bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-scale detection of pulmonary nodules by integrating attention mechanism
Authors: Cao Zhenguan , Li Rui , Yang Xun , Fang Liao , Li Zhuoqin , Li Jinbiao
Published: April 2023

The detection of pulmonary nodules has a low accuracy due to the various shapes and sizes of pulmonary nodules. In this paper, a multi-scale detection network for pulmonary nodules based on the attention mechanism is proposed to accurately predict pulmonary nodules. During data processing, the pseudo-color processing strategy is designed to enhance the gray image and introduce more contextual semantic information. In the feature extraction network section, this paper designs a basic module of ResSCBlock integrating attention mechanism for feature extraction. At the same time, the feature pyramid structure is used for feature fusion in the network, and the problem of the detection of small-size nodules which are easily lost is solved by multi-scale prediction method. The proposed method is tested on the LUNA16 data set, with an 83% mAP value. Compared with other detection networks, the proposed method achieves an improvement in detecting pulmonary nodules.
Dynamical system of a time-delayed of rigid rocking rod: analytical approximate solution
Authors: Moatimid Galal M. , Amer T. S.
Published: April 2023

The stability analysis of a rocking rigid rod is investigated in this paper using a time-delayed square position and velocity. The time delay is an additional safety against the nonlinearly vibrating system under consideration. Because time-delayed technologies have lately been the core of several investigations, the subject of this inquiry is extremely relevant. The Homotopy perturbation method (HPM) is modified to produce a more precise approximate outcome. Therefore, the novelty of the exciting paper arises from the coupling of the time delay and its correlation with the modified HPM. A comparison with the fourth-order Runge–Kutta (RK4) technique is employed to evaluate the precision between the analytical as well as the numerical solutions. The study allows for a comprehensive examination of the recognition of the outcome of the realistic approximation analytical methodology. For different amounts of the physical frequency and time delay factors, the time histories of the found solutions are depicted in various plots. These graphs are discussed in the context of the shown curves according to the relevant parameter values. The organized nonlinear prototype approach is examined by the multiple-time scale method up to the first approximation. The obtained results have periodic behavior and a stable manner. The current study makes it possible to carefully examine the findings arrived at by employing the analytical technique of practicable estimation. Additionally, the time delay performs as extra protection as opposed to the system potential for nonlinear oscillation.
Effects of FIFA 11 + warm-up program on kinematics and proprioception in adolescent soccer players: a parallel‑group randomized control trial
Authors: Seyedi Mohammadreza , Zarei Mostafa , Daneshjoo Abdolhamid , Rajabi Reza , Shirzad Elham , Mozafaripour Esmaeil , Mohammadpour Shadan
Published: April 2023

This study aimed to compare the effects of 8 weeks 11 + warm-up injury prevention program on kinematics and proprioception in adolescent male and female soccer players. Forty adolescent soccer players (20 males, 20 females) aged between 14–16 years old were randomly assigned into four groups. The experimental group performed the 11 + program for 8 weeks and the control group did their warm-up program. The kinematic variable in a cutting maneuver was measured using VICON motion analysis and ankle and knees’ proprioception by joint position sense (JPS) was measured using a digital inclinometer. For kinematic variables only significant differences in knee valgus among females 11 + compared with female and male control groups were found (P < 0.05). Moreover, there were significant improvements in joint position sense variables in 11 + groups compared to control groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the 11 + program was proven to be a useful warm-up protocol in improving knee valgus and JPS among female and male adolescent soccer players. We suggest adding more training elements to the 11 + program that aimed to enhance the proper alignment of lower extremities which may consequently improve joint kinematics.
Orbital angular momentum detection device for vortex microwave photons
Authors: Zhang Chao , Jiang Xuefeng , Wang Zheyuan , Wang Yuanhe , Wu Qiuli , Xie Xiangdong , Tian Wanyu
Published: April 2023

Orbital angular momentum (OAM), which was first discovered in the optical field, represents a new dimension of electromagnetic waves. However, the detection of OAM microwave photons, i.e., vortex microwave photons, at room temperature is difficult due to their low energy. Here we report a prototype of a vortex microwave photon detection device based on vortex electrons. Our OAM detection device efficiently distinguishes the intrinsic OAM in the microwave band, which is helpful for exploring new physical dimensions. In addition, the detection device can be enhanced with a vortex electron sorting device designed with electron holograms so that OAM microwave photon demultiplexing can be achieved. Finally, the OAM detection device has high practicability; i.e., not only it can be used at room temperature, but also it is much smaller than a particle accelerator system. To illustrate the significance of this method, we demonstrate an on-off keying transmission system based on our OAM detection device.
Lithium-mediated electrochemical dinitrogen reduction reaction
Authors: Iqbal Muhammad Saqlain , Ruan Yukun , Iftikhar Ramsha , Khan Faiza Zahid , Li Weixiang , Hao Leiduan , Robertson Alex W. , Percoco Gianluca , Sun Zhenyu
Published: April 2023

This review discusses the recent advances in the field of the Li-mediated electrocatalytic dinitrogen reduction reaction along with the latest insights into the proposed catalytic mechanisms, electrocatalysts, and electrolytes.
A manganese complex on a gas diffusion electrode for selective CO2 to CO reduction
Authors: Eagle Catherine , Neri Gaia , Piercy Verity L. , Younis Khadija , Siritanaratkul Bhavin , Cowan Alexander J.
Published: April 2023

