bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fabrication of impedimetric sensor based on metallic nanoparticle for the determination of mesna anticancer drug
Authors: Mehrban Maryam , Madrakian Tayyebeh , Afkhami Abbas , Jalal Nahid Rezvani 
Published: July 2023

AbstractElectrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a highly effective technique for studying the surface of electrodes in great detail. EIS-based electrochemical sensors have been widely reported, which measure the charge transfer resistance (Rct) of redox probes on electrode surfaces to monitor the binding of target molecules. One of the protective drugs against hemorrhagic cystitis caused by oxazaphosphorine chemotherapy drugs such as ifosfamide, cyclophosphamide and trophosphamide is Mesna (sodium salt of 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate). The increase in the use of Mesna due to the high consumption of anti-cancer drugs, the determination of this drug in biological samples is of particular importance. So far, no electrochemical method has been reported to measure Mesna. In this research, a novel impedimetric sensor based on a glassy carbon electrode (GCE) modified with oxidized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) (denoted as Au NPs/MWCNTs/GCE) for impedimetric determination of Mesna anticancer drug was developed. The modified electrode materials were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and EIS. The electrochemical behavior of Mesna at the surface of Au NPs/MWCNTs/GCE was studied by an impedimetric method. The detection mechanism of Mesna using the proposed impedimetric sensor relied on the increase in the Rct value of [Fe (CN)6]3−/4− as an electrochemical probe in the presence of Mesna compared to the absence of Mesna as the analyte. Under the optimum condition, which covered two linear dynamic ranges from 0.06 nmol L−1 to 1.0 nmol L−1 and 1.0 nmol L−1 to 130.0 µmol L−1, respectively. The detection limit was 0.02 nmol L−1. Finally, the performance of the proposed sensor was investigated for Mesna electrochemical detection in biological samples.
Surface characterization, electrochemical properties and in vitro biological properties of Zn-deposited TiO2 nanotube surfaces
Authors: Durdu Salih , Cihan Gizem , Yalcin Emine , Cavusoglu Kultigin , Altinkok Atilgan , Sagcan Hasan , Yurtsever İlknur , Usta Metin 
Published: July 2023

AbstractIn this work, to improve antibacterial, biocompatible and bioactive properties of commercial pure titanium (cp-Ti) for implant applications, the Zn-deposited nanotube surfaces were fabricated on cp-Ti by using combined anodic oxidation (AO) and physical vapor deposition (PVD-TE) methods. Homogenous elemental distributions were observed through all surfaces. Moreover, Zn-deposited surfaces exhibited hydrophobic character while bare Ti surfaces were hydrophilic. Due to the biodegradable behavior of Zn on the nanotube surface, Zn-deposited nanotube surfaces showed higher corrosion current density than bare cp-Ti surface in SBF conditions as expected. In vitro biological properties such as cell viability, ALP activity, protein adsorption, hemolytic activity and antibacterial activity for Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria of all surfaces were investigated in detail. Cell viability, ALP activity and antibacterial properties of Zn-deposited nanotube surfaces were significantly improved with respect to bare cp-Ti. Moreover, hemolytic activity and protein adsorption of Zn-deposited nanotube surfaces were decreased. According to these results; a bioactive, biocompatible and antibacterial Zn-deposited nanotube surfaces produced on cp-Ti by using combined AO and PVD techniques can have potential for orthopedic and dental implant applications.
Climate change impact on hurricane storm surge hazards in New York/New Jersey Coastlines using machine-learning
Authors: Ayyad Mahmoud , Hajj Muhammad R. , Marsooli Reza 
Published: July 2023

