bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An investigation into the principal modes of action of surfactants and how a novel formulation may improve turfgrass quality by increasing the dominance of Agrostis spp. in golf greens
Authors: Martin Thomas , Rothwell Shane , Stevens Carly
Published: March 2022

The aim of this study was to establish the mechanisms underpinning the observations made in a field trial that suggested that a novel surfactant treatment could promote bentgrasses (Agrostis spp.) in golf greens that contain annual meadow grass (Poa annua L.). Assessments of the effects of three surfactant treatments (named Treatments 1, 2, and 3) on shoot height, biomass accumulation, rhizosheath properties, soil water distribution, and rooting characteristics were made over the course of two experiments carried out under controlled conditions. We found that the leaf extension rate was significantly affected in the two grass species to different extents, depending on the surfactant used. This finding could have positive implications for turf quality in the field for a newly developed formulation (Treatment 3), which was observed to be the case in the field trial that pre‐dated this study. The same treatment also resulted in significant differences in the grasses in terms of rhizosheath size compared with untreated soil. We found that surfactants affected the distribution of water in the soil by increasing the rhizosheath water content to bulk soil water content ratio, potentially maximizing water and nutrient uptake by the roots. The combination of effects observed with use of the novel surfactant treatment may lead to improved water use efficiency and a more desirable sward composition for golf greens.
Influence of conventional hydrogen bonds in the intercalation of phenanthroline derivatives with DNA: The important role of the sugar and phosphate backbone
Authors: Sánchez‐González Ángel , Grenut Pierre , Gil Adrià
Published: March 2022

The influence of hydrogen bonds in model intercalated systems between guanine‐cytosine and adenine‐thymine DNA base pairs (bps) was analyzed with the popular intercalator 1,10‐phenanthroline (phen) and derivatives obtained by substitution with OH and NH2groups in positions 4 and 7. Semiempirical and Density Functional Theory (DFT) methods were used both including dispersion effects: PM6‐DH2, M06‐2X and B3LYP‐D3 along with the recently developed near linear‐scaling coupled cluster method DLPNO‐CCSD(T) for benchmark calculations. Our results given by QTAIM and non‐covalent interaction analysis confirmed the existence of hydrogen bonds created by OH and NH2. The trends in the energy decomposition analysis for the interaction energy, ΔEint, showed that the ΔEelstatcontributions are equal or even a little bit higher than the values for ΔEdisp. Such important ΔEelstatattractive contribution comes mainly from the conventional hydrogen bonds formed by OH and NH2functional groups with DNA not only with bps but specially with the sugar and phosphate backbone. This behavior is very different from that of phen and other classical intercalators that cannot form conventional hydrogen bonds, where the ΔEdispis the most important attractive contribution to the ΔEint. The inclusion of explicit water molecules in molecular dynamics simulations showed, as a general trend, that the hydrogen bonds with the bps disappear during the simulations but those with the sugar and phosphate backbone remain in time, which highlights the important role of the sugar and phosphate backbone in the stabilization of these systems.
Dismantlement of ammonia upon interaction with Ben(n ≤ 10) clusters
Authors: Yáñez Manuel , Ortíz‐Chi Filiberto , Merino Gabriel , Alkorta Ibon
Published: March 2022

The interaction of ammonia with Ben(n < 1–10) clusters has been investigated by density functional theory and ab initio calculations. The main conclusion is that, regardless of the size of the Be cluster, neither the structure of ammonia nor that of the Be clusters are preserved due to a systematic dissociation of its NH bonds and a spontaneous H‐shift toward the available Be atoms. This H migration not only leads to rather stable BeH bonds, but dramatically enhances the strength of the BeN bonds as well. Accordingly, the maximum stability is found for the interaction with the beryllium trimer, leading to a complex with three NBe and three BeH bonds. Another maximum in stability, although lower than that reached forn = 3, is found for the Be heptamer, since fromn = 6, a new NBe bond is formed, so that complexes fromn = 6 ton = 10 are characterized by the formation of a NBe4moiety, whose stability reaches a maximum atn = 7. The bonding characteristics of the different species formed are analyzed by means of AIM, NBO, ELF and AdNDP approaches.
Association of shorter leucocyte telomere length with risk of frailty
Authors: Bountziouka Vasiliki , Nelson Christopher P. , Codd Veryan , Wang Qingning , Musicha Crispin , Allara Elias , Kaptoge Stephen , Di Angelantonio Emanuele , Butterworth Adam S. , Thompson John R. , Curtis Elizabeth M. , Wood Angela M. , Danesh John N. , Harvey Nicholas C. , Cooper Cyrus , Samani Nilesh J.
Published: March 2022

Background

Frailty is a multidimensional syndrome of decline that affects multiple systems and predisposes to adverse health outcomes. Although chronological age is the major risk factor, inter‐individual variation in risk is not fully understood. Leucocyte telomere length (LTL), a proposed marker of biological age, has been associated with risk of many diseases. We sought to determine whether LTL is associated with risk of frailty.