A gas diffusion electrode based on a Mn complex gives good selectivity for CO production from CO2 at both near neutral pH in a flow cell configuration and when in contact with the acidic cation exchange layer of a bipolar membrane.
Hygienestandards im OP – führen sie nachhaltig zur Verbesserung der Qualität?
Authors: Holz Mathias , Lippross Sebastian , Seekamp Andreas
Published: April 2023

Hintergrund Nosokomiale Infektionen und postoperative Wundinfektionen sind in Deutschland eine für das Gesundheitssystem und die betroffenen Patientinnen und Patienten erhebliche
Belastung. Eine postoperative Wundinfektion geht oft mit einer massiven Verschlechterung der Qualität des Behandlungserfolges chirurgischer Maßnahmen bez. der Patientenbelastung, der
funktionellen Ergebnisse und der Wirtschaftlichkeit einer Behandlung für den Leistungserbringer einher. Ziel dieses Beitrages ist es, die aktuellen Hygienevorgaben für das perioperative
Setting verständlich darzustellen und für alle am Operationsablauf Beteiligten zu erläutern.

Methode Erläutert wird zunächst die Bedeutung hygienischer Maßnahmen sowie in einer kurzen Übersicht die Entwicklung bis hin zu modernen Hygienekonzepten der heutigen Zeit.
Anschließend werden die aktuellen Empfehlungen der KRINKO (Kommission für Krankenhaushygiene und Infektionsprävention beim Robert Koch-Institut): „Prävention postoperativer Wundinfektionen,
Empfehlung der Kommission für Krankenhaushygiene und Infektionsprävention (KRINKO) beim Robert Koch-Institut“ dargestellt.

Schlussfolgerung Hygienisches Arbeiten ist eine Grundvoraussetzung der Arbeit im operativen Bereich, denn überzeugende Behandlungsergebnisse mit guten funktionellen Ergebnissen
können in vielen Bereichen (z. B. moderne Endoprothetik) ohne eine suffiziente Hygiene überhaupt nicht erzielt werden. Die modernen Vorgaben zum hygienischen Arbeiten sind komplex und
betreffen alle Bereiche des Krankenhauses. Nur unter Beachtung aller Säulen der modernen Hygienekonzepte kann das bestmögliche Maß an Prozessqualität gewährleistet werden.
Abfallvermeidung und -entsorgung im OP
Authors: Richter Hannah , Pecher Sabine
Published: April 2023

Der Gesundheitssektor in Deutschland generiert jährlich knapp 5 Mio. Tonnen Müll – ein Trend, der durch die zunehmende Verwendung von Einwegprodukten und steigende OP-Zahlen noch weiter
zuzunehmen droht. Im OP-Bereich wird bis zu einem Drittel dieses Mülls produziert. Wir müssen lernen, nachhaltige Managementstrategien zu etablieren, die auch im OP-Bereich ein
ressourcenschonendes Arbeiten ermöglichen.
Routine Use of Structured Reporting in Whole-body Trauma CT Facilitates Quality Improvement
Authors: Blum Sophia Freya Ulrike , Hertzschuch Diana , Langer Eric , Schön Felix , Oppermann Nadine , Kamin Konrad , Kühn Jens-Peter , Eberlein-Gonska Maria , Hoffmann Ralf-Thorsten
Published: April 2023

Purpose Structured reporting (SR) is increasingly used. So far, there is minimal experience with SR in whole-body computed tomography (WBCT). The aim of this study was to investigate the value of routine use of SR in WBCT in trauma with a focus on reporting time, reporting errors, and referrer satisfaction.

Materials and Methods Reporting time and reporting errors of CT reports were prospectively quantified for residents and board-certified radiologists 3 months before and for 6 months after implementation of a structured report in the clinical routine. Referrer satisfaction was prospectively quantified by means of a survey before and after the implementation period of SR using a 5-point Likert scale. Before and after results were compared to determine the effect of structured reporting on WBCT in trauma at our institution.

Results The mean reporting time was lower when using SR (65 ± 52 min. vs. 87 ± 124 min., p = .25). After 4 months, the median reporting time was significantly lower with SR (p = .02). Consequently, the rate of reports that were finished within one hour rose from 55.1 % to 68.3 %. Likewise, reporting errors decreased (12.6 % vs. 8.4 %, p = .48). Residents and board-certified radiologists reported fewer errors when using SR with 16.4 % vs. 12.6 % and 8.8 % vs. 2.7 %, respectively. General referrer satisfaction improved (1.7 ± 0.8 vs. 1.5 ± 1.1, p = .58). Referrers graded improvements for standardization of reports (2.2 ± 1.1 vs. 1.3 ± 1.1, p = .03), consistency of report structure (2.1 ± 1.1 vs. 1.4 ± 1.1, p = .09), and retrievability of relevant pathologies (2.1 ± 1.2 vs. 1.6 ± 1.1, p = .32).

Conclusion SR has the potential to facilitate process improvement for WBCT in trauma in the daily routine with a reduction of reporting time and reporting mistakes while increasing referrer satisfaction.

