bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasma proteomic and metabolomic characterization of COVID-19 survivors 6 months after discharge
Authors: Li Hongwei , Li Xue , Wu Qian , Wang Xing , Qin Zhonghua , Wang Yaguo , He Yanbin , Wu Qi , Li Li , Chen Huaiyong
Published: March 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has gained prominence as a global pandemic. Studies have suggested that systemic alterations persist in a considerable proportion of COVID-19 patients after hospital discharge. We used proteomic and metabolomic approaches to analyze plasma samples obtained from 30 healthy subjects and 54 COVID-19 survivors 6 months after discharge from the hospital, including 30 non-severe and 24 severe patients. Through this analysis, we identified 1019 proteins and 1091 metabolites. The differentially expressed proteins and metabolites were then subjected to Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis. Among the patients evaluated, 41% of COVID-19 survivors reported at least one clinical symptom and 26.5% showed lung imaging abnormalities at 6 months after discharge. Plasma proteomics and metabolomics analysis showed that COVID-19 survivors differed from healthy control subjects in terms of the extracellular matrix, immune response, and hemostasis pathways. COVID-19 survivors also exhibited abnormal lipid metabolism, disordered immune response, and changes in pulmonary fibrosis-related proteins. COVID-19 survivors show persistent proteomic and metabolomic abnormalities 6 months after discharge from the hospital. Hence, the recovery period for COVID-19 survivors may be longer.
βIV-spectrin as a stalk cell-intrinsic regulator of VEGF signaling
Authors: Kwak Eun-A , Pan Christopher C. , Ramonett Aaron , Kumar Sanjay , Cruz-Flores Paola , Ahmed Tasmia , Ortiz Hannah R. , Lochhead Jeffrey J. , Ellis Nathan A. , Mouneimne Ghassan , Georgieva Teodora G. , Lee Yeon Sun , Vanderah Todd W. , Largent-Milnes Tally , Mohler Peter J. , Hund Thomas J. , Langlais Paul R. , Mythreye Karthikeyan , Lee Nam Y.
Published: March 2022

Defective angiogenesis underlies over 50 malignant, ischemic and inflammatory disorders yet long-term therapeutic applications inevitably fail, thus highlighting the need for greater understanding of the vast crosstalk and compensatory mechanisms. Based on proteomic profiling of angiogenic endothelial components, here we report βIV-spectrin, a non-erythrocytic cytoskeletal protein, as a critical regulator of sprouting angiogenesis. Early loss of endothelial-specific βIV-spectrin promotes embryonic lethality in mice due to hypervascularization and hemorrhagic defects whereas neonatal depletion yields higher vascular density and tip cell populations in developing retina. During sprouting, βIV-spectrin expresses in stalk cells to inhibit their tip cell potential by enhancing VEGFR2 turnover in a manner independent of most cell-fate determining mechanisms. Rather, βIV-spectrin recruits CaMKII to the plasma membrane to directly phosphorylate VEGFR2 at Ser984, a previously undefined phosphoregulatory site that strongly induces VEGFR2 internalization and degradation. These findings support a distinct spectrin-based mechanism of tip-stalk cell specification during vascular development.
Alpine permafrost could account for a quarter of thawed carbon based on Plio-Pleistocene paleoclimate analogue
Authors: Cheng Feng , Garzione Carmala , Li Xiangzhong , Salzmann Ulrich , Schwarz Florian , Haywood Alan M. , Tindall Julia , Nie Junsheng , Li Lin , Wang Lin , Abbott Benjamin W. , Elliott Ben , Liu Weiguo , Upadhyay Deepshikha , Arnold Alexandrea , Tripati Aradhna
Published: March 2022

Estimates of the permafrost-climate feedback vary in magnitude and sign, partly because permafrost carbon stability in warmer-than-present conditions is not well constrained. Here we use a Plio-Pleistocene lacustrine reconstruction of mean annual air temperature (MAAT) from the Tibetan Plateau, the largest alpine permafrost region on the Earth, to constrain past and future changes in permafrost carbon storage. Clumped isotope-temperatures (Δ47-T) indicate warmer MAAT (~1.2 °C) prior to 2.7 Ma, and support a permafrost-free environment on the northern Tibetan Plateau in a warmer-than-present climate. Δ47-T indicate ~8.1 °C cooling from 2.7 Ma, coincident with Northern Hemisphere glacial intensification. Combined with climate models and global permafrost distribution, these results indicate, under conditions similar to mid-Pliocene Warm period (3.3–3.0 Ma), ~60% of alpine permafrost containing ~85 petagrams of carbon may be vulnerable to thawing compared to ~20% of circumarctic permafrost. This estimate highlights ~25% of permafrost carbon and the permafrost-climate feedback could originate in alpine areas.
Extended topological valley-locked surface acoustic waves
Authors: Wang Ji-Qian , Zhang Zi-Dong , Yu Si-Yuan , Ge Hao , Liu Kang-Fu , Wu Tao , Sun Xiao-Chen , Liu Le , Chen Hua-Yang , He Cheng , Lu Ming-Hui , Chen Yan-Feng
Published: March 2022

