bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Echinocandin use in an Australian tertiary hospital: implications for antifungal stewardship
Authors: Ierano Courtney , Percival Mia , Poole Susan , Mackie Kathryn , Rashidzada Zohal , Corallo Carmela , Mcmahon James. H. , Morrissey Catherine Orla , Duncan Alison 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundInvasive candidiasis (IC) surveillance demonstrates an increasing incidence of resistance to azole‐based therapy. Consequently, echinocandins are often considered first‐line treatment for IC in critically ill patients. To better understand the complexities of decision‐making around echinocandin initiation, an evidence‐based audit tool was developed.AimTo describe echinocandin initiation and compliance with current guidelines.MethodA retrospective audit of echinocandin initiation was conducted between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2020 at a quaternary referral hospital. An audit tool was developed by infectious diseases physicians and antimicrobial stewardship pharmacists, capturing patient demographics, microbiological results, indication for therapy, and risk factors for invasive fungal disease (IFD). Local guideline compliance was determined. This project was determined to be a quality improvement project and was not required to undergo ethical review according to the Alfred Hospital Ethics Committee procedures.ResultsOne hundred sixty‐seven patients were initiated on 214 courses of echinocandin therapy. Caspofungin was most commonly prescribed (n = 172, 80%). Of the 167 patients, most (n = 119, 71%) were in the intensive care unit at the time of initiation. Empiric therapy for sepsis or infection of unclear source was the most commonly documented indication (n = 117, 55%); 71% (n = 153) of all courses were deemed empiric therapy, followed by directed therapy (n = 55, 26%). The most common risk factors for IFD were recent exposure to broad‐spectrum antimicrobial therapy (n = 165, 99%) and the presence of a urinary catheter (n = 141, 84%). Most first doses were compliant with local guidelines (n = 144, 67%).ConclusionsEchinocandin therapy was commonly prescribed in critically ill patients with risk factors for IFD. Although the majority of prescriptions were empiric and compliant with local guidelines, improved guidelines incorporating additional patient factors should be included in future antifungal stewardship initiatives.
Influence of fat reduction and flavor addition on the temporal sensory profile in potato chips using a multiple‐intake approach
Authors: Olegario Lary Souza , González‐Mohino Alberto , Estevéz Mario , Madruga Marta Suely , Ventanas Sonia 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBACKGROUNDReducing the fat content of potato chips can negatively affect the overall perception of taste and texture. However, incorporating flavor can help mitigate negative effects. To measure and understand these changes, a technique describing the consumption experience must be used. The impact of low fat content and the presence of ham flavor in the formulation of potato chips was studied in relation to the dynamics of sensations perceived during consumption and, additionally, related to the hedonic aspects of these products.RESULTSThree different varieties of commercially available potato chips, classical salted potato chips (PC‐C), light (low fat content) potato chips (PC‐L), and ham‐flavored potato chips (PC‐H), were analyzed by multiple‐intake temporal dominance of sensations (TDS) sessions, showing the differences among PC‐C, PC‐L, and PC‐H. Moreover, acceptability and purchase intention were also considered. The results showed that the lower fat content in the potato chips had a great impact on temporal dominance of texture attributes, whereas the presence of ham flavor in the formulation greatly modified the temporal dominance of flavor sensations during consumption with no effect on acceptability.CONCLUSIONMultiple intake TDS is a suitable method for revealing how modifications of formulation and composition of potato chips to achieve healthier or different versions affects consumers dynamic sensory perception and how it is related to preferences. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Ferulic and coumaric acid in corn and soybean meal‐based diets and in feces from pigs fed these diets
Authors: Lancheros Jeimmy Paola , Espinosa Charmaine D , Hilgers Roelant , Kabel Mirjam A , Stein Hans H 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBACKGROUNDArabinoxylan is the main fiber component in corn and corn co‐products that are commonly included in pig diets. However, this fiber fraction is resistant to enzymatic degradation in the gastrointestinal tract of pigs. Ferulic acid and p‐coumaric acid are covalently linked to arabinoxylan, so it is likely that the majority of these hydroxycinnamic acids are excreted in feces. However, data to confirm this have not been reported. The objective of this research was therefore to quantify the ferulic and p‐coumaric acids in a diet based on corn and soybean meal (SBM) and in a diet based on corn, SBM, and distillers’ dried grains