bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ammonothermal Synthesis of Luminescent Imidonitridophosphate Ba4P4N8(NH)2:Eu2+
Authors: Engelsberger Florian M. , Pritzl Reinhard M. , Steinadler Jennifer , Witthaut Kristian , Bräuniger Thomas , Schmidt Peter J. , Schnick Wolfgang
Published: October 2024

The structural variability of a compound class is an important criterion for the research into phosphor host lattices for phosphor‐converted light‐emitting diodes (pc‐LEDs). Especially, nitridophosphates and the related class of imidonitridophosphates are promising candidates. Recently, the ammonothermal approach has opened a systematic access to this substance class with larger sample quantities. We present the successful ammonothermal synthesis of the imidonitridophosphate Ba4P4N8(NH)2:Eu2+. Its crystal structure is solved by X‐ray diffraction and it crystallizes in space group Cc (no. 9) with lattice parameters a=12.5250(3), b=12.5566(4), c=7.3882(2) Å and β=102.9793(10)°. For the first time, adamantane‐type (imido)nitridophosphate anions [P4N8(NH)2]8− are observed next to metal ions other than alkali metals in a compound. The presence of imide groups in the structure and the identification of preferred positions for the hydrogen atoms are performed using a combination of quantum chemical calculations, Fourier‐transform infrared, and solid‐state NMR spectroscopy. Eu2+ doped samples exhibit cyan emission (λmax=498 nm, fwhm=50 nm/1981 cm−1) when excited with ultraviolet light with an impressive internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of 41 %, which represents the first benchmark for imidonitridophosphates and is promising for potential industrial application of this compound class.
Investigation on the influence of particle size and porosity on solid phase fluidization and heat transfer in carbon fibre porous media
Authors: Wang Licheng , Zhang Wenwen , Yang Zhouzhe
Published: October 2024

In this paper, the 3D pore structure was reconstructed and solid phase fluidization in porous media was investigated. Based on the two fluid model, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of gas–solid fluidization was established and the influence of particle size and porosity were investigated. When porosity was constant, during the fluidization process, the particle velocity and solid concentration standard deviation gradually decreased, and the bed height increased. At the same time, the smaller the particle size was, the smaller the solid concentration standard deviation was, the faster the bed height increased, and the more the particle temperature decreased. Based on the fixed value of particle size, when studying the effect of porosity on fluidization, it was found that with the enhancement of solid‐phase fluidization, particle velocity, solid concentration standard deviation, and particle temperature decreased, and bed height increased. Moreover, when porosity was large, particle velocity decreased rapidly, and solid concentration standard deviation reached a smaller minimum value, which took a longer time. Within the same time, the particle temperature also decreased less.
A physics‐constrained hybrid residual neural network for the prediction of moisture content in a closed‐cycle drying system
Authors: Zhou Mengfei , Wang Ruizhen , Cheng Rong , Sun Qin , Yu Qiqing , Xia Luyue , Sun Xiaofang
Published: October 2024

Closed‐cycle drying technology has the advantages of safety, energy saving, and environmental protection, and has a wide application prospect. Due to the multi‐physics and multi‐scale nature of heat/mass transfer in the closed‐cycle drying process, as well as the characteristics of drying medium circulation and energy integration, it is difficult to obtain the product moisture content prediction model in closed‐cycle process based on rigorous closed‐cycle drying process mechanism model. However, accurate monitoring of product moisture content in the closed‐cycle drying process is the key to improving drying quality and process optimization. Aiming at the challenges in predicting moisture content, this paper proposes a physics‐constrained hybrid residual neural network (PC‐HRNN) for soft sensor modelling within a designed closed‐cycle drying system. The characteristic of this proposed method lies in its effective fusion of physics, knowledge, and data. First, a hybrid residual neural network (HRNN) is constructed based on the integration of a physics model and a data‐driven model. The HRNN takes the knowledge from the physics model as its auxiliary features and learns the prediction residuals of the physics model through a neural network model. Then, a new loss function that takes into account physical laws is introduced into HPNN to standardize model training and improve the generalization performance of the model. The experimental results show that the PC‐HRNN model improves prediction accuracy and model robustness, reduces the demand for data, and demonstrates stronger extrapolation capabilities under limited data.
Photocatalytic Aldehyde Allylation for Site‐Specific DNA Functionalization
Authors: Zhang Yixin , Huang Ying , Che Qiaoling , Chen Yiyun
Published: October 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Enhancing the DNA toolbox with innovative photochemical reactions is pivotal for advancing nucleic acid‐based technologies. Aldehyde groups, versatile bioorthogonal handles for imine formation under acidic conditions, are particularly valuable due to their roles in nucleic acid epigenetics. Here, we present the first photocatalytic on‐DNA aldehyde allylation, enabling precise DNA functionalization under mild, neutral aqueous conditions. Our approach utilizes a photocatalytic polarity‐reversal reaction between DNA‐conjugated benzaldehydes and allyl sulfones. This reaction demonstrates exceptional chemoselectivity while preserving DNA integrity. By varying allyl sulfones, we achieve site‐specific labeling of non‐native DNA with the aldehyde group and cross‐linking with DNA‐bearing allyl sulfones. Furthermore, our method facilitates selective labeling and pull‐down enrichment of 5‐formylpyrimidine nucleotides among complex cellular DNA. This photocatalytic on‐DNA aldehyde transformation expands the limited bioorthogonal photochemical toolboxes, providing novel avenues for functionalizing both non‐native and native aldehyde modifications on DNA.
A Hardware Circuit for Extracting Weak Damage Characteristics of Steel Wire Rope Using an Asymmetric Monostable System
Authors: Huang Shengping , Liu Zihan , Li Ao , Yang Jianhua , Sanjuán Miguel A. F. , Wang Zhongqiu
Published: October 2024

