bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modeling time‐varying recruitment rates in multicenter clinical trials
Authors: Perperoglou Aris , Zhang Youyi , Kipourou Dimitra‐Kleio 
Published: October 2022

AbstractMulticenter phase II/III clinical trials are large‐scale operations that often include hundreds of recruiting centers in several countries. Therefore, the operational aspects of a trial must be thoroughly planned and closely monitored to ensure better oversight and study conduct. Predicting patient recruitment plays a pivotal role in trial monitoring as it informs how many people are expected to be recruited on a given day. As such, study teams may rely on predictions to assess progress and detect any deviations from the original plan that might put the study and potentially, patients at risk. Recruitment predictions are often based on a Poisson‐Gamma model that assumes that centers have a constant recruitment rate throughout the trial. The model has useful features and has extensively been used, yet its main assumption is often unrealistic. A nonhomogeneous Poisson process has been recently proposed that can incorporate time‐varying recruitment rates. In this work, we predict patient recruitment using both approaches and assess the impact of said assumption in a real‐world setting where studies may not necessarily have constant center‐specific recruitment rates. The paper showcases experience from modeling recruitment in trials sponsored by AstraZeneca between 2005 and 2018. In these data, there is evidence of time‐varying recruitment rates. The predictive performance of models that account for both constant and time‐varying recruitment effects is presented. Following a descriptive analysis of data, we assess model performance and investigate the impact of model misspecification.
Incorporating infectious duration‐dependent transmission into Bayesian epidemic models
Authors: Ward Caitlin , Brown Grant D. , Oleson Jacob J. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractCompartmental models are commonly used to describe the spread of infectious diseases by estimating the probabilities of transitions between important disease states. A significant challenge in fitting Bayesian compartmental models lies in the need to estimate the duration of the infectious period, based on limited data providing only symptom onset date or another proxy for the start of infectiousness. Commonly, the exponential distribution is used to describe the infectious duration, an overly simplistic approach, which is not biologically plausible. More flexible distributions can be used, but parameter identifiability and computational cost can worsen for moderately sized or large epidemics. In this article, we present a novel approach, which considers a curve of transmissibility over a fixed infectious duration. The incorporation of infectious duration‐dependent (IDD) transmissibility, which decays to zero during the infectious period, is biologically reasonable for many viral infections and fixing the length of the infectious period eases computational complexity in model fitting. Through simulation, we evaluate different functional forms of IDD transmissibility curves and show that the proposed approach offers improved estimation of the time‐varying reproductive number. We illustrate the benefit of our approach through a new analysis of the 1995 outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Natural Products for the Treatment of Drug Addiction: Narrative Review
Authors: Raslan Mona A. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractDrug addiction is considered a chronic disorder affecting the individual's life, his/her family and society. Up till now the treatment of drug addiction is considered a problematic issue. Synthetic drugs available for the treatment of drug addiction are few, of limited efficacy and associated with serious side effects. Therefore, there is a continuous search for better therapeutic agents for drug addiction. Natural products represent a promising source for drug addiction treatment. This review summaries drug addiction definition, its mechanism of action, its types, its diagnosis, factors affecting its development and different available approaches for its treatment especially the use of natural products. Six plants were discussed thoroughly in this review, including, Tabernanthe iboga Baill., Mitragyna speciosa Korth., Pueraria montana var. lobata (Willd.) Sanjappa & Pradeep, Hypericum perforatum L., Panax ginseng C.A. Mey., and Withania somnifera (L.) Dunal.
Use of the PK Papyrus covered coronary stent in the treatment of Kawasaki disease‐associated giant coronary artery aneurysms
Authors: Naimi Iman , Morray Brian , Portman Michael A. , Steinberg Zachary L. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractKawasaki disease (KD) is an acute vasculitis that can cause coronary artery inflammation and aneurysm formation leading to early obstructive disease. We describe the use of PK Papyrus covered stents (Biotronic, Inc.) in three pediatric patients to exclude coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) from the circulation and relieve aneurysm associated stenoses. Follow‐up angiography at 11–17 months postprocedure demonstrated persistent exclusion of CAA and varying degrees of in‐stent restenosis (ISR). Two patients required percutaneous coronary intervention with drug eluting stent (DES) implantation to relieve in‐stent stenosis. Our findings suggest that CAA exclusion with the PK Papyrus stent is possible and may be a valuable tool in simultaneously treating stenotic and thrombogenic CAA in pediatric KD patients. ISR of these non‐DES remains an issue and may require additional interventions within the short‐term to maintain vessel patency.
Pre‐snow and post‐snow applications of ethephon in winter enhance the suppression of annual bluegrass seedheads
Authors: Van Dyke Adam 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThe practice of applying ethephon in late fall or winter to improve spring seedhead suppression of annual bluegrass (Poa annua L.) has become more common. Two distinct winter application timings were tested in eight studies on five putting greens in Utah and Colorado from 2013 to 2017. Winter ethephon treatments preceded standard spring seedhead applications and included a pre‐snow application alone (before snow cover), a post‐snow application alone (after snow melt), or a combination of both winter timings and compared to the spring programs only. Tank mixes of Civitas Turf Defense and snow mold fungicides used in the region were also tested at the winter timings. No turf injury was observed by any ethephon treatment. Winter applications of ethephon enhanced seedhead suppression in annual bluegrass, and snow mold control was unaffected. Although either single winter ethephon application would improve suppression, more suppression may be achieved by making both a pre‐snow and post‐snow application.
Challenges in the Design of Biotechnological Production Facilities Based on Single‐Use Technologies
Authors: Kiesewetter Sven , Platas Barradas Oscar 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThe design of single‐use and single‐use/stainless‐steel hybrid systems require attention to the routing of hoses and cables. Commercial solutions are available, but customized, technically simple solutions are often successful. For hybrid systems, status “functionally closed” is often required. Chemical sanitization compared to steam sanitization includes improved process reliability and handling. In this contribution, examples of design solutions and recommendations for efficient and safe design and operation of single‐use/stainless‐steel hybrid plants are provided.
Green synthesis of templated porous carbons
Authors: de Andrade Schaffner Rodolfo , Borba Carlos Eduardo , Tavares Fernanda , Oliveira Lígia Gomes , Castaño Pedro , Alves Helton José 
Published: October 2022