with solubles, as well as in feces from pigs fed these diets.RESULTSThe concentration of bound ferulic and coumaric acids in diets was greater in the corn‐SBM‐DDGS diet and in feces from pigs fed this diet than in the corn‐SBM diet and feces from pigs fed that diet. The disappearance of free coumaric acids was greater (>85%) than that of bound phenolic acids (<50%) in both diets. The disappearance of free coumaric acid and bound ferulic acid in the intestinal tract of pigs was not different between the two diets. In contrast, disappearance of bound coumaric acid was greater (P < 0.05) in the corn‐SBM diet than in the corn‐SBM‐DDGS diet.CONCLUSIONA diet based on corn and SBM contains less hydroxycinnamic acid than a corn‐SBM‐DDGS diet but bound phenolic acids are more resistant to digestion by pigs than free phenolic acids. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
The genetic basis of pemphigus vulgaris
Authors: Vodo Dan , Sprecher Eli 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe severe autoimmune blistering disease pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is most probably mainly due to autoantibodies directed against desmosomal components of the epithelium, disrupting cell‐cell adhesion. The precise mechanisms underlying the development of the disease are still unknown, and immunosuppressive medications such as corticosteroids, which are linked to potentially serious adverse effects, are still the mainstay of treatment. Ethnic susceptibility and familial incidence hint to a genetic component to the pathophysiology of PV, which, if identified, could further improve our understanding of PV pathogenesis and lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets for this potentially fatal condition. In this article, we review the evidence supporting a genetic component in PV and discuss the clinical and therapeutic implications of these discoveries.
Acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis induced by duloxetine
Authors: Deydier Numa , Jantzem Hélène , Alavi Zarrin , Le Flahec Glen , Robert Marine , Roguedas‐Contios Anne‐Marie , Brenaut Emilie , Misery Laurent , Gourier Greta 
Published: March 2023

AbstractDuloxetine is a serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor. Some rare duloxetine‐induced hypersensitivity skin reactions have been reported. We report a case of acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis potentially induced by duloxetine. Skin pustules appeared 8 days after the introduction of duloxetine. Treatment with topical clobetasol propionate led to gradual remission of the lesions. As there are no cases of duloxetine‐induced acute generalized exanthematous pustulosis(AGEP) in the literature, we did a research in the World Health Organization (WHO) pharmacovigilance database (21 March 2022) and found three cases of duloxetine‐induced AGEP. The French causality assessment score for our case of duloxetine‐induced AGEP was 15 (C2S3). The Naranjo score was 7, indicating a possible correlation between AGEP and the use of duloxetine. This was consistent with the WHO causality score. We inform clinicians of the possibility of AGEP following therapy with duloxetine.
T cells in the heterogeneous tumour immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma: Implications for immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy
Authors: Barsch Maryam , Salié Henrike , Mesesan Andreea , Bengsch Bertram 
Published: March 2023

AbstractHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer‐related death worldwide. Recently, patient care was revolutionized by the introduction of immunotherapy combining anti‐programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) checkpoint inhibition with anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy as first‐line treatment for advanced unresectable HCC. Additional promising studies with mono‐ or combination immunotherapy are in advanced phases of clinical testing. Currently, however, our understanding of which patients profit from immunotherapy and how therapy response may be related to the composition of the tumour immune microenvironment remains incomplete. Inhibitory receptors as targets of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies are strongly expressed by T cells in the tumour microenvironment (TME). However, the HCC microenvironment is highly heterogeneous as illustrated by distinct molecular subtypes and subclassifications with an immune‐rich microenvironment representing only a small proportion of HCCs. A better understanding of the tumour immune microenvironment is expected to provide insights for clinically applicable biomarkers to optimize immunotherapies. Recent studies identified subtypes of PD‐1 expressing CD8+ T cells with divergent function in the HCC TME associated with different outcomes, suggesting that specific PD‐1 expressing CD8+ tissue‐resident memory T cells (TRM), but not exhausted CD8+ T cells (TEX), govern positive therapy outcomes. This review discusses the T‐cell response in the HCC TME in the context of its heterogeneity, molecular and immune classifications and implications for ICI therapy and biomarker discovery.
