bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in patients with hematological malignancies in the Omicron era: Respiratory failure, need for mechanical ventilation and mortality in seronegative and seropositive patients
Authors: Franceschini Erica , Menozzi Valentina , Todisco Vera , Pellegrino Mariachiara , Cantergiani Samuele , Dessilani Andrea , Spadoni Anna , Romani Federico , Mazzocchi Alice , Santoro Antonella , Meschiari Marianna , Cervo Adriana , Gilioli Andrea , Bettelli Francesca , Fregni‐Serpini Giulia , Grottola Antonella , Candoni Anna , Guaraldi Giovanni , Sarti Mario , Luppi Mario , Mussini Cristina 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackgroundPatients with hematological malignancies (HM) have a high risk of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), also in the Omicron period.Material and methodsRetrospective single‐center study including HM patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV2) infection from January 2022 to March 2023. Study outcomes were respiratory failure (RF), mechanical ventilation (MV), and COVID‐related mortality, comparing patients according to SARS‐CoV2 serology.ResultsNote that, 112 patients were included: 39% had negative SARS‐CoV2 serology. Seronegative were older (71.5 vs. 65.0 years, p = 0.04), had more often a lymphoid neoplasm (88.6% vs. 69.1%, p = 0.02), underwent anti‐CD20 therapy (50.0% vs. 30.9% p = 0.04) and had more frequently a severe disease (23.0% vs. 3.0%, p = 0.02) than seropositive.Kaplan‐Meier showed a higher risk for seronegative patients for RF (p = 0.014), MV (p = 0.044), and COVID‐related mortality (p = 0.021). Negative SARS‐CoV2 serostatus resulted in a risk factor for RF (hazards ratio [HR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–4.67, p = 0.04), MV (HR 3.37, 95% CI 1.06–10.68, p = 0.04), and COVID‐related mortality (HR 4.26, 95% CI 1.09–16.71, p = 0.04).Conclusions: HM patients with negative SARS‐CoV2 serology, despite vaccinations and previous infections, have worse clinical outcomes compared to seropositive patients in the Omicron era. The use of serology for SARS‐CoV2 diagnosis could be an easy tool to identify patients prone to developing complications.
The choice of serum‐free light chain analysis method could potentially have clinical consequences for myeloma patients
Authors: Veskovski Ljupco , Jakobsson Ingvar , Andersson Per‐Ola , Gustafsson Therese , Sedigh Annelie , Knut‐Bojanowska Dorota , Hansson Markus , Hveding Blimark Cecilie , Mellqvist Ulf‐Henrik 
Published: April 2024

AbstractMultiple myeloma (MM) is a disease, that at times poses diagnostic and monitoring challenges. Over the last decades laboratory methods have been expanded with serum free light chain (FLC) analysis. Alerted by two index cases with clinical impact due to failure of the FLC analysis to indicate a disease progression, we aimed to identify any clinical consequences due to known differences between FLC analysis methods. We applied two FLC analysis methods (Freelite Binding Site [FBS] and N‐Latex Siemens [NLS]) on all patients with MM and monoclonal gammopathy of uncertain significance diagnosed/followed up at Södra Älvsborg Hematology Unit, from April to December 2022. From a total of 123 patients with malignant plasma cell disorder, we identified five cases (4.1%) where solely the FBS method, as opposed to NLS, urine and serum electrophoresis, could support diagnosis or detect progression. The consequences of this discrepancy included not only change of diagnosis or delayed therapy but also change of treatment. Our findings indicate that a stronger awareness of the potential weaknesses of different FLC methods is needed, which calls for a closer collaboration between clinical chemists and hematologists.
