bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A quantitative FLASH effectiveness model to reveal potentials and pitfalls of high dose rate proton therapy
Authors: Krieger Miriam , van de Water Steven , Folkerts Michael M. , Mazal Alejandro , Fabiano Silvia , Bizzocchi Nicola , Weber Damien C. , Safai Sairos , Lomax Antony J.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

In ultrahigh dose rate radiotherapy, the FLASH effect can lead to substantially reduced healthy tissue damage without affecting tumor control. Although many studies show promising results, the underlying biological mechanisms and the relevant delivery parameters are still largely unknown. It is unclear, particularly for scanned proton therapy, how treatment plans could be optimized to maximally exploit this protective FLASH effect.

Materials and Methods

To investigate the potential of pencil beam scanned proton therapy for FLASH treatments, we present a phenomenological model, which is purely based on experimentally observed phenomena such as potential dose rate and dose thresholds, and which estimates the biologically effective dose during FLASH radiotherapy based on several parameters. We applied this model to a wide variety of patient geometries and proton treatment planning scenarios, including transmission and Bragg peak plans as well as single‐ and multifield plans. Moreover, we performed a sensitivity analysis to estimate the importance of each model parameter.

Results

Our results showed an increased plan‐specific FLASH effect for transmission compared with Bragg peak plans (19.7% vs. 4.0%) and for single‐field compared with multifield plans (14.7% vs. 3.7%), typically at the cost of increased integral dose compared to the clinical reference plan. Similar FLASH magnitudes were found across the different treatment sites, whereas the clinical benefits with respect to the clinical reference plan varied strongly. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the threshold dose as well as the dose per fraction strongly impacted the FLASH effect, whereas the persistence time only marginally affected FLASH. An intermediate dependence of the FLASH effect on the dose rate threshold was found.

Conclusions

Our model provided a quantitative measure of the FLASH effect for various delivery and patient scenarios, supporting previous assumptions about potentially promising planning approaches for FLASH proton therapy. Positive clinical benefits compared to clinical plans were achieved using hypofractionated, single‐field transmission plans. The dose threshold was found to be an important factor, which may require more investigation.
Gender differences in cell volume fraction (CVF): a structural parameter reflecting the energy efficiency of maintaining the resting membrane potential
Authors: Thulborn Keith R.
Published: January 2022

The cell volume fraction (CVF) of the human brain is high (~82%) and is preserved across healthy aging while the brain declines in volume. These two observations, supported by several independent techniques, suggest that CVF is an important structural parameter. A new biophysical model is presented that incorporates CVF into the Goldman equation of classical membrane electrophysiology. The Goldman equation contains few structural constraints beyond two compartments separated by a semipermeable membrane supporting ion gradients. As potassium is the most permeable ion in the resting state, the resting membrane potential is determined by the potassium ion gradient. This biophysical model indicates that the sodium‐potassium ion pumps use less energy at high CVF to maintain the resting membrane potential, explaining the high value of CVF and its conservation with healthy aging. CVF is measured to be statistically significantly higher in the brains of males compared with females, suggesting a structural requirement for higher energy efficiency in the larger male brain to support the greater number of neurons and synapses. As CVF can be measured in humans using quantitative sodium MRI and has potential implications for brain health, CVF may be a quantitative parameter that is useful for assessment of brain health, especially in patients with diseases such as dementia and psychiatric disease that do not have anatomical correlates detectable by clinical proton MRI.
How should fetal surgery for congenital diaphragmatic hernia be implemented in the post‐TOTAL trial era: A discussion
Authors: Deprest Jan , Flake Alan
Published: January 2022

Following prenatal diagnosis of congenital diaphragmatic hernia, severity can be predicted based on the presence of associated abnormalities, and in isolated cases, on lung size and position of the liver. Severe hypoplasia is defined by a contralateral lung size <25% on ultrasound; moderate hypoplasia is when that lung measures between 25% and 45% of the normal. In fetuses with predicted poor postnatal outcome a procedure that reverses pulmonary hypoplasia may be considered. In uncontrolled studies, fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) improved neonatal outcome. Recently, two randomized controlled trials compared the neonatal and infant outcomes in fetuses with isolated CDH (www.totaltrial.eu). In severe cases, FETO was carried out at 27+0–29+6 weeks' gestation (referred to as “early”) and in moderate at 30+0–31+6 weeks (“late”). Survival to discharge from the neonatal intensive care unit increased by 25% (95%‐CI:+6 to +46; p = 0.0091) and 13% (−1 to +28; p = 0.059), in fetuses with severe and moderate cases, respectively. Following FETO gestational age at delivery was on average 3.2 (2.3–4.1) weeks earlier following early and 1.7 (1.1–2.3) following late FETO. Here the strengths and weaknesses of the TOTAL trials and their translation to the clinic are debated. Discussants are the lead for the trial (JD) and a colleague (AF) not involved. The discussant notes that the observed survival, both in treated and expectantly managed fetuses, was overall less than what is reported by some high volume centers, particularly in North America. Additional criticisms are the potential effects of prematurity on the long term, the inclusion of low‐volume centers, and the potential of FETO for severe iatrogenic complications. Therefore results may not be generalizable. The discussants concluded that although FETO may have its value it remains a procedure with a high risk for prematurity and it can be lethal when the balloon cannot be removed prior to delivery.

