bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Expression of functionally distinct ecto‐5′‐nucleotidase/CD73 glycovariants in reactive astrocytes in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis and neuroinflammatory conditions in vitro
Authors: Adzic Bukvic Marija , Laketa Danijela , Dragic Milorad , Lavrnja Irena , Nedeljkovic Nadezda 
Published: August 2023

AbstractEcto‐5′‐nucleotidase/CD73 (eN/CD73) is a membrane‐bound enzyme involved in extracellular production of adenosine and a cell adhesion molecule involved in cell–cell interactions. In neuroinflammatory conditions such as experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), reactive astrocytes occupying active demyelination areas significantly upregulate eN/CD73 and express additional eN/CD73 variants. The present study investigated whether the different eN/CD73 variants represent distinct glycoforms and the functional consequences of their expression in neuroinflammatory states. The study was performed in animals at different stages of EAE and in primary astrocyte cultures treated with a range of inflammatory cytokines. Upregulation at the mRNA, protein, and functional levels, as well as the appearance of multiple eN/CD73 glycovariants were detected in the inflamed spinal cord tissue. At the peak of the disease, eN/CD73 exhibited higher AMP turnover and lower enzyme‐substrate affinity than the control group, which was attributed to altered glycosylation under neuroinflammatory conditions. A subsequent in vitro study showed that primary astrocytes upregulated eN/CD73 and expressed the multiple glycovariants upon stimulation with TNFα, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and ATP, with the effect occurring at least in part via induction of JAK/STAT3 signaling. Experimental removal of glycan moieties from membrane glycoproteins by PNGaseF decreased eN/CD73 activity but had no effect on the enzyme's involvement in astrocyte migration. Our results suggest that neuroinflammatory states are associated with the appearance of functionally distinct eN/CD73 glycovariants, which may play a role in the development of the reactive astrocyte phenotype.
Patterns of alaryngeal voice adoption and predictive factors of vocal rehabilitation failure following total laryngectomy
Authors: Landry Vivianne , Christopoulos Apostolos , Guertin Louis , Bissada Eric , Tabet Paul , Berania Ilyes , Royal‐Lajeunesse Émilie , Olivier Marie‐Jo , Ayad Tareck 
Published: August 2023

AbstractObjectiveWe aimed to determine patterns of alaryngeal voice acquisition and predictive factors of vocal rehabilitation (VR) failure following total laryngectomy (TL) at a large Canadian tertiary care center.MethodsAll consecutive patients having undergone a TL between January 1st, 2011 and December 31st, 2019, at the Centre Hospitalier de l'Université de Montréal were included.ResultsOne hundred and ninety‐seven laryngectomized patients were identified. Successful VR was achieved in 86 (59.0%) patients, while 59 (41.0%) failed to use a method of alaryngeal voice as their principal means of communication at 1 year postoperatively. The use of tracheoesophageal puncture (TEP) was associated with higher VR success rates (70.6%) when compared with the artificial larynx (48.6%), and esophageal voice (18.8%). The only independent predictor of VR failure on multivariate analysis at all time points was a low socioeconomic status.ConclusionFailure to adopt an alaryngeal voice following TL is highly prevalent, despite comprehensive and free speech language pathologist services being offered at our center. A low resort to TEP at our institution and a poor acceptability and accessibility of alternative VR methods may contribute to this trend. The challenges of VR may be further exacerbated by the barriers linked to a lower socioeconomic status, which in turn may contribute to reduced candidacy for TEP.
Structure optimization and fertilizer injection performance analysis of a non‐axisymmetric Venturi injector
Authors: Hu Guirong , Guan Xin , Li Shiying , Liu Ningning , Zhang Jihong , Yam Prasad Dhital , Zhang Jinzhu , Wang Zhenhua 
Published: August 2023

AbstractTo improve the fertilizer injection performance of a non‐axisymmetric Venturi injector (NAVI), the effects of the contraction angle, diffusion angle, throat diameter and tilt angle of the injection pipe on the fertilizer injection performance of NAVI were examined. Based on the test, the original NAVI was optimized, and the fertilizer injection performance of NAVI before (F1) and after (F2) optimization was compared. Then, a non‐axisymmetric Venturi injector with arc diffusion (F3) was proposed. The results showed that when the water inlet diameter of the non‐axisymmetric Venturi injector was 25 mm, the optimal structural parameters were as follows: the contraction angle was 40°, the diffusion angle 6°, the throat diameter 7 mm and the tilt angle of the injection pipe was 120°. Compared with F1, the injection rate and fertilizer injection efficiency of F2 increased by 21–66 and 27–79%, respectively. Changing the diffusion section of NAVI into an arc structure was conducive to reducing the vortex area size by 11% and improving the injection rate by 20–62%. The results can provide an important reference for the structural design of Venturi injectors.