Methods

We utilized cross‐sectional data from 441 781 UK Biobank participants (aged 40–69 years), with complete data on frailty indicators and LTL. Frailty was defined as the presence of at least three of five indicators: weaker grip strength, slower walking pace, weight loss in the past year, lower physical activity, and exhaustion in the past 2 weeks. LTL was measured using a validated qPCR method and reported as a ratio of the telomere repeat number (T) to a single‐copy gene (S) (T/S ratio). Association of LTL with frailty was evaluated using adjusted (chronological age, sex, deprivation, smoking, alcohol intake, body mass index, and multimorbidity) multinomial and ordinal regression models, and results are presented as relative risk (RRR) or odds ratios (OR), respectively, alongside the 95% confidence interval (CI). Mendelian randomization (MR), using 131 genetic variants associated with LTL, was used to assess if the association of LTL with frailty was causal.

Results

Frail participants (4.6%) were older (median age difference (95% CI): 3 (2.5; 3.5) years, P = 2.73 × 10−33), more likely to be female (61%, P = 1.97 × 10−129), and had shorter LTL (−0.13SD vs. 0.03SD, P = 5.43 × 10−111) than non‐frail. In adjusted analyses, both age and LTL were associated with frailty (RRR = 1.03 (95% CI: 1.02; 1.04) per year of older chronological age, P = 3.99 × 10−12; 1.10 (1.08; 1.11) per SD shorter LTL, P = 1.46 × 10−30). Within each age group (40–49, 50–59, 60–69 years), the prevalence of frailty was about 33% higher in participants with shorter (−2SD) versus longer telomeres (+2SD). MR analysis showed an association of LTL with frailty that was directionally consistent with the observational association, but not statistically significant (MR‐Median: OR (95% CI): 1.08 (0.98; 1.19) per SD shorter LTL, P = 0.13).

Conclusions

Inter‐individual variation in LTL is associated with the risk of frailty independently of chronological age and other risk factors. Our findings provide evidence for an additional biological determinant of frailty.
Serum creatinine and cystatin C‐based diagnostic indices for sarcopenia in advanced non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Tang Tianjiao , Xie Lingling , Hu Song , Tan Lingling , Lei Xiaozhen , Luo Xiaozhen , Yang Ling , Yang Ming
Published: March 2022

Background

Sarcopenia is an important prognostic factor of lung cancer. The serum creatinine/cystatin C ratio (CCR) and the sarcopenia index (SI, serum creatinine × cystatin C‐based glomerular filtration rate) are novel screening tools for sarcopenia; however, the diagnostic accuracy of the CCR and SI for detecting sarcopenia remains unknown. We aimed to explore and validate the diagnostic values of the CCR and SI for determining sarcopenia in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to explore their prognostic values for overall survival.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study of adult patients with stage IIIB or IV NSCLC. Levels of serum creatinine and cystatin C were measured to calculate the CCR and SI. Sarcopenia was defined separately using CCR, SI, and the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 criteria. Participants were randomly sampled into derivation and validation sets (6:4 ratio). The cutoff values for diagnosing sarcopenia were determined based on the derivation set. Diagnostic accuracy was analysed in the validation set through receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Cox regression models and survival curves were applied to evaluate the impact of different sarcopenia definitions on survival.

Results

We included 579 participants (women, 35.4%; mean age, 58.4 ± 8.9 years); AWGS‐defined sarcopenia was found in 19.5% of men and 10.7% of women. Both CCR and SI positively correlated with computed tomography‐derived and bioimpedance‐derived muscle mass and handgrip strength. The optimal cutoff values for CCR and SI were 0.623 and 54.335 in men and 0.600 and 51.742 in women, with areas under the ROC curves of 0.837 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.770–0.904] and 0.833 (95% CI: 0.765–0.901) in men (P = 0.25), and 0.808 (95% CI: 0.682–0.935) and 0.796 (95% CI: 0.668–0.924) in women (P = 0.11), respectively. The CCR achieved sensitivities and specificities of 73.0% and 93.7% in men and 85.7% and 65.7% in women, respectively; the SI achieved sensitivities and specificities of 75.7% and 86.5% in men and 92.9% and 62.9% in women, respectively. CCR‐defined, SI‐defined, and AWGS‐defined sarcopenia were independently associated with a high mortality risk [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.75, 95% CI: 1.25–2.44; HR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.11–2.17; and HR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.22–2.53, respectively].

Conclusions

CCR and SI have satisfactory and comparable diagnostic accuracy and prognostic values for sarcopenia in patients with advanced NSCLC. Both may serve as surrogate biomarkers for evaluating sarcopenia in these patients. However, further external validations are required.
Periodontitis is a potential risk factor for transient ischemic attack and minor ischemic stroke in young adults: A nationwide population‐based cohort study
Authors: Lee Yao‐Tung , Tsai Chia‐Fen , Yen Yu‐Chun , Huang Li‐Kai , Chao Shu‐Ping , Hu Li‐Yu , Shen Cheng‐Che , Lee Hsin‐Chien
Published: March 2022

Background

This study aims to determine whether periodontitis is a risk factor for transient ischemic attack (TIA) in young adults.

Methods

The National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database in Taiwan was the source of the data used in this retrospective cohort study. Individuals aged 20 to 53 years with periodontitis in 2001 and 2002 (n = 792,426) and an age‐ and sex‐matched control group (n = 792,426) were selected. All participants were followed up until TIA diagnosis, 55 years of age, removal from the NHI program, death, or December 31, 2016. The incidence density and hazard ratio (HR) of new‐onset TIA were compared between individuals with periodontitis and controls. Periodontitis was defined by dentists according to the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD‐9‐CM) codes 523.3–5 with concurrent antibiotic prescription or periodontal treatment excluding scaling performed by certified dentists. TIA was defined according to the ICD‐9‐CM code 435.x at hospital discharge.

