bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recombinational DNA Repair in Eukaryotes
Authors: Game John C , Chernikova Sophia B
Published: October 2020

Double‐strand breaks and other deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage can be repaired in cells by a process called homologous recombinational repair (HRR) that involves recombination with an undamaged DNA molecule. HRR is mechanistically complex and requires many enzymatic steps. It is conserved throughout eukaryotes and is key to maintaining genome stability, resolving collapsed replication forks and avoiding cancer. In HRR, a broken strand invades a homologous molecule and primes new DNA synthesis using this undamaged molecule as a template. Subsequent steps involve reannealing to the original molecule, further DNA synthesis and ligation. An intermediate called a double Holliday junction may be formed that links the damaged and undamaged DNA duplexes together. This structure can be dissolved by helicase/topoisomerase or endonuclease reactions that may or may not lead to crossing‐over of outside regions away from the break. HRR is distinct from but mechanistically related to recombination in meiosis and is critical to gene editing.

Key Concepts

Homologous recombinational repair (HRR) is a key process that enables cells to survive DNA damage in bacteria, archaeans and eukaryotes.

HRR and Nonhomologous end joining are the two main mechanisms for repairing DNA double‐strand breaks.

Recombinational repair uses information from a second, undamaged homologous copy of DNA to repair the damaged copy.

HRR is a very complex process needing a large number of genes and proteins.

The highly conserved RAD51 protein coats single‐stranded DNA tails created by the cell on each side of a double‐strand break.

One or both coated tails invade an unbroken DNA duplex to pair with a homologous strand while displacing the other strand.

New DNA synthesis and mechanisms for processing of annealed partners restore the original molecule.

Heteroduplex DNA, where information on the two strands derives from different parental molecules, is formed during the repair process.

The outside regions of the two original duplexes may or may not be exchanged with each other by crossover when HRR happens.

In vertebrates, HRR is key to avoiding genomic instability and cancer.
The quantification and potential impact of dark current on treatments with an MR‐guided radiotherapy (MRgRT) system
Authors: Shepard Andrew J. , Mittauer Kathryn E. , Bayouth John E. , Yadav Poonam
Published: October 2020

Purpose

Dark current radiation produced during linac beam‐hold has the potential to lead to unplanned dose delivered to the patient. With the increased usage of motion management and step‐and‐shoot IMRT deliveries for MR‐guided systems leading to increased beam‐hold time, it is necessary to consider the impact of dark current radiation on patient treatments.

Methods

The relative dose rate due to dark current for the ViewRay MRIdian linac was measured longitudinally over 15 months (June 2018‐August 2019). Ion chamber measurements were acquired with the linac in the beam‐hold state and the beam‐on state, with the ratio representing the relative dark current dose rate. The potential contribution of the dark current dose to the overall prescription was retrospectively analyzed for 972 fractions from 83 patients over the same time period. The amount of time spent in the beam‐hold state was combined with the monthly measured relative dark current dose rate to estimate the dark current dose contribution.

Results

The relative dark current dose rate compared to the beam‐on dose rate was 0.12% ± 0.027%. In a near worst‐case estimation, the dark current dose contribution accounted for 0.90% ± 0.67% of the prescription dose across all fractions (3.61% maximum). Gantry and MLC motion between segments accounted for 87% of the dark current contribution, with the remaining 13% attributable to gating during segment delivery. The largest dark current contributions were associated with plans delivering a small dose per treatment segment.

Conclusions

The dark current associated with new clinical treatment units should be considered prior to treatment delivery to ensure it will not lead to dosimetric inaccuracies. For the MRIdian linac system investigated in this work, the contribution from dark current remained relatively low, though users should be cognizant of the larger potential dosimetric contribution for plans with small doses per segment.
3D Printing of Strong and Tough Double Network Granular Hydrogels
Authors: Hirsch Matteo , Charlet Alvaro , Amstad Esther
Published: October 2020

