bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Success of captive breeding and a hormonal trial to increase the reproductive efficacy of Arabian Tahr, Arabitrgus jayakari
Authors: Mansour Nabil , M. Korshunov Vladimir , Pankajakshan Praveen
Published: January 2023

This is the first study shows the results of breeding of Arabian Tahr, Arabitrgus jayakari, with a hormonal attempt to increase its reproductive efficacy in a captive breeding unite. Data of reproductive success of a small population of Arabian Tahr kept in a protected area of Wadi Wurayah, Fujairah, was summarized from 2018-2022. The pregnancy rate, which was around 90% in the first three breeding seasons, decreased to 66.7% in the last breeding season. Rate of late abortion and/or still birth in all breeding seasons was between 11-25%. No multiple births or abortion of fetuses were observed during the four recorded breeding seasons. A hormonal trial was performed in the last breeding season 2021-2022 to synchronize the estrus and increase the reproductive efficacy. Eighteen parous females and 9 adult males were randomly mixed and divided into three groups: two treatment groups and a control group (G3; n = 6). Females were treated with an intravaginal sponge impregnated with 30 mg of Flurogestone acetate (FGA) for either fourteen (G1; n = 6) or seven (G2; n = 6) days, respectively. At the sponge removal, females of G1 and G2 groups were received intramuscular injections of 200 IU of eCG and 75 µg of Cloprostenol. Pregnancy rate was higher in G2 compared to the other two groups and it was also higher in G1 than in G3. Lambing rate was 100% in the control group, and it was higher in G2 compared to G1. Rate of estrous synchronization was similar in both treated groups. In conclusion, Breeding of Arabian Tahr in captivity can be improved by estrous synchronization and induction of ovulation early in the breeding season by using short-term progestagen treatment followed by

eCG injection. More research on other doses of eCG and on the nutritional requirements are required to increase the reproductive efficacy of Arabian Tahr in captive breeding.
Differential response of softneck and hardneck garlic ecotypes to quality attributes for long-term storage
Authors: AKAN Selen , YARALI KARAKAN Faika , HORZUM Özge
Published: January 2023

The selection of suitable garlic ecotypes is necessary for better storage quality to meet domestic and export requirements. For this purpose, ten promising garlic ecotypes, including hardneck and softneck types (Kilis, Mersin, Kahramanmaraş, Araban, Yavuzeli, Taşköprü, Nevşehir, Ankara, Aksaray, and Tokat) were examined to identify superior ecotype/s in terms of storability without detrimental changes for 6 months in warehouse condition. Thus, weight loss, sprouting ratio, and titratable acidity increased, whereas pH and antioxidant capacity decreased in all ecotypes with an increase in storage period. In addition, dissimilar behaviors were detected in SSC, ash, total phenolic, and macro- and micro minerals among ecotypes in relation to the storage period. This study demonstrates that Taşköprü, Tokat, Nevşehir, and Ankara ecotypes presented the best behaviors during storage, which are considered quality attributes and good indicators of predicting storage life. It also highlighted the potential of ecotype selection to prevent unacceptable levels of quality in garlic and the ecotype-dependent effect of long-term storage on quality parameters. Conclusively, it is possible to declare that softneck garlic ecotypes are more durable in the same storage conditions, considering the maintenance of quality attributes and good adaptation to longer storage. Therefore, the intensity of change in quality attributes was found to be crucial for identifying and choosing ecotypes to enhance the storage stability. It also imparts desirable properties for consumer acceptance and various processed garlic-based products.
Physicochemical and bioactive characterization of beekeeper and market honeys
Authors: Tkáč Matej , Vorlová Lenka , Borkovcová Ivana , Golian Jozef
Published: January 2023

Honey is a popular sweetener that makes significant contributions to human nutrition. The aim of this study was to analyze and comparespecific properties relating to honey quality and biological value such as total phenolic content, color, color intensity, proline and otherquality parameters like moisture content, electrical conductivity, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase activity in various honeys directly frombeekeepers and from markets. In total fiftysix honey samples directly from Czech and Slovak beekeepers (n=25) and from markets inthe Czech Republic (n=31) were collected during 2018. The determined parameters varied depending on the botanical and geographicalorigin of honeys. The identified most significant differences (p < 0.01) between the analyzed beekeepers and market honeys in color,color intensity, total phenolic content, moisture content and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural point to the different properties and impact of honeyprocessing on honey composition. In several parameters, like color, color intensity, total phenolic content, proline content and electricalconductivity a very good correlations with botanical origin of honey were observed and beside the melissopalynological analysis theseparameters participated on characterization and authentication of unifloral honeys. Normally, there is a positive correlation between colorand electrical conductivity, however we have also confirmed that the color of honey also depends on the proline content. The results ofthis study confirmed that the origin (beekeeper/market) and botanical source of honeys (unifloral/nectar/honeydew) had effect on theirquality and biological value.
COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma for the Treatment of Immunocompromised Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Senefeld Jonathon W. , Franchini Massimo , Mengoli Carlo , Cruciani Mario , Zani Matteo , Gorman Ellen K. , Focosi Daniele , Casadevall Arturo , Joyner Michael J.
Published: January 2023

Importance

Patients who are immunocompromised have increased risk for morbidity and mortality associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) because they less frequently mount antibody responses to vaccines. Although neutralizing anti-spike monoclonal-antibody treatment has been widely used to treat COVID-19, evolutions of SARS-CoV-2 have been associated with monoclonal antibody-resistant SARS-CoV-2 variants and greater virulence and transmissibility of SARS-CoV-2. Thus, the therapeutic use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma has increased on the presumption that such plasma contains potentially therapeutic antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 that can be passively transferred to the plasma recipient.