Results

After adjustment for confounding factors, the risk of developing TIA/minor ischemic stroke was calculated to be higher in participants with periodontitis (HR, 1.24; 95% confidence interval, 1.15‒1.32; P <0.001) than in those without. The HR was slightly higher among people aged 20 to 40 years than among those aged 40 to 53 years.

Conclusion

Periodontitis is associated with an increased risk of developing TIA/minor ischemic stroke. Periodontitis might be a modifiable risk factor for stroke in young adults. Clinicians must devote greater attention to this potential association to develop new preventive and therapeutic strategies for stroke in young adults.
A kinetic study of the ultrasonically assisted ethyl esterification of fatty acids using an immobilized lipase catalyst and deep eutectic solvent
Authors: Suo Hang , Hao Xiaohong , Zhang Guanhua , Zhang Qi , Du Su
Published: March 2022

In this study, the esterification reaction kinetics of biodiesel (fatty acid ethyl ester) prepared from waste oil (cooking oil waste and oleic acid mixture) and ethanol at three different temperatures (313.15, 323.15, and 333.15 K) by lipase (Novozym®435) catalyzed. It was investigated under three different reaction systems of ultrasonic (without DES), deep eutectic solvent (DES, choline chloride: glycerol mole ratio = 1:2, without ultrasonic), and ultrasonic‐assisted DES. The results showed that the combination of the ultrasonic and DES had a synergistic effect on the enzymatic reaction. The activation energy of the reaction was the smallest (24.82 kJ/mol) compared to the other two processes (ultrasonic: 34.38 kJ/mol and DES: 29.43 kJ/mol), and the reaction was easier to proceed. Subsequently, the reusability of lipase and the composition of the product were studied. The results showed that the conversion rate of fatty acid ethyl ester decreased from the initial 93.33% to 80.31% when the experiment was repeated five times in the ultrasonic‐assisted DES system. The ethyl ester composition of the product was mainly concentrated between C14 and C24, and the proportion of ethyl oleate was the most abundant.
Transoral Approach to the Jugular Foramen Region with Preservation of the Eustachian Tube
Authors: Li Lifeng , Xu Hongbo , London Nyall R. , Carrau Ricardo L. , Jin Yonggang , Chen Xiaohong
Published: March 2022

Objectives/Hypothesis

Transnasal exposure of the jugular foramen region (JFR) often requires transection of the Eustachian tube (ET). This study aims to propose a transoral corridor for access to the JFR with preservation of the ET.

Study Design

Cadaveric dissection and case illustration.

Methods

An endoscopic transoral approach for exposure of the JFR was performed on 5 cadaveric specimens (10 sides). Six patients who underwent a transoral resection of schwannoma within the JFR were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Direct exposure of the JFR with a 0° scope via a transoral approach was feasible, and the internal carotid artery and lower cranial nerves could be adequately exposed, and preservation of the ET was achieved in all 10 sides of the cadaveric specimens. For six patients with JFR tumors, the transoral approach provided adequate access to achieve a gross total resection with ET preservation. Intraoperative cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) leak was encountered in one patient, and a multilayer reconstruction was employed for reconstruction. No operative field or intracranial infection, persistent CSF leak, or emergent airway issues occurred. No recurrence occurred in this cohort with an average follow‐up of 12 months.

Conclusions

The transoral approach provided a reliable corridor for access into the JFR with preservation of the ET. For select lesions with expansion into the posterior cranial fossa, a transoral corridor may serve as an alternative for tumor extirpation.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 132:1374–1380, 2022
Grand Lebesgue space for p = ∞ and its application to Sobolev–Adams embedding theorems in borderline cases
Authors: Rafeiro Humberto , Samko Stefan , Umarkhadzhiev Salaudin
Published: March 2022

We define the grand Lebesgue space corresponding to the case and similar grand spaces for Morrey and Morrey type spaces, also for , on open sets in . We show that such spaces are useful in the study of mapping properties of the Riesz potential operator in the borderline cases for Lebesgue spaces and for Morrey and Morrey type spaces, providing the target space more narrow than BMO. While for Lebesgue spaces there are known results on the description of the target space in terms better than BMO, the results obtained for Morrey and Morrey type spaces are entirely new. We also show that the obtained results are sharp in a certain sense.
Polymeric Nanofibers of Various Degrees of Cross‐Linking as Fillers in Poly(styrene‐stat‐n‐butyl acrylate) Nanocomposites: Overcoming the Trade‐Off between Tensile Strength and Stretchability
Authors: Kim Hyun Jin , Ishizuka Fumi , Kuchel Rhiannon P. , Chatani Shunsuke , Niino Hiroshi , Zetterlund Per B.
Published: March 2022