Many soft natural tissues display a fascinating set of mechanical properties that remains unmatched by manmade counterparts. These unprecedented mechanical properties are achieved through an intricate interplay between the structure and locally varying the composition of these natural tissues. This level of control cannot be achieved in soft synthetic materials. To address this shortcoming, a novel 3D printing approach to fabricate strong and tough soft materials is introduced, namely double network granular hydrogels (DNGHs) made from compartmentalized reagents. This is achieved with an ink composed of microgels that are swollen in a monomer‐containing solution; after the ink is additive manufactured, these monomers are converted into a percolating network, resulting in a DNGH. These DNGHs are sufficiently stiff to repetitively support tensile loads up to 1.3 MPa. Moreover, they are more than an order of magnitude tougher than each of the pure polymeric networks they are made from. It is demonstrated that this ink enables printing macroscopic, strong, and tough objects, which can optionally be rendered responsive, with high shape fidelity. The modular and robust fabrication of DNGHs opens up new possibilities to design adaptive, strong, and tough hydrogels that have the potential to advance, for example, soft robotic applications.
An Activatable X‐Ray Scintillating Luminescent Nanoprobe for Early Diagnosis and Progression Monitoring of Thrombosis in Live Rat
Authors: Liang Hanyu , Hong Zhongzhu , Li Shihua , Song Xiaorong , Zhang Da , Chen Qiushui , Li Juan , Yang Huanghao
Published: October 2020

Thrombosis is a frequent predisposing factor in high‐mortality cardiovascular diseases, which underscores the urgent need to precisely diagnose thrombosis formation at a less severe stage. However, it is still challenging to realize in vivo early thrombosis imaging due to lack of high sensitivity/‐specificity molecular imaging strategy. To address such problems, thrombin‐activatable scintillating nanoprobes are developed for background‐free X‐ray‐excited luminescence (XEL) imaging of in vivo early thrombosis. The nanoprobes are constructed by designing bright XEL‐emitting lanthanide‐doped scintillator nanocrystals (NCs) with dye labeled‐peptide modification. Such nanoprobes show XEL‐off originally and enable robust turn‐on XEL upon thrombin‐specific cleavage of the peptide, resulting from the rational manipulation of energy transfer between dye and NCs. Specially, due to high tissue penetration depth and background‐free attributes in XEL imaging, this strategy achieves high‐efficiency XEL imaging of the early thrombosis on the basis of in situ elevated thrombin levels. Moreover, XEL and magnetic resonance imaging capabilities can be integrated to further improve imaging accuracy and monitor thrombosis progression. As such, the exploited strategy demonstrates a novel paradigm for realizing timely thrombosis imaging and provides a new readily tailorable platform for sensitive in vivo deep‐tissue imaging.
Sol–Gel Synthesis of High‐Density Zeolitic Imidazolate Framework Monoliths via Ligand Assisted Methods: Exceptional Porosity, Hydrophobicity, and Applications in Vapor Adsorption
Authors: Hunter‐Sellars Elwin , Saenz‐Cavazos Paola A. , Houghton Anthony R. , McIntyre Sean R. , Parkin Ivan P. , Williams Daryl R.
Published: October 2020

Monolithic ZIF‐8 and ZIF‐67 adsorbents are synthesized at room temperature using a novel, ligand‐assisted method. Despite reductions in crystallinity within some of the samples, monolithic zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIFs) have superior volume‐relative microporosity, total porosity, and surface areas relative to their particulate counterparts due to increased density. Samples synthesized using a single modulator, n‐butylamine, have a hierarchical porosity resulting in improved adsorption capacities in mid‐ to high‐ sorbate pressure regions. ZIF‐67 monoliths produced through mixed‐modulator synthesis, n‐butylamine and 1‐methylimidazole, are almost entirely microporous. Vapor adsorption isotherms find that, whilst their amorphous content results in increased water uptake, monolithic ZIFs are found to possess higher surface and adsorption hydrophobicity than traditional non‐polar adsorbents. Cosorption measurements with a common VOC toluene, under humid conditions, find that these monolithic ZIF samples outperform powder equivalents, with the mixed‐modulator ZIF‐67 monolith capturing 28% more VOC compared to the powder ZIFs studied due to its superior volumetric efficiency. This study provides insights into the benefits of modulator‐based tuning of porosity within monolithic ZIFs which, combined with their hydrophobicity, may facilitate their application for industrial organic vapor recovery or indoor air cleaning, where efficient hydrophobic adsorbents which can operate in humid environments are essential.
Microfabricated Ion‐Selective Transistors with Fast and Super‐Nernstian Response
Authors: Han Sanggil , Yamamoto Shunsuke , Polyravas Anastasios G. , Malliaras George G.
Published: October 2020