Objective

To assess the growing number of reports of clinical experiences of patients with COVID-19 who are immunocompromised and treated with specific neutralizing antibodies via COVID-19 convalescent plasma transfusion.

Data Sources

On August 12, 2022, a systematic search was performed for clinical studies of COVID-19 convalescent plasma use in patients who are immunocompromised.

Study Selection

Randomized clinical trials, matched cohort studies, and case report or series on COVID-19 convalescent plasma use in patients who are immunocompromised were included. The electronic search yielded 462 unique records, of which 199 were considered for full-text screening.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

The study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Data were extracted by 3 independent reviewers in duplicate and pooled.

Main Outcomes and Meaures

The prespecified end point was all-cause mortality after COVID-19 convalescent plasma transfusion; exploratory subgroup analyses were performed based on putative factors associated with the potential mortality benefit of convalescent plasma.

Results

This systematic review and meta-analysis included 3 randomized clinical trials enrolling 1487 participants and 5 controlled studies. Additionally, 125 case series or reports enrolling 265 participants and 13 uncontrolled large case series enrolling 358 participants were included. Separate meta-analyses, using models both stratified and pooled by study type (ie, randomized clinical trials and matched cohort studies), demonstrated that transfusion of COVID-19 convalescent plasma was associated with a decrease in mortality compared with the control cohort for the amalgam of both randomized clinical trials and matched cohort studies (risk ratio [RR], 0.63 [95% CI, 0.50-0.79]).

Conclusions and Relevance

These findings suggest that transfusion of COVID-19 convalescent plasma is associated with mortality benefit for patients who are immunocompromised and have COVID-19.
Emerging Imaging Technologies for Parathyroid Gland Identification and Vascular Assessment in Thyroid Surgery
Authors: Silver Karcioglu Amanda L. , Triponez Frédéric , Solórzano Carmen C. , Iwata Ayaka J. , Abdelhamid Ahmed Amr H. , Almquist Martin , Angelos Peter , Benmiloud Fares , Berber Eren , Bergenfelz Anders , Cha Jaepyeong , Colaianni C. Alessandra , Davies Louise , Duh Quan-Yang , Hartl Dana , Kandil Emad , Kim Wan Wook , Kopp Peter A. , Liddy Whitney , Mahadevan-Jansen Anita , Lee Kang-Dae , Mannstadt Michael , McMullen Caitlin P. , Shonka David C. , Shin Jennifer J. , Singer Michael C. , Slough Cristian M. , Stack Brendan C. , Tearney Guillermo , Thomas Giju , Tolley Neil , Vidal-Fortuny Jordi , Randolph Gregory W.
Published: January 2023

Importance

Identification and preservation of parathyroid glands (PGs) remain challenging despite advances in surgical techniques. Considerable morbidity and even mortality result from hypoparathyroidism caused by devascularization or inadvertent removal of PGs. Emerging imaging technologies hold promise to improve identification and preservation of PGs during thyroid surgery.

Observation

This narrative review (1) comprehensively reviews PG identification and vascular assessment using near-infrared autofluorescence (NIRAF)—both label free and in combination with indocyanine green—based on a comprehensive literature review and (2) offers a manual for possible implementation these emerging technologies in thyroid surgery.

Conclusions and Relevance

Emerging technologies hold promise to improve PG identification and preservation during thyroidectomy. Future research should address variables affecting the degree of fluorescence in NIRAF, standardization of signal quantification, definitions and standardization of parameters of indocyanine green injection that correlate with postoperative PG function, the financial effect of these emerging technologies on near-term and longer-term costs, the adoption learning curve and effect on surgical training, and long-term outcomes of key quality metrics in adequately powered randomized clinical trials evaluating PG preservation.
Variables for designing cube folding tasks influencing sixth‐graders' performance
Authors: Chen Yun‐Zu , Yang Kai‐Lin
Published: January 2023

This study investigated whether the three variables of task form, squares carried, and figural complexity, for designing cube folding tasks, affect sixth graders' cube folding performance. Two task forms were used to develop two versions of “cube folding test.” Each version was designed based on two levels of squares carried and three levels of figural complexity, and contained 18 multiple‐choice items. The sample included 107 boys and 92 girls with an average age of 12.04 years who were randomly assigned to complete one of the two versions. A linear mixed model was carried out with three factors: task forms, squares carried, and figural complexity, in which squares carried and figural complexity were “within‐subjects” factors, and task form was the “between‐subjects” factor. The results showed the interaction effect of squares carried and task form, and the main effect of figural complexity, which differentiated the difficulty in cube folding tasks.
Magnetic‐Activated Nanosystem with Liver‐Specific CRISPR Nonviral Vector to Achieve Spatiotemporal Liver Genome Editing as Hepatitis B Therapeutics
Authors: Zhuo Chenya , Kong Huiming , Yi Ke , Chi Chun‐Wei , Zhang Jiabing , Chen Ran , Wang Haixia , Wu Caixia , Lao Yeh‐Hsing , Tao Yu , Li Mingqiang
Published: January 2023