Clinical trial registration

The TOTAL trials were registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01240057 (severe) and NCT00763737 (moderate).
A microfluidic platform for high‐purity cell free DNA extraction from plasma for non‐invasive prenatal testing
Authors: Schneider Lindsay , Usherwood Thomas , Tripathi Anubhav
Published: January 2022

Objectives

Increase the yield and purity of cell‐free DNA (cfDNA) extracted from plasma for non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) as inefficiencies in this extraction and purification can dramatically affect the sensitivity and specificity of the test.

Methods

This work integrates cfDNA extraction from plasma with a microfluidic chip platform by combining magnetic bead‐based extraction and electroosmotic flow on the microfluidic chip. Various wash buffers and voltage conditions were simulated using COMSOL Multiphysics Modeling and tested experimentally.

Results

When performing the first wash step of this assay on the microfluidic chip with 300 V applied across the channel there was a six‐fold increase in the A260/A230 ratio showing a significant improvement (p value 0.0005) in the purity of the extracted sample all while maintaining a yield of 68.19%. These values are critical as a high yield results in more sample to analyze and an increase in A260/A230 ratio corresponds to a decrease in salt contaminants such as guanidinium thiocyanate which can interfere with downstream processes during DNA library preparation and potentially hinder the NIPT screening results.

Conclusions

This technique has the potential to improve NIPT outcomes and other clinically relevant workflows that use cfDNA as an analyte such as cancer detection.
Outcomes of laser surgery for stage I twin‐twin transfusion syndrome
Authors: Gomez Nicole G. , Monson Martha A. , Chon Andrew H. , Korst Lisa M. , Llanes Arlyn , Chmait Ramen H.
Published: January 2022

Objective

A recent randomized controlled trial (RCT) demonstrated no difference in 6 month survival in expectantly managed stage I twin‐twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) patients and those undergoing immediate laser surgery. We aimed to describe outcomes following immediate laser surgery at a single fetal surgery center.

Methods

A retrospective study of monochorionic diamniotic twins diagnosed with stage I TTTS who underwent laser surgery between 16 and 26 gestational weeks from 2006 to 2019. The primary outcome was 6 month survivorship. Intact survival was also assessed. Secondarily, outcomes were compared to the RCT expectant management group.

Results

Of 126 consecutive stage I TTTS patients, 114 (90.5%) met inclusion criteria. Median (range) gestational age at delivery was 34.1 (20.6–39.4) weeks. At 6 months, the proportion of patients with at‐least‐one survivor in the single‐center‐laser cohort was 97.4%, with 88.6% dual survivorship. Neurological morbidity outcomes were available in 110 pregnancies (220 fetuses). Severe neurological morbidity occurred in 2.7% (6/220), and 6 month survival without severe neurological morbidity was 90.0%. Outcomes compared favorably with the RCT expectant management group.

Conclusions

Given favorable survival and neurological outcomes, laser surgery is a reasonable treatment option for stage I TTTS at experienced fetal surgery centers. Further study is warranted to optimize treatment strategies.
Unconventional Electromagnetic Response of Strongly Coupled Nanoparticles in the Thermal Infrared Region: Link with Effective Medium Properties and Incoherent Fields
Authors: Guerra Timothée , De Sousa Meneses Domingos , Hugonin Jean‐Paul , Blanchard Cédric
Published: January 2022

The effective refractive index (neff) of suspensions of subwavelength particles is calculated in resonant domains of the thermal infrared region. On account of strong cooperative effects, notable deviations arise from what is expected for small particles; these features include unusual activation of higher‐order multipoles despite the fact that the system can be homogenized and the manifestation of effective magnetic properties. The former feature leads to fundamental questions about the validity of the homogenization procedure, in particular regarding the meaning of the imaginary part of neff, that is absorption by the particles and therefore interrogates the degree to which the composite can be unrestrictedly described by an effective dielectric function. The latter feature offers interesting perspectives for the development of nanophotonic devices, based on dielectric subwavelength particles, exhibiting an effective magnetic response. Finally, the study of the coherent and incoherent decomposition of the field allows to demonstrate, counterintuitively, that a material can admit effective optical properties even in the presence of strong incoherent intensities and that the variance of the field over a statistical ensemble of configurations is a misleading indicator of scattering.
No‐Heating Deposition of 1‐μm‐Thick Y‐Doped HfO2 Ferroelectric Films with Good Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Properties by Radio Frequency Magnetron Sputtering Method
Authors: Shimura Reijiro , Mimura Takanori , Tateyama Akinori , Shiraishi Takahisa , Shimizu Takao , Yamada Tomoaki , Tanaka Yoshitomo , Inoue Yukari , Funakubo Hiroshi
Published: January 2022