AbstractPorous carbon materials such as activated carbons are widely used industrially for the purposes of purification, decolourization, deodorization, and gas storage, among others. Routes for the synthesis of these materials employing templates have increasingly attracted attention due to the ease of manipulating the characteristics of the final product. In the present work, a simple synthesis method was applied for the production of highly porous carbon materials using commercial sugar as the carbon source, Aerosil silica as a template, and deionized water. The synthesis procedure was as follows: (I) Gel formation; (II) carbonization of the gels; (III) removal of the silica template; (IV) activation. The materials were characterized by N2 and CO2 physisorption, Raman spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis. The aging time had an important influence on the specific area and porosity of the material, with physisorption analysis revealing a high specific area and pore volume. The activation procedures further contributed to significantly increasing the specific area (up to 1158 m2 g−1) and pore volume (up to 1.65 cm3 g−1). The X‐ray diffractograms and Raman spectra identified the formation of semi‐crystalline structures in the material, with the presence of a random distribution of graphite and graphene oxide, in addition to amorphous carbon. FTIR analysis showed the presence of bands corresponding to aromatic groups. The results demonstrated that it was possible to obtain materials with excellent potential for use in different industrial sectors using simple raw materials and a technique that is easy to reproduce.
Gastric cancer incidence trends in China and Japan from 1990 to 2019: Disentangling age–period–cohort patterns
Authors: Li Yuansheng , Ren Ningjun , Zhang Beibei , Yang Chao , Li Ailing , Li Xiang , Lei Zhi , Fei Liping , Fan Song , Zhang Junhui 
Published: October 2022