Chronic hepatitis B infection remains incurable due to the stable presence of various forms of hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome, especially the HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA). The emergence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) technology provides a new opportunity to potentially cure the HBV infection. However, the efficiency and specificity remain unsatisfactory, especially for nonviral CRISPR/Cas9 delivery. To tackle these, a liver‐specific CRISPR/Cas9 magnetic nanosystem FMNPpAG333/sgXPP is constructed based on fluorinated polyethylenimine‐coated magnetic nanoparticles and liver‐specific ApoE.HCR.hAAT promoter‐driven Cas9‐T2A‐EGFP plasmid with dual sgRNAs. The elaborate system enables magnetic field‐induced spatially specific distribution and hepatocyte‐specific promoter‐driven liver‐specific gene editing. Moreover, this CRISPR/Cas9 magnetic nanosystem is designed to disrupt the two conserved sites in X opening reading frame and Pol opening reading frame of the HBV genome, thereby significantly inactivating the HBV genome without showing off‐target effects. Treatment with FMNPpAG333/sgXPP for 7 days reduces serum HBsAg levels by 76% with a total editing efficiency of ≈20% in the two conserved sites. Collectively, this study demonstrates spatiotemporal liver genome editing as well as the feasibility of applying a nonviral CRISPR/Cas9 vector for HBV treatment, which may open up a new application for CRISPR therapeutics.
Nickel Phosphide Clusters Sensitized TiO2 Nanotube Arrays as Highly Efficient Photoanode for Photoelectrocatalytic Urea Oxidation
Authors: Tao Ying , Ma Zhong , Wang Wenchao , Zhang Chi , Fu Lanlan , Zhu Qiong , Li Yanliu , Li Guisheng , Zhang Dieqing
Published: January 2023

The photoelectrocatalytic urea oxidation reaction (PEC‐UOR) holds a great promise for the wastewater remediation and energy production. However, the low efficiency of semiconductor/cocatalysts type photoanodes for UOR restricts their applications in photoelectrocatalytic system. Herein, a new semiconductor/cocatalyst, Ni2P clusters sensitized TiO2 nanotube arrays photoanode (Ni2P/TiO2‐NTAs) for PEC‐UOR with high efficiency are developed. The 1D TiO2‐NTAs structure accelerates urea molecules diffusion and promotes CO2 gas release at the electrode interface. Meanwhile, Ni2P is also beneficial to urea molecule absorption and CO2 desorption and enable to lower the energy barrier for amine (NH) dehydrogenation. Furthermore, the robust interfacial charge transfer pathway between Ni2P and TiO2 interface promotes the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes and the transfer of photogenerated electrons from Ni2P to TiO2. Therefore, this photoanode shows excellent PEC‐UOR performance with the potential of 1.43 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) when the current density reaches 10 mA cm−2, which is much lower than that of 2.24 V versus RHE and 1.58 V versus RHE for TiO2‐NTAs and Ni(OH)2/TiO2‐NTAs, respectively.
Solvent‐Free Transfer of Freestanding Large‐Area Conjugated Polymer Films for Optoelectronic Applications
Authors: Esparza Guillermo L. , Kodur Moses , Chen Alexander X. , Wang Benjamin , Bunch Jordan A. , Cramlet Jaden , Runser Rory , Fenning David P. , Lipomi Darren J.
Published: January 2023

Conventional processes for depositing thin films of conjugated polymers are restricted to those based on vapor, liquid, and solution‐phase precursors. Each of these methods bear some limitations. For example, low‐bandgap polymers with alternating donor–acceptor structures cannot be deposited from the vapor phase, and solution‐phase deposition is always subject to issues related to the incompatibility of the substrate with the solvent. Here, a technique to enable deposition of large‐area, ultra‐thin films (≈20 nm or more), which are transferred from the surface of water, is demonstrated. From the water, these pre‐solidified films can then be transferred to a desired substrate, circumventing limitations such as solvent orthogonality. The quality of these films is characterized by a variety of imaging and electrochemical measurements. Mechanical toughness is identified as a limiting property of polymer compatibility, along with some strategies to address this limitation. As a demonstration, the films are used as the hole‐transport layer in perovskite solar cells, in which their performance is shown to be comparable to controls formed by spin‐coating.
Dense Arrays of Nanohelices: Raman Scattering from Achiral Molecules Reveals the Near‐Field Enhancements at Chiral Metasurfaces
Authors: Jones Robin R. , Miksch Cornelia , Kwon Hyunah , Pothoven Coosje , Rusimova Kristina R. , Kamp Maarten , Gong Kedong , Zhang Liwu , Batten Tim , Smith Brian , Silhanek Alejandro V. , Fischer Peer , Wolverson Daniel , Valev Ventsislav K.
Published: January 2023

