bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification of a thermostable cellobiose 2‐epimerase from Caldicellulosiruptor sp. Rt8.B8 and production of epilactose using Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Liangfei Li , Yafeng Zhu , Kai Xu , Zheng Xu 
Published: May 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDEpilactose, a potential prebiotics, was derived from lactose through enzymatic catalysis. However, production and purification of epilactose are currently difficult due to powerless enzymes and inefficient downstream processing steps.RESULTSThe encoding gene of cellobiose 2‐epimerase (CE) from Caldicellulosiruptor sp. Rt8.B8 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). The enzyme was purified and it was suitable for industrial production of epilactose from lactose without by‐products, because of high kcat (197.6 s−1) and preferable thermostability. The Rt8‐CE gene was further expressed in the Bacillus subtilis strain. We successfully produced epilactose from 700 g L−1 lactose in 30.4% yield by using the recombinant Bacillus subtilis whole cells. By screening of a β‐galactosidase from Bacillus stearothermophilus (BsGal), a process for separating epilactose and lactose was established, which showed a purity of over 95% in a total yield of 69.2%. In addition, a mixed rare sugar syrup composed of epilactose and d‐tagatose was successfully produced from lactose through the co‐expression of l‐arabinose isomerase and β‐galactosidase.CONCLUSIONOur study shed light on the efficient production of epilactose using a food‐grade host expressing a novel CE enzyme. Moreover, an efficient and low‐cost process was attempted to obtain high purity epilactose. In order to improve the utilization of raw materials, the production process of mixed syrup containing epilactose and d‐tagatose with prebiotic properties produced from lactose was also established for the first time. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
Who are the users of national open access journals? The case of the Finnish Journal.fi platform
Authors: Pölönen Janne , Syrjämäki Sami , Nygård Antti‐Jussi , Hammarfelt Björn 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn this paper we study the diversity of users of open access articles on the Finnish Journal.fi platform. This platform hosts around hundred open access journals from Finland publishing in different fields and mainly Finnish and English languages. The study is based on an online survey, conducted on 48 journals during Spring 2020, in which visitors were asked to indicate their background and allow their location and download behaviour be tracked. Among 668 survey participants, the two largest groups were students (40%) and researchers (36%), followed by private citizens (8%), other experts (7%) and teachers (5%). Other identified user categories include journalists, civil servants, entrepreneurs and politicians. While new publications attract a considerable share of the views, there is still a relatively large interest, especially among students, in older materials. Our findings indicate that Finnish language publications are particularly important for reaching students, citizens, experts and politicians. Thus, open access to publications in national languages is vital for the local relevance and outreach of research.
Patients' roles in governance of learning: Results from a qualitative study of 16 learning healthcare systems
Authors: Grob Rachel , Gleason Katharine , McLean Paul , McGraw Sarah , Solomon Mildred , Joffe Steven 
Published: May 2021

AbstractPatient and family engagement has been identified as key to fulfilling Learning Healthcare Systems' (LHSs') promise as a model for improving clinical care, catalyzing research, and controlling costs. Little is known, however, about the state of patient engagement in the learning mission of these systems or about what governance structures and processes facilitate such engagement. Here, we report on an interview study of 99 patient and employee leaders in 16 systems. We found both variable levels of engagement and broad agreement that shared governance of learning remains a work in progress. We also identified a range of practices that can support or thwart development of an organizational culture conducive to shared governance, including transparency, capacity building, infrastructure investment, leadership, attention to diversity of patient partners, and committee structures. In LHSs with most sophisticated shared governance, both employees and patients contribute to building a democratic learning culture.
