bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of ion chamber response for applications in electron FLASH radiotherapy
Authors: Liu Kevin , Holmes Shannon , Hooten Brian , Schüler Emil , Beddar Sam 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIon chambers are required for calibration and reference dosimetry applications in radiation therapy (RT). However, exposure of ion chambers in ultra‐high dose rate (UHDR) conditions pertinent to FLASH‐RT leads to severe saturation and ion recombination, which limits their performance and usability. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate a set of commonly used commercially available ion chambers in RT, all with different design characteristics, and use this information to produce a prototype ion chamber with improved performance in UHDR conditions as a first step toward ion chambers specific for FLASH‐RT. The Advanced Markus and Exradin A10, A26, and A20 ion chambers were evaluated. The chambers were placed in a water tank, at a depth of 2 cm, and exposed to an UHDR electron beam at different pulse repetition frequency (PRF), pulse width (PW), and pulse amplitude settings on an IntraOp Mobetron. Ion chamber responses were investigated for the various beam parameter settings to isolate their dependence on integrated dose, mean dose rate and instantaneous dose rate, dose‐per‐pulse (DPP), and their design features such as chamber type, bias voltage, and collection volume. Furthermore, a thin parallel‐plate (TPP) prototype ion chamber with reduced collector plate separation and volume was constructed and equally evaluated as the other chambers. The charge collection efficiency of the investigated ion chambers decreased with increasing DPP, whereas the mean dose rate did not affect the response of the chambers (± 1%). The dependence of the chamber response on DPP was found to be solely related to the total dose within the pulse, and not on mean dose rate, PW, or instantaneous dose rate within the ranges investigated. The polarity correction factor (Ppol) values of the TPP prototype, A10, and Advanced Markus chambers were found to be independent of DPP and dose rate (± 2%), while the A20 and A26 chambers yielded significantly larger variations and dependencies under the same conditions. Ion chamber performance evaluated under different irradiation conditions of an UHDR electron beam revealed a strong dependence on DPP and a negligible dependence on the mean and instantaneous dose rates. These results suggest that modifications to ion chambers design to improve their usability in UHDR beamlines should focus on minimizing DPP effects, with emphasis on optimizing the electric field strength, through the construction of smaller electrode separation and larger bias voltages. This was confirmed through the production and evaluation of a prototype ion chamber specifically designed with these characteristics.
The lived experience of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy: A systematic review and synthesis of the qualitative literature
Authors: Murray Roisin , Donnelly Clare M. , Drescher Kent D. , Graham Christopher D. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIntroductionIn this review we sought to characterize the lived experience of people living with FSHD (pwFSHD) to help clinicians to orient their services to the needs of these individuals.MethodsFive electronic databases were systematically searched for qualitative research studies containing quotations from pwFSHD. ENhancing Transparency in REporting the Synthesis of Qualitative research and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines informed the methodology. Study quality was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme Checklist tool, which measures the methodological quality of qualitative research. Data extracted from included studies were analyzed using thematic synthesis.ResultsNinety‐nine pwFSHD took part in the six studies included in this review ‐ from research teams based in two countries. Five descriptive themes emerged: “Engaging with life as symptoms progress”; “The emotional journey”; “A family burden to bear”; “Social connection and disconnection”; and “Tension between visibility and invisibility.” From these, two analytical themes were derived: “The emotional challenge of continuing and intensifying adaptation” and “The relational burden of rare disease.”DiscussionThe lived experience of pwFSHD is characterized by physical, emotional, and social challenges that impact on engagement with life, particularly as symptoms progress. Further research is needed to provide a fuller understanding of the experience of pain in FSHD and of the lived experience of FSHD across cultures.