Synthesis of light polymer nanocomposites with high strength and toughness has been a significant interest for its potential applications in industry. Herein, the authors have synthesized polymerization‐induced self‐assembly (PISA) derived nanodimensional polymeric worm (fiber) reinforced polymer nanocomposites by a simple and environmentally friendly synthesis process without the addition of volatile organic compounds. PISA‐derived worms with a core‐forming block of low glass transition temperature (Tg ≈ 27.1 °C) comprising poly(styrene‐stat‐n‐butyl acrylate) have been employed as reinforcing filler. The influence of core‐segment cross‐linking on reinforcement efficiency has been explored by comparing noncross‐linked worms, and worms cross‐linked with a small amount of ethylene glycol diacrylate introduced att = 0 h ort = 2 h of polymerization. Upon addition of 1 wt% of noncross‐linked,t = 0 h cross‐linked, andt = 2 h cross‐linked worms, toughness of polymer nanocomposites can be enhanced by 62%, 114%, and 120%, respectively. The results suggest that the reinforcement efficiency of worms is significantly influenced by the cross‐linking of core‐segments regardless of cross‐linking methods. This work broadens the understanding in application of PISA‐derived worms as reinforcing filler by demonstrating the efficient reinforcement with lowTgworms.
A New Noncovalently Fused‐Ring Electron Acceptor Based on 3,7‐Dialkyloxybenzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b']dithiophene for Low‐Cost and High‐Performance Organic Solar Cells
Authors: Zhang Xin , Qin Linqing , Li Laiyang , Liu Xingzheng , Wei Yanan , Huang Hui
Published: March 2022

The innovation of high‐performance fused‐ring electron acceptors (FREAs) has carried the field of organic solar cells (OSCs) toward a new stage of development. However, due to high synthetic complexity and production costs, FREAs may not be the most promising candidates for future commercialization applications. To address these disadvantages of FREAs, a series of low‐cost acceptors, named as noncovalently FREAs (NFREAs), is successfully constructed by employing the strategy of noncovalently conformational locks. Herein, a novel NFREA (BDTO‐4F) based on 3,7‐dialkyloxybenzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b′]dithiophene is synthesized and fully characterized. Benefiting from the complementary absorption of the donor and acceptor, balanced charge transport, and favorable film morphology, J52:BDTO‐4F based OSCs afford a satisfied power conversion efficiency of 12.09%, much higher than PBDB‐T:BDTO‐4F‐based devices (8.30%). It is worth mentioning that BDTO‐4F possesses a higher figure‐of‐merit value of 55.65 in comparison with several representative FREAs based on a cost‐efficiency evaluation. This work demonstrates the potential of the novel benzo[1,2‐b:4,5‐b″]dithiophene derivative for constructing low‐cost and high‐performance NFREAs, providing a valuable insight on the materials design.
5‐Heptadecylresorcinol Protects against Atherosclerosis in Apolipoprotein E‐Deficient Mice by Modulating SIRT3 Signaling: The Possible Beneficial Effects of Whole Grain Consumption
Authors: Hao Yiming , Yang Zihui , Li Qing , Wang Ziyuan , Liu Jie , Wang Jing
Published: March 2022

Scope

Whole grain consumption has been proven to be inversely associated with the risk of cardiovascular diseases. As a biomarker for whole grain dietary intake, 5‐heptadecylresorcinol (AR‐C17) has attracted increased attention due to its potential health‐improving activity. However, the beneficial effect of AR‐C17 on atherosclerosis prevention and the underlying mechanism remain unclear.

Methods and Results

High‐fat diet fed apolipoprotein E‐deficient (ApoE−/−) mice are administrated with or without AR‐C17 (30 and 150 mg kg−1) for 16 weeks. Histological staining is performed for plaque analysis. Immunofluorescence, western blot, and seahorse cell analysis are carried out to investigate the action of mechanism of AR‐C17. The results indicate that AR‐C17 supplementation lowered serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, VLDL‐C, and LDL‐C levels. Moreover, the atherosclerotic plaques in the aortic root region of mice heart are significantly reduced by AR‐C17 intervention compared with ApoE−/− control group. In addition, AR‐C17 treatment alleviates endothelial cell damage and apoptosis by improving mitochondrial function via sirtuin3 signaling pathway both in ApoE−/− mice and oxidized‐LDL‐treated human umbilical vein endothelial cells.

Conclusion

AR‐C17 may be applied as a promising grain‐based dietary bioactive ingredient for atherosclerosis prevention. Meanwhile, as a mitochondrial protective agent, it can offer support for the suggested health claim of whole grain diet.
RPS‐Net: An effective retinal image projection segmentation network for retinal vessels and foveal avascular zone based on OCTA data
Authors: Li Weisheng , Zhang Hongchuan , Li Feiyan , Wang Linhong
Published: March 2022

Background

Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is an advanced imaging technology that can present the three‐dimensional (3D) structure of retinal vessels (RVs). Quantitative analysis of retinal vessel density and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area is of great significance in clinical diagnosis, and the automatic semantic segmentation at the pixel level helps quantitative analysis. The existing segmentation methods cannot effectively use the volume data and projection map data of the OCTA image at the same time and lack the trade‐off between global perception and local details, which lead to problems such as discontinuity of segmentation results and deviation of morphological estimation.

Purpose

In order to better assist physicians in clinical diagnosis and treatment, the segmentation accuracy of RVs and FAZ needs to be further improved. In this work, we propose an effective retinal image projection segmentation network (RPS‐Net) to achieve accurate RVs and FAZ segmentation. Experiments show that this network exhibits good performance and outperforms other existing methods.