AbstractRecent hurricane losses in the New York Metropolitan area demonstrate its vulnerability to flood hazards. Long-term development and planning require predictions of low-probability high-consequence storm surge levels that account for climate change impacts. This requires simulating thousands of synthetic storms under a specific climate change scenario which requires high computational power. To alleviate this burden, we developed a machine learning-based predictive model. The training data set was generated using a high-fidelity hydrodynamic model including the effect of wind-generated waves. The machine learning model is then used to predict and compare storm surges over historical (1980–2000) and future (2080–2100) periods, considering the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 scenario. Our analysis encompassed 57 locations along the New York and New Jersey coastlines. The results show an increase along the southern coastline of New Jersey and inside Jamaica, Raritan, and Sandy Hook bays, while a decrease along the Long Island coastline and inland bays.
Minimal mechanistic component of HbYX-dependent proteasome activation that reverses impairment by neurodegenerative-associated oligomers
Authors: Chuah Janelle J. Y. , Thibaudeau Tiffany A. , Smith David M. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe implication of reduced proteasomal function in neurodegenerative diseases combined with studies showing the protective effects of increasing proteasome activity in animal models highlight the need to understand the capacity for proteasome activation by small molecules. The C-terminal HbYX motif is present on many proteasome binding proteins and functions to tether activators to the 20S core particle. Previous studies have shown that peptides with a HbYX motif can autonomously activate 20S gate-opening to allow protein degradation. In this study, through an iterative process of peptide synthesis, we design a HbYX-like dipeptide mimetic that represents only the fundamental components of the HbYX motif. The mimetic robustly induces gate-opening in archaeal, yeast, and mammalian proteasomes. We identify multiple proteasome α subunit residues in the archaeal proteasome involved in HbYX-dependent activation. When stimulated by the mimetic, the mammalian 20S can degrade unfolded proteins such as tau. Findings using our peptide mimetic suggest the HbYX-dependent mechanism requires cooperative binding in at least two intersubunit pockets of the α ring. Most significantly, our peptide mimetic reverses proteasome impairment by neurodegenerative disease-associated oligomers. Collectively, these results validate HbYX-like molecules as having robust potential to stimulate proteasome function, which are potentially useful for treating neurodegenerative diseases.
Mechanisms of bioleaching: iron and sulfur oxidation by acidophilic microorganisms
Authors: Jones Sarah , Santini Joanne M. 
Published: July 2023

Abstract
Bioleaching offers a low-input method of extracting valuable metals from sulfide minerals, which works by exploiting the sulfur and iron metabolisms of microorganisms to break down the ore. Bioleaching microbes generate energy by oxidising iron and/or sulfur, consequently generating oxidants that attack sulfide mineral surfaces, releasing target metals. As sulfuric acid is generated during the process, bioleaching organisms are typically acidophiles, and indeed the technique is based on natural processes that occur at acid mine drainage sites. While the overall concept of bioleaching appears straightforward, a series of enzymes is required to mediate the complex sulfur oxidation process. This review explores the mechanisms underlying bioleaching, summarising current knowledge on the enzymes driving microbial sulfur and iron oxidation in acidophiles. Up-to-date models are provided of the two mineral-defined pathways of sulfide mineral bioleaching: the thiosulfate and the polysulfide pathway.
Korean–English Bilingual Children's Productions of Korean and English /l/
Authors: Jackson Kyleigh , Chung Hyunju 
Published: July 2023

Purpose:
The aim of this study was to examine acoustic characteristics of Korean–English (KE) bilingual children's productions of Korean and English /l/ sounds. Specifically, individual variability in KE bilingual children's productions of Korean and English /l/ was examined in relation to each child's initial age and duration of exposure to their first and second languages.

Method:
A total of five KE bilingual children, ranging in age between 5 and 8 years, were included in this study. Each KE child produced word-initial (WI) and -final (WF) English /l/ and WF Korean /l/ embedded in monosyllabic words, using a picture naming task. English /l/ productions of monolingual American English (AE)–speaking children were also included. Productions of AE children were from an existing large data set that includes English WI and WF /l/ productions. The AE group was included as a control group for the productions of English /l/ of the same dialect. First (F1) and second formant frequency (F2) values extracted at the /l/ midpoint and Euclidean distance (ED) between English WI and WF /l/ were analyzed and compared across the productions.

Results:
KE children produced Korean WF /l/ with significantly higher F2–F1 values than their English counterparts and AE children's WF /l/. Acoustic patterns of KE English WI /l/ were similar to those of AE WI /l/, but variations were seen by the initial age and duration of their exposure to English. Mean ED values between English WI and WF /l/ also differed by KE children's initial age and duration of exposure to English.

