bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elite career expectations of adolescents: Popularity, gender differences, and social divides
Authors: Guo Luyang , Hau Kit‐Tai
Published: July 2024

Introduction

The supply of elite professionals is crucial for economic development, yet little is understood about the appeal and influencing factors of these careers among young people across different economies. It remains unclear whether adolescents in academically high‐performing economies growingly expect emerging technological jobs in response to evolving workforce demands.

Methods

This research used the Programme for International Student Assessment 2000–2018 data in 24 high‐performing educational systems to examine the two‐decade trends in adolescents' expectations for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), medicine, law, business, and teaching careers. The popularity trend of these careers and the major impacts of gender, socioeconomic status, and academic ability were examined with multilevel logistic regression models.

Results

The findings indicated that developed economies such as Singapore, Canada, the United States of America, and the United Kingdom have successfully attracted a greater proportion of students to elite careers. In contrast, many high‐performing Asian economies, such as Korea, Japan, and Taipei, have not. STEM and medical fields primarily drew students with high math abilities, whereas legal professions attracted those with superior reading skills. Although girls generally expected teaching and legal careers and boys expected STEM fields, social and gender differences have narrowed over the past decades.

Conclusions

Many Western developed economies effectively attract a larger share of adolescents to STEM careers than their Asian counterparts. Although gender and social disparities persist, their impact has diminished. Effective human resource planning should be based on each country's unique trends and influencing factors to promote greater equality and inclusion in the workforce.
Non‐negligible ultrasonographic findings in sarcoid myositis: A case series and literature review
Authors: Lv Pan‐Pan , Xu Xia‐Yan , Han Yong‐Mei , Ma Yan , Li Shi‐Yan
Published: July 2024

Sarcoid myositis is a rare and often debilitating extrapulmonary manifestation of sarcoidosis that can be difficult to recognize without a prior sarcoidosis diagnosis. Sarcoidosis with muscle nodules or masses as the first symptom is the least common form, occurring in approximately 0.5%–2.3% of cases. This article presents four middle‐aged female patients who initially sought medical attention for a lower limb mass. Ultrasound examinations revealed consistent characteristic changes indicative of myositis. All patients underwent ultrasound‐guided muscle biopsy and were diagnosed with sarcoidosis. Therefore, ultrasonography plays a pivotal role as the primary diagnostic tool for the early detection of sarcoid myositis.
Labeling of the serotonergic neuronal circuits emerging from the raphe nuclei via some retrograde tracers
Authors: Hussein Mona N.
Published: July 2024

Serotonin (5‐hydroxytryptamine, 5‐HT) is a very important neurotransmitter emerging from the raphe nuclei to several brain regions. Serotonergic neuronal connectivity has multiple functions in the brain. In this study, several techniques were used to trace serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe (DR) and median raphe (MnR) that project toward the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (Arc), dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DM), lateral hypothalamic area (LH), paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVH), ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMH), fasciola cinereum (FC), and medial habenular nucleus (MHb). Cholera toxin subunit B (CTB), retro‐adeno‐associated virus (rAAV‐CMV‐mCherry), glycoprotein‐deleted rabies virus (RV‐ΔG), and simultaneous microinjection of rAAV2‐retro‐Cre‐tagBFP with AAV‐dio‐mCherry in C57BL/6 mice were used in this study. In addition, rAAV2‐retro‐Cre‐tagBFP was microinjected into Ai9 mice. Serotonin immunohistochemistry was used for the detection of retrogradely traced serotonergic neurons in the raphe nuclei. The results indicated that rAAV2‐retro‐Cre‐tagBFP microinjection in Ai9 mice was the best method for tracing serotonergic neuron circuits. All of the previously listed nuclei exhibited serotonergic neuronal projections from the DR and MnR, with the exception of the FC, which had very few projections from the DR. The serotonergic neuronal projections were directed toward the Arc by the subpeduncular tegmental (SPTg) nuclei. Moreover, the RV‐ΔG tracer revealed monosynaptic non‐serotonergic neuronal projections from the DR that were directed toward the Arc. Furthermore, rAAV tracers revealed monosynaptic serotonergic neuronal connections from the raphe nuclei toward Arc. These findings validate the variations in neurotropism among several retrograde tracers. The continued discovery of several novel serotonergic neural circuits is crucial for the future discovery of the functions of these circuits.

Research Highlights

Various kinds of retrograde tracers were microinjected into C57BL/6 and Ai9 mice.

The optimum method for characterizing serotonergic neuronal circuits is rAAV2‐retro‐Cre‐tagBFP microinjection in Ai9 mice.

The DR, MnR, and SPTg nuclei send monosynaptic serotonergic neuronal projections toward the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Whole‐brain quantification analysis of retrograde‐labeled neurons in different brain nuclei following rAAV2‐retro‐Cre‐tagBFP microinjection in the Arc, DM, LH, and VMH is shown.