Cowpea Chlorotic Mottle Virus‐Like Particles as Potential Platform for Antisense Oligonucleotide Delivery in Posterior Segment Ocular Diseases
Authors: Pretto Chiara , Tang Miao , Chen Mei , Xu Heping , Subrizi Astrid , Urtti Arto , van Hest Jan C. M. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractDue to its small size, easy accessibility and immune privileged environment, the eye represents an ideal target for therapeutic nucleic acids in the treatment of posterior segment ocular diseases, such as age‐related macular degeneration (AMD). Among nanocarriers that can be used to achieve nucleic acid delivery, virus‐like particles (VLPs) obtained from the Cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV) are an appealing platform, because of their loading capacity, ease of manufacture and amenability for functionalization. Herein, antisense oligonucleotide‐loaded CCMV nanoparticles, intended for intravitreal injection, are evaluated for selective silencing of miR‐23, an important target in AMD. CCMV nanoparticles loaded with anti‐miR‐23 locked nucleic acid and stabilized using the 3,3′‐dithiobis(sulfosuccinimidyl propionate) (DTSSP) cross‐linker, are assembled in vitro with a loading efficiency up to 80%. VLPs are found to be stable at 37 °C in the vitreous humor up to 24 hours. Nanoparticle cytotoxicity, cellular uptake and transfection efficacy are evaluated in endothelial cells. Selective miRNA down‐regulation is achieved by the loaded CCMV VLPs both in absence and presence of Lipofectamine, with efficacies of ≈40% and more than 80%, respectively. The authors' findings pave the way for the future development of CCMV nanoparticles as oligonucleotide delivery platform to treat posterior segment ocular diseases.
Real‐time deep artifact suppression using recurrent U‐Nets for low‐latency cardiac MRI
Authors: Jaubert Olivier , Montalt‐Tordera Javier , Knight Dan , Coghlan Gerry J. , Arridge Simon , Steeden Jennifer A. , Muthurangu Vivek 
Published: May 2021

PurposeReal‐time low latency MRI is performed to guide various cardiac interventions. Real‐time acquisitions often require iterative image reconstruction strategies, which lead to long reconstruction times. In this study, we aim to reconstruct highly undersampled radial real‐time data with low latency using deep learning.MethodsA 2D U‐Net with convolutional long short‐term memory layers is proposed to exploit spatial and preceding temporal information to reconstruct highly accelerated tiny golden radial data with low latency. The network was trained using a dataset of breath‐hold CINE data (including 770 time series from 7 different orientations). Synthetic paired data were created by retrospectively undersampling the magnitude images, and the network was trained to recover the target images. In the spirit of interventional imaging, the network was trained and tested for varying acceleration rates and orientations. Data were prospectively acquired and reconstructed in real time in 1 healthy subject interactively and in 3 patients who underwent catheterization. Images were visually compared to sliding window and compressed sensing reconstructions and a conventional Cartesian real‐time sequence.ResultsThe proposed network generalized well to different acceleration rates and unseen orientations for all considered metrics in simulated data (less than 4% reduction in structural similarity index compared to similar acceleration and orientation‐specific networks).The proposed reconstruction was demonstrated interactively, successfully depicting catheters in vivo with low latency (39 ms, including 19 ms for deep artifact suppression) and an image quality comparing favorably to other reconstructions.ConclusionDeep artifact suppression was successfully demonstrated in the time‐critical application of non‐Cartesian real‐time interventional cardiac MR.
Three‐dimensional quantitative muscle ultrasound in a healthy population
Authors: de Jong Leon , Nikolaev Anton , Greco Anna , Weijers Gert , de Korte Chris L. , Fütterer Jurgen J. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIntroduction/AimsQuantitative muscle ultrasound offers biomarkers that aid in the diagnosis, detection, and follow‐up of neuromuscular disorders. At present, quantitative muscle ultrasound methods are 2D and are often operator and device dependent. The aim of this study was to combine an existing device independent method with an automated ultrasound machine and perform 3D quantitative muscle ultrasound, providing new normative data of healthy controls.MethodsIn total, 123 healthy volunteers were included. After physical examination, 3D ultrasound scans of the tibialis anterior muscle were acquired using an automated ultrasound scanner. Image postprocessing was performed to obtain calibrated echo intensity values based on a phantom reference.ResultsTibialis anterior muscle volumes of 61.2 ± 24.1 mL and 53.7 ± 22.7 mL were scanned in males and females, respectively. Echo intensity correlated with gender**, age**, fat fraction*, histogram kurtosis**, skewness* and standard deviation** (*P < .05, **P < .01). Outcome measures did not differ significantly for different acquisition presets. The 3D quantitative muscle ultrasound revealed the non‐uniformity of echo intensity values over the length of the tibialis anterior muscle.DiscussionOur method extended 2D measurements and confirmed previous findings. Our method and reported normative data of (potential) biomarkers can be used to study neuromuscular disorders.