The Performance Diagnostic Checklist–Human Services (1.1): An initial assessment of validity and reliability
Authors: Jimenez Sebastian , Wilder David A. , Brand Denys , Carr James E. , Sellers Tyra P. , Mason Makenna A. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe Performance Diagnostic Checklist—Human Services (PDC‐HS) is an assessment used to identify variables contributing to staff performance concerns in human‐service settings. In the current study, we introduce and assess the test validity, interrater reliability, and test–retest reliability of the PDC‐HS (1.1), a revised version of the assessment that included revised instructions, questions, and intervention planning references. We measured the psychometric properties of the revised assessment by analyzing answers obtained from watching video vignettes of simulated interviews between consultants and a supervisor. Twenty‐one participants watched the vignettes and completed the PDC‐HS (1.1) based on the answers provided during the interview. We also included an item analysis to identify questions on which participants made errors and an intervention selection task to assess whether participants selected an appropriate intervention to target the indicated domain. The results support the use of the PDC‐HS (1.1) in human services settings.
Toxicology and safety study of L‐tryptophan and its impurities for use in broiler feed
Authors: Ko Soo Min , Park Ji‐Eun , Lee Ji‐Young , Jeong Da Som , Kang Jiyeon , Son Kyu‐yeol , Heo In Kyung , Shin Yong Uk , Kim Yang Hee , Son Woo‐Chan 
Published: August 2023

AbstractL‐tryptophan has been utilized as a feed additive in animal nutrition to improve growth performance, as well as a dietary supplement to alleviate various emotional symptoms in humans. Despite its benefits, concerns regarding its safety arose following the outbreak of eosinophilia‐myalgia syndrome (EMS) among individuals who consumed L‐tryptophan. The causative material of EMS was determined to be not L‐tryptophan itself, but rather L‐tryptophan impurities resulting from a specific manufacturing process. To investigate the effect of L‐tryptophan and its impurities on humans who consume meat products derived from animals that were fed L‐tryptophan and its impurities, an animal study involving broiler chickens was conducted. The animals in test groups were fed diet containing 0.065%–0.073% of L‐tryptophan for 27 days. This study aimed to observe the occurrence of toxicological or EMS‐related symptoms and analyze the residues of L‐tryptophan impurities in meat products. The results indicated that there was no evidence of adverse effects associated with the test substance in the investigated parameters. Furthermore, most of the consumed EMS‐causing L‐tryptophan impurities did not remain in the meat of broiler chickens. Thus, this study demonstrated the safety of L‐tryptophan and some of its impurities as a feed additive.
The changing outlook of psychedelic drugs: The importance of risk assessment and occupational exposure limits
Authors: Videira Natália Bernardi , Nair Vijayalekshmi , Paquet Valérie , Calhoun Dean 
Published: August 2023

AbstractSerotonergic psychedelics, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), and 5‐methoxy‐N,N‐dimethyltryptamine (5‐MeO‐DMT), are currently being investigated for the treatment of psychiatric disorders such as depression and anxiety. Clinical trials with psilocybin and LSD have shown improvement in emotional and psychological scores. Although these drugs are reported to be safe in a controlled environment (such as clinical trials), exposure to low doses of these drugs can result in psychedelic effects, and therefore, occupational safety is an important consideration to prevent adverse effects in the workplace from low daily exposure. This article will discuss the factors involved in the derivation of occupational exposure limits (OELs) and risk assessment of these psychedelic drugs. To support the OEL derivations of psychedelic drugs, information regarding their mechanism of action, adverse effect profiles, pharmacokinetics, clinical effects, and nonclinical toxicity were considered. Additionally, psilocybin and LSD, which are the most extensively researched psychedelic substances, are employed as illustrative examples in case studies. The OELs derived for psilocybin and for LSD are 0.05 and 0.002 μg/m3, respectively, which indicates that these are highly hazardous compounds, and it is important to take into account suitable safety measures and risk‐management strategies in order to minimize workplace exposure.
