bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Customizable and adaptable middleware of things
Authors: Cavalcanti David , Rosa Nelson
Published: June 2024

Middleware has become an essential element in the construction of distributed Internet of Things (IoT) applications. While it plays a central role in hiding the complexities of distribution, middleware systems have also been responsible for dealing with the uncertainties in IoT environments, such as changes during operation (e.g., inaccuracies in sensor data collection) and fluctuations in resource availability, for example, the battery. These uncertainties demand attention as they can result in application failures or, even worse, jeopardize the safety of applications. Existing middleware systems are being enhanced with self‐adaptive capabilities to address these uncertainties. It means they can make runtime adjustments to the middleware and applications (built atop them) without complete shutdowns. Despite the variety of available adaptive solutions, IoT applications often face uncertainties, each requiring a distinct adaptive action. For instance, the need to fine‐tune a thing's workload due to battery consumption is a common challenge. Furthermore, these applications are susceptible to changes occurring at various layers, presenting a complex challenge of managing them simultaneously. This paper introducesMiddlewareExtendify (MEx), a solution for building and executing IoT adaptive middleware systems. MEx simplifies the implementation of middleware and provides an underlying environment that executes the middleware and supports a range of adaptation mechanisms. This approach ensures that the middleware meets the evolving demands of applications and copes with changes at runtime. The evaluation of MEx encompasses different adaptive middleware implementations to measure the impact of the proposed adaptation mechanisms. The results indicate that adaptation comes with acceptable performance costs while offering the ability to fine‐tune middleware functionality or align IoT applications more effectively.
Impact of cannabidiol on myocardial recovery in patients with acute myocarditis: Rationale & design of the ARCHER trial
Authors: McNamara Dennis M. , Cooper Leslie T. , Arbel Yaron , Bhimaraj Arvind , Bocchi Edimar , Friedrich Matthias G. , Kerneis Matthieu , Liu Peter , Parker Andrea B. , Smith Eldon R. , Tang W. H. Wilson , Torre‐Amione Guillermo , Tschöpe Carsten ,   ARCHER Study Group
Published: June 2024

Aims

Acute myocarditis, although a rare disease, can be associated with sudden cardiac death or the need for transplantation in both children and young adults. To date, there is no definitive evidence to support the routine use of immunosuppressive therapy or treatment targeting inflammation in patients with myocarditis. Animal models of cardiovascular (CV), as well as neurological diseases, have demonstrated that cannabidiol has significant anti‐inflammatory properties and may represent a promising therapy in acute myocarditis. This efficacy has been shown in a murine model of autoimmune myocarditis as well as in in vitro and in vivo models of heart failure (HF).

Methods and results

We present the rationale and design of the ARCHER Trial, an international multicentre, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, phase II study examining the safety and efficacy of a pharmaceutically produced cannabidiol formulation, in patients with mild to moderate acute myocarditis. Eligible patients are those with acute myocarditis, randomized within 10 days of the diagnostic cardiac MRI (CMR), which has met defined diagnostic criteria for myocarditis. Oral treatment (cannabidiol or placebo) is titrated from 2.5 mg/kg of body weight up to 10 mg/kg of body weight b.i.d. (or highest tolerated dose) and taken for 12 weeks in addition to standard of care therapy for HF. The primary endpoints are defined as changes in global longitudinal strain (GLS) and extra cellular volume (ECV), measured by CMR at 12 weeks. Assuming 80% power, a 5% alpha risk and 25% missing CMR follow‐up data at Week 12, 100 patients are required to demonstrate the desired treatment effect of 18%. The change in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) from baseline to Week 12 was selected as the secondary endpoint. Additional exploratory endpoints include changes in hs‐troponin, NT‐proBNP, markers of inflammation and endothelial function during the 12‐week treatment period. The trial is ongoing but is now more than 50% recruited. As enrolment in the trial continues, no interim data are available for inclusion in this Design paper.

Conclusions

The ongoing ARCHER Trial is an international, multicentre, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled phase II study, designed to determine the effect of a pharmaceutically produced cannabidiol formulation on CMR parameters in patients presenting with acute myocarditis. Enrolment of 100 patients is expected to conclude in Q3 2024. Study results will be available in early 2025.
Functionalisation of Chromane by Deprotonative Metallation
Authors: Bastien Cléo , Erb William , Halauko Yury S. , Matulis Vadim E. , Roisnel Thierry , Sarazin Yann , Mongin Florence
Published: June 2024

Despite the biological interest in chromane derivatives, few studies dedicated to the functionalisation of this heterocycle have been reported. Herein, our objective is to demonstrate the potential of alkali metal bases for the introduction of substituents at its positions 4 and 8, and to explain the observed reactivity based on quantum chemical calculations. Guided by these theoretical results, preliminary optimisation was carried out on 2,3‐dihydrobenzofuran before applying the optimal conditions to chromane. Deprotolithiation at C8 was thus achieved using n‐butyllithium in hexane at room temperature, while functionalisation at C4 was promoted by a 1:1 mixture of lithium 2,2,6,6‐tetramethylpiperidide and potassium tert‐butoxide in tetrahydrofuran at −50 °C. Various electrophiles were used to intercept the lithiated intermediates, providing a convenient access to substituted chromane derivatives.
Radiologic text correction for better machine understanding
Authors: Kicsi András , Szabó Ledenyi Klaudia , Vidács László
Published: June 2024