Transistor‐based ion sensors have evolved significantly, but the best‐performing ones rely on a liquid electrolyte as an internal ion reservoir between the ion‐selective membrane and the channel. This liquid reservoir makes sensor miniaturization difficult and leads to devices that are bulky and have limited mechanical flexibility, which is holding back the development of high‐performance wearable/implantable ion sensors. This work demonstrates microfabricated ion‐selective organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) with a transconductance of 4 mS, in which a thin polyelectrolyte film with mobile sodium ions replaces the liquid reservoir. These devices are capable of selective detection of various ions with a fast response time (≈1 s), a super‐Nernstian sensitivity (85 mV dec−1), and a high current sensitivity (224 µA dec−1), comparing favorably to other ion sensors based on traditional and emerging materials. Furthermore, the ion‐selective OECTs are stable with highly reproducible sensitivity even after 5 months. These characteristics pave the way for new applications in implantable and wearable electronics.
Realization of Regular‐Mixed Quasi‐1D Borophene Chains with Long‐Range Order
Authors: Wang Yu , Kong Longjuan , Chen Caiyun , Cheng Peng , Feng Baojie , Wu Kehui , Chen Lan
Published: October 2020

The polymorphism of borophene makes it a promising system to realize tunable physical or chemical properties. Various pure borophene phases consisting of quasi‐1D boron chains with different widths have been commonly obtained in experimental studies. Here, it is shown that, due to a substrate mediation effect, artificial long‐range ordered phases of borophene consisting of different combinations of boron chains seamlessly joined together can be achieved on Ag(100). Scanning tunneling microscopy measurements and theoretical calculations reveal that mixed‐chain phases are more stable than the pure phase, and interact only weakly with the substrate. The mixed‐chain phases with various proportions of different chains can be well separated based on the crystal direction of the substrate. The successful growth of mixed‐chain phases is expected to deepen the impact of substrate tailored synthesis of borophene.
Carbon Fiber and Syntactic Foam Hybrid Materials via Core–Shell Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Pack Robert C. , Romberg Stian K. , Badran Aly A. , Hmeidat Nadim S. , Yount Trenton , Compton Brett G.
Published: October 2020

Biological materials often employ hybrid architectures, such as the core–shell (C–S) motif present in porcupine quills and plant stems, to achieve unique specific properties and performance. Drawing inspiration from these natural materials, a new method to fabricate lightweight and stiff C–S architected filaments is reported. Specifically, a C–S printhead conducive to printing highly loaded fiber‐filled inks, as well as a new low‐density syntactic foam ink, are utilized to 3D‐print C–S architectures consisting of a syntactic epoxy foam core surrounded by a stiff carbon fiber‐reinforced epoxy composite shell. Effective printing of test specimens and structures with controlled geometry, composition, and architecture is demonstrated. The new foam ink exhibits density as low as 0.68 g cm−3 and C–S structures exhibit up to 25% higher specific flexural stiffness (E1/3/ρ) than either constituent alone. Finally, a new mechanical model is presented to predict this performance improvement while accounting for potential eccentricity of the core.
Copper(II)‐Catalysed Aerobic Oxidative Coupling of Arylamines with Hexafluoroisopropanol: An Alternative Methodology for Constructing Fluorinated Compounds
Authors: Wu Liangying , Song Yang , Li Zhanchong , Guo Jiabao , Yao Xiaoquan
Published: October 2020

The selective functionalisation of arylamine derivatives with hexafluoroisopropanol through copper(II)‐catalysed aerobic oxidative coupling was developed to generate various fluoroalkylated arylamines under mild conditions. This method has a wide substrate scope with excellent functional group tolerance and provides the fluorinated products in good to excellent yields. Furthermore, preliminary studies indicate that this reaction occur via a radical mechanism. This protocol, which uses atmospheric O2 as an oxidant, provides an alternative green route for constructing fluorinated compounds.

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Modular Tandem Mizoroki‐Heck/Reductive Heck Reactions to Construct Fluorenes from Cyclic Diaryliodoniums
Authors: Peng Xiaopeng , Yang Yang , Luo Bingling , Wen Shijun , Huang Peng
Published: October 2020

Starting from cyclic diaryliodoniums and terminal alkenes, a diverse set of fluorenes is conveniently constructed. The reactions catalyzed by palladium undergo one conventional Mizoroki‐Heck reaction and one reductive Heck reaction. The scope of alkenes is general, leading to 29 fluorenes which would expand the structural diversity of fluorene reservoir.

