bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Blockchain based secret key management for trusted platform module standard in reconfigurable platform
Authors: Paul Rourab , Ghosh Nimisha , Panigrahi Amrutanshu , Chakrabarti Amlan , Mohapatra Prasant 
Published: July 2024

SummaryThe growing sophistication of cyber attacks, vulnerabilities in high computing systems and increasing dependency on cryptography to protect our digital data, make it more important to keep secret keys safe and secure. A few major issues of secret keys, like incorrect use of keys, inappropriate storage of keys, inadequate protection of keys, insecure movement of keys, lack of audit logging, insider threats and nondestruction of keys can compromise the whole security system severely. In this work, we propose a field programmable gate array (FPGA)‐based trusted platform module (TPM) framework for operating system companies and OS users, utilizing blockchain to address NIST‐recommended secret key management issues. The security processor used in OS user machines is partitioned into three areas such that processor area, confidential area, and crypto area. The isolated secret key memory in confidential area, along with a private blockchain (BC) can log the life cycle of secret keys of TPM standard. We have also implemented a special custom bus interconnect, which receives custom crypto instructions from Processing Element (PE). During the execution of crypto instructions, the architecture ensures that secret keys are present in confidential area and crypto area but never in the processor area. The movements of secret keys between confidential area, and crypto area are recorded cryptographically after the proper authentication process controlled by the proposed hardware‐based private BC framework. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first attempt to implement a blockchain‐based framework between OS company and OS users to address NIST recommended secret key management issues of TPM standard hardware environment. The additional cost of resource usage and timing complexity we spent to implement the proposed idea is nominal. The proposed architecture is implemented with Xilinx EDA tool using FPGA board.
A wide tuning range CMOS differential ring VCO using an active inductor for wireless applications
Authors: Alijani Mahdi , Javanmardi Mohammadmahdi , Abrishamifar Adib 
Published: July 2024

AbstractA differential ring voltage‐controlled oscillator (DRVCO) is proposed in this paper as one of the critical blocks in communication systems. It consists of four stages of delay cells connected in a chain, creating a ring structure with auxiliary path interconnections. The oscillation frequency of the DRVCO can be controlled by adjusting the tuning voltage that controls the charging current. To achieve the desired performance for wireless applications, the Wu active inductor, which is a low‐noise and high‐quality factor active inductor, is employed in each delay cell for the first time. Using an active inductor provides a wide tuning range and also allows for proper phase noise and low power consumption. The proposed circuit is designed and simulated using standard 180‐nm CMOS technology with a 1.8‐V voltage source (VDD). The circuit is designed to achieve a tuning range of 2.15 GHz with a center frequency oscillation of 2.745 GHz, over the control voltage variation of 1.4 V (0 to 1.4 V). To achieve the desired performance, the circuit consumes an average power of 1.99 mW. It achieves a phase noise of − 91.2 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency, indicating effective noise suppression. The figure of merit (FoM) for the circuit is − 156.9 dBc/Hz, representing its overall performance. The final layout of the circuit estimates an area of 0.00072 mm2. Various analyses, including Monte–Carlo simulations, PVT (process, voltage, temperature) variation analysis, and other relevant analyses, have been performed to ensure the reliable performance of the proposed circuit.
Identification of aryl hydrocarbon receptor allosteric antagonists from clinically approved drugs
Authors: Mosa Farag E. S. , Alqahtani Mohammed A. , El‐Ghiaty Mahmoud A. , Dyck Jason R. B. , Barakat Khaled , El‐Kadi Ayman O. S. 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe human aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand‐dependent transcription factor, plays a pivotal role in a diverse array of pathways in biological and pathophysiological events. This position AhR as a promising target for both carcinogenesis and antitumor strategies. In this study we utilized computational modeling to screen and identify FDA‐approved drugs binding to the allosteric site between α2 of bHLH and PAS‐A domains of AhR, with the aim of inhibiting its canonical pathway activity. Our findings indicated that nilotinib effectively fits into the allosteric pocket and forms interactions with crucial residues F82, Y76, and Y137. Binding free energy value of nilotinib is the lowest among top hits and maintains stable within its pocket throughout entire (MD) simulations time. Nilotinib has also substantial interactions with F295 and Q383 when it binds to orthosteric site and activate AhR. Surprisingly, it does not influence AhR nuclear translocation in the presence of AhR agonists; instead, it hinders the formation of the functional AhR‐ARNT‐DNA heterodimer assembly, preventing the upregulation of regulated enzymes like CYP1A1. Importantly, nilotinib exhibits a dual impact on AhR, modulating AhR activity via the PAS‐B domain and working as a noncompetitive allosteric antagonist capable of blocking the canonical AhR signaling pathway in the presence of potent AhR agonists. These findings open a new avenue for the repositioning of nilotinib beyond its current application in diverse diseases mediated via AhR.
Simultaneous detection of three hypoxia‐inducible factor stabilizers—molidustat, roxadustat, and vadadustat—in multiple keratinized matrices and its application in a doping context
Authors: Checkouri Anne , Gheddar Laurie , Arbouche Nadia , Raul Jean‐Sébastien , Kintz Pascal 
Published: July 2024

