bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance of an adaptive beamforming noise reduction scheme for hearing aid applications. I. Prediction of the signal-to-noise-ratio improvement
Authors: Kompis Martin , Dillier Norbert
Published: July 2002

Adaptive beamformers have been proposed as noise reduction schemes for conventional hearing aids and cochlear implants. A method to predict the amount of noise reduction that can be achieved by a two-microphone adaptive beamformer is presented. The prediction is based on a model of the acoustic environment in which the presence of one acoustic target-signal source and one acoustic noise source in a reverberant enclosure is assumed. The acoustic field is sampled using two omnidirectional microphones mounted close to the ears of a user. The model takes eleven different parameters into account, including reverberation time and size of the room, directionality of the acoustic sources, and design parameters of the beamformer itself, including length of the adaptive filter and delay in the target signal path. An approximation to predict the achievable signal-to-noise improvement based on the model is presented. Potential applications as well as limitations of the proposed prediction method are discussed and a FORTRAN subroutine to predict the achievable signal-to-noise improvement is provided. Experimental verification of the predictions is provided in a companion paper [J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 109, 1134 (2001)].
Geoacoustic inversion for fine-grained sediments
Authors: Holland Charles W.
Published: July 2002

Fine-grained water saturated sediments like silty clays have the curious property that the speed of sound through its bulk medium is lower than that of the interstitial pore fluid. When a fine-grained sediment is at the water–sediment interface, classical theory predicts that there is an angle at which the reflection coefficient is zero, and there is total transmission of sound into the seabed. This angle is called the angle of intromission and has been directly observed at the seafloor only rarely. Data from a new measurement technique show this phenomenon with remarkable clarity. The presence of the angle of intromission creates an opportunity for a direct (i.e., without search) inversion for the sediment sound speed and density. Though acoustic techniques generally do not estimate sediment density very precisely, this technique is quite sensitive to density. Geoacoustic inversion results from reflection measurements in the Straits of Sicily compare very favorably with independent “ground truth” data indicating that the method is robust.
Free interfacial vibrations in cylindrical shells
Authors: Kaplunov Julius D. , Wilde Maria V.
Published: July 2002

The 2D equations in the Kirchhoff–Love theory are subjected to asymptotic analysis in the case of free interfacial vibrations of a longitudinally inhomogeneous infinite cylindrical shell. Three types of interfacial vibrations, associated with bending, super low-frequency semi-membrane, and extensional motions, are investigated. It is remarkable that for extensional modes natural frequencies have asymptotically small imaginary parts caused by a weak coupling with propagating bending waves. Bending and extensional vibrations correspond to Stonely-type plate waves, while semi-membrane ones are strongly dependent on shell curvature and do not allow flat plate interpretation. The paper represents generalization of the recent authors’ publication [Kaplunov et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 107, 1383–1393 (2000)] dealing with edge vibrations of a semi-infinite cylindrical shell.
The Viscoelasticity of Filled Materials
Authors: Rigbi Zvi
Published: July 2002

An expression for the modulus of rigidity of an elastic material in which a rigid filler is dispersed is extended to deal with a viscoelastic matrix. It is shown that the introduction of the filler adds a second relaxation (or retardation) time to that of the matrix.
Polyethylene Melt Viscosity: Shear Rate-Temperature Superposition
Authors: Mendelson Robert A.
Published: July 2002

The steady-state melt viscosities of both high density and low density polyethylene have been investigated for a series of samples over four decades of shear rate and a range of temperatures from 120°C (150°C for high density samples) to 300°C. In the case of low density polyethylene a broad range of molecular weight distributions was covered. Melt viscosity measurements were made using a capillary extrusion rheometer and a capillary with L/D=66.7 for which it was demonstrated that end-corrections were negligible. Using arbitrary reference temperatures, a superposition-temperature method was found to be applicable over the entire region of shear rates and of temperatures. A single set of superposition shift factors (for a given reference temperature) was found to be general for all low density polyethylene samples regardless of molecular weight distribution, and a second set was applicable to all of the high density samples. The dependence of the shift factors on temperature was described by a simple exponential, or Arrhenius, equation with activation energies of 11.3 kcal/mole and 6.3 kcal/mole for low density and high density polyethylene, respectively.
Effect of Degradation by Pumping on Normal Stresses in Polyisobutylene Solutions
Authors: Patterson Gary K. , Hershey Harry C. , Green Charles D. , Zakin Jacques L.
Published: July 2002

Normal stress measurements were made on dilute solutions of polyisobutylene in three low-viscosity solvents at high shear rates with a jet thrust apparatus in which the thrust tube was mounted on the frame of an analytical balance. Thrust measurements could be easily read to 0.01 g and replicate measurements agreed closely with the original ones. Mechanical degradation of polyisobutylene in cyclohexane and toluene caused significant reductions in (P11−P22)w values at high shear rates and in the amount of drag reduction in turbulent flow. Molecular weight distribution curves and estimates of viscosity-average molecular weights of the fresh and degraded solutions in toluene indicate that these effects noted in this solvent are caused by the breakdown of small amounts of high molecular weight polymer, with only a small change in the viscosity-average molecular weight.
Polymer melt lubricated elongational flow
Authors: Kim Hwan Chul , Pendse Ajit , Collier John R.
Published: July 2002