Safety and outcomes with efgartigimod use for acetylcholine receptor‐positive generalized myasthenia gravis in clinical practice
Authors: Katyal Nakul , Halldorsdottir Karen , Govindarajan Raghav , Shieh Perry , Muley Suraj , Reyes Phoebedel , Leung Kenneth K. , Mullen Jeffrey , Milani‐Nejad Shadi , Korb Manisha , Goyal Namita A. , Mozaffar Tahseen , Goyal Neelam , Habib Ali A. , Muppidi Srikanth 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIntroduction/AimsMultiple novel therapies have been approved for patients with myasthenia gravis. Our aim is to describe the early experience of efgartigimod use in acetylcholine receptor antibody‐positive generalized myasthenia gravis (AChR+ve gMG).MethodsThis multicenter retrospective study included AChR+ve gMG patients from five major neuromuscular centers who were treated with efgartigimod and had both pre‐ and post‐efgartigimod myasthenia gravis activities of daily living (MG‐ADL) scores. Information regarding MG history, concomitant treatment(s), MG‐ADL and other MG‐specific measures, laboratory data, and adverse events were recorded.ResultsA total of 37 patients (M:23, F:14) with a mean age of 65.56 (±14.74) y were included in this cohort. A total of 36/37 patients completed at least one cycle and 28 patients completed at least two cycles of efgartigimod. A total of 72% (26/36) of patients had a clinically meaningful reduction (≥2 point change) in MG‐ADL after the completion of the first cycle of efgartigimod (mean pre‐efgartigimod 8.02) (±3.09) versus post‐efgartigimod 4.33 (±3.62). Twenty‐five percent (9/36) achieved minimal symptom expression status after one cycle and 25% (7/28) after the second cycle. Treatment benefit was sustained after cycle 2. Three out of four patients with thymoma in this cohort had clinically significant reductions in MG‐ADL scores. Immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels decreased by about 60% (n = 10). One patient had a relapse of Clostridium difficile infection resulting in the discontinuation of therapy. Four patients had mild side effects.DiscussionEfgartigimod led to clinically meaningful improvement in MG‐ADL in diverse AChR+ve gMG patients but treatment frequency to achieve optimal symptom control needs to be explored.
Multi‐fidelity error estimation accelerates greedy model reduction of complex dynamical systems
Authors: Feng Lihong , Lombardi Luigi , Antonini Giulio , Benner Peter 
Published: September 2023

AbstractModel order reduction usually consists of two stages: the offline stage and the online stage. The offline stage is the expensive part that sometimes takes hours till the final reduced‐order model is derived, especially when the original model is very large or complex. Once the reduced‐order model is obtained, the online stage of querying the reduced‐order model for simulation is very fast and often real‐time capable. This work concerns a strategy to speed up the offline stage of model order reduction for large and complex systems. In particular, it is successful in accelerating the greedy algorithm that is often used in the offline stage for reduced‐order model construction. We propose to replace the high‐fidelity error estimator in the greedy algorithm with multi‐fidelity error estimation. Consequently, the computational complexity of the greedy algorithm is reduced and the algorithm converges more than two times faster without incurring noticeable accuracy loss.
FE‐NN: Efficient‐scale transition for heterogeneous microstructures using neural networks
Authors: Stöcker Julien Philipp , Elsayed Elsayed Saber , Aldakheel Fadi , Kaliske Michael 
Published: September 2023

AbstractNumerical modeling and optimization of advanced composite materials can require huge computational effort when considering their heterogeneous mesostructure and interactions between different material phases within the framework of multiscale modeling. Employing machine learning methods for computational homogenization enables the reduction of computational effort for the evaluation of the mesostructural behavior while retaining high accuracy. Classically, one unit cell with representative characteristics of the material is chosen for the description of the heterogeneous structure, which presents a simplification of the actual composite. This contribution presents a neural network‐based approach for computational homogenization of composite materials with the ability to consider arbitrary compositions of the mesostructure. Therefore, various statistical volume elements and their respective constitutive responses are evaluated. Thereby, the naturally occurring fluctuation within the composition of the phases can be considered. Different approaches using distinct metrics to represent the arbitrary mesostructures are investigated in terms of required computational effort and accuracy.