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Application of Memristors in Hardware Security: A Current State‐of‐the‐Art Technology
Authors: Lv Shiya , Liu Jian , Geng Zhaoxin
Published: October 2020

Memristors are widely used in hardware security applications. Research progress in memristor‐based physical unclonable functions (PUFs), random number generators (RNGs), and chaotic circuits is reviewed. To enhance device security, PUFs and RNGs apply randomness of memristors and incorporate 3D crossbars to amplify the number of challenge‐response pairs and provide proof of the destruction of the key, which enables the administrator to firmly control the device information. In addition, the image encryption technique based on the chaotic system is summarized. Furthermore, an assessment of the research advancement in PUFs, RNGs, and chaotic circuits is conducted. This Review examines the characteristics, applications, progress, and challenges of memristors in hardware security and compares the benefits and limitations of different schemes as accelerators for hardware information protection.
Finite Element Modeling of Soft Fluidic Actuators: Overview and Recent Developments
Authors: Xavier Matheus S. , Fleming Andrew J. , Yong Yuen K.
Published: October 2020

Many soft robots are composed of soft fluidic actuators that are fabricated from silicone rubbers and use hydraulic or pneumatic actuation. The strong nonlinearities and complex geometries of soft actuators hinder the development of analytical models to describe their motion. Finite element modeling provides an effective solution to this issue and allows the user to predict performance and optimize soft actuator designs. Herein, the literature on a finite element analysis of soft actuators is reviewed. First, the required nonlinear elasticity concepts are introduced with a focus on the relevant models for soft robotics. In particular, the procedure for determining material constants for the hyperelastic models from material testing and curve fitting is explored. Then, a comprehensive review of constitutive model parameters for the most widely used silicone rubbers in the literature is provided. An overview of the procedure is provided for three commercially available software packages (Abaqus, Ansys, and COMSOL). The combination of modeling procedures, material properties, and design guidelines presented in this article can be used as a starting point for soft robotic actuator design.
Venetoclax with azacitidine or decitabine in patients with newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia: Long term follow‐up from a phase 1b study
Authors: Pollyea Daniel A. , Pratz Keith , Letai Anthony , Jonas Brian A. , Wei Andrew H. , Pullarkat Vinod , Konopleva Marina , Thirman Michael J. , Arellano Martha , Becker Pamela S. , Chyla Brenda , Hong Wan‐Jen , Jiang Qi , Potluri Jalaja , DiNardo Courtney D.
Published: October 2020

This analysis represents the longest‐term follow‐up for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treated with 400 mg of venetoclax plus azacitidine or decitabine. Adults with newly diagnosed AML ineligible for intensive chemotherapy were enrolled in an open‐label, non‐randomized, multicenter phase 1b trial of venetoclax with azacitidine (AZA; 75 mg/m2; days 1‐7) or decitabine (DEC; 20 mg/m2; days 1‐5). Endpoints included safety, response rates (complete remission [CR], CR with incomplete blood count recovery [CRi]), response duration and overall survival (OS). The median follow‐up time was 29 and 40 months for patients treated with venetoclax plus AZA and DEC combinations, respectively. Key Grade ≥ 3 AEs (AZA and DEC) were febrile neutropenia (39% and 65%), anemia (30% and 26%), thrombocytopenia (25% and 23%), and neutropenia (20% and 10%). The CR/CRi rate was 71% for venetoclax plus AZA and 74% for venetoclax plus DEC. The median duration of CR/CRi was 21.9 months and 15.0 months, and the median OS was 16.4 months and 16.2 months, for venetoclax plus AZA and DEC, respectively. These results support venetoclax plus hypomethylating agents as highly effective frontline AML therapies for patients unfit for intensive chemotherapy.
Conditionalising the unemployed: Why have consecutive Australian governments refused to increase the inadequate Newstart Allowance?
Authors: Mendes Philip
Published: October 2020