Differential quantitative analysis of median and dorsal raphe serotonergic neurons emerging toward the PVH, DM, LH, Arc, VMH, MHb, and FC is shown.
Optimization of ultracentrifugation‐based method to enhance the purity and proteomic profiling depth of plasma‐derived extracellular vesicles and particles
Authors: Wan Zurong , Gu Jinghua , Balaji Uthra , Bojmar Linda , Molina Henrik , Heissel Søren , Pagano Alexandra E. , Peralta Christopher , Shaashua Lee , Ismailgeci Dorina , Narozniak Hope K. , Song Yi , Jarnagin William R. , Kelsen David P. , Bromberg Jaqueline , Pascual Virginia , Zhang Haiying
Published: July 2024

Circulating extracellular vesicles and particles (EVPs) are being investigated as potential biomarkers for early cancer detection, prognosis, and disease monitoring. However, the suboptimal purity of EVPs isolated from peripheral blood plasma has posed a challenge of in‐depth analysis of the EVP proteome. Here, we compared the effectiveness of different methods for isolating EVPs from healthy donor plasma, including ultracentrifugation (UC)‐based protocols, phosphatidylserine‐Tim4 interaction‐based affinity capture (referred to as “PS”), and several commercial kits. Modified UC methods with an additional UC washing or size exclusion chromatography step substantially improved EVP purity and enabled the detection of additional proteins via proteomic mass spectrometry, including many plasma membrane and cytoplasmic proteins involved in vesicular regulation pathways. This improved performance was reproduced in cancer patient plasma specimens, resulting in the identification of a greater number of differentially expressed EVP proteins, thus expanding the range of potential biomarker candidates. However, PS and other commercial kits did not outperform UC‐based methods in improving plasma EVP purity. PS yielded abundant contaminating proteins and a biased enrichment for specific EVP subsets, thus unsuitable for proteomic profiling of plasma EVPs. Therefore, we have optimized UC‐based protocols for circulating EVP isolation, which enable further in‐depth proteomic analysis for biomarker discovery.
The natural history of dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase deficiency in Israel
Authors: Pode‐Shakked Ben , Landau Yuval E. , Shaul Lotan Nava , Manor Joshua , Haham Nitsan , Kristal Eyal , Hershkovitz Eli , Hazan Guy , Haham Yarden , Almashanu Shlomo , Anikster Yair , Staretz‐Chacham Orna
Published: July 2024

Dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD) deficiency is an ultra‐rare autosomal‐recessive inborn error of metabolism, affecting no less than five mitochondrial multienzyme complexes. With approximately 30 patients reported to date, DLD deficiency was associated with three major clinical presentations: an early‐onset encephalopathic phenotype with metabolic acidosis, a predominantly hepatic presentation with liver failure, and a rare myopathic phenotype. To elucidate the demographic, phenotypic, and molecular characteristics of patients with DLD deficiency within the Israeli population, data were collected from metabolic disease specialists in four large tertiary medical centers in the center and south of Israel. Pediatric and adult patients with biallelic variants in DLD were included in the study. A total of 53 patients of 35 families were included in the cohort. Age at presentation ranged between birth and 10 years. Wide phenotypic variability was observed, from asymptomatic individuals in their sixth decade of life, to severe, neonatal‐onset disease with devastating neurological sequelae. Six DLD variants were noted, the most common of which was the c.685G>T (p.G229C) variant in homozygous form (24/53 patients, 45.3%; 13/35 families), observed mostly among patients of Ashkenazi‐Jewish descent, followed by the homozygous c.1436A>T (p.D479V) variant, found in 20 patients of Bedouin descent (37.7%; 16/35 families). Overall, patients did not necessarily present as one of the previously described distinct clinical phenotypes. DLD deficiency is a panethnic disorder, with significant phenotypic variability, and comprises a continuum, rather than three distinct clinical presentations.
Development of a cyclic ion mobility spectrometry‐mass spectrometry‐based collision cross‐section database of permethylated human milk oligosaccharides
Authors: Habibi Sanaz C. , Bradford Victoria R. , Baird Sophie C. , Lucas Shadrack Wilson , Chouinard Christopher D. , Nagy Gabe
Published: July 2024

Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are an important class of biomolecules responsible for the healthy development of the brain‐gut axis of infants. Unfortunately, their accurate characterization is largely precluded due to a variety of reasons – there are over 200 possible HMO structures whereas only 10s of these are available as authentic analytical standards. Furthermore, their isomeric heterogeneity stemming from their many possible glycosidic linkage positions and corresponding α/β anomericities further complicates their analyses. While liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry remains the gold standard for HMO analyses, it often times cannot resolve all possible isomeric species and thus warrants the development of other orthogonal approaches. High‐resolution ion mobility spectrometry coupled to mass spectrometry has emerged as a rapid alternative to condensed‐phase separations but largely has remained limited to qualitative information related to the resolution of isomers. In this work, we have assessed the use of permethylation to improve both the resolution and sensitivity of HMO analyses with cyclic ion mobility separations coupled with mass spectrometry. In addition to this, we have developed the first‐ever high‐resolution collision cross‐section database for permethylated HMOs using our previously established calibration protocol. We envision that this internal reference database generated from high‐resolution cyclic ion mobility spectrometry‐mass spectrometry will greatly aid in the accurate characterization of HMOs and provide a valuable, orthogonal, approach to existing liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry‐based methods.
From tyrosine to hydroxytyrosol: a pathway involving biologically active compounds and their determination in wines by ultra performance liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry
Authors: Gonzalez‐Ramirez Marina , Cerezo Ana B. , Valero Eva , Troncoso Ana M. , Garcia‐Parrilla M. Carmen
Published: July 2024

Background

Hydroxytyrosol (HT) is a bioactive compound present in a limited number of foods such as wines, olives, and olive oils. During alcoholic fermentation, yeast converts aromatic amino acids into higher alcohols such as tyrosol, which can undergo hydroxylation into HT. The aim of this study was to validate an analytical method using ultra performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS‐MS) to quantify HT and its precursors (tyrosine, hydroxyphenylpyruvic acid, hydroxyphenylacetaldehyde, 4‐hydroxyphenylacetic acid, and tyrosol) in wines. Their occurrence was evaluated in a total of 108 commercial Spanish wine samples.