AbstractIn a doping case, a top athlete challenged an anti‐doping rule violation, involving molidustat. Molidustat is a stabilizing agent of the hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF) recently developed. It is currently undergoing clinical trials for anemia associated with chronic kidney disease. HIF stabilizers are banned at all times by the World Anti‐Doping Agency (class S2). Because of their pharmacological proprieties, these new drugs can enhance athletic performance. The athlete's defense wanted to analyze multiple keratinized matrices as they allow long‐term investigations. Requests concerning HIF stabilizers are constantly growing. We have therefore developed a liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry method to identify and quantify three molecules of this class: molidustat, vadadustat, and roxadustat. Thirty milligrams of keratinized matrices were incubated in 1 mL of pH 8.4 diammonium hydrogen phosphate buffer for 16 h at 40°C with 1 ng of testosterone‐D3, used as internal standard. After extraction with ethyl acetate/diethyl ether (80/20), the organic phase was evaporated, and the dry residue was reconstituted in 30 μL of initial phase. The method was linear from 5 to 1000 pg/mg for the three analytes. Limits of quantification were 2, 0.5, and 5 pg/mg for molidustat, roxadustat, and vadadustat, respectively. The analysis of the athlete's head hair (collected 1 month after the urine test) showed a concentration of molidustat of 135 pg/mg, and his beard hair and his fingernails clippings contained 55 and 40 pg/mg, respectively.
Occurrence and persistence of pseudo‐tail spots in the barn swallow
Authors: Hasegawa Masaru 
Published: July 2024

