bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison between botulinum toxin and steroid septal injection in the treatment of allergic rhinitis
Authors: Huang Cheng‐Chieh , Chen Kuan‐Wei , Twu Chih‐Wen , Huang Hung‐Meng , Hsu Hsin‐Chien 
Published: January 2022

AbstractObjectiveTo compare the effects of botulinum toxin and steroid septal injections in treating allergic rhinitis (AR) by evaluating improvements in the rhinitis control assessment test (RCAT), visual analog scale (VAS), nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) scores, and active anterior rhinomanometry (RMM) measurements.MethodsThis prospective, single‐blinded cohort study was conducted at the Department of Otolaryngology, Taipei City Hospital between January 2017 and December 2018. Ninety‐five patients were randomized to receive botulinum toxin, dexamethasone, or normal saline (group A, group B, and placebo, respectively). The main outcome measures were pretreatment subjective nasal symptoms (RCAT, VAS, and NOSE) and active anterior RMM measurements. All measurements were repeated during posttreatment 1, 2, and 3 months.ResultsNo significant difference was observed in pretreatment questionnaire scores and RMM values between the study and placebo groups. The mean posttreatment RCAT, VAS, and NOSE scores after 1 and 2 months significantly improved in the treatment groups compared to placebo. The VAS and NOSE at posttreatment 2 months and RCAT, VAS, and NOSE at posttreatment 3 months were significantly different comparing group A to group B. All RMM parameters showed better values in group A than in group B at 1, 2, and 3 months posttreatment, with significant differences in four parameters in posttreatment 3 months.ConclusionsBotulinum toxin septal injection is a safe treatment option for AR and improves subjective nasal symptoms for 3 months. Botulinum toxin A injection tended to be more effective than steroid septal injection in terms of duration and degree.Level of Evidence: 2b, individual cohort study.
Research on the reliability of X70 steel gas pipelines under SRB main control factors
Authors: Yang Yuan , Xiao Chuantao , Yang Ye , Liang Bo 
Published: January 2022

AbstractSulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB) corrosion is the main type of corrosion that occurs when steel for transportation gas pipeline (X70) passes through the soil. Based on the actual corrosion data of hanging pieces in an engineering site and SRB preparation liquid experiments, the corrosion characteristics of X70 pipeline steel under the action of SRB were studied, and the safety of gas transmission pipelines was evaluated. The weight‐loss method and scanning electron microscope analysis method were being used. According to the industry standards, the SRB biofilm protection efficiency was selected as the evaluation index to analyze the pipeline safety capabilities. The research results are as follows: (1) Considering the main control factors for SRB, it is found that the corrosion behavior of X70 steel was related to biofilms, SRB metabolism and the formation of corrosion products; (2) the railway crossing section had the highest degree of corrosion, and the areas adjacent to it were also seriously corroded. There was a certain connection between stray current and SRB corrosion, so as to determine the promotion effect of stray current on SRB corrosion. The processing capability was assessed to be severely insufficient, requiring and corrosion and pressure resistance tests. In engineering, high‐performance materials or temporary coatings can be used, but targeted microbial control based on the SRB corrosion mechanism has greater engineering value.
MScanFit motor unit number estimation of human anconeus muscle
Authors: Zong Ya , Lu Zhiyuan , Chen Maoqi , Xie Qin , Zhou Ping 
Published: January 2022

AbstractIntroduction/AimsMotor unit number estimation (MUNE) studies of the anconeus muscle are very limited, although the information they provide is useful for neurophysiological investigations. The objective of this study was to estimate the number of motor units in the anconeus muscle.MethodsCompound muscle action potential scans of the anconeus muscle were recorded from 11 healthy participants, all of whom were tested on two occasions. MUNE was determined from the MScanFit program.ResultsThe average MUNE of the anconeus muscle was 55.09 ± 3.27 (mean ± standard error of the mean) for the first test and 54.64 ± 3.70 for the retest, demonstrating excellent measurement reliability, with an intraclass correlation coefficient of 0.90.DiscussionA relatively low motor unit number is found in the anconeus, a muscle not comprehensively studied in literature.
Temporal Trends in Macroscopic Indicators of Fish Health in the South Branch Potomac River
Authors: Keplinger Brandon , Hedrick James , Blazer Vicki S. 
Published: January 2022