A full high‐definition quantum dot light‐emitting diode‐on‐silicon microdisplay
Authors: Jia Siqi , Li Depeng , Chen Yixing , Mei Guanding , Ma Jingrui , Qu Xiangwei , Tang Haodong , Liu Pai , Xu Bing , Wang Kai , Zhang Zhikuan , Xia Jun , Sun Xiao Wei 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWe report a 0.39‐in. quantum dot light‐emitting diode (QLED) microdisplay with full high‐definition (FHD, 1920 × 1080) resolution by integrating a red top‐emitting QLED on a complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) backplane. By optimizing the microcavity structure and constructing a suitable energy‐level structure for the QLED devices, the performance of the large‐area (4.9 × 8.7 mm2) top‐emitting device with normal structure reached 13,936 cd/m2 of brightness at 5‐V bias with 13.3% external quantum efficiency (EQE). Notably, the optimal device showed a low turn‐on voltage of 1.7 V, which matched well the voltage output of the CMOS backplane. Our work demonstrates the great promise of QLED microdisplays for applications in head‐mounted augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR).
Selective nerve transfers to restore shoulder abduction and flexion in acute flaccid myelitis: A case report
Authors: Liu Yusha , Massenburg Benjamin B. , Otten Catherine E. , Osorio Marisa B. , Lewis Sarah P. , Hottovy Janine , Tse Raymond W. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAcute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a polio‐like condition predominantly affecting children that is characterized by acute‐onset, asymmetric flaccid paralysis, often preceded by a prodromal fever or viral illness. With prompt diagnosis and early surgical referral, nerve transfers may be performed to improve function. Highly selective nerve transfers are ideal to preserve existing functions while targeting specific deficits. In this report, we present a case of a double fascicular nerve transfer of median and ulnar nerve fascicles to the axillary nerve, combined with selective transfer of the spinal accessory nerve to the supraspinatus branch of the suprascapular nerve, performed for a 5‐year‐old girl who developed AFM after an upper respiratory infection. Six months after the onset of the patient's symptoms, the patient had continued weakness of shoulder flexion and abduction, atrophy of the deltoid, and supraspinatus muscles, though needle electromyography revealed a functioning infraspinatus muscle. The patient had no post‐operative complications and at 2 years of postoperative follow up achieved shoulder abduction and flexion Active Movement Scale scores of 7/7 compared to preoperative scores of 2/7, with no loss of function in the donor nerve domains. The patient showed active shoulder abduction against gravity to 90° from 30° preoperatively and shoulder flexion to 180° from 15° preoperatively. This case report shows that highly selective nerve transfers may preserve existing functions while targeting specific deficits. A double fascicular transfer from the median and ulnar nerves to axillary nerve may provide abundant axons for functional recovery.
CBCT‐Based synthetic CT image generation using conditional denoising diffusion probabilistic model
Authors: Peng Junbo , Qiu Richard L. J. , Wynne Jacob F. , Chang Chih‐Wei , Pan Shaoyan , Wang Tonghe , Roper Justin , Liu Tian , Patel Pretesh R. , Yu David S. , Yang Xiaofeng 
Published: August 2023

AbstractBackgroundDaily or weekly cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans are commonly used for accurate patient positioning during the image‐guided radiotherapy (IGRT) process, making it an ideal option for adaptive radiotherapy (ART) replanning. However, the presence of severe artifacts and inaccurate Hounsfield unit (HU) values prevent its use for quantitative applications such as organ segmentation and dose calculation. To enable the clinical practice of online ART, it is crucial to obtain CBCT scans with a quality comparable to that of a CT scan.PurposeThis work aims to develop a conditional diffusion model to perform image translation from the CBCT to the CT distribution for the image quality improvement of CBCT.MethodsThe proposed method is a conditional denoising diffusion probabilistic model (DDPM) that utilizes a time‐embedded U‐net architecture with residual and attention blocks to gradually transform the white Gaussian noise sample to the target CT distribution conditioned on the CBCT. The model was trained on deformed planning CT (dpCT) and CBCT image pairs, and its feasibility was verified in brain patient study and head‐and‐neck (H&N) patient study. The performance of the proposed algorithm was evaluated using mean absolute error (MAE), peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (PSNR) and normalized cross‐correlation (NCC) metrics on generated synthetic CT (sCT) samples. The proposed method was also compared to four other diffusion model‐based sCT generation methods.ResultsIn the brain patient study, the MAE, PSNR, and NCC of the generated sCT were 25.99 HU, 30.49 dB, and 0.99, respectively, compared to 40.63 HU, 27.87 dB, and 0.98 of the CBCT images. In the H&N patient study, the metrics were 32.56 HU, 27.65 dB, 0.98 and 38.99 HU, 27.00, 0.98 for sCT and CBCT, respectively. Compared to the other four diffusion models and one Cycle generative adversarial network (Cycle GAN), the proposed method showed superior results in both visual quality and quantitative analysis.ConclusionsThe proposed conditional DDPM method can generate sCT from CBCT with accurate HU numbers and reduced artifacts, enabling accurate CBCT‐based organ segmentation and dose calculation for online ART.