Stable and efficient guided waves are essential for information transmission and processing. Recently, topological valley-contrasting materials in condensed matter systems have been revealed as promising infrastructures for guiding classical waves, for they can provide broadband, non-dispersive and reflection-free electromagnetic/mechanical wave transport with a high degree of freedom. In this work, by designing and manufacturing miniaturized phononic crystals on a semi-infinite substrate, we experimentally realized a valley-locked edge transport for surface acoustic waves (SAWs). Critically, original one-dimensional edge transports could be extended to quasi-two-dimensional ones by doping SAW Dirac “semimetal” layers at the boundaries. We demonstrate that SAWs in the extended topological valley-locked edges are robust against bending and wavelength-scaled defects. Also, this mechanism is configurable and robust depending on the doping, offering various on-chip acoustic manipulation, e.g., SAW routing, focusing, splitting, and converging, all flexible and high-flow. This work may promote future hybrid phononic circuits for acoustic information processing, sensing, and manipulation.
Microfluidic manipulation by spiral hollow-fibre actuators
Authors: Li Sitong , Zhang Rui , Zhang Guanghao , Shuai Luyizheng , Chang Wang , Hu Xiaoyu , Zou Min , Zhou Xiang , An Baigang , Qian Dong , Liu Zunfeng
Published: March 2022

A microfluidic manipulation system that can sense a liquid and control its flow is highly desirable. However, conventional sensors and motors have difficulty fitting the limited space in microfluidic devices; moreover, fast sensing and actuation are required because of the fast liquid flow in the hollow fibre. In this study, fast torsional and tensile actuators were developed using hollow fibres employing spiral nonlinear stress, which can sense the fluid temperature and sort the fluid into the desired vessels. The fluid-driven actuation exhibited a highly increased response speed (27 times as fast as that of air-driven actuation) and increased power density (90 times that of an air-driven solid fibre actuator). A 0.5 K fluid temperature fluctuation produced a 20° rotation of the hollow fibre. These high performances originated from increments in both heat transfer and the average bias angle, which was understood through theoretical analysis. This work provides a new design strategy for intelligent microfluidics and inspiration for soft robots and smart devices for biological, optical, or magnetic applications.
PanCancer analysis of somatic mutations in repetitive regions reveals recurrent mutations in snRNA U2
Authors: Bousquets-Muñoz Pablo , Díaz-Navarro Ander , Nadeu Ferran , Sánchez-Pitiot Ana , López-Tamargo Sara , Shuai Shimin , Balbín Milagros , Tubio Jose M. C. , Beà Sílvia , Martin-Subero Jose I. , Gutiérrez-Fernández Ana , Stein Lincoln D. , Campo Elías , Puente Xose S.
Published: March 2022

Current somatic mutation callers are biased against repetitive regions, preventing the identification of potential driver alterations in these loci. We developed a mutation caller for repetitive regions, and applied it to study repetitive non protein-coding genes in more than 2200 whole-genome cases. We identified a recurrent mutation at position c.28 in the gene encoding the snRNA U2. This mutation is present in B-cell derived tumors, as well as in prostate and pancreatic cancer, suggesting U2 c.28 constitutes a driver candidate associated with worse prognosis. We showed that the GRCh37 reference genome is incomplete, lacking the U2 cluster in chromosome 17, preventing the identification of mutations in this gene. Furthermore, the 5′-flanking region of WDR74, previously described as frequently mutated in cancer, constitutes a functional copy of U2. These data reinforce the relevance of non-coding mutations in cancer, and highlight current challenges of cancer genomic research in characterizing mutations affecting repetitive genes.
Distinctive pattern of neutrophil count change in clozapine-associated, life-threatening agranulocytosis
Authors: Taylor David , Vallianatou Kalliopi , Whiskey Eromona , Dzahini Olubanke , MacCabe James
Published: March 2022

The wider use of clozapine is limited by the risk of agranulocytosis and the associated requirement for monitoring of neutrophil counts. We searched local electronic patient records for cases of agranulocytosis occurring during clozapine treatment during the period 2007–2020. We found 23 episodes recorded as agranulocytosis in clozapine patients. Of these, nine met pre-defined criteria and were considered episodes of life-threatening agranulocytosis (LTA). These episodes of clozapine-induced LTA exhibited a distinct pattern of continuous and rapid neutrophil count decline to zero or near zero. Mean time for neutrophils to fall from ANC > 2 to ANC <0.5 × 109/L was 8.4 days (range 2–15 days). Each event was also characterised by a prolonged nadir and delayed recovery (range 4–16 days). Non-LTA episodes were, in contrast, brief and benign. We conclude that an important proportion of cases of agranulocytosis identified in people prescribed clozapine are not life-threatening and may not even be clozapine-related. Monitoring schemes should aim to identify true clozapine-induced LTA as opposed to threshold-defined nominal agranulocytosis. Genetics studies might benefit from examining associations with clozapine-induced LTA rather than with recorded cases of agranulocytosis or neutropenia.
Intranasal administration of BReC-CoV-2 COVID-19 vaccine protects K18-hACE2 mice against lethal SARS-CoV-2 challenge
Authors: Wong Ting Y. , Lee Katherine S. , Russ Brynnan P. , Horspool Alexander M. , Kang Jason , Winters Michael T. , Allison Wolf M. , Rader Nathaniel A. , Miller Olivia A. , Shiflett Morgane , Izac Jerilyn , Varisco David , Sen-Kilic Emel , Cunningham Casey , Cooper Melissa , Cyphert Holly A. , Barbier Mariette , Martinez Ivan , Bevere Justin R. , Ernst Robert K. , Damron F. Heath
Published: March 2022