Non‐destructive testing of steel wire rope is significant in lifting machinery. However, it is still challenging to extract weak damage characteristics of steel wire rope under noise caused by harsh working conditions. Currently, extracting damage characteristics mostly involves secondary processing through software, which is cumbersome and inefficient. Stochastic resonance is a typical stochastic dynamic phenomenon of a nonlinear system, and it can extract weak damage characteristics through the cooperation of noise, weak signals, and nonlinear system models. Among different nonlinear system models, the asymmetric monostable system, which has only one fixed point, is advantageous for achieving a more stable response under pulse excitation. In this work, a hardware circuit based on an asymmetric monostable system is constructed to extract weak damage characteristics of steel wire rope. This hardware circuit can efficiently extract damage characteristics without secondary processing. Additionally, the denoising performance of the nonlinear circuit, focusing on weak signals with damage characteristics under a noisy background, is evaluated using the cross‐correlation coefficient and local cross‐correlation coefficient. The results demonstrate that the proposed method provides high recovery in the non‐destructive testing of steel wire rope.
Characterization of the reproductive strategy of invasive Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) in the Upper Danube River
Authors: Klarl Melina , Pander Joachim , Geist Juergen
Published: October 2024

Originating from the Black and Caspian seas, the Round Goby (Neogobius melanostomus) has become one of the most successful invaders of freshwater ecosystems. In this study, we provide a characterization of the reproductive strategy of an established population of Round Gobies in the Upper Danube river including sex ratio, fluctuations of gonadosomatic index (GSI), analysis of timing of spawning as well as of clutch and egg size. We compare these results to other studies from the native and invaded range. In the Danube, the Round Goby population was found to be female dominated, however fluctuations in magnitude of female bias were observed between months. Monitoring of the population across 1.5 years revealed that GSI was highest from April to June, while lowest values were observed in August and September. Using time‐series analysis, a delayed effect of temperature on GSI was found for females and males, while a quicker response of GSI levels to photoperiod and discharge was observed for females. GSI increased with body size for females and eggs were found to be significantly larger in May, however clutch sizes did not differ between months. Results of a literature review revealed great differences in timing and length of spawning season as well as sex ratio between populations throughout the distribution range, which can probably be explained by climatic and photoperiodic conditions together with the time since invasion and the high plasticity of Round Gobies.
A global database of soil seed bank richness, density, and abundance
Authors: Auffret Alistair G. , Ladouceur Emma , Haussmann Natalie S. , Daouti Eirini , Elumeeva Tatiana G. , Kačergytė Ineta , Knape Jonas , Kotowska Dorota , Low Matthew , Onipchenko Vladimir G. , Paquet Matthieu , Rubene Diana , Plue Jan
Published: October 2024

A soil seed bank is the collective name for viable seeds that are stored naturally in the soil. At the species or population level, the ability to form a seed bank represents a strategy for (re)colonization following a disturbance or other change in the local environmental conditions. At the community level, seed banks are thought to buffer local diversity during periods of environmental change and are often studied in relation to the potential for passive habitat restoration. The role that seed banks play in plant population and community dynamics, as well as their importance in the agricultural sector, means that they have been widely studied in ecological research. This database is the result of a comprehensive literature search, including all seed bank studies from the Web of Science from which data could be extracted, as well as an additional search of the Russian language literature. The database contains information on the species richness, seed density, and/or seed abundance in 3096 records from at least 1929 locations across the world's seven continents, extracted from 1442 studies published between 1940 and 2020. Records are grouped into five broad habitat categories (aquatic, arable, forest, grassland—including shrubland—and wetland), including information relating to habitat degradation from, or restoration to other habitats (total 14 combinations). Sampling protocols were also extracted for each record, and the database was extensively checked for errors. The location of each record was then used to extract summary climate data and biome classification from external published databases. The database has several potential uses. The large geographical spread relative to many other global biodiversity datasets is relevant for investigating patterns of diversity in biogeographical or macroecological contexts. Habitat type and status (intact, degraded, and restored) can be used to provide insights for biodiversity conservation, while the potential effects of sampling method and effort can be used to inform optimized data collection for future seed bank studies. This database is released under the CC‐BY license.
Treatment with brivaracetam has no apparent long‐term effects on body weight in pediatric patients with epilepsy
Authors: Floricel Florin I. , Reichel Paula E. , Dickson Najla , Fleyshman Sofia , Reichel Christoph , Elshoff Jan‐Peer
Published: October 2024

Objective

The objective of this study is to evaluate possible long‐term effects of treatment with brivaracetam (BRV) on body weight in children with epilepsy.