Fabrication of 3D‐Printed Contact Lenses and Their Potential as Color Blindness Ocular Aids
Authors: Hittini Saba , Salih Ahmed E. , Alam Fahad , Shanti Aya , Lee Sungmun , Polychronopoulou Kyriaki , AlSafar Habiba , Almaskari Fahad , Butt Haider 
Published: March 2023

AbstractColor blindness or color vision deficiency (CVD) is a congenital ocular deficiency that hampers patients’ daily life activities. CVD patients rely mostly on using wearable visual aids that enhance color distinction by blocking problematic wavelengths of light. Contributing to that, this study examines the fabrication of 3D‐printed colored contact lens for color blindness management. A vat photopolymerization based 3D printing technology is utilized to fabricate the contact lenses for CVD patients. An in‐house prepared resin is mixed with a low‐cost colored ink to attain the desired blocking range (520–580 nm). The fabricated lens blocks more than 50% of light at the problematic wavelengths, along with exhibiting minimal leakage when stored and examined in water and contact lens storage solution. Average contact angle and water content values are 48° and 56%, respectively. Mechanical properties demonstrate the physical adequacy of the contact lens. The CVD filtering efficacy of the tinted contact lens and its potential as a CVD wearable is evaluated by comparing its optical performance with that of commercial products. Finally, cytotoxicity analysis of the lens to dermal fibroblast cells reveals the biocompatibility of the lens as the cell viability remains greater than 75% after 24 h.
PEGylation Effects on the Interaction of Sphingomyelin Nanoemulsions with Serum Albumin: A Thermodynamic Investigation
Authors: Gheorghe Daniela , Díez‐Villares Sandra , Sandu Romica , Neacsu Ana , Neacsu Dana‐Andreea , Serban Adriana , Botea‐Petcu Alina , Popa Vlad Tudor , Garcia‐Fernandez Jenifer , López Rafael López , de la Fuente Freire Maria , Teodorescu Florina , Tanasescu Speranta 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe recent focus in the development of novel nanosystems for biomedical applications lays firmly on their interactions with biomolecules. Thermodynamic parameters driving the interaction between nanoparticles and proteins provide insights into complex processes at bio/nanointerface. The present work aims to investigate the binding mechanisms and the dominant contributions that determine the adsorption processes during the interactions of a model protein, that is, bovine serum albumin, with a new type of drug delivery systems, Vitamin E/sphingomyelin nanoemulsions, plain and coated with polyethylene glycol, and d‐ɑ‐tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate. The binding parameters (binding constant, binding stoichiometry, enthalpy, Gibbs energy, and entropy changes of binding) are evaluated by the isothermal titration calorimetry with a MicroCaliTC200 equipment. The effect of nanoemulsions on the protein stability is examined by measuring the thermodynamic parameters for the protein's unfolding (heat capacity; enthalpy, entropy, and free energy changes) with a NanoDSC (TA Instrument) apparatus. The thermodynamic profile shows for all compositions an entropy‐driven interaction dominated by hydrophobic forces due to the rearrangements/displacement of the surrounding water molecules, while maintaining the native conformation of the protein. All the information acquired by thermodynamic approach may significantly enhance the knowledge with special focus on PEGylated nanoemulsions used for biomedical applications.