SARS-CoV-2 is a viral respiratory pathogen responsible for the current global pandemic and the disease that causes COVID-19. All current WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines are administered through the muscular route. We have developed a prototype two-dose vaccine (BReC-CoV-2) by combining the Receptor Binding Domain (RBD) antigen, via conjugation to Diphtheria toxoid (EcoCRM®). The vaccine is adjuvanted with Bacterial Enzymatic Combinatorial Chemistry (BECC), BECC470. Intranasal (IN) administration of BreC-CoV-2 in K18-hACE2 mice induced a strong systemic and localized immune response in the respiratory tissues which provided protection against the Washington strain of SARS-CoV-2. Protection provided after IN administration of BReC-CoV-2 was associated with decreased viral RNA copies in the lung, robust RBD IgA titers in the lung and nasal wash, and induction of broadly neutralizing antibodies in the serum. We also observed that BReC-CoV-2 vaccination administered using an intramuscular (IM) prime and IN boost protected mice from a lethal challenge dose of the Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2. IN administration of BReC-CoV-2 provided better protection than IM only administration to mice against lethal challenge dose of SARS-CoV-2. These data suggest that the IN route of vaccination induces localized immune responses that can better protect against SARS-CoV-2 than the IM route in the upper respiratory tract.
Population genomics of Escherichia coli in livestock-keeping households across a rapidly developing urban landscape
Authors: Muloi Dishon M. , Wee Bryan A. , McClean Deirdre M. H. , Ward Melissa J. , Pankhurst Louise , Phan Hang , Ivens Alasdair C. , Kivali Velma , Kiyong’a Alice , Ndinda Christine , Gitahi Nduhiu , Ouko Tom , Hassell James M. , Imboma Titus , Akoko James , Murungi Maurice K. , Njoroge Samuel M. , Muinde Patrick , Nakamura Yukiko , Alumasa Lorren , Furmaga Erin , Kaitho Titus , Öhgren Elin M. , Amanya Fredrick , Ogendo Allan , Wilson Daniel J. , Bettridge Judy M. , Kiiru John , Kyobutungi Catherine , Tacoli Cecila , Kang’ethe Erastus K. , Davila Julio D. , Kariuki Samuel , Robinson Timothy P. , Rushton Jonathan , Woolhouse Mark E. J. , Fèvre Eric M.
Published: March 2022

Quantitative evidence for the risk of zoonoses and the spread of antimicrobial resistance remains lacking. Here, as part of the UrbanZoo project, we sampledEscherichia colifrom humans, livestock and peri-domestic wildlife in 99 households across Nairobi, Kenya, to investigate its distribution among host species in this rapidly developing urban landscape. We performed whole-genome sequencing of 1,338E. coliisolates and found that the diversity and sharing patterns ofE. coliwere heavily structured by household and strongly shaped by host type. We also found evidence for inter-household and inter-host sharing and, importantly, between humans and animals, although this occurs much less frequently. Resistome similarity was differently distributed across host and household, consistent with being driven by shared exposure to antimicrobials. Our results indicate that a large, epidemiologically structured sampling framework combined with WGS is needed to uncover strain-sharing events among different host populations in complex environments and the major contributing pathways that could ultimately drive the emergence of zoonoses and the spread of antimicrobial resistance.
Dataset of first appearances of the scholarly bibliographic references on Wikipedia articles
Authors: Kikkawa Jiro , Takaku Masao , Yoshikane Fuyuki
Published: March 2022

Referencing scholarly documents as information sources on Wikipedia is important because it supports or improves the quality of Wikipedia content. Several studies have been conducted regarding scholarly references on Wikipedia; however, little is known of the editors and their edits contributing to add the scholarly references on Wikipedia. In this study, we develop a methodology to detect the oldest scholarly reference added to Wikipedia articles by which a certain paper is uniquely identifiable as the “first appearance of the scholarly reference.” We identified the first appearances of 923,894 scholarly references (611,119 unique DOIs) in 180,795 unique pages on English Wikipedia as of March 1, 2017 and stored them in the dataset. Moreover, we assessed the precision of the dataset, which was highly precise regardless of the research field. Finally, we demonstrate the potential of our dataset. This dataset is unique and attracts those who are interested in how the scholarly references on Wikipedia grew and which editors added them.
Induction of an immortalized songbird cell line allows for gene characterization and knockout by CRISPR-Cas9
Authors: Biegler Matthew T. , Fedrigo Olivier , Collier Paul , Mountcastle Jacquelyn , Haase Bettina , Tilgner Hagen U. , Jarvis Erich D.
Published: March 2022

The zebra finch is one of the most commonly studied songbirds in biology, particularly in genomics, neuroscience and vocal communication. However, this species lacks a robust cell line for molecular biology research and reagent optimization. We generated a cell line, designated CFS414, from zebra finch embryonic fibroblasts using the SV40 large and small T antigens. This cell line demonstrates an improvement over previous songbird cell lines through continuous and density-independent growth, allowing for indefinite culture and monoclonal line derivation. Cytogenetic, genomic, and transcriptomic profiling established the provenance of this cell line and identified the expression of genes relevant to ongoing songbird research. Using this cell line, we disrupted endogenous gene sequences using S.aureus Cas9 and confirmed a stress-dependent localization response of a song system specialized gene, SAP30L. The utility of CFS414 cells enhances the comprehensive molecular potential of the zebra finch and validates cell immortalization strategies in a songbird species.
A preliminary study of the diagnostic efficacy and safety of the novel boring biopsy for brain lesions
Authors: Ogiwara Toshihiro , Nitta Junpei , Fujii Yu , Watanabe Gen , Kuwabara Haruki , Agata Masahiro , Kobayashi Hideki , Miyaoka Yoshinari , Kitamura Satoshi , Hanaoka Yoshiki , Goto Tetsuya , Iwaya Mai , Hongo Kazuhiro , Horiuchi Tetsuyoshi
Published: March 2022

