation in MH-S Lung Macrophage
Authors: Nagahawatta D. P. , Liyanage N. M. , Jayawardhana H. H. A. C. K. , Jayawardena Thilina U. , Lee Hyo-Geun , Heo Moon-Soo , Jeon You-Jin
Published: December 2022

Airborne particulate matter (PM) originating from industrial processes is a major threat to the environment and health in East Asia. PM can cause asthma, collateral lung tissue damage, oxidative stress, allergic reactions, and inflammation. The present study was conducted to evaluate the protective effect of eckmaxol, a phlorotannin isolated from Ecklonia maxima, against PM-induced inflammation in MH-S macrophage cells. It was found that PM induced inflammation in MH-S lung macrophages, which was inhibited by eckmaxol treatment in a dose-dependent manner (21.0–84.12 µM). Eckmaxol attenuated the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in PM-induced lung macrophages. Subsequently, nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E-2 (PGE-2), and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) were downregulated. PM stimulated inflammation in MH-S lung macrophages by activating Toll-like receptors (TLRs), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways. Eckmaxol exhibited anti-inflammatory properties by suppressing the activation of TLRs, downstream signaling of NF-κB (p50 and p65), and MAPK pathways, including c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38. These findings suggest that eckmaxol may offer substantial therapeutic potential in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.
Silodosin versus Tamsulosin for Medical Expulsive Therapy of Ureteral Stones: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Jung Hae , Cho Kang , Jun Dae , Jeong Jae , Moon Young , Chung Doo , Kang Dong , Cho Seok , Lee Joo
Published: December 2022

Background and Objectives: This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials was performed to compare the therapeutic effects and safety profiles of silodosin and tamsulosin for medical expulsive therapy (MET) of ureteral stones. Materials and Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and Web of Science to identify articles published before July 2022 that described randomized controlled trials comparing silodosin and tamsulosin for MET of ureteral stones. Endpoints were stone expulsion rate, stone expulsion time, and total complication rate. Results: In total, 14 studies were included in our analysis. The size of ureteral stones was <1 cm. Compared with tamsulosin, silodosin resulted in a significantly higher stone expulsion rate (p < 0.01, odds ratio (OR) = 2.42, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.91 to 3.06, I2 = 0%) and significantly shorter stone expulsion time (p < 0.01, mean difference = −3.04, 95% CI = −4.46 to −1.63, I2 = 89%). The total complication rate did not significantly differ between silodosin and tamsulosin (p = 0.33, OR = 1.15, 95% CI = 0.87 to 1.52, I2 = 7%). Conclusions: Compared with tamsulosin, silodosin resulted in significantly better expulsion of ureteral stones <1 cm. The total complication rate did not significantly differ between silodosin and tamsulosin. Thus, silodosin may be superior to tamsulosin for MET of ureter stones <1 cm.
Essential Thrombocythemia: One-Center Data in a Changing Disease
Authors: Pirciulescu Nicoleta , Gaman Mihnea-Alexandru , Mihailescu Marina , Constantin Cristina , Dragomir Mihaela , Dobrea Camelia , Costache Simona , Ursuleac Iulia , Coriu Daniel , Crisan Ana Manuela
Published: December 2022

Introduction: Essential thrombocythemia is a chronic myeloproliferative neoplasm associated with thrombo-hemorrhagic events and the progression to myelofibrosis or acute myeloid leukemia. The purpose of this article is to present real-world data on ET cases diagnosed and managed between 1998 and 2020 in the largest, tertiary hematology reference center in Romania and to evaluate the impact of thrombotic events on survival. Methods: A real-world, retrospective cohort-type study was conducted. We collected and statistically analyzed data from 168 patients who met the 2016 WHO diagnostic criteria for ET and who were managed between 1998 and 2020 in our center. Results: The median age at diagnosis of ET was 51.8 years, with a female predominance (66.07%). The JAK2V617F mutation was detected in 60.71% of patients. Leukocytosis at diagnosis was associated with a higher risk of thrombosis, and JAK2V617F-positive cases exhibited a 1.5-fold higher risk of developing thrombotic events. The average survival in ET with major thrombosis was 14.5 years versus 20.6 years in ET cases without major thrombosis. Other predictors of survival were high-risk IPSET score and age >60 years. Conclusions: Romanian patients diagnosed with ET are generally younger than 60 years and are predominantly female. The occurrence of thrombotic events was influenced by gender, leukocyte count at diagnosis and JAK2V617F positivity. Survival was impacted by age, the presence of JAK2V617F mutation, hypertension, major thrombotic complications and IPSET score. Notably, these findings warrant careful interpretation and further confirmation in the setting of prospective studies.
Morphological Analysis of Poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylene-pyromellitimide)-Based Organic Solvent Nanofiltration Membranes Formed by the Solution Method
Authors: Sukhanova Tatyana E. , Didenko Andrey L. , Borisov Ilya L. , Anokhina Tatyana S. , Ivanov Aleksey G. , Nesterova Anna S. , Kobykhno Ilya A. , Yushkin Alexey A. , Kudryavtsev Vladimir V. , Volkov Alexey V.
Published: December 2022