Carbon dots enhanced ultra‐low‐density fluorescence proppants with both high‐compressive strength and anti‐deformation ability
Authors: Qin Wei , You Yushan , Song Yu , Yin Jinrong , Zhou Yang , Li Zhenyong , Zeng Zhen , Xu Min , Chen Wenjiao , Ren Xianyan 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe polymer ultra‐low‐density proppants are critical to the development of slick‐water fracture technology, but which were prone to obvious deformation under high pressure in the fractures. To increase the stiffness of the styrene‐divinylbenzene copolymer (SDB) and obtain desired ultra‐low‐density (ULD) proppants, carbon dots (CDs) were introduced in‐situ considering their characteristics as the zero‐dimensional carbon nanomaterial. Taking the compressive strength and axial deflection, and so forth into consideration, the synthesis conditions of CDs modified SDB microspheres (CDs‐SDBs) were optimized. Taking the graphite modified SDBs (MG‐SDBs) as a reference, the density of CDs‐SDBs did keep almost constant at about 1.1800 ~ 1.1899 g·cm−3 with the increase of CDs amount. The CDs‐SDBs not only possess high‐peak pressure (41.5 N) but also minute axial deflection (0.090 mm). The advantages of CDs‐SDBs over MG‐SDBs become even more pronounced under higher pressure, which can withstand closure pressure of 80 MPa with a small crush ratio of 4.47%. CDs‐SDBs exhibit significant photoluminescence performances with maximum excitation and emission wavelengths of 634 nm and 554 nm.Highlights
CDs‐SDBs as ULD proppants with high strength and anti‐deformation were developed.
Advantages of CDs‐SDBs become more pronounced under high‐closure pressure.
With increasing of CDs amount, apparent density of CDs‐SDBs keep almost constant.
Axial deflection of CDs‐SDBs is only 0.09 mm under 41.5 N.
The crush ratio is only 4.47% under 80 MPa closure pressure.
Food allergen detection by mass spectrometry: From common to novel protein ingredients
Authors: Bianco Mariachiara , Ventura Giovanni , Calvano Cosima D. , Losito Ilario , Cataldi Tommaso R. I. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractFood allergens are molecules, mainly proteins, that trigger immune responses in susceptible individuals upon consumption even when they would otherwise be harmless. Symptoms of a food allergy can range from mild to acute; this last effect is a severe and potentially life‐threatening reaction. The European Union (EU) has identified 14 common food allergens, but new allergens are likely to emerge with constantly changing food habits. Mass spectrometry (MS) is a promising alternative to traditional antibody‐based assays for quantifying multiple allergenic proteins in complex matrices with high sensitivity and selectivity. Here, the main allergenic proteins and the advantages and drawbacks of some MS acquisition protocols, such as multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and data‐dependent analysis (DDA) for identifying and quantifying common allergenic proteins in processed foodstuffs are summarized. Sections dedicated to novel foods like microalgae and insects as new sources of allergenic proteins are included, emphasizing the significance of establishing stable marker peptides and validated methods using database searches. The discussion involves the in‐silico digestion of allergenic proteins, providing insights into their potential impact on immunogenicity. Finally, case studies focussing on microalgae highlight the value of MS as an effective analytical tool for ensuring regulatory compliance throughout the food control chain.
The role of crop diversity in escape agriculture; rice cultivation among Maroon communities in Suriname
Authors: Maat Harro , Pinas Nicholaas , van Andel Tinde 
Published: September 2023

Societal Impact StatementAgricultural techniques are inherently connected to social organization. Under colonialism, broadly understood as foreign powers suppressing (parts of) a local population, escape agriculture offers a way to avoid despotism by producing food and other produce in independent and sustainable ways. Crop diversity plays an important role in escape agriculture, demonstrated here by the variation of rice varieties on Maroon farms in Suriname. Histories of Maroon agricultural practices, and similarly marginalized groups in (formerly) colonized regions, are informative for current interventions in agriculture. Agronomic support to marginalized groups will only be successful when addressing historically grown social disengagement.Summary

Rationale: Food is essential for successful marronage and produced by means of escape agriculture. Today, communities in the interior of Suriname continue to farm by following practices of escape agriculture. Our study traces the historical development of these farming practices, in particular the extensive cultivation of rice. Our aim is to show that the diversity of rice varieties used in their fields reveals the sophisticated farming techniques and social significance of escape agriculture.