Existing methods for biopsy of intraparenchymal brain lesions, including stereotactic biopsy and open block biopsy, have advantages and disadvantages. We propose a novel biopsy method, called “boring biopsy,” which aims to overcome the drawbacks of each conventional method. This method is less invasive and allows obtaining continuous specimens of sufficient volume. We aimed to assess the feasibility and efficacy of using boring biopsy for intraparenchymal brain lesions. We included 26 consecutive patients who underwent boring biopsy for intraparenchymal lesions. Columnar continuous specimens from the surface of the normal brain tissue to the tumor margin and the center of the lesion were obtained using the boring biopsy method. We used a catheter introducer with original modifications to create a cylindrical biopsy tool for surgery. Columnar continuous specimens were successfully obtained. Histopathological diagnosis was based on cellular changes and differentiation from normal tissues to the core of the lesion and established in all cases. No permanent deficits, major adverse outcomes, or deaths were observed. This novel technique may improve diagnostic accuracy and reduce invasiveness associated with brain biopsy. This method may become the next standard procedure, particularly in some cases where histological evaluation is paramount, and conventional biopsy methods are not suitable.
Urine autotaxin levels reflect the disease activity of sarcoidosis
Authors: Murakami Koji , Tamada Tsutomu , Saigusa Daisuke , Miyauchi Eisaku , Nara Masayuki , Ichinose Masakazu , Kurano Makoto , Yatomi Yutaka , Sugiura Hisatoshi
Published: March 2022

Since the clinical outcome of patients with sarcoidosis is still unpredictable, a good prognostic biomarker is necessary. Autotaxin (ATX) and phosphatidylserine-specific phospholipase A1 (PS-PLA1) function as main enzymes to produce lysophospholipids (LPLs), and these enzymes are attracting attention as useful biomarkers for several chronic inflammatory diseases. Here, we investigated the relationships between LPLs-producing enzymes and the disease activity of sarcoidosis. In total, 157 patients with sarcoidosis (active state, 51%) were consecutively enrolled. Using plasma or urine specimens, we measured the values of LPLs-producing enzymes. Urine ATX (U-ATX) levels were significantly lower in the active state compared to those in the inactive state, while the plasma ATX (P-ATX) and PS-PLA1 levels showed no significant difference between these two states. Concerning the comparison with existing clinical biomarkers for sarcoidosis, U-ATX showed a weak negative correlation to ACE, P-ATX a weak positive correlation to both ACE and sIL-2R, and PS-PLA1 a weak positive one to sIL-2R. Notably, only the U-ATX levels inversely fluctuated depending on the status of disease activity whether OCS had been used or not. These findings suggest that U-ATX is likely to be a novel and useful molecule for assessing the disease activity of sarcoidosis.
Comprehensive biomarker profiles and chemometric filtering of urinary metabolomics for effective discrimination of prostate carcinoma from benign hyperplasia
Authors: Amante Eleonora , Cerrato Andrea , Alladio Eugenio , Capriotti Anna Laura , Cavaliere Chiara , Marini Federico , Montone Carmela Maria , Piovesana Susy , Laganà Aldo , Vincenti Marco
Published: March 2022

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in male individuals, principally affecting men over 50 years old, and is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. Actually, the measurement of prostate-specific antigen level in blood is affected by limited sensitivity and specificity and cannot discriminate PCa from benign prostatic hyperplasia patients (BPH). In the present paper, 20 urine samples from BPH patients and 20 from PCa patients were investigated to develop a metabolomics strategy useful to distinguish malignancy from benign hyperplasia. A UHPLC-HRMS untargeted approach was carried out to generate two large sets of candidate biomarkers. After mass spectrometric analysis, an innovative chemometric data treatment was employed involving PLS-DA classification with repeated double cross-validation and permutation test to provide a rigorously validated PLS-DA model. Simultaneously, this chemometric approach filtered out the most effective biomarkers and optimized their relative weights to yield the highest classification efficiency. An unprecedented portfolio of prostate carcinoma biomarkers was tentatively identified including 22 and 47 alleged candidates from positive and negative ion electrospray (ESI+ and ESI−) datasets. The PLS-DA model based on the 22 ESI+ biomarkers provided a sensitivity of 95 ± 1% and a specificity of 83 ± 3%, while that from the 47 ESI− biomarkers yielded an 88 ± 3% sensitivity and a 91 ± 2% specificity. Many alleged biomarkers were annotated, belonging to the classes of carnitine and glutamine metabolites, C21 steroids, amino acids, acetylcholine, carboxyethyl-hydroxychroman, and dihydro(iso)ferulic acid.
Hospitalization rates from radiotherapy complications in the United States
Authors: Tonse Raees , Ramamoorthy Venkataraghavan , Rubens Muni , Saxena Anshul , McGranaghan Peter , Veledar Emir , Hall Matthew D. , Chuong Michael D. , Ahluwalia Manmeet S. , Mehta Minesh P. , Kotecha Rupesh
Published: March 2022