Use of lubricated skin/core flow of a polymer melt and a hyperbolic shaped converging die are shown to result in essentially pure elongational flow at a constant elongational strain rate. This behavior is demonstrated first by modeling a series of skin/core layered flows: power-law rectangular channel shearing flow; Newtonian fluid converging channel elongational flow; and power-law fluid converging channel elongational flow. Experimental measurements using tracer particles and an image analysis system confirm the predicted behavior and demonstrate the ability to achieve a constant elongational strain rate in the core layer. The constant value is controlled by the volumetric flow rate and die geometry in this confined flow. The viscosity ratio of the core polymer must be at least 100 times that of the core and the converging flow channel must have a specific hyperbolic shape. A Dowex low-density polyethylene skin and a Marlex polypropylene core were used for the experimental measurements and for the rheological parameters used in the modeling.
Development of an anthropomorphic multimodality pelvic phantom for quantitative evaluation of a deep‐learning‐based synthetic computed tomography generation technique
Authors: Jin Hyeongmin , Lee Sung Young , An Hyun Joon , Choi Chang Heon , Chie Eui Kyu , Wu Hong‐Gyun , Park Jong Min , Park Sukwon , Kim Jung‐in
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The objective of this study was to fabricate an anthropomorphic multimodality pelvic phantom to evaluate a deep‐learning‐based synthetic computed tomography (CT) algorithm for magnetic resonance (MR)‐only radiotherapy.

Methods

Polyurethane‐based and silicone‐based materials with various silicone oil concentrations were scanned using 0.35 T MR and CT scanner to determine the tissue surrogate. Five tissue surrogates were determined by comparing the organ intensity with patient CT and MR images. Patient‐specific organ modeling for three‐dimensional printing was performed by manually delineating the structures of interest. The phantom was finally fabricated by casting materials for each structure. For the quantitative evaluation, the mean and standard deviations were measured within the regions of interest on the MR, simulation CT (CTsim), and synthetic CT (CTsyn) images. Intensity‐modulated radiation therapy plans were generated to assess the impact of different electron density assignments on plan quality using CTsim and CTsyn. The dose calculation accuracy was investigated in terms of gamma analysis and dose‐volume histogram parameters.

Results

For the prostate site, the mean MR intensities for the patient and phantom were 78.1 ± 13.8 and 86.5 ± 19.3, respectively. The mean intensity of the synthetic image was 30.9 Hounsfield unit (HU), which was comparable to that of the real CT phantom image. The original and synthetic CT intensities of the fat tissue in the phantom were −105.8 ± 4.9 HU and −107.8 ± 7.8 HU, respectively. For the target volume, the difference in D95% was 0.32 Gy using CTsyn with respect to CTsim values. The V65Gy values for the bladder in the plans using CTsim and CTsyn were 0.31% and 0.15%, respectively.

Conclusion

This work demonstrated that the anthropomorphic phantom was physiologically and geometrically similar to the patient organs and was employed to quantitatively evaluate the deep‐learning‐based synthetic CT algorithm.
Tunable and Large Magneto‐Photoluminescence for Single‐Crystalline Chiral Perovskites
Authors: Pan Ruiheng , Tao Sheng , Kan Lixuan , Hu Jiaji , Li Juqian , Li Yang , Zhang Xiangpeng , Wang Kai
Published: May 2022

Chiral lead halide perovskites (LHPs) possess natural optical activities (NOA), which are determined by the chirality‐induced spin–orbit coupling (SOC). This makes them potentially useful for chiroptical spintronic applications. Here, the effective manipulation of magneto‐photoluminescence (magneto‐PL) by circularly polarized light for chiral LHP single crystals, such as (R‐MBA)2PbI4 and (S‐MBA)2PbI4, is demonstrated. A large and negative magneto‐PL effect with a magnitude of 7% can be detected at the field strengths of ±900 mT at 4 K. The change of the magneto‐PL that is due to the left and right photoexcitation of circularly polarized light (σ + and σ −) can reach 37.3%. Such an effect can be well elucidated by the recently developed theoretical model based on a field‐induced population difference at exciton states. It is found that the Landé g‐factors of photogenerated paramagnetic species and electron–hole pair lifetimes (τ) obey circular dichroism (CD). The results indicate that chirality can be indelibly imprinted on the photogenerated species. The work paves the way for the light and field manipulation of large magneto‐PL for the chiral LHPs in applications of chiroptical spintronics.
An electrochemical assessment of pristine SrCoO3‐δ using the distribution of relaxation times analysis
Authors: Ji Yuexia , Feng Chuanshuai , Shao Shande , Li Xinran , Huang Xianshan , Cao Jiafeng
Published: May 2022