Method

Post hoc analysis of data from patients (aged 1 month to <17 years) with ≥6 months of BRV treatment in a long‐term, open‐label trial (N01266 [NCT01364597]). Outcomes included body weight and body mass index (BMI) over time (z‐score growth curves), and treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs). Previous/ongoing medical conditions that may affect body weight (gastrointestinal and metabolic/nutritional disorders); concomitant antiseizure medications (ASMs) were also evaluated.

Results

Two hundred nine patients (mean [standard deviation] age 7.9 [4.6] years) were analyzed. Most (154 [73.7%]) had focal‐onset seizures. At study initiation, median (range) BRV dose was 1.0 (0.4–7.5) mg/kg/day. Overall, 189 (90.4%) patients had a previous or ongoing medical condition (gastrointestinal disorders: 43 [20.6%]; metabolism/nutritional disorders: 26 [12.4%]). Most patients followed z‐score curves for body weight and BMI during BRV treatment, although there were outliers in both directions. Incidences of appetite/weight‐change TEAEs were low. Twenty‐three (11.0%) patients had a TEAE of decreased appetite and 14 (6.7%) had a TEAE of weight decreased.

Significance

Long‐term adjunctive BRV was well tolerated in growing children with no indication of detrimental effects on body weight.

Plain Language Summary

Brivaracetam is an antiseizure medication (ASM) used to treat seizures in people with epilepsy. Some ASMs can lead to changes in people's appetite and weight. Knowing the effect a drug has on appetite and weight is particularly important in children. We looked at 209 children with epilepsy taking brivaracetam and studied changes in their body weight and body mass index over time. The number of reported side effects related to appetite or weight change was low. There was no apparent long‐term effect on their body weight, even when taking their medical history and use of other ASMs into account.
Delving into the role of reward and punishment sensitivity in anorexia nervosa: Punishment responsivity as the only predictor of eating disorder symptom persistence in adolescents
Authors: Jonker Nienke C. , Glashouwer Klaske A. , de Jong Peter J.
Published: October 2024

Objective

This study differentiated between self‐reported punishment responsivity (PR) and motivation to avoid punishment (MP) and examined their relationship with anorexia nervosa (AN) and its course in a combined cross‐sectional and longitudinal approach. We explored whether inconsistent findings regarding reward sensitivity may be explained by previous research not differentiating between reward responsivity (RR) and motivation to approach reward (MR).

Method

Participants were 69 adolescents with AN and 69 adolescents without AN matched on age, sex and educational level. Eating disorder (ED) symptom severity, PR, MP, RR, and MR were assessed at the start of treatment and 1 year later.

Results

Only PR was higher in patients with AN than in the comparison group. Both PR and MP decreased over the course of 1 year, however, only the reduction in PR was related to the reduction in ED symptoms. Lastly, only higher baseline PR was independently related to less improvement in ED symptoms over the course of 1 year.

Conclusion

There was no support for the involvement of RS or its specific dimensions in AN. Most critical, the findings suggest that specifically the PR dimension of punishment sensitivity is related to the persistence of AN and could be an important target for treatment.
Extract from the peels of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus): Flame retardancy and toxic gaseous emission suppression effects on cotton textiles
Authors: Nguyen Ngoc Tung , Trinh Tuan Hung , Hoang Minh Tao , Bui Quang Minh , Nguyen Thanh Thao , Nguyen Quang Trung
Published: October 2024

This paper reports on the application of extract from the peels of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.) to increase flame retardancy and reduce toxic gaseous emissions from the combustion of cotton textiles. In particular, the results from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of treated and untreated samples proved the incorporation of jackfruit peels extract onto the textile substrate, while the results from thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and standard flammability tests of treated and untreated samples, and their corresponding limiting oxygen index (LOI), proving the flame retardancy effect of jackfruit peels extract on the textile substrate. The textile substrate treated with jackfruit peels extract exhibited excellent flame retardancy, evident by LOI value increasing to 26.8% and samples self‐extinguishing within 4.5 s after being removed from the reference flame. In addition, the increase in flame retardancy of treated textile samples also demonstrated good washing durability, even after 30 cycles of standard washing. More importantly, gas chromatography coupled mass spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis of gaseous emissions from the combustion of samples treated by jackfruit peels extract and by commercial Pyrovatex CP suggested that the use of jackfruit peels extract could help greatly reduce the release of toxic volatile substances, which would pose significant risk to the health of human and the ability of people to safely evacuate from fire accidents. In conclusion, these results have demonstrated the potential of a novel green approach for the fabrication of flame‐retardant textiles.
Will power serve for oneself or others? An exploratory study toward 6‐ to 9‐year‐old Chinese children
Authors: Yan Xiumei , Duan Shumin , Liang Qinge , Yang Yuling
Published: October 2024

This study investigated Chinese children's perspectives on the use of power and the prediction of these perspectives on their resource allocation. The sample included a total of 145 children from two primary schools in Mainland China (68 males, 77 females), with 70 in the younger group (M
age = 6.89, SD = 0.37, ranging from 6.08 to 7.67 years) and 75 in the older group (M
age = 9.03, SD = 0.55, ranging from 8.08 to 9.92 years). To explore the power perspective of children, they were presented a character who was ‘in charge’ and used his/her power to serve themselves or others. The results showed that children aged 6–9 years were more inclined to approve ‘bosses’ who used power for others' benefit, indicating children's support for benevolent power use, especially among 8–9‐year‐olds. Additionally, the study revealed that children who approved of benevolent power use tended to allocate more resources to others when possessing power, a behaviour not observed in 6–7‐year‐olds. This finding, more or less, indicated a correlation between children's perspectives on the use of power and their behaviour in allocating resources. These results demonstrate the importance of promoting a rational understanding of power use among children.