Hospitalizations due to radiotherapy (RT) complications result in significant healthcare expenditures and adversely affect the quality of life of cancer patients. Using a nationally representative dataset, the objective of this study is to identify trends in the incidence of these hospitalizations, their causes, and the resulting financial burden. Data from the National Inpatient Sample was retrospectively analyzed from 2005 to 2016. RT complications were identified using ICD-9 and ICD-10 external cause-of-injury codes. The hospitalization rate was the primary endpoint, with cost and in-hospital death as secondary outcomes. 443,222,223 weighted hospitalizations occurred during the study period, of which 482,525 (0.11%) were attributed to RT. The 3 most common reasons for RT-related hospitalization were cystitis (4.8%, standard error [SE] = 0.09), gastroenteritis/colitis (3.7%, SE = 0.07), and esophagitis (3.5%, SE = 0.07). Aspiration pneumonitis (1.4-fold) and mucositis (1.3-fold) had the highest relative increases among these hospitalizations from 2005 to 2016, while esophagitis (0.58-fold) and disorders of the rectum and anus were the lowest (0.67-fold). The median length of stay of patient for hospitalization for RT complications was 4.1 (IQR, 2.2–7.5) days and the median charge per patient was $10,097 (IQR, 5755–18,891) and the total cost during the study period was $4.9 billion. Hospitalization for RT-related complications is relatively rare, but those that are admitted incur a substantial cost. Use of advanced RT techniques should be employed whenever possible to mitigate the risk of severe toxicity and therefore reduce the need to admit patients.
Optimizing cathodoluminescence microscopy of buried interfaces through nanoscale heterostructure design
Authors: Francaviglia Luca , Zipfel Jonas , Carlstroem Johan , Sridhar Sriram , Riminucci Fabrizio , Blach Daria , Wong Ed , Barnard Edward , Watanabe Kenji , Taniguchi Takashi , Weber-Bargioni Alexander , Ogletree D. Frank , Aloni Shaul , Raja Archana
Published: March 2022

Spatial resolution and brightness in cathodoluminescence can be tuned by nanoscale design of samples.
Electrophilic hydrophosphonylation of aldimines with alkylphosphonochloridates provides access to (E)-alk-1-enylphosphonamidates
Authors: Fu Zhicheng , Lei Yelong , Sun Fang , Xu Jiaxi
Published: March 2022

Both linear and cyclic aldimines are electrophilically hydrophosphonylated with alkylphosphonochloridates in the presence of base to directly afford α,β-unsaturated (E)-alkenylphosphonamidates with excellent stereoselectivity.
Cononsolvency of thermoresponsive polymers: where we are now and where we are going
Authors: Bharadwaj Swaminath , Niebuur Bart-Jan , Nothdurft Katja , Richtering Walter , van der Vegt Nico F. A. , Papadakis Christine M.
Published: March 2022

Overview of the recent developments focussing on the connection between cononsolvency and the preferential adsorption of the cosolvent. Discussion about the problems and challenges which are yet to be addressed.
Online Reviews of Hearing Aid Acquisition and Use: A Qualitative Thematic Analysis
Authors: Heselton Tayla , Bennett Rebecca J. , Manchaiah Vinaya , Swanepoel De Wet
Published: March 2022

Purpose:

Online reviews have become increasingly common for consumers to share their experiences about products and to assist potential consumers with decision making. The current study was aimed to understand the hearing aid user experience from online consumer reviews using qualitative analysis.

Method:

The study used a qualitative thematic analysis to analyze open text responses from consumers leaving hearing aid reviews on the
http://www.HearingTracker.com
website. One thousand three hundred seventy-eight online consumer hearing aid reviews (open-text responses) were extracted and analyzed.

Results:

Three domains emerged within the data set, containing 11 themes and 136 subthemes. Domain one (Clinical Processes) contained two themes: Hearing Assessment and Hearing Aid Acquisition. Domain two (The Device) contained five themes: Function, Performance, Physical, Device Management, and Maintenance. Domain three (The Person) contained four themes: Satisfaction, Quality of Life, Personal Adjustment, and Knowledge. The themes gave an understanding that there were a contribution of factors that formed part of a consumers hearing aid user experience.

Conclusions:

Hearing aid users described a range of positive, negative, and neutral descriptions online about their hearing aid user experience and gave advice to fellow hearing aid users helping clinicians improve their hearing aid fitting skills in practice. These findings have implications to future product development as well as service delivery model in terms of developing strategies for fostering patient-centered audiological practice.
Iterative Development of Caregiver-Implemented Behavioral Intervention via Telehealth: A Focus on Feasibility
Authors: Neely Leslie C. , Carnett Amarie , Hansen Sarah , Courtney Meghan , Cantrell Katherine
Published: March 2022

Purpose:

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) interventions are considered an evidence-based practice for individuals with autism spectrum disorder. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, behavior analytic professionals quickly pivoted ABA therapy to the telehealth modality to ensure continuity of services. In particular, this modality has been reported to be particularly effective for caregiver training. As the world transitions from the pandemic, sustainability of the telehealth modality is now in question, with consumer perceptions regarding the feasibility of telehealth identified as crucial to long-term adoption.

Method:

The article presents two studies conducted over 2 years within a larger host study. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to develop an acceptable and feasible telehealth model by focusing on three aspects of behavioral intervention via telehealth: (a) usability and feasibility of the program as rated by caregivers and coaches, (b) effect of the program on caregiver stress, and (c) choice of telehealth dosage.

Results:

Results from Study 1 indicate the telehealth modality was usable and feasible for the caregivers and trainers but that they had difficulty scheduling sessions into their daily schedule. Results from Study 1 also suggest that caregiver-led intervention via telehealth led to increased caregiver sense of competency including increased sense of efficacy and satisfaction. Results from Study 2 indicate that caregivers prefer limited or focused services via telehealth as compared to more comprehensive services.