Abstract
Over recent decades, the South Branch Potomac River, West Virginia, has experienced fish kills and episodes of suppressed health in adult fish that have spanned small stretches to nearly 120 km of contiguous habitat. Although factors such as endocrine disruption, chemical contaminants, and infectious agents have been detected, no single causal mechanism has been identified. To gain information about the temporal nature of abnormalities, differences in life stage impacts, and potential risk factors, investigations of rank scores of macroscopic fish health indicators were conducted utilizing seasonal and annual boat electrofishing surveys for Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu (SMB) and Golden Redhorse Moxostoma erythrurum (GDR). Gill and body abnormalities were assigned rank scores for each fish based on visual severity and were tested for correlation with seasonal climatic (flow and stream temperature) and environmental (stream pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity) factors. Comparisons between juveniles and adults for these species indicated that body lesions were more common for adult GDR and gill lesions were more common for adult SMB. Significantly higher rank sums of adult gill abnormalities corresponded with heavy annual mortality of SMB between ages 2 and 3 (86%), the period during which this species transitions from juvenile to adult length. Higher ranks were frequently assigned to fish of both species for gill and body/fin lesions in summer and fall samples. Low stream discharge and lower pH correlated with elevations of body raised lesions (GDR) and body erosions (GDR and SMB) as well as erosions of the gill lamellae (SMB). This study connects the disciplines of fisheries management, fish health, and environmental monitoring, providing information gained through tracking the macroscopic conditions of these two indicator species to focus future studies and better understand risks to fish health.
Evaluation of malnutrition risk and nutrition status in adult patients with common variable immunodeficiency
Authors: Yıldız Eray , Arslan Şevket , Çölkesen Fatih , Sadi Aykan Filiz , Evcen Recep , Kılınç Mehmet , Aytekin Gökhan 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study is to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in outpatients with common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and the utility of nutrition screening tools to detect malnutrition in these patients.MethodsFifty outpatients with CVID were included in the study. Nutrition risk for each patient was evaluated using four nutrition screening tools: Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST), Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ), and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS‐2002).ResultsAccording to MUST, MST, SNAQ, and NRS‐2002, malnutrition risk was determined to be 48% (n = 24), 26% (n = 13), 20% (n = 10), and 20% (n = 10), respectively. Malnutrition was detected in 54% (n = 27) of the patients. It was found that MUST showed a better correlation in detecting malnutrition in outpatients with CVID (κ = 0.482, P = 0.001). MUST has a higher positive and negative predictive value than other nutrition screening tools (79% and 70%, respectively). In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, it was found that low serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) levels at diagnosis increased the risk of malnutrition by ∼15 times, and low CD19+ B‐cell counts increased the risk by approximately eight times.ConclusionThe prevalence of malnutrition in patients with CVID was found to be quite high, and there was a strong correlation between malnutrition and low CD19+ B‐cell counts and low serum IgA levels. Given the high rate of malnutrition in patients with CVID, nutrition assessment is recommended rather than starting with nutrition screening.
Ocular abnormalities at diagnosis and after the completion of treatment in children and adolescents with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Gotti Giacomo , Stevenson Kristen , Kay‐Green Samantha , Blonquist Traci M. , Mantagos Jason S. , Silverman Lewis B. , Place Andrew E. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractBackgroundOcular abnormalities (OA) in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are common findings both at diagnosis and later in follow‐up. The frequency, predictors, and prognostic impact of OA in the context of recent ALL protocols are not well characterized.ProcedureSingle‐center retrospective analysis of the medical records of 224 patients with ALL enrolled on Dana‐Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) ALL Consortium Protocol 05‐001.ResultsOverall, 217 (98%) patients had at least one ophthalmic exam. Retinal hemorrhages were the most frequent abnormalities at diagnosis (11%) and cataracts at later time points (13%). OA at diagnosis were associated with age ≥10 years and with the severity of anemia and thrombocytopenia; they were also univariately associated with lower 5‐year event‐free survival (EFS) (high risk [HR] = 3.09 [95% CI: 1.38–6.94]; p = .006), but not in a disease‐free survival (DFS) model adjusted for end‐induction minimal residual disease (p = .82). The cumulative incidence of cataract was 13.1% ± 2.8% at 43 months from diagnosis; its development was associated with high presenting white blood cell count (≥50,000/μl) (p = .010), male sex (p = .036), higher risk group (p = .025), and cranial radiation (p = .004). Cataract was associated with decreased visual acuity.ConclusionsOA at diagnosis, present in 12% of patients, were associated with older age, anemia, and thrombocytopenia and did not carry a significant prognostic impact. Cataracts were detected in over 10% of patients and were associated with decreased visual acuity, thus supporting routine screening after completion of therapy, especially for those treated with high‐risk protocols.
Electrical treeing characteristics of alumina‐, zinc oxide‐, and organoclay‐nanoparticle‐filledXLPEnanocomposites
Authors: Hamzah Muhammad Safwan , Jaafar Mariatti , Ismail Hanafi , Mohd Jamil Mohamad Kamarol 
Published: January 2022