Fourier transform approach to nonperiodic boundary value problems in porous conductive media
Authors: To Quy‐Dong , Bonnet Guy , Nguyen‐Thoi Trung 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn this article, we develop an extension of the Fourier transform solution method in order to solve conduction equation with nonperiodic boundary conditions (BC). The periodic Lippmann–Schwinger equation for porous materials is extended to the case of non‐periodicity with relevant source terms on the boundary. The method is formulated in Fourier space based on the temperature as unknown, using the exact periodic Green function and form factors to describe the boundaries. Different types of BC: flux, temperature, mixed and combined with periodicity can be treated by the method. Numerical simulations show that the method does not encounter convergence issues due to the infinite contrast and yields accurate results for both local fields and effective conductivity.
A Newton iteration‐based interval analysis method for nonlinear structural systems with uncertain‐but‐bounded parameters
Authors: Qiu Zhiping , Zhu Bo 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn this article, the propagating effect of uncertainties in nonlinear structural systems is investigated. Via considering uncertain‐but‐bounded parameters as interval variables, a Newton iteration‐based interval analysis method (NI‐IAM) is proposed to quantify the uncertainty of the nonlinear structural response, namely predicting the upper and lower bounds of the response. In the proposed method, a nonlinear structural system with uncertain interval parameters is described as a series of interval nonlinear equations. With Taylor series expansion, an interval iteration scheme is established to successively approximate the upper and lower bounds of the response based on the Newton method. The structural response bounds in every iteration step are updated by solving linear interval increment determination equations via the Lagrangian multiplier method. Thereout, an uncertain nonlinear problem is simplified to a series of uncertain linear issues. The convergence of the proposed method is further discussed in this article. Numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed method by contrast with several existing methods. Moreover, the compatibility between numerical results of the perturbation‐based probabilistic method and the proposed method is then studied and verified.
Thalassemia major in a 49‐year‐old Thai female: Gross and X‐ray examination of dry bone
Authors: Techataweewan Nawaporn , Mann Robert W. , Vlok Melandri , Ruengdit Sittiporn , Panthongviriyakul Charnchai , Buckley Hallie R. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractObjectiveWe present a clinically diagnosed case of beta thalassemia major in a deceased 49‐year‐old Thai female for comparison with paleopathological cases and consideration of age‐related changes of anemic skeletal lesions.MethodsDry bone and radiographic descriptions of pathological changes are provided and compared to clinically documented features of thalassemia.ResultsThe limb bones in this case exhibit extreme “ballooning” (widening), cortical rarefaction (cortex thinning due to osteoporosis), and varus deformity of the proximal humeri. In the cranium, reduction and coarsening of the trabeculae due to marrow hyperplasia, and radiographic “hair‐on‐end” appearance are evident. This individual did not present with severe porotic hyperostosis or cribra orbitalia but exhibited diploic expansion.SignificanceThis case study provides a rare opportunity for a detailed examination of the bone changes present in a fatal homozygote with severe anemia. The case also enables discussion of thalassemia in the wider Southeast Asian context, as major gene variations are known to impact bone metabolism and possibly cause the development of macroscopically observable traits. The absence of observable cribra orbitalia or severe porotic hyperostosis in such an extreme case calls for careful consideration of age‐related skeletal changes in the diagnosis of genetic anemias (and anemia in general).LimitationsThe individual received blood transfusion treatment that likely prolonged her life‐impacting skeletal progression.Suggestions for future researchDescriptions of different anatomical cases of thalassemia, particularly when accompanied with detailed clinical documentation, would further enable the development of more rigorous diagnostic protocols that accommodate skeletal variation in disease expression.