AbstractBackgroundRecent data have shown divergent trends in gastric cancer (GC) incidence between China and Japan; however, the cause for has not been explored.MethodsWe retrieved GC incidence data from 1990 to 2019 from the Global Burden of Disease study, stratified by sex for both countries. We analyzed annual average percentage change (AAPC) via a joinpoint regression model and estimated the effects of age, period, and cohort via the age–period–cohort model.ResultsThe age‐standardized incidence rate trends for GC decreased in both countries and both sexes, but the reduction was more pronounced in Japan because the AAPC for Japanese males (AAPC = −2.65%; 95% CI, −2.98 to −2.32) was eight times greater than that of Chinese males (AAPC = −0.30%; 95% CI, −0.5 to −0.09). The age and cohort effects on the trend are similar in both countries: the risk of GC incidence increased with age among the Chinese and the Japanese but was lower among younger birth cohorts. The two countries showed contrasting trends over the study period; although the risk of GC rapidly decreased for Japanese males and females, it increased by twofold among Chinese males.ConclusionsThe period effect is the main reason for the divergent trends in age‐standardized incidence rate for GC in China and Japan. By comparing national cancer control programs in both countries, we concluded that countries with a high prevalence of GC, such as China, can learn from Japan's experience in controlling GC by actively conducting national population screening, which is expected to facilitate both prevention and treatment of GC.Lay summary

More than one‐half of all new gastric cancer (GC) worldwide occur in China and Japan, but the reasons for the different incidence trends have not been thoroughly analyzed.
Analysis using the age–period–cohort model confirmed that the cohort effect was the main reason for the decline in age‐standardized incidence rate (ASIR) for GC and that the period effect may be the main reason for the divergent trends in gastric cancer ASIR in China and Japan.
The effect of cardiac properties on arterial pulse waves: An in‐silico study
Authors: Piccioli Francesco , Valiani Alessandro , Alastruey Jordi , Caleffi Valerio 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThis study investigated the effects of cardiac properties variability on arterial pulse wave morphology using blood flow modelling and pulse wave analysis. A lumped‐parameter model of the left part of the heart was coupled to a one‐dimensional model of the arterial network and validated using reference pulse waveforms in turn verified by comparison with in vivo measurements. A sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the effects of variations in cardiac parameters on central and peripheral pulse waveforms. Results showed that left ventricle contractility, stroke volume, cardiac cycle duration, and heart valves impairment are determinants of central waveforms morphology, pulse pressure and its amplification. Contractility of the left atrium has negligible effects on arterial pulse waves. Results also suggested that it might be possible to infer left ventricular dysfunction by analysing the timing of the dicrotic notch and cardiac function by analysing PPG signals. This study has identified cardiac properties that may be extracted from in vivo central and peripheral pulse waves to assess cardiac function.
Providing performance portable numerics for Intel GPUs
Authors: Tsai Yu‐Hsiang M. , Cojean Terry , Anzt Hartwig 
Published: October 2022

SummaryWith discrete Intel GPUs entering the high‐performance computing landscape, there is an urgent need for production‐ready software stacks for these platforms. In this article, we report how we enable the Ginkgo math library to execute on Intel GPUs by developing a kernel backed based on the DPC++ programming environment. We discuss conceptual differences between the CUDA and DPC++ programming models and describe workflows for simplified code conversion. We evaluate the performance of basic and advanced sparse linear algebra routines available in Ginkgo's DPC++ backend in the hardware‐specific performance bounds and compare against routines providing the same functionality that ship with Intel's oneMKL vendor library.
Construction of Long‐Range Magnetic Sequences on Different Surfaces of BaTiO3
Authors: Gao Bo , Xu Qun 
Published: October 2022

AbstractUsing the first‐principles spin‐density‐functional theory calculations, we studied the origin of ferromagnetism from non‐magnetic ferroelectric barium titanate (BaTiO3) and found out vacancies in different surface can successfully contribute to the origin of ferromagnetism. Accurately, our findings demonstrate that both O and Ti vacancies induce ferromagnetism on the (001) and (010) surfaces of BaTiO3, and the optimal Ti−O bond length can control the vacancy‐induced spin density that is delocalized or concentrated in the real space outside the vacancy, and it helps to enhance our understanding on the long‐range magnetic order induced by the vacancy. In addition, intrinsic magnetism is shown on the defect‐free (110) surface, and the structure is found to be a near‐ideal two‐dimensional Ising ferromagnet with large magnetocrystalline anisotropy, and it supplies the platform for studying basic spin behavior of BaTiO3 and more according materials.
ZnSe and CdS Co‐Sensitized TiO2Nanorod Arrays as Photoanodes for Bias‐Free Solar Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Gunasekaran Ashokan , Sadhasivam Subramani , Anbarasan Nallathambi , Jeganathan Kulandaivel 
Published: October 2022