AbstractPolymer nanocomposites have been widely exploited in different engineering applications like high‐voltage engineering application. This is mainly associated with the ease at which they can be tailored toward specific applications. In the present work, alumina‐ and organoclay‐based nanofillers were separately incorporated in cross‐linked polyethylene (XLPE). Different formulations of the XLPE nanocomposites were fabricated with the help of an internal mixer after which they were molded to produce test specimens. The effect of nanofiller variation (0.25 and 0.5 wt% loading) on the electrical treeing phenomenon is reported herein. It was observed that the incorporation of 0.5 wt% alumina significantly enhances the tree inception voltage. In addition, compared to 0.25 wt% alumina‐, 0.25 and 0.5 wt% organoclay‐filled XLPE nanocomposites, 0.5 wt% alumina was found to lower the length and growth of the electrical tree, as well as the expansion coefficient of the XLPE nanocomposite.
Iterative learning control for high‐speed trains with velocity and displacement constraints
Authors: Huang Deqing , Huang Tengfei , Chen Chunrong , Qin Na , Jin Xu , Wang Qingyuan , Chen Yong 
Published: January 2022

AbstractIn this article, a novel iterative learning control (ILC) scheme is presented for the operation control of high‐speed train (HST), where the velocity and displacement of HST are strictly limited to ensure safety and comfort. The model of HST constructed in the article is practical in the sense that both parametric and nonparametric uncertainties of system are addressed simultaneously. Backstepping design with the newly proposed barrier Lyapunov function is incorporated in analysis to ensure the uniform convergence of the state tracking error and that the constraint requirements on velocity and displacement would not be violated during the whole operation process. In the end, a simulation study is presented to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed ILC law.
On breadth‐first constructions of scaling limits of random graphs and random unicellular maps
Authors: Miermont Grégory , Sen Sanchayan 
Published: January 2022

AbstractWe give alternate constructions of (i) the scaling limit of the uniform connected graphs with given fixed surplus, and (ii) the continuum random unicellular map of a given genus that start with a suitably tilted Brownian continuum random tree and make “horizontal” point identifications, at random heights, using the local time measures. Consequently, this can be seen as a continuum analogue of the breadth‐first construction of a finite connected graph. In particular, this yields a breadth‐first construction of the scaling limit of the critical Erdős–Rényi random graph which answers a question posed by Addario‐Berry, Broutin, and Goldschmidt. As a consequence of this breadth‐first construction, we obtain descriptions of the radii, the distance profiles, and the two point functions of these spaces in terms of functionals of tilted Brownian excursions.
Arguing about argument and evidence: Disagreements and ambiguities in science education research and practice
Authors: Tang Xiaowei , Levin Daniel M. , Chumbley Alexander K. , Elby Andrew 
Published: January 2022