Methods

Our method considers three aspects. First, we use two parallel projection paths to learn global perceptual features and local supplementary details. Second, we use the dual‐way projection learning module to reduce the depth of the 3D data and learn image spatial features. Finally, we merged the two‐dimensional features learned from the volume data with the two‐dimensional projection data, and used a U‐shaped network to further learn and generate the final result.

Results

We validated our model on the OCTA‐500, which is a large multi‐modal, multi‐task retinal dataset. The experimental results showed that our method achieved state‐of‐the‐art performance; the mean Dice coefficients for RVs are 89.89 ± 2.60 (%) and 91.40 ± 9.18 (%) on the two subsets, while the Dice coefficients for FAZ are 91.55 ± 2.05 (%) and 97.80 ± 2.75 (%), respectively.

Conclusions

Our method can make full use of the information of 3D data and 2D data to generate segmented images with higher continuity and accuracy. Code is available at https://github.com/hchuanZ/MFFN/tree/master.
Deep‐learning‐based projection‐domain breast thickness estimation for shape‐prior iterative image reconstruction in digital breast tomosynthesis
Authors: Lee Seoyoung , Kim Hyeongseok , Lee Hoyeon , Cho Seungryong
Published: March 2022

Background

Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is a technique that can overcome the shortcomings of conventional X‐ray mammography and can be effective for the early screening of breast cancer. The compression of the breast is essential during the DBT imaging. However, since the periphery of the breast cannot be compressed to a constant value, nonuniformity of thickness and in‐plane shape variation happen. These cause inconvenience in diagnosis, scatter correction, and breast density estimation.

Purpose

In this study, we propose a deep‐learning‐based methodology for projection‐domain breast thickness estimation and demonstrate a shape‐prior iterative DBT image reconstruction.

Methods

We prepared the Euclidean distance map, the thickness map, and the thickness corrected image of the simulated breast projections for thickness and shape estimation. Each pixel of the Euclidean distance map denotes a distance to the closest skin‐line. The thickness map is defined as a conceptual projection of ideal breast support that differentiates the inner and outer regions of the breast phantom. The thickness projection map thus represents the X‐ray path lengths of a homogeneous breast phantom. We generated the thickness corrected image by dividing the projection image by the thickness map in a pixel‐wise manner. We developed a convolutional neural network for thickness estimation and correction. The network utilizes a projection image and a Euclidean distance image together as a dual input. An estimated breast thickness map is then used for constructing the breast shape mask by use of the discrete algebraic reconstruction technique.

Results

The proposed network effectively corrected the breast thickness in various simulation situations. Low normalized root‐mean‐squared error (1.976%) and high structural similarity (99.997%) indicated a good agreement between the network‐generated thickness corrected image and the ground truth image. Compared to the existing methods and simple single‐input network, the proposed method showed outperformance in breast thickness estimation and accordingly in breast shape recovery for various numerical phantoms without provoking any significant artifact. We have demonstrated that the uniformity of voxel value has improved by the inclusion of a shape prior for the iterative DBT reconstruction.

Conclusions

We presented a novel deep‐learning‐based breast thickness correction and a shape reconstruction method. This approach to estimating the true thickness map and the shape of the breast undergoing compression can benefit various fields such as improvement of diagnostic breast images, scatter correction, material decomposition, and breast density estimation.
Electrospinning of polymer nanofibers based on chiral polymeric nanoparticles
Authors: Abuaf Meir , Mastai Yitzhak
Published: March 2022

Chiral polymeric nanoparticles (NPs) have emerged as a new and exciting field of research and in the last years due to their possible use for many applications in chiral chemistry however the efficiency of separating enantiomerically pure compounds has been always challenging. In this article, we focus on electrospun nanofibers formed by chiral functional NPs based on leucine or phenylalanine amino acids with polysulfone (PSF). Combining chiral functional NPs with PSF in electrospinning method provides us to get intertwined electrospun membranes with chiral property and used them for separation of racemic mixtures. We have also studied chiral functional conventional membranes formed by PSF and NPs. The NPs were prepared by miniemulsion polymerization and were characterized by DLS, SEM, MS, and NMR and display spherical structure with a narrow size distribution in the range of 200 to 250 nm. The characteristics of the membranes in terms of their morphology were analyzed. The permselective properties of the all membranes in the separation of racemic mixture were studied using aqueous solutions of leucine. Time‐resolved circular dichroism and chiral column high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were used to provide evidence for enantioselective separation. Our results show the membrane which is based on PSF and leucine NPs and formed by conventional method gives the best results for enantioselective separation by showing 18% enantiomeric excess (EE).
Selective ablation of Nfix in macrophages attenuates muscular dystrophy by inhibiting fibro‐adipogenic progenitor‐dependent fibrosis
Authors: Saclier Marielle , Angelini Giuseppe , Bonfanti Chiara , Mura Giada , Temponi Giulia , Messina Graziella
Published: March 2022