Welfare advocacy groups led by the Australian Council of Social Service have been campaigning for an increase in the Newstart Allowance (now renamed the JobSeeker Payment) for more than 20 years. Yet consecutive Australian governments – both Liberal‐National Coalition and Labor – have refused to raise the rate, other than the recent temporary changes introduced in response to COVID‐19. This paper argues that whilst the Coalition and Labor come from different political traditions, they share a common belief in paid work as the principal foundation of Australian social protection. Consequently, their principal concern has been to incentivise the unemployed via conditional welfare measures to engage in labour market participation, rather than boosting the welfare safety net.
Open pelvic fracture with bilateral common iliac arteriovenous injury successfully treated with hemicorporectomy following damage control interventional radiology in a hybrid emergency room
Authors: Omura Takeshi , Omichi Yasuyuki , Kosaka Hirofumi
Published: October 2020

Background

In severe pelvic fracture, keys of successful treatment are early hemostasis and timely definitive care. We present a case in which the patient was treated by fast and reliable hemostasis and subsequent comprehensive hemicorporectomy.

Case Presentation

We describe the case of a 47‐year‐old man with severe pelvic trauma. He received early intervention by the helicopter emergency medical service, which included rapid transarterial embolization as damage control interventional radiology in the hybrid emergency room, and hemicorporectomy as a multidisciplinary approach. This series of treatments saved his life and he was discharged home.

Conclusion

Hemicorporectomy could be the only treatment option in patients with severe pelvic injury when there are no reconstruction options. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of severe open pelvic fractures with blood vessel damage, successfully treated by initial hemostasis using the helicopter emergency medical service, hybrid emergency room system, and following hemicorporectomy as a definitive care.
Nature‐Inspired Construction of MOF@COF Nanozyme with Active Sites in Tailored Microenvironment and Pseudopodia‐Like Surface for Enhanced Bacterial Inhibition
Authors: Zhang Lu , Liu Zhengwei , Deng Qingqing , Sang Yanjuan , Dong Kai , Ren Jinsong , Qu Xiaogang
Published: October 2020

Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) have sparked increasing interest in mimicking the structure and function of natural enzymes. However, their catalytic and therapeutic efficiency are unsatisfactory due to the relatively lower catalytic activity. Herein, inspired by nature, a MOF@COF nanozyme has been designed as a high‐efficiency peroxidase mimic, with the metallic nodes of MOFs as active centres, the hierarchical nanocavities produced by the growth of covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as binding pockets to form tailored pore microenvironment around active sites for enriching and activating substrate molecules, to perform enhanced bacterial inhibition. Furthermore, the pseudopodia‐like surface of the COFs “skin” enabled the system to catch the bacteria effectively for further amplifying the therapeutic efficiency of MOF‐based nanozyme. We believe that the present study will not only facilitate the design of novel nanozymes, but also broaden the biological usage of MOF/COF‐based hybrid materials.
A Novel Continuous Phase‐Transition Extraction Effectively Improves the Yield and Quality of Finger Citron Essential Oil Extract
Authors: Chen Haiqiang , Yang Hui , Zhou Aimei , Xiao Suyao , Song Mingyue , Chen Hanmin , Cao Yong
Published: October 2020

Citron essential oil contains numerous health‐beneficial components, however, with relatively low level in plants. In this paper, the components and physicochemical properties of finger citron essential oil extract (FEOE) obtained by a novel continuous phase‐transition extraction (CPE) were investigated and compared with those achieved by supercritical fluid extraction (SFE). Results indicated that CPE‐derived FEOE significantly increased by 12% in yield compared to SFE‐derived FEOE. Gas chromatograph ‐ mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis showed that FEOE extracted by both methods contained acids, esters, olefins, and alcohols. However, aromatics and heterocycles were only found in CPE‐derived FEOE. Moreover, the relative contents of acids and esters in CPE‐derived FEOEdecreased in comparison with those in SFE‐derived FEOE. On the other hand, the relative contents of olefins, alcohols, aromatic, and heterocycle compounds increased, suggesting a rich and multi‐layered fragrance with plentiful characteristic aroma substances in CPE‐derived FEOE. In addition, FEOE extracted by CPE maintained strong antioxidant activity in a dose‐dependent manner. Together, our results demonstrated that CPE could be a promising technology for essential oil extraction.
Glycobiology of developing chicken kidney: Profiling the galectin family and selected β‐galactosides
Authors: Manning Joachim C. , García Caballero Gabriel , Ludwig Anna‐Kristin , Kaltner Herbert , Sinowatz Fred , Gabius Hans‐Joachim
Published: October 2020

