bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Neural correlates of face processing among preschoolers with fragile X syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, autism siblings, and typical development
Authors: Richards John E. , Guy Maggie W. , Hogan Abigail L. , Roberts Jane E.
Published: November 2023

The current study examined patterns of event‐related potential (ERP) responses during a face processing task in groups of preschoolers uniquely impacted by autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including (1) children with ASD; (2) children with fragile X syndrome (FXS); (3) children with familial risk for ASD, but without a diagnosis (i.e., ASIBs); and (4) a low‐risk control (LRC) group. Children with FXS have a high incidence of ASD diagnoses, but there have been no studies of the ERP response to faces in children with FXS and little work focused on children with ASD who have cognitive impairment. The current study examined children's ERP responses to faces and houses in four groups: LRC (N = 28, age = 5.2 years), ASIB (N = 23, age = 5.5 years), FXS (N = 19, age = 5.82 years), and ASD (N = 23, age = 5.5 years). The FXS and ASD groups were characterized by the presence of cognitive impairment. Pictures of upright and inverted faces and houses were presented while recording EEG with a 128‐channel system. The N170 occurred at about 200 ms post stimulus onset, was largest on the posterior‐lateral electrodes, and was larger for faces than houses. The P1 and N170 ERP components were larger for the FXS group than for the other three groups. The N170 ERP amplitude for the ASD and ASIB groups was smaller than both the LRC and FXS groups, and the LRC and FXS groups had the largest N170 responses on the right side. No difference was found in N170 latency between groups. The similarity of the ASD and ASIB responses suggest a common genetic or environmental origin of the reduced response. Although children with FXS have a high incidence of ASD outcomes, they differed from ASD and ASIB children in this study. Specifically, the children with FXS were hyperresponsive to all stimulus types while the ASD and ASIB groups showed attenuated responses for specific stimuli.
Design and use of an ex vivo peripheral simulating bioreactor system for pharmacokinetic analysis of a drug coated stent
Authors: Chen Danyi , Krinsky Colin , Phillips Mollie , Allred Catherine , Khan Ava , Liu Linda B. , Christians Uwe , Yazdani Saami K.
Published: November 2023

Currently, there are no ex vivo systems that can model the motion of peripheral arteries and allow for the evaluation of pharmacokinetics (PK) of endovascular devices. The objective of this study was to develop a novel peripheral simulating bioreactor system to evaluate drug pharmacokinetics of stents. We utilized 3D‐printed and off‐the‐shelf components to construct a peripheral‐simulating bioreactor system capable of mimicking the motion of peripheral arteries. Servo motors were primarily used to shorten/elongate, twist, and bend explanted porcine carotid arteries. To evaluate the pharmacokinetics in the bioreactor, drug‐eluting stents were deployed within explanted arteries and subjected to vascular motion along with pulsatile flow conditions. Following 30 min and 24 h, the arteries were removed, and paclitaxel levels were measured. Scanning electron microscopy was also performed to evaluate the stent surface. Arterial paclitaxel levels of the stent‐treated arteries were found to be higher at 30 min than at 24 h following pulsatile and no vascular motion and even higher at 24 h following pulsatile flow and vascular motion. The residual drug on the stent significantly decreased from 30 min to 24 h. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the loss of paclitaxel coating at 24 h and greater disturbance in stents under peripheral motion versus pulsatile only. This system represents the first ex vivo system to determine the PK of drug‐eluting stents under physiological flow and vascular motion conditions. This work provides a novel system for a quick and inexpensive preclinical tool to study acute drug tissue concentration kinetics of drug‐releasing interventional vascular devices designed for peripheral applications.
Hydrogel‐Assisted Electrokinetics for High‐Resolution and Non‐invasive Flow Monitoring in Microfluidic Chips†
Authors: Zhao Na , Ma Yanni , Yu Zehua , Huang Jun , Fu Xiangqian , Qiu Tao , Liu Kang
Published: November 2023

Comprehensive Summary

Convenient non‐invasive flow monitoring would facilitate the operation and control in microfluidic chips, but is challenging due to the small space of microchannels and complex operation required in traditional optical methods. In this work, we propose a novel non‐invasive strategy to probe microfluidic flows via streaming potential phenomenon. By sealing one side of the microchannel with a piece of hydrogel film, streaming potential inside the channel can be clearly detected by electrodes at outer surface of the hydrogel due to ion diffusion in the hydrogel. Flow is detected without sensors contacting with the internal liquid. Moreover, the electrodes shape like a tiny probe, which can move around mapping the flow distribution in a chip with the spatial resolution of 1 mm and flow rate detection limit of 3 μL·min–1. Bubbles inside the channels can also be detected, due to the fluctuation of streaming voltage when gas‐liquid interface flows through the electrode, showing an easy and potential way for multi‐functional flow monitoring in microfluidic chips.
Epidemiology of arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy in China
Authors: Liu Si‐Tong , Li Rui , Zheng Jian‐Peng , Lu Feng , Sun Hui‐Ni , Hua Lin , Lip Gregory Y. H. , Zhong Peng , Bai Ying
Published: November 2023

Background

Arrhythmogenic ventricular cardiomyopathy (AVC) is a common cause of ventricular arrhythmias and mortality, but limited data are available from large Asian cohorts. Our aim was to explore the current status of AVC and second, we examined the prevalence of ventricular tachycardia (VT), heart failure (HF) and mortality in patients with AVC in the Chinese population.