Key Points:

Citation Format
Krebsregister in Deutschland: Was bringt die Zukunft für die Urologie?
Authors: Kraywinkel Klaus , Flegar Luka , Huber Johannes , Groeben Christer
Published: April 2023

Als Krebsregister werden systematisch gesammelte Informationen in Form einer Datenbank zu Tumorerkrankungen bezeichnet. Sie können Auskunft über die Qualität der onkologischen Versorgung oder Fortschritte in der Therapie der einzelnen Krebsarten über die Zeit liefern. Seit 1995 sind alle Deutschen Bundesländer gesetzlich verpflichtet ein Krebsregister aufzubauen und zu führen. Das Zentrum für Krebsregisterdaten (ZfKD) am Robert Koch-Institut sammelt diese bundesweiten Daten seit dem Jahre 2009 und führt diese in einen jährlich geprüften Datensatz zusammen, welcher für Forschungszwecke verfügbar ist. Im Rahmen des Krebsfrüherkennungs- und registergesetzes (KFRG) welches 2013 verabschiedet wurde, bekamen die Krebsregister eine neue Ausrichtung. So leisten sie seither einen zentralen Beitrag zur Qualitätssicherung der onkologischen Versorgung in Deutschland. Die Finanzierung der Krebsregister wird im Wesentlichen durch die Krankenkassen getragen. Eine anstehende Erweiterung des Datensatzes um klinische Variablen und die frühere Bereitstellung durch das ZfKD ab dem kommenden Jahr bietet neue Möglichkeiten für die wissenschaftliche Nutzung der Krebsregister-Daten. Dabei wird insbesondere der Krankheitsverlauf nun deutlich detaillierter abgebildet werden. Neben den Krebsregistern bestehen in Deutschland nur wenige sinnvolle Ergänzungen zur Beurteilung der flächendeckenden Versorgungssituation und Behandlungsrealität auf nationaler Ebene. Die fallpauschalbezogene Krankenhausstatistik (DRG-Datenbank) des Statistischen Bundesamtes erfasst sämtliche Abrechnungsdaten aller deutschen Krankenhäuser mit wenigen Ausnahmen. Eine weitere interessante Ergänzung zu den Krebsregisterdaten bieten die Datensätze der strukturierten Qualitätsberichte, welche seit 2003 für deutsche Krankenhäuser verpflichtend sind. Zukünftig soll durch das in 2021 beschlossene Gesetz zur Zusammenführung von Krebsregisterdaten die wissenschaftliche Rolle der Krebsregister weiter aufgewertet werden.
Visible-Light-Responsive Nano CuO/ZnO Photocatalyst for Chan–Lam Coupling Reaction and Aerobic C(sp3)–H Bond Oxidation
Authors: Hosseini-Sarvari Mona , Daneshvar Mohammad Reza , Tavakolian Mina
Published: April 2023

When it comes to heterogeneous photocatalysts, semiconductors are the best candidate with a high potential to respond in visible-light regions. In this study, semiconductor p-n heterojunction, nano CuO/ZnO, was synthesized via a simple, sustainable, and low-cost approach. Photocatalytic activity of the synthesized material with a 2.02 eV band gap was investigated in the Chan–Lam coupling reaction and C(sp3)–H bond oxidation of alkyl aromatic compounds under visible-light irradiation in aqueous solution. In the case of the Chan–Lam coupling reaction, various derivatives of aniline and arylboronic acid successfully took part in the reaction, delivering the desired products in 57–89% yields. In addition, nano CuO/ZnO photocatalyst showed high efficiency in the C(sp3)–H bond oxidation of alkyl aromatic compounds under air as a green oxidant. Noticeably, the photocatalyst showed high performance in the large-scale synthesis of desired products and maintained activity after several uses.
Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors and Associated Estimated Risk of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease in Adult Volunteers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ismaeil Nabeel H. , Chaudhary Ammar G. , Mahdi Nasser A. , Al-Hyari Adel M. , Aljohani Naji
Published: April 2023

Background The prevalence of cardiovascular disease and its risk factors are rising globally, including in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). The majority of epidemiologic data, however, was obtained from primary care centers or tertiary hospitals, and disease epidemiology in the general population needs to be better defined.

Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors in a random sample of adult volunteers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and their risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).

Materials and Methods This cross-sectional study was based on data from volunteers participating in the “My Heart, My Health” community campaign conducted in a large-scale commercial center in Jeddah, KSA. Participants 20 years of age and above answered a questionnaire containing several risk factors of ASCVD. Anthropometric measurements and blood samples were collected for lipid profile and hemoglobin A1c. Ten-year and lifelong ASCVD risk scores were calculated.

Results Eight-hundred seven volunteers participated (390 men and 417 women). The most common risk factor for men was low-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, which was more prevalent than in women (77.9 vs. 30.3%, p < 0.01). The most common risk factor for women was obesity that was more prevalent than for men (42.6 vs. 36.8%, p = 0.30). The mean ASCVD risk score in 10 years was 8.1% (standard deviation [SD]: 10.5), and the mean ASCVD risk factor optimization % was 2.0% (SD: 2.5). The mean lifelong risk score was 39.5% (SD: 13.9), and the mean ASCVD lifelong risk factor optimization was 6.6% (SD: 2.6).