Y‐doped HfO2 ferroelectric films of ≈1 μm thick are deposited without heating by a radio frequency magnetron sputtering method. {100}‐oriented epitaxial films with orthorhombic phase are grown on (100)ITO//(100)YSZ substrates without heating. Their crystal structure is almost unchanged after postheat treatment at 800 °C. Ferroelectricity is confirmed for the no‐heating‐deposited films by polarization−electric field (P−E) curves, and their remanent polarization (Pr) and coercive fields are 12 μC cm−2 and 1.5 MV cm−1, respectively. These values are also almost unchanged after the postheat treatment. However, the postheat‐treated films show a lower breakdown electric field compared to the as‐deposited films without heat treatment. Approximately 1 μm‐thick films are also prepared without heating on (111)ITO/(111)Pt/TiOx/SiO2/(100)Si and (111)Pt/TiOx/SiO2/(100)Si substrates. Almost pure orthorhombic/tetragonal phase is deposited on both substrates without heating. The Pr value of the film on the (111)ITO/(111)Pt/TiOx/SiO2/(100)Si substrate is about 1.5 times larger than that on the (111)Pt/TiOx/SiO2/(100)Si substrate due to the better crystallinity of the film lattice‐matched with the underlying ITO layer. The effective piezoelectric constant (d33,f) of the film deposited on the (111)ITO/(111)Pt/TiOx/SiO2/(100)Si substrate without heating is estimated to be 4 pm V−1. The present low process temperature leads us to expect novel applications, especially for low‐heat‐resistance applications.
GaN Power p–n Diodes on Hydride Vapor Epitaxy GaN Substrates with Near‐Unity Ideality Factor and <0.5 mΩ cm2Specific On‐Resistance
Authors: Talesara Vishank , Zhang Yuxuan , Chen Zhaoying , Zhao Hongping , Lu Wu
Published: January 2022

Herein, vertical GaN p–n diodes grown by metal organic chemical vapor deposition on hydride vapor epitaxy bulk GaN substrates are reported. The devices exhibit an ideality factor of 1.15, a turn‐on voltage of 3.2 V at 100 A cm−2, over 1 kV breakdown voltage, and specific on‐state resistance of 0.47 mΩ cm2, leading to a Baliga's figure of merit of ≈2.2 GW cm−2. The low specific on‐resistance, low turn‐on voltage, and the near‐unity ideality factor demonstrated here are attributed to the high epitaxial material quality and optimized low anode contact resistance.
Epidemiology of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in the Czech Republic
Authors: Jansa Pavel , Ambrož David , Kuhn Matyáš , Dytrych Vladimír , Aschermann Michael , Černý Vladimír , Gressin Virginie , Heller Samuel , Kunstýř Jan , Širanec Michal , Song Ci , Linhart Aleš , Lindner Jaroslav , Muller Audrey
Published: January 2022

This study investigated the epidemiology and survival outcomes of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) in the Czech Republic, wherein pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) surgery was the only targeted treatment option until 2015. This study included all consecutive adults newly diagnosed with CTEPH in the Czech Republic between 2003 and 2016. Incidence/prevalence rates were calculated using general population data extracted from the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic. Kaplan–Meier estimates of survival from diagnosis until 2018 were calculated. Of a total of 453 patients observed, 236 (52.1%) underwent PEA (median time from diagnosis to PEA: 2.9 months) and 71 (34.1%) had residual pulmonary hypertension (PH) post‐PEA. CTEPH incidence rate (95% confidence interval [CI]) between 2006 and 2016 was 4.47 (4.05; 4.91) patients per million (ppm) per year, and the prevalence (95% CI) was 37.43 (33.46; 41.73) ppm in 2016. The rate of CTEPH‐related hospitalizations (95% CI) per 100 person‐years was 24.4 (22.1; 26.9) for operated patients and 34.2 (30.9; 37.7) for not‐operated patients. Median overall survival (95% CI) for all patients from CTEPH diagnosis was 11.2 (9.4; not reached) years. Five‐year survival probability (95% CI) was 95.3% (89.9; 97.9) for operated patients without residual PH, 86.3% (75.3; 92.7) for operated patients with residual PH and 61.2% (54.0; 67.6) for not‐operated patients. This study reported epidemiological estimates of CTEPH in the Czech Republic consistent with estimates from other national systematic registries; and indicates an unmet medical need in not‐operated patients and operated patients with residual PH.
Antiferromagnetic Magnon Drag Effect and Giant On–Off Ratio in a Vertical Device
Authors: Zhou Yongjian , Guo Tingwen , Liao Liyang , Chen Xianzhe , Han Lei , Yin Siqi , Qiao Leilei , Huang Lin , Zhou Xiaofeng , Bai Hua , Chen Ruyi , Pan Feng , Song Cheng
Published: January 2022

Antiferromagnets offer unique advantages in the development of spintronics because of the absence of stray field, insensitivity to external disturbances and the ultrafast terahertz eigenfrequency, advancing the development of devices toward small‐size and high‐speed. However, the ultralow read‐out signals of antiferromagnetic spintronics are notoriously smaller than their ferromagnetic counterpart, seriously hindering the development of antiferromagnets. Thus, experimental realization of large read‐out signals in antiferromagnets, especially in vertical devices, is intensely pursued. Here the antiferromagnetic magnon drag effect and a giant on–off ratio of ≈1000 are realized in a vertical sandwich structure of heavy metal/antiferromagnetic insulator/heavy metal (Pt/α‐Fe2O3/Pt). The read‐out signal can exist up to room temperature, and the detected signal owing to the transmission and blocking of magnon strongly relies on the relative orientation between spin polarization and Néel vector. Benefiting from the nonvolatile characteristic of Fe2O3, zero‐field vertical magnon transport is achieved. The giant on–off signals in vertical devices that can be tightly packed, can greatly promote the practical application of antiferromagnetic magnon devices toward smaller, faster, and lower energy consumption.
Metal–Organic Frameworks for NOx Adsorption and Their Applications in Separation, Sensing, Catalysis, and Biology
Authors: Lin Jinliang , Ho Wingkei , Qin Xing , Leung Chi‐Fai , Au Vonika Ka‐Man , Lee Shun‐cheng
Published: January 2022