Hypothesis

At present, some studies have reported that the incidence of AVC is on the rise, which may be due to the increasing number of diagnostic methods for AVC. However, there is no epidemiological data on AVC in the Chinese population, so we speculate that the incidence of AVC in the Chinese population is increasing.

Methods and Results

We studied 15 888 adults from the Beijing Municipal Health Commission Information Center (BMHCIC) registry database in China from January 2010 to December 2020, and calculated the average annual percentage change (AAPC). Second, we determined the incidence of VT, HF and mortality in patients with AVC. Of the 10 318 men and 5570 women who were screened by cardiac magnetic resonance or examined by myocardial biopsy, there were a total of 256 newly diagnosed AVC patients (mean [SD]: 37.54[17.10]; 39.45% female). The incidence of AVC increased from 7.60 (3.12‐12.06) in 2010 to 19.62 (11.51‐27.75) per 1000 person‐years in 2020. Males had higher incidence of AVC than females. The AAPC for the rising incidence of AVC was 8.9 %. Males had similar VT prevalence (70.32% vs. 62.38%, p = 0.19) and mortality (1.94% vs. 1.98%, p = 0.98) but lower HF prevalence (42.58% vs. 60.40%, p = 0.006), when compared to females. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) was more likely to be performed in males (p = 0.006).

Conclusions

The rising trend in AVC incidence was evident, with two‐fold increase by 2020. Males with AVC had similar VT prevalence and mortality rate, but HF prevalence were lower than females, perhaps impacted by RFA use.
Advancements in biodigester technology through the study of anaerobic digestion using statistical optimization and bioaccelerators
Authors: Monteiro Pablo Inocêncio , Mariano André Bellin , Padilha Bianca do Santos , de Moraes Yann Domingues , Zaguine Letícia , Lopes Leonardo Rey Oliveira , de Moraes Marcelo Lacerda , Ramos Rúbia Martins Bernardes , Spier Michele Rigon
Published: November 2023

Advances in biodigester technology have been promoted by the growing study of anaerobic digestion, with the aim of improving processes related to the utilized waste load. This research used the statistical tool Central Composite Rotatable Design to optimize the combination of microorganisms and enzymes for biodigestion. The experiment involved testing two microorganisms (EA and EB) and five enzymes (amylase, protease, lipase, cellulase, and amyloglucosidase) with food waste from nearby restaurants and WWTP sludge as an inoculant. The experiment was set up as Central Composite Rotatable Design (CCRD) 26‐1, with 50 trials and a concentration of 14.5 g of volatile solids per liter. The dependent variables of cumulative biogas production (BG) and cumulative biomethane production (BM) were evaluated. The results showed that the independent variables EB and CA had negative and significant effects on BG and BM production. With optimized process conditions, the bioaccelerator significantly improved BG and BM responses compared to control trials by 72% and 88%, respectively. The biodigestion technique is a viable option for the treatment of organic waste, and the use of bioaccelerators may be a promising approach to improving biodigestion processes. This study contributes to the ongoing research on anaerobic digestion and biodigester technology, which seeks to improve the sustainable management of organic waste while producing renewable energy.
Study of metabolism and potential toxicity of nine synthetic opioid analogs using the zebrafish larvae model
Authors: Murari Matilde , Pesavento Sara , Greco Francesca , Vettori Andrea , Tagliaro Franco , Gottardo Rossella
Published: November 2023

The use of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) has dramatically increased worldwide, and among them, synthetic opioids are one of the fastest growing groups, where cinnamylpiperazines and 2‐benzylbenzimidazoles represent two of the most relevant subclasses. However, the data on their toxicity and metabolism are still limited. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the toxicity and metabolic pathways of some compounds belonging to these families, namely, AP‐237, 2‐methyl AP‐237, isotonitazene, flunitazene, etodesnitazene, metonitazene, metodesnitazene, N‐pyrrolidino etonitazene, and butonitazene. The study was performed using a zebrafish early life stages model. In fact, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos and larvae have recently been recognized as a suitable animal model in alternative to mammals, because they require less time and resources and do not need complex procedures for ethics approval. The cellular toxicity after a single administration was assessed at the fourth day post‐fertilization with acridine orange staining. Possible morphological defects were evaluated with a light microscope after 24 h of exposure to 1 μmol/L concentration of each drug. Subsequently, the larvae were euthanized and underwent analysis of drug metabolites using UPLC coupled to an Orbitrap high‐resolution mass spectrometer. High rates of morphological defects, as well as of cellular death, were detected, but no significant difference in mortality between treatment and control groups was observed. In addition, several metabolites, mainly produced through monohydroxylation, N‐dealkylation, and O‐dealkylation, were identified in the larvae extracts.
Inadequate intake of energy and nutrients: A comparative cross‐sectional study between sport and nonsport science university students of southern Ethiopia
Authors: Awgechew Kebede , Desalegn Beruk Berhanu , Mesfin Addisalem
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to investigate and compare the energy and selected nutrient intakes of sport science and nonsport science university students of Southern Ethiopia. Multiple‐day dietary data were collected from 166 university students (76 sport science and 90 nonsport sciences). Average daily energy and nutrient intake, and inadequate intakes were calculated using NutriSurvey (NS). There were significant differences (p < .05) in the median intakes of energy, total carbohydrate, and vitamin B1 between female students from the sport science and nonsport science groups, but only the median intake of iron was significantly different (p < .05) between the male sport and nonsport science student groups. The prevalence of inadequate intake of vitamin B1 was significantly (p < .05) higher in the male and female from the nonsport science groups compared to the male and female student groups in the sport science, respectively, whereas the prevalence of inadequate iron intake by the male sport science students' group was significantly (p < .05) higher compared to their counterparts. Similarly, the prevalence of inadequate energy among the females from the sport science group was significantly (p < .05) higher compared to the female students from the nonsport science department group. The prevalence of inadequate intake of dietary energy and the majority of the nutrients (protein, fat, vitamin A, B1, B2, and magnesium) were high (>50%) in selected university students. The energy and majority of nutrient intakes by the students in the selected universities of southern Ethiopia were suboptimal. Therefore, activities that will improve the dietary intake of university students should include weekly meal plan revision considering their average recommended nutrient intake (RNI).
Lifelong olfactory deprivation‐dependent cortical reorganization restricted to orbitofrontal cortex
Authors: Peter Moa G. , Darki Fahimeh , Thunell Evelina , Mårtensson Gustav , Postma Elbrich M. , Boesveldt Sanne , Westman Eric , Lundström Johan N.
Published: November 2023