Against the background of the current healthcare and climate emergencies, surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) is becoming a highly topical technique for identifying and fingerprinting molecules, e.g., within viruses, bacteria, drugs, and atmospheric aerosols. Crucial for SERS is the need for substrates with strong and reproducible enhancements of the Raman signal over large areas and with a low fabrication cost. Here, dense arrays of plasmonic nanohelices (≈100 nm in length), which are of interest for many advanced nanophotonics applications, are investigated, and they are shown to present excellent SERS properties. As an illustration, two new ways to probe near‐field enhancement generated with circular polarization at chiral metasurfaces are presented, first using the Raman spectra of achiral molecules (crystal violet) and second using a single, element‐specific, achiral molecular vibrational mode (i.e., a single Raman peak). The nanohelices can be fabricated over large areas at a low cost and they provide strong, robust and uniform Raman enhancement. It is anticipated that these advanced materials will find broad applications in surface enhanced Raman spectroscopies and material science.
Terahertz Nonlinear Hall Rectifiers Based on Spin‐Polarized Topological Electronic States in 1T‐CoTe2
Authors: Hu Zhen , Zhang Libo , Chakraborty Atasi , D'Olimpio Gianluca , Fujii Jun , Ge Anping , Zhou Yuanchen , Liu Changlong , Agarwal Amit , Vobornik Ivana , Farias Daniel , Kuo Chia‐Nung , Lue Chin Shan , Politano Antonio , Wang Shao‐Wei , Hu Weida , Chen Xiaoshuang , Lu Wei , Wang Lin
Published: January 2023

The zero‐magnetic‐field nonlinear Hall effect (NLHE) refers to the second‐order transverse current induced by an applied alternating electric field; it indicates the topological properties of inversion‐symmetry‐breaking crystals. Despite several studies on the NLHE induced by the Berry‐curvature dipole in Weyl semimetals, the direct current conversion by rectification is limited to very low driving frequencies and cryogenic temperatures. The nonlinear photoresponse generated by the NLHE at room temperature can be useful for numerous applications in communication, sensing, and photodetection across a high bandwidth. In this study, observations of the second‐order NLHE in type‐II Dirac semimetal CoTe2 under time‐reversal symmetry are reported. This is determined by the disorder‐induced extrinsic contribution on the broken‐inversion‐symmetry surface and room‐temperature terahertz rectification without the need for semiconductor junctions or bias voltage. It is shown that remarkable photoresponsivity over 0.1 A W−1, a response time of approximately 710 ns, and a mean noise equivalent power of 1 pW Hz−1/2 can be achieved at room temperature. The results open a new pathway for low‐energy photon harvesting via nonlinear rectification induced by the NLHE in strongly spin–orbit‐coupled and inversion‐symmetry‐breaking systems, promising a considerable impact in the field of infrared/terahertz photonics.
Lanthanide Upconversion Nanoplatforms for Advanced Bacteria‐Targeted Detection and Therapy
Authors: Li Zhuo , Lu Shan , Li Xingjun , Chen Zhuo , Chen Xueyuan
Published: January 2023

The growing crisis of antibiotic resistance calls for advanced and sustainable antibacterial strategies. In the past few years, lanthanide‐doped upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) with unique photophysical properties have been innovatively explored for bacterial detection and therapy, and hold promise for alleviating challenges faced in the post‐antibiotic era. In this review, the interface engineering for the bacteria‐targeted UCNP nanoplatforms is highlighted, the principles and merits of various upconversion detection strategies are discussed, and the latest progress in UCNP‐based antibacterial applications are summarized, especially in deep‐tissue infection imaging and therapy. Finally, the remaining concerns and future efforts for practical applications are put forward. This review is expected to provide comprehensive guidance for diagnosing and combating bacterial infections based on advanced UCNP nanoplatforms.
Steric Barrier‐Steered Reaction Sites in Micellar Catalysis
Authors: Zhang Lijuan , Yin Shengqiang , Guan Weijiang , Lu Chao
Published: January 2023

In the pursuit of an advanced micellar catalysis system, the reaction sites in micelles determine its catalytic performances. However, the intrinsic polarity gradient of micelles anchors the reactants in the fixed regions, leading to an unmet challenge to steer the reaction sites to the optimal ones. To overcome this limitation, a Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) spectroscopic ruler is established to position the true sites of reactants in micellar catalysis by using tetraphenylethylene (TPE) in the aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) micelles as the FRET donor and Nile red as the FRET acceptor. Subsequently, the customizable TPE steric barriers in the AIE micelles are apt to mediate the reactants into the polar micellar surface, the semipolar palisade layer, or the nonpolar internal layer, achieving the corresponding catalytic efficiencies. Additionally, the universality of steric barrier‐steered reaction sites in micellar catalysis is further demonstrated by the simple incorporation of small nonpolar molecules into the commercially available surfactants. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report on the design of steric barriers to steer the reaction sites in micellar catalysis. These findings open up attractive perspectives for the exploration of new classes of efficient micellar catalysis systems in a variety of reactions.
Prediction of Linear Energy Transfer Based on Geant4 Simulation and Neural Networks
Authors: Zhang Xuyan , Chen Siyu , Liu Bohang , Cao Xianfa , Chen Dongliang , Ma Lan , Wang Shulong
Published: January 2023