Radiologic reports often contain misspellings that compromise report quality and pose challenges for machine understanding methods, which require syntactical correctness. General automatic misspell correction solutions are less effective in specialized documents, such as spinal radiologic reports, particularly in morphologically rich languages like Hungarian. Issues arise from complex conjugations and the modification of Latin terms per the rules of the native language. This study introduces a method for the automatic correction of these misspellings, utilizing the Hunspell software and field‐specific dictionaries. This approach, enhanced by linguistic analysis and statistical data, improves information retrieval, as demonstrated in machine‐learning‐based classification and rule‐based identification tasks. Notably, our method identified over 30% more valid errors than human annotators, highlighting its efficiency. We offer a primarily dictionary‐based solution for correcting highly specialized texts and explore the impact of nonword correction on machine understanding. This work underscores the significance of tailored spelling correction in enhancing text processing algorithms' accuracy.
Exact optimisation of spatiotemporal monitoring networks by p‐splines with applications in groundwater assessment
Authors: Low Marnie I. , Bowman Adrian W. , Jones Wayne , Bonte Matthijs
Published: June 2024

This paper develops methods to optimise the sampling strategy for monitoring networks which have fixed locations with regular sampling but with only a proportion of these locations to be used on each sampling occasion. This creates the need for a dynamic spatiotemporal sampling design which makes optimal choices of the locations to be sampled on each occasion. This is a commonly occurring scenario in many environmental settings where there is an existing network of monitoring stations and sampling can be expensive. The particular context of optimisation of an existing groundwater monitoring network is discussed in the paper. The standard design criteria of integrated variance (IV) and variance of the integral (VI) are adapted to the spatiotemporal setting. p‐spline models are shown to allow exact computation of IV and VI, in the case of the additive errors, and a very good approximation of IV in the case of multiplicative errors. The speed of these exact computations allows the globally optimal sampling design to be identified efficiently. In the standard case of additive errors, the design criteria are able to exploit information across time. The only information needed is the location of sampling points, not the values sampled. This contrasts with the case of multiplicative errors where the design criteria are also influenced by the observed response data. Simulated and real examples are used to illustrate the results throughout.
Development of Accelerated Durability Test Protocols for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell Stacks Under Realistic Operating Conditions
Authors: Schüttoff Miriam , Wachtel Christian , Schlumberger Robert , Wilhelm Florian , Scholta Joachim , Hölzle Markus
Published: June 2024

Polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell durability is still a major challenge. To overcome time‐consuming durability tests, so‐called accelerated durability tests (ADTs) are of urgent need. This work presents our recent results in developing ADT protocols in the context of realistic operating conditions, especially voltage clipping at 0.85 V. A 5500 h long‐term test was carried out as a reference applying a realistic automotive drive cycle. Focusing on different stressors such as temperature, relative humidity (RH), and load profile four different ADT protocols of 1200 h duration were derived. Seven‐cell short stacks with 240 cm2 active area were used. Comparing cell voltage as a key indicator, an acceleration factor of 3–7 could be achieved. In‐situ characterization techniques such as spatially resolved current measurement, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectra were employed to investigate the influences of individual stressors on specific degradation mechanisms and components. The highest acceleration was observed in the mass transport region of ADTs addressing RH as a stressor, suggesting that RH cycling leads to increased degradation of hydrophobic surfaces. Increased temperature was found to accelerate primarily carbon support degradation. Accelerated catalyst aging seems to be low, demonstrating the effectiveness of voltage‐clipping conditions. Our most promising ADT shows quite a homogeneous acceleration of voltage degradation across all current regions.
Effects of essential caregiver policies on COVID‐19 and non‐COVID‐19 deaths in nursing homes
Authors: Qi Mingyu , Ghazali Nadia , Konetzka R. Tamara
Published: June 2024

Federal authorities banned nursing home visitation in the early days of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic. However, there was growing concern that physical isolation may have unintended harms on nursing home residents. Thus, nursing homes and policymakers faced a tradeoff between minimizing COVID‐19 outbreaks and limiting the unintended harms. Between June 2020 and January 2021, 17 states implemented Essential Caregiver policies (ECPs) allowing nursing home visitation by designated family members or friends under controlled circumstances. Using the Nursing Home COVID‐19 Public File and other relevant data, we analyze the effects of ECPs on deaths among nursing home residents. We exploit variation in the existence of ECPs across states and over time, finding that these policies effectively reduce both non‐COVID‐19 and COVID‐19 deaths, resulting in a decrease in total deaths. These effects are larger for states that implemented policies mandatorily or without restrictions, indicating a dose‐response relationship. These policies reduce non‐COVID‐19 deaths in facilities with higher quality or staffing levels, while reducing COVID‐19 deaths in facilities with lower quality or staffing levels. Our findings support the use and expansion of ECPs to balance resident safety and the need for social interaction and informal care during future pandemics.
En Route to Enantioenriched Quaternary Stereocenters via Lewis Base/Palladium Cooperative Catalysis
Authors: McGuire Maygan M. , Bach Andrew C. , Pink Maren , Snaddon Thomas N.
Published: June 2024