AbstractScience education researchers agree about the importance of evidence in science practices such as argumentation. Yet, disagreements and ambiguities about what counts as “evidence” in science classrooms pervade the literature. We argue that these ambiguities and disagreements can be viewed as falling along three fault lines: (i) the source of evidence, specifically, whether it must be first‐hand; (ii) whether “evidence” must always be empirical; and (iii) the extent to which evidence is inferred, and what degree of inference transforms “evidence” into something else. In this paper, after showing how these three fault lines manifest in the literature, we argue that these three dimensions of disagreements and ambiguities are not confined to research and research‐based curricula; they are also salient in teachers' classroom practice, as illustrated by a dramatic, multiday debate between a mentor teacher and her teacher intern. After establishing the salience of the three fault lines in both research and practice, we explore whether Next Generation Science Standard (NGSS) can provide a resolution to the teachers' debate and to the disagreements/ambiguities in the literature. Our analysis reveals that NGSS reproduces rather than resolves those three fault lines—but in doing so, it invites a resolution of a different type. Instead of providing a single, precise, context‐independent definition of “evidence,” NGSS implicitly reflects a defensible view that what counts as “evidence” depends on the epistemic aims of the practices in which the students are engaged. This implied context‐dependency of what counts as good evidence use, we argue, could be made explicit in an addendum document clarifying aspects of NGSS. Doing so would provide valuable guidance to teachers, teacher educators, and researchers.
Science practice‐readiness: Novice elementary teachers' developing knowledge of science practices
Authors: Bismack Amber S. , Davis Elizabeth A. , Palincsar Annemarie S. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractWith the shifts in science education emphasizing the integration of science practices with science content, there is a need to know how teachers understand those science practices within their teaching practice. Our primary research question was, What do novice elementary teachers know about the science practices, in terms of what the practices are and how to engage students in the science practices? To answer that question, the current qualitative case study investigated how three novice elementary teachers' knowledge of the science practices is evident in their teaching practice across 4 years: 2 years in a practice‐based teacher education program and 2 years teaching. Data sources included videorecords of the teachers' science instruction, lesson plans, reflections, and interviews. The findings indicate that the novice elementary teachers' knowledge of the science practices and how to teach them varied, with their understanding of how to teach some science practices more evident than their knowledge of the nuances of the practices themselves. Across all of the science practices, they demonstrated a strong understanding that students should be the ones engaging in the intellectual work of the science practices, and not the teacher. As novice elementary teachers learn how to teach science, they may develop their science practice‐readiness, which can serve as a building block for understanding the science practices in greater depth with more teaching experience. The current study has implications for teacher educators when developing opportunities to support novices' understanding of the science practices in ways that can expand with more teaching experience.
Protein Needles Designed to Self‐Assemble through Needle Tip Engineering
Authors: Kikuchi Kosuke , Fukuyama Tatsuya , Uchihashi Takayuki , Furuta Tadaomi , Maeda Yusuke T. , Ueno Takafumi 
Published: January 2022

AbstractThe dynamic process of formation of protein assemblies is essential to form highly ordered structures in biological systems. Advances in structural and synthetic biology have led to the construction of artificial protein assemblies. However, development of design strategies exploiting the anisotropic shape of building blocks of protein assemblies has not yet been achieved. Here, the 2D assembly pattern of protein needles (PNs) is controlled by regulating their tip‐to‐tip interactions. The PN is an anisotropic needle‐shaped protein composed of β‐helix, foldon, and His‐tag. Three different types of tip‐modified PNs are designed by deleting the His‐tag and foldon to change the protein–protein interactions. Observing their assembly by high‐speed atomic force microscopy (HS‐AFM) reveals that PN, His‐tag deleted PN, and His‐tag and foldon deleted PN form triangular lattices, the monomeric state with nematic order, and fiber assemblies, respectively, on a mica surface. Their assembly dynamics are observed by HS‐AFM and analyzed by the theoretical models. Monte Carlo (MC) simulations indicate that the mica‐PN interactions and the flexible and multipoint His‐tag interactions cooperatively guide the formation of the triangular lattice. This work is expected to provide a new strategy for constructing supramolecular protein architectures by controlling directional interactions of anisotropic shaped proteins.
Fabrication Technologies for the On‐Chip Integration of 2D Materials
Authors: Jia Linnan , Wu Jiayang , Zhang Yuning , Qu Yang , Jia Baohua , Chen Zhigang , Moss David J. 
Published: January 2022