A systematic review on high‐performance fiber‐reinforced 3D printed thermoset composites
Authors: Monticeli Francisco M. , Neves Roberta M. , Ornaghi Heitor L. , Almeida José Humberto S. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractHigh‐performance fiber‐reinforced thermoset composites processed by additive manufacturing (3D printing) are attracting substantial attention in both academic and industrial fields in a market currently dominated by thermoplastic matrices. Thermoset polymers have, nevertheless, several advantages over thermoplastic ones. This study aims at recommending suitable fibers and processing conditions that effectively improve the mechanical properties of thermoset composites produced by additive manufacturing. The influence of void content is also highlighted. A systematic review is performed here using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (P.R.I.S.M.A.) protocol as a guide aiming to identify the main findings recently studied. A total of 147 studies are initially identified within 2014–2020 using three scientific databases. Then, 29 articles are selected and described respecting several inclusion and exclusion criteria. The main findings are presented and discussed, and the gaps are identified to open up further investigations yet to be understood and exploited.
Proactive vitality management and mental health: The role of work engagement
Authors: Ye Dan‐Xiao , Li Jin‐Shan , Li Feng 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn this study, we examined the relationships among proactive vitality management (PVM), work engagement, and mental health. A total of 392 call center employees completed the survey. The results of structural equation modeling analyses supported that work engagement meditated the positive relationship between PVM and mental health.
CZTSSe/Zn(O,S) heterojunction solar cells with 9.82% efficiency enabled via (NH4)2S treatment of absorber layer
Authors: Jeong Hiji , Nandi Raju , Cho Jae Yu , Pawar Pravin S. , Lee Hyo Seok , Neerugatti KrishnaRao Eswar , Kim Jin Hyeok , Heo Jaeyeong 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe replacement of CdS buffer layer is desirable for the development of nontoxic, environmentally friendly kesterite thin‐film solar cells (TFSCs). Recently, several ternary compound semiconductors have been extensively investigated as an alternative buffer layer for Cd‐free TFSCs. Herein, the effectiveness of (NH4)2S treatment on the surface properties of the absorber, as well as the device performance of atomic layer deposited (ALD) Zn(O,S) buffer‐based CZTSSe solar cells, has been investigated. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results showed that the elemental compositions of CZTSSe surface were significantly influenced by (NH4)2S treatment, whereas the surface morphologies of the CZTSSe‐absorber layers remained unaffected. The XPS results further suggested that the (NH4)2S solution treatment substantially removed the native oxide layer from the CTZSSe absorber surface. The fabricated CZTSSe/Zn(O,S) device without (NH4)2S treatment displayed an initial cell efficiency of 7.46%. The energy conversion efficiency increased significantly to 9.82% after the (NH4)2S treatment of absorber layers for an optimum duration of 1 min; to the best of our knowledge, this is the highest efficiency achieved to date for Zn(O,S) buffer‐based kesterite solar cells. The improved device performance is predominantly attributed to the pronounced increase in the fill factor (FF) of TFSCs resulting from the removal of oxides/hydroxides from the CZTSSe surface and passivation of absorber surface with sulfur species. However, increasing the treatment duration to 3 or 5 min resulted in the deterioration of cell efficiency, primarily due to the progressive degradation in the FF of the device. This study demonstrates a plausible route to improve the performance of Zn(O,S) buffer layer‐based kesterite solar cells through a simple surface treatment of the absorber layers using (NH4)2S solution.