The prevalence of quaternary stereogenic centers in bioactive molecules coupled with innate challenges associated with their enantioselective preparation continues to provide powerful impetus for the development of catalytic asymmetric methods capable of their construction. Herein, we describe a cooperative isothiourea Lewis base‐palladium catalyst system that enables the enantioselective alkylation of α‐substituted‐α‐cyano esters with allyl methanesulfonate. While the levels of enantioselection are modest, this study represents the first time we have successfully constructed quaternary‐substituted stereogenic centers using this Lewis base‐palladium cooperative catalysis scheme. Further, this strategy constitutes a departure from ligand‐based enantiocontrol and suggests that, when using acidic pro‐nucleophiles, the development of protocols where Lewis base catalysis can outcompete direct deprotonation might be within reach.
Prediction of ovarian cancer using artificial intelligence tools
Authors: Ayyoubzadeh Seyed Mohammad , Ahmadi Marjan , Yazdipour Alireza Banaye , Ghorbani‐Bidkorpeh Fatemeh , Ahmadi Mahnaz
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Ovarian cancer is a common type of cancer and a leading cause of death in women. Therefore, accurate and fast prediction of ovarian tumors is crucial. One of the appropriate and precise methods for predicting and diagnosing this cancer is to build a model based on artificial intelligence methods. These methods provide a tool for predicting ovarian cancer according to the characteristics and conditions of each person.

Method

In this study, a data set included records related to 171 cases of benign ovarian tumors, and 178 records related to cases of ovarian cancer were analyzed. The data set contains the records of blood test results and tumor markers of the patients. After data preprocessing, including removing outliers and replacing missing values, the weight of the effective factors was determined using information gain indices and the Gini index. In the next step, predictive models were created using random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), decision trees (DT), and artificial neural network (ANN) models. The performance of these models was evaluated using the 10‐fold cross‐validation method using the indicators of specificity, sensitivity, accuracy, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Finally, by comparing the performance of the models, the best predictive model of ovarian cancer was selected.

Results

The most important predictive factors were HE4, CA125, and NEU. The RF model was identified as the best predictive model, with an accuracy of more than 86%. The predictive accuracy of DT, SVM, and ANN models was estimated as 82.91%, 85.25%, and 79.35%, respectively. Various artificial intelligence (AI) tools can be used with high accuracy and sensitivity in predicting ovarian cancer.

Conclusion

Therefore, the use of these tools can help specialists and patients with early, easier, and less expensive diagnosis of ovarian cancer. Future studies can leverage AI to integrate image data with serum biomarkers, thereby facilitating the creation of novel models and advancing the diagnosis and treatment of ovarian cancer.
Root cause analysis and strategies for reducing falls among inpatients in healthcare facilities: A narrative review
Authors: Lakbala Parvin , Bordbar Najmeh , Fakhri Yadolah
Published: June 2024

Background and Aims

Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a systematic process which can be applied to analyze fall incidences in reactive manner to identify contributing factors and propose actions for preventing future falls. To better understand cause of falls and effective interventions for their reduction we conducted a narrative review of RCA and Strategies for Reducing Falls among Inpatients in Healthcare Facilities.

Methods

In this narrative review, databases including Scopus, ISI Web of Science, Cochrane, and PubMed were searched to obtain the related literature published. Databases were searched from January 2005 until the end of March 2023. The Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) tool was used for quality assessment of articles. To analyze the data, a five‐stage framework analysis method was utilized.

Results

Seven articles that fulfilled the inclusion criteria were identified for this study. All of the selected studies were interventional in nature and employed the RCA method to ascertain the underlying causes of inpatient falls. The root causes discovered for falls involved patient‐related factors (37.5%), environmental factors (25%), organizational and process factors (19.6%), staff and communication factors (17.9%). Strategies to reduce falls involved environmental measures and physical protection (29.4%), identifying, and displaying the causes of risk (23.5%), education and culturalization (21.6%), standard fall risk assessment tool (13.7%), and supervision and monitoring (11.8%).