AbstractThe efficient charge separation and surface state reactions are significant in enhancing the efficiency of photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution. Herein, we report a ternary heterostructure consisting of CdS/ZnSe sensitized TiO2nanorod as a photoanode. The heterojunction photoanode considerably widens the photon absorption spectral range and thereby enhances the photocurrent density up to 2 mA/cm2at 1.23 V versus RHE which is 10 times higher than pristine TiO2photoanode. The photoelectrochemical results demonstrate a high photocurrent density of 2 mA/cm2with a photon‐to‐current conversion efficiency of 1.5 % at a very low applied bias (0.2 V vs RHE). The improved PEC performances of the multidimensional hybrid photoanode could be ascribed to the efficient visible‐light absorption of ZnSe and CdS nanocrystals decorated on the surface of 1D TiO2. The rapid electron‐transfer properties owing to higher carrier density, low carrier transport resistance, and an extended lifetime of photoexcited carriers in the multidimensional ZnSe/CdS/TiO2heterostructure with suppressed surface charge recombination are responsible for enhanced hydrogen evolution activities.
Assessment of Antitumor and Antiproliferative Efficacy and Detection of Protein‐Protein Interactions in Cancer Cells from 3D Tumor Spheroids
Authors: Sonju Jafrin Jobayer , Dahal Achyut , Prasasty Vivitri Dewi , Shrestha Prajesh , Liu Yong‐Yu , Jois Seetharama D. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractWhen compared to two‐dimensional (2D) cell cultures, 3D spheroids have been considered suitable in vitro models for drug discovery research and other studies of drug activity. Based on different 3D cell culture procedures, we describe procedures we have used to obtain 3D tumor spheroids by both the hanging‐drop and ultra‐low‐attachment plate methods and to analyze the antiproliferative and antitumor efficacy of different chemotherapeutic agents, including a peptidomimetic. We have applied this method to breast and lung cancer cell lines such as BT‐474, MCF‐7, A549, and Calu‐3. We also describe a proximity ligation assay of the cells from the spheroid model to detect protein‐protein interactions of EGFR and HER2. © 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.Basic Protocol 1: Growth of 3D spheroids using the hanging‐drop methodBasic Protocol 2: Growth of spheroids using ultra‐low‐attachment platesSupport Protocol 1: Cell viability assay of tumor spheroidsSupport Protocol 2: Antiproliferative and antitumor study in 3D tumor spheroidsSupport Protocol 3: Proximity ligation assay on cells derived from 3D spheroids
Imaging Inflammasome Activation in Microglia
Authors: Martin Negin P. , Harry G. Jean 
Published: October 2022