Nitrogen oxide (NOx) is a family of poisonous and highly reactive gases formed when fuel is burned at high temperatures during anthropogenic behavior. It is a strong oxidizing agent that significantly contributes to the ozone and smog in the atmosphere. Thus, NOx removal is important for the ecological environment upon which the civilization depends. In recent decades, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have been regarded as ideal candidates to address these issues because they form a reticular structure between proper inorganic and organic constituents with ultrahigh porosity and high internal surface area. These characteristics render them chemically adaptable for NOx adsorption, separation, sensing, and catalysis. In additional, MOFs enable potential nitric oxide (NO) delivery for the signaling of molecular NO in the human body. Herein, the different advantages of MOFs for coping with current environmental burdens and improving the habitable environment of humans on the basis of NOx adsorption are reviewed.
DiZyme: Open‐Access Expandable Resource for Quantitative Prediction of Nanozyme Catalytic Activity
Authors: Razlivina Julia , Serov Nikita , Shapovalova Olga , Vinogradov Vladimir
Published: January 2022

Enzymes suffer from high cost, complex purification, and low stability. Development of low‐cost artificial enzymes of comparative or higher effectiveness is desired. Given its complexity, it is desired to presume their activities prior to experiments. While computational approaches demonstrate success in modeling nanozyme activities, they require assumptions about the system to be made. Machine learning (ML) is an alternative approach towards data‐driven material property prediction achieving high performance even on multicomponent complex systems. Despite the growing demand for customized nanozymes, there is no open access nanozyme database. Here, a user‐friendly expandable database of >300 existing inorganic nanozymes is developed by data collection from >100 articles. Data analysis is performed to reveal the features responsible for catalytic activities of nanozymes, and new descriptors are proposed for its ML‐assisted prediction. A random forest regression (RFR) model for evaluation of nanozyme peroxidase activity is developed and optimized by correlation‐based feature selection and hyperparameter tuning, achieving performance up to R2 = 0.796 for Kcat and R2 = 0.627 for Km. Experiment‐confirmed unknown nanozyme activity prediction is also demonstrated. Moreover, the DiZyme expandable, open‐access resource containing the database, predictive algorithm, and visualization tool is developed to boost novel nanozyme discovery worldwide (https://dizyme.net).
Manipulating Stable Layered P2‐Type Cathode via a Co‐Substitution Strategy for High Performance Sodium Ion Batteries
Authors: Xiao Jun , Gao Hong , Tang Kaikai , Long Mengqi , Chen Jun , Liu Hao , Wang Guoxiu
Published: January 2022

Mn‐based layered transition metal oxides (TMOs) are promising cathodes for sodium ion batteries (SIBs) due to their eco‐friendly character and abundant natural reserves. However, the complex phase changes and structural instability of the Mn‐based layered TMO cathodes during electrochemical process are major hindrances to meet the commercial application. Cation substitution is an effective way to stabilize the structure and accelerate the Na+ kinetics of cathode materials. Herein, an intriguing layered P2‐type Mn‐based Na0.7Li0.06Zn0.06Ni0.21Mn0.67O2 material is reported by substitution of Li and Zn for partial Ni. The occupation of inert elements on Ni sites could well maintain the crystal structure, giving rise to a prominent cycle life and improved electrochemical kinetics. The as‐prepared electrode presents an initial discharge capacity of 131.8 mA h g−1 at 20 mA g−1 and preserves 91.9% capacity after 100 cycles, accompanied with enexcellent rate performance (108 mA h g−1 at 500 mA g−1). Furthermore, the single‐phase reaction mechanism during the sodiation/desodiation process is verified by in situ X‐ray diffraction. Additionally, theory computations prove the decreased migration energy barriers and enhanced Na+ kinetics ulteriorly. This dual‐doping strategy inspires an effective way to produce high performance cathode materials for SIBs.
Magneto‐Electrodeposition of 3D Cross‐Linked NiCo‐LDH for Flexible High‐Performance Supercapacitors
Authors: Li Hui , Lin Shuai , Li Han , Wu Ziqiang , Chen Qian , Zhu Lili , Li Changdian , Zhu Xuebin , Sun Yuping
Published: January 2022