Conclusion This study identified a high prevalence of cardiometabolic risk factors in the Saudi general public visiting a large commercial center in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The leading cardiometabolic risk factor is dyslipidemia in men and obesity in women. The 10-year ASCVD risk factor score is modest.
The EU and its paradoxes: enforcing stability not promoting democracy
Authors: Dana Tariq
Published: April 2023

This critical analysis explores the contradictions between the European Union's (EU) democracy promotion rhetoric and the underlying motivations behind these efforts, specifically in the context of the 2006 Palestinian elections. Contrary to the traditional perception that EU democracy promotion aims to establish and strengthen democratic institutions and practices, this review argues that the primary goal is often to enforce stability under the expansive settler-colonial structure. The Palestinian elections of 2006 serve as a pertinent case study to illustrate this paradox. The EU's response to the victory of Hamas was marked by inconsistencies and contradictions, revealing the tension between its democracy promotion rhetoric and the prioritization of a kind of stability based on Israeli terms.
Development of in-vitro pulsatile flow generator for evaluating the performance of hemodialysis catheters
Authors: Cho Seongsu , Lee Jihyeong , Park Sun Cheol , Park Hoon Suk , Lee Dae Hee , Lee Jinkee
Published: April 2023

Hemodialysis (HD) using an HD catheter is performed widely on renal failure patients. The catheter was evaluated using the recirculation ratio in pre-clinical status, which is a crucial index indicating its performance. However, pre-clinical in-vivo experiments have limitations: high cost, and ethical issues. Hence, computational and in-vitro methods have been developed as alternatives. However, computational methods require fluid dynamic knowledge, whereas in-vitro experiments are complicated and expensive. In this study, we developed a pulsatile flow generator to mimic blood flow achieving cost effectiveness and user convenience. The device used iterative learning control, achieving blood flow in the superior and inferior vena cava within a 3.3% error. Furthermore, the recirculation ratios were measured based on two insertion directions and two different external pipe materials to evaluate the catheter regarding patients’ posture and blood vessel stiffness. The results provide a better understanding of cardiovascular device performance without complicated and costly pre-clinical tests.
Development of the neutral model in the nonlinear MHD code JOREK: Application to E × B drifts in ITER PFPO-1 plasmas
Authors: Korving S. Q. , Huijsmans G. T. A. , Park J.-S. , Loarte A. ,   JOREK Team
Published: April 2023

The prediction of power fluxes and plasma-wall interactions impacted by MHD processes during ITER operation [disruption, Edge Localized Modes (ELMs), 3D magnetic fields applied for ELM control, etc.] requires models that include an accurate description of the MHD processes themselves, as well as of the edge plasma and plasma-wall interaction processes. In this paper, we report progress on improving the edge plasma physics models in the nonlinear extended MHD code JOREK, which has capabilities to simulate the MHD response of the plasma to the applied external 3D fields, disruptions and ELMs. The extended MHD model includes E × B drifts, diamagnetic drifts, and neoclassical flows. These drifts can have large influences, on e.g., divertor asymmetries. Realistic divertor conditions are important for impurity sputtering, transport, and their effect on the plasma. In this work, we implemented kinetic and fluid neutral physics modules, investigated the influence of poloidal flows under divertor conditions in the ITER PFPO-1 (1.8T/5MA) H-mode plasma scenario, and compared the divertor plasma conditions and heat flux to the wall for both the fluid and kinetic neutral model (in JOREK) to the well-established 2D boundary plasma simulation code suite SOLPS-ITER. As an application of the newly developed model, we investigated time-dependent divertor solutions and the transition from attached to partially detached plasmas. We present the formation of a high-field-side high-density-region and how it is driven by poloidal E × B drifts.
Electrification in turbulent channel flows of liquid dielectrics
Authors: Calero Mathieu , Grosshans Holger , Papalexandris Miltiadis V.
Published: April 2023

Electrification of wall-bounded flows of liquid dielectrics occurs via the transport of electric-charge carriers (ions) from the electrical double layer at a liquid–solid interface to the bulk of the flow. This phenomenon is currently not well understood, but it has been proposed that flow turbulence plays a major role on it. However, conclusive studies about the role of turbulence and the underpinning mechanisms of flow electrification are still lacking. In this paper, we report on direct numerical simulations (DNS) of electrification in turbulent channel flow of liquid dielectrics and for friction Reynolds numbers ranging from 150 to 210. Our simulations confirm that turbulence increases dramatically the amount of charge transported in the bulk of the flow. Also, the electrification rate increases with the turbulence intensity. Nonetheless, ionic diffusion does not influence the electrification process, due to the large value of the ionic Schmidt number. Our simulations further predict that, upon electrification, the charge-density profile consists of three zones. In the first one, adjacent to the wall, the dominant mechanism is ionic diffusion, whereas in the second one, the dominant mechanisms are convective and conductive currents. In the third zone, the bulk of the flow, the charge density remains almost constant. Also, according to the budget of the charge-density variance, molecular transport counterbalances molecular dissipation in the first zone, and production counterbalances turbulent transport in the second one. Finally, we provide a closed-form expression for the mean charge-density profile based on the gradient assumption, which agrees well with our DNS results.
Hochschild cohomology of the Weyl conformal algebra with coefficients in finite modules
Authors: Alhussein H. , Kolesnikov P.
Published: April 2023

In this work, we find Hochschild cohomology groups of the Weyl associative conformal algebra with coefficients in all finite modules. The Weyl conformal algebra is the universal associative conformal envelope of the Virasoro Lie conformal algebra relative to the locality N = 2. In order to obtain this result, we adjust the algebraic discrete Morse theory to the case of differential algebras.
Spectra and characteristics of somatic mutations induced by ionizing radiation in hematopoietic stem cells
Authors: Matsuda Yukiko , Uchimura Arikuni , Satoh Yasunari , Kato Naohiro , Toshishige Masaaki , Kajimura Junko , Hamasaki Kanya , Yoshida Kengo , Hayashi Tomonori , Noda Asao , Tanabe Osamu
Published: April 2023