Prolonged sensory deprivation has repeatedly been linked to cortical reorganization. We recently demonstrated that individuals with congenital anosmia (CA, complete olfactory deprivation since birth) have seemingly normal morphology in piriform (olfactory) cortex despite profound morphological deviations in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), a finding contradictory to both the known effects of blindness on visual cortex and to the sparse literature on brain morphology in anosmia. To establish whether these unexpected findings reflect the true brain morphology in CA, we first performed a direct replication of our previous study to determine if lack of results was due to a deviant control group, a confound in cross sectional studies. Individuals with CA (n = 30) were compared to age and sex matched controls (n = 30) using voxel‐ and surface‐based morphometry. The replication results were near identical to the original study: bilateral clusters of group differences in the OFC, including CA atrophy around the olfactory sulci and volume increases in the medial orbital gyri. Importantly, no group differences in piriform cortex were detected. Subsequently, to assess any subtle patterns of group differences not detectable by our mass‐univariate analysis, we explored the data from a multivariate perspective. Combining the newly collected data with data from the replicated study (CA = 49, control = 49), we performed support vector machine classification based on gray matter volume. In line with the mass‐univariate analyses, the multivariate analysis could accurately differentiate between the groups in bilateral OFC, whereas the classification accuracy in piriform cortex was at chance level. Our results suggest that despite lifelong olfactory deprivation, piriform (olfactory) cortex is morphologically unaltered and the morphological deviations in CA are confined to the OFC.
Transfusion transmissible infections among blood donors in Ghana: A 3‐year multicentered health facility‐based retrospective study
Authors: Walana Williams , Vicar Ezekiel K. , Kuugbee Eugene D. , Dari Isaac , Bichenlib Grace , Aneba Christian N. , Hinneh Kwasi N. , Yabasin Iddrisu B. , Issaka Koray N. , Danso Michael O. , Amoatey Theophilus N. , Ziem Juventus B.
Published: November 2023

Transfusion transmissible infections (TTIs) remain a major health challenge particularly in developing countries. Here, we present a multicentered hospital‐based retrospective study on the prevalence, distribution, and risk factors of TTIs in Ghana. Data on blood donors from four health facilities, namely Nkwanta South Municipal Hospital (Oti region), Weija‐Gbawe Municipal Hospital (Greater Accra region), SDA Hospital (Northern region) and Wa Municipal Hospital (Upper West region) were extracted and analyzed. Descriptive statistics and multinomial logistic regression were applied to compare sociodemographic data with TTI status. A total of 6094 blood donors were included in this study, and 2% were females. The overall prevalence of TTIs was 21.0% (1232/5868). Specifically, the prevalence of HBV, HCV, HIV, and Syphilis was 6.6% (385/5868), 4.9% (286/5830), 2.9% (168/5867), and 6.8% (393/5739), respectively. Wa dominated in all the viral agents considered in this study, while the Oti region recorded the highest prevalence in T. pallidum. The odds of HBV infection was 3.1 (p = 0.008) among first‐time donors, while that for HCV was 2.8 (p = 0.042). For rural dwellers, donors significantly had T. pallidum (p < 0.001; OR = 2.8), HCV (p < 0.001; OR = 2.9), and HIV (p = 0.028; OR = 1.5) infections. Generally, the recipients of transfused blood were predominantly pregnant mothers, followed by children and accident victims. This study has revealed significant disparities and relatively high prevalence of TTIs in Ghana, specifically HBV, HCV, HIV and T. pallidum infections. The variations suggest the presence of unique health challenges per study area, hence the need for a tailored intervention for each study site.
Skin cancer classification using improved transfer learning model‐based random forest classifier and golden search optimization
Authors: Vidhyalakshmi A. M. , Kanchana M.
Published: November 2023