Layered double hydroxides (LDHs) with outstanding redox activity on flexible current collectors can serve as ideal cathode materials for flexible hybrid supercapacitors in wearable energy storage devices. Electrodeposition is a facile, time‐saving, and economical technique to fabricate LDHs. The limited loading mass induced by insufficient mass transport and finite exposure of active sites, however, greatly hinders the improvement of areal capacity. Herein, magneto‐electrodeposition (MED) under high magnetic fields up to 9 T is developed to fabricate NiCo‐LDH on flexible carbon cloth (CC) as well as Ti3C2Tx functionalized CC. Owing to the magneto‐hydrodynamic effect induced by magnetic–electric field coupling, the loading mass and exposure of active sites are significantly increased. Moreover, a 3D cross‐linked nest‐like microstructure is constructed. The MED‐derived NiCo‐LDH delivers an ultrahigh areal capacity of 3.12 C cm–2 at 1 mA cm–2 and as‐fabricated flexible hybrid supercapacitors show an excellent energy density with an outstanding cycling stability. This work provides a novel route to improve electrochemical performances of layered materials through MED technique.
Scalable Flexible Perovskite Solar Cells Based on a Crystalline and Printable Template with Intelligent Temperature Sensitivity
Authors: Yang Xia , Yang Hanjun , Su Meng , Zhao Jianming , Meng Xiangchuan , Hu Xiaotian , Xue Tangyue , Huang Zengqi , Lu Ying , Li Yuzhan , Yang Zhou
Published: January 2022

The control of crystallization and printability of large‐area perovskite layers is crucial to facilitating their commercial development in flexible electronics. Considering the benefits of the liquid crystals with intelligent temperature sensitivity for the printable and crystalline template of a scalable perovskite film, a liquid crystal 4((6(acryloyloxy)hexyl)oxy)benzoic acid (6OBA) is introduced. The 6OBA shows a liquid crystal temperature range matching with the thermal annealing temperature of perovskite films. A desire printability of perovskite inks for scalable and homogeneous devices is guaranteed due to the fluidity of the 6OBA additive at room temperature. Moreover, the crystalline 6OBA promotes crystallization of perovskite films during the thermal annealing process, which can also release the residual stress of the whole layer. The optimized perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with 6OBA exhibit superior power conversion efficiency values of 19.87% for flexible devices (1.01 cm2) and 14.74% for flexible modules (25 cm2). The unencapsulated devices can maintain >90% of their original efficiency after 1500 h in the ambient atmosphere. Furthermore, the flexible PSCs exhibit outstanding bending resistance, retaining over 88% of their initial efficiency after 1000 bending cycles at a radius of 3 mm. This work provides a facile strategy for accelerating the development of flexible electronics.
Pericardial effusion in a central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), with a technique for pericardiocentesis
Authors: Vowell Thomas James
Published: January 2022

A 10‐year‐old central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps) presented with dyspnoea, tachypnoea, lethargy, pale mucous membranes, excessive oral mucus and exercise intolerance. Echocardiography demonstrated a marked pericardial effusion. A pericardiocentesis was performed under general anaesthesia, demonstrating cytology consistent with a presumptive diagnosis of a proteinaceous effusion secondary to atherosclerosis. Nonspecific abnormalities were diagnosed on haematology and biochemistry, including a heterophilia, bacteraemia, hypoproteinaemia, elevated aspartate aminotransferase and a hyperphosphatemia. Full‐body radiographs demonstrated an enlarged cardiac silhouette with no other abnormalities detected. Echocardiography demonstrated a marked pericardial effusion. A pericardiocentesis was performed under general anaesthesia demonstrating cytology consistent with a non‐inflammatory cause. The patient was started on furosemide, pimobendan and benazepril. After an initial improvement, the patient declined and the owner elected euthanasia on humane grounds after 4 weeks. Pericardial effusion is becoming better recognised in bearded dragons; however, there is little to no literature available describing antemortem diagnostic protocols, treatments and outcomes. In this case, the survival time was higher than other cases that used pericardiocentesis alone. This report has opened an area of cardiology requiring investigation in the future.
Accidental 10‐fold propofol overdose in a cat undergoing general anaesthesia for diagnostic imaging
Authors: Klonner Moriz Ettore , Rocchi Attilio
Published: January 2022

A 3‐year‐old cat was presented in the clinic following a fall from height. Due to suspected urinary bladder wall rupture, the cat was scheduled for diagnostic imaging. The cat was premedicated with 0.1 mg/kg methadone intravenously. General anaesthesia was induced with a bolus of propofol of 2 mg/kg administered intravenously using a syringe pump. Shortly after, the patient became apnoeic and showed signs of very deep anaesthesia. It was then noticed that almost half of the 20 ml syringe used to administer the bolus was empty, which led to the conclusion that due to a slip‐of‐the‐finger error, a bolus of 8 ml of propofol (20 mg/kg) was accidentally administered. No additional anaesthetics were administered. The cat resumed spontaneous ventilation and was extubated at 70 and 130 minutes after induction, respectively. Full recovery took 23 hours, and the cat showed no permanent damage or side effects in the following 19 days.
Diagnosis and treatment of sliding hiatal hernia and false gastric diverticulum in a British shorthair cat
Authors: Paulick Lutz , Unger Martin
Published: January 2022