Poly-(4,4′-oxydiphenylene) pyromellitimide or Kapton is the most widely available polyimide with high chemical and thermal stability. It has great prospects for use as a membrane material for filtering organic media due to its complete insolubility. However, the formation of membranes based on it, at the moment, is an unsolved problem. The study corresponds to the rediscovery of poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylene–pyromellitimide)-based soluble copoly(urethane-imides) as membrane polymers of a new generation. It is shown that the physical structure of PUI films prepared by the solution method becomes porous after the removal of urethane blocks from the polymer, and the pore size varies depending on the conditions of thermolysis and subsequent hydrolysis of the membrane polymer. The film annealed at 170 °C with a low destruction degree of polycaprolactam blocks exhibits the properties of a nanofiltration membrane. It is stable in the aprotic solvent DMF and has a Remasol Brilliant Blue R retention coefficient of 95%. After the hydrolysis of thermally treated films in acidic media, ultrafiltration size 66–82 nm pores appear, which leads to an increase in the permeate flow by more than two orders of magnitude. This circumstance provides opportunities for controlling the membrane polymer structure for further optimization of the performance characteristics of filtration membranes based on it. Thus, we proposed a new preparation method of ultra- and nanofiltration membranes based on poly(4,4′-oxydiphenylene–pyromellitimide) that are stable in aprotic solvents.
The Evolution of Surface Oxides during TiFe0.9M0.1 (M = Ni, Mn) Activation: An In Situ XPS Investigation
Authors: Park Ki Beom , Fadonougbo Julien O. , Bae Jong-Seong , Kang Gyu Byeong , Choi Jong In , Kim Young Do , Na Tae-Wook , Park Hyung-Ki
Published: December 2022

The nature of TiFe-based surface oxides and their evolution during conventional activation heat treatment were investigated in this study. The as-prepared TiFe alloy was found to possess an initial composite Ti and Fe amorphous surface oxide layer of about 6 nm. Depth profiling has shown that oxides steadily vanish with increasing depth, whereas metallic Fe contribution and mixed Ti oxides arise, before eventually being found in their metallic state at 7.5 nm. In situ XPS measurements, carried out to directly observe the evolution of oxides during the activation procedure, have indicated that the initial ternary oxide begins to transform to metallic Fe and mixed Ti oxides at a temperature as low as 200 °C. Consistent with the literature, the reduction of Ti oxides took a major turn at around 400 °C. Toward the end of the in situ measurements, oxygen was partially dissolved due to the limited measurement duration: TiO and metallic Fe remained beyond 400 °C. A similar overall reduction behavior was observed for the Ni- and Mn-substituted alloys, with a few subtle exceptions: Ni existed in its metallic state from 200 °C whereas Mn was reduced from Mn3+ to the Mn2+ state only beyond 400 °C due to a pronounced difference in the oxidation driving force of these two substitution metals.
Microstructure and Deformation of Over-Aged Al-Zn-Mg-Cu Alloy with Fine Grains during Multiple Stress Relaxation Tests
Authors: Rong Peng , Fang Xin , Xiao Yakai , Wang Qian , Bian Zeyu , Yang Qing , Wang Haowei , Chen Zhe
Published: December 2022

Strong obstacles can greatly impede the motion or transmission of dislocations, which can be reflected by strain rate sensitivity and activation volume. In this study, the strain rate sensitivity and activation volume of overaged Al-Zn-Mg-Cu alloys with a grain size of 3.1 μm fabricated by powder metallurgy were measured by two different methods: a stress relaxation test and strain rate jump test. It was found that the former method gave much higher strain rate sensitivity values. After reviewing the conventional theory of stress relaxation test, it is unreasonable that the activation volume at each cycle during the stress relaxation test is a constant. At a strain rate higher than 10−5 s−1, ∂lnε˙/∂τ*, which is proportional to the activation volume in the conventional theory of the stress relaxation test, increases significantly, and nearly linearly increases with the strain rate in its logarithmic form, while at a strain rate lower than 10−5 s−1, the value of ∂lnε˙/∂τ* is nearly a constant. The grain boundary sliding mechanism was incorporated into the plastic deformation during the stress relaxation test, and the strain rate sensitivity and activation volume obtained by stress relaxation after modification agree well with that obtained by the strain rate jump test.
Mathematical Modeling of Multi-Performance Metrics and Process Parameter Optimization in Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Abdulla Hind , An Heungjo , Barsoum Imad , Maalouf Maher
Published: December 2022