Results

The validated method simultaneously determined both HT and its precursors, with adequate limits of detection between 0.065 and 21.86 ng mL−1 and quantification limits between 0.199 and 66.27 ng mL−1 in a 5 min run. The concentration of HT in red wines was significantly higher (0.12–2.24 mg L−1) than in white wines (0.01–1.27 mg L−1). The higher the alcoholic degree, the higher was the content of HT. The bioactive 4‐hydroxyphenylacetic acid was identified in Spanish wines for the first time at 3.90–127.47 mg L−1, being present in all the samples.

Conclusion

The highest HT concentrations were found in red wines and in wines with higher ethanol content. These data are useful for a further estimation of the intake of these bioactive compounds and to enlarge knowledge on chemical composition of wines. © 2024 The Author(s). Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
Blue Light Compromises Bacterial β‐Lactamases Activity to Overcome β‐Lactam Resistance
Authors: dos Anjos Carolina , Wang Yin , Truong‐Bolduc Que Chi , Bolduc Paul K. , Liu Matthew , Hooper David C. , Anderson R. Rox , Dai Tianhong , Leanse Leon G.
Published: July 2024

Objective

In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of antimicrobial blue light (aBL; 410 nm wavelength) against β‐lactamase‐carrying bacteria and the effect of aBL on the activity of β‐lactamases.

Methods

Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae strains carrying β‐lactamases as well as a purified β‐lactamase enzymes were studied. β‐lactamase activity was assessed using a chromogenic cephalosporin hydrolysis assay. Additionally, we evaluated the role of porphyrins in the photoreaction, as well as protein degradation by sodium dodecyl‐sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). Finally, we investigated the bactericidal effect of combined aBL‐ceftazidime exposure against a metallo‐β‐lactamase expressing P. aeruginosa strain.

Results

Our study demonstrated that aBL effectively killed β‐lactamase‐producing bacteria and reduced β‐lactamase activity. After an aBL exposure of 1.52 J/cm2, a 50% reduction in enzymatic activity was observed in P. aeruginosa. Additionally, we found a 40% decrease in the photoreaction activity of porphyrins following an aBL exposure of 64.8 J/cm2. We also revealed that aBL reduced β‐lactamase activity via protein degradation (after 136.4 J/cm2). Additionally, aBL markedly improved the bactericidal effect of ceftazidime (by >4‐log10) in the metallo‐β‐lactamase P. aeruginosa strain.

Conclusion

Our results provide evidence that aBL compromises bacterial β‐lactamase activity, offering a potential approach to overcome β‐lactam resistance in bacteria.
Reactively Processed Poly(butylene adipate terephthalate) Composite–Based Multilayered Films with Improved Properties for Sustainable Packaging Applications: Structural Characterization and Biodegradation Mechanism
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Jayita , Botlhoko Orebotse Joseph , Mphahlele Caroline , Lekalakala Rakgoshi , Muniyasamy Sudhakar , Ray Suprakas Sinha
Published: July 2024

In this study, it is attempted to enhance the properties and biodegradability of poly(butylene adipate terephthalate) (PBAT) using nanocomposite technology to meet the demand for sustainable packaging applications. Two nanoclays containing PBAT composites are reactively processed and integrated into the multilayered films. Reactive processing facilitates the dispersion and distribution of nanoclay particles in the PBAT matrix. The multilayered films comprising reactively processed PBAT composites exhibited a 24.5%–31.5% reduction in the oxygen transmission rate and improved dimensional stability and tensile properties. Moreover, the degradability of the multilayered film comprising reactively processed PBAT composites reached 82% in 180 days. In contrast, a neat PBAT film of similar thickness attained only 53% degradation in the same period. The biodegradation mechanism is proposed based on the topology of the disintegrated films studied using scanning electron microscopy, chemical bond vibrations determined by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, and structural evolution by small‐ and wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (SWAXS). The SWAXS analysis is used to understand the changes in the degree of crystallinity, long‐range periodic order, and crystalline and amorphous layer thickness of the multilayered films before and after degradation. Such multilayered films can find applications where packaging or biomedical devices cannot be recycled.
Hafnium surface changes during dissolution in concentrated sulfuric acid
Authors: Carriello G. M. , Pegoraro G. M. , Alves L. R. , Mambrini G. P.
Published: July 2024