A 7‐year 9‐month‐old, neutered, male British shorthair cat was referred for chronic regurgitation and vomiting. Previous symptomatic medical management did not improve these clinical signs. Survey radiographs and abdominal ultrasound revealed no significant abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract. Exploratory laparotomy was performed to obtain gastrointestinal biopsies. Sliding hiatal hernia and an abnormal gastric outpouching at the fundus, measuring 15 × 15 × 15 mm, were identified. Surgical treatment of the hiatal hernia included phrenoplasty, oesophagopexy and left‐sided gastropexy. Additionally, the gastric outpouching was resected. Histopathologic examination of the excised fundic tissue revealed findings consistent with those indicative of a false gastric diverticulum. Postoperative examinations on Days 5 and 10 and telephone follow‐up on Days 30 and 120 revealed a marked reduction in clinical signs. The combination of surgical techniques—phrenoplasty, left‐sided gastropexy, oesophagopexy and gastric diverticulum resection—was found to effectively improve the cat's clinical signs.
Disentangling the thermofield-double state
Authors: Dadras Pouria
Published: January 2022

Abstract

In this paper, we consider the evolution of the thermofield-double state under the double-traced operator that connects its both sides. We will compute the entanglement entropy of the resulting state using the replica trick for the large N field theory. To leading order, it can be computed from the two-point function of the theory, where, in CFTs, it is fixed by the symmetries. Due to the exponential decay of the interaction, the entanglement entropy saturates about the thermal time after the interaction is on. Next, we restrict ourselves to one dimension and assume that the theory at strong coupling is effectively described by the Schwarzian action. We then compute the coarse-grained entropy of the resulting state using the four-point function. The equality of the two entropies implies that the double-traced operators in our theory act coherently. In AdS/CFT correspondence where the thermofield-double state corresponds to a two-sided black hole, the action of a double-traced operator corresponds to shrinking or expanding the black hole in the bulk.
Non-asymptotic error estimates for the Laplace approximation in Bayesian inverse problems
Authors: Helin Tapio , Kretschmann Remo
Published: January 2022

In this paper we study properties of the Laplace approximation of the posterior distribution arising in nonlinear Bayesian inverse problems. Our work is motivated by Schillings et al. (Numer Math 145:915–971, 2020. 10.1007/s00211-020-01131-1), where it is shown that in such a setting the Laplace approximation error in Hellinger distance converges to zero in the order of the noise level. Here, we prove novel error estimates for a given noise level that also quantify the effect due to the nonlinearity of the forward mapping and the dimension of the problem. In particular, we are interested in settings in which a linear forward mapping is perturbed by a small nonlinear mapping. Our results indicate that in this case, the Laplace approximation error is of the size of the perturbation. The paper provides insight into Bayesian inference in nonlinear inverse problems, where linearization of the forward mapping has suitable approximation properties.
Bacterial profile and antimicrobial resistance patterns of common bacteria among pregnant women with bacteriuria in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chelkeba Legese , Fanta Korinan , Mulugeta Temesgen , Melaku Tsegaye
Published: January 2022

Background

Globally, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) restricted the armamentarium of the health care providers against infectious diseases, mainly due to the emergence of multidrug resistant. This review is aimed at providing contemporary bacterial profile and antimicrobial resistance pattern among pregnant women with significant bacteriuria.

Methods

Electronic biomedical databases and indexing services such as PubMed/MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE and Google Scholar were searched. Original records of research articles, available online from 2008 to 2021, addressing the prevalence of significant bacteriuria and AMR pattern among pregnant women and written in English were identified and screened. The relevant data were extracted from included studies using a format prepared in Microsoft Excel and exported to STATA 14.0 software for the outcome measure analyses and subgrouping.

Results

The data of 5894 urine samples from 20 included studies conducted in 8 regions of the country were pooled. The overall pooled estimate of bacteriuria was 15% (95% CI 13–17%,I2 = 77.94%,p < 0.001) with substantial heterogeneity. The pooled estimate ofEscherichia colirecovered from isolates of 896 urine samples was 41% (95% CI 38–45%) followed by coagulase-negativeStaphylococci, 22% (95% CI 18–26%),Staphylococcus aureus, 15% (95% CI 12–18%),Staphylococcus saprophytic, 12% (95% CI 6–18%)Proteus mirabilis, 7% (95% CI 4–10%),Enterococcusspecies, 6% (0–12%),Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 4% (2–6%),Citrobacterspecies, 4% (95% CI 2–4%), Group B streptococcus, 3% (1–5%), andEnterobacterspecies, 2% (1–4%). Multidrug resistance proportions ofE. coli,Klebsiellaspecies,Staphylococcus aureusandCoagulase negative staphylococci, 83% (95% CI 76–91%), 78% (95% CI 66–90%), 89% (95% CI 83–96%), and 78% (95% CI 67–88%), respectively.