The two complex skin cancer type is melanoma and non‐melanoma. However, the classification of skin cancer is not performed accurately due to the requirement of a huge time and the presence of noisy images. The severity level is not detected and this leads to generate serious issues. To overcome these entire issues GSO‐optimized kernel random forest (RF)‐based transfer learning (TL) is proposed to perform the classification of 12 different skin cancer types by using ImageNet and CNN architectures. The kernel decision tree is taken into account by the RF classifier throughout the classification process, and the RF parameters are modified using the GSO algorithm. The proposed algorithm not only effectively enhances the detection results based on previous adaptive thresholding segmentation techniques but also extends the skin cancer detection process. Compared to existing MMCL, SVM, Mask‐RCNN, and CNN methods the proposed technique attained better performance in classification of skin cancer.
An optimal system for increasing the contrast resolution qualities of histopathology images in the wavelet domain
Authors: Rao Karishma , Bansal Manu , Kaur Gagandeep
Published: November 2023

In the field of histopathology, it has been observed that most images are of poor quality as a result of inadequate luminance and contrast. The first step in identifying and analyzing them is to enhance their quality while maintaining their inherent characteristics. This paper presents a novel method for enhancing histopathology images' important features, brightness preservation, and contrast by utilizing the adaptive intensity transformation gamma function in the wavelet domain. The RGB histopathological color image is first converted to the HSV color model. The V component is then stretched in order to compensate for any color distortion. In the proposed scheme, the stretched V component is split into four sub‐bands using discrete wavelet transform (DWT). Next, it determines the optimal value of the gamma correction function in the DWT lower sub‐band. A correction factor is applied using the singular value decomposition (SVD) technique to determine the optimal gamma function value using the nature‐inspired particle swarm optimization method (NIPSO). The corrected LL sub‐band is then applied to the inverse DWT (IDWT) together with the other unprocessed sub‐bands. In addition, the contrast of each feature is enhanced by employing an adaptive histogram equalization model that is contrast‐limited. The proposed method was evaluated through experiments and validations on a variety of histopathology images retrieved from multiple databases. Several quantitative studies have demonstrated that the proposed method outperforms existing enhancement techniques in terms of entropy, edge preservation index, contrast ratio, and Universal Image Quality Index (UIQI). This proposed technique increases contrast, while preserving the inherent characteristics of the original image, resulting in better quality histopathology images that can be used in disease diagnosis and inspection.
HOW TO START AN UNBIASED CONVERSATION ABOUT EXHAUSTION
Authors: Guthier Christina
Published: November 2023

The author, a self‐employed occupational health psychologist, presents her research on various nuanced aspects of exhaustion, stress, and burnout, as they related to leadership and organizations. She also notes her TEDx talk “Let’s talk about the bright side of exhaustion,” and writes that “using study results based on data of more than 26,000 participants and illustrative anecdotes, I will explain why exhaustion is more complicated than most realize, that there is not only a dark but also a bright side, and how leaders can make sure that people in their environment experience the bright side of exhaustion by improving person‐job matches.” She describes her own personal background within these issues, and Figure 1 depicts a Conversation Starter for Exhaustion Model. The Venn diagram has “Joyfully Exhausted” in the middle, surrounded by the keywords Meaning, Support, Autonomy, and Appreciation. In the article text, regarding meaning, she writes “As a leader you need to know what kind of work is meaningful for each person around you and ideally create work environments where people can mainly focus on performing these tasks. This makes it easier for individuals in your work environment to better perform and make the effort feel worthwhile.”
Mild Quantitative One Step Removal of Macrophages from Cocultures with Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Using Thermoresponsive Poly(Di(Ethylene Glycol)Methyl Ether Methacrylate) Brushes
Authors: Hebel Diana , Schönherr Holger
Published: November 2023

The authors report on a mild, label‐free, and fast method for the separation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), which are relevant cells, whose use is not limited to studies of endothelial dysfunction, from cocultures with macrophages to afford HUVEC in ≈100% purity. Poly(di(ethylene glycol)methyl ether methacrylate) (PDEGMA) brushes with a dry thickness of (5 ± 1) nm afford the highly effective one‐step separation by selective HUVEC detachment, which is based on the brushes' thermoresponsive behavior. Below the thermal transition at 32 °C the brushes swells and desorbs attached proteins, resulting in markedly decreased cell adhesion. Specifically, HUVEC and macrophages, which are differentiated from THP‐1 monocytes, are seeded and attached to PDEGMA brushes at 37°C. After decreasing the temperature to 22°C, HUVEC shows a decrease in their cell area, while the macrophages are not markedly affected by the temperature change. After mild flushing with a cell culture medium, the HUVEC can be released from the surface and reseeded again with ≈100% purity on a new surface. With this selective cell separation and removal method, it is possible to separate and thereby purify HUVEC from macrophages without the use of any releasing reagent or expensive labels, such as antibodies.
Benzoxaborole Ester‐Based Alternating Copolymer Nanoaggregates with Triple‐Stimuli Response
Authors: Zhang Xuan , Chen Yuhua
Published: November 2023