Spectra and frequencies of spontaneous and X-ray-induced somatic mutations were revealed with mouse long-term hematopoietic stem cells (LT-HSCs) by whole-genome sequencing of clonal cell populations propagated in vitro from single isolated LT-HSCs. SNVs and small indels were the most common types of somatic mutations, and increased up to twofold to threefold by whole-body X-irradiation. Base substitution patterns in the SNVs suggested a role of reactive oxygen species in radiation mutagenesis, and signature analysis of single base substitutions (SBS) revealed a dose-dependent increase of SBS40. Most of spontaneous small deletions were shrinkage of tandem repeats, and X-irradiation specifically induced small deletions out of tandem repeats (non-repeat deletions). Presence of microhomology sequences in non-repeat deletions suggested involvement of microhomology mediated end-joining repair mechanisms as well as nonhomologous end-joining in radiation-induced DNA damages. We also identified multisite mutations and structural variants (SV), i.e., large indels, inversions, reciprocal translocations, and complex variants. The radiation-specificity of each mutation type was evaluated from the spontaneous mutation rate and the per-Gy mutation rate estimated by linear regression, and was highest with non-repeat deletions without microhomology, followed by those with microhomology, SV except retroelement insertions, and multisite mutations; these types were thus revealed as mutational signatures of ionizing radiation. Further analysis of somatic mutations in multiple LT-HSCs indicated that large fractions of postirradiation LT-HSCs originated from single LT-HSCs that survived the irradiation and then expanded in vivo to confer marked clonality to the entire hematopoietic system, with varying clonal expansion and dynamics depending on radiation dose and fractionation.
Dynamic Fourier ptychography with deep spatiotemporal priors
Authors: Bohra Pakshal , Pham Thanh-an , Long Yuxuan , Yoo Jaejun , Unser Michael
Published: April 2023

Fourier ptychography (FP) involves the acquisition of several low-resolution intensity images of a sample under varying illumination angles. They are then combined into a high-resolution complex-valued image by solving a phase-retrieval problem. The objective in dynamic FP is to obtain a sequence of high-resolution images of a moving sample. There, the application of standard frame-by-frame reconstruction methods limits the temporal resolution due to the large number of measurements that must be acquired for each frame. In this work instead, we propose a neural-network-based reconstruction framework for dynamic FP. Specifically, each reconstructed image in the sequence is the output of a shared deep convolutional network fed with an input vector that lies on a one-dimensional manifold that encodes time. We then optimize the parameters of the network to fit the acquired measurements. The architecture of the network and the constraints on the input vectors impose a spatiotemporal regularization on the sequence of images. This enables our method to achieve high temporal resolution without compromising the spatial resolution. The proposed framework does not require training data. It also recovers the pupil function of the microscope. Through numerical experiments, we show that our framework paves the way for high-quality ultrafast FP.
Breakdown characteristics in dielectric-confined microcavity discharge of plate electrodes
Authors: Wang Wenjing , Zhang Tianliang , Han Ruoyu , He Feng , Ouyang Jiting
Published: April 2023

Breakdown characteristics in dielectric-confined microcavity discharge of plate-to-plate electrodes under DC voltage are investigated in this paper. Experimental and particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo code simulated results show that the breakdown characteristic curve (the relation between the breakdown voltage V
br and the product pd of gas pressure p and electrode gap d or the V
br–pd curve) with a microcavity effect will deviate from the traditional Paschen curve, and seed electron adsorption by the dielectric wall is considered as the deviation mechanism. A smaller microcavity height will enhance this deviation. Based on the extent of deviation, there exist two critical microcavity heights, h
cr1 and h
cr2, for the breakdown characteristic curve. When the cavity height h is larger than h
cr1, the V
br–pd curve conforms to Paschen’s law due to the minor adsorbed electrons. When h < h
cr1, the V
br values in the V
br–pd curve begin to increase overall, compared to those in the Paschen curve. Specifically, when h
cr2 < h < h
cr1, the V
br–1/h curve exhibits a positive linear relation; when h < h
cr2, V
br increases sharply with 1/h as a nonlinear relationship due to the massive adsorbed electrons. Additionally, the type of dielectric material used to construct the microcavity also has a significant impact on V
br, which is related to the different electron adsorbility η of various dielectric walls. For deeper insight, a ‘microcavity effect’ analysis model was developed to discuss the modified V
br–pd curve and provide the explanation for the critical values of microcavity heights and the influence of the dielectric material. Significant adsorption of charged particles (especially the seed electrons) by the dielectric wall will reduce the electron multiplication and further improve the breakdown voltage when the cavity height h is comparable to the product ηλ
e (the dielectric electron adsorbility and electron mean free path). On this basis, the modified breakdown criterion considering the microcavity effect was derived. The analytical expressions of the two critical height values h
cr1 and h
cr2 (h
cr1 = 100ηλ
e, h
cr2 = 10ηλ
e) and the linear relation of V
br–1/h curve in h
cr2 < h< h
cr1 are presented quantitatively.
Bearing remaining useful life prediction using spatial-temporal multiscale graph convolutional neural network
Authors: Yang Xiaoyu , Li Xinye , Zheng Ying , Zhang Yong , Wong David Shan-Hill
Published: April 2023