Conclusion

The result of current review revealed the occurrence of substantial bacteriuria among pregnant women in Ethiopia. Resistance among common bacteria (E. coli,Klebsiellaspecies,Staphylococcispecies) causing UTIs in pregnant women is widespread to commonly used antibiotics. The high rate of drug resistance in turn warrants the need for regular epidemiological surveillance of antibiotic resistance and implementation of an efficient infection control and stewardship program.
What do we know about dynamic glucose-enhanced (DGE) MRI and how close is it to the clinics? Horizon 2020 GLINT consortium report
Authors: Kim Mina , Eleftheriou Afroditi , Ravotto Luca , Weber Bruno , Rivlin Michal , Navon Gil , Capozza Martina , Anemone Annasofia , Longo Dario Livio , Aime Silvio , Zaiss Moritz , Herz Kai , Deshmane Anagha , Lindig Tobias , Bender Benjamin , Golay Xavier ,   the GLINT consortium
Published: January 2022

Cancer is one of the most devastating diseases that the world is currently facing, accounting for 10 million deaths in 2020 (WHO). In the last two decades, advanced medical imaging has played an ever more important role in the early detection of the disease, as it increases the chances of survival and the potential for full recovery. To date, dynamic glucose-enhanced (DGE) MRI using glucose-based chemical exchange saturation transfer (glucoCEST) has demonstrated the sensitivity to detect both d-glucose and glucose analogs, such as 3-oxy-methyl-d-glucose (3OMG) uptake in tumors. As one of the recent international efforts aiming at pushing the boundaries of translation of the DGE MRI technique into clinical practice, a multidisciplinary team of eight partners came together to form the “glucoCEST Imaging of Neoplastic Tumors (GLINT)” consortium, funded by the Horizon 2020 European Commission. This paper summarizes the progress made to date both by these groups and others in increasing our knowledge of the underlying mechanisms related to this technique as well as translating it into clinical practice.
The Cost-Effectiveness of HIV/STI Prevention in High-Income Countries with Concentrated Epidemic Settings: A Scoping Review
Authors: Brunner Palmo , Brunner Karma , Kübler Daniel
Published: January 2022

The purpose of this scoping review is to establish the state of the art on economic evaluations in the field of HIV/STI prevention in high-income countries with concentrated epidemic settings and to assess what we know about the cost-effectiveness of different measures. We reviewed economic evaluations of HIV/STI prevention measures published in the Web of Science and Cost-Effectiveness Registry databases. We included a total of 157 studies focusing on structural, behavioural, and biomedical interventions, covering a variety of contexts, target populations and approaches. The majority of studies are based on mathematical modelling and demonstrate that the preventive measures under scrutiny are cost-effective. Interventions targeted at high-risk populations yield the most favourable results. The generalisability and transferability of the study results are limited due to the heterogeneity of the populations, settings and methods involved. Furthermore, the results depend heavily on modelling assumptions. Since evidence is unequally distributed, we discuss implications for future research.
A novelty-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm for identifying functional dependencies in complex technical infrastructures from alarm data
Authors: Antonello Federico , Baraldi Piero , Zio Enrico , Serio Luigi
Published: January 2022

In this work, a Multi-Objective Evolutionary Algorithm (MOEA) is developed to identify Functional Dependencies (FDEPs) in Complex Technical Infrastructures (CTIs) from alarm data. The objectives of the search are the maximization of a measure of novelty, which drives the exploration of the solution space avoiding to get trapped in local optima, and of a measure of dependency among alarms, which drives the uncovering of functional dependencies. The main contribution of the work is the direct identification of patterns of dependent alarms; this avoids going through the preliminary step of mining association rules, as typically done by state-of-the-art methods which, however, fail to identify rare functional dependencies due to the need of setting a balanced minimum occurrence threshold. The proposed framework for FDEPs identification is applied to a synthetic alarm database generated by a simulated CTI model and to a real large-scale database of alarms collected at the CTI of CERN (European Organization for Nuclear Research). The obtained results show that the framework enables the thorough exploration of the solution space and captures also rare functional dependencies.
Explicit solvation thermodynamics in ionic solution: extending grid inhomogeneous solvation theory to solvation free energy of salt–water mixtures
Authors: Waibl Franz , Kraml Johannes , Fernández-Quintero Monica L. , Loeffler Johannes R. , Liedl Klaus R.
Published: January 2022

Hydration thermodynamics play a fundamental role in fields ranging from the pharmaceutical industry to environmental research. Numerous methods exist to predict solvation thermodynamics of compounds ranging from small molecules to large biomolecules. Arguably the most precise methods are those based on molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in explicit solvent. One theory that has seen increased use is inhomogeneous solvation theory (IST). However, while many applications require accurate description of salt–water mixtures, no implementation of IST is currently able to estimate solvation properties involving more than one solvent species. Here, we present an extension to grid inhomogeneous solvation theory (GIST) that can take salt contributions into account. At the example of carbazole in 1 M NaCl solution, we compute the solvation energy as well as first and second order entropies. While the effect of the first order ion entropy is small, both the water–water and water–ion entropies contribute strongly. We show that the water–ion entropies are efficiently approximated using the Kirkwood superposition approximation. However, this approach cannot be applied to the water–water entropy. Furthermore, we test the quantitative validity of our method by computing salting-out coefficients and comparing them to experimental data. We find a good correlation to experimental salting-out constants, while the absolute values are overpredicted due to the approximate second order entropy. Since ions are frequently used in MD, either to neutralize the system or as a part of the investigated process, our method greatly extends the applicability of GIST. The use-cases range from biopharmaceuticals, where many assays require high salt concentrations, to environmental research, where solubility in sea water is important to model the fate of organic substances.
Hopes Woven in Smoke: Reimagining Virgil’s Aeneid in Irene Vallejo’s El silbido del arquero
Authors: Nisa Cáceres Daniel , Moreno Soldevila Rosario
Published: January 2022