Methods: We visited about 60 farm plots upstream the main rivers of Suriname where we interviewed the person in charge about the rice varieties grown in their fields. We asked about origin, names, and characteristics of each rice variety. We also screened historical sources, primary and secondary, as well as anthropological accounts of these communities for historical evidence of rice cultivation and varietal diversity.
Results: Plots were farmed primarily by women and contained a broad range of different rice varieties. Naming and origin stories show a clear reference to the escape from plantations and the leading role of women in farming and food security. In some fields, a small patch was reserved for a rice type with very dark grains, used mostly for ritual purposes. Results also show adoption of more recently introduced rice varieties.
Conclusion: Rice plays a key role in escape agriculture as practiced by Maroon communities in Suriname. Rice varieties are used as agricultural markers of difference.
Enantioselectivity in the enzymatic dehydration of malate and tartrate: Mirror image specificities of structurally similar dehydratases
Authors: Bellur Asutosh , Mukherjee Souradip , Sharma Pragya , Jayaraman Vijay , Balaram Hemalatha 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMalate (2‐hydroxysuccinic acid) and tartrate (2,3‐dihydroxysuccinic acid) are chiral substrates; the former existing in two enantiomeric forms (R and S) while the latter exists as three stereoisomers (R,R; S,S; and R,S). Dehydration by stereospecific hydrogen abstraction and antielimination of the hydroxyl group yield the achiral products fumarate and oxaloacetate, respectively. Class‐I fumarate hydratase (FH) and L‐tartrate dehydratase (L‐TTD) are two highly conserved enzymes belonging to the iron–sulfur cluster hydrolyase family of enzymes that catalyze reactions on specific stereoisomers of malate and tartrate. FH from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii accepts only (S)‐malate and (S,S)‐tartrate as substrates while the structurally similar L‐TTD from Escherichia coli accepts only (R)‐malate and (R,R)‐tartrate as substrates. Phylogenetic analysis reveals a common evolutionary origin of L‐TTDs and two‐subunit archaeal FHs suggesting a divergence during evolution that may have led to the switch in substrate stereospecificity preference. Due to the high conservation of their sequences, a molecular basis for switch in stereospecificity is not evident from analysis of crystal structures of FH and predicted structure of L‐TTD. The switch in enantiomer preference may be rationalized by invoking conformational plasticity of the amino acids interacting with the substrate, together with substrate reorientation and conformer selection about the C2C3 bond of the dicarboxylic acid substrates. Although classical models of enzyme–substrate binding are insufficient to explain such a phenomenon, the enantiomer superposition model suggests that a minor reorientation in the active site residues could lead to the switch in substrate stereospecificity.
Development of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose films with corn silk polysaccharides and its application as biomaterial in enhancing the shelf life of mozzarella cheese
Authors: Abdin Mohamed , Naeem Mohamed Ahmed , Elmahdy Ahmed , Ali Mostafa 
Published: September 2023

AbstractHydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPM) is a viscous modified natural polymer that is utilised as thickener, emulsifier and reducer of serum cholesterol. Novel films composed from HPM and corn silk polysaccharides (CSP) were prepared (HPM‐corn silk [CS]). The impact of using different percentages of CSP on the characteristics of HPM‐CS was studied. Results showed that replacing 37.5% of HPM with CSP led to a significant improvement in mechanical properties, with an increase of 58.71% for tensile strength and 54.29% for elongation at break. In addition, the produced films showed improved opacity, antioxidant activities and a smooth, continuous surface without any grooves, as well as being biodegradable. However, the thermal stability was reduced, and the crystallinity shapes were disrupted at higher concentrations due to the inclusion of CSP in the HPM‐CS films. The best HPM concentration (1 g/100 mL) with optimum CSP concentration of (0.6 g/100 mL) was used as food packaging material for low‐moisture mozzarella cheese. The packaging material kept the stability of total microbial count in hygienic scale up to 40 days of cold storage, moisture loss and pH values up to 30 days. Additionally, the results of hedonic sensory evaluation were satisfied compared with fresh cheese until 30 days of storage.