Conclusion:

Overall, these findings confirm previous research identifying the telehealth modality as feasible but highlight the need to account for impact of the dosage on caregivers.
Optimal downlink and uplink design in a wireless powered two‐user indoor communication system
Authors: M.S. Syam , Che Yue Ling , Luo Sheng , Wu Kaishun
Published: March 2022

This paper applies the wireless powered communication network (WPCN) to an indoor communication system with two energy harvesting (EH) enabled users. Unlike the existing WPCN works designed for outdoor communications, where each user harvests energy only from the signals transmitted by a dedicatedly deployed hybrid access point (H‐AP), due to the short device‐to‐device distance in the indoor scenario, each user additionally harvests a sufficient amount of energy from the information signals transmitted by the H‐AP and the other user. First, the joint downlink and uplink throughput are maximized for the wireless powered indoor communication system. This problem is non‐convex. Thus, the authors manage to transform this problem into a convex one and solve it using convex optimization techniques. The solutions reveal that the total throughput increases largely over a reduced device‐to‐device distance due to the resultant harvested energy from both energy and information signals at each user. However, an unfair downlink versus uplink rate allocation phenomenon is observed. Thus, considering the importance of uplink communication quality for various indoor applications, a new problem is further proposed to maximize the uplink sum‐throughput over both users with an additional constraint to ensure a sufficient downlink rate. This problem is also shown to be non‐convex and is solved optimally by using a method similar to that in the first problem. Numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach for improving the downlink versus uplink rate allocation fairness in the indoor wireless‐powered communication system.
Parameter setting method of coordinated control between synchronous condenser and DC system based on dynamic reactive power optimization
Authors: Mo Jingshan , Yan Wei , Chen Xiaolin , Zhang Ziwei
Published: March 2022

It is of great significance for improving the safety and stability of the system to realize the coordinated and optimal control between synchronous condenser and DC system in UHVDC converter station. However, the existing dynamic reactive power optimization methods emphasize that the two systems can be scheduled uniformly, which are independent in actual engineering. Therefore, an area‐diagram strategy for synchronous condenser and a dividing‐stage strategy of reactive power exchange for AC/DC system are proposed here. Then, the setting methods of control parameters for the two systems based on dynamic reactive power optimization are proposed. The work of this paper fully considers the abilities and requirements of the two systems. Taking an UHVDC converter station in Northeast China as an example, the effectiveness of the proposed method is analysed. The simulation results show that the proposed method can effectively reduce the operation times of reactive power compensation devices and improve the operation level of system voltage.
Analysis of voltage vectors and realization method of torque ripple reduction for BLDCM
Authors: Yang Jianfei , Zhang Yongmin , Cao Wei , Qiu Xin , Wang Riming , Zhu Bing
Published: March 2022

BLDCMs are widely used in automotive, industrial and intelligent equipment fields due to their high power density, simple control, and good dynamic performance. However, its non‐sinusoidal characteristics have brought problems such as turn‐off phase freewheeling to the research and application of BLDCM DTC. This paper proposes the definition, particular characteristic analysis, selection scheme and realization method of the voltage vector, especially the novel zero‐voltage vector. Based on the novel zero‐voltage and twelve‐sector vector selection switch table, an improved PWM modulation strategy in a single cycle is proposed to cooperate with them to achieve the reduction of torque ripple. Finally, the correctness and feasibility of the proposed voltage vector and control strategy theory are verified by a series of experiments.
Security in flexibility: accessing land and water for irrigation in Kenya’s changing rural environment
Authors: Duker Annelieke E.C. , Karimba Benson Mutuma , Wani Grace E. , Prasad Pooja , Van der Zaag Pieter , De Fraiture Charlotte
Published: March 2022

In the semi-arid lands of southern Kenya, a dynamic process of farmer-led irrigation has developed over the past two decades. It is characterised by short-term agreements to access land and water. Resident and migrant farmers, capital providers and local landowners have engaged in diverse partnerships to benefit from water and land along the Olkeriai sand river. This study aims to unravel which actors and motives drive the resulting highly dynamic forms of irrigation. Surveys, in-depth interviews and mapping exercises with farmers, capital providers and landowners were conducted over a period of 1.5 years. The results show that involved actors favour short-term lease and partnership arrangements and farmers frequently change fields along the river or leave the area and return. It is primarily the migrant farmers and capital providers who take decisions on when and where to move. They are informed by their experience with production factors, financial gains and losses, partner relations, or the ability to expand. We conclude that individualisation of land rights, migration, abundance of water, proximate markets, and rural-urban networks are instrumental to the emergence of this dynamic form of agriculture. Farmers have found a degree of security in flexibility, to access land and water in shifting fields and partners, rather than in property rights for specific plots. Yet, the short-term scope of these operations for monetary gains raises concerns about the sustainable use of land and water resources in the region.
Design of Ultra-Wideband (UWB) Bandpass Filters Based on Interdigital Edge Coupled Lines: A Review
Authors: Firmli Maroua , Zatni Abdelkarim
Published: March 2022

Since several decades ago, parallel coupled lines have found an extensive range of applications in order to design microwave circuits such us filter, impedance transformers and couplers. It gives advantages in term of low cost, easier integration with other devices and controllable performances by changing coupling coefficient between lines. This paper presents a review of parallel two and three interdigital coupled lines bandpass filters for ultra-Wideband (UWB) communication systems during previous years to achieve a fraction passband from 3.1 GHz to 10.6 GHz and then a FBW that can reach 109%. Different structures such as multiple-mode resonator, Short Circuited Stubs, Open stub, Stepped-impedance resonators and Rectangular Ring have been reportedly used to ameliorate the performances of developed filters.
Utilization of the Prim Algorithm to Determine the Nearest Path Car Transportation Problems of Goods Carrier Box
Authors: Paryati  , Krit Salahddine
Published: March 2022