Muscular dystrophies are genetic diseases characterized by chronic inflammation and fibrosis. Macrophages are immune cells that sustain muscle regeneration upon acute injury but seem deleterious in the context of chronic muscle injury such as in muscular dystrophies. Here, we observed that the number of macrophages expressing the transcription factor Nfix increases in two distinct mouse models of muscular dystrophies. We showed that the deletion of Nfix in macrophages in dystrophic mice delays the establishment of fibrosis and muscle wasting, and increases grasp force. Macrophages lacking Nfix expressed more TNFα and less TGFβ1, thus promoting apoptosis of fibro‐adipogenic progenitors. Moreover, pharmacological treatment of dystrophic mice with a ROCK inhibitor accelerated fibrosis through the increase of Nfix expression by macrophages. Thus, we have identified Nfix as a macrophage profibrotic factor in muscular dystrophies, whose inhibition could be a therapeutic route to reduce severity of the dystrophic disease. © 2022 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Self‐assembly of triblock copolymers in the slits of neutral plates to form porous membranes and the pore size distribution: dissipative particle dynamics simulation
Authors: Li Hui , Wei Yuan‐Yuan , Wang Zhen‐Yu , Wang Ning , Zhang Long , Chen Zhen‐Bin , Lin Qiao‐Li , Liu Hong
Published: March 2022

The self‐assembly morphology of triblock copolymers confined between the slits of neutral plates is investigated with the dissipative particle dynamics simulation method. A porous membrane structure with uniform pore size distribution is obtained. The pore size distribution shows linear laws affected by the concentration of the polymer solution, the hydrophilic and hydrophobic properties of the block as well as the polymer topology and slit thickness. When the concentration is in the range 0.4 to 0.7, the linear triblock copolymer forms continuous circular pores through self‐assembly, and block components present a laterally layered texture. The ring triblock copolymer has no end groups and exhibits a unique self‐assembly behavior. The cyclic triblock copolymer self‐assembled in the slit is able to form an interpenetrating porous continuous structure, and the polymer film has a longitudinal layered structure. The star triblock copolymer has a more unique structure and can self‐assemble into worm micelles with irregular pore structure and continuous interpenetration. In addition, the microphase separation structure of the triblock copolymer melt between the slits is studied. Generally, linear triblock copolymers generate longitudinal stripes, ring triblock copolymers form horizontal stripes and star triblock copolymers form a ‘lattice’ structure. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Stacked Single‐Gate Silicon on Insulator 4H‐SiC Junctionless Field‐Effect Transistor with a Buried P‐Type 4H‐SiC Layer
Authors: Madadi Dariush , Orouji Ali A.
Published: March 2022

This study describes a single‐gate silicon on insulator junctionless metal–oxide–semiconductor field‐effect transistor (SJL‐MOSFET) with inserted buried 4H‐SiC p‐type layer (B‐SJL‐MOSFET). The embedded p‐type layer is placed at the bottom of the active regions, achieving the full depletion of the channel in the off‐state mode. The p‐type layer affects the depletion region of the channel, which helps us have a full depletion area with a lower gate electrode work function. The main reason for using SiC material instead of silicon is the higher electrostatic integrity and a shorter natural length than silicon, resulting in a better short channel effect (SCE). In addition, the high‐k oxide is stacked for achieving lower natural length and better subthreshold swing (SS). The p‐type layer improves the leakage current (Ioff) by ≈105 in the event that it slightly diminishes the on‐state current (Ion) and improves the SS. Improvement of off‐current is due to higher barriers between source‐channel side and reduces the parasitic BJT in the off‐mode.
Phase Control of Multivalent Vanadium Oxides VOx by Ion‐Beam Sputter‐Deposition
Authors: Becker Martin , Kessler Jill , Kuhl Florian , Benz Sebastian L. , Chen Limei , Polity Angelika , Klar Peter J. , Chatterjee Sangam
Published: March 2022

Vanadium–oxygen materials are of interest for various applications and fields of solid‐state physics owing to the unequaled plethora of different phases. The wealth of phases and complexity of its phase diagram infer a strong sensitivity on the growth parameters for each phase. Thus, the reproducible growth of vanadium‐oxide thin‐films of defined phases by nonequilibrium techniques is challenging. Here, it is shown that ion‐beam sputter‐deposition (IBSD) is a powerful tool to reproducibly deposit defined polycrystalline vanadium oxide films by precisely controlling oxygen flux and substrate temperature in the growth process. Hence, it is demonstrated that IBSD has the potential to reliably produce binary phases (including unstable phases) from the vanadium–oxygen phase space. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy are used to establish a map of the different crystalline phases dependent on the growth parameters. In particular, it is proved that thin‐film V3O7 can be realized by IBSD and its Raman fingerprint is unambiguously identified.
Reliability measures of a non‐series parallel system of (m, nc${n_c}$, l) order with Weibull Failure Laws
Authors: Malik Suresh Chander , Ahlawat Nitika
Published: March 2022

Here, a non series‐parallel system of (m, , l) order is developed by introducing “l” additional components linked to arbitrary non‐adjacent and components of “m” parallel subsystems each containing components connected in series. The maximum number of effective duplication paths between IN and OUT terminals is formed using Logic Diagram Technique (LDT). Each path contains components whose successful operation can lead to successful operation of the system. The superior paths are discarded keeping in view of the fact that these paths have no effect on reliability of the system. The Path Tracing Method (PTM) is used to derive expressions for reliability and mean time to system failure (MTSF) by considering Weibull failure laws for the components. An illustration is given to highlight the application of the present study. The behavior of reliability of the system has been shown numerically and graphically for arbitrary values of the scale parameter (λ), shape parameter (β), number of additional components (l), scale parameter of additional component (), and shape parameter of additionalcomponent ( and operating time t = 5.
Flow amplitude or up‐ramping rate? Quantifying single and combined effects on macroinvertebrate drift during hydropeaking simulations, considering sensitive traits
Authors: Schülting Lisa , Dossi Florian , Graf Wolfram , Tonolla Diego
Published: March 2022