Scientific studies involving hafnium have grown significantly in recent years due to the potential applications that this metal has. These potential applications come from the properties of this element, which for many years since its discovery were neglected in research. Among the factors that contributed to this was the high cost of extracting its ores from nature. One of the properties is the solubility of this metal in concentrated sulfuric acid, reacting to form hafnium(IV) sulfate and hydrogen gas. This acid is one of the few that can dissolve this metal, since hafnium is highly resistant to corrosion. The present work reports a chemometrically planned study on the surface of hafnium metal during its dissolution in sulfuric acid at different temperatures (13 °C, 25 °C and 97 °C) and for different times (5 minutes, 60 minutes and 120 minutes). Samples of metallic hafnium were completely immersed in sulfuric acid, subsequently characterized by scanning electron microscopy and the mass variation of the samples was analyzed. The corrosion of hafnium occurs only after the rupture of the protective film of hafnium(IV) oxide of the material, this rupture being faster as the temperature increases.
Nanosecond laser micromachining of graphene nanoplatelets reinforced ZK60 matrix composites
Authors: Wu Z. , Li C. W. , Zhang Y. , Liu Y. L. , Song J. Y. , Yang C. M.
Published: July 2024

In this paper, a nanosecond laser was used to etch the surface of graphene nanoplatelets reinforced ZK60 (GNPs/ZK60) matrix composites, and the effects of different scanning speeds, pulse repetition frequency and laser power on the etched morphology of the machined surface were investigated. The experimental results show that the etched groove width and heat affected zone width of GNPs/ZK60 composites are significantly increased compared with ZK60 material due to the influence of graphene, and the growth rate of the difference in heat affected zone width between GNPs/ZK60 composites and ZK60 materials is most significantly affected by the pulse repetition frequency. In addition, the dross height increases with the increase of laser power, while the scaly dross structure becomes increasingly clear.
M2 macrophage exosome‐derived Apoc1 promotes ferroptosis resistance in osteosarcoma by inhibiting ACSF2 deubiquitination
Authors: Yin Ping , Tang Min , Zhao Guosheng
Published: July 2024

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary malignant tumor of bone. The aim of this study was to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of M2 macrophage exosomes (M2‐Exos) in ferroptosis in OS. A mouse model was established to investigate the in vivo role of M2‐Exos. We investigated their effects on ferroptosis in OS using erastin, a ferroptosis activator, and deferoxamine mesylate, an iron chelator. In vitro, we investigated whether the Apoc1/Acyl‐CoA Synthetase Family Member 2 (ACSF2) axis mediates these effects, using shApoc1 and shACSF2. The mechanisms whereby Apoc1 regulates ACSF2 were examined using cyclohexanone, a protein synthesis inhibitor, and MG132, a proteasomal inhibitor. M2‐Exos reversed the inhibitory effects of erastin on OS cells, thus enhancing their viability, migration, invasion, proliferation, and reducing ferroptosis. Apoc1 was highly expressed in M2‐Exos, and interfering with this expression reversed the effects of M2‐Exos on OS cells. ACSF2 mediated the effects of M2‐Exos‐derived Apoc1. Apoc1 interacted with ACSF2, which, in turn, interacted with USP40. Apoc1 overexpression increased ACSF2 ubiquitination, promoting its degradation, whereas USP40 overexpression inhibited ACSF2 ubiquitination and promoted its expression. Apoc1 overexpression inhibited ACSF2 binding to USP40. M2‐Exos‐derived Apoc1 promoted ferroptosis resistance by inhibiting USP40 binding to ACSF2 and promoting ACSF2 ubiquitination and degradation, thus enhancing OS development.
Enterprise rent‐seeking and high‐quality development: A perspective based on institutional deficiencies
Authors: Bei Ningyu , Chen Zili , Li Weining
Published: July 2024

Based on the puzzle of mismatch between China's current innovation environment construction and firms' innovation achievements, this paper uses data of Chinese A‐share listed firms and tries to explore whether rent‐seeking is a strategic choice for firms to achieve high‐quality development in the context of institutional deficiencies. This paper finds that (1) corporate rent‐seeking can significantly increase total factor productivity (TFP), a result that still holds after various robustness tests such as the instrumental variables method. The mechanism test finds that corporate rent‐seeking can significantly incentivize corporate innovation, especially high‐quality innovation. (2) Rent‐seeking has a stronger effect on TFP in high‐tech enterprises, patent‐intensive industries, and non‐overcapacity industries; institutional factors such as the reasonableness of the government‐market relationship and the degree of distortion in the factor market have a significant negative and positive moderating effect on the promotion of TFP by rent‐seeking, respectively. Further sub‐sample tests show that the TFP promotion effect of rent‐seeking in firms with stronger willingness and demand for innovation is more influenced by the institutional environment factors. The above results suggest that rent‐seeking can act as an alternative means for firms to satisfy their innovation needs in the absence of institutions, and thus increase TFP. (3) Industry‐based tests show that rent‐seeking can promote overall technological progress, but it does not have the “lubricant” effect of optimizing the allocation of resources, and rent‐seeking is always a suboptimal choice for the allocation of resources. Unlike previous studies that emphasized the negative consequences of rent‐seeking, we highlight the potential benefits of rent‐seeking in the context of China's transition economy from a total factor productivity (TFP) perspective, which enriches the research in the area of rent‐seeking and TFP.
How environmentally friendly are electric cars? The relationship between lithium usage and water resources, Chile example
Authors: Karacan Rıdvan , Kayacan Eda Yalçin
Published: July 2024