Strontium cobalt oxide is an important perovskite‐type material in the research of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), since a great number of derived cathode materials can be obtained through composition modification against SrCoO3‐δ (SCO). In this work, pristine SCO without any additional dopants was synthesized, and its electrochemical properties were evaluated according to the electrochemical impedance spectroscopies (EIS) analyses through the distribution of relaxation times (DRT) method on the symmetrical cells. The undoped SCO displayed low polarization resistances as well as a high oxygen transport ability, even comparable to the famous cathode, Sm0.5Sr0.5CoO3‐δ (SSC). Oxygen surface and bulk diffusion were found to be the dominating processes in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of SCO. These results could broaden our knowledge about the ionic transport behavior of SCO‐based perovskite materials.
Progressive damage and tensile failure of open‐hole carbon fiber polymer composites reinforced by carbon nanotubes
Authors: Han Kang‐ning , Zhou Wei , Ding Zhen‐jun
Published: May 2022

Progressive damage and tensile failure of open‐hole carbon fiber/carbon nanotube reinforced composites with different off‐axis angles were detected by acoustic emission and Micro‐CT. K‐mean clustering algorithm can be utilized to post‐process signals of acoustic emission. Three critical points including linear growth point, near maximum load point and failure point, were selected to study progressive damage. Results indicated that stiffness variable decreased with the increase of off‐axis angle. When the off‐axis angle was 0°, higher initial stress and catastrophic brittle fracture characteristics can be obtained, whereas pseudo‐ductile behavior can be observed when off‐axis angles were 30° and 45° because of the alignment of yarn (fiber trellising) and the matrix plasticity. Due to the symmetrical structure of plain texture, there was a very interesting phenomenon that the tensile strength of composite specimen with 45° off‐axis angle was 23.65% higher than that of the specimen with an off‐axis angle of 30°. In the second stage of loading, the slope drop sharply when the load reached first key point, and Kaiser Effect can be observed. Acoustic emission technology and Micro‐CT method are beneficial to damage assessment of complex composites.
Recent Advances in Dual‐target‐activated Fluorescent Probes for Biosensing and Bioimaging
Authors: Han Zhi‐Xiang , Xiong Jie , Ren Tian‐Bing , Zhang Xiao‐Bing
Published: May 2022

Fluorescent probes have been powerful tools for visualizing and quantifying multiple dynamic processes in living cells. However, the currently developed probes are often constructed by conjugation a fluorophore with a recognition moiety and given signal‐output after triggering with one singly target interest. Compared with the single‐target‐activated fluorescent probes mentioned above, the dual‐target‐activated ones, triggering with one target under stimulus (such as photoirradiation, microenvironment) or another targets, have the advantages of advoiding nonspecific activation and “false positive” results in complicated environments. In recent years, many dual‐target‐activated fluorescent probes have been developed to detect various biologically relevant species. In view of the importance of a comprehensive understanding of dual‐target‐ activated fluorescent probes, a thorough summary of this topic is urgently needed. However, no comprehensive and critical review on dual target activated fluorescent probes has been published recently. In this review, we focus on the dual‐target‐activated fluorescent probes and briefly outline their types and current state of development. In each type, the chemical structure, proposed responsive mechanism and application of probes are highlighted. At last, the challenges and prospective opportunities of every type were proposed.
Identifying of Pure and Defected Ti2C Materials Using Gas Probe Molecules: First Principles Calculations
Authors: Zhang Fengxiang , Song Ziyue , Hu Wei , Zhang Yujin
Published: May 2022

Employing first principles calculations, we systematically investigated the geometrical and electronic structures of pure, titanium defected (DTi) and carbon defected (DC) Ti2C materials. We found the defected Ti2C exhibits stronger metallic property than pure Ti2C due to the enhanced density of Ti‐d orbital state near the Fermi level. We then studied the adsorption as well as the infrared spectrum (IR) response of the four kinds of gas molecules (CH4, NH3, CO and NO) on pure, DTi and DC Ti2C surfaces. Simulations show that CO and NO molecules are chemically adsorbed on all Ti2C surface with similar adsorption sites. However, CH4 and NH3 molecules would be dissociated on Ti2C surface. Negative values of crystal orbital Hamilton population as well as the PDOS calculations show that the red shift in IR spectra of CO and NO molecules originates from the decreasing bonding strength of probe molecules. The present work provides rich insight for the adsorption and identification for different Ti2C materials.
Importance of ocean prediction for heavy rainfall prediction over Japan in July 2020
Authors: Baba Yuya
Published: May 2022

Hindcast experiments were performed for heavy rainfall events over Japan in July 2020 using a regional atmospheric model and a regional coupled model to examine the importance of ocean prediction for predicting heavy rainfall events. Both models were able to predict the first peak of accumulated rainfall over western Japan occurring in the first half of July. However, only the coupled model predicted the second peak that occurred in the second half of July. Sea level pressure (SLP) and low‐level moisture inflow originating from an existing atmospheric river (AR) were found to differ in each model. In the regional atmospheric model, the error associated with the inaccurate low‐level moisture inflow grew with rising excessive latent heat flux, which enhanced convection and resulted in incorrect SLP patterns. This trend seems to be enhanced by having a prescribed sea surface temperature (SST), which affects the surface heat flux. When ocean conditions are predicted as in the coupled model, such error growth is suppressed by changes in SST that adjust surface heat flux, and it leads to generation of the correct SLP patterns. With correct SLP especially for Pacific high in this case, favorable conditions for inflow from the AR can also be predicted, thus making it possible to predict the heavy rainfall. In conclusion, considering the atmospheric feedback on SST, ocean prediction can improve the predictability of heavy rainfall over Japan, the conditions for which are influenced by the nearby AR. Ocean prediction may therefore extend the range of weather forecasting.
Bayesian two‐stage sequential enrichment design for biomarker‐guided phase II trials for anticancer therapies
Authors: Su Liwen , Chen Xin , Zhang Jingyi , Gao Jun , Yan Fangrong
Published: May 2022