Impact of billing reforms on academic hospitalist physician and advanced practice provider collaboration: A qualitative study
Authors: Westergaard Sara , Bowden Kasey , Astik Gopi J. , Bowling Greg , Keniston Angela , Linker Anne , Sakumoto Matthew , Schwatka Natalie , Auerbach Andrew , Burden Marisha 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackgroundMedicare previously announced plans for new billing reforms for inpatient visits that are shared by physicians and advanced practice providers (APPs) whereby the clinician spending the most time on the patient visit would bill for the visit.ObjectiveTo understand how inpatient hospital medicine teams utilize APPs in patient care and how the proposed billing policies might impact future APP utilization.Design, Setting and ParticipantsWe conducted focus groups with hospitalist physicians, APPs, and other leaders from 21 academic hospitals across the United States. Utilizing rapid qualitative methods, focus groups were analyzed using a mixed inductive and deductive method at the semantic level with templated summaries and matrix analysis. Thirty‐three individuals (physicians [n = 21], APPs [n = 10], practice manager [n = 1], and patient representative [n = 1]) participated in six focus groups.ResultsFour themes emerged from the analysis of the focus groups, including: (1) staffing models with APPs are rapidly evolving, (2) these changes were felt to be driven by staffing shortages, financial models, and governance with minimal consideration to teamwork and relationships, (3) time‐based billing was perceived to value tasks over cognitive workload, and (4) that the proposed billing changes may create unintended consequences impacting collaboration and professional satisfaction.ConclusionsPhysician and APP collaborative care models are increasingly evolving to independent visits often driven by workloads, financial drivers, and local regulations such as medical staff rules and hospital bylaws. Understanding which staffing models produce optimal patient, clinician, and organizational outcomes should inform billing policies rather than the reverse.
Valorization of cell wall polysaccharides extracted from Liubao brick tea residues: chemical, structural, and hypoglycemic properties
Authors: Wang Li , Chi En‐Zhong , Zhao Xin‐Huai 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDTea dregs, typically generated during the production of instant tea or tea beverages, have conventionally been regarded as waste material and routinely discarded. Nevertheless, contemporary research endeavors are concentrating on discovering efficient methods for utilizing the potential of this discarded resource.RESULTSIn this study, we employed a sequential extraction method using chemical chelating agents to extract and isolate four distinct cell wall polysaccharides, designated as CWTPS‐1 through CWTPS‐4, from the tea dregs of Liubao brick tea. A comprehensive investigation into their physicochemical, structural, and hypoglycemic properties was conducted. The analysis of chemical composition and physicochemical characteristics revealed that all four CWTPSs were characterized as acidic polysaccharides, albeit with varying chemical compositions and physicochemical attributes. Specifically, the xyloglucan fractions, CWTPS‐3 and CWTPS‐4, were found to be rich in glucose and xylose, displaying a more uniform molecular weight distribution, greater structural stability, and a more irregular surface compared to the others. Moreover, they exhibited a higher diversity of monosaccharide residues. Importantly, our research unveiled that all four CWTPSs exhibited the capacity to modulate key glucose‐regulated and antioxidant enzyme activities within HepG2 cells via the IRS‐1‐PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, thereby ameliorating cellular insulin resistance. Furthermore, our correlation analysis highlighted significant associations between monosaccharide composition and neutral sugar content with the observed hypoglycemic activity of CWTPSs.CONCLUSIONThis study highlights the potential of utilizing tea dregs as a valuable resource, making a significant contribution to the advancement of the tea industry. Furthermore, CWTPS‐4 exhibits promising prospects for further development as a functional food ingredient or additive. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Lip necrosis caused by methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Authors: Khayat Saad , Agea Martínez Marc , Tousidonis Rial Manuel , Diez Montiel Alberto , Ochandiano Caicoya Santiago 
Published: April 2024

AbstractLabial necrosis is a rare condition with diverse causes, posing challenges for diagnosis and treatment. Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains, particularly those positive for Panton‐Valentine leukocidin (PVL), further complicate management due to antibiotic resistance and heightened virulence. We present three cases of labial necrosis caused by MRSA, two of which resulted positive for PVL. The first case involved a 35‐year‐old male with persistent lip edema and inflammation, which progressed despite various treatments. MRSA was isolated, and the patient responded to daptomycin and clindamycin therapy. The second case featured a 38‐year‐old male with intense lip pain and swelling, initially misdiagnosed as angioedema. The patient improved after treatment with daptomycin and clindamycin, along with nasal decolonization. The third case involved a 19‐year‐old male with rapid upper lip swelling following manipulation of a boil. Prompt drainage and antibiotic treatment led to complete resolution. These cases underscore the importance of considering MRSA and PVL‐positive S. aureus as potential etiologies in labial necrosis, especially in young individuals without underlying medical conditions. Effective management involves incision and drainage, complemented by antibiotic therapy tailored to drug resistance and virulence factors.