An innovative amphiphilic alternating copolymer with benzoxaborole ester‐linkages (P(NODGA‐alt‐PBA)) is synthesized in one step through an amination reduction reaction involving N‐octyl‐d‐glucamine and 2‐formylphenylboronic acid. Under CO2, lactic acid (LA) and H2O2 stimulations, nanoaggregates self‐assembled by P(NODGA‐alt‐PBA) can undergo cleavage via the breaking of benzoxaborole ester bonds, which is confirmed by analysis of UV–vis absorption spectra, dynamic light scattering, and transmission electron microscopy. As triggered by these stimuli, doxorubicin‐loaded nanocarriers (DOX‐PNs) are disrupted and quickly release drug, afterward only leaving some small molecular residues with low toxicity that can be absorbed and utilized by biological tissues. In vitro results indicate that P(NODGA‐alt‐PBA) is non‐toxic but DOX‐PN exhibits a markly enhanced therapeutic effect of DOX, compared to free DOX, ascribing to the tertiary amino protonated. This approach provides a promising candidate for biocompatible, biodegradable, and safe drug carriers for cancer therapy.
Sample‐based robust model reduction for non‐linear systems biology models
Authors: Falkenhagen Undine , Himpe Christian , Knöchel Jane , Kloft Charlotte , Huisinga Wilhelm
Published: November 2023

Complex non‐linear systems biology models comprise relevant knowledge on processes of pharmacological interest. They are, however, too complex to be used in inferential settings, for example, to allow for the estimation of patient‐specific parameters for individual dose optimisation. Thus, there is a need for simple models with interpretable components to infer the drug effect in a clinical setting. In particular, it is essential to accurately quantify and simulate the interindividual variability in the drug response in order to account for covariates like body weight, age and genetic disposition. To this end, non‐linear model order reduction and simplification methods can be used if they maintain model interpretability during reduction and consider an entire population rather than just a single reference individual. We present a sample‐based approach for robust model order reduction and propose two improvements for efficiency. In particular, we introduce a new sampling method to generate the virtual population based on transformed latin hypercube sampling. Thereby, the sample is stratified in the relevant parameter‐space directions, which are identified using empirical observability Gramians. We illustrate our approach in application to a blood coagulation pathway model, where we reduce the complexity from a 62‐dimensional highly non‐linear to a six‐dimensional and a nine‐dimensional system of ordinary differential equations for two scenarios, respectively.
Approximate time optimal control by deep neural networks trained with numerically obtained optimal trajectories
Authors: Zauner Christian , Gattringer Hubert , Müller Andreas
Published: November 2023

This paper focuses on online time optimal control of nonlinear systems. This is achieved by approximating the results of time optimal control problems (TOCP) with deep neural networks (DNN) depending on the initial and terminal system state. In general, solving a TOCP for nonlinear systems is a computationally challenging task. Especially in the context of time optimal nonlinear model predictive control (TMPC) with hard real time constraints successful termination of a TOCP within sample times suitable for controlling mechanical systems cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, our approach is to train three DNNs with different aspects of numerical solutions of TOCPs with random initial and terminal state. These networks can then be used to approximate the TMPC by a one step model predictive control scheme with a significantly simpler structure and decreased calculation time. In order to verify this procedure by simulation, it is applied to a prove of concept example as well as the model of an industrial robot.
Investigation of the bending and quasi‐static indentation properties of three‐dimensional (3D) textile‐reinforced composites
Authors: Korkmaz Mehmet
Published: November 2023

The three‐dimensional (3D) textiles, which are identified as advanced fabric systems, have been under development for decades and are demanded for number of structural or semi‐structural applications. They can be obtained by several production methods. These methods impart distinct, specific properties to the 3D textiles and their composites. However, the discrepancies in the production methods and their effects on the dry structure and composite mechanics need to be elucidated. In this study, the compressibility and bending properties of 3D woven, 3D multiaxis warp knitted, and 3D stitched fabrics were determined. Afterward, their composites were produced and tested under three‐point bending and quasi‐static indentation loads. Therefore, the load bearing capacity of 3D textiles was investigated from the dry structure to the composite. According to the purpose of the end‐uses, significant differences were obtained in their mechanical behaviors. When the indentation properties and damage mechanism are taken into consideration, the 3D woven composite shows the best performance among all composites.

Highlights

Quadriaxial oriented low crimp carbon yarns gain the best quasi‐static indentation resistance to composites.

The stitching process prevents damage progress in composites and restrains smaller areas.

Binding warp yarn enables the composite distribute indentation energy more evenly.
Kernspinresonanz ohne Magnetfeld
Authors: Budker Dmitry , Barskiy Danila , Lenz Till
Published: November 2023

Dieser Artikel erläutert die Grundprinzipien der Nullfeld‐Kernspinresonanz (Nullfeld‐NMR). Dabei diskutieren wir sowohl die Entstehung der Signale als auch deren Entsprechungen im bekannteren Hochfeld‐NMR. Insbesondere werden Hyperpolarisationsverfahren skizziert, die auch im Hochfeld‐NMR vorteilhaft sind. Außerdem erläutern wir einen typischen experimentellen Aufbau zur Detektion von Nullfeld‐NMR und die Bedeutung der jeweiligen Komponenten. Darüber hinaus werden explizite Anwendungen wie das Echtzeit‐Monitoring von chemischen Reaktionen in Metallbehältnissen oder die Messung enzymatischer Aktivität mittels Nullfeld‐NMR beschrieben. Zuletzt umreißen wir noch eine zukünftige Perspektive der Nullfeld‐NMR, und zwar die Anwendung von Nanosensoren in Diamant. Das könnte die Detektion von Nullfeldspektren weniger Moleküle bis hin zu einem einzelnen Molelkül ermöglichen.
Turbulente Strömungen – weiterhin rätselhaft
Authors: Küchler Christian , Bodenschatz Eberhard
Published: November 2023