The concept of the sugar code interprets the cellular glycophenotype as a rich source of information read by glycan‐lectin recognition in situ. This study's aim is the comprehensive characterization of galectin expression by immunohistochemistry during chicken nephrogenesis along with mapping binding sites by (ga)lectin histochemistry. Light and two‐color fluorescence microscopy were used. First, six plant/fungal lectins that are specific for galectin‐binding parts of N‐ and O‐glycans were applied. The spatiotemporally regulated distributions of these glycans in meso‐ and metanephros equip cells with potential binding partners for the galectins. Complete galectin profiling from HH Stage 20 (about 70–72 hr) onward revealed cell‐, galectin‐, and stage‐dependent expression patterns. Representatives of all three types of modular architecture of the galectin family are detectable, and overlaps of signal distribution in light and two‐color fluorescence microscopy illustrate a possibility for functional cooperation among them. Performing systematic galectin histochemistry facilitated comparisons between staining profiles of plant lectins and galectins. They revealed several cases for differences so that tissue lectins appear to be selective among the β‐galactosides. Notably, selectivity is also disclosed in intrafamily comparison. Thus, combining experimental series with plant and tissue lectins is a means to characterize target populations of glycans presented by cellular glycoconjugates for individual galectins. Our results document the presence and sophisticated level of elaboration among β‐galactosides and among the members of the family of galectins during organogenesis, using chicken galectins and kidney as model. Thus, they provide a clear guideline for functional assays using supramolecular tools, cells, and organ cultures.
Highly Ordered Carbon Coating Prepared with Polyvinylidene Chloride Precursor for High‐Performance Silicon Anodes in Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Zhou Shuo , Fang Chen , Song Xiangyun , Liu Gao
Published: October 2020

A highly ordered carbon structure based on polyvinylidene chloride precursor has been developed to host silicon nanoparticles. The stoichiometric ratio of sacrificial H and Cl elements facilitated full utilization of the carbon content of the precursor that produced robust carbon coatings on silicon nanoparticles with excellent mechanic properties and electrochemical stabilities. The optimal sintering temperature and carbon content have been investigated. When evaluated as the anode of a lithium‐ion battery (LIB), the Si : C 1 : 2 composite sintered at 800 °C (SiC12‐800) provided excellent capacity retention of 85 % at 0.1 C after 50 cycles with an enhanced CE, which reached 99 % only after 10 cycles. The SiC12‐800 electrode maintained a specific capacity of 709.2 mAh/g after 300 cycles at 0.3 C, and delivered a high rate performance of 737.9 mAh/g and 485.6 mAh/g at 5 C and 10 C, respectively. The results indicate that polymer precursors with stoichiometric ratio of sacrificial elements have high potential for generating highly robust carbon coatings for silicon anodes in high energy density LIBs.
Folate intake, markers of folate status and oral clefts: An updated set of systematic reviews and meta‐analyses
Authors: Zhou Yulai , Sinnathamby Vigigah , Yu Yamei , Sikora Lindsey , Johnson Candice Y. , Mossey Peter , Little Julian
Published: October 2020

Background

There has been a longstanding debate about the role of folate in the etiology of orofacial clefts (OFCs). Studies of different measures of nutritional intake or folate status have been done to investigate the possible role of folate in the prevention of OFC. Only one knowledge synthesis has attempted to bring together different types of evidence. The aim of the present work was to update it.

Methods

Evidence for associations between OFC and dietary folate, supplement use, folic acid fortification, biomarkers of folate status, and variants of MTHFR (C677T and A1298C) were included. Potentially eligible articles were systematically identified from PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Web of Science (2007–2020) and combined using random‐effects meta‐analysis when appropriate. Quality assessments were conducted using the Newcastle‐Ottawa scale and Cochrane's risk of bias tool.

Results

Sixty‐four studies published since the previous knowledge synthesis were identified, with eight of these identified through a supplementary search from October, 2018 to August, 2020. There was an inverse association between folic acid‐containing supplement use before or during pregnancy and cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) (OR 0.60, 95% CI 0.51–0.69), with considerable between‐study heterogeneity. The prevalence of CL/P showed a small decline post‐folic acid fortification in seven studies (OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.86–1.02). No association was found between OFC and genetic markers of folate status. The coronavirus‐19 pandemic has threatened food availability globally and therefore there is a need to maintain and even enhance surveillance concerning maternal intake of folate and related vitamins.