Highlights

All children held the benevolent perspective of power use, which agreed that those in power should use power to serve others.

Children aged 8–9 were more inclined to think a ‘boss’ should prioritize the interests of others over their own.

Children aged 8–9 who supported the benevolent perspective of power use allocate more resources to others.
Feasibility of Monitoring Tissue Properties During Microcirculation Disorder Using a Compact Fiber‐Based Probe With Sapphire Tip
Authors: Platonova Alina A. , Aleksandrova Polina V. , Alekseeva Anna I. , Kudryavtseva Sophya P. , Zotov Arsen K. , Zaytsev Kirill I. , Dolganov Kirill B. , Reshetov Igor V. , Kurlov Vladimir N. , Dolganova Irina N.
Published: October 2024

One of the urgent tasks of modern medicine is to detect microcirculation disorder during surgery to avoid possible consequences like tissue hypoxia, ischemia, and necrosis. To address this issue, in this article, we propose a compact probe with sapphire tip and optical sensing based on the principle of spatially resolved diffuse reflectance analysis. It allows for intraoperative measurement of tissue effective attenuation coefficient and its alteration during the changes of tissue condition, caused by microcirculation disorder. The results of experimental studies using (1) a tissue‐mimicking phantom based on lipid emulsion and hemoglobin and (2) a model of hindlimb ischemia performed in a rat demonstrated the ability to detect rapid changes of tissue attenuation confirming the feasibility of the probe to sense the stressful exposure. Due to a compact design of the probe, it could be useful for rather wide surgical operations and diagnostic purposes as an auxiliary instrument.
Prenatal and progressive coenzyme Q10 administration to mitigate muscle dysfunction in mitochondrial disease
Authors: Hernández‐Camacho Juan Diego , Vicente‐García Cristina , Ardila‐García Lorena , Padilla‐Campos Ana , López‐Lluch Guillermo , Santos‐Ocaña Carlos , Zammit Peter S. , Carvajal Jaime J. , Navas Plácido , Fernández‐Ayala Daniel J.M.
Published: October 2024

Background

ADCK genes encode aarF domain‐containing mitochondrial kinases involved in coenzyme Q (CoQ) biosynthesis and regulation. Haploinsufficiency of ADCK2 in humans leads to adult‐onset physical incapacity with reduced mitochondrial CoQ levels in skeletal muscle, resulting in mitochondrial myopathy and alterations in fatty acid β‐oxidation. The sole current treatment for CoQ deficiencies is oral administration of CoQ10, which causes only partial recovery with postnatal treatment, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis for successful intervention.

Methods

We used Adck2 heterozygous mice to examine the influence of this gene on muscle structure, function and regeneration throughout development, growth and ageing. This investigation involved techniques including immunohistochemistry, analysis of CoQ levels, mitochondrial respiratory content, muscle transcriptome analysis and functional tests.

Results

We demonstrated that Adck2 heterozygous mice exhibit defects from embryonic development, particularly in skeletal muscle (1102 genes deregulated). Adck2 heterozygous embryos were 7% smaller in size and displayed signs of delayed development. Prenatal administration of CoQ10 could mitigate these embryonic defects. Heterozygous Adck2 mice also showed a decrease in myogenic cell differentiation, with more severe consequences in ‘aged’ mice (41.63% smaller) (P < 0.01). Consequently, heterozygous Adck2 mice displayed accelerated muscle wasting associated with ageing in muscle structure (P < 0.05), muscle function (less grip strength capacity) (P < 0.001) and muscle mitochondrial respiration (P < 0.001). Furthermore, progressive CoQ10 administration conferred protective effects on mitochondrial function (P < 0.0001) and skeletal muscle (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

Our work uncovered novel aspects of CoQ deficiencies, revealing defects during embryonic development in mammals for the first time. Additionally, we identified the gradual establishment and progression of the deleterious Adck2 mouse phenotype. Importantly, CoQ10 supplementation demonstrated a protective effect when initiated during development.
Visible Light‐Triggered Catalytic Performance of Reduced Graphene Oxide Decorated With Copper Oxide Nanocomposite for Degradation of Rhodamine B Dye and Kinetics Studies
Authors: Rani Alia , Shabbir Muhammad Kaleem , Fatima Ayesha , Ali Saqib , Alamzeb Muhammad , Nadeem Ahmed , Akhtar Javeed , Bejarani Aqib Majeed , Thebo Khalid Hussain
Published: October 2024