The hydrological regime of many alpine rivers is heavily altered due hydroelectric power generation. Hydropeaking operation produces frequent and irregular discharge fluctuations. Depending on the operational changes of flow amplitude and/or up‐ramping rate as well as on river morphology, hydropeaking can lead to quick and strong variations in hydraulic stress affecting stream invertebrates and causing increased drift. In the present flume experimental study, we analyzed trait‐specific drift reactions to single and combined effects of increased flow amplitude and up‐ramping rate. We analyzed taxa according to their hydraulic habitat preference and flow exposure, as these traits seem to be indicative toward hydropeaking. The results show that the sudden increase in discharge and related flow velocity led to increased macroinvertebrate drift proportions in hydropeaking treatments, which differed significantly to parallel control runs (mean drift proportion in all hydropeaking setups: 13% compared to 5% in controls). Increasing flow amplitudes led to an increase in drift for most taxa and traits. This was particularly significant for taxa associated with lentic areas. The effect of the up‐ramping rate on macroinvertebrate drift was nonsignificant but showed strong interactive effects with the flow amplitude, especially for taxa dwelling on the substrate surface. Our results therefore indicate that discharge‐related parameters, such as flow velocity, primarily affect macroinvertebrate drift and the importance of the up‐ramping rate increases, if certain discharge‐related thresholds are exceeded. Vice versa, a reduction of the up‐ramping rate at hydropeaking events with high flow amplitudes may reduce the effect on macroinvertebrate drift. Flow‐exposed (surface) and flow‐sensitive (lentic) taxa showed distinct drift reactions following hydropeaking treatments, which were significantly higher compared to effects on taxa associated to lotic and interstital habitats. Therefore, we conclude that both traits (hydraulic and vertical habitat preference) have proven as promising for analyzing hydropeaking effects. The trait classifications should be extended to a higher number of taxa and to different life stages as these may show different drift patterns.
Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activity of Some New Spiropyrazoline Derivatives of 9α‐ and 9β‐Hydroxyparthenolide
Authors: Moumou Mohamed , Outahar Fatima , Ourhzif El‐Mahdi , Hannioui Abdellah , Bouamama Hafida , El Ammari Lahcen , Saadi Mohamed , Rakib El Mostapha , Akssira Mohamed
Published: March 2022

In the present study, we efficiently synthesized two new series of spiropyrazoline derivatives from 9α‐ and 9β‐hydroxyparthenolide (isolated from the aerial parts ofAnvillea radiata). The compounds were obtained by modifications at the C−13 and C−9 positions via 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition followed by O−H acylation at the C1−C10 using epoxidation with metachloroperoxybenzoic acid (m‐CPBA) followed by 1,3‐dipolar cycloaddition on the double bond α‐methylene‐γ‐lactones. The structures and stereochemistry of the cycloadducts were established by spectroscopic methods, including X‐ray diffraction data. Some compounds were tested for antibacterial activity. Several spiropyrazoline derivatives showed good to moderate activity against bacteria.
Highly Reversible “Off‐On‐Off” Dual‐channel Fluorescence Probe Based on Amino Pyrazole and Phenothiazine for Sensing Extremely Alkaline Solution
Authors: Li Xiaohong , Zhao Xiaoli , Wu Linli , Leng Yanli , Cai Xiaohua
Published: March 2022

Acid‐base balance is related to many cell functions, and its disorders can lead to many diseases. Real‐time detection of intracellular pH fluctuation is very important to prevent many diseases and environmental water samples. Here, we report a dual‐channel fluorescence probe PTZ‐aminopyrazole based on low‐cost phenothiazine and 3‐aminopyrazole, which can detect pH fluctuation highly sensitively through protonation under acidic condition and deprotonation under alkaline condition. The probe exhibits a fluorescence intensity and UV absorbance characteristics in the extreme acidity range of 2.6‐5.5 and especially in the extreme alkaline range of 11.1‐13.8, respectively. In addition, PTZ‐ aminopyrazole has high pH‐selective reaction to metal ions, good reversibility and excellent photostability. Furthermore, PTZ‐aminopyrazole can be fixed on a test paper, which shows a rapid and reversible colorimetric response to HCl/NaOH vapor with naked‐eye.
Harnessing Heteropolar Lithium Polysulfides by Amphoteric Polymer Binder for Facile Manufacturing of Practical Li‐S Batteries
Authors: Li Shizhen , Xiao Wenshan , Do Hainam , Yang Hangqi , Xu Xiaoqi , Peng Chuang
Published: March 2022

Enabling efficient and durable charge storage under high sulfur loading and lean electrolyte remains a paramount challenge for Li‐S battery technology to truly demonstrate its commercial viability. This work reports an amphoteric polymer binder, whose negatively and positively charged moieties allow for coregulation of both lithium cations and heteropolar lithium polysulfides through multiple intermolecular interactions. These interactions and the physical properties lead to simultaneously improved Li+ transport, polysulfide adsorption and catalysis, cathode robustness and anode stability. Therefore, this multifunctional binder endows Li‐S batteries with compelling overall performances even under rigorous conditions. At low sulfur loading and copious electrolyte, the cell shows a low capacity‐fading rate of 0.056% cycle‐1 upon 700 cycles. At sulfur loading of 6.8 mg cm–2 and low E/S of 6 µL mg–1, the cell still delivers stable areal capacities between 4.2 and 4.8 mAh cm–2 in 50 cycles without obvious decay at 0.2 C. The commercial feasibility of this work is further manifested by its zero added weight, low material cost, and ease of manufacturing and scale‐up. The efficacy and simplicity of this work symbolize an example of lab‐scale battery research aiming at improved technology and manufacturing readiness level.
Giant umbilical cord with impending heart failure—Prognostic significance of prenatal ultrasound
Authors: Reddy Ravikanth
Published: March 2022