Conclusions

The risk of non‐syndromic OFC was reduced among pregnant women with folic acid‐containing supplements during the etiologically relevant period. However, high heterogeneity between included studies, incomplete reporting of population characteristics and variation in timing of exposure and supplement types mean that conclusions should be drawn with caution.
Scaffolds obtained from decellularized human extrahepatic bile ducts support organoids to establish functional biliary tissue in a dish
Authors: Willemse Jorke , Roos Floris J. M. , Voogt Iris J. , Schurink Ivo J. , Bijvelds Marcel , de Jonge Hugo R. , van der Laan Luc J. W. , de Jonge Jeroen , Verstegen Monique M. A.
Published: October 2020

Biliary disorders can lead to life‐threatening disease and are also a challenging complication of liver transplantation. As there are limited treatment options, tissue engineered bile ducts could be employed to replace or repair damaged bile ducts. We explored how these constructs can be created by seeding hepatobiliary LGR5+ organoids onto tissue‐specific scaffold. For this, we decellularized discarded human extrahepatic bile ducts (EBD) that we recellularized with organoids of different origin, that is, liver biopsies, extrahepatic bile duct biopsies, and bile samples. Here, we demonstrate efficient decellularization of EBD tissue. Recellularization of the EBD extracellular matrix (ECM) with the organoids of extrahepatic origin (EBD tissue and bile derived organoids) showed more profound repopulation of the ductal ECM when compared with liver tissue (intrahepatic bile duct) derived organoids. The bile duct constructs that were repopulated with extrahepatic organoids expressed mature cholangiocyte‐markers and had increased electrical resistance, indicating restoration of the barrier function. Therefore, the organoids of extrahepatic sources are identified to be the optimal candidate for the development of personalized tissue engineered EBD constructs.
Green and grey: Nutritional lifestyle and healthful ageing in rural and urban areas of three sub‐Saharan African countries
Authors: Kyomuhendo Clare , Adeola Romola
Published: October 2020

Increased lifespan has resulted in a growing ageing population with non‐communicable diseases (NCDs) like cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, among others that are chronic in nature. Thus, causing dependency, disability, poor quality of life, and increased medical costs. This paper uses South Africa, Ghana, and Uganda to understand how improved medical interventions and social‐economic conditions have increased life expectancy while changing dietary and disease patterns. The countries are chosen due to their variations in urbanization and ageing levels. South Africa is more urbanized (66%) with an 8% aged population, followed by Ghana (56.06%) with a 5.3% aged population and Uganda (23.77%) with a 4.5% aged population. Lately, healthy dietary patterns are encouraged to promote healthy ageing and prevent, slow and reverse NCDs, through consumption of organic foods (higher in wholegrain foods, vegetables, fruits, with low meat consumption). Organic products are considered healthier, nutritious, fresher, and environmentally friendly because their production excludes pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and chemical food additives. Through literature reviews, we identified how older persons' nutritional patterns in South Africa, Ghana, and Uganda have evolved and their impacts on ageing. Findings indicated rising incomes and urbanization leading to nutrition transition, with traditional foods being substituted with foods high in meat, fats, refined sugars, and oils. Consequently, a double burden of diseases that are communicable and non‐communicable is emerging. Changes in diets of older persons have promoted overweight/obesity and under nutrition/underweight. It is, therefore, necessary to use strategies that improve levels of organic food intake through educational programs to the aged and their families on how to control diets and lifestyles. Also, household organic food production can be promoted by encouraging growing vegetables and fruits. This will help boost older persons' nutritional wellbeing, as well as promote the production of local organic foods that are environmental friendly and socially sustainable.
Biophysical analysis of SARS‐CoV‐2 transmission and theranostic development via N protein computational characterization
Authors: Sabbih Godfred O. , Korsah Maame A. , Jeevanandam Jaison , Danquah Michael K.
Published: October 2020