Urease stabilization in urea–urease–H+ system and its influence on the clock reaction dynamics
Authors: Yang Dan , Zhang Hua , Cao Fengyi , Chang Sijia , Tan Guihao , Ji Lin 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe inherent autocatalytic kinetics of the urea–urease–H+ system positions it as a promising candidate for the design of dynamic materials with time‐domain programmable functions. Nevertheless, the stability of the enzyme can markedly influence the temporal evolution dynamics of the system and curtail its widespread applicability. This work employs several kinds of enzyme stabilization methods, including chemical cross‐linking, physical coating, solvent stabilization, and solvent‐physical coating co‐modification, to systematically explore the impact of enzyme stabilization on clock reaction dynamics. Extensive experimental tests and analysis indicate that solvent and chemical cross‐linking stabilization methods can better preserve clock dynamics with sensitive switching ability. Nevertheless, due to significant pH changes in the reacting system, the reusability of the enzyme is better retained in the physical coating and solvent‐physical coating co‐modification methods.
Unraveling the nexus of academic founders and innovation performance: The suppression effect of ownership structure within Sci‐Tech enterprises
Authors: Li Zhiguang , Li Yaokuang , Li Xiao 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis paper aims to examine the influence of academic founders on firm innovation performance from the perspective of equity distribution in entrepreneurial teams. Based on the prospectus data of 466 science and technology enterprises that applied for registration on the STAR Market from 2016 to 2020, we use textual analysis to classify founder identities into academic founder, technical founder, and business founder. Our results show that the performance of technical innovation in Sci‐Tech enterprises is optimal for academic founder‐led firms, followed by technical founders, and finally business founders. Ownership structure suppresses the positive direct relationship between the academic founder and innovation performance.
Overview of application of automated SEM/EDS measurements for inclusion characterization in steelmaking
Authors: Babu Shashank Ramesh , Michelic Susanne K. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThe scanning electron microscope equipped with an energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM/EDS) is considered as a state‐of‐the‐art characterization tool to determine the morphological features and the chemical composition of non‐metallic inclusions in steel. Such a characterization is pivotal to assessing the steel quality, which influences the properties of end products. This paper offers a comprehensive review of the SEM/EDS system, tracing its historical developments and methodological advancements by various research groups which have contributed to non‐metallic inclusion analysis. Then the discussions transition to developments that have matured the SEM/EDS platform. The paper highlights selected examples utilizing the SEM/EDS to examine inclusions across various steel grades and at different stages of the metallurgical process. Finally, latest advancements in integrating machine learning techniques to expedite the analysis process were discussed.
Technical note: Visual, rapid, scintillation point dosimetry for in vivo MV photon beam radiotherapy treatments
Authors: Decker Savannah M. , Bruza Petr , Zhang Rongxiao , Williams Benjamin B. , Jarvis Lesley A. , Pogue Brian W. , Gladstone David J. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackgroundWhile careful planning and pre‐treatment checks are performed to ensure patient safety during external beam radiation therapy (EBRT), inevitable daily variations mean that in vivo dosimetry (IVD) is the only way to attain the true delivered dose. Several countries outside the US require daily IVD for quality assurance. However, elsewhere, the manual labor and time considerations of traditional in vivo dosimeters may be preventing frequent use of IVD in the clinic.PurposeThis study expands upon previous research using plastic scintillator discs for optical dosimetry for electron therapy treatments. We present the characterization of scintillator discs for in vivo x‐ray dosimetry and describe additional considerations due to geometric complexities.MethodsPlastic scintillator discs were coated with reflective white paint on all sides but the front surface. An anti‐reflective, matte coating was applied to the transparent face to minimize specular reflection. A time‐gated iCMOS camera imaged the discs under various irradiation conditions. In post‐processing, background‐subtracted images of the scintillators were fit with Gaussian‐convolved ellipses to extract several parameters, including integral output, and observation angle.ResultsDose linearity and x‐ray energy independence were observed, consistent with ideal characteristics for a dosimeter. Dose measurements exhibited less than 5% variation for incident beam angles between 0° and 75° at the anterior surface and 0–60 at the posterior surface for exit beam dosimetry. Varying the angle between the disc surface and the camera lens did not impact the integral output for the same dose up to 55°. Past this point, up to 75°, there is a sharp falloff in response; however, a correction can be used based on the detected width of the disc. The reproducibility of the integral output for a single disc is 2%, and combined with variations from the gantry angle, we report the accuracy of the proposed scintillator disc dosimeters as ±5.4%.ConclusionsPlastic scintillator discs have characteristics that are well‐suited for in vivo optical dosimetry for x‐ray radiotherapy treatments. Unlike typical point dosimeters, there is no inherent readout time delay, and an optical recording of the measurement is saved after treatment for future reference. While several factors influence the integral output for the same dose, they have been quantified here and may be corrected in post‐processing.