Herein, novel nanocomposites based on reduced graphene oxide decorated copper oxide nanoparticles (rGO/CuO) were prepared by the in situ co‐precipitation method. The structural, morphological, and optical characterization of as‐prepared nanocomposites was performed by powdered x‐ray diffraction (p‐XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR), Raman, and ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy, respectively. The as‐prepared nanocomposites exhibited better photocatalytic activity of rhodamine B dye with maximum ~94% degradation in 120 min with a rate constant of 0.2353 min−1 under optimized conditions. Furthermore, the effects of solution pH and catalyst loading are studied on the degradation process. Therefore, this state‐of‐the‐art strategy for the decoration of CuO nanoparticles onto the surface of rGO nanosheets could be an ideal platform for fabricating highly efficient photocatalysts.
Deep‐Learning‐Based Disease Classification in Patients Undergoing Cine Cardiac MRI
Authors: Jacob Athira J. , Chitiboi Teodora , Schoepf U. Joseph , Sharma Puneet , Aldinger Jonathan , Baker Charles , Lautenschlager Carla , Emrich Tilman , Varga‐Szemes Akos
Published: October 2024

Background

Automated approaches may allow for fast, reproducible clinical assessment of cardiovascular diseases from MRI.

Purpose

To develop an MRI‐based deep learning (DL) disease classification algorithm to distinguish among normal subjects (NORM), patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), and ischemic heart disease (IHD).

Study Type

Retrospective.

Population

A total of 1337 subjects (55% female), comprising normal subjects (N = 568), and patients with DCM (N = 151), HCM (N = 177), and IHD (N = 441).

Field Strength/Sequence

Balanced steady‐state free precession cine sequence at 1.5/3.0 T.

Assessment

Bi‐ventricular morphological and functional features and global and segmental left ventricular strain features were automatically extracted from short‐ and long‐axis cine images. Variational autoencoder models were trained on the extracted features and compared against consensus disease label provided by two expert readers (13 and 14 years of experience). Adding unlabeled, normal data to the training was explored to increase specificity of NORM class.

Statistical Tests

Tenfold cross‐validation for model development; mean, standard deviation (SD) for measurements; classification metrics: area under the curve (AUC), confusion matrix, accuracy, specificity, precision, recall; 95% confidence intervals; Mann–Whitney U test for significance.

Results

AUCs of 0.952 for NORM, 0.881 for DCM, 0.908 for HCM, and 0.856 for IHD and overall accuracy of 0.778 were obtained, with specificity of 0.908 for the NORM class using both SAX and LAX features. Longitudinal strain features slightly improved classification metrics by 0.001 to 0.03 points, except for HCM‐AUC. Differences in accuracy, metrics for NORM class and HCM‐AUC were statistically significant. Cotraining using unlabeled data increased the specificity for the NORM class to 0.961.

Data Conclusion

Cardiac function features automatically extracted from cine MRI have potential to be used for disease classification, especially for normal‐abnormal classification. Feature analyses showed that strain features were important for disease labeling. Cotraining using unlabeled data may help to increase specificity for normal‐abnormal classification.

Level of Evidence

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 1
Evaluation of conventional and CT‐based radiostereometric analysis for inducible displacement measurements after total hip arthroplasty
Authors: Polus Jennifer S. , Kaptein Bart L. , Vasarhelyi Edward M. , Lanting Brent A. , Teeter Matthew G.
Published: October 2024

Though radiostereometric analysis (RSA) is the gold standard for migration tracking, computed tomography‐based RSA (CT‐RSA) does not require marker beads and is available for clinical adoption. This study investigated CT‐RSA in comparison to RSA for assessing hip implant stability with inducible displacement (ID) examinations. Patients (n = 48) from a previous study returned to be re‐examined for femoral stem stability with CT‐RSA and RSA imaging. Implant migration since patients last follow‐up was calculated as a measure of stability. ID was assessed between alternated leg rotation scans for CT‐RSA and between supine and weight‐bearing scans for RSA. Measurements from ID and double examinations were compared between CT‐RSA and RSA. All stems were well‐fixed with migration <0.2 mm/year. ID measurements were lower with CT‐RSA than RSA for distal translation (mean difference = 0.122 mm, p < 0.0001), total translation (mean difference = 0.158 mm, p < 0.0001), and total rotation (mean difference = 0.449°, p < 0.0001). The ID and double exam were significantly different for total translation and total rotation for CT‐RSA, and significantly different for medial, distal, and total translation, and total rotation for RSA. Precision ranged from 0.049 to 0.130 mm in translation and 0.061° to 0.220° in rotation for CT‐RSA, and from 0.108 to 0.269 mm in translation and 0.151° to 0.670° in rotation for RSA. ID measurements from both CT‐RSA and RSA were minimal, consistent for a cohort with well‐fixed stems. CT‐RSA demonstrated superior precision in all axes compared to RSA. Clinical Significance: Future work should explore the use of CT‐RSA in patients with suspected loosening as a potential diagnostic tool.
Exploring the Impact of Cultural Destinations on Residents' Well‐Being: Case of Katara Cultural Village
Authors: Elhajjar Samer , Al‐Sulaiti Khalid Ibrahim
Published: October 2024