Conclusion

the findings identify the root causes of falls in inpatient units and provide guidance for successful action plan execution. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of considering the unique characteristics of healthcare organizations and adapting interventions accordingly for effectiveness in different settings.
Machine learning‐based streamflow forecasting using CMIP6 scenarios: Assessing performance and improving hydrological projections and climate change
Authors: Kartal Veysi
Published: June 2024

Water is essential for humans as well as for all living organisms to sustain their lives. Therefore, any climate‐driven change in available resources has significant impacts on the environment and life. Global climate models (GCMs) are one of the most practical methods to evaluate climate change. Based on this, this research evaluated the capability of GCMs from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 6 (CMIP6) to reproduce the historical flow of climate prediction centre data for the Konya Closed basin and to project the climate of the basin using the selected GCMs. Global climate models based on the CMIP6 under the scenario of common socioeconomic pathways (SSP245 and SSP 585) were used to analyse the climate change effect on streamflow of the study area by Bias Correction of GCM Models using Long Short‐Term Memory (LSTM), Bidirectional LSTM (BiLSTM), AdaBoost, Gradient Boosting, Regression Tree, and Random Forest methods. The coefficient of determination (R2), mean square error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE), root mean square error (RMSE) were used to assess the performance of the methods. Findings show that the Random Forest Model consistently outperformed other models in both the testing and training phases. A significant downward in the volume of water flowing through the region's rivers and streams in the next decades. It is critical to enhance climate‐resilient water infrastructure financing, establish an early warning system for drought, introduce best management practices, implement integrated water resource management, public awareness, and support water research to alleviate the negative consequences of drought and increase resilience against the effects of climate change on Turkey's water resources.
Hydrochemical evolution and hydrological zoning characteristics of a shallow groundwater system in Baiyangdian Wetland, North China Plain
Authors: Guo Xiaojiao , Wang Wenzhong , Shi Jiansheng , Chen Zongyu , Guo Jiao , Wang Huiwei , Liu Wen , Miao Ying
Published: June 2024

A comprehensive understanding of the hydrochemical evolution and spatial patterns of shallow groundwater systems is essential for water resource management and wetland ecological restoration. The Baiyangdian Wetland is one of the most concerning areas because of the development of the Xiong'an New Area. The spatial characteristics of groundwater hydrochemistry and potential controlling factors associated with hydrochemical evolution remain unclear. In this study, hydrogeochemistry together with the hierarchical cluster analysis were used to elucidate the hydrochemical processes and hydrological zoning patterns of shallow groundwater systems in the Baiyangdian Wetland, North China Plain. The results showed that hydrochemical compositions of shallow groundwater had considerable spatial variations, which was closely related to the inflow rivers hydrochemistry and the dynamics of groundwater–surface water interactions. A significant increase in SO42− concentration occurring at the cone of the depression was related to extensive pumping caused by anthropogenic activities. Anthropogenic activities were also a major factor controlling the spatial distribution patterns of shallow groundwater hydrochemistry. Ca2+, Mg2+, and SO42− in the wetland and shallow groundwater were primarily derived from carbonate and gypsum dissolution, while Na+ and Cl− originated from halite and silicate dissolution. Rock weathering predominated the geochemical evolution of shallow groundwater in conjunction with carbonate precipitation and cation exchange. The hydrochemistry of the shallow groundwater system presented distinct spatial zonation patterns that were classified into four clusters corresponding to seven subzones. In Zones I–IV, water‐rock interaction was the dominant factor controlling shallow groundwater chemistry, which was driven by the positive groundwater–surface water exchange. The coupled effects of anthropogenic activities and river infiltration and mixing caused the high levels of dissolved components in Zones V–VII. This study contributes to have a better understanding of the water cycle and hydraulic connections among different bodies, and will benefit the rational evaluation of hydrochemical evolution and wetland ecological restoration in the Baiyangdian Wetland.
Raman spectroscopic analysis of human blood serum of glaucoma patients supplemented with macular pigment carotenoids
Authors: Udensi Joy , Loskutova Ekaterina , Loughman James , Byrne Hugh J.
Published: June 2024

As all major dietary carotenoids are contained in blood, it is a suitable substrate to evaluate their content, in vivo. Following 18‐month supplementation of open‐angle glaucoma patients with macula‐pigment carotenoids (Lutein, Zeaxanthin and Meso‐Zeaxanthin) in the European Nutrition in Glaucoma Management trial, Raman spectroscopic analysis of the carotenoid content of pre‐ and post‐supplementation participant blood serum was carried out, to investigate the systemic impact of the supplementation regimen and explore a more direct way of quantifying this impact using routine blood tests. Using a 532 nm laser source for optimal response, a consistent increase in serum carotenoid concentration was observed in the supplemented serum, highest in patients with initial high baseline carotenoid content. A shift in the 1519 cm−1 carotenoid peak also revealed differences in the carotenoid structural profile of the two groups. The findings highlight the potential of Raman spectroscopy toquantify and differentiate carotenoids directly in blood serum.
Non‐invasive screening of bladder cancer using digital microfluidics and FLIM technology combined with deep learning
Authors: Su Wenhua , Xu Chenyang , Hu Jinzhong , Chen Qiushu , Yang Yuwei , Ji Mingmei , Fei Yiyan , Ma Jiong , Jiang Haowen , Mi Lan
Published: June 2024