Prim’s algorithm has been proven to be able to be used in determining the closest path, minimum spanning tree in the problem of transporting box cars carrying goods. Based on the results of theoretical analysis tests that have been carried out from several experimental data, it can be obtained results showing that, the results of Prim’s algorithm complexity are as follows O(n2). By defining n here is the number of vertices contained in the graph. So it can be concluded that, empirically, the data from the average travel time of this prim algorithm shows a graph that has a quadratic nature. As for the large number of edges contained in a graph, it has no effect on the complexity of finding the nearest path, the problem of transporting box cars carrying goods is a minimum spanning tree using the Prims algorithm.
Predicting the baccalaureate students admission: The influence of teacher and administration
Authors: Essayad Abdesslam , Kassimi My Abdellah
Published: March 2022

In recent years, many data has been created about the field of education in Morocco after the introduction of the Education Information System since 2013, which can be used to study the results of the baccalaureate. According to the statistics given by the Moroccan Ministry of Education, the results of the baccalaureate were not more than 60% before 2017, and starting from 2018 the results began to rise due to several changes in the Morocco educational system. However, the number of students who dropped out of the qualifying secondary school was 67,000, with a percentage of 7.4% in 2019-2020. In this paper, the challenge is to create a model using several techniques from machine learning that will enable us to predict the results of the current school year after studying the results of previous years. This will helps decision-makers to improve students’ performance and explore the important factors that influence the prediction of the school-year end outcomes.
Dimensionality Reduction: Challenges and Solutions
Authors: Ahmad Noor , Nassif Ali Bou
Published: March 2022

The use of dimensionality reduction techniques is a keystone for analyzing and interpreting high dimensional data. These techniques gather several data features of interest, such as dynamical structure, input-output relationships, the correlation between data sets, covariance, etc. Dimensionality reduction entails mapping a set of high dimensional data features onto low dimensional data. Motivated by the lack of learning models’ performance due to the high dimensionality data, this study encounters five distinct dimensionality reduction methods. Besides, a comparison between reduced dimensionality data and the original one using statistical and machine learning models is conducted thoroughly.
Optimization study of the cementitious matrix for the confinement of radioactive ion exchange resins: preparation and characterization
Authors: Sadiq Asmae , Moukrim Nihal , Naamane Ayoub , Faiz Zineb , El Ghailassi Touria , Bouih Abderahim , Hannache Hassan , Fakhi Said
Published: March 2022

In order to optimize the formulation of the conditioning matrix of the Ion Exchange Resins (IER) (MBD-15), considered as radioactive waste generated by the TRIGA MARK II nuclear reactor of the CENM, we carried out several tests by fixing the percentage of cement and by modifying the percentages of the resins to be confined (0 - 14%) and that of water. On the other hand, we performed another test to illustrate the role of an aggregate such as sand, in the cement matrix. The measured response of all the tests carried out is evaluated by the compressive strength of the matrix, after a time of 7, 14 and 28 days of confinement. The results obtained show that the maximum amount of IER that can be incorporated into a formulation without the package losing its strength is 12%. The addition of an aggregate (sand) in the cement matrix increases its compressive strength.
Writer identification using textural features
Authors: Lazrak Said , Semma Abdelillah , Ahmer El Kaab Noureddine , El Youssfi El Kettani Mohamed , Mentagui Driss
Published: March 2022

Writer Identification has gained increasing importance in the scientific community in recent years. In this paper, we propose an approach based on the combination of local textural descriptors and encoding methods (VLAD and Triangulation Embedding). The tests carried out in the bilingual LAMIS dataset made it possible to reach 100% in the Arabic version and 100% in the French version.
A Review of the integrated WEF nexus modeling platform in the NENA region: Morocco case study
Authors: Hazig Mohamed Zakaria , Dadda Afaf , Ouhbi Brahim
Published: March 2022

Nowadays, the world is recognizing the water-food-energy (WEF) as a conceptual framework that aims to the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The WEF Nexus is being developed to support the integrity of national and more importantly local projects in the cross-sectoral partnerships and coordination to enhance the sustainable development outcomes from the different projects as well as avoiding the trade-offs. Most importantly, building a great synergy between the sectors is challenged by sectorial boundaries such as policy decisions, scaling investments, and cross-sectorial consequences, which leads to anticipation biases when it comes to social, economic, and environmental costs. This paper aims to review the latest integrated WEF Nexus modeling platform that has been developed in the NENA region during the project "Implementing the 2030 Agenda for Water Efficiency/Productivity and Water Sustainability in NENA Countries" (WEPS-NENA), led by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and supported by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
Seed polymerization and capacitive performances of polyaniline nanofibers
Authors: Xu Xian , Qin Zongyi
Published: March 2022

Polyaniline (PANI) nanofibers have great potential application as a lightweight and high-performance pseudocapacitive material for supercapacitors. In this work, aniline oligomers as the seeds are produced in weak acidic solution of phosphoric acid through dilution polymerization, then these seeds were used to promote the grow of PANI nanofibers in the condition of hydrochloric strong acidic by adding more aniline monomers again. The microstructure and capacitance performances of PANI nanofibers were investigated by SEM, FT-IR, XRD and electrochemical measurements. When the current density is 1 A g-1, the specific capacitance could be as high as 442.9 F g-1. This work provides a route for the simple and efficient preparation of electrode materials with excellent performance.
Maßnahmen zur Trendwende in Richtung Heimdialyse laufen
Authors: Hausmann Ralph
Published: March 2022