The extraction of minerals such as lithium, widely used in the battery technologies of electric vehicles, is a process that necessitates consideration of its environmental impacts. This study aims to examine the environmental impacts of electric vehicles and the effects of lithium mining on water resources, particularly in regions abundant in lithium reserves like Chile. The analyses indicate a long‐term relationship between lithium mining and irrigation water sources. This study establishes a foundation for understanding the relationship between the environmental sustainability of electric vehicles and the environmental impacts of lithium mining.
Gauge fields and four interactions in the trigintaduonion spaces
Authors: Weng Zi‐Hua
Published: July 2024

The paper aims to apply the trigintaduonion spaces to explore the physical properties of four interactions simultaneously, including the electromagnetic fields, gravitational fields, weak nuclear fields, and strong nuclear fields. J. C. Maxwell first applied the algebra of quaternions to study the physical properties of electromagnetic fields. It inspired some subsequent scholars to introduce the quaternions, octonions, sedenions, and trigintaduonions to research the electromagnetic fields, gravitational fields, weak nuclear fields, strong nuclear fields, quantum mechanics, gauge fields, and curved spaces and so forth. The algebra of trigintaduonions is able to discuss the physical quantities of four interactions, including the field potential, field strength, field source, linear momentum, angular momentum, torque, and force. In the field theories described with the algebra of trigintaduonions, the weak nuclear field is composed of three types of fundamental fields. These three fundamental fields, related to weak nuclear fields, can describe the physical properties of weak nuclear fields collectively. This is consistent with the conclusion of the electroweak theory. Meanwhile the strong nuclear field consists of three types of fundamental fields. These three fundamental fields relevant to strong nuclear fields may investigate the physical properties of strong nuclear fields mutually. It is coincident with the deduction of quark theory. According to the properties of trigintaduonions, one can deduce the Yang‐Mills equation related to the gauge fields. It means that the electromagnetic field occupies a quaternion space. The gravitational field owns one different quaternion space. The weak nuclear fields occupy three mutually independent quaternion spaces. The properties of weak nuclear fields are different from those of electromagnetic fields or gravitational fields. According to the multiplication table of trigintaduonion spaces, the strong nuclear fields own three conjugate quaternion spaces independent of each other. These explorations further deepen the understanding of the physical properties of weak and strong nuclear fields.
A dimension reduction method of two‐grid finite element solution coefficient vectors for the Allen–Cahn equation
Authors: Li Yuejie , Teng Fei , Zeng Yihui , Luo Zhendong
Published: July 2024

This paper mainly focuses on the dimension reduction of unknown finite element (FE) solution coefficient vectors in two‐grid Crank–Nicolson FE (TGCNFE) method for the nonlinear Allen–Cahn equation. For this purpose, a new TGCNFE method for the nonlinear Allen–Cahn equation is first developed and the unconditional stability and errors of TGCNFE solutions are analyzed. Thereafter, the most important thing is to lower the dimension of the unknown FE solution coefficient vectors by a proper orthogonal decomposition, to establish a new reduced‐dimension extrapolated TGCNFE (RDETGCNFE) method, and to analyze the unconditional stability and errors of RDETGCNFE solutions. Moreover, the correctness of our theoretical results is validated by some numerical experiments.
A wideband power amplifier based on filtering matching for both input and output network
Authors: Cai Qi , Liang Yongxin , Gao Zicheng , Quan Xue , Che Wenquan
Published: July 2024

A new input–output matching structure is presented in this article. The proposed method is used to realize a wideband high‐efficiency power amplifier. By combining the design of input–output matching network with a band‐pass filter, the fundamental and harmonic impedances are transformed to high efficiency region. In this case, a continuous Class‐F PA with wide bandwidth and high efficiency is obtained. Meanwhile, the bias circuit is also integrated in the matching network to simplify the wideband PA topology. After experimental verification, the fabricated PA has a measured drain efficiency of 62.2%–76.5% in the range of 1.35–2.8 GHz, with an output power of 39.1–42 dBm.
Polarization conversion metasurface enabled broadband circularly polarized patch antenna
Authors: Ding Lijun , Zhou Xin , Liu Yahong , Gao Wenyu , Yuan Xin , Song Kun , Gong Xuejian , Guo Yao , Navarro‐Cía Miguel , Zhao Xiaopeng
Published: July 2024

Assembling polarization conversion metasurface (PCM) and a simple patch antenna to realize a circularly polarized (CP) antenna with over 10% fractional bandwidth (BW) is a challenging task. A kind of PCM composed of S‐ring and grating structure that converts linearly polarized (LP) wave into CP wave in a broadband frequency from 8.74 to 12 GHz can address the challenge. The universality of the PCM in realizing antenna polarization conversion is verified by using a standard LP horn antenna. Then, we design a broadband LP rectangular patch antenna to demonstrate that the present PCM can be integrated with small antenna devices to achieve CP antenna. A broadband CP patch antenna with a 12.4% −10 dB BW and 11.3% 3 dB axial ratioBW is obtained. The antenna gain reaches 8.1 dB with the enhancement gain of 4.1 dB. The findings are very attractive for wireless communication, radar monitoring, and satellite systems because the proposed antenna has excellent broadband CP performances, simple structure, and easy fabrication.
Dual‐band bandpass‐filtering high‐efficiency power amplifier with second harmonic suppression
Authors: Wei Zhenghua , Liu Qiang , Du Guangxing , Liu Wang , Cheng Dong
Published: July 2024