AbstractWhile numerous studies have confirmed sexual selection for ornamental traits in animals, it remains unclear about how animals exaggerate ornamentation across traits. I found that some Asian barn swallows Hirundo rustica gutturalis possessed “pseudo‐tail spots” on their undertail coverts adjacent to a well‐known sexual signal, the white tail spots. A close inspection showed their remarkable resemblance, and, as a consequence, pseudo‐tail spots appear to add white spots to the uniformly black central tail feathers, increasing the total number and area of white spots when spread tails are viewed from below. Pseudo‐tail spots on the undertail covers do not incur any flight cost, unlike the white tail spots on the tail itself, and thus presence of pseudo‐tail spots can represent an initial stage of a deceptive elaboration as predicted by sexual selection theory (i.e., males can elaborate traits with no additional flight cost, uncoupling flight cost and trait expression). The frequency of pseudo‐tail spots in the study population remained low even a decade after the first observation (ca. 7%), but was higher compared to other populations (e.g., 1% in another Japanese population). The slow progress of evolution, perhaps due to the low detectability of the trait, provides a unique opportunity to observe contemporary evolution of ornament exaggeration across traits. Further research with wider spatial and temporal coverage is needed to better understand the evolutionary and ecological importance of the trait.
Interpretation of elevated baseline concentrations and serial changes of high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T in confirmed muscular dystrophies
Authors: Yildirim Mustafa , Reich Christoph , Salbach Christian , Pribe‐Wolferts Regina , Milles Barbara Ruth , Täger Tobias , Mueller‐Hennessen Matthias , Weiler Markus , Meder Benjamin , Frey Norbert , Giannitsis Evangelos 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAimsConcentrations of high‐sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs‐cTnT) are frequently elevated in stable patients with confirmed muscle dystrophies. However, sparse information is available on the interpretation of serial concentration changes.MethodsHs‐cTnT was collected in 35 stable outpatients with confirmed skeletal muscle dystrophies at 0 and 1 h and after 6–12 months during scheduled outpatient visits. We simulated the effectiveness of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 0/1 h algorithm and assessed biological variation at 6–12 months using two established methods: reference change value (RCV) and minimal important difference (MID).ResultsMedian baseline hs‐cTnT concentrations were 34.4 ng/L [inter‐quartile range (IQR): 17.5–46.2], and values > 99th percentile upper limit of normal were present in 34 of 35 patients. All patients were stable without cardiovascular adverse events during a follow‐up of 6.6 months (IQR: 6–7). Median concentration change was 1.9 ng/L (IQR: 0.7–3.2) and 0.8 ng/L (IQR: 0–7.0) at 60 min and 6–9 months, respectively. Applying the criteria of the ESC 0/1 h algorithm for triage of suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS) showed poor overall effectiveness of baseline hs‐cTnT values. No patient would qualify for rule‐out based on hs‐cTnT less than the limit of detection, whereas five cases would qualify for rule‐in based on hs‐cTnT ≥ 52 ng/L. Biological variabilities at 6–12 months per MID and RCV were 1.2 ng/L [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.7–2.1] and 28.6% (95% CI: 27.9–29.6), respectively. A total of 8 (22.9%) and 25 (71.4%) cases exceeded the biological variation range, suggesting some additional myocardial damage.ConclusionsThe high prevalence of elevated hs‐cTnT could negatively impact the effectiveness of rule‐out and rule‐in strategies based on a single hs‐cTnT value. Knowledge of the physiological and biological variation of hs‐cTnT after 6–12 months is helpful to detect the progression of cardiac involvement or to search for cardiac complications including but not limited to arrhythmias that may trigger acute or chronic myocardial damage.
Treatment time limit for successful weaning from veno‐arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation in cardiogenic shock
Authors: Suzuki Sho , Ito Kii , Teraoka Nami , Okuma Yukari , Kimura Kazuhiro , Minamisawa Masatoshi , Ebisawa Soichiro , Motoki Hirohiko , Imamura Hiroshi , Seto Tatsuichiro , Kuwahara Koichiro 
Published: July 2024