This research employs a Grounded Theory approach to investigate the impact of cultural destinations on residents' well‐being, focusing on the case of Katara Cultural Village in Qatar. Through 23 in‐depth interviews with foreign residents, our research reveals significant positive influences on well‐being, including cultural and intellectual engagement, social interactions, mental and emotional fulfillment, and physical health. The findings of our research provide a foundation for further exploration and contribute valuable insights for academic discourse on cultural destinations. Furthermore, our research offer practical implications for destination managers and policymakers seeking to enhance residents' quality of life through strategic cultural investments.
Impact of Audio‐Visual Complexity on Symptomatology of Laryngeal Dystonia: A Virtual Reality Study
Authors: Petit Jimmy , Ehrlich Stefan K. , Tougas Garrett , Bernstein Jacob M. , Buie Nicole E. , Simonyan Kristina
Published: October 2024

Background

Laryngeal dystonia (LD) is an isolated focal dystonia characterized by involuntary spasms in laryngeal muscles selectively impairing speech production. Anecdotal observations reported the worsening of LD symptoms in stressful or vocally demanding situations.

Objectives

To examine the impact of surrounding audio‐visual complexity on LD symptomatology for a better understanding of disorder phenomenology.

Methods

We developed well‐controlled virtual reality (VR) environments of real‐life interpersonal communications to investigate how different levels of audio‐visual complexity may impact LD symptoms. The VR experiments were conducted over five consecutive days, during which each patient experienced 10 h of 4100 experimental trials in VR with gradually increasing audio‐visual complexity. Daily reports were collected about patients' voice changes, as well as their comfort, engagement, concentration, and drowsiness from using VR technology.

Results

After a weekly VR exposure, 82% of patients reported changes in their voice symptoms related to changes in background audio‐visual complexity. Significant differences in voice symptoms were found between the first two levels of the audio‐visual challenge complexity independent of study sessions or VR environments.

Conclusion

This study demonstrated that LD symptoms are impacted by audio‐visual background across various virtual realistic settings. These findings should be taken into consideration when planning behavioral experiments or evaluating the outcomes of clinical trials in these patients. Moreover, these data show that VR presents a reliable and useful technology for providing real‐life assessments of the impact of various experimental settings, such as during the testing of novel therapeutic interventions in these patients.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 135:787–793, 2025
Increased bird sound diversity in vineyards enhances visitors' tour experience
Authors: Zielonka Natalia B. , Tubman Victoria , Dicks Lynn V. , Butler Simon J.
Published: October 2024

Biodiversity is rapidly declining, reducing the quantity and quality of human interactions with nature and constraining its contribution to human health and well‐being. Natural sounds are a key component of our experience of nature, but biodiversity losses are reflected in soundscapes, which are becoming less diverse and quieter.

We characterised the soundscapes across 21 English vineyards using acoustic indices and related them to bird species richness and abundance. We found that higher bird species richness, but not abundance, led to more diverse and louder soundscapes, as reflected in higher values of Acoustic Complexity Index (ACI), Bioacoustic Index (BIO) and Normalised Difference Soundscape Index (NDSI), and lower values of Acoustic Entropy Index (H).

Secondly, at three of the study vineyards that run vineyard tours, we measured visitors' experience of the tour in terms of sound enjoyment, soundscape connectedness and tour satisfaction and related these to ambient and experimentally enhanced soundscapes, where we used playback recordings of five additional birdsongs to increase the soundscapes' complexity and volume.

Under ambient conditions, respondents' (n = 107) experience was significantly higher at sites with soundscapes that had higher ACI and BIO values, and lower H, Acoustic Diversity Index (ADI) and NDSI values, indicating a positive effect of more diverse and louder soundscapes. Natural sounds formed an important part of the tour experience at these sites, making visitors feel more present and connected to nature.

Under experimental soundscape enhancement, respondents (n = 79) reported hearing significantly more bird species during the tour, and they reported significantly higher scores for sound enjoyment, soundscape connectedness and tour satisfaction than under ambient conditions. This effect was stronger in visitors who engaged more in pro‐environmental behaviours, such as purchasing organic foods.

Our study demonstrates (i) the direct contribution of aural modes to our experience of nature and (ii) that the delivery of biodiversity conservation measures aimed at supporting bird diversity could simultaneously enhance the experience and well‐being benefits of spending time in nature. Natural soundscapes should therefore be recognised and valued as natural capital, and their protection should be incorporated into conservation planning and policy.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
A novel water‐based mechanochemical approach for surface modification of graphene platelets and their epoxy nanocomposites
Authors: Nguyen Huynh H. , Tran Linh Chi , La Ly B. T. , Su Xiao , Meng Qingshi , Kuan Hsu‐Chiang , Ma Jun
Published: October 2024

Graphene (nano) platelets (GPs) are cost‐effective and possess high structural integrity, but their limited surface functional groups hinder their compatibility with polymers. In this study, an eco‐friendly, water‐based mechanochemical approach was developed to modify GPs with polyacrylamide (PAM), creating PAM graphene platelets (PAM‐GPs) with a grafting ratio of approximately 15%. The platelet was measured to be a few nanometers in thickness, and the grafted PAM provides abundant functional groups, including amide groups, which enhance compatibility with polymers. A typical polymer, bisphenol‐A epoxy, was compounded with PAM‐GPs, resulting in a high degree of exfoliation and dispersion of PAM‐GPs within the matrix. The resulting epoxy/PAM‐GP composites exhibited significantly improved mechanical properties, including an 18% increase in Young's modulus and a substantial enhancement in fracture toughness, with a 71% increase at a low filler fraction of 0.5 wt%. These improvements are attributed to the effective interfacial interaction between the PAM‐GPs and the epoxy matrix, facilitated by the grafted functional groups. This study highlights the potential of PAM‐GPs as toughening fillers for epoxy composites, emphasizing their applicability in enhancing the durability and performance of structural components in industrial applications.