This study proposes a dual‐band bandpass‐filtering high‐efficiency power amplifier based on dual‐function dual‐band impedance control network (DBICN) and a dual‐band bandpass‐filtering impedance transformer (DBBFIT). The dual‐function DBICN is exploited to transform the optimal fundamental complex load impedance to real one, and control the second harmonic load impedances of two bands to the high‐efficiency region in the Smith chart. Besides, two transmission zeros are constructed at dual‐band second harmonics to enhance harmonic suppression. Meanwhile, an easy‐to‐design DBBFIT is proposed by utilizing filter theory to realize real‐to‐real impedance transformation, and all design parameters can be obtained by simple closed‐form analytical equations. For validation, a prototype is designed, fabricated, and measured. The measured results indicate the drain efficiencies are 61.6% and 58.3% at 1.78 and 2.42 GHz with saturation output power of 40.8 and 39.6 dBm, respectively. Moreover, the second harmonic suppressions of the two bands are 40.1 and 47.1 dBc, respectively.
EBC‐Net: 3D semi‐supervised segmentation of pancreas based on edge‐biased consistency regularization in dual perturbation space
Authors: Li Zheng , Xie Shipeng
Published: July 2024

Background

Deep learning technology has made remarkable progress in pancreatic image segmentation tasks. However, annotating 3D medical images is time‐consuming and requires expertise, and existing semi‐supervised segmentation methods perform poorly in the segmentation task of organs with blurred edges in enhanced CT such as the pancreas.

Purpose

To address the challenges of limited labeled data and indistinct boundaries of regions of interest (ROI).

Methods

We propose Edge‐Biased Consistency Regularization (EBC‐Net). 3D edge detection is employed to construct edge perturbations and integrate edge prior information into limited data, aiding the network in learning from unlabeled data. Additionally, due to the one‐sidedness of a single perturbation space, we expand the dual‐level perturbation space of both images and features to more efficiently focus the model's attention on the edges of the ROI. Finally, inspired by the clinical habits of doctors, we propose a 3D Anatomical Invariance Extraction Module and Anatomical Attention to capture anatomy‐invariant features.

Results

Extensive experiments have demonstrated that our method outperforms state‐of‐the‐art methods in semi‐supervised pancreas image segmentation. Moreover, it can better preserve the morphology of pancreatic organs and excel at edges region accuracy.

Conclusions

Incorporated with edge prior knowledge, our method mixes disturbances in dual‐perturbation space, which shifts the network's attention to the fuzzy edge region using a few labeled samples. These ideas have been verified on the pancreas segmentation dataset.
Electrochemical Mineralization Regulates Hydroxyapatite Deposition of Silk Fibroin Nanofibers for Promoting Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Lu Leihao , Yang Xiao , Wang Dulin , Zhong Suting , Zhang Ying , Zhou Guanshan , Li Chenlin , Wang Jie , Yang Mingying
Published: July 2024

Scaffold and stem cells are the key elements in the procedure of bone repair. Bombyx mori silk fibroin (SF) is the proper material for bone tissue engineering due to its biocompatibility and its easy to obtain nanofiber structure. The suitable cell substrate is also an important factor because different cells have different adaptations to composite. For this case, selecting a scaffold that can promote osteogenic differentiation of various cells is crucial and meaningful. In this work, hydroxyapatite (HA) was deposited precisely onto each silk nanofiber by electrochemical mineralization (EC) to form SF/HA. SF/HA can promote the proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of both human bone marrow mesenchymal‐derived stem cells (hMSCs) and human adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (hAMSCs). It also promot the expression of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteogenic differentiation related genes. Western blot analyses show mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway is regulated by SF/HA. Therefore, the study provides a proper method to obtain a good composite SF/HA and it promotes the osteogenic differentiation of both hMSCs and hAMSCs.
“There is a lot of shame that comes with this”: A qualitative study of patient experiences of isolation, embarrassment, and stigma associated with overactive bladder
Authors: Brodsky Casey N. , Sitto Hannah M. , Wittmann Daniela , Wallner Lauren P. , Streur Courtney , DeJonckheere Melissa , Stoffel John S. , Cameron Anne P. , Sarma Aruna , Clemens James Q. , Ippolito Giulia M.
Published: July 2024

Aims

Beyond causing physical discomfort, overactive bladder (OAB) is distressing to patients across a variety of psychosocial domains. In this qualitative component of a larger mixed methods study, we explore patients' lived experience with OAB to understand how this condition impacts individuals on a personal and social level, as well as their experiences interacting with the health care system.

Methods

A total of 20 patients and 12 physicians completed a questionnaire and semi‐structured interview. The interview guide, developed in an iterative fashion by the authors, included questions about treatment decision making as well as experiences living with or treating OAB; this manuscript focuses on the questions probing lived experiences and interactions between patients and physicians. The interviews were recorded, transcribed and inductively coded and analyzed according to the principles of interpretive description to develop themes.

Results

Analysis of patient and physician interviews yielded five key themes: isolation due to OAB diagnosis, social stigma associated with noticeable OAB symptoms, embarrassment from interactions with the health care system, feeling invalidated and dismissed by physicians, and OAB patients as a “vulnerable” population with “desperation” for cure.