Detection of giant umbilical cord prenatally should lead to vigilant monitoring particularly at term as fetal demise is a possibility, as noted in the present case because of altered hemodynamics and related vascular complications such as compromised fetal circulation. A case of prenatally diagnosed, giant umbilical cord with fetoplacental insufficiency and impending heart failure is reported. An 18‐year‐old primigravida, presented at 34 weeks of gestational age with complaints of acute onset abdominal pain. Fetal umbilical artery obstetric Doppler examination demonstrated reversal of diastolic flow. 2D echocardiography demonstrated dilated all 4 chambers of the heart with reduced contractility suggesting impending heart failure. Subsequently, fetal demise was noted after 2 days, and labour was induced followed by vaginal delivery of the dead fetus. A giant umbilical cord was seen at delivery with absent knots or strictures. This case report deserves a special mention as there were no earlier reported cases of giant umbilical cord in literature presenting with impending heart failure and fetal demise. We have presented the detailed clinical course of the fetus with giant umbilical cord along with a review of the related literature.
Enantioselective toxic effects of mefentrifluconazole in the early life stage of zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Li Yanhong , Ren Bo , Zhao Tingting , Chen Haiyue , Zhao Yuexing , Liang Hanlin , Liang Hongwu
Published: March 2022

The research on the enantioselective toxic effects of chiral pesticides on non‐target aquatic organisms has attracted more and more attention. This study investigated the enantioselective toxic effects of mefentrifluconazole (MFZ) on acute toxicity, developmental toxicity, locomotor behaviors, and the mRNA relative expression levels of genes related to neurodevelopment and cardiac development in zebrafish embryos or larvae. The 96‐h lethal concentration 50 (LC50) values (exposed to racemate and enantiomers of MFZ, that is, rac‐MFZ/(−)‐MFZ/(+)‐MFZ) were 1.010, 1.552, and 0.753 mg/L for embryo, and 0.753, 1.187, and 0.553 mg/L for larvae. The rac‐MFZ/(−)‐MFZ/(+)‐MFZ can affect the heart development of zebrafish embryos, accompanied by heart rate inhibition, yolk sac deformities, pericardial deformities, and down‐regulation of genes related to cardiotoxicity in larvae in an enantioselective manner. Moreover, the rac‐MFZ/(−)‐MFZ/(+)‐MFZ also can affect the neural development of zebrafish embryos, accompanied by autonomic movement inhibition, swimming speed and swimming distance abnormalities, and down‐regulation of genes related to neurotoxicity in larvae in an enantioselective manner. For all toxicity endpoints, the effect of the (+)‐MFZ to early‐staged zebrafish were significantly greater than that of (−)‐MFZ. These results will help distinguishing the difference of MFZ enantiomers to zebrafish, and provide scientific reference for improving the risk assessment of chiral pesticides MFZ.
Increased risk of genital warts in inflammatory bowel disease: A Danish registry‐based cohort study (1996–2018)
Authors: Elmahdi Rahma , Thomsen Louise T. , Iversen Aske T. , Allin Kristine H. , Kjær Susanne K. , Jess Tine
Published: March 2022

Background

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are at increased risk of human papillomavirus (HPV) related cancers such as anal squamous cell carcinoma. However, risk of non‐malignant HPV infection has never been systematically studied in IBD. This study aims to assess the risk of genital warts (GW) in IBD patients.

Methods

Using the Danish nationwide registries, we identified 49,163 patients with IBD between 1996 and 2018 and matched them to 491,665 individuals from the general population by age, sex, and HPV immunisation. Cumulative incidence rates for GW in IBD and non‐IBD patients were calculated by age. Cox proportional regression analysis was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for GW in IBD compared to matched population and in Crohn's disease (CD) compared to ulcerative colitis (UC). We undertook subgroup analysis for risk of GW by sex, year of IBD diagnosis, contraceptive exposure and IBD treatment exposure.

Results

The fully adjusted HR for GW in IBD patients compared to the matched non‐IBD population was 1.33 (95% CI: 1.19–1.49) and 1.13 (95% CI: 1.01, 1.27) in CD as compared to UC. This increased risk was particularly observed in female (HR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.33–1.79) over male (HR: 1.14, 95% CI: 0.97–1.34) IBD patients, but was also found across all periods of diagnosis with IBD, regardless of contraceptive treatment exposure, and also seen in IBD patients who had never been exposed to immunosuppressive treatment (HR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.19–1.49).

Conclusion

In this nationwide, population‐representative cohort study, we observed a 33% increased risk of GW in patients with IBD compared to the matched population and a 13% increased risk of GW in CD compared with UC. This risk was particularly increased in female over male IBD patients and seen independent of IBD treatment exposure.