This article investigates Irene Vallejo’s 2015 novel El silbido del arquero, a narrative in the Virgilian tradition mostly inspired by Book IV of the Aeneid. We show how Vallejo reinterprets Dido and Aeneas’s tragic love story by foregrounding minor characters, developing the setting, integrating popular subgenres and exploring communicative anxieties and gender issues. It is argued that patterns of dissatisfaction, self-delusion and disillusionment with human affairs ultimately collide with a message of hope voiced by the fictionalised Virgil.
The financial and prudential performance of Chinese banks and Fintech lenders in the era of digitalization
Authors: Katsiampa Paraskevi , McGuinness Paul B. , Serbera Jean-Philippe , Zhao Kun
Published: January 2022

The years 2013 to 2019 marked an explosion in Fintech in China. We analyze thefinancialandprudentialperformance of 40 exchange-traded banksand25 listed Fintech lenders in China during this watershed period. Among other things, traditional banks experienced rising operating costs, declining profit margins and softening loan quality. Consistent with a process of adaptation, traditional bank performance stabilized in the latter part of the study period (2018-19) after an initial period of decline. Study findings also highlight rising business and regulatory costs for Fintech providers over the course of the study frame. A marked deterioration in online lenders’ Special Mention and Non-Performing Loan (SML & NPL) positions arose during the period. Within the traditional bank group, smaller entities with fewer growth options and greater foreign ownership fared worst in prudential terms. Traditional banks’ financial and prudential performance also declines with time since IPO. Relative to joint stock commercial, city and rural banks, state-owned lenders registered more resilient performance, especially in relation to asset quality. In a final area, we construct a categorical Fintech proficiency variable for China's established banks. Our preliminary evidence suggests such proficiencies help stabilize SML and NPL rates and support financial returns. Overall, we offer major contribution to the banking literature by analyzing thefinancialandprudentialperformance of both incumbent and emerging lenders in one of the world’s most dynamic Fintech settings.
A method of linking functional and structural connectivity analysis in urban green infrastructure network construction
Authors: Liu Yang , Huang Ting-Ting , Zheng Xi
Published: January 2022

Accelerated urbanization and population growth lead to the fragmentation of urban green space and loss of biodiversity. There are few studies on the integration of structural and functional connectivity to solve this problem. Our study aims to draw up a methodology to synthesize two methods of connectivity evaluation, accordingly, to construct an urban green infrastructure (UGI) network which is of great significance to maintain the stability of the urban ecosystem. Taking Beijing as a study area, we first used Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis (MSPA) to identify the source patches, then combined with the graph theory-based landscape metrics to discuss the effect of different diffusion distances on the regional landscape connectivity and classify the importance level of the source patches. Finally, we used both least-cost path (LCP) and circuit theory to construct network and identify pinch areas in corridors for network optimization. The results show that (1) the landscape connectivity of the study area is obviously polarized. Source patches in mountain and hilly areas have good ecological bases and large areas, and the density of corridors is relatively high, which makes a large contribution to the overall landscape connectivity; Source patches in plain areas are severely fragmented, and there are only a small number of potential corridors connecting urban areas and suburban areas. (2) The UGI network is composed of 70 source patches and 148 potential corridors. The diffusion distance that is most beneficial to improve landscape connectivity is 20–25 km. (3) 6 pinch areas that are of great significance for improving the connectivity of the landscape present the coexistence of high migration resistance and large optimization potential, and urgently need to be restored first. This study provides a method to combine the structural and the functional analysis to construct a UGI network and formulate more scientifical protection strategies for planning departments.
Metal-Dielectric-Graphene Hybrid Heterostructures with Enhanced Surface Plasmon Resonance Sensitivity Based on Amplitude and Phase Measurements
Authors: Kravets Vasyl G. , Wu Fan , Yu Tongcheng , Grigorenko Alexander N.
Published: January 2022

Metal-dielectric-graphene hybrid heterostructures based on oxides Al2O3, HfO2, and ZrO2 as well as on complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor compatible dielectric Si3N4 covering plasmonic metals Cu and Ag have been fabricated and studied. We show that the characteristics of these heterostructures are important for surface plasmon resonance biosensing (such as minimum reflectivity, sharp phase changes, resonance full width at half minimum and resonance sensitivity to refractive index unit (RIU) changes) can be significantly improved by adding dielectric/graphene layers. We demonstrate maximum plasmon resonance spectral sensitivity of more than 30,000 nm/RIU for Cu/Al2O3 (ZrO2, Si3N4), Ag/Si3N4 bilayers and Cu/dielectric/graphene three-layers for near-infrared wavelengths. The sensitivities of the fabricated heterostructures were ~ 5–8 times higher than those of bare Cu or Ag thin films. We also found that the width of the plasmon resonance reflectivity curves can be reduced by adding dielectric/graphene layers. An unexpected blueshift of the plasmon resonance spectral position was observed after covering noble metals with high-index dielectric/graphene heterostructures. We suggest that the observed blueshift and a large enhancement of surface plasmon resonance sensitivity in metal-dielectric-graphene hybrid heterostructures are produced by stationary surface dipoles which generate a strong electric field concentrated at the very thin top dielectric/graphene layer.