Remaining useful life (RUL) prediction of bearings is important to guarantee their reliability and formulate a maintenance strategy. Recently, deep graph neural networks (GNNs) have been applied to predict the RUL of bearings. However, they usuallylack dynamic features, use manual stage identification, and experience the over-smoothing problem, which will have a negative effect on the prediction accuracy. This paper proposes a new framework for bearing RUL prediction based on spatial-temporal multi-scale graph convolutional neural network (STMSGCN), which can improve the accuracy of prediction by solving the above-mentioned problems. Specifically, different to the most-used static feature of bearings, a dynamic feature that can capture the time-varying change of vibration energy is proposed. A sliding window alarm method is proposed to detect the fault occurrence time (FOT), which can offer an accurate healthy stage rather than human-defined methods. Then, the STMSGCN is proposed to predict the RUL of bearings, which solves the over-smoothing problem of the deep GNN model. The PRONOSTIA platform is adopted to verify the proposed method. The results verify that the sliding window alarm method can detect the FOT faster for slowly degrading bearings, and the proposed STMSGCN structure gives higher prediction accuracy compared to the existing methods.
Index theorems for graph-parametrized optimal control problems
Authors: Agrachev Andrei , Baranzini Stefano , Beschastnyi Ivan
Published: April 2023

In this paper we prove Morse index theorems for a big class of constrained variational problems on graphs. Such theorems are useful in various physical and geometric applications. Our formulas compute the difference of Morse indices of two Hessians related to two different graphs or two different sets of boundary conditions. Some applications such as the iteration formulas and lower bounds for the index are proved.
Design development and control of a shape memory alloy linear actuation based XYθ motion stage
Authors: Choudhury Rutupurna , Singh Yogesh
Published: April 2023

This article addresses the development and trajectory tracking analysis of the three degrees of freedom Shape memory alloy (SMA) actuation-based 4-
P
PR

XY
θ

motion stage. The developed motion stage is of four legs of the PPR (Prismatic-Prismatic-Revolute) configuration, having the first prismatic joint as the active joint. SMA spring is incorporated as the linear actuator of the motion stage. The three degrees of freedom motion of the end-effector is achieved based on a new type of SMA-driven PPR joint configuration to provide two translations and one rotational motion. The advantages of the SMA as an actuator is such as lightweight, higher accuracy, and micron-level movement to establish linear motion and silent actuation. The kinematic and jacobian relations are derived for the developed motion stage. The actuation of the SMA (Nitinol) spring actuator is accomplished by the use of a programmable power supply. In addition, the close loop PID control scheme to the SMA linear actuator is investigated. The mechanism has some inherent errors, as geometric errors (kinematic error), friction between the elements of the mechanism, etc, are significant issues in tracking the trajectory of the motion stage. Thus, to address the above issues, this study incorporates the dual-loop control scheme for better trajectory tracking and error compensation of the proposed motion stage. The control method employs a redundant feedback approach, in which discrete joint space displacements and mobile platform coordinates, and task space coordinates are determined as feedback signal using suitable sensors. In this control scheme, the actual joint displacement errors are computed using the redundant feedback data and corrected the desired joint displacement trajectory to obtain the desired task space trajectory. To measure the effectiveness of the used control scheme, a real-time prototype of the proposed motion stage (4-
P
PR) is developed and investigated the performance of the control method using some simple geometric trajectories. It is observed from the experiments that the motion stage using SMA linear actuation technique has good tracking performance using the control scheme. The developed motion stage can be implemented in the micro-stereolithography process and micron-level positioning application.
Clarifying trust of materials property predictions using neural networks with distribution-specific uncertainty quantification
Authors: Gruich Cameron J , Madhavan Varun , Wang Yixin , Goldsmith Bryan R
Published: April 2023

It is critical that machine learning (ML) model predictions be trustworthy for high-throughput catalyst discovery approaches. Uncertainty quantification (UQ) methods allow estimation of the trustworthiness of an ML model, but these methods have not been well explored in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. Herein, we investigate different UQ methods applied to a crystal graph convolutional neural network to predict adsorption energies of molecules on alloys from the Open Catalyst 2020 dataset, the largest existing heterogeneous catalyst dataset. We apply three UQ methods to the adsorption energy predictions, namelyk-fold ensembling, Monte Carlo dropout, and evidential regression. The effectiveness of each UQ method is assessed based on accuracy, sharpness, dispersion, calibration, and tightness. Evidential regression is demonstrated to be a powerful approach for rapidly obtaining tunable, competitively trustworthy UQ estimates for heterogeneous catalysis applications when using neural networks. Recalibration of model uncertainties is shown to be essential in practical screening applications of catalysts using uncertainties.
Respondent-Driven Sampling for Estimation of the Cumulative Lifetime Incidence of Abortion in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa: A Methodological Assessment
Authors: Jayaweera Ruvani T , Gerdts Caitlin , Wesson Paul , Motana Relebohile , Muñoz Isabel , Bessenaar Tshegofatso , McFarland Willi , Ahern Jennifer
Published: April 2023