Most of the traditional studies based on single event effects (SEEs) favor the analysis of electrical mechanisms of semiconductor devices. Professional simulation software in microelectronics requires researchers to have a solid knowledge of microelectronics theory, and the modeling threshold of the software is relatively high, the simulation speed is slow, and accurate simulation of inter‐particle and particle–material interactions is lacking. SEEs are related to linear energy transfer (LET), in this paper, a method is proposed to obtain LET datas to predict SEEs of particles incident on silicon materials by using the Geant4 Monte Carlo toolkit in combination with a dense convolutional network to accurately and rapidly estimate the energy deposition characteristics of the particles. The proposed network structure has a high prediction accuracy with a mean square error （MSE） of only 1.77 × 10−4. Compared with Geant4, which takes 1 min to compute a set of data, the proposed network structure takes only 0.0817 s. The method explores the feasibility of using Geant4 to model semiconductor devices combined with deep learning algorithms, providing a new research perspective for the prediction of microelectronic devices and making it possible to explore the influence of integrated circuits by SEEs.
Perovskite Solar Cells in the Shadow: Understanding the Mechanism of Reverse‐Bias Behavior toward Suppressed Reverse‐Bias Breakdown and Reverse‐Bias Induced Degradation
Authors: Wang Chaofeng , Huang Like , Zhou Yike , Guo Yi , Liang Kaiwen , Wang Tianzhou , Liu Xiaohui , Zhang Jing , Hu Ziyang , Zhu Yuejin
Published: January 2023

In recent years, the power conversion efficiencies of halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have reached 25.7%. Further commercialization puts forward higher requirements for the stability of PSCs under different stresses. Current research on the stability of PSCs predominantly focuses on investigating the effects of temperature, humidity, oxygen, ultraviolet light, and electrical bias stress, while stability under reverse bias has been poorly studied among the many factors. When large‐area application of PSCs panels occurs, the shading effect and local hot spots of PSCs modules in real scenarios all indicate that the research on reverse bias stability of PSCs is urgently needed. Within this review, a bird's‐eye view of the recent advances on the reverse bias stability issue and reverse bias behavior of PSCs is obtained, and the related mechanisms behind that have been proposed so far are reviewed and discussed. Furthermore, future directions are provided for further improving the reverse bias stability of PSCs via increasing the reverse breakdown voltage (VRB). This review aims to promote the establishment of well‐established reverse bias degradation and reverse breakdown mechanisms of PSCs as well as to establish standardized test procedures for reverse bias stability issues on the road to commercialization of PSCs.
Evaluation of floral volatile patterns in the genus Narcissus using gas chromatography–coupled ion mobility spectrometry
Authors: Losch Florian , Liedtke Sascha , Vautz Wolfgang , Weigend Maximilian
Published: January 2023

Premise

Daffodils (Narcissus, Amaryllidaceae) are iconic ornamentals with a complex floral biology and many fragrant species; however, little is known about floral plant volatile organic compounds (pVOCs) across the genus and additional sampling is desirable. The present study investigates whether the floral scent of 20 species of Narcissus can be characterized using gas chromatography–coupled ion mobility spectrometry (GC–IMS), with the aim of building a comparative pVOC data set for ecological and evolutionary studies.

Methods

We used a commercial GC–IMS equipped with an integrated in‐line enrichment system for a fast, sensitive, and automated pVOC analysis. This facilitates qualitative and (semi)‐quantitative measurements without sample preparation.

Results

The GC–IMS provided detailed data on floral pVOCs in Narcissus with very short sampling times and without floral enclosure. A wide range of compounds was recorded and partially identified. The retrieved pVOC patterns showed a good agreement with published data, and five “chemotypes” were characterized as characteristic combinations of floral volatiles.

Discussion

The GC–IMS setup can be applied to rapidly generate large amounts of pVOC data with high sensitivity and selectivity. The preliminary data on Narcissus obtained here indicate both considerable pVOC variability and a good correspondence of the pVOC patterns with infrageneric classification, supporting the hypothesis that floral scent could represent a considerable phylogenetic signal.
Finite‐frequency output feedback MPC for Markov jump systems
Authors: Liu Yuling , Wen Jiwei , Luan Xiaoli , Liu Fei
Published: January 2023

This paper investigates a general design framework of dynamic output feedback model predictive control (DOFMPC) for Markov jump systems within both time and frequency domain. Such a design with guaranteed H∞ and quadratic performance is formulated by a standard semi‐definite programming (SDP), and it is achieved by employing a special congruence transformation. The SDP condition greatly reduces the computational effort by eliminating bilinear matrix inequalities or equation constraints reported in existing references. Specifically, the H∞ norm of the transfer function is optimized within three types of frequency ranges on account of generalized Kalman–Yakubovic–Popov (GKYP) lemma. The quadratic index is optimized online via SDP. Finally, we verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method from both theoretical and practical point of view.
Ökobilanz im Bauwesen – Treibhausgasemissionen praxisüblicher Deckensysteme
Authors: Heckmann Michael , Glock Christian
Published: January 2023

In den vergangenen Jahren erfolgte eine ökobilanzielle Bewertung von Gebäuden nur in Ausnahmefällen auf Wunsch von Projektinitiierenden. Vor dem Hintergrund des gesellschaftlichen und politischen Drucks auf ein klimagerechtes und nachhaltiges Handeln werden Ökobilanzen und die zur Verfügung stehenden Daten zunehmend auch wirtschaftlich relevant. Im Rahmen des Beitrags werden daher die wesentlichen Grundlagen einer Ökobilanz im Bauwesen vorgestellt. Neben einer kritischen Analyse des Bilanzierungsrahmens erfolgt eine kurze Vorstellung verfügbarer Datengrundlagen, wie z. B. der nationalen Datenbank ÖKOBAUDAT. Ferner wird auf die Treibhausgasbilanzierung des Baustoffs Holz eingegangen, die teils erhebliche Bewertungsspielräume mit der Gefahr von Fehlanreizen eröffnet. Als horizontale Bauteile können Deckensysteme von mehrgeschossigen Bauten etwa 40 % der tragwerksbedingten Emissionen eines Gebäudes verursachen und sind folglich von hoher Relevanz für eine Ökobilanz. Unter Variation der bilanzierten Lebenszyklusphasen und verwendeten Datensätze als mögliche Einflussfaktoren auf die Ergebnisse einer Ökobilanz werden diese Bauteile im nachfolgenden Beitrag genauer untersucht und gegenübergestellt. Trotz z. T. sensibler Auswirkungen auf die Gegenüberstellung der Deckensysteme bietet die Ökobilanz eine klare Entscheidungshilfe bei der Wahl von Deckensystemen im Sinne reduzierter Treibhausgasemissionen einer Rohbaukonstruktion.
Modification of the swirling well cell culture model to alter shear stress metrics
Authors: Arshad Mehwish , Cheng Shuyu , van Reeuwijk Maarten , Sherwin Spencer J. , Weinberg Peter D.
Published: January 2023