In einem einzigartigen Windkanal konnte in extrem starker Turbulenz eine der zentralen Vorhersagen über turbulente Strömungen so gut wie nie zuvor untersucht werden. Dabei wurden Abweichungen gefunden, deren genaue Herkunft bisher unklar ist.
Conformational features and interaction mechanisms of VHH antibodies with β‐hairpin CDR3: A case of Nb8‐HigB2 interaction
Authors: Yamamoto Koichi , Nagatoishi Satoru , Matsunaga Ryo , Nakakido Makoto , Kuroda Daisuke , Tsumoto Kouhei
Published: November 2023

The β‐hairpin conformation is regarded as an important basic motif to form and regulate protein–protein interactions. Single‐domain VHH antibodies are potential therapeutic and diagnostic tools, and the third complementarity‐determining regions of the heavy chains (CDR3s) of these antibodies are critical for antigen recognition. Although the sequences and conformations of the CDR3s are diverse, CDR3s sometimes adopt β‐hairpin conformations. However, characteristic features and interaction mechanisms of β‐hairpin CDR3s remain to be fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the molecular recognition of the anti‐HigB2 VHH antibody Nb8, which has a CDR3 that forms a β‐hairpin conformation. The interaction was analyzed by evaluation of alanine‐scanning mutants, molecular dynamics simulations, and hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry. These experiments demonstrated that positions 93 and 94 (Chothia numbering) in framework region 3, which is right outside CDR3 by definition, play pivotal roles in maintaining structural stability and binding properties of Nb8. These findings will facilitate the design and optimization of single‐domain antibodies.
Adult and pediatric physiologically‐based biopharmaceutics modeling to explain lamotrigine immediate release absorption process
Authors: Caleffi‐Marchesini Edilainy Rizzieri , Herling Amanda Antunes , Macente Julia , Bonan Rodolfo Hernandes , de Freitas Lima Priscila , Moreno Rafaela , Alexandre Veriano , Charbe Nitin Bharat , Borghi‐Pangoni Fernanda Belincanta , Cristofoletti Rodrigo , Diniz Andréa
Published: November 2023

Physiologically‐based biopharmaceutics modeling (PBBM) has potential to accelerate the development of new drug and formulations. An important application of PBBM is for special populations such as pediatrics that have pharmacokinetics dependent on the maturation process. Lamotrigine (LTG) is a Biopharmaceutics Classification System (BCS) II drug and is widely prescribed. Therefore, the goal of this study was to assess the biopharmaceutics risk of the low‐soluble drug LTG when the ontogeny on gastrointestinal tract (GIT) physiological parameters are considered. An oral physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic model and a PBBM were developed and verified using GastroPlus™ software for both adults and children (2–12 years old, 12–52 kg). The biopharmaceutics properties and GIT physiological parameters were evaluated by sensitivity analysis. High doses were simulated assuming a worst case scenario, that is, the dose of 200 mg for adults and 5 mg/kg (up to the maximum of 200 mg) for 2‐year‐old children. Although several authors have suggested that ontogeny may have an effect on gastrointestinal fluid volume, our study found no evidence of interference between fluid and dose volumes with in vivo dissolution of LTG. The most impactful parameter was found to be the gastric transit time. Therefore, the hypothesis is developed to examine whether LTG exhibits characteristics of a BCS II classification in vitro while showing BCS I–like behavior in vivo. This hypothesis could act as a base for conducting novel studies on model‐informed precision dosing, tailored to specific populations and clinical conditions. In addition, it could be instrumental in assessing the influence of various release profiles on in vivo performance for both adult and pediatric populations.
Sample pretreatment effects on isotopic compositions of oxygen and sulfur in BaSO4 derived from atmospheric sulfate
Authors: Kagawa Masako , Katsuta Nagayoshi , Naito Sayuri , Masuki Yuma , Yoshimizu Chikage , Chiba Hitoshi , Tayasu Ichiro
Published: November 2023

Rationale

Preparation of BaSO4 from samples of atmospheric rain, snow, and aerosols has been used for δ18O and δ34S analyses. In the present study, we investigated the effect of various sample pretreatments on δ18O and δ34S values determined from a Na2SO4 reagent solution and samples of atmospheric precipitation to improve assay time and cost efficiency.

Methods

BaSO4 was prepared from a Na2SO4 solution by (a) evaporative concentration, (b) evaporation to dryness, (c) evaporation to dryness after adding HCl, and (d) evaporation to concentration after adding HCl, followed by cooling and then precipitation using a BaCl2 solution. To analyze the atmospheric precipitation samples for δ18O, BaSO4 prepared from the samples was treated with diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) and SO42− and separated chromatographically. The values of δ18O and δ34S were measured using a continuous‐flow elemental analyzer coupled to an isotope‐ratio mass spectrometer.