Biomarker‐guided phase II trials have become increasingly important for personalized cancer treatment. In this paper, we propose a Bayesian two‐stage sequential enrichment design for such biomarker‐guided trials. We assumed that all patients were dichotomized as marker positive or marker negative based on their biomarker status; the positive patients were considered more likely to respond to the targeted drug. Early stopping rules and adaptive randomization methods were embedded in the design to control the number of patients receiving inferior treatment. At the same time, a Bayesian hierarchical model was used to borrow information between the positive and negative control arms to improve efficiency. Simulation results showed that the proposed design achieved higher empirical power while controlling the type I error and assigned more patients to the superior treatment arms. The operating characteristics suggested that the design has good performance and may be useful for biomarker‐guided phase II trials for evaluating anticancer therapies.
Stainless steel promoted the electrochemical oxidation of amines into imines
Authors: Lee Keunyoung , Choi Hyebin , An Jaun , Kwon Ki‐Young
Published: May 2022

We report the electrochemical oxidation of benzylamine (BA) into the imine by applying a bare stainless steel mesh (SSM) as an anode. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX) elemental mapping analysis confirmed that there was no corrosion on the surface of SSM after an anodic electrolysis. Based on the gas chromatography (GC) analysis and electrochemical results, it was confirmed that conversion of BA with SSM was approximately 3.3 times higher than with Pt electrode. This work suggests that the anodic electrolysis with a bare SSM could be a promising route to electrochemical oxidation of BA in the absence of oxidizing agents.
The effect of anti‐alcoholic gastric ulcer before and after vinegar‐processed Yuanhu Zhitong prescription based on spectral‐effect relationship
Authors: Wang Xuejiao , Wang Song , Hou Ajiao , Yu Huan , Zhang Jiaxu , Zheng Senwang , Zhang Shihao , Lv Jiahao , Dong Jiaojiao , Yang Liu , Kuang Haixue , Jiang Hai
Published: May 2022

The aim of this study was to screen out the active ingredients of Yuanhu Zhitong prescription (YZP) before and after vinegar processing to play an anti‐alcoholic gastric ulcer role through spectrum‐effect relationship. First, the fingerprint of 16 batches of YZP was studied using the ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole mass spectrometry detector analysis (UPLC‐QDA) method. Second, gastric lesion was induced by anhydrous ethanol. The degree of gastric mucosa injury was evaluated by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the contents of malondialdehyde and tumor necrosis factor α and superoxide dismutase were detected using the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kit. Sixteen batches of YZP were analyzed using the spectrum‐effect relationship method. Finally, absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) was used to evaluate the bioavailability of potential compounds. The results showed that the UPLC‐QDA method could successfully establish the fingerprint of YZP. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and biochemical indicators showed that YZP had obvious anti‐alcoholic gastric ulcer action. Coptisine chloride, corydaline, berberine chloride, palmatine, imperatorin, and phellopterin were screened out using the spectrum‐effect method, and all of them possessed good bioavailability. The results of this study suggest that YZP plays an anti‐ulcer role by exerting antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory effects through six main active components.
Encouraging green product purchase: Green value and environmental knowledge as moderators of attitude and behavior relationship
Authors: Chaihanchanchai Papaporn , Anantachart Saravudh
Published: May 2022

Green purchase behavior is evolving and is of growing interest to academic and business circles. To encourage the adoption of green products, it is important to identify moderators that can enhance the consistency between attitude and behavior in the consumption of green products. Within this scope, the moderating effect of psychological factors, that is, green value and environmental knowledge on the link between green purchase attitude and behavior, is investigated. More specifically, this study proposed that green value and environmental knowledge simultaneously moderated the effect of attitude on behavior in relation to green purchase. A data set of 447 samples in Thailand collected through a personal survey method was analyzed. The results from Hayes' PROCESS technique shows that attitude toward green purchase is a weak predictor of green purchasing behavior. However, with low degree of green value and high degree environmental knowledge, green purchase attitude elicited the strongest effect on behavior.
Long‐term daily oral administration of intestinal permeation enhancers is safe and effective in mice
Authors: Fein Katherine C. , Gleeson John P. , Cochran Kyle , Lamson Nicholas G. , Doerfler Rose , Melamed Jilian R. , Whitehead Kathryn A.
Published: May 2022