Effects of hemodynamic shear stress on endothelial cells have been extensively investigated using the “swirling well” method, in which cells are cultured in dishes or multiwell plates placed on an orbital shaker. A wave rotates around the well, producing complex patterns of shear. The method allows chronic exposure to flow with high throughput at low cost but has two disadvantages: a number of shear stress characteristics change in a broadly similar way from the center to the edge of the well, and cells at one location in the well may release mediators into the medium that affect the behavior of cells at other locations, exposed to different shears. These properties make it challenging to correlate cell properties with shear. The present study investigated simple alterations to ameliorate these issues. Flows were obtained by numerical simulation. Increasing the volume of fluid in the well‐altered dimensional but not dimensionless shear metrics. Adding a central cylinder to the base of the well‐forced fluid to flow in a square toroidal channel and reduced multidirectionality. Conversely, suspending a cylinder above the base of the well made the flow highly multidirectional. Increasing viscosity in the latter model increased the magnitude of dimensional but not dimensionless metrics. Finally, tilting the well changed the patterns of different wall shear stress metrics in different ways. Collectively, these methods allow similar flows over most of the cells cultured and/or allow the separation of different shear metrics. A combination of the methods overcomes the limitations of the baseline model.
Continuous flow system for biphasic synthesis of gem‐dichloroaziridine derivatives
Authors: Jang Yea Seul , Kang Kook Hee , Yun Seula , Park Chan Pil
Published: January 2023

gem‐Dichloroaziridines are essential building blocks in the synthesis of biologically and pharmacologically active compounds. We developed a continuous flow biphasic system to overcome the limitation of conventional batch systems, in which dichlorocarbene generated from the reaction of chloroform and a NaOH combined with azomethines to generate gem‐dichloroaziridine derivatives in good yields. Then a two‐step one‐flow process was designed with the addition of flow synthesis of N‐benzylideneaniline. This process is also advantageous in protecting the researcher from irritating odors and harmful reactants and intermediates.
Pandemic‐related mental health crises should serve as wake‐up call for NCAA
Authors: Romano Robert J. , Devarakonda Lalita
Published: January 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic had a profound impact on the mental health of individuals throughout various communities, with a great number reporting psychological distress and symptoms of depression and anxiety. Nowhere has this been more apparent than at the college and university level, especially within collegiate athletics.
Semi‐Synthesis of Flavonoid Glycosides and Their Anti‐Inflammatory and Antitumor Activities towards Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Authors: Xie Ji‐Zhao , Xu Huan‐Ji , Zhang Qing , Wu Zheng , Wu Xin‐Duo , Li Xue‐Hua , Tan Zhen‐Yuan , Xie Yun‐Feng , Qiu Li
Published: January 2023

Background: Flavonoid glycosides are known to possess diverse bioactivities including antitumor and anti‐inflammatory properties. Hesperetin is abundant in nature and can be used to synthesize bioactive flavonoids. This has the advantages of low cost, short synthetic steps, simple operation, and good yields. Objective: In this study, we aimed to synthesize bioactive flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides from hesperetin and evaluate the antitumor and anti‐inflammatory activities of these compounds. Methods: A series of flavonoids and their derivatives were synthesized by methoxylation, oxidative dehydrogenation, benzylation, debenzylation, and deacetylation as well as using a modified peroxyacetone method and a glycoside condensation reaction. Their anti‐inflammatory activities were evaluated for their inhibitory effects on nitric oxide (NO), tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α), and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) production in LPS‐induced RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. Their structures were characterized by HRMS, 1H‐NMR, and 13C‐NMR, and their cytotoxicity on the human triple‐negative breast cancer cell (TNBC) line, SUM 149, was tested by using the MST assay. Results: Most of the compounds markedly reduced NO production in LPS‐stimulated murine macrophages at the tested concentrations in a dose‐dependent manner. Among these, compounds 1, 7, 9, and 17 showed significant anti‐inflammatory activities against NO production in LPS‐induced RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. In addition, they could also reduce the release of TNF‐α and IL‐6 in a concentration‐dependent manner. Most of the tested compounds showed remarkable anti‐human TNBC activities. Compounds 1b–1m, 1, and 3 showed a certain degree of growth inhibition effect on the human TNBC cell lines and their IC50 values were all below 16.61 μM. In addition, compound 1l was the most cytotoxic with IC50 values of 1.38±0.31 μM, while the other compounds were inactive with inhibition rates <50 % at the highest concentration tested (20 μM). Conclusions: A novel series of flavonoids were synthesized from the natural flavonoid, hesperetin, including 17 new compounds. Screening tests indicated that most of these compounds reduced NO production in LPS‐stimulated murine macrophages at concentrations of 15 to 60 μM, and the inhibition generally increased in a dose‐dependent manner. Some compounds showed different degrees of cytotoxicity on the human TBNC cell lines, SUM 149.
Pituitary hyposignal characteristic of hemochromatosis on MRI
Authors: Yehouenou Tessi Romeo Thierry , Oze Rita Koudouhonon , Outznit Mustapha , Hadj Hsain Ihssan , Nassar Ittimade , Moatassim Billah Nabil
Published: January 2023