Non‐invasive screening for bladder cancer is crucial for treatment and postoperative follow‐up. This study combines digital microfluidics (DMF) technology with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) for urine analysis and introduces a novel non‐invasive bladder cancer screening technique. Initially, the DMF was utilized to perform preliminary screening and enrichment of urine exfoliated cells from 54 participants, followed by cell staining and FLIM analysis to assess the viscosity of the intracellular microenvironment. Subsequently, a deep learning residual convolutional neural network was employed to automatically classify FLIM images, achieving a three‐class prediction of high‐risk (malignant), low‐risk (benign), and minimal risk (normal) categories. The results demonstrated a high consistency with pathological diagnosis, with an accuracy of 91% and a precision of 93%. Notably, the method is sensitive for both high‐grade and low‐grade bladder cancer cases. This highly accurate non‐invasive screening method presents a promising approach for bladder cancer screening with significant clinical application potential.
Licochalcone D exhibits cytotoxicity in breast cancer cells and enhances tumor necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand‐induced apoptosis through upregulation of death receptor 5
Authors: Zhang Yunyun , Wang Linlin , Dong Chuxuan , Zhuang Yahui , Hao Gangping , Wang Fengze
Published: June 2024

Anticancer strategies using natural products or derivatives are promising alternatives for cancer treatment. Here, we showed that licochalcone D (LCD), a natural flavonoid extracted from Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, suppressed the growth of breast cancer cells, and was less toxic to MCF‐10A normal breast cells. LCD‐induced DNA damage, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis in breast cancer cells. Furthermore, LCD potentiated tumor necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL)‐induced cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, LCD was revealed to reduce survival protein expression and to upregulate death receptor 5 (DR5) expressions. Silencing DR5 blocked the ability of LCD to sensitize cells to TRAIL‐mediated apoptosis. LCD increased CCAAT/enhancer‐binding protein homologous protein (CHOP) expression in breast cancer cells. Knockdown of CHOP attenuated DR5 upregulation and apoptosis triggered by cotreatment with LCD and TRAIL. Furthermore, LCD suppressed the phosphorylation of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase and promoted the phosphorylation of c‐Jun amino‐terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK). Pretreatment with JNK inhibitor SP600125 or p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580 abolished the upregulation of DR5 and CHOP, and also attenuated LCD plus TRAIL‐induced cleavage of poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase. Overall, our results show that LCD exerts cytotoxic effects on breast cancer cells and arguments TRAIL‐mediated apoptosis by inhibiting survival protein expression and upregulating DR5 in a JNK/p38 MAPK‐CHOP‐dependent manner.
NAMPT enhances LOX expression and promotes metastasis in human chondrosarcoma cells by inhibiting miR‐26b‐5p synthesis
Authors: Lin Chih‐Yang , Law Yat‐Yin , Yu Cheng‐Chieh , Wu Yu‐Ying , Hou Sheng‐Mou , Chen Wei‐Li , Yang Shang‐Yu , Tsai Chun‐Hao , Lo Yuan‐Shun , Fong Yi‐Chin , Tang Chih‐Hsin
Published: June 2024

Chondrosarcoma is a malignant bone tumor that emerges from abnormalities in cartilaginous tissue and is related with lung metastases. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is an adipocytokine reported to enhance tumor metastasis. Our results from clinical samples and the Gene Expression Omnibus data set reveal that NAMPT levels are markedly higher in chondrosarcoma patients than in normal individuals. NAMPT stimulation significantly increased lysyl oxidase (LOX) production in chondrosarcoma cells. Additionally, NAMPT increased LOX‐dependent cell migration and invasion in chondrosarcoma by suppressing miR‐26b‐5p generation through the c‐Src and Akt signaling pathways. Overexpression of NAMPT promoted chondrosarcoma metastasis to the lung in vivo. Furthermore, knockdown of LOX counteracted NAMPT‐facilitated metastasis. Thus, the NAMPT/LOX axis presents a novel target for treating the metastasis of chondrosarcoma.
Teaching the way I wish I was taught: Design and implementation of a class on historically excluded and underrepresented scientists
Authors: Milligan‐McClellan Kathryn C. A.
Published: June 2024

As the first Inupiaq person to earn a PhD in microbiology, I learned the hard way that groups of people have been excluded from science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the United States since the first University was built by Black and Indigenous slaves. Students from historically excluded and underrepresented (HEU) backgrounds typically do not see themselves in textbooks, conferences, or classrooms, especially in science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM) fields. Similarly, students from these backgrounds and non‐excluded backgrounds typically do not understand the history or consequences of exclusion. Here I describe the development and implementation of a class that teaches undergraduate students about the current state of diversity in STEMM jobs in the US, the history of exclusion that resulted in a deficit of people from various backgrounds, the consequences of excluding these people from research specifically, current leaders in research from HEU backgrounds, and how to implement changes. The students are taught how to communicate their findings in oral and written communication to various audiences. Based on decades of experiences, discussions, readings, and more, I teach students the reasons there are so few people from HEU backgrounds in academia and in STEMM specifically, and what can be done at the University level to ensure that people from all backgrounds are represented in STEMM. In this way, I teach students what I wish I had been taught decades ago.
Characterisation of extracellular vesicles in baculovirus infection of Spodoptera frugiperda cells
Authors: Van Es Lex J. C. , Possee Robert D. , King Linda A.
Published: June 2024

Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) is an enveloped DNA virus of the Baculoviridae family. This baculovirus is widely exploited for the biological control of insect pest species and as an expression platform to produce recombinant proteins in insect cells. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secreted by all cells and are involved in key roles in many biological processes through their cargo consisting of proteins, RNA or DNA. In viral infections, EVs have been found to transfer both viral and cellular cargo that can elicit either a pro‐ or antiviral response in recipient cells. Here, small EVs (sEVs) released by Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf) insect cells were characterised for the first time. Using S. frugiperda (SfC1B5) cells stably expressing the baculovirus gp64, the viral envelope protein GP64 was shown to be incorporated into sEVs. Sf9 cells were also transfected with a bacmid AcMNPV genome lacking p6.9 (AcΔP6.9) to prevent budded virus production. The protein content of sEVs from both mock‐ and AcΔP6.9‐transfected cells were analysed by mass spectrometry. In addition to GP64, viral proteins Ac‐F, ME‐53 and viral ubiquitin were identified, as well as many host proteins including TSG101—which may be useful as a protein marker for sEVs.
A characterization of regular partial cubes whose all convex cycles have the same lengths
Authors: Xie Yan‐Ting , Feng Yong‐De , Xu Shou‐Jun
Published: June 2024

Partial cubes are graphs that can be isometrically embedded into hypercubes. Convex cycles play an important role in the study of partial cubes. In this paper, we prove that a regular partial cube is a hypercube (resp., a Doubled Odd graph, an even cycle of length where ) if and only if all its convex cycles are 4‐cycles (resp., 6‐cycles, ‐cycles). In particular, the partial cubes whose all convex cycles are 4‐cycles are equivalent to almost‐median graphs. Therefore, we conclude that regular almost‐median graphs are exactly hypercubes, which generalizes the result by Mulder—regular median graphs are hypercubes.
Systematic review of MRI safety literature in relation to radiofrequency thermal injury prevention
Authors: Baker Cassandra , Nugent Barbara , Grainger David , Hewis Johnathan , Malamateniou Christina
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a rapidly evolving modality, generally considered safe due to lack of ionising radiation. While MRI technology and techniques are improving, many of the safety concerns remain the same as when first established. Patient thermal injuries are the most frequently reported adverse event, accounting for 59% of MRI incidents to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Surveys indicate many incidents remain unreported. Patient thermal injuries are preventable and various methods for their mitigation have been published. However, recommendations can be variable, fragmented and confusing.

The aim of this systematic review was to synthesise the evidence on MRI safety and associated skin injuries and offer comprehensive recommendations for radiographers to prevent skin thermal injuries.

Methods

Four journal databases were searched for sources published January 2010–May 2023, presenting information on MRI safety and thermal injuries.

Results

Of 26,801 articles returned, after careful screening and based on the eligibility criteria, only 79 articles and an additional 19 grey literature sources were included (n = 98). Included studies were examined using thematic analysis to determine if holistic recommendations can be provided to assist in preventing skin burns. This resulted in three simplified recommendations:

Remove any electrically conductive items

Insulate the patient to prevent any conductive loops or contact with objects

Communicate regularly

Conclusion

By implementing the above recommendations, it is estimated that 97% of skin burns could be prevented. With thermal injuries continuing to impact MRI safety, strategies to prevent skin burns and heating are essential. Assessing individual risks, rather than blanket policies, will help prevent skin thermal injuries occurring, improving patient care.
Climatology of sea breeze over Jiangsu coast: An overview from the ERA5 reanalysis
Authors: Cui Zhiqiang , Mei Shuying , Li Xin , Wang Shizhang , Zeng Mingjian
Published: June 2024

The sea breeze characteristics for 30 years of summer (1981–2010) in the coastal region of Jiangsu Province were analysed in this study, using the four‐step filter method based on ECMWF Fifth‐Generation Reanalysis (ERA5) data. The results showed that the filtering method reasonably identified three types of sea breeze. Additionally, approximately 23% of the total summer days remained; the corkscrew type dominates the three types of sea breeze; and the backdoor sea breeze was the least common. Except for the type of backdoor sea breeze, the other two types had relatively fixed dominant weather types on three coastlines. The synoptic weather patterns in the 500‐hPa level corresponding to each sea breeze type were different. Further, the details of the diurnal cycle of lower tropospheric circulation indicated the strength of the onshore wind and the location of the large potential temperature gradient at noon being influenced by sea breeze type and coastal location. The wind strength for the three types of sea breeze on the middle coastline was stronger than that on the other two coastlines. On the three coastlines, strong onshore winds were concentrated in areas near the coastline, where they reached their maximum strengths around noon. On the southern coastline, strong onshore winds moved further inland.
Very early and early nutrition in children with pancreatitis—A randomised trial
Authors: Bukowski Jan S. , Jamer Tatiana , Kowalska‐Duplaga Kinga , Marczuk Martyna , Stelmaszczyk‐Emmel Anna , Banasiuk Marcin , Banaszkiewicz Aleksandra
Published: June 2024

Objectives

The aim of our study was to assess the impact of the very early introduction of refeeding on the course of acute pancreatitis (AP) in children. Additionally, we evaluated the effect of nutrition on inflammatory markers, including cytokines.