A general construction method for component orthogonal arrays
Authors: Wang Chunyan , King Caleb , Lin Dennis K. J. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractOrder‐of‐addition (OofA) experiments have gained renewed attention in recent years, especially in regard to their design. For these experiments, the response is determined by the order in which components are added. A particularly useful design introduced in OofA experiments is the component orthogonal array (COA). The COA maintains pairwise balance between any two components while also ensuring each component appears equally often in each position. In this paper, we propose an efficient algorithm for constructing COAs which can be naturally split into blocks of Latin squares. These blocks can be run sequentially in a systematic order, potentially requiring fewer runs to identify optimal orderings, while also preserving good properties should the overall design be needed. We also show how to extend this construction method to create designs for any number of components.
An efficient hierarchical electric vehicle charging control strategy
Authors: He Chenyuan , Zhang Zhouyu 
Published: September 2023

AbstractElectric vehicle (EV) has emerged as a crucial component in addressing both energy and environmental problems, and has become an essential part of nowadays' intelligent transportation systems. However, the charging demands of large amounts of EVs can put substantial pressure on power grid systems and cause potential grid congestion problems. In this article, we propose a hierarchical EV charging control strategy that considers the network‐wide communication overheads, computational complexity, total energy cost, EV user preferences, and data privacy protection. The hierarchical charging structure contains two phases, that is, a centralized control for EV aggregators and a distributed control for EVs within an aggregator. We prove that the centralized control with the objective to minimize the total energy cost of the power system constitutes a convex quadratic programming problem. Then a unique global optimum for the energy consumption profiles of EV aggregators can be achieved. The distributed charging control for EVs within an aggregator is studied using a generalized Nash equilibrium problem (GNEP). We show that the solution of the GNEP can be obtained via a variational inequality. Then the Solodov and Svaiter hyperplane projection method is employed to iteratively approach the variational equilibrium while ensuring the protection of EV users' data privacy. Extensive simulation studies are conducted to verify the correctness and effectiveness of our proposed hierarchical charging control algorithm for EVs.
Investigation of the prediction of wildlife animals and its deployment using the robot
Authors: Kaur Parminder , Kansal Sachin , Singh Varinder P. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMonitoring Wildlife in their natural habitat requires direct human intervention. Some animals are scared of humans. In such situations, camera‐equipped devices are implemented to gain a clear picture of Wildlife. Objective: Current wildlife detection models detect and classify the animal from camera‐captured images, limiting the action to rescue or save them from mishaps. Also, the camera‐equipped devices are fixed at particular locations. Therefore, an efficient detection model capable of protecting the animal has potential to play an important role. Method: To this end, we present Pred‐WAR, a Convolution Neural Network (CNN)‐based image classification approach to detect and raise rescue alerts for real‐time Wildlife. In our approach, we have proposed a Mask Region‐based CNN (Mask RCNN or MRCNN) with an Automatic Mixed Precision model that is implemented on a Robot Operating System‐based mobile robot with Raspberry Pi4 to detect and raise acoustic of Lion or alarm to alert or rescue animal in real‐time. Results: Pred‐WAR obtained a mean Average Precision value of 85.47% and an F1 score of 87.73% with a precision value range between 92% to 99%, outperforming the current MRCNN model. Significance: This approach has fast computation speed and maintains accuracy that will be efficiently implemented in real‐time scenarios.