Respondent-driven sampling (RDS) is a potential strategy for addressing challenges in accurate estimation of abortion incidence, but it relies on often untested assumptions. We conducted an RDS study to estimate the cumulative lifetime incidence of abortion in Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa (April–December 2018), to evaluate whether RDS assumptions were met, and to compare RDS estimates of incidence with estimates adjusted for employment and age based on census data. A total of 849 participants were recruited from 11 seed participants between April and December 2018. The assumption that individuals can identify target population members and the assumption of approximation of sampling with replacement was met. There were minor violations of the assumptions of seed independence from the final sample and reciprocity of ties. Assumptions of accurate degree reporting and random recruitment were not met. Failure to meet assumptions yielded a study sample with different employment characteristics than those of the target population; this could not be resolved by standard RDS methods. The RDS estimate of cumulative lifetime abortion incidence was 12.1% (95% confidence interval: 9.8, 14.3), and the employment-adjusted estimate was 16.9% (95% confidence interval: 12.8, 22.1). We caution researchers in using RDS for representative estimates of abortion incidence. Use of postsurvey weights to adjust for differences in characteristics between the sample and the target population may yield more representative results.
Phosphatidylglycerol-specific phospholipase C from Amycolatopsis sp. NT115 strain: purification, characterization, and gene cloning
Authors: Kajiyama Kiyoto , Sugimori Daisuke
Published: April 2023

Recently, phosphatidylglycerol (PG) focused on its important role in chloroplast photosynthesis, mitochondrial function of the sperm, an inhibitory effect on SARS-CoV-2 ability to infect naïve cells, and reducing lung inflammation caused by coronavirus disease 2019. To develop an enzymatic PG determination method as the high-throughput analysis of PG, a PG-specific phospholipase C (PG-PLC) was found in the culture supernatant of Amycolatopsis sp. NT115. PG-PLC (54 kDa by SDS-PAGE) achieved the maximal activity at pH 6.0 and 55 °C and was inhibited by detergents, such as Briji35, Tween 80, and sodium cholate, but not by EDTA and metal ions, except for Zn2+. The open reading frame of the PG-PLC gene consisted of 1620 bp encoding 515-amino-acid residues containing the preceding 25-amino-acid residues (Tat signal peptide sequence). The putative amino acid sequence of PG-PLC was highly similar to those of metallophosphoesterases; however, its substrate specificity was completely different from those of known PLCs.
K-RET: knowledgeable biomedical relation extraction system
Authors: Sousa Diana F , Couto Francisco M
Published: April 2023

Motivation

Relation extraction (RE) is a crucial process to deal with the amount of text published daily, e.g. to find missing associations in a database. RE is a text mining task for which the state-of-the-art approaches use bidirectional encoders, namely, BERT. However, state-of-the-art performance may be limited by the lack of efficient external knowledge injection approaches, with a larger impact in the biomedical area given the widespread usage and high quality of biomedical ontologies. This knowledge can propel these systems forward by aiding them in predicting more explainable biomedical associations. With this in mind, we developed K-RET, a novel, knowledgeable biomedical RE system that, for the first time, injects knowledge by handling different types of associations, multiple sources and where to apply it, and multi-token entities.

Results

We tested K-RET on three independent and open-access corpora (DDI, BC5CDR, and PGR) using four biomedical ontologies handling different entities. K-RET improved state-of-the-art results by 2.68% on average, with the DDI Corpus yielding the most significant boost in performance, from 79.30% to 87.19% in F-measure, representing a P-value of 2.91×10−12.

Availability and implementation

https://github.com/lasigeBioTM/K-RET.
Structural disconnection relates to functional changes after temporal lobe epilepsy surgery
Authors: Sainburg Lucas E , Janson Andrew P , Johnson Graham W , Jiang Jasmine W , Rogers Baxter P , Chang Catie , Englot Dario J , Morgan Victoria L
Published: April 2023

Epilepsy surgery consists of surgical resection of the epileptic focus and is recommended for patients with drug-resistant focal epilepsy. However, focal brain lesions can lead to effects in distant brain regions. Similarly, the focal resection in temporal lobe epilepsy surgery has been shown to lead to functional changes distant from the resection. Here we hypothesize that there are changes in brain function caused by temporal lobe epilepsy surgery in regions distant from the resection that are due to their structural disconnection from the resected epileptic focus. Therefore, the goal of this study was to localize changes in brain function caused by temporal lobe epilepsy surgery and relate them to the disconnection from the resected epileptic focus. This study takes advantage of the unique opportunity that epilepsy surgery provides to investigate the effects of focal disconnections on brain function in humans, which has implications in epilepsy and broader neuroscience.

Changes in brain function from pre- to post-epilepsy surgery were quantified in a group of temporal lobe epilepsy patients (n = 36) using a measure of resting state functional MRI activity fluctuations. We identified regions with significant functional MRI changes that had high structural connectivity to the resected region in healthy controls (n = 96) and patients based on diffusion MRI. The structural disconnection from the resected epileptic focus was then estimated using presurgical diffusion MRI and related to the functional MRI changes from pre- to post-surgery in these regions.