Methods

This prospective randomised study was conducted in three university hospitals in Poland. Patients, aged 1–18 years with AP, were randomised into two groups: A—refeeding within 24 h of hospital admission (very early), and B—refeeding at least 24 h after admission (early nutrition). The severity of AP was assessed after 48 h. The serum concentrations of four cytokines (tumour necrosis factor α [TNFα], interleukin‐1β [IL‐1β], interleukin‐6 [IL‐6] and interleukin‐8 [IL‐8]) and C‐reactive protein, as well as the activity of amylase, lipase and aminotransferases, were measured during the first 3 days of hospitalisation.

Results

A total of 94 children were recruited to participate in the study. The statistical analysis included 75 patients with mild pancreatitis: 42—group A and 33—group B. The two groups did not differ in the length of hospitalisation (p = 0.22), AP symptoms or results of laboratory tests. Analysis of cytokine levels was conducted for 64 children: 38—group A and 26—group B. We did not find a difference in concentrations of the measured cytokines, except for IL‐1β on the third day of hospitalisation (p = 0.01).

Conclusions

The time of initiation of oral nutrition within 24 h (very early) or after 24 h (early) from the beginning of hospitalisation had no impact on the length of hospitalisation, concentrations of TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6 and IL‐8, activity of amylase and lipase or occurrence of symptoms in children with mild AP.
Twenty‐thousand‐year gap between deglaciation and peat formation on sub‐Antarctic Marion Island attributed to climate and sea level change
Authors: Nel Werner , Hodgson DOMINIC A. , Hedding DAVID W. , Whittle Alex , Rudolph ELIZABETH M.
Published: June 2024

Radiocarbon dating of basal peats has been a key factor in determining minimum ages for deglaciation on sub‐Antarctic islands. On Marion Island, peat bogs dominate the landscape below 300 m a.s.l., and palynological assessments of peat cores have been used to assess the vegetation history and succession rates as well as the sensitivity of the indigenous flora to climatic change. Initiation of peat on the sub‐Antarctic islands signifies a major landscape change which has previously been linked to the retreat of glaciers. Here we test this hypothesis by comparing previously published and new basal peat ages from Marion Island with cosmogenic isotope dates for deglaciation, and local and regional palaeo‐environmental changes. Results show that, in common with other sub‐Antarctic islands, peat initiation occurred after the Antarctic Cold Reversal (15–13 ka) and through the early Holocene climate optimum. This substantially post‐dates cosmogenic isotope evidence for deglaciation from the basalts which shows that the areas where the peatlands dominate were ice‐free from the start of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 (~31 ka). This suggests that environmental conditions controlled peat initiation rather than deglaciation. Regional climatic proxies show that during and after MIS 2, extremely low temperatures, extensive sea ice conditions and depressed sea surface temperatures together with lower sea levels at an island scale could have maintained conditions unfavourable for peat initiation at their current locations. On Marion Island, the significant gap of ~20 000 years between the timing of deglaciation and peat formation indicates that the use of peat basal ages as a proxy for the minimum age of deglaciation in the sub‐Antarctic should be used with extreme caution.
Exploring separation mechanisms and lipophilicity in hydrophilic interaction chromatography conditions by thin‐layer chromatography of anesthetics and adjuvant drugs as polar model compounds
Authors: Radoičić Aleksandra , Šegan Sandra , Milojković‐Opsenica Dušanka
Published: June 2024

The chromatographic behavior of the selected compounds was studied under conditions of hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC). The effect of mobile phase composition on the retention in different chromatographic systems was systematically examined using high‐performance thin‐layer chromatography. The sorbents of different polarity and adsorption characteristics were selected and mixtures of water and organic solvents of various compositions, from pure water to pure organic solvent were used as mobile phases. Increasing the amount of water in the mobile phase leads to a conversion of the separation mechanism, and the retention curves have a characteristic “U” shape. The conversion between the adsorption and partition mechanisms is most likely continuous and depends on the chemical nature of separated substances, the stationary phase as well as on organic component of the mobile phase. Silica gel can be considered the most suitable stationary phase for the systematic investigation of the chromatographic behavior of the test compounds, whereas acetonitrile was the most suitable solvent. The obtained results contribute to the understanding of the dominant separation mechanism, the type, and the intensity of the interactions between separated substances with both stationary and mobile phases. Besides, the lipophilicity parameters obtained under HILIC conditions were evaluated and correlated with the calculated values.
Site Substitution Toward Modified Spectral Behaviors in Ce3+‐Activated Sr4La6(SiO4)6Cl2 Cyan‐Emitting Phosphors for Plant Growth and Full‐Spectrum White Light‐Emitting Diode
Authors: Guo Yaojin , Wang Yonghao , Lu Yuwen , Luo Laihui , Li Weiping , Du Peng
Published: June 2024