This study aims to develop mathematical models to improve multi-performance metrics, such as relative density and operating costs, in laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), also known as selective laser melting, a metallic additive manufacturing technique, by optimizing the printing process parameters. The work develops a data-driven model for relative density based on measurements and an analytical model for operating costs related to the process parameters. Optimization models are formulated to maximize relative density or minimize operating costs by determining the optimal set of process parameters, while meeting a target level of the other performance metrics (i.e., relative density or operating costs). Furthermore, new metrics are devised to test the sensitivity of the optimization solutions, which are used in a novel robust optimization model to acquire less sensitive process parameters. The sensitivity analysis examines the effect of varying some parameters on the relative density of the fabricated specimens. Samples with a relative density greater than 99% and a machine operating cost of USD 1.00 per sample can be produced, utilizing a combination of low laser power (100 W), high scan speed (444 mm/s), moderate layer thickness (0.11 mm), and large hatch distance (0.4 mm). This is the first work to investigate the relationship between the quality of the fabricated samples and operating cost in the LPBF process. The formulated robust optimization model achieved less sensitive parameter values that may be more suitable for real operations. The equations used in the models are verified via 10-fold cross-validation, and the predicted results are further verified by comparing them with the experimental data in the literature. The multi-performance optimization models and framework presented in this study can pave the way for other additive manufacturing techniques and material grades for successful industrial-level implementation.
Urinary Metabolic Profiling in Volunteers Undergoing Malaria Challenge in Gabon
Authors: Betouke Ongwe Madeleine Eunice , Kohler Isabelle , Manurung Mikhael D. , Verhoeven Aswin , Derks Rico , Janse Jacqueline J. , Mouwenda Yoanne D. , Kremsner Peter G. , Adegnika Ayola A. , Lell Bertrand , Everts Bart , Mayboroda Oleg A. , Yazdanbakhsh Maria
Published: December 2022

The interaction of malaria parasites with their human host is extensively studied, yet only few studies reported how P. falciparum infection affects urinary metabolite profiles and how this is associated with immunity. We present a longitudinal study of the urinary metabolic profiles of twenty healthy Africans with lifelong exposure to malaria and five malaria-naïve Europeans, who were all challenged with direct venous inoculation of live P. falciparum sporozoïtes (PfSPZ) and followed up until they developed symptoms or became thick blood smear positive (TBS). Urine samples were collected before and at 2, 5, 9 and 11 days post challenge and were analysed. Upon infection, all Europeans became TBS positive, while Africans showed either a delay in time to parasitaemia or controlled infection. Our metabolic data showed that Europeans and Africans had distinct alterations in metabolite patterns, with changes mostly seen on days 5 and 9 post PfSPZ infection, and more prominently in Europeans. Within the African group, the levels of formate, urea, trimethylamine, threonine, choline, myo-inositol and acetate were significantly higher in TBS positive whereas the levels of pyruvate, 3-methylhistidine and dimethylglycine were significantly lower in individuals who remained TBS negative. Notably, before inoculation with PfSPZ, a group of metabolites including phenylacetylglutamine can potentially be used to predict parasitaemia control among Africans. Taken together, this study highlights the difference in urinary metabolic changes in response to malaria infection as a consequence of lifelong exposure to malaria and that change detectable before challenge might predict the control of parasitaemia in malaria-endemic areas.
Epigenetic Age Acceleration in Mothers and Offspring 4–10 Years after a Pregnancy Complicated by Gestational Diabetes and Obesity
Authors: Kanney Nita , Patki Amit , Chandler-Laney Paula , Garvey W. Timothy , Hidalgo Bertha A.
Published: December 2022