Although protein drugs are powerful biologic therapeutics, they cannot be delivered orally because their large size and hydrophilicity limit their absorption across the intestinal epithelium. One potential solution is the incorporation of permeation enhancers into oral protein formulations; however, few have advanced clinically due to toxicity concerns surrounding chronic use. To better understand these concerns, we conducted a 30‐day longitudinal study of daily oral permeation enhancer use in mice and resultant effects on intestinal health. Specifically, we investigated three permeation enhancers: sodium caprate (C10), an industry standard, as well as 1‐phenylpiperazine (PPZ) and sodium deoxycholate (SDC). Over 30 days of treatment, all mice gained weight, and none required removal from the study due to poor health. Furthermore, intestinal permeability did not increase following chronic use. We also quantified the gene expression of four tight junction proteins (claudin 2, claudin 3, ZO‐1, and JAM‐A). Significant differences in gene expression between untreated and permeation enhancer‐treated mice were found, but these varied between treatment groups, with most differences resolving after a 1‐week washout period. Immunofluorescence microscopy revealed no observable differences in protein localization or villus architecture between treated and untreated mice. Overall, PPZ and SDC performed comparably to C10, one of the most clinically advanced enhancers, and results suggest that the chronic use of some permeation enhancers may be therapeutically viable from a safety standpoint.
Extramedullary plasmacytoma: Tumor occurrence and therapeutic concepts—A follow‐up
Authors: Holler Adrian , Cicha Iwona , Eckstein Markus , Haderlein Marlen , Pöttler Marina , Rappl Anja , Iro Heinrich , Alexiou Christoph
Published: May 2022

Background

Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a solitary tumor consisting of neoplastic plasma cells, with very little to no bone marrow involvement. EMPs are usually located in the head and neck region, but can also occur along the digestive tract, in lungs, or extremities.

Methods

Following our publication on EMP, which appeared in 1999 (Cancer 85:2305–14), we conducted a literature search for EMP‐related reports published between 1999 and 2021. The documented cases, as well as 14 of our own patients from the ENT Clinic Erlangen, were extensively analyzed.

Results

Between 1998 and 2021, 1134 patients with EMP were reported, for whom information about the tumor localization was available. Among those, 62.4% had EMP in the head and neck area and 37.6% in other body regions. Data on therapy were reported in 897 patients, including 34.3% who received radiation, 28.1% surgery, 22.6% a combination of surgery and radiation, and 15.9% another therapy. In 76.9% patients no recurrence or transformation to multiple myeloma (MM) was reported, 12.8% showed local recurrence and 10.2% developed MM. Radiotherapy alone was associated with a tendency for increased occurrence of MM. In patients with EMP of head and neck area, combination therapy (surgery and radiation) resulted in a 5‐year overall survival rate of 98.3%, surgery alone of 92.4%, and radiotherapy of 92.7%.

Conclusions

Collectively, our analyses indicate that surgical resection alone can achieve long‐term tumor control in patients with EMP, if the tumor can be removed within safe limits without causing serious functional impairment. However, if this is not certain, either radiation or a combination of surgery and radiation therapy is suggested as an effective means of local tumor control.
The use of platelet‐rich fibrin in vestibuloplasty: A 36‐month follow‐up technique report
Authors: Salgado‐Peralvo Angel‐Orión , Uribarri Andrea , Kewalramani Naresh , Peña‐Cardelles Juan‐Francisco , Liñares Antonio
Published: May 2022

Introduction

Vestibuloplasty is a mucogingival procedure that aims to increase the vestibule and the amount of keratinized tissue (KT) around teeth and dental implants. Currently, the gold standard in this procedure is still represented by free gingival grafts (FGGs); however, they require a second surgical site, which means more morbidity for the patient and a higher risk of surgical complications, as well as surgical time and chromatic alteration of the recipient area.

Case Presentation

This is a description of the vestibuloplasty technique with platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF) in a 35‐year‐old female patient with a thin gingival phenotype and no medical history of interest. The reason for consultation was tooth sensitivity during brushing and the presence of recessions in the fifth sextant.

Conclusions

The use of PRF as a graft biomaterial in vestibuloplasty is a valid and effective option as an alternative to secondary epithelialization of the surgical site, as well as to FGGs, with acceptable results in terms of KT gain and root coverage, and with minimal postoperative discomfort.

Key points

Why is this case new information?

The use of PRF is an interesting option as an alternative to second‐intention healing, as FGGs in vestibuloplasty.

What are the keys to successful management of this case?

The most important part of the membranes is the part that was in close relation to the erythrocyte fraction in the blood collection tube, so this part must be oriented toward the recipient bed.

A minimum of four membranes should be obtained, overlapping one on top of the other.

What are the primary limitations to success in this case?

The stability of the PRF.
Deubiquitinating enzyme JOSD2 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression through interacting with and inhibiting CTNNB1 degradation
Authors: Huang Yao , Zeng Jianxing , Liu Teng , Xu Qingyi , Song Xianglin , Zeng Jinhua
Published: May 2022

Although a variety of molecular targets have been identified, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains among the leading causes of death. As functions of they deubiquitinating enzyme Josephin domain containing 2 (JOSD2) in cancers are still poorly understood, we investigated its function and molecular mechanism in the regulation of HCC progression. Here, we indicated that JOSD2 expression is elevated in patient samples with HCC and positively associated with poor prognosis. Moreover, the promoting roles of JOSD2 in HCC cell survival, migration, and invasion were determined using in vitro models. Importantly, a mechanistic study revealed that JOSD2 binds to and decreases the ubiquitination level of catenin beta 1 (CTNNB1), a key component of Wnt signaling, thereby augmenting Wnt pathway transduction. Furthermore, a series of rescue experiments confirmed the significance of CTNNB1 in the modulation of HCC progression by JOSD2. Our study uncovered JOSD2 as a novel prognostic marker for patients with HCC and identified CTNNB1 as a pivotal partner and downstream target protein of JOSD2, which may aid in the development of JOSD2 as a promising molecular target for HCC treatment.
Mitral annular calcification—A marker of risk, and a harbinger of technical challenges during intervention
Authors: Postalian Alexander , Krajcer Zvonimir
Published: May 2022

Key Points

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a marker of high cardiovascular risk, as well as an obstacle to procedural success during mitral valve surgery. This pathology leads to low intervention rates, even in symptomatic patients.