Conclusions:
These results showed that KE children produce Korean and English WF /l/ with acoustic distinctions, but their patterns vary by the initial age and duration of their exposure to English and Korean. These findings suggest that a more detailed language background should be considered when working with bi-/multilingual children to accurately assess and examine their articulation skills.
An optimisation for a two‐round good‐case latency protocol
Authors: Hu Kexin , Zhang Zhenfeng , Guo Kaiwen , Jiang Weiyu , Li Xiaoman , Han Jiang 
Published: July 2023

AbstractByzantine broadcast is a fundamental primitive in distributed computing. A highly efficient Byzantine broadcast protocol, motivated by the real‐world performance of practical state machine replication protocols, is increasingly needed. This article focuses on the state‐of‐the‐art partially synchronous Byzantine broadcast protocol proposed by Abraham et al. (PODC’21), which achieves optimal good‐case latency of two rounds and optimal resilience of n ≥ 5f − 1 in this setting. Each step of the protocol is analysed, and then improved by cutting down the number of messages required to be collected and transmitted in the heaviest step of the protocol by about half, without adding any extra cost. This benefits from a new property, named “spread”, that we identify and extract from the original protocol. It helps us to eliminate non‐essential work in its view‐change procedure. The authors also show that no further reduction is possible without violating security. A prototype is implemented and the performances of improved and original protocols are evaluated in the same environment. The results show that our improvement can achieve about 50% lower communication cost and 40% shorter latency at a scale of 100 replicas. The latency gap becomes wider as the scale further increases.
Performance evaluation of a mobile hotspot supporting quasi‐random traffic
Authors: Vlasakis Marinos , Moscholios Ioannis , Sarigiannidis Panagiotis , Logothetis Michael 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe authors study and evaluate a mobility‐aware call admission control algorithm in a mobile hotspot. More specifically, a vehicle which has an access point of a fixed capacity and may alternate between stop and moving phases is considered. In the stop phase, the vehicle services new and handover calls. To prioritise handover calls a probabilistic bandwidth reservation policy is considered where a fraction of the capacity is reserved for handover calls. Based on this policy, new calls may enter the reservation space with a predefined probability. In addition, handover calls have the option to wait in a queue of finite size if there are no available resources at the time of their arrival. In the moving phase, the vehicle services only new calls under the classical complete sharing policy. In both phases, calls arrive in the system according to a quasi‐random process, require a single bandwidth unit for their acceptance in the system and have an exponentially distributed service time. To analytically determine the various performance measures, such as time congestion probabilities, call blocking probabilities and link utilisation, an accurate analytical method is presented based on three‐dimensional Markov chains.
Efficient unmanned aerial vehicle paths design for post‐disaster damage assessment of overhead transmission lines
Authors: Atat Rachad , Shaaban Mostafa F. , Ismail Muhammad , Serpedin Erchin 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe widespread distribution of overhead transmission lines increases the vulnerability of power grids to failures. Thus, power lines need to be timely inspected, especially before or during emergency‐related situations to ensure stable operation of the power grid. Traditional methods of visual inspection (satellites and helicopters) are inconvenient, often cannot be deployed and if they are deployed present a slow response time and high cost, which is very critical for fast post‐disaster damage identification. On the other hand, employing an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) offers a more efficient, reliable, and faster means for the assessment process. This article proposes a novel approach for the post‐disaster UAV‐based damage assessment of overhead power lines. In the proposed approach, the UAVs paths over the most critical loads are formulated as an optimisation problem with the objective of minimising the total inspection time while considering the recharging of the UAVs' batteries. To solve the problem, an efficient framework that optimises the UAVs flight paths is proposed to inspect the critical loads in an efficient order, while accounting for the UAV recharging. This guarantees that the UAVs complete the assessment tasks unlike existing benchmarks.
DREAM
Authors: Guilluy G. , Bourrier V. , Jaziri Y. , Dethier W. , Mounzer D. , Giacobbe P. , Attia M. , Allart R. , Bonomo A. S. , Dos Santos L. A. , Rainer M. , Sozzetti A. 
Published: July 2023