Series of Ce3+‐activated Sr4La6(SiO4)6Cl2 (SLSOC) cyan‐emitting phosphors are designed to satisfy the demands of plant growth and full‐spectrum white‐light diode (white‐LED). Herein, to modify the luminescence behaviors of phosphors, Ce3+ is designed to occupy the different sites in SLSOC host lattices. Excited at 353 nm, the resultant phosphors emit glaring cyan emission originating from Ce3+ with an asymmetric emission band, which is assigned to the two‐site occupation of Ce3+ at Sr2+ or La3+ crystallographic sites. Moreover, the quantum efficiency and thermal quenching performances of synthesized phosphors are also analyzed, which are all dependent on the crystallographic sites taken by Ce3+. Via using the designed phosphors, two cyan‐emitting LEDs are packaged and their emissions are highly overlapped with the absorption spectra of plant pigments, which allow their feasibilities in plant growth. Furthermore, the artificial plant growth experiments are performed to clarify the significant positive influence of the packaged cyan‐emitting LEDs on plant growth. Additionally, via using the prepared cyan‐emitting phosphors to compensate the cyan gap, the full‐spectrum white‐LEDs with high electroluminescence performances are designed. These achievements reveal that the Ce3+‐activated SLSOC phosphors with controllable luminescence properties are promising cyan‐emitting converters for artificial plant growth LED and full‐spectrum white‐LED.
Analytical insights into cold bosonic atoms in a zigzag optical lattice: Invariant analysis, exact solutions, and bifurcation analysis using phase portraits
Authors: Yadav Poonam , Kumar Gupta Rajesh
Published: June 2024

This work delves into the behavior of cold bosonic atoms within a zigzag optical lattice which offers a rich platform for studying quantum many‐body physics and has potential applications in various fields including quantum simulation, quantum computing, and precision measurement. The study aims to derive exact solutions and explore qualitative properties through dynamical analysis. Exact solutions of the nonlinear differential equation model can provide insights into the behavior of bosonic atoms in complex optical lattice configurations, allowing researchers to simulate and study phenomena such as quantum phase transitions, many‐body localization, and exotic states of matter. The invariant analysis has been performed for the first time on the specified equation, yielding a reduced system of equations with forms that are easier to handle. Novel techniques are applied to extract solutions from the reduced system of equations obtained via invariant analysis. The results reveal a rich set of solutions, including various traveling wave solutions and doubly periodic functions in the form of Jacobian elliptic functions. Bifurcation analysis, conducted through phase portraits, provides insights into the system's long‐term behavior under different parameter values. This work contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of cold bosonic atoms in optical lattices via 2D and 3D plots of obtained solutions depicting the change in the behavior of soliton solutions with fractional derivative parameter.
Nonlinear lattices from the physics of ecosystems: The Lefever–Lejeune nonlinear lattice in ℤ2
Authors: Karachalios Nikos I. , Krypotos Antonis , Kyriazopoulos Paris
Published: June 2024

We argue that the spatial discretization of the strongly nonlinear Lefever–Lejeune partial differential equation defines a nonlinear lattice that is physically relevant in the context of the nonlinear physics of ecosystems, modelling the dynamics of vegetation densities in dry lands. We study the system in the lattice
, which is especially relevant because of its natural dimension for the emergence of pattern formation. Theoretical results identify parametric regimes for the system that distinguish between extinction and potential convergence to nontrivial states. Importantly, we analytically identify conditions for Turing instability, detecting thresholds on the discretization parameter for the manifestation of this mechanism. Numerical simulations reveal the sharpness of the analytical conditions for instability and illustrate the rich potential for pattern formation even in the strongly discrete regime, emphasizing the importance of the interplay between higher dimensionality and discreteness.
Measuring dielectric properties using microwave separated resonant cavities for different oxidation times in SIC fiber cloth materials
Authors: Qin Lin , Ma Denghao , Gao Chong , Li En , Long Jiawei , Tu Yihang , Gao Yong , Yu Chengyong , Zhang Yunpeng , Cheng Jin
Published: June 2024

Measuring silicon carbide (SIC) fibers is a widely used technique in searching for SIC materials with high absorbing properties. Nevertheless, obtaining reasonable electromagnetic properties in most of the existing experimental setups with SIC fiber materials remains difficult. Additionally, being a critical load‐carrying component of composite materials, the properties changing during oxidation conditions would directly impact the practical application of SIC fibers. Aiming at solving such problems, this paper investigates and analyzes the variation of electromagnetic performance under different oxygenation times for SIC fabric cloths (provided by Aerospace 703) and uses separated cylindrical resonant cavities to investigate SIC fiber cloths' electromagnetic properties. Eventually, testing results indicated that the dielectric constant decreases with the increase in oxidation time for SIC fiber cloths. The findings presented here are of guiding significance toward applications of SIC fibers in high temperature conditions.