The authors find that, in carefully selected patients with MAC, mitral valve surgery can produce adequate results and should be pursued when indicated.

The procedural results and clinical benefits of transcatheter edge‐to‐edge mitral valve repair (TMVr) in this cohort of patients treated between 2015 and 2016 were less than satisfactory, and no better than those of medical therapy.

Further TMVr technical refinements are necessary before this technique can benefit patients with mitral valve dysfunction
Dohsa‐hou for unexplained regression in Down syndrome in a 19‐year‐old man: A case report
Authors: Fujino Haruo , Moritsugu Aoi
Published: May 2022

Unexplained regression in Down syndrome (URDS) has become a significant issue in clinical practice and research. This report illustrates the case of a patient with URDS treated with psychological treatment using Dohsa‐hou, in addition to medication. Although psychological treatment may be helpful, monitoring potential risks of acute aggression is necessary.
Complex chromosomal rearrangement involving 15q11‐q13 interstitial triplication and duplication: A new case report of dysmorphic and neuropsychiatric features
Authors: Chilakamarri Lekha , Mellin‐Sanchez Estrella Lizbeth
Published: May 2022

Our patient is the first to encompass the full spectrum of reported features related to tetrasomy of the Prader–Willi Angelman Critical Region. She has a complex chromosomal rearrangement including an interstitial triplication reported in twelve cases till date and a rare interstitial duplication reported in only four cases till date.
Isthmocele—a neglected cause of secondary infertility and implantation failure: A case report
Authors: Hosseini Elham , Aghajanpour Samaneh , Zameni Nadia , Hafezi Maryam
Published: May 2022

Isthmocele is myometrial scar tissue that develops after cesarean section delivery. In this case, other more prevalent pathologies delayed isthmocele diagnosis as the main cause of the patient's symptoms. Considering isthmocele is a fluid‐filled pouch‐like defect associated with infection caused by stagnant menstrual blood, its immunological aspects lead to implantation failure.
Appendico‐ileal knotting causing small bowel obstruction: A case report
Authors: Abule Tewodros , Chebo Tsegaye , Billoro Bruke Berhanu
Published: May 2022

Small bowel obstruction (SBO) is a common cause of emergency admission to surgical ward. The etiologies for the majority of these cases include postoperative adhesions and hernia. However, acute appendicitis presenting with SBO due to appendico‐ileal knotting is a very rare and unsuspected condition in an emergency scenarios. We report a case of acute SBO in a 30‐year‐old female patient who was explored, and found to have appendico‐ileal knotting causing SBO.
PROTOCOL: Intergenerational interventions and their effect on social and mental wellbeing of both children and older people—A mapping review and evidence and gap map
Authors: Thompson‐Coon Joanna , Campbell Fiona , Sutton Anthea , Whear Rebecca , Rogers Morwenna , Barlow Jane , Carter Ellie Robinson , Sharpe Richard , Cohen Stuart , Wolstenholme Louise
Published: May 2022

This is the protocol for a Campbell systematic review and evidence and gap map. The objectives are as follows: identify, appraise and bring together the evidence on the use of intergenerational practice.
Real‐time sentiment analysis of students based on mini‐Xception architecture for wisdom classroom
Authors: Tian Xingyu , Tang Shengnan , Zhu Huihui , Xia Daoxun
Published: May 2022

Sentiment analysis has a wide application prospect in business, medicine, security and other fields, which provides a new perspective for the development of education. Students' sentiment data play an important role in the evaluation of teachers' teaching quality and students' learning effect, and provide a basis for the implementation of effective learning intervention. However, most of the research is to obtain the real‐time learning status of students in the classroom through teachers' naked eye observation and students' text feedback, which will lead to some problems such as incomplete feedback content and delayed feedback analysis. Based on the mini‐Xception framework, this article implements the real‐time identification and analysis of student sentiment in classroom teaching, and the degree of student engagement is analyzed according to the teaching events triggered by teacher to provide reasonable suggestions for subsequent teaching progress. The experimental results show that the mini‐Xception model trained by FER2013 data sets has high recognition accuracy for the real‐time detection of seven student sentiments, and the average accuracy is 76.71%. Compared with text feedback, it can assist teachers in understanding student learning states in time so that they can take corresponding actions, and realize the real‐time performance of wisdom classroom teaching information feedback, the high efficiency of information transmission, and the intelligence of information processing.
Clinical features and predictive biomarkers for bladder cancer in patients with type 2 diabetes presenting with haematuria
Authors: Tonry Claire L. , Evans Raymond M. , Ruddock Mark W. , Duggan Brian , McCloskey Oonagh , Maxwell Alexander P. , O’Rourke Declan , Boyd Ruth E. , Watt Joanne , Reid Cherith N. , Curry David J. , Stevenson Michael , Young Margaret K. , Jamison Catherine S. , Gallagher Joe , Fitzgerald Stephen P. , Lamont John , Watson Chris J.
Published: May 2022

Aims

To identify clinical features and protein biomarkers associated with bladder cancer (BC) in individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus presenting with haematuria.