Highly Transparent and Flexible Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube–Polyimide Films with Enhanced Electrical Performance as Promising Electrodes
Authors: Oh Yoonju , Song Seunghyun , Li Man , Bae Joonho 
Published: April 2024

AbstractTransparent and light films with high electrical conductivity are preferred for flexible electronic applications. Here, a film exhibiting high transparency, electrical conductivity, and flexibility is produced using a polyimide (PI) substrate and multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) through spray coating. Cost‐effective MWCNTs are used instead of other electrically conductive materials, including silver nanowire ink, single‐walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), and other carbon materials. The average sheet resistance of the prepared MWCNT–PI film is 520.2 Ω □−1 (infinite for the bare PI film), which is lower than the sheet resistances of the SWCNT–PI film reported by another group. This can be attributed to the increase in electrical conductivity of the highly transparent PI film due to the use of MWCNTs. The transparency of the MWCNT–PI film is 71.834% at 550 nm. When MWCNTs and PI are combined, MWCNTs protrude from the surface of the PI film, creating networks and increasing electrical conductivity. Atomic force microscopy analysis reveals that MWCNT networks form on the surface of the MWCNT–PI film. This study suggests the possibility that MWCNTs can also be used as carbon materials for flexible and highly transparent films.
Optical design and bandgap engineering in ultrathin multiple quantum well solar cell featuring photonic nanocavity
Authors: Meddeb Hosni , Gehrke Kai , Vehse Martin 
Published: April 2024

AbstractUltrathin solar cells are efficient and captivating devices with unique technological and scientific features in terms of minimal material consumption, fast fabrication processes, and good compatibility with semi‐transparent applications. Such photovoltaic (PV) technologies can enable effective synergy between optical and electronic confinements with large tuning capabilities of all the optoelectronic characteristics. In this work, the implications of the optical design and the bandgap engineering in ultrathin hydrogenated amorphous Si/Ge multiple quantum well (MQW) solar cells featuring photonic nanocavity are analyzed based on experimental measurements and optoelectronic modelling. By changing the period thicknesses and the positions of QWs inside the deep‐subwavelength nanophotonic resonator, the spatial and spectral distributions of the optical field and the local absorption are strongly affected. This leads to a modulation of the absorption resonance condition, the absorption edge and the resulting photocurrent outputs. Because of quantum confinement effect, the change of MQW configurations with different individual QW periods while keeping similar total thickness of about 20 nm alters both the bandgap energy and the band offset at the QW/barrier heterojunctions. This in turn controls the photovoltage as well as the carrier collection efficiency in solar cells. The highest open circuit voltage and fill factor values are achieved by employing MQW device configuration with 2.5 nm‐thin QWs. A record efficiency above 5.5% is reached for such emerging ultrathin Si/Ge MQW solar cell technology using thinner QWs with sufficient number, because of the optimum trade‐off between all the optoelectronic characteristic outputs. The presented design rules for opaque ultrathin solar cells with quantum‐confined nanostructures integrated in a photonic nanocavity can be generalized for the engineering of relevant multifunctional semitransparent PV devices.