AbstractWith compact footprint, low energy consumption, high scalability, and mass producibility, chip‐scale integrated devices are an indispensable part of modern technological change and development. Recent advances in 2D layered materials with their unique structures and distinctive properties have motivated their on‐chip integration, yielding a variety of functional devices with superior performance and new features. To realize integrated devices incorporating 2D materials, it requires a diverse range of device fabrication techniques, which are of fundamental importance to achieve good performance and high reproducibility. This paper reviews the state‐of‐art fabrication techniques for the on‐chip integration of 2D materials. First, an overview of the material properties and on‐chip applications of 2D materials is provided. Second, different approaches used for integrating 2D materials on chips are comprehensively reviewed, which are categorized into material synthesis, on‐chip transfer, film patterning, and property tuning/modification. Third, the methods for integrating 2D van der Waals heterostructures are also discussed and summarized. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives are highlighted.
CppyABM: An open‐source agent‐based modeling library to integrate C++ and Python
Authors: Nourisa Jalil , Zeller‐Plumhoff Berit , Willumeit‐Römer Regine 
Published: January 2022

AbstractAgent‐based modeling (ABM) has been extensively used to study the collective behavior of systems emerging from the interaction of numerous independent individuals called agents. Python and C++ are commonly used for ABM thanks to their unique features; the latter offers superior performance while the former provides ease‐of‐use and rich libraries in data science, visualization, and machine learning. We present the framework CppyABM that unifies these features by providing identical ABM semantic and development styles in both C++ and Python as well as the essential binding tools to expose a certain functionality from C++ to Python. The binding feature allows users to tailor and further extend a type or function within Python while it is originally defined in C++. Using CppyABM, users can choose either C++ or Python depending on their expertise and the specialty of the model or combine them to benefit from the advantages of both languages simultaneously. We provide showcases of CppyABM capabilities using several examples in computational biology, ecology, and virology. These examples are implemented in different formats using either C++ or Python or a combination of both to provide a comparison between the performance of implementation scenarios. The results of the example show a clear performance advantage of the models entirely or partly implemented in C++ compared to purely Python‐based implementations.
Effects of environmental temperature on the mechanical properties of polyethylene fiber‐engineered cementitious composites
Authors: Dong Fangyuan , Yu Kequan , Yu Jiangtao , Wang Yichao , Liu Keke 
Published: January 2022

AbstractEngineered cementitious composites (ECC) incorporated with synthetic fibers possess extraordinary tensile capacity; however, temperature sensitivity of synthetic fiber arouses concern about the reliability of ECC working at extremely environmental temperature. This article is aimed to study the influence of environmental temperatures, from −20 to 90°C, on the mechanical properties of polyethylene (PE) fiber reinforced ECC (PE‐ECC). Experiments were conducted from four different angles, that is, compressive, and tensile properties of composites, fiber bridging behavior of composites, fracture toughness of cementitious matrix, and tensile property of PE fiber bundle. It is demonstrated that temperatures have significant impacts on the tensile and compressive strength of PE‐ECC. Furthermore, the test results indicated that the tensile strength of PE fiber, fracture toughness of matrix and fiber bridging strength all decreased, while the elongation of fiber and crack opening displacement are increased with temperature increasing from −20 to 90°C. On this basis, a pseudo‐strain‐hardening index is utilized to explain the mechanism underlying the temperature‐dependent behaviors of PE‐ECC.