In Deutschland ist im internationalen Vergleich die Heimdialyse stark unterrepräsentiert. Wie die MAU-PD-Studie 1 ermittelte, erhalten von den ca. 80 000 dialysepflichtigen Personen nur etwa 6 % eine ambulante Peritonealdialyse (PD). Damit bildet Deutschland das Schlusslicht in Europa. Zu den Ursachen kommen die Studienautoren zu dem Schluss, dass die niedrige Rate auf einer über viele Jahre gewachsene Benachteiligung des Verfahrens beruht. Hinzu kämen Ausbildungsdefizite bei Nephrologinnen und Nephrologen sowie eine unzureichende Information der Patientinnen und Patienten. Die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Nephrologie (DGfN) hat reagiert und einen 10-Punkte-Plan zur Stärkung der Heimdialyse erarbeitet [

2

]. Dazu nimmt Prof. Dr. Hermann-Joseph Pavenstädt, Ärztlicher Direktor der Medizinischen Klinik und Poliklinik am Universitätsklinikum Münster und Präsident der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Nephrologie (DGfN), in einem Interview Stellung.
Die retrograde venöse Drainage beim Gefäßersatzshunt 2
Authors: Krönung Gerhard
Published: March 2022

Unterschiedliche Druck-/Flussmuster der Drainagevene beim Gefäßersatzshunt führen regelmäßig zu typischen Formen des Remodeling. Deren Kenntnis ist nicht nur für Indikation und Revision der betroffenen Gefäßersatzshunts wichtig, sondern auch für das grundsätzliche Verständnis der für die Shuntfunktionsdauer entscheidenden Remodeling-Dynamik.
Anwendung moderner Kontrastmittel in der MRT-Diagnostik
Authors: van der Giet Markus
Published: March 2022

Gadolinium haltige Kontrastmittel (GdKM) werden als Kontrastverstärker bei der Magnetresonanztomografie (MRT) eingesetzt. Allerdings gab es im Jahr 2006 Hinweise darauf, dass sich vor allem bei Patienten mit eingeschränkter Nierenfunktion (CKD IV und CKD V) nach der Applikation von GdKM als Komplikation eine nephrogene systemische Fibrose (NSF) entwickeln kann. Dies hat zu einer zunächst berechtigten massiven Zurückhaltung in der Nutzung der GdKM geführt. Zusätzlich folgten Warnungen seitens der Zulassungsbehörden. Mittlerweile konnte man aber die Ursachen identifizieren und dieses Problem vor allem den linearen GdKM zuordnen, während das Risiko einer NSF unter makrozyklischen GdKM extrem niedrig bis nicht vorhanden ist. Leider ist in der MRT-Diagnostik heute noch immer eine unnötige Zurückhaltung bei der Nutzung von GdKM zu beobachten, auch wenn seitens der Europäischen Gesellschaft für Radiologie noch nicht einmal eine verpflichtende Nierenfunktionsmessung bei Verwendung der makrozyklischen GdKM empfohlen wird. Deshalb muss man immer noch davon ausgehen, dass eine für den Patienten suboptimale Diagnostik durchgeführt wird, obwohl dies gerade bei Patienten mit CKD IV und CKD V nicht begründet ist.
Automatic detection of tumor vessels in indeterminate biliary strictures in digital single-operator cholangioscopy
Authors: Pereira Pedro , Mascarenhas Miguel , Ribeiro Tiago , Afonso João , Ferreira João P. S. , Vilas-Boas Filipe , Parente Marco P.L. , Jorge Renato N. , Macedo Guilherme
Published: March 2022

Background and study aims Indeterminate biliary strictures pose a significative clinical challenge. Dilated, irregular, and tortuous vessels, often described as tumor vessels, are frequently reported in biliary strictures with high malignancy potential during digital single-operator cholangioscopy (D-SOC). In recent years, the development of artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms for application to endoscopic practice has been intensely studied. We aimed to develop an AI algorithm for automatic detection of tumor vessels (TVs) in D-SOC images.

Patients and methods A convolutional neural network (CNN) was developed. A total of 6475 images from 85 patients who underwent D-SOC (Spyglass, Boston Scientific, Marlborough, Massachusetts, United States) were included. Each frame was evaluated for the presence of TVs. The performance of the CNN was measured by calculating the area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values.

Results The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value were 99.3 %, 99.4 %, 99.6% and 98.7 %, respectively. The AUC was 1.00.

Conclusions Our CNN was able to detect TVs with high accuracy. Development of AI algorithms may enhance the detection of macroscopic characteristics associated with high probability of biliary malignancy, thus optimizing the diagnostic workup of patients with indeterminate biliary strictures.
Mobilität in der Neurorehabilitation aus der Patientenperspektive
Authors: Egger Marion , Höhler Chiara
Published: March 2022

Mobilität. Mobil sein. Begriffe mit hoher Relevanz, die wir im Rehabilitationsalltag täglich benutzen. Doch was beinhalten sie genau? Und was bedeuten sie für Patienten?
Mobilitäts-Apps und Gang-Tracker zur Verbesserung der Mobilität in der Neurorehabilitation
Authors: Elsner Bernhard , Mehrholz Jan
Published: March 2022

Die nationalen Bewegungsempfehlungen für Erwachsene beziehen sich auch auf Patienten mit chronischen neurologischen Erkrankungen. Doch wie lässt sich dieser Bewegungsumfang erreichen? Eine relativ neue Lösung bietet das breite Spektrum an Mobilitäts-Apps.