Highlights

Polyacrylamide (PAM)‐modified graphene platelets by a water‐based approach.

A strong interface promoted exfoliation and dispersion of platelets.

PAM‐modified platelets improved epoxy modulus and toughness.

Fractographic analysis unveils toughening mechanisms.
Synthesis and characterization of new antimicrobial peptides derived from Temporin F
Authors: Bosquetti Lucas Melo , Oliveira Cyntia Silva , Cerchiaro Giselle , Oliveira Junior Vani Xavier
Published: October 2024

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a promising source of new compounds against resistant bacteria. Temporins are a class of AMPs found on the amphibian Rana temporaria and show activity against Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. There are few studies on how these antimicrobials have been used, but new Temporin‐F derivatives were engineered with Lys‐substitutions to assess the impact of the net charge on antimicrobial activity and toxicity. We demonstrated through some assays that it is possible to increase the antibacterial activity while maintaining a reduced peptide hemolytic activity with specific substitutions. Our lead synthetic peptide, G6K‐Temporin F, has shown higher antimicrobial activity against Gram‐negative and Gram‐positive bacteria in vitro (MIC range 2 to 32 μmol L−1), with low hemolytic activity maintained, resulting in an increase in the therapeutic window (TW), of 12.5. Also, it showed more resistant to enzymatic degradation. On the other hand, more significant increases in net charges, such as in P3K‐G11K‐Temporin F, result in a severe increase in toxicity with lower gains in antimicrobial activity (TW of 0.65). In conclusion, we demonstrated that a moderate increase in net charge can lead to a more active analog and G6K‐Temporin F is revealed to be promising as a candidate for new AMP therapeutics.
Coating of Self‐Sensing Atomic Force Microscopy Cantilevers with Boron‐Doped Nanocrystalline Diamond at Low Temperatures
Authors: Potocký Štěpán , Kuliček Jaroslav , Ukraintsev Egor , Novotný Ondřej , Kromka Alexander , Rezek Bohuslav
Published: October 2024

Doped diamond has found a commercial use for achieving durable and reproducible electrical measurements in atomic force microscopy (AFM). Yet so far it has not been used on self‐sensing AFM probes due to thermally and mechanically sensitive integrated detection circuits. Herein, conventional microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (CVD) is employed while taking advantage of thermal conductivity along the silicon AFM cantilever probe for growing high‐quality B‐doped nanocrystalline diamond film on the probe apex that is selectively seeded by dip coating in nanodiamond solution. By investigating various CVD process parameters, it is shown that the detection circuit remains functional up to 400 °C for 2 h deposition or up to 8 h at 300 °C. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy corroborate quality of the diamond coating and doping. The self‐sensing probes are successfully tested in conductive AFM (C‐AFM) regime and surface spreading resistance regime, showing linear response in current–voltage spectroscopy and capability of conductivity mapping on metals and semiconductor devices. In the results, prospects for stable C‐AFM measurements when conventional optical detection is not suitable, such as on photosensitive materials or in probe‐electron microscopy, are opened.
Research on the Fabrication and X‐Ray Detection Performance of MAPbBr3‐Based 3D/2D Heterojunctions
Authors: Zhang Longzhen , He Ningfang , Song Zhipeng , He Xin , Guo Jiahao , Wu Xiaochao , Li Qingkui , He Jilin
Published: October 2024

Perovskite materials, renowned for their high mean atomic number, charge carrier mobility–lifetime product, and X‐ray absorption coefficient, have emerged as exceptional candidates for the fabrication of high‐sensitivity X‐ray detectors. Herein, a BA2PbBr4/MAPbBr3 heterojunction is epitaxially grown, with ion migration effectively suppressed through the passivation of surface defects of the 3D heterojunction. Additionally, the presence of an internal electric field within the heterojunction facilitated the extraction and accumulation of photoinduced charge carriers, further enhancing device sensitivity (5964.05 μC Gy−1 cm−2). The fabricated 2D/3D perovskite heterojunction devices show outstanding self‐driven X‐ray detection performance at 0 V mm−1 bias (1195.5 μC Gy−1 cm−2), surpassing that of α‐Se detectors (20 μC Gy−1 cm−2). The proposed method for the fabrication of self‐driven detectors is relatively simple and is therefore expected to contribute to the commercialization of perovskite‐based X‐ray detectors.
A new control chart based on proportional hazards and frailty regression models for monitoring high‐quality processes with censored observations
Authors: Keyvani Elham , Asadzadeh Shervin , Samimi Yaser
Published: October 2024