Metabolite profiling of foslevodopa/foscarbidopa in plasma of healthy human participants by LC‐HRMS indicates no major differences compared to administration of levodopa/carbidopa intestinal gel
Authors: Savaryn John P. , Smith Richard L. , Rosebraugh Matthew , Neenan Melina , Burton Richard , Marsh Kennan , Wagner David 
Published: April 2024

AbstractAnalysis was conducted to compare levodopa/carbidopa pharmacokinetics and drug‐related material in plasma of healthy participants after receiving a continuous infusion of Levodopa/Carbidopa Intestinal Gel (LCIG) to a continuous subcutaneous infusion of foslevodopa/foscarbidopa. Study samples were from a randomized, open‐label, 2‐period crossover study in 20 healthy participants. Participants received either 24‐h foslevodopa/foscarbidopa SC infusion to the abdomen or LCIG delivered for 24 h to the jejunum through a nasogastric tube with jejunal extension. Serial blood samples were collected for PK. Comparability of the LD PK parameters between the two treatment regimens was determined. Selected plasma samples were pooled per treatment group and per time point for metabolite profiling. LC–MSn was performed using high‐resolution mass spectrometry to identify drug‐related material across the dosing regimens and time points. The LD PK parameter central values and 90% confidence intervals following the foslevodopa/foscarbidopa subcutaneous infusion were between 0.8 and 1.25 relative to the LCIG infusion. With LCIG administration, LD, CD, 3‐OMD, DHPA, DOPAC, and vanillacetic acid were identified in plasma at early and late time points (0.75 and 24 h); the metabolic profile after administration of foslevodopa/foscarbidopa demonstrated the same drug‐related compounds with the exception of the administered foslevodopa. 3‐OMD and vanillacetic acid levels increased over time in both treatment regimens. Relative quantification of LC–MS peak areas showed no major differences in the metabolite profiles. These results indicate that neither the addition of monophosphate prodrug moieties nor SC administration affects the circulating metabolite profile of foslevodopa/foscarbidopa compared to LCIG.
Adaptive tracking control of nonlinear systems with unknown time‐varying parameters via a monotonically increasing function
Authors: Liu Guoqing , Chen Yang‐Yang 
Published: April 2024

AbstractThis article considers the adaptive tracking control problem of a class of strict feedback nonlinear systems with unknown time‐varying parameters. Note that the recent adaptive method, that is, congelation of variables, is built upon the assumption that the known basis functions are zeros as zero states. To remove this assumption, a novel monotonically increasing function is designed to transform the output tracking error and the backstepping tracking errors into increasing forms, which is integrated into the congelation of variables to design the ‐modification adaptive tracking control law. It is noted that the proposed form of monotonically increasing function is general, which includes positive proportional functions, exponential functions, and logarithmic functions and so on. To yield the boundedness of increasing tracking errors, a barrier Lyapunov function is designed. The asymptotic convergence of the resulting adaptive tracking system is analyzed in detail. Simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Creation of Quasi‐DNA Origami at the Air/Water Interface Using the Collapsed Mechanism of Langmuir Monolayer
Authors: Maeda Momo , Shioda Yoshiki , Fujimori Atsuhiro 
Published: April 2024

AbstractIt has achieved the preparation of quasi‐deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) origami using the techniques of organized molecular films. After the adsorption of DNA from the subphase onto a Langmuir monolayer of polymers containing diamino‐s‐triazine rings, the monolayer collapses owing to high surface pressure, resulting in the formation of a three‐dimensional folded structure of DNA. A homopolymer featuring a diamino‐s‐triazine ring and a copolymer containing 20 % long alkyl chains are used to form the Langmuir monolayer. A‐T base pairs of salmon testis‐derived DNA from the subphase are hydrogen‐bonded and adsorbed onto each Langmuir monolayer. Following the collapse of the Langmuir monolayer, the film height almost doubles, indicating the formation of a bilayer structure consisting of a bioadsorbed polymer monolayer, especially evident in copolymer‐collapsed films. During this period, the bioconjugated bilayer structure adopts a mesoscopic linear morphology within the plane. In this quasi‐DNA origami structure, the chirality in the DNA molecule is maintained, as evidenced by the circular dichroism (CD) spectra displaying a positive Cotton effect. These results correspond to the proposal of a new DNA morphology control technology.