Materials and Methods

Data collected from the Haematuria Biomarker (HaBio) study was used in this analysis. A matched sub‐cohort of patients with type 2 diabetes and patients without diabetes was created based on age, sex, and BC diagnosis, using approximately a 1:2 fixed ratio. Randox Biochip Array Technology and ELISA were applied for measurement of 66 candidate serum and urine protein biomarkers. Hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by chi‐squared and Wilcoxon rank sum test for clinical features and candidate protein biomarkers. Diagnostic protein biomarker models were identified using Lasso‐based binominal regression analysis.

Results

There was no difference in BC grade, stage, and severity between individuals with type 2 diabetes and matched controls. Incidence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) was significantly higher in patients with type 2 diabetes (p = 0.008), and CKD was significantly associated with BC in patients with type 2 diabetes (p = 0.032). A biomarker model, incorporating two serum (monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor) and three urine (interleukin 6, cytokeratin 18, and cytokeratin 8) proteins, predicted incidence of BC with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.84 in individuals with type 2 diabetes. In people without diabetes, the AUC was 0.66.

Conclusions

We demonstrate the potential clinical utility of a biomarker panel, which includes proteins related to BC pathogenesis and type 2 diabetes, for monitoring risk of BC in patients with type 2 diabetes. Earlier urology referral of patients with type 2 diabetes will improve outcomes for these patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN25823942.
Head‐to‐head comparison between recommendations by the ESC and ACC/AHA/HFSA heart failure guidelines
Authors: Bayés‐Genís Antoni , Aimo Alberto , Metra Marco , Anker Stefan , Seferovic Petar , Rapezzi Claudio , Castiglione Vincenzo , Núñez Julio , Emdin Michele , Rosano Giuseppe , Coats Andrew J.S.
Published: May 2022

Recommendations represent the core messages of guidelines, and are particularly important when the body of scientific evidence is rapidly growing, as in the case of heart failure (HF). The main messages from two latest major HF guidelines, endorsed by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association/Heart Failure Society of America (ACC/AHA/HFSA), are partially overlapping, starting from the four pillars of treatment for HF with reduced ejection fraction. Some notable differences exist, in part related to the timing of recent publications (most notably, the Universal Definition of HF paper and the EMPEROR‐Preserved trial), and in part reflecting differing views of the natural history of HF (with a clear differentiation between stages A and B HF in the ACC/AHA/HFSA guidelines). Different approaches are proposed to specific issues such as risk stratification and implantable cardioverter defibrillator use for primary prevention in HFrEF patients with non‐ischaemic aetiology. The ACC/AHA/HFSA guidelines put a greater emphasis on some issues that are particularly relevant to the US setting, such as the cost‐effectiveness of therapies and the impact of health disparities on HF care. A comparison between guideline recommendations may give readers a deeper understanding of the ESC and ACC/AHA/HFSA guidelines, and help them apply sensible approaches to their own practice, wherever that may be in the world. A comparison may possibly also help further harmonization of recommendations between future guidelines, by identifying why some areas have led to conflicting recommendation, even when ostensibly reviewing the same published evidence.
Numerical investigation of microchannel geometry for effective on‐chip biofluid delivery by AC electrothermal effect
Authors: Yuan Quan , Huang Jiamei , Wu Jie Jayne , Islam Nazmul
Published: May 2022

Although there exist tremendous needs for on‐chip biofluid delivery, research in this field has yielded limited numbers of devices for real‐world applications. One challenge is the difficulty for micropumps to meet the requirements of being low cost to fabricate, easy to integrate and effective for intended applications at the same time. This research focuses on AC electrothermal (ACET) micropumps based on planar interdigitated electrodes, due to their practicality in fabrication and operation, and compatibility with biochemical fluids. Our prior work has optimized the design of electrode dimensions for a fixed microchannel design. This work finds that microchannel dimensions can also affect ACET micropumps significantly, with respect to flow rate and electric impedance loading. This work first considers the constraints arising from impedance loading by ACET micropumps on power supplies, then the investigation describes several key parameters (threshold height, saturation thickness), to arrive at an appropriate microchannel geometry for the effective delivery of biofluids. The optimized microchannel is expected to incorporate well into a multifunctional lab‐chip system to transport biofluids efficiently.
A voltage trade study for the design of capillary electrophoresis instruments for spaceflight
Authors: Ferreira Santos Mauro S. , Kurfman Emily , Zamuruyev Konstantin , Noell Aaron C. , Mora Maria F. , Willis Peter A.
Published: May 2022