Improving quality and reducing defects in various processes have led to the design of numerous control charts for monitoring count data. These charts are characterized by a large number of zero defects and are modeled with zero‐inflated distributions. Besides, it is important to consider the influence of key factors on the number of defects in some processes. This paper presents three monitoring scenarios that utilize cumulative sum (CUSUM) control charts in Phase II. These scenarios are valuable for monitoring high‐quality processes, particularly with censored observations. The first scenario uses a zero‐inflated Poisson (ZIP) distribution while the second one employs a proportional hazards regression model to account for observed variables. The third scenario combines the proportional hazards and frailty regression models to consider both observed and unobserved variables. The performance of all three control charts is evaluated by applying shifts to both parameters of the ZIP distribution separately and simultaneously. Extensive simulation studies are conducted and the effects of low, moderate, and high censoring rates are thoroughly studied. The results highlight the importance of considering influential variables for detecting early shifts, as neglecting them significantly impairs the control chart performance. Finally, a real case study, involving defect counts in printed rolls at a label printing factory, has been provided and discussed to show the application of the monitoring procedures.
Selective maintenance of the complex system considering maintenance time uncertainty for system components with multiple repairpersons
Authors: Wang Haipeng , Li Kaiwen , Liu Zixuan , He Yuling , Zhou Fucheng , Zhai Ke , Bai Honghua , Huang Weiling
Published: October 2024

This research presents an innovative selected maintenance model for complex systems that considers the uncertainty in maintenance time (MT) for system components with multiple repairpersons. The computational model of uncertain MT for system components is established. An imperfect maintenance model is introduced, which has many imperfect maintenance levels not only considering do nothing, minimal repair, and replacement but also considering multiple intermediate maintenance levels. Furthermore, the system components maintenance assignment algorithm with multiple repairpersons is proposed to addresses the problem of how to assign multiple maintenance tasks to multiple repairpersons in order to minimize system MT. And it is innovatively integrated into the particle swarm optimization (PSO) to solve the proposed selective maintenance model, which enables heuristic algorithm to efficiently assign the multiple maintenance tasks with multiple repairpersons. The effectiveness and advantages of the proposed model and algorithm are verified by numerical experiments.
Dynamic event‐triggered sliding mode control of networked switched systems with imperfect transmissions
Authors: Wang Chunlian , Ma Tiedong , Bing Zhenshan , Knoll Alois , Su Xiaojie
Published: October 2024

As a significant type of dynamic systems, switched systems have been successfully applied to the construction of many engineering fields. Recently, the studies of networked switched control systems have received a lot of attention. However, the intervention of the network often causes the delay or packet loss during data transmission, resulting in incomplete data transmission. The paper studies a sliding mode observer design for above‐mentioned systems with external disturbance under an imperfect transmission communication link. By constructing a dynamic event generator, a dynamic event‐triggered mechanism between the event‐generator and controller is developed to save additional network bandwidth and improve system performance. A desirable sliding surface function is built to solve the complexity of system analysis problems caused by network‐induced delay and packet‐dropout‐induced imperfect transmission. Then, a corresponding event‐based integral‐type sliding mode observer is constructed to estimate inaccessible system states, guaranteeing the reachability of the sliding surface. Based on the augmented system dynamics, sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee exponent stability with a weighted ‐ performance level. Finally, two simulations are presented to demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Thermal Plasma‐Induced Surface Modifications Correlated With the Field Emission Properties of Copper
Authors: Ali Sajid , Akram Mahreen , Bashir Shazia , Rafique Muhammad Shahid , Naseem Shahzad , Riaz Saira , Shabbir Syed Muhammad Kamran , Kaleem Ahsan , Afzal Muhammad Ammar , Mahmood Khaliq , Ayub Rana Muhammad , Hamza Muhammad , Mehmood Muhammad Arif
Published: October 2024

The present work deals with the Argon (Ar) Thermal plasma‐induced surface modification of Cu and its correlation with the electrical and field emission (FE) properties. Polycrystalline Cu targets were treated with Ar thermal plasma under atmospheric pressure at different treatment times ranging from 5 min to 30 min. XRD patterns revealed the absence of new phase in treated samples. However, significant variation in peak intensities and shifting is observed, which is explained on the basis of thermal plasma ions induced defect generation and annihilation processes. The electrical conductivity of processed Cu targets measured by four‐probe method ranges from 1.9 MS/m to 70 MS/m and is well correlated with the crystallite size variation. Surface modification induced work function alternations investigated by employing Scanning Kelvin Probe (SKP) technique are in the range of 4.69 eV 4.97 eV. The irradiated morphology explored by optical and scanning electron microscopy analyses revealed the formation of localized melt pools, grains, hillocks, spheroids, and sputtered patches, which are explainable on the basis of Coulomb's explosion, thermal spike model, plasma‐induced sputtering, and re‐deposition. FE properties of thermal plasma‐treated Cu are measured in diode configuration by measuring I‐V characteristics of target under ultra‐high vacuum condition. The improved FE parameters such as turn‐on field (Eo), field enhancement factor (β), and maximum current density (Jmax) come out to be in the range of 3–7.5 V/μm, 1715–3223, and 284–872 nA/cm2, respectively and their correlation with plasma‐induced surface structural, morphological and work function modifications is discussed.