Functional MRI activity fluctuations increased from pre- to post-surgery in temporal lobe epilepsy in the two regions most highly structurally connected to the resected epileptic focus in healthy controls and patients—the thalamus and the fusiform gyrus ipsilateral to the side of surgery (PFWE < 0.05). Broader surgeries led to larger functional MRI changes in the thalamus than more selective surgeries (P < 0.05), but no other clinical variables were related to functional MRI changes in either the thalamus or fusiform. The magnitude of the functional MRI changes in both the thalamus and fusiform increased with a higher estimated structural disconnection from the resected epileptic focus when controlling for the type of surgery (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the structural disconnection from the resected epileptic focus may contribute to the functional changes seen after epilepsy surgery. Broadly, this study provides a novel link between focal disconnections in the structural brain network and downstream effects on function in distant brain regions.
The Brief Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Index: A Rapid 3-Item Scale to Measure Engagement in HIV Care
Authors: Sauceda John A , Lisha Nadra E , Ludwig-Barron Natasha , Salazar Jorge , Dilworth Samantha E , Johnson Mallory O , Christopoulos Katerina A , Koester Kimberly A , Moore Richard D , Mayer Kenneth H , Fredericksen Rob J , Mugavero Michael J , Neilands Torsten B
Published: April 2023

We created a brief version of The Index, a validated patient-reported measure that has potential to quickly identify patients at risk for poor retention. We analyzed Index scores from 2406 patients from 2016 to 2017 in a national cohort of patients in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care. Index scores predicted poor retention 12 months after administered.
Rare exacerbation of myocardial bridge after septal myocardial ablation in hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy: a case report
Authors: Wu Zhenguo , Li Hongxuan , Zhang Qing , Yang Jianmin
Published: April 2023

Background

Percutaneous transluminal septal myocardial ablation (PTSMA) is an effective means for symptomatic patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We present a rare case in which myocardial bridge (MB) was exacerbated in a patient with HCM treated with PTSMA.

Case summary

Here, we present a case of HCM with palpitations and exertional dyspnoea for 2 years. There was no obvious epicardial coronary artery compression before PTSMA. Typical angina occurred 2 months after PTSMA. Coronary angiography showed no obvious stenosis of the coronary arteries, but an exacerbated MB in the middle part of the left anterior descending artery.

Discussion

This patient with HCM presented with typical angina, which might be caused by the rare exacerbation of the MB after PTSMA. Thus, patients with MB should carefully choose PTSMA. Future research is needed for HCM patients complicated with MB treated with PTSMA.
Lipoprotein(a) concentrations in acute myocardial infarction patients are not indicative of levels at six month follow-up
Authors: Ziogos Efthymios , Vavuranakis Michael A , Harb Tarek , Foran Palmer L , Blaha Michael J , Jones Steven R , Lai Shenghan , Gerstenblith Gary , Leucker Thorsten M
Published: April 2023

Aims

Lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] levels are generally constant throughout an individual’s lifetime, and current guidelines recommend that a single measurement is sufficient to assess the risk of coronary artery disease (CAD). However, it is unclear whether a single measurement of Lp(a) in individuals with acute myocardial infarction (MI) is indicative of the Lp(a) level six months following the event.

Methods and results

Lp(a) levels were obtained from individuals with non–ST-elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) or ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) (n = 99) within 24 h of hospital admission and after six months, who were enrolled in two randomized trials of evolocumab and placebo, and in individuals with NSTEMI or STEMI (n = 9) who enrolled in a small observation arm of the two protocols and did not receive study drug, but whose levels were obtained at the same time points. Median Lp(a) levels increased from 53.5 nmol/L (19, 165) during hospital admission to 58.0 nmol/L (14.8, 176.8) six months after the acute infarction (P = 0.02). Subgroup analysis demonstrated no difference in the baseline, six-month, or change between the baseline and six-month Lp(a) values between the STEMI and NSTEMI groups and between the group which received evolocumab and the group that did not.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that Lp(a) levels in individuals with acute MI are significantly higher six months after the initial event. Therefore, a single measurement of Lp(a) in the peri-infarction setting is not sufficient to predict the Lp(a)-associated CAD risk in the post-infarction period.

Registration

Evolocumab in Acute Coronary Syndrome Trial [EVACS I] NCT03515304, Evolocumab in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction [EVACS II], NCT04082442
Breast cancer cell-derived exosome-delivered microRNA-155 targets UBQLN1 in adipocytes and facilitates cancer cachexia-related fat loss
Authors: Sun S , Wang Z , Yao F , Sun K , Li Z , Sun S , Li C
Published: April 2023

Cachexia occurrence and development are associated with loss of white adipose tissues, which may be involved with cancer-derived exosomes. This study attempted to characterize the functional mechanisms of breast cancer (BC) cell-derived exosome-loaded microRNA (miR)-155 in cancer cachexia-related fat loss. Exosomes were incubated with preadipocytes and cellular lipid droplet accumulation was observed using Oil Red O staining. Western blotting evaluated the cellular levels of lipogenesis marker peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing (AdipoQ). Differentiated adipocytes were incubated with exosomes, and phosphate hormone sensitive lipase (P-HSL), adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and glycerol were detected in adipocytes, in addition to uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and leptin levels. A mouse model of cancer cachexia was established where cancer exosomes were injected intravenously. The changes in body weight and tumor-free body weights were recorded and serum glycerol levels and lipid accumulation in adipose tissues were determined. Also, the relationship between miR-155 and UBQLN1 was predicted and verified. BC exosome treatment reduced PPARγ and AdipoQ protein levels, promoted the levels of P-HSL and ATGL proteins, facilitated glycerol release, increased UCP1 expression and lowered leptin expression in adipocytes. Exosomal miR-155 inhibited lipogenesis in preadipocytes and boosted the browning of white adipose tissues. miR-155 downregulation alleviated cancer exosome-induced browning of white adipose tissues and fat loss. Mechanistically, miR-155 targeted UBQLN1, and UBQLN1 upregulation reversed the impacts of cancer exosomes. miR-155 loaded by BC cell-derived exosomes significantly affects white adipose browning and inhibition of cancer-derived exosomes.