A known association exists between exposure to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) in GDM-exposed offspring compared to those without GDM exposure. This association has not been assessed previously in mothers with pregnancies complicated by GDM. A total of 137 mother-child dyads with an index pregnancy 4–10 years before study enrollment were included. Clinical data and whole blood samples were collected and quantified to obtain DNA methylation (DNAm) estimates using the Illumina MethylEPIC 850K array in mothers and offspring. DNAm age and age acceleration were evaluated using the Horvath and Hannum clocks. Multivariable linear regression models were performed to determine the association between EAA and leptin, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), fasting glucose, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR. Mothers with a GDM and non-GDM pregnancy had strong correlations between chronological age and DNAm age (r > 0.70). Offspring of GDM mothers had moderate to strong correlations, whereas offspring of non-GDM mothers had moderate correlations between chronological age and DNAm age. Association analyses revealed a significant association between EAA and fasting insulin in offspring (FDR < 0.05), while HDL-C was the only metabolic marker significantly associated with EAA in mothers (FDR < 0.05). Mothers in the GDM group had a higher predicted epigenetic age and age acceleration than mothers in the non-GDM group. The association between EAA with elevated fasting insulin in offspring and elevated HDL-C in mothers suggests possible biomarkers that can better elucidate the effects of exposure to a GDM pregnancy and future cardiometabolic outcomes.
A New Reactor Concept for Single-Chamber Microbial Fuel Cells and Possible Anti-Fouling Strategies for Long-Term Operation
Authors: Haupt Dennis R. , Landwehr Laura , Schumann René , Hahn Lena , Issa Mohammad , Coskun Can , Kunz Ulrich , Sievers Michael
Published: December 2022

Microbial fuel cells are a promising technology for future wastewater treatment, as it allows cleaning and power generation simultaneously. The bottleneck of microbial fuel cells is often its cathodes because they determine the power output. Gas diffusion electrodes might overcome this bottleneck due to their low production costs and high oxygen reduction rates. However, biofilm formation on the gas diffusion electrodes reduces their performance over time. In this work, a new reactor design of the microbial fuel cell using rotating gas diffusion electrodes is presented. The biofilm growth on the electrode during operation was observed and its effect on the performance of the microbial fuel cell was examined. In addition, different antifouling strategies were investigated over a period of 80 days. It was found that already after 7 days of operation a complete biofilm had grown on an untreated gas diffusion electrode. However, this does not seem to affect the performance of the cells in the beginning. Differences in the performance of the reactors with and without an antifouling strategy only become apparent from day 15 onwards. The use of UV radiation and antibacterial membranes leads to the best results with maximum power densities of approx. 200 mW m−2 while the untreated microbial fuel cell only achieves a maximum power density of approx. 20 mW m−2.
Effect of Slurry Concentration on the Ceramic Ball Grinding Characteristics of Magnetite
Authors: Yuan Chengfang , Wu Caibin , Fang Xin , Liao Ningning , Tong Jiaqi , Yu Chao
Published: December 2022

Ceramic grinding, which in this paper is defined as a method of using ceramic materials as grinding media, is favored by many processing plants as an emerging high-efficiency and energy-saving grinding method. This paper investigates the effect of slurry mass concentration on the grinding characteristics of magnetite by taking the feed of the secondary ball mill for processing magnetite as the research object. The study results show that the slurry mass concentration significantly affects the ceramic ball grinding characteristics of magnetite, especially for coarse particles. When the grinding concentration is higher than 50%, the breakage rate of magnetite plummets to 1/3 of the value at low mass concentrations. The standard deviation of the breakage rate relative to the concentration gradually decreases as the feed size falls, indicating that the coarser the feed size, the more sensitive the ceramic ball grinding is to the concentration, and thus industrial secondary ceramic ball mills need to avoid grinding under high-quality concentrations. The change in the consistency parameter of distribution function and zero-order output characteristics signals a radical variation in the grinding characteristics of magnetite using the ceramic ball grinding method compared to conventional grinding. Because the ceramic ball grinding method can greatly reduce energy consumption while lowering the chance of overgrinding, this grinding method deserves more attention as the world works to reach carbon neutrality and emissions peak.
A Model Iron Gall Ink: An In-Depth Study of Ageing Processes Involving Gallic Acid
Authors: Ferretti Adele , Sabatini Francesca , Degano Ilaria
Published: December 2022

Iron gall inks have been among the most used writing materials after carbon black, thus representing an important element of the historical and artistic heritage of our society. Crucially, the preservation of manuscripts and drawings is influenced by the presence of these inks, leading to conservation issues related to paper degradation and text fading. Besides all the advances obtained in paper conservation, the study of iron gall ink’s behaviour and ageing is still an important topic, which requires investigation through an accurate molecular characterisation to produce reliable models. In the present work a micro-destructive method based on liquid chromatography techniques (HPLC-DAD and HPLC-ESI-Q-ToF) has been optimised starting from a model gallic acid-based ink. An in-depth study of the behaviour of the ink in time was performed by natural and artificial ageing tests, monitored by colorimetry, showing the autoxidation of gallic acid to ellagic acid in the prepared mock-ups. The effect of relative humidity on ageing processes was also evaluated, allowing us to determine different intermediates depending on the environmental conditions. Finally, the analytical method developed was then successfully applied for investigating 19th–20th century historical ink samples, where one of the identified ageing markers was detected, besides the expected gallic and ellagic acids.