Conclusions

OAB causes patients marked distress beyond their physical symptoms; it causes feelings of isolation from friends and family and makes them feel embarrassed to discuss their condition with loved ones and physicians alike. Efforts to destigmatize OAB, validate patient experiences, and improve access to OAB care may help diminish the psychosocial burden of OAB.
Nut consumption, gut microbiota, and body fat distribution: results of a large, community‐based population study
Authors: Shi Yuwei , Kan Juntao , Wang Wenjie , Cao Yiyang , Wu Yimian , Chen Xinyu , Zheng Weifang , Yang Fei , Du Jun , He Wei , Zhu Shankuan
Published: July 2024

Objective

We aimed to investigate the relationships among nut consumption, gut microbiota, and body fat distribution.

Methods

We studied 2255 Chinese adults in the Lanxi Cohort living in urban areas in Lanxi City, China. Fat distribution was assessed by dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry, and nut consumption was assessed using food frequency questionnaires. 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) sequencing was performed on stool samples from 1724 participants. Linear regression and Spearman correlation were used in all analyses. A validation study was performed using 1274 participants in the Lanxi Cohort living in rural areas.

Results

Nut consumption was beneficially associated with regional fat accumulation. Gut microbial analysis suggested that a high intake of nuts was associated with greater microbial α diversity. Six genera were found to be associated with nut consumption, and the abundance of genera Anaerobutyricum, Anaerotaenia, and Fusobacterium was significantly associated with fat distribution. Favorable relationships between α diversity and fat distribution were also observed. Similar relationships between gut microbiota and fat distribution were obtained in the validation analysis.

Conclusions

We have shown that nut consumption is beneficially associated with body fat distribution and gut microbiota diversity and taxonomy. Furthermore, the microbial features related to high nut intake are associated with a favorable pattern of fat distribution.
Synthesis and Optoelectronic Properties of Threaded BODIPYs
Authors: Hicguet Matthieu , Mongin Olivier , Leroux Yann R. , Roisnel Thierry , Berrée Fabienne , Trolez Yann
Published: July 2024

We report on the synthesis of two new threaded BODIPYs 5 and 6 in good yields using boron as a gathering atom and a macrocycle with a 2,2’‐biphenol unit. In addition to usual techniques, they were characterized by X‐ray crystallography. Their electrochemical and optical properties were investigated. In particular, both compounds are highly emissive with photoluminescence quantum yields of 54 and 81 % respectively. In addition, they both show a high photostability.
Determinants of companies' commitment to climate change: Evidence based on European listed companies
Authors: Xhindole Chiara , Tarquinio Lara
Published: July 2024

Climate change is a highly topical issue, and companies are increasingly required to report on their climate actions. This study assesses the influence of several factors affecting the companies' commitment towards climate change mitigation, adaptation, and transparency (i.e. CDP Integrtaed Performance Score). Therefore, by analysing the determinants of climate change commitment, the research aims to provide evidence and further insights on companies' responsiveness to climate challenges. Data are collected from Bloomberg's ESG database, and multiple linear regression analysis is performed on a sample of 3000 European‐listed companies responding to the carbon disclosure project (CDP) questionnaire. The results show that CDP Integrated Performance Score is associated with greenhouse gas emissions disclosure, Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) compliance, the presence of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) committee and women on board, the number of employees, board and firm size. By contrast, assurance and ROE are non‐significant determinants for our sample. This study contributes to the existing research on climate change disclosure providing further insights on companies' climate change action. The findings are valuable for managers and regulators in promoting sustainability strategies and improving environmental performance and climate transparency.
Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) film coated on plastic substrate as an organic photoanode for water oxidation/oxygen evolution with light illumination
Authors: Shinohara Hiromi , Nishide Hiroyuki
Published: July 2024

Poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT) film was applied as a photoanode on an electron‐extracting layer‐coated upon a current‐collecting plastic substrate. The film soaked in an aqueous solution (pH 12) exhibited an enhanced anodic current with light illumination, and the photocurrent density (J) reached almost 100 μA/cm2 for its wound cylinder, which was accompanied by oxygen bubble evolution. The light ON/OFF response, light‐intensity proportion, and wavelength‐dependency of the J value supported the photo‐electrolytic function of the P3HT film. The hole‐injection efficiency of the film estimated for water oxidation using a solution involving a sacrificial reagent, was relatively high in the range of 46%–86%. Although an apparent activation energy of 39 kJ/mol for the electrolytic water oxidation in the dark suggested a chemical but catalytic pathway for the film anode, the temperature independence of the photocurrent indicated direct hole‐injection into water or hydroxide ions. The photoanode performance of the P3HT film for water oxidation was discussed in relation to the energy diagram including the highest occupied molecular orbital level.
Toxicity profile of high‐dose methotrexate in young children with central nervous system tumors
Authors: Chavana Ashley N. , Taylor Zachary L. , DeGroote Nicholas , Lindsay Holly B. , Sauer Hannah E. , Mason Emily J. , Schafer Eric S. , Miller Tamara P. , Castellino Sharon M. , Pommert Lauren , O'Brien Maureen M. , Ramsey Laura B. , Bernhardt M. Brooke , Brown Austin L.
Published: July 2024