Results

The δ34S values in BaSO4 precipitated from Na2SO4 solution determined by methods (a)–(c) were consistent within precisions of ±0.5‰. The δ18O values of methods (a) and (b) were consistent within ±0.2‰, whereas the δ18O values of methods (c) and (d) increased with increasing HCl concentrations. Similar results were obtained from samples of atmospheric precipitations. The δ18O values from DTPA‐treated BaSO4 were consistent with those obtained by chromatographic separation within ±0.5‰.

Conclusions

We found no significant differences in the effects of various pretreatments (acidification, heating, concentration, and drying) on δ18O and δ34S values in sulfate from samples of atmospheric precipitation and aerosols extracted as BaSO4 if HCl was not added to the sample before heating and BaSO4 was treated with DTPA for the δ18O analysis.
Cytotoxic Effects of Compounds with a Carbazole Scaffold on Human Brain, Gynecological, and Colon Cancer Cells
Authors: Yalazan Halise , Aydın Ali , Çelik Fatih , Ünver Yasemin , Kantekin Halit
Published: November 2023

The effort to develop new anticancer agents with reduced side effects that can overcome chemotherapeutic resistance is one of the most important research areas of medicinal chemistry. In this study, the synthesis of compounds containing carbazole, one of such agents, and their effects on different types of cancer cell lines are presented. Carbazole compound containing alcohol group 1, its phthalonitrile derivative 2 and carbazole disubstituted axial silicon phthalocyanine compound 3 were synthesized for the first time. These compounds were evaluated for cell proliferation, cell cytotoxicity, cell morphology, cell migration, and cell apoptosis on brain cancer cells (A172 and C6), gynecological cancer cells (HeLa and A2780), colon cancer cells (SW620 and HT29), and normal cells (Beas2B, RPE, and HSF). The findings of the cytotoxic and anticancer effects of the compounds were evaluated together 1 was identified as a potent antiproliferative agent (IC50 values of 1 were 29.99–99.5 μg/mL for normal cells and 1.29–33.57 μg/mL for cancer cells) with mild cytotoxicity (% Cytotoxicity of 1 were 10.8–11.7 for normal cells and 13.8–15.9 for cancer cells). The action mechanism of the compounds was related to inhibiting cell migration and triggering cell apoptosis. Overall, 1 and 2 which appears to be an effective pharmaceutical agent, is a potential focus of further preclinical studies.
Patient-reported outcome measures more than fifteen years after treatment of sagittal or metopic craniosynostosis: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Woerdeman Peter A. , Klieverik Vita M. , Cheong Alexander , Singhal Ash , Cochrane Douglas , Steinbok Paul
Published: November 2023

Purpose

To evaluate the long-term anthropometric measurements, cosmetic satisfaction, and other patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) of patients who underwent surgical treatment or observation only of sagittal or metopic single-suture craniosynostosis (SSC).

Methods

A prospective study was designed for all patients diagnosed with non-syndromic sagittal and metopic craniosynostosis at the British Columbia Children’s Hospital, Vancouver, Canada, in the period July 1986 to July 2006. After a minimum of 15 years post-diagnosis, all eligible patients were invited to fill out the Craniofacial Surgery Outcomes Questionnaire (CSO-Q) and to attend a scheduled follow-up appointment for the collection of anthropometric measurements. A descriptive analysis of the cosmetic results was performed. Statistical analyses compared the differences in anthropometric measurements between treated and non-treated patients.

Results

Of the 253 eligible patients, 52 participants were willing to share patient data for use in the study. Of those 52 former patients, 36 (69.2%) filled out and returned the CSO-Q and 23 (44.2%) attended the follow-up appointment. The mean follow-up period between surgical treatment and the CSO-Q was 20.2 ± 2.5 years and between surgical treatment and the follow-up appointment was 20.9 ± 2.7 years. In patients with sagittal SSC, the mean cephalic index (CI) was significantly larger in treated than in non-treated patients (74.6 versus 69.1, p = 0.04), while the mean pupillary distance and forehead to back index were significantly smaller (pupillary distance 6.0 cm versus 6.7 cm [p = 0.04] and forehead to back index 19.6 cm versus 21.1 cm [p = 0.03]). Focusing more on the patient reported outcome measures, overall cosmetic satisfaction was found to be high (80.6%) and no differences were found between sagittal and metopic synostosis patients, nor between treated or non-treated craniosynostosis patients. Overall outcomes regarding self-esteem (RSES) and fear of negative evaluation (FNE) were comparable with population based outcomes.