Pituitary haemochromatosis is an endocrine disorder caused by the accumulation of iron due to a lack of absorption during haemochromatosis. The characteristic appearance on MRI is a T2 and T2* hyposignal of the anterior pituitary gland without enhancement, respecting the pituitary stalk and the posterior pituitary gland.
A giant quiet esophageal polyp: A case report
Authors: Sadidi Hossein , Ahmadi Ghazale , Mehri Ali , Nouri Dalouee Marzie
Published: January 2023

Fibrovascular polyps of the esophagus are rare, benign, intraluminal submucosal tumors. In this report, we present a case of esophageal polyp in a young woman and discuss its diagnostic and surgical aspects.
Neutrophilic erythrophagocytosis in myelodysplastic syndrome and cold agglutinin disease co‐occurrence
Authors: Amelirad Asra , Modaresi Parisa , Soltani Hassan
Published: January 2023

In this article, we report the rare phenomenon of erythrophagocytosis by neutrophils in peripheral blood smear of a 56‐year‐old male patient with concurrent myelodysplastic syndrome and cold agglutinin disease.
Sulphonic Acid‐Functionalized Polymeric Ionic Liquids Catalyzed Conversion of Carbohydrates into Levulinic Acid in One‐Pot Reaction
Authors: Shi Shengbin , Wu Wenting , Liu Panli , Xiao Guomin
Published: January 2023

Sulphonic acid‐functionalized polymeric ionic liquids (PILs) were synthesized and applied into catalytic conversion of cellulose into levulinic acid (LA). The structure, thermal stability, and Hammett acidity function (H0) of PILs were characterized and all were more thermostable than those of small‐molecular ionic liquids (IL). At the optimum reaction conditions, the LA yield was maximized to 79.4 % by catalyst [Pim]CH3SO3. More importantly, catalyst [Pim]CH3SO3 performed well in other biomass conversion, such as cellobiose, starch and rice husk. The product LA can be easily extracted by methyl isobutyl ketone from the reaction mixture. The PILs with high catalytic activity were easily recycled with an LA yield up to 68.9 % even after five cycles. These sufficient PILs will offer new approaches for transforming biomass to platform chemicals.
Soluble Iron Enhances Extracellular Electron Uptake by Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1
Authors: Abuyen Karla , El‐Naggar Mohamed Y.
Published: January 2023

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a process that microorganisms use to reduce or oxidize external insoluble electron acceptors or donors. Much of our mechanistic understanding of this process is derived from studies of transmembrane cytochrome complexes and extracellular redox shuttles that mediate outward EET to anodes and external electron acceptors. In contrast, there are knowledge gaps concerning the reverse process of inward EET from external electron donors to cells. Here, we describe a role for soluble iron (exogenous FeCl2) in enhancing EET from cathodes to the model EET bacterium Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1, with fumarate serving as the intracellular electron acceptor. This iron concentration‐dependent electron uptake was eradicated upon addition of an iron chelator and occurred only in the presence of fumarate reductase, confirming an electron pathway from cathodes to this periplasmic enzyme. Moreover, S. oneidensis mutants lacking specific outer membrane and periplasmic cytochromes exhibited significantly decreased current levels relative to wild‐type. These results indicate that soluble iron can function as an electron carrier to the EET machinery of S. oneidensis.
Electrochemical Synthesis of Carbon Quantum Dots
Authors: Rocco Daniele , Moldoveanu Vyali Georgian , Feroci Marta , Bortolami Martina , Vetica Fabrizio
Published: January 2023

Carbon quantum dots (CDs) are “small” carbon nanostructures with excellent photoluminescence properties, together with low‐toxicity, high biocompatibility, excellent dispersibility in water as well as organic solvents. Due to their characteristics, CDs have been studied for a plethora of applications as biosensors, luminescent probes for photodynamic and photothermal therapy, fluorescent inks and many more. Moreover, the possibility to obtain carbon dots from biomasses and/or organic waste has strongly promoted the interest in this class of carbon‐based nanoparticles, having a promising impact in the view of circular economy and sustainable processes. Within this context, electrochemistry proved to be a green, practical, and efficient method for the synthesis of high‐quality CDs, with the possibility to fine‐tune their characteristics by changing operational parameters. This review outlines the principal and most recent advances in the electrochemical synthesis of CDs, focusing on the electrochemical set‐up optimization.
Disparities in the use of screening breast magnetic resonance imaging persist in Louisiana after the Affordable Care Act: A question of access, policy, institutional support, or something else?
Authors: Morrell Brooke L. , Morrell Mignonne B. , Ball Jane A. , Ochoa Augusto C. , Seewaldt Victoria L.
Published: January 2023

Background

Louisiana continues to have one of the highest breast cancer mortality rates in the nation, and Black women are disproportionally affected. Louisiana has made advances in improving access to breast cancer screening through the expansion of Medicaid. There remains, however, broad underuse of advanced imaging technology such as screening breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly for Black women.