Context. The population of close-in exoplanets features a desert of hot Neptunes whose origin remains uncertain. These planets may have lost their atmosphere, eroding into mini-Neptunes and rocky super-Earths below the desert. Direct observations of evaporating atmospheres are essential to derive mass-loss estimates and constrain this scenario. The metastable He I triplet at 1083.3 nm represents a powerful diagnostic of atmospheric evaporation because it traces the hot gas in extended exoplanet atmospheres while being observed from the ground. In addition, it is located at the bright near-infrared stellar continuum and is very weakly affected by interstellar medium (ISM) absorption.
Aims. We carried out a homogeneous He I transmission spectroscopy survey, targeting a selected sample of nine planets along the different edges of the desert, to interpret the absorption line profile with evaporation models and to better understand the role of photoevaporation in the desert formation.
Methods. We observed one transit per planet using the high-resolution, near-infrared spectrograph GIANO-B mounted on the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo telescope. We focused our analysis on the He I triplet, based on a comparison of the in-transit and out-of-transit observations, and we computed high-resolution transmission spectra. We then employed the 1D p-winds model to calculate the planetary thermospheric structures and to interpret the observed transmission spectra.
Results. We found no signatures of planetary absorption in the He I triplet in any of the investigated targets. We thus provided 3 σ upper-limit estimations on the thermosphere absorption, temperature and mass loss, and combined them with past measurements to search for correlations with parameters such as the stellar mass and XUV flux, which are thought to be key drivers in the formation of the He I triplet.
Conclusions. These results strengthen the importance of performing homogeneous surveys and analyses in bringing clarity to He I detections and (thereby) to plausible Neptunian desert origins. Our findings corroborate literature expectations that state the He I absorption signal is correlated with the stellar mass and the received XUV flux. However, when translated in terms of mass-loss rates, these trends seem to disappear. Thus, further studies are essential to shed light on this aspect and to better understand the photoevaporation process.
Anticoagulation strategies in COVID-19 infected patients receiving ECMO support
Authors: Diaz Dayne , Martinez Jenny , Bushman Grant , Wolowich William R. 
Published: July 2023

Background: Hospitalized COVID-19 patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure may deteriorate despite invasive mechanical ventilation and thus require extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. Unfractionated heparin (UFH) is the antithrombotic of choice, however, bivalirudin may offer more predictable pharmacokinetics resulting in consistent anticoagulant effects with lower bleeding and thrombotic occurrences. The aim of this study was to evaluate efficacy and safety outcomes in patients undergoing venovenous (VV) ECMO receiving bivalirudin or UFH-based anticoagulation. Methods: This retrospective, single-center, observational cohort study included patients with confirmed COVID-19 infection requiring VV ECMO support receiving anticoagulation with UFH or bivalirudin. Primary endpoints were time to reach therapeutic aPTT, percent time spent in aPTT range, and the occurrence of thrombotic events over the entire course of ECMO support. Secondary endpoints included the incidence of major/minor bleeding, the ability to wean off ECMO support, in-hospital mortality, and length of stay. Results: Twenty-two patients were included in the study (n = 10 UFH, n = 12 bivalirudin). Time to therapeutic aPTT was achieved faster with UFH (10 h vs. 20 h). The percentage time spent within the goal aPTT range was similar between UFH and bivalirudin (50% vs. 52%). Thrombotic events were significantly higher in the UFH group (40% DVT, 40% PE, 80% oxygenator thrombus in ECMO machine, 10% ischemic stroke) versus bivalirudin (8% DVT, 17% PE, 33% oxygenator thrombus, no ischemic strokes) (CI 95%, p = 0.04). The overall bleeding incidence was higher in the UFH arm (90% vs. 75%). The mortality rate was 90% in the UFH group and 58% in the bivalirudin group. The length of stay was similar between the two study arms. Conclusion: In hospitalized patients with COVID-19-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) on VV ECMO support, the use of bivalirudin showed to be a viable anticoagulation alternative in terms of efficacy compared to UFH and resulted in a favorable safety profile with lower rates of bleeding and thrombotic events.
Minimal invasive extracorporeal circulation an alternative to ECMO in ventricular tachycardia ablation
Authors: Condello Ignazio 
Published: July 2023