Capillary electrophoresis (CE) systems have undergone extensive development for spaceflight applications. A flight‐compatible high voltage power supply and the necessary voltage isolation for other energized components can be large contributors to both the volume and mass of a CE system, especially if typical high voltage levels of 25–30 kV are used. Here, we took advantage of our custom CE hardware to perform a trade study for simultaneous optimization of capillary length, high voltage level, and separation time, without sacrificing method performance. A capillary electrophoresis with capacitively coupled contactless conductivity detection (CE‐C4D) method recently developed by our group to target inorganic cations and amino acids relevant to astrobiology was used as a test case. The results indicate that a 50 cm long capillary with 15 kV applied voltage (half of that used in the original method) can be used to achieve measurement goals while minimizing instrument size.
Foredune responses to the impact of aggregate extraction in an arid aeolian sedimentary system
Authors: Sanromualdo‐Collado Abel , Marrero‐Rodríguez Néstor , García‐Romero Leví , Delgado‐Fernández Irene , Viera‐Pérez Manuel , Domínguez‐Brito Antonio C. , Cabrera‐Gámez Jorge
Published: May 2022

Coastal dunes have long suffered the effects of human interventions that have altered the landscape and operation of these ecosystems. Aggregate extractions have been shown to modify the biogeomorphological processes in aeolian sedimentary systems. The impacts associated to aggregate extraction include the reduction of available sediment and changes to the topography and vegetation patterns, thereby altering the sedimentary dynamics and limiting the recovery capacity of the dunefield. The aim of this article is to analyse the environmental effects produced by historical aggregate extraction in the foredune area of an arid aeolian sedimentary system (El Médano, Tenerife, Spain) through a study of the airflow dynamics and spatial distribution of vegetation, sediment and topographic changes. The methodology was designed with two temporal scales: (i) a long‐term approach which compares historical sources and current ones; (ii) a short‐term approach through experimental data collection to characterize the present functioning. For the latter, a field study was carried out in June 2021, collecting wind speed and direction data at a height of 0.50 m, sediment data (sand sheet thickness, grain size and sorting), and vegetation data (cover and species richness) at 40 sample points. The main results show that when the anthropic stress ceased the foredune did not follow a natural environmental pattern, and that the way it functions at the present time is determined by the changes induced by the aggregate extraction. Changes include alterations to the topography, the creation of a lagoon, and the generation of an aeolian deflation area and flow acceleration zones with the associated sand transport. This research contributes to an understanding of the environmental consequences of aggregate extractions on the foredunes of arid aeolian sedimentary systems and can enable the relevant authorities to make better‐informed decisions that help the management of these ecosystems.
Dynamic microbiome and metabolome analyses reveal the interaction between gut microbiota andanti‐PD‐1 based immunotherapy in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wu Hewei , Zheng Xingrong , Pan Tao , Yang Xiaoan , Chen Xiyao , Zhang Boxiang , Peng Liang , Xie Chan
Published: May 2022

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a severe disease with high mortality and global incidence. However, the interaction between the gut microbiome and combined immunotherapy for HCC is yet unclear. In this prospective clinical study, patients with unresectable HCC who had not received systemic treatment previously were recruited. Fecal and serum samples were collected at the baseline point and before each subsequent administration as specified. Between 20 October 2019 and 2 February 2021, 61 patients were screened for eligibility, of whom 35 patients were finally included in this study. Alpha diversity of fecal samples from patients who responded to immunotherapy was higher than that of nonresponders at baseline. However, the prominent alpha‐diversity between responders and nonresponders became similar as early as week 6 after treatment. The beta diversity of intergroup did not show significant difference at the ninth week after treatment. Alpha‐d‐Glucose was the only serum metabolite that differed between the responders and nonresponders after 3 months. Responder‐enrichedRuminococcusshowed a positive correlation with serum galactaric acid, whileKlebsiellawas positively associated with 3‐methylindole and lenticin (allP < .01). The machine learning classifier based on serum metabolites were more able to discriminate HCC patients who potentially benefited from immunotherapy at baseline (AUC 0.793, 95% CI: 0.632‐0.954) than the classifier of gut microbiome. In conclusion, gut microbiome biomarkers are associated with the response to anti‐PD‐1 based immunotherapy in HCC patients. Classifiers based on gut microbiota and serum metabolites are feasible.
Mechanism analysis of the influence of oil price uncertainty on strategic investment of renewable energy enterprises
Authors: Lin Boqiang , Wang Siquan
Published: May 2022

This paper empirically explores the impact of oil price uncertainty on the strategic investment of China's renewable energy enterprises from the perspective of certain substitution relationships between renewable energy enterprises and traditional energy enterprises by using the systematic GMM method. In addition, we propose three specific influence mechanisms for the renewable energy industry. The results of our mechanism analysis show that the uncertainty of oil price will increase the market's expectation of renewable energy enterprises and thus stimulate their investment. While the uncertainty of oil price will restrain the investment expenditure of renewable energy enterprises through risk transmission. The scale of enterprises will affect the above two influencing mechanisms. However, the uncertainty of oil price can hardly influence the strategic investment decision through the stimulation of the renewable energy industry by the consumer market. Our results are helpful to the strategy makers of renewable energy enterprises and the macro policy‐makers of the government.