High‐dose methotrexate (HD‐MTX) is used in the treatment of children with central nervous system (CNS) tumors; however, toxicity information is limited. We characterized toxicities following 102 administrations of HD‐MTX (4.6–13.5 g/m2) infused over 4 or 24 h in 38 children with a CNS tumor before 6 years of age (2010–2020). Delayed clearance of methotrexate occurred following 24% of infusions. Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5 grade 2–3 mucositis was observed in 47% of individuals, Grade 4 neutropenia in 76%, and grade 3–4 thrombocytopenia in 58%. No neurotoxicity was observed. HD‐MTX can be safely used with supportive care and monitoring.
Interlaminar toughening of carbon fiber/epoxy composites via interleaving co‐polyamide (Co‐PA) veils
Authors: Alshrif Moh Tajaldin Moh , Peng Yanshuang , Yang Zehao , Zhao Qing Zhi , Qin Cheng , Cai Zhixiang , Jiang Minqiang , Hassan Elwathig A. M. , Ma Yu , Zhang Hui
Published: July 2024

Thermoplastic veil interlayers offer a promising approach to improve interlaminar reinforcement in composite materials. This study investigates co‐polyamide (Co‐PA) interleaved veils, fabricated through the hot melt adhesive (HMA) technique. These veils are then applied with varying areal weight densities as interleaves to simultaneously toughen and strengthen carbon fiber/epoxy (CF/EP) composites, utilizing the vacuum‐assisted resin infusion (VARI) method. Integrating Co‐PA veils with a low melting point in the interlaminar of CF/EP composites improves compatibility and promotes strong adhesion between thermoplastics and epoxy resins. As result, The Co‐PA laminates exhibited significant improvements compared with the untoughened composites, with a maximum enhancement of 148.1% and 67.8% for Mode‐I (GIC) and Mode‐II (GIIC), respectively. Moreover, ILSS, tensile strength, and flexural strength improvements were also 20.9%, 34.9%, and 14.5%, respectively. The fracture surface analysis via scanning electron microscopy directly revealed the crack propagation on the fracture surfaces of Mode‐I and Mode‐II specimens. This analysis revealed that Co‐PA demonstrated excellent compatibility with epoxy resin, melts during the stage of epoxy curing, and undergoes phase separation in the later stage, resulting in the formation of “bead‐like” structures within the fibrous network. Remarkably, this structure significantly enhanced the toughness of the CF/EP composites. The Co‐PA veils can improve the interlaminar toughness of CF/EP composites due to their compatibility with the epoxy matrix and high inherent toughness and strength. This method is straightforward to manage and can be utilized for manufacturing large‐scale composite materials incorporating CF fabrics, demonstrating promise for industrial applications.

Highlights

With its low melting point, co‐polyamide helps prevent structural failure or excessive damage and is proposed to be utilized in composites to enhance the interlaminar fracture toughness properties.

The effects of Co‐PA veils of different areal densities on the mechanical characteristics of interlaminar composites were examined.

Co‐polyamide particles with fiber‐carbon laminates offer superior fatigue properties and an optimum carbon fiber‐bridging mechanism.

Co‐polyamide veils with CF/EP laminates are feasible for structural use in high‐tech automotive applications.
XGBoost machine learning assisted prediction of the mechanical and fracture properties of unvulcanized and dynamically vulcanized PP/EPDM reinforced with clay and halloysite nanoparticles
Authors: Rajaee Pouya , Rabiee Amir Hossein , Ashenai Ghasemi Faramarz , Fasihi Mohammad , Mahabadifar Mahdi , Nedaei Shekarab Mahmoud
Published: July 2024

Polymer nanocomposites have found wide industrial applications, necessitating optimal mechanical and fracture properties evaluation, traditionally done through costly experimental methods. This study employs machine learning, particularly XGBoost, to predict properties like tensile and fracture properties swiftly, aiding material innovation across industries. The research investigates unvulcanized and vulcanized polypropylene (PP)/ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) reinforced with clay and halloysite nanoparticles (HNT), analyzing fracture properties via essential work of fracture (EWF). Experimental design selects tests, and an XGBoost model predicts tensile strength and modulus, strain at break, EWF, and non‐EWF based on EPDM and nanoparticle percentages, composite and nanoparticle types. The model accurately predicts tensile strength and modulus but less so for strain at break, EWF, and non‐EWF. Mean Absolute Percentage Error values for training/test are 0.49/1.21, 1.05/1.55, 34.21/42.76, 3.02/14.35, and 2.89/3.78, with determination coefficients of 0.99/0.98, 0.99/0.97, 0.97/0.91, 0.97/0.79, and 0.92/0.73. Nanoparticles mainly affect outputs, with EPDM secondarily impactful, while composite and nanoparticle types exhibit similar significance. The best‐performing polymer nanocomposite is a dynamically vulcanized one containing 10 wt% EPDM and 3 wt% clay, achieving tensile strength of 25.070 MPa, tensile modulus of 261.170 MPa, EWF of 75.300 N/mm, and non‐EWF of 10.150 N/mm2.

Highlights

The effects of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM), clay and halloysite nanoparticles on the mechanics of polypropylene‐based nanocomposites.

Essential work of fracture (EWF) was used to study the fracture properties.

Machine learning was employed to predict all mechanical characteristics.

The vulcanization process improved all mechanical characteristics.

The best compound: vulcanized one containing 10 wt% EPDM and 3 wt% clay.