A Novel Azo‐Linked Polymer Bearing Trifluoromethyl Groups for I2 Capture
Authors: Li Long , Sun Ze‐Bang , Yang Ai‐Ai , Zhang Xiao‐Sa , Zhu Xiao‐Yu , Li Wen‐Ze , Liu Yu , Luan Jian 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIn this work, a novel three nitro‐group‐bearing monomer 3,6‐dinitro‐9‐(2‐trifluoromethyl‐4‐nitrophenyl)‐carbazole (Car‐3NO2‐CF3) via a CN coupling reaction between 3,6‐dinitro‐9H‐carbazole (Car‐2NO2) and 2‐chloro‐5‐nitrobenzotrifluoride is synthesized, and obtained single crystal and single crystal analysis data for this compound. The crystal system of Car‐3NO2‐CF3 is monoclinic and it has a P 21/c space group. This new monomer (Car‐3NO2‐CF3) is also utilized to synthesize a novel azo‐linked polymer (Azo‐Car‐CF3). The trifluoromethyl group has polar CF bonds, and thus it is an effective functional group for the capture of iodine. Azo‐Car‐CF3 has great thermal stability with a mass loss of only 10% at 414 °C, as well as good chemical stability as is demonstrated by its low solubility in common organic solvents such as tetrahydrofuran (THF), acetone, methanol, ethanol, and N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF). The specific surface area of Azo‐Car‐CF3 can reach as high as 335 m2 g−1. Azo‐Car‐CF3 exhibits an excellent capacity for iodine adsorption and can reach up to 1198 mg g−1 in cyclohexane solution, and its adsorption capacity for iodine vapor can get to 2100 mg g−1. In addition, ethanol can be used to trigger the release of the captured iodine to be easily released from Azo‐Car‐CF3.
Grafting of Porous Conductive Fiber Mats with an Antifouling Polymer Brush by Means of Filtration‐Based Surface Initiated ATRP
Authors: Li Sheung‐Yin , Schon Benjamin S. , Travas‐Sejdic Jadranka 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThis work addresses the challenge of surface modification of porous, electrospun fiber mats containing an insoluble conducting polymer coating. Herein, a novel methodology of grafting a polymer brush onto conducting polymer fiber mats is developed that employs filtering of the polymerization solution through the fiber mat. An electrospun sulfonated polystyrene‐poly(ethylene‐ran‐butylene)‐polystyrene (sSEBS) fiber mat is first coated with a layer of conducting copolymer bearing an Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization (ATRP) initiating functionality (PEDOT‐Br). The surface‐initiated ATRP from the fibers’ surface is then carried out to graft a hydrophilic polymer brush (poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate) by means of filtering the polymerization solution through the fiber mat. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images reveal a progressive change in the morphology of the fiber mat surface with the increasing volume of the filtrated polymerization solution, while energy dispersive X‐ray spectrosdcopy (EDX) spectra show a change in the atomic oxygen to sulfur (O/S) ratio, therefore confirming the successful grafting from the fibers’ surface. The conductive fiber mat grafted with hydrophilic brushes shows a 20% reduction in the non‐specific adsorption of bovine serum albumin (BSA) compared to a pristine fiber mat. This study is a proof‐of‐concept for this novel, filtration‐based, surface‐initiated polymerization methodology.
Explaining process innovation in developing countries: The role of a firm's status, formal or informal
Authors: Kouakou Dorgyles C.M. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractProcess innovation has been shown to influence positively firms' productivity. This has led to a fruitful literature on its determinants. However, in the context of developing countries, the potential role of firms' formal versus informal status as a determinant has been overlooked. The objective of this paper is to fill this gap in the literature by analyzing the effect of firms' formal versus informal status on the introduction of process innovation using data from Côte d'Ivoire. Econometric estimations show that formality status positively influences the introduction of process innovation. This result remains unchanged when the industrial, services, and trade sectors are considered separately. Policy implications are discussed.
Recent advances of Transformers in medical image analysis: A comprehensive review
Authors: Xia Kun , Wang Jinzhuo 
Published: March 2023

AbstractRecent works have shown that Transformer's excellent performances on natural language processing tasks can be maintained on natural image analysis tasks. However, the complicated clinical settings in medical image analysis and varied disease properties bring new challenges for the use of Transformer. The computer vision and medical engineering communities have devoted significant effort to medical image analysis research based on Transformer with especial focus on scenario‐specific architectural variations. In this paper, we comprehensively review this rapidly developing area by covering the latest advances of Transformer‐based methods in medical image analysis of different settings. We first give introduction of basic mechanisms of Transformer including implementations of selfattention and typical architectures. The important research problems in various medical image data modalities, clinical visual tasks, organs and diseases are then reviewed systemically. We carefully collect 276 very recent works and 76 public medical image analysis datasets in an organized structure. Finally, discussions on open problems and future research directions are also provided. We expect this review to be an up‐to‐date roadmap and serve as a reference source in pursuit of boosting the development of medical image analysis field.