Robust multi‐echelon inventory management with multiple suppliers
Authors: Wang Liangquan , Yang Chaolin 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWe study a periodic‐review multi‐supplier series inventory system in which the demand is restricted to partial sum uncertainty sets. We present and solve a robust rolling‐horizon model for the system. We propose an induction framework to characterize the closed‐form robust optimal solution of the problem. We show that the robust optimal policy combines the echelon base‐stock policy and a gap‐of‐echelon‐base‐stock policy for the uppermost stage and a modified echelon base‐stock policy for the other downstream stages. The policy structure is easy for the manager to understand and implement in practice. The policy parameters are directly determined by a sequence of nominal partial‐sum demands, and its computation is very effective. In addition, the policy does not rely on complete information about the demand distribution; its solution can be more robust than that of stochastic optimization methods, especially when demand is highly uncertain, and forecasting is difficult. Based on the structure of the robust optimal policy, we design two heuristic policies for the system and evaluate the policies' performance through an extensive numerical study using both synthetic and real data.
Amphoteric nano‐ and microgels with acrylamide backbone for potential application in oil recovery
Authors: Ayazbayeva Aigerim , Baddam Vikram , Shakhvorostov Alexey , Gussenov Iskander , Aseyev Vladimir , Yermaganbetov Mubarak , Kudaibergenov Sarkyt 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAmphoteric nano‐ and microgels based on acrylamide (AAm), 3‐acrylamidopropyltrimethylammonium chloride (APTAC) and 2‐acrylamido‐2‐propanesulfonate sodium salt (AMPS) were prepared via inverse emulsion polymerization in the presence of crosslinking agent—N,N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBAA). Several polyampholyte nano‐ and microgel samples AAm‐APTAC‐AMPS with compositions (70:15:15, 80:10:10, and 90:5:5 mol%) were obtained and they were abbreviated as AAm70‐APTAC15‐AMPS15, AAm80‐APTAC10‐AMPS10 AAm90‐APTAC5‐AMPS5 (where the lower indexes indicate the molar concentration of monomers). The nano‐ and microgels were characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis and interfacial tension measurements. The most attention was paid to the AAm80‐APTAC10‐AMPS10 microgel because its linear analog showed the best swelling capacity and the viscosifying effect for potential application in oil recovery. The influence of monomer concentration, surfactants, volume ratio of the water/organic phases, and the hydrophilic–lyophilic balance (HLB) on the average hydrodynamic size of the AAm80‐APTAC10‐AMPS10 nano‐ and microgels was studied. The size distribution of nano‐ and microgels derived from DLS data and TEM images was compared as a function of monomer concentration at constant surfactant concentration (6 wt%), HLB = 5.5 and mixture of water:oil = 60:40 vol%. Swelling of microgel particles in saline water due to the antipolyelectrolyte effect was observed. The applicability of amphoteric microgels AAm80‐APTAC10‐AMPS10 for oil recovery was tested on cores simulating the conditions of a model oil reservoir. The obtained results indicated that after the injection of around three pore volumes of the 2500 ppm microgel suspension into the sandstone core the permeability to brine decreased from 1.5 to 0.78 mD. For the first half of core sample the residual resistance factor was higher than the resistance factor, whereas for the second part of core sample these parameters were almost equal. Additional experiments with longer cores are needed to evaluate in‐depth propagation of microgels and permeability reduction in porous media.