Background: The advantages of mechanical assistance during ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation have not been clinically demonstrated. We propose and discuss a technique, set up by us, that makes use of minimally invasive extra-corporeal circulation (MiECC) type III associated with a venous reservoir system, which allows complete cardiac flow support and blood oxygenation as well as hemodynamic stability during long-lasting procedures. Methods: We present a retrospective case series of ten patients with valvular heart disease and unresponsive Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) who underwent VT ablation with MiECC support. The mean age of the patients was 72 ± 8 years and the left ventricular ejection fraction was 36 ± 12%. All patients underwent a clinical evaluation to identify the cause of VT unresponsiveness (e.g., ischemic heart disease). Results: A total of 140 min, the following parameters were evaluated and recorded for 140 min. Central venous pressure (CVP) was used to evaluate excess volume. During the first 5 min, the mean was 15 mmHg, with a pump flow of 1.5 L/min and a mean systemic arterial pressure of 100 mmHg while setting up the circulation support. Following drainage in a volumetric bag of 1 L of blood, CVP was reduced to a value of 5 mmHg with a flow rate of 5 L/min and a mean systemic arterial pressure of 65 mmHg. In the case of small and low-weight patients our “1 L protocol” can be modified. Conclusions: In this preliminary retrospective case series, the MiECC type III system may represent the ideal support system during VT ablation, and further studies are needed to support this preliminary report.
A new conservative treatment approach to vesicovaginal fistula cases: a case report and mini-review of the literature
Authors: Sen Selim Halime , Şengül Mustafa 
Published: July 2023

Zusammenfassung
Einleitung Eine vesikovaginale Fistel (VVF) ist ein anormaler Weg zwischen der Blase und der Vagina, der es ermöglicht, dass Urin kontinuierlich unbeabsichtigt in die Vagina abfließt. Die Operation ist die am häufigsten bevorzugte Methode zur Behandlung von Frauen, jedoch wird die chirurgische Option für einige Patienten aufgrund der Patientennachfrage und der Kostenanalyse nicht gewählt. Außerdem kann nach einer chirurgischen VVF-Reparatur eine Restharninkontinenz beobachtet werden. In diesem Zustand werden konservative Behandlungsmethoden versucht. Der Erfolg dieser Methoden bleibt jedoch begrenzt. In diesem Sinne ist die Notwendigkeit für ein neues Behandlungsmodell entstanden.

Fallbericht Wir haben einen neuen Ansatz getestet, einschließlich der Injektion von plättchenreichem Plasma in den Fistelgang, und es hat eine kürzere Erholungszeit von 10 Tagen bewirkt, wenn nur die Katheterisierung und die anticholinerge Anwendung berücksichtigt wurden.

Schlussfolgerung Plättchenreiches Plasma kann vesikovaginale Fisteln behandeln, es hätte die Schließzeit verkürzen können und die Erfolgsrate der Operation erhöhen können, wenn es vor der Operation angewendet wird.
Permanent Brachial Plexus Birth Injury: Helsinki Shoulder Protocol
Authors: Grahn Petra , Pöyhiä Tiina , Nietosvaara Yrjänä 
Published: July 2023

AbstractPassive shoulder exercises from birth and ultrasound screening from 3 to 12 months. Botox is given to shoulder internal rotators and a bracing commenced, if alpha-angle exceeds 30°, or passive shoulder external rotation is below 70 degrees. Plexus reconstruction is recommended to children with root avulsion(s) on magnetic resonance imaging or 3-month Toronto Test Score < 3.5. Specific neurotization is recommended to children without avulsions, but lack of progress in healing. Shoulder dysplasia was diagnosed in 49% of 270 patients with permanent brachial plexus birth injury in our catchment area from 1995 to 2021. The age at detection of shoulder dysplasia dropped from mean 5.4 years in children born before 2000 to mean 3.9 months in children born after 2009. Botox was given to 57% of the patients born after 2009. Rate of shoulder relocation decreased from 28 to 7% while mean active shoulder external rotation in adduction increased from 2 to 46°.