AbstractInflammasomes are multiprotein complexes that play key roles in the host's innate immune response to insult. The assembly of an inflammatory complex is initiated with the oligomerization of the upstream inflammasome‐forming sensor and then follows a well‐orchestrated multi‐step process leading to downstream effector functions that are critical in the innate immune response. The final assembly of these steps provides a detectable readout of inflammasome complex activation in the form of an apoptosis‐associated speck‐like protein containing a CARD (ASC) speck. Inflammasome activation—and the release of IL‐1β and ASC specks from the microglia, the brain resident immune cell—have been implicated in various neurological and neurodegenerative disorders. Protocols exist for the generation of fluorescent inflammasome indicator peripheral macrophages. Building upon these protocols, we describe here a protocol that details the generation of fluorescent inflammasome indicator microglia cells using recombinant retroviruses to transduce murine BV‐2 cells. In this protocol, the cells are established in a manner to allow for experimental control of the initial priming step of the inflammasome activation process. We then provide a series of steps for using these reporter cells within an inflammasome activation assay and use real‐time imaging of ASC‐speck formation as an indicator of inflammasome activation. In addition, we describe strategies for using these cells for examining the effects of a test substance on inflammasome activation. This protocol offers an effective approach conducive to screening for and examining modifications of microglia inflammasome activation due to exposure to chemicals or pharmacological agents. © Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.Basic Protocol 1: Production of retroviruses to express inflammasome indicatorBasic Protocol 2: Generation of inflammasome indicator BV‐2 cellsBasic Protocol 3: Priming and activation of BV‐2‐ASC‐Cerulean cells for inflammasome activation assayBasic Protocol 4: Examining modifications to inflammasome activation by test substancesBasic Protocol 5: Imaging and analysis of ASC speck formation
Toxin‐Blocking Textiles: Rapid, Benign, Roll‐to‐Roll Production of Robust MOF‐Fabric Composites for Organophosphate Separation and Hydrolysis
Authors: Morgan Sarah E. , Willis Morgan L. , Dianat Golnaz , Peterson Gregory W. , Mahle John J. , Parsons Gregory N. 
Published: October 2022

AbstractCurrent approaches to create zirconium‐based metal–organic framework (MOF) fabric composites for catalysis, water purification, wound healing, gas sorption, and other applications often rely on toxic solvents, long reaction/post processing times, and batch methods hindering process scalability. Here, a novel mechanism was reported for rapid UiO‐66‐NH2 synthesis in common low‐boiling‐point solvents (water, ethanol, and acetic acid) and revealed acid–base chemistry promoting full linker dissolution and vapor‐based crystallization. The mechanism enabled scalable roll‐to‐roll production of mechanically resilient UiO‐66‐NH2 fabrics with superior chemical protective capability. Solvent choice and segregated spray delivery of organic linker and metal salt MOF precursor solutions allowed for rapid MOF nucleation on the fiber surface and decreased the energy and time needed for post‐processing, producing an activated composite in less than 165 min, far outpacing conventional MOF‐fabric synthesis approaches. The MOF‐fabric hydrolyzed and blocked permeation of the chemical warfare agent soman, outperforming the protection‐standard activated carbon cloth. This work presents both chemical insights into Zr‐MOF powder and fabric composite formation by a rapid, industrially relevant approach and demonstrates its practicality and affordability for high‐performing personal protective equipment.
Examining the feasibility of a parental self‐help intervention for families awaiting pediatric eating disorder services
Authors: Couturier Jennifer , Sami Sadaf , Nicula Maria , Pellegrini Danielle , Webb Cheryl , Johnson Natasha , Lock James 
Published: October 2022

AbstractObjectiveWaitlists for eating disorder (ED) services grew immensely during the COVID‐19 pandemic. To address this, we studied the feasibility of a novel parental self‐help waitlist intervention.MethodParents of a child/adolescent (7–17 years) awaiting pediatric ED services were provided with our intervention, adapted from the family‐based treatment model, and consisting of videos and reading material with no therapist involvement. Parent‐reported child/adolescent weight was collected weekly 6 weeks pre‐intervention, 2 weeks during the intervention, and 6‐week post‐intervention. Recruitment and retention rates were calculated. Regression‐based interrupted time series analyses were completed to measure changes in the rate of weight gain.ResultsNinety‐seven parents were approached, and 30 agreed to participate (31% recruitment rate). All but one completed end‐of‐study measures (97% retention rate). The average rate of weight gain was 0.24 lbs/week pre‐intervention, which increased significantly to 0.78 lbs/week post‐intervention (p < .034).DiscussionOur findings provide preliminary evidence that this intervention is feasible. Future research is needed to confirm the efficacy of this intervention on a larger scale.Public SignificanceThe COVID‐19 pandemic has resulted in several challenges in providing care for children and adolescents with eating disorders, including long waiting lists and delays in treatment. This study suggests that providing parents on a waitlist with educational videos and reading material is acceptable to parents, and may even help in improving the child's symptoms of an eating disorder.