The diagnostic value of pulmonary near‐infrared spectroscopy in the early distinction of neonatal pneumonia from transient tachypnea of the newborn
Authors: Ozdemir Ferzane Ebrar , Alan Serdar , Aliefendioglu Didem 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAimPulmonary near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is a new and promising tool for diagnosis of neonatal respiratory diseases (RD). The study aimed to determine the role of pulmonary regional oxygen saturation (pRSO2) values obtained by NIRS in the early distinction of neonatal pneumonia (NP) from transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN).MethodsThis prospective, observational, double‐blind study was conducted in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) between 2020 and 2021. Late preterm and term newborns hospitalized in the NICU due to the diagnosis of TTN and NP were included. Cerebral RSO2 and pRSO2 values were measured during the 1st, 24th, 48th, and 72nd hours of hospitalization, using NIRS.ResultsOf the eligible 40 infants, 65% (n: 26) were diagnosed as TTN and 35% (n: 16) as NP. The pRSO2 values were significantly higher in the TTN group than the NP group for both apexes (75.3 ± 8.7 vs. 69 ± 5.4, p: .018, respectively) and lateral lung (77.8 ± 6 vs. 72.7 ± 6.2, p: .016, respectively) in the 1st hour of hospitalization. There were significant differences in pRSO2apex and pRSO2lateral values between the 1st and 24th hours of hospitalization and the 24th and 48th hours in the NP group (p2: .001 for both). The optimal pRSO2apex cut‐off value was >72% to predict the diagnosis of NP with a sensitivity of 78.6% and a specificity of 69.2%.ConclusionPulmonary NIRS may be considered as a feasible and promising diagnostic tool in late preterm and term infants with RD. It may also be helpful for the early differentiation of NP from TTN and the courses of these diseases.
Pharmacometrics enhanced Bayesian borrowing approach to improve clinical trial efficiency: Case of empagliflozin in type 2 diabetes
Authors: Fayette Lucie , Sailer Martin Oliver , Perez‐Pitarch Alejandro 
Published: August 2023

AbstractWe report use of a pharmacometrics enhanced Bayesian borrowing (PEBB) approach to leverage historical clinical trial data on a drug product to build models, project the outcome of future clinical trials, and borrow information from these projections to improve the efficiency of future target trials. This design takes a two‐stage approach. First, a design phase is performed before target trial data are available to determine the operating characteristics and an appropriate tuning parameter that will be used in the subsequent analysis phase of a chosen target trial. Second, once the target trial data are available, the analysis phase is performed with the determined tuning parameter. This step is where borrowing is applied from these projections to inform the results for the target trial. To illustrate how a PEBB could improve the efficiency of clinical trials, we apply our design to trials with empagliflozin for treating patients with type 2 diabetes. We performed a retrospective evaluation applying the method to a phase III target trial and a hypothetical smaller trial. The type I error could be kept below 10% while increasing the trial power and effective sample size. Our findings suggest that a PEBB has the potential to increase the power of clinical trials, while controlling for type I error, by leveraging the information from previous trials through population pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic modeling and simulation.
86‐3: Why perovskite quantum dots will be key for LCD‐, OLED‐ and microLED displays
Authors: Luechinger Norman A. 
Published: August 2023

Green perovskite quantum dots are well known to be the best green color conversion material with respect to color purity (FWHM) and conversion efficiency (quantum yield). These two properties are essential for picture quality (color gamut and peak brightness) but also for minimizing the display power consumption which is getting more and more important for ecological reasons but also for regulatory reasons (especially in the EU). Furthermore there is also a development trend for displays equipped with a so‐called low‐ blue‐light function where the blue primary peak emission wavelength is increased in order to minimized the short‐wave blue light intensity which has a negative influence on the human circadian rhythm. However, such blue wavelength change intrinsically reduces the color gamut of the display and increases the power consumption at the same time. These two adverse effects can be mitigated and even improved by replacing the commonly used green B‐Sialon phosphor by green perovskite quantum dots.Over the last 7 years we have intensively worked on our green perovskite quantum dots and achieved a near‐unity quantum efficiency, an FWHM of 22nm and last but not least a sufficient stability against humidity, temperature and blue flux turning our perovsite QDs commercially viable now. In this presentation we give an overview about our technical perovskite solutions for miniLED backlight films (LCD displays) and also QD pixelated color converters for microLED displays and QD‐OLED displays.