Conclusion

This is the first prospective study of sagittal and metopic craniosynostosis patients regarding long-term anthropometric outcome and patient reported outcome measures, including patients who were treated surgically and those who received observation only. Although study participation two decades after initial diagnosis was difficult to obtain, our data provide a platform from which one can develop an inclusive and uniform approach to assess patients’ subjective cosmetic satisfaction using the CSO-Questionnaire and might be useful in preoperative counseling and psychosocial care for patients and their families.
Partitioning model uncertainty in multi-model ensemble river flow projections
Authors: Aitken Gordon , Beevers Lindsay , Parry Simon , Facer-Childs Katie
Published: November 2023

Floods are the largest natural disaster currently facing the UK, whilst the incidents of droughts have increased in recent years. Floods and droughts can have devastating consequences on society, resulting in significant financial damage to the economy. Climate models suggest that precipitation and temperature changes will exacerbate future hydrological extremes (i.e., floods and droughts). Such events are likely to become more frequent and intense in the future; thus to develop adaptation plans climate model projections feed hydrological models to provide future water resource projections. ‘eFLaG’ is one set of future river flow projections produced for the UK driven by UKCP18 climate projections from the UK Met Office. The UKCP18-derived eFLaG dataset provides state-of-the-art projections for a single GCM driven by RCP 8.5 across the entire UK. A QE-ANOVA approach has been used to partition contributing sources of uncertainty for two flow quantiles (Q5 high flows and Q95 low flows), at near and far future time scales, for each of the 186 GB catchments in the eFLaG dataset. Results suggest a larger hydrological model uncertainty associated with low flows and greater regional climate model uncertainty for high flows which remains stationary between flow indicators. Total uncertainty increases from near to far future and highly uncertain catchments have been identified with a high concentration in South-East England.
Unlocking sustainable competitive advantage: exploring the impact of technological innovations on performance in Mexican SMEs within the tourism sector
Authors: León-Gómez Ana , Santos-Jaén José Manuel , Palacios-Manzano Mercedes , Garza-Sánchez Héctor Horacio
Published: November 2023

This research inquiry explores the interplay between environmentally sustainable practices, technological innovations and small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) performance in Mexico's tourism sector. The tourism industry in Mexico holds immense economic significance, contributing significantly to employment and revenue generation. However, the sector also faces challenges related to environmental sustainability. Thus, the objective of this research is to assess how the integration of sustainable environmental practices influences the operational outcomes of SMEs. Furthermore, it also aims to conclude the role of technological innovation, Information and Communication Technology (ICT), digitalization and gender in this relationship. A structural equation modeling approach was applied to a sample of 797 Mexican SMEs in the tourism sector. Our findings provide evidence of several contributions: first, environmental sustainability practices improve performance; second, technological innovation, ICT and digitalization play a critical mediating role in specific relationships to foster performance; finally, incentives encourage sustainable practices related to environmental improvement, especially when the SME's CEO is a woman. The results of this study hold practical significance for the SME sector, as it demonstrates that by adopting sustainable practices, SMEs can strengthen their market position, improve technological innovativeness, minimize environmental impact and capitalize on emerging business prospects.
How Personality Traits Affect Peer Assessment in Distance Learning
Authors: Alves Tomás , Sousa Francisco , Gama Sandra , Jorge Joaquim , Gonçalves Daniel
Published: November 2023

Recent research has leveraged peer assessment as a grading system tool where learners are involved in learning and evaluation. However, there is limited knowledge regarding individual differences, such as personality, in peer assessment tasks. We analyze how personality factors affect the peer assessment dynamics of a semester-long remote learning course. Specifically, we investigate how psychological constructs shape how people perceive user-generated content, interact with it, and assess their peers. Our results show that personality traits can predict how effective the peer assessment process will be and the scores and feedback that students provide to their peers. In conclusion, we contribute design guidelines based on personality constructs as valuable factors to include in the design pipeline of peer assessment systems.
QSPR in molecular spaces: ordering data, {de- & re-} constructing molecular similarity matrices, building their isometric vectors defining statistical-like momenta of molecular polyhedra, and analyzing the structure of a quantum QSPR operator
Authors: Carbó-Dorca Ramon
Published: November 2023

A general review of quantum molecular similarity structure and applications is presented. The backbone of the discussion corresponds to the general problem of the data structure associated with the mathematical representation of a molecular set. How to standardize, and how to compare it to any other problem. This computational track describes the exact isometric vectors of the similarity matrix in a Minkowskian space. The further aim is to construct a set of origin-shifted vectors forming the vertices of a molecular polyhedron. From here, one can calculate a set of statistical-like momenta, providing a set of scalars that describe in a compact form the attached molecular set. Finally, the definition of a quantum QSPR operator permits building up a system of equations that can be further employed to determine the unknown properties of molecules in the original set. This last achievement leads to a quantum QSPR algorithm comparable with the classical QSPR counterpart but described in molecular space, not parameter space.
A survey of model compression strategies for object detection
Authors: Lyu Zonglei , Yu Tong , Pan Fuxi , Zhang Yilin , Luo Jia , Zhang Dan , Chen Yiren , Zhang Bo , Li Guangyao
Published: November 2023

Deep neural networks (DNNs) have achieved great success in many object detection tasks. However, such DNNS-based large object detection models are generally computationally expensive and memory intensive. It is difficult to deploy them to devices with low memory resources or scenarios with high real-time requirements, which greatly limits their application and promotion. In recent years, many researchers have focused on compressing large object detection models without significantly degrading their performance, and have made great progress. Therefore, this paper presents a survey of object detection model compression techniques in recent years. Firstly, these compression techniques were divided into six categories: network pruning, lightweight network design, neural architecture search (NAS), low-rank decomposition, network quantization, and Knowledge distillation (KD) methods. For each category, we select some representative state-of-the-art methods and compare and analyze their performance on public datasets. After that, we discuss the application scenarios and future directions of model compression techniques. Finally, this paper is further concluded by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of six types of model compression techniques.