AbstractAimsKnowing the upper time limit for successful weaning from temporary mechanical circulatory support in cardiogenic shock will help with decision‐making regarding advanced heart failure (HF) therapy or considering withdrawal of care. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the support duration and successful weaning from veno‐arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA‐ECMO) in patients with cardiogenic shock.Methods and resultsA retrospective single‐centre cohort study was conducted between January 2013 and June 2023. It included 100 consecutive patients with cardiogenic shock who were treated with VA‐ECMO. Patients with out‐of‐hospital cardiac arrest were excluded. The primary outcome was successful weaning from VA‐ECMO (i.e., VA‐ECMO decannulation and survival to discharge). The association between the length of support duration and the weaning success rate was analysed. Patients were divided into three groups according to ECMO support duration: Group A (≤7 days), Group B (8–14 days), and Group C (≥15 days). Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of the length of support duration on successful weaning of VA‐ECMO. The median age was 67 years, and 73% of study participants were male. The underlying aetiologies of cardiogenic shock were as follows: acute myocardial infarction, 50; fulminant myocarditis, 19; cardiomyopathy, 15; valvular heart disease, 8; and other, 8. Seventy‐five patients (75%) were attempted to wean VA‐ECMO, and 67 moved on to decannulation. In total, 43 (43%) patients were successfully weaned from VA‐ECMO. The median length of ECMO support duration was 8 [3–15] days. Compared with those who underwent successful ECMO decannulation, those who did not had a significantly longer support duration of VA‐ECMO (5 [3–9] days vs. 12 [3–22] days, P = 0.004). The weaning success rate was significantly higher in patients with short support duration; 58% (29/50), 40% (10/25), 16% (4/25) in Groups A, B, and C, respectively (P = 0.002). Overall, none of the patients supported for over 24 days (0/11) were successfully weaned from VA‐ECMO. On multivariable logistic regression analysis, the length of support duration was independently associated with successful weaning after adjusting for age, sex, underlying aetiology, and left ventricular ejection fraction (odds ratio, 0.813 [per 3 days]; 95% confidence interval, 0.679–0.914; P = 0.025).ConclusionsLong support duration of VA‐ECMO was significantly associated with a low rate of successful weaning in patients with cardiogenic shock. Patients who require VA‐ECMO for over 1 week should start considering advanced HF therapy or withdrawal of care.
Association of COPD with adverse outcomes in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Xu Shuo , Gu Zhenbang , Zhu Wengen , Feng Shenghui 
Published: July 2024

AbstractWe performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to detect the impact of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) on the prognosis of heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We systematically screened eligible literature from three electronic databases, PubMed, EMBASE and Cochrane Library, up to April 2023. Two researchers participated in data collection independently. Risk ratios (RRs) from included studies with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled in the Review Manager version 5.40 software using a random‐effects model for analysis. A total of 11 studies (3 post hoc analyses of RCTs and 8 observational studies) with 18 602 participants were included in this meta‐analysis. After pooling all the data from eligible studies, our results indicated that COPD was associated with an increased risk of hospitalization (RR = 1.66, 95% CI, 1.47–1.87, P < 0.00001), mortality (RR = 1.62, 95% CI, 1.34–1.95, P < 0.00001), and the composition of hospitalization or mortality (RR = 1.84, 95% CI, 1.35–2.51, P < 0.001) in patients with HFpEF. In a subgroup analysis, the risks of cardiovascular‐related mortality (RR = 1.59, 95% CI, 1.30–1.93, P < 0.00001) and post‐discharge mortality risk (RR = 2.57, 1.34–4.93, P < 0.01) were increased in HFpEF patients comorbid with COPD, and these associations were also detected in HF‐caused hospitalization (RR = 1.64, 95% CI, 1.44–1.87, P < 0.00001). Evidence from existing studies supported that COPD was an independent prognostic risk factor for patients with HFpEF. Developing rapid clinical diagnostic indicators and early use of novel drugs such as SGLT‐2 and ARNI may improve the prognosis of this population, deserving further study.
Design of rechargeable/regenerative future AA liquid green battery for low power applications
Authors: Singh Ajay Kumar , Joshi Jetendra , Kumar Praveen , Gangwar Sumeet 
Published: July 2024

AbstractGeneration of green energy is critical for addressing the environmental pollution and saving aquatic life in future by reducing the greenhouse gas. Green energy is generated using sources like wind, water, sun, living plants, and so on. These sources are essential for long‐term efforts to mitigate climate change. The large‐scale use of green energies will contribute to sustainable development which ensure access to reliable, and chemical free energy to power up the portable devices. This research article proposes design of green rechargeable and regenerative battery for brighter future. The proposed battery is not only rechargeable and eco‐friendly but also non‐flammable and can survive at extreme weather conditions T = 70°C (V = 1.52 V, I = 75.5 μA) and T = −65°C (V = 1.52 V, I = 55.2 μA). The electric current of the designed battery also depends on shaking/rotation. The proposed battery can charge 80% to 90% of its initial value within 30 to 40 minutes which makes it a favorable candidate where faster recharging is needed. The designed battery does not show any heating effect even at T = 70°C. Since, battery is free from any chemical, it is therefore does not release any hazardous chemicals once dispose of.
Analysis of volatile floral fragrance components of Camellia yuhsienensis Hu by HS‐SPME/GC–MS
Authors: Yuan Yaqi , Tan XinJian , Zhong Qiuping , Ge Xiaoning , Yan Chao , Guo Hongyan , Zou Yuling , Cao Linqing , Wang Jinfeng , Zhou Youcheng , Yuan YongJiao 
Published: July 2024