Comparison of HMDSO and HMDSN as precursors for high‐barrier plasma‐polymerized multilayer coating systems on polyethylene terephthalate films
Authors: Jaritz Montgomery , Alizadeh Philipp , Wilski Stefan , Kleines Lara , Dahlmann Rainer 
Published: May 2021

AbstractHexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO)‐ and hexamethyldisilazane (HMDSN)‐based plasma polymeric coatings are compared as elements of multilayer barrier coatings, consisting of an alternating structure of organosilicon and silicon oxide layers. Furthermore, these coatings are examined with regard to their deposition rate, critical layer thickness, surface roughness, atomic composition, and gas permeability. It is investigated how these attributes correlate in the overall barrier performance of a multilayer coating system. The concluded examinations show that HMDSN delivers best overall barrier performances as a precursor at high energy densities. For lower energy densities, the use of HMDSO is preferable. Intermediate layer thickness should not exceed six nanometers for best barrier performance in the given experiment configuration.
Performance of median absolute deviation and some alternatives to median absolute deviation control charts for skewed and heavily tailed process
Authors: Adekeye Kayode S. , Adewara Johnson A. , Aako Olabisi L. , Olaomi John O. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn this paper, charts based on robust scale estimators (known as and estimators) are proposed, and the performance of control charts based on median absolute deviation (MAD) is compared with those based on some alternatives to MAD, which do not need any location estimate, for normal, skewed, and heavily tailed distributions. MAD is often used as a substitute for standard deviation in constructing control charts due to its robustness. Three alternatives to MAD namely the Sn, Qn, and Downton (D) are considered in this paper as location‐free estimators. A simulation study was carried out to appraise the performance of the control charts based on the MAD, , , and D estimators. The average run length (ARL), median run length (MRL), standard deviation run length (SDRL), and control limits interval (CLI) were used to assess the performance of the four control charts. The results showed that MAD, , and D are suitable estimators for standard deviation for mean charts while and are suitable estimators for standard deviation for dispersion charts for skewed and heavily tailed distributions.
Using geometric mean to compute robust mixture designs
Authors: Limmun Wanida , Chomtee Boonorm , Borkowski John J. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractMixture experiments involve developing a dedicated formulation for specific applications. We propose the weighted optimality criterion using the geometric mean as the objective function for the genetic algorithms. We generate a robust mixture design using genetic algorithms (GAs) of which the region of interest is an irregularly shaped polyhedral region formed by constraints on proportions of the mixture component. When specific terms in the initial model display unimportant effects, it is assumed that they are removed. The design generation objective requires model robustness across the set of the reduced models of the design. Proposing an alternative way to tackle the problem, we find that the proposed GA designs based on G‐ or/and IV‐efficiency are robust to model misspecification.
Disturbance observer‐based finite‐time control scheme for dynamic positioning of ships subject to thruster faults
Authors: Chen Haili , Ren Hongxiang , Gao Zongjiang , Yu Feng , Guan Wei , Wang Delong 
Published: May 2021

SummaryThe increasing dependence on marine resources has encouraged the rapid development of dynamic positioning (DP) technology in ships and other marine vessels. This study proposes a novel DP scheme for ships subjected to comprehensive disturbances (unknown environmental disturbances and thruster faults). An integral nonsingular fast terminal sliding mode control (INFTSMC) scheme is initially designed without accounting for environmental disturbances. This scheme has a higher convergence rate and robustness against unknown environmental disturbances than the NFTSMC scheme. Furthermore, a new finite‐time disturbance observer is developed to adapt to the changes in the comprehensive disturbances and ensure that the observed errors converge within a small region around the origin in finite time. The INFTSMC scheme is then combined with the finite‐time observer to create a finite‐time observer‐based thruster fault‐tolerant control (FTOAFTC) scheme. Detailed simulation studies and quantitative analyses are carried out on the traditional sliding mode control (SMC), NFTSMC, and FTOAFTC schemes. The FTOAFTC scheme's transient and steady‐state performances, robustness against environmental disturbances, and fault‐tolerance ability are found to be superior to those of the other schemes.