Beam angle optimization for proton therapy via group‐sparsity based angle generation method
Authors: Shen Haozheng , Zhang Gezhi , Lin Yuting , Rotondo Ronny L. , Long Yong , Gao Hao 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundIn treatment planning, beam angle optimization (BAO) refers to the selection of a subset with a given number of beam angles from all available angles that provides the best plan quality. BAO is a NP‐hard combinatorial problem. Although exhaustive search (ES) can exactly solve BAO by exploring all possible combinations, ES is very time‐consuming and practically infeasible.PurposeTo the best of our knowledge, (1) no optimization method has been demonstrated that can provide the exact solution to BAO, and (2) no study has validated an optimization method for solving BAO by benchmarking with the optimal BAO solution (e.g., via ES), both of which will be addressed by this work.MethodsThis work considers BAO for proton therapy, for example, the selection of 2–4 beam angles for IMPT. The optimal BAO solution is obtained via ES and serves as the ground truth. A new BAO algorithm, namely angle generation (AG) method, is proposed, and demonstrated to provide nearly‐exact solutions for BAO in reference to the ES solution. AG iteratively optimizes the angular set via group‐sparsity (GS) regularization, until the planning objective does not decrease further.ResultsSince GS alone can also solve BAO, AG was validated and compared with GS for 2‐angle brain, 3‐angle lung, and 4‐angle brain cases, in reference to the optimal BAO solutions obtained by ES: the AG solution had the rank (1/276, 1/2024, 4/10 626), while the GS solution had the rank (42/276, 279/2024, 4328/10 626).ConclusionsA new BAO algorithm called AG is proposed and shown to provide substantially improved accuracy for BAO from current methods with nearly‐exact solutions to BAO, in reference to the ground truth of optimal BAO solution via ES.
Correction of B0 and linear eddy currents: Impact on morphological and quantitative ultrashort echo time double echo steady state (UTE‐DESS) imaging
Authors: Jang Hyungseok , Athertya Jiyo S. , Jerban Saeed , Ma Yajun , Lombardi Alecio F. , Chung Christine B. , Chang Eric Y. , Du Jiang 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe purpose of the current study was to investigate the effects of B0 and linear eddy currents on ultrashort echo time double echo steady state (UTE‐DESS) imaging and to determine whether eddy current correction (ECC) effectively resolves imaging artifacts caused by eddy currents. 3D UTE‐DESS sequences based on either projection radial or spiral cones trajectories were implemented on a 3‐T clinical MR scanner. An off‐isocentered thin‐slice excitation approach was used to measure eddy currents. The measurements were repeated four times using two sets of tested gradient waveforms with opposite polarities and two different slice locations to measure B0 and linear eddy currents simultaneously. Computer simulation was performed to investigate the eddy current effect. Finally, a phantom experiment, an ex vivo experiment with human synovium and ankle samples, and an in vivo experiment with human knee joints, were performed to demonstrate the effects of eddy currents and ECC in UTE‐DESS imaging. In a computer simulation, the two echoes (S+ and S‐) in UTE‐DESS imaging exhibited strong distortion at different orientations in the presence of B0 and linear eddy currents, resulting in both image degradation as well as misalignment of pixel location between the two echoes. The same phenomenon was observed in the phantom, ex vivo, and in vivo experiments, where the presence of eddy currents degraded S+, S‐, echo subtraction images, and T2 maps. The implementation of ECC dramatically improved both the image quality and image registration between the S+ and S‐ echoes. It was concluded that ECC is crucial for reliable morphological and quantitative UTE‐DESS imaging.