AbstractThe flowers of selected Camellia yuhsienensis Hu specimens were studied at different stages of flowering to determine the volatile components of floral fragrance and how their concentrations changed during efflorescence. The mechanism of fragrance formation and release was also studied in order to provide a theoretical basis for the practical use of C. yuhsienensis Hu flowers. Headspace solid‐phase microextraction (HS‐SPME) was used to extract the natural floral volatile oils of C. yuhsienensis Hu at the different stages, and the floral fragrance components were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). A total of 31, 59 and 55 compounds were detected at the budding, early‐blooming and full‐blooming stages respectively. These floral fragrance components included terpene alcohols, as well as other aromatic and aliphatic compounds, and the relative concentrations of the various compounds at different stages of flowering, were different, and those of fatty alcohols and terpene alcohols having higher relative contents at all stages. The main component at the budding stage of C. yuhsienensis Hu was ocimene, which has a grassy fragrance, accompanied by the scent of neroli oil, which gives it a refreshing, gentle and sweet, and explains why the floral fragrance of C. yuhsienensis Hu at the budding stage is extremely thin: the main component during the early‐blooming stage was 3‐carene. A higher percentage of 3‐carene increased the sweetness of the scent, manifesting the typical fragrant characteristics of C. yuhsienensis Hu. The main identified compound at the full‐blooming stage was α‐farnesene, which has a delicate fragrance, accompanied by a balsamic aroma, similar to the scent of gardenia, which is consistent with the sensory characteristics of C. yuhsienensis Hu.
MRI‐based axis‐referenced morphometric model corresponding to lamellar organization for assessing hippocampal atrophy in dementia
Authors: Gao Na , Ye Chenfei , Chen Hantao , Hao Xingyu , Ma Ting 
Published: July 2024

AbstractResearch on the local hippocampal atrophy for early detection of dementia has gained considerable attention. However, accurately quantifying subtle atrophy remains challenging in existing morphological methods due to the lack of consistent biological correspondence with the complex curving regions like the hippocampal head. Thereby, this article presents an innovative axis‐referenced morphometric model (ARMM) that follows the anatomical lamellar organization of the hippocampus, which capture its precise and consistent longitudinal curving trajectory. Specifically, we establish an “axis‐referenced coordinate system” based on a 7 T ex vivo hippocampal atlas following its entire curving longitudinal axis and orthogonal distributed lamellae. We then align individual hippocampi by deforming this template coordinate system to target spaces using boundary‐guided diffeomorphic transformation, while ensuring that the lamellar vectors adhere to the constraint of medial‐axis geometry. Finally, we measure local thickness and curvatures based on the coordinate system and boundary surface reconstructed from vector tips. The morphometric accuracy is evaluated by comparing reconstructed surfaces with those directly extracted from 7 T and 3 T MRI hippocampi. The results demonstrate that ARMM achieves the best performance, particularly in the curving head, surpassing the state‐of‐the‐art morphological models. Additionally, morphological measurements from ARMM exhibit higher discriminatory power in distinguishing early Alzheimer's disease from mild cognitive impairment compared to volume‐based measurements. Overall, the ARMM offers a precise morphometric assessment of hippocampal morphology on MR images, and sheds light on discovering potential image markers for neurodegeneration associated with hippocampal impairment.