Methods

Breast MRI has been proven to be very sensitive for the early detection of breast cancer in women at high risk. MRI is more sensitive than mammography for aggressive, invasive breast cancer types, which disproportionally affect Black women. Here the authors identify potential barriers to breast MRI screening in Black women, propose strategies to address disparities in access, and advocate for specific recommendations for change.

Results

Cost was identified as one of the greatest barriers to screening breast MRI. The authors propose implementation of cost‐saving, abbreviated protocols to address cost along with lobbying for further expansion of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) to include coverage for screening breast MRI. In addition, addressing gaps in communication and knowledge and facilitating providers’ ability to readily identify women who might benefit from MRI could be particularly impactful for high‐risk Black women in Louisiana communities.

Conclusions

Since the adoption of the ACA in Louisiana, Black women have continued to have disproportionally high breast cancer mortality rates. This persistent disparity provides evidence that additional change is needed. This change should include exploring innovative ways to make advanced imaging technology such as breast MRI more accessible and expanding research to specifically address community and culturally specific barriers.
NIR‐triggered Synergetic Photothermal and Chemotherapy Cancer Treatment Based on SiO2@Au@SiO2@QDs‐DOX Composite Structural Particles
Authors: Jiang Xinbing , Qiao Lu , Yang Huan , Li Ben Q , Ding Shujiang
Published: January 2023

This paper reports the synthesis of multi‐layer SiO2@Au@SiO2@QDs nanoparticles with a dual‐functionality of simultaneous heating and temperature sensing and their applications to in vitro chemo‐thermal therapy. The heating is activated by a NIR‐light through resonance excitation of surface plasma while in‐situ thermal sensing is accomplished by the QDs photoluminescent (PL) effect. These dual function nanoparticles are used as a drug carrier for in vitro chemotherapy‐photothermal co‐treatment for malignant cells. A comparative study of drug release profiles was performed with and without 808 nm laser irradiation. The drug release rate was accelerated by a rise of temperature, which is induced by plasmonic heat generation associated with Au nanoshells; while the temperature change is monitored by the QD nanoparticles at the same time. The results showed that SiO2@Au@SiO2@QDs‐DOX platform enabled the combination of local specific chemotherapy with external near‐infrared (NIR) photothermal therapy and significantly improved the efficacy of cancer treatment. This combined treatment demonstrated synergistic chemotherapeutic‐thermal effects compared to chemotherapy or photothermal therapy alone, resulting in higher efficacy.
An improvedsub‐harmonicto harmonic ratio method for pitch estimation and Shadja detection
Authors: Kumaraswamy Balachandra , P G Poonacha
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we have presented an improved Sub‐Harmonic to Harmonic ratio (SHR) algorithm using the Genetic algorithm (GA) for pitch estimation of audio recordings of various ragas. Then we study the problem of Shadja identification using machine learning with the help of feature extraction and classification. The extraction of features from the raga signal is done with the help of statistical analysis of pitch estimation and these features are classified using a Neural Network (NN). Here, the training of NN is accomplished by Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm for, determining the weights. Performance of the proposed Sa detection algorithm is analyzed by comparing the developed NN using Gray Wolf Optimization (GWO) models with the conventional models such as Levenberg Marquardt based NN (LM‐NN), Gradient Descent based (GD‐NN), Particle Swarm Optimization based NN (PSO‐NN) and FireFly based NN (FF‐NN) in terms of positive and negative performance measures.
The role of metacognitions in cyberbullying and cybervictimization among adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder and anxiety disorders: A case–control study
Authors: Ünal‐Aydın Pınar , Özkan Yekta , Öztürk Masum , Aydın Orkun , Spada Marcantonio M.
Published: January 2023

Cyberbullying is becoming increasingly widespread as individuals use technology more widely and frequently. Recent studies have shown a growing vulnerability for cyberbullying and cybervictimization, particularly in the adolescent population. We argue that dysfunctional metacognitions, which have been found to be prominent in various psychiatric disorders, may also play a role in predicting cyberbullying and cybervictimization over and above a variety of established factors including daily Internet use, social media use, depression and anxiety. For this purpose, we recruited 121 adolescents diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 122 adolescents diagnosed with anxiety disorders (AD) from the child and adolescent psychiatric department of ‘Çankırı State Hospital’ along with age and gender matched healthy controls (n = 120). Participants completed the DSM‐5 Depression and Anxiety Severity Scales, the Social Media Disorder Scale (SMDS), the Metacognitions Questionnaire for Children (MCQ‐C) and the Revised Cyberbullying Inventory‐II (RCBI‐II). Cybervictimization scores were found to be higher in the MDD and AD groups when compared with healthy controls. Cyberbullying scores in the MDD group were higher than healthy controls. Additionally, the Superstition, Punishment and Responsibility subdimension of the MCQ‐C was a significant predictor of cybervictimization in the AD group while controlling for daily Internet use, social media use and anxiety. However, metacognitions were not associated with cyberbullying in the MDD and AD groups, as well as with cybervictimization in the MDD group. We concluded that dysfunctional metacognitions may be a preventive therapeutic target in reducing the impact of cyberbullying in adolescents with AD.