Recently, SARS‐CoV‐2 has been identified as the causative factor of viral infection called COVID‐19 that belongs to the zoonotic beta coronavirus family known to cause respiratory disorders or viral pneumonia, followed by an extensive attack on organs that express angiotensin‐converting enzyme II (ACE2). Human transmission of this virus occurs via respiratory droplets from symptomatic and asymptomatic patients, which are released into the environment after sneezing or coughing. These droplets are capable of staying in the air as aerosols or surfaces and can be transmitted to persons through inhalation or contact with contaminated surfaces. Thus, there is an urgent need for advanced theranostic solutions to control the spread of COVID‐19 infection. The development of such fit‐for‐purpose technologies hinges on a proper understanding of the transmission, incubation, and structural characteristics of the virus in the external environment and within the host. Hence, this article describes the development of an intrinsic model to describe the incubation characteristics of the virus under varying environmental factors. It also discusses on the evaluation of SARS‐CoV‐2 structural nucleocapsid protein properties via computational approaches to generate high‐affinity binding probes for effective diagnosis and targeted treatment applications by specific targeting of viruses. In addition, this article provides useful insights on the transmission behavior of the virus and creates new opportunities for theranostics development.
Multiscale Investigation into the Co‐Doping Strategy on the Electrochemical Properties of Li2RuO3 Cathodes for Li‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Moradi Zahra , Lanjan Amirmasoud , Srinivasan Seshasai
Published: October 2020

Herein, a co‐doping strategy is proposed for a Li‐rich layered Ru‐based cathode, Li2RuO3 (LRO), as promising next‐generation cathode materials. Using quantum mechanics, molecular dynamics, and macroscale mathematical modeling, the electrochemical properties such as voltage, electronic structure, thermodynamic structural stability, O2 stability, electrical conductivity coefficient, the energy barrier, theoretical capacity, Li‐ion diffusion coefficient, proportion of the electrode materials in the internal resistance of LIBs, and the percentage of waste energy in charge‐discharge cycles of all samples are calculated and compared. The results show that the cathode with Ti and Zr has the highest maximum voltage and the lowest voltage reduction during the discharge process. Also, it has 25 % lower waste energy in comparison to the undoped cathodes which indicates significant improvements in its efficiency. On the other hand, Li2Ru0.75Ti0.125Cr0.125O3 (LRTCO) has the highest electrical conductivity coefficient, thermodynamic, structural and oxygen stability as well as theoretical capacity, which indicates the highest durability and safety improvement for LRO cathode materials. Moreover, it is shown in this study that the ohmic potential drop for the studied cathodes is negligible and is not worth the investment for reducing the internal resistance. This study can provide a brighter insight into the co‐doping strategy for materials in future investigations.
Improving Harris hawks optimization algorithm for hyperparameters estimation and feature selection in v‐support vector regression based on opposition‐based learning
Authors: Ismael Omar Mohammed , Qasim Omar Saber , Algamal Zakariya Yahya
Published: October 2020

Many real problems have been solved by support vector regression, especially v‐support vector regression (v‐SVR), but there are hyperparameters that usually needed to tune. In addition, v‐SVR cannot perform feature selection. Nature‐inspired algorithms have been used as a feature selection and as hyperparameters estimation procedure. In this paper, the opposition‐based learning Harris hawks optimization algorithm (HHOA‐OBL) is proposed to optimize the hyperparameters of the v‐SVR with embedding the feature selection simultaneously. The experimental results over four datasets show that the HHOA‐OBL outperforms the standard Harris hawks optimization algorithm, grid search, and cross‐validation methods, in terms of prediction, number of selected features, and running time. Besides, the experimental results of the HHOA‐OBL confirm the efficiency of the proposed algorithm in improving the prediction performance and computational time compared with other nature‐inspired algorithms, which proves the ability of HHOA‐OBL in searching for the best hyperparameters values and selecting the most informative features for prediction tasks. Thus, the experiments and comparisons support the performance of the proposed approach in making predictions in other real applications.
An Active Hybrid Electrocatalyst with Synergized Pyridinic Nitrogen‐Cobalt and Oxygen Vacancies for Bifunctional Oxygen Reduction and Evolution
Authors: Zhong Wen‐Xin , Zhao Xue‐Ru , Qin Jia‐Yi , Yang Jing
Published: October 2020

Main observation and conclusion

A hybrid bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR)/oxygen evolution reaction (OER) NiCo2O4–x/NLG with rich pyridinic‐nitrogen‐ cobalt coordination and oxygen vacancies was synthesized via a combination of the hydrothermal method and pulsed laser irradiation. NiCo2O4–x/NLG exhibits an excellent catalytic activity with a low overpotential of 290 mV at 10 mA·cm–2 for OER and a high half‐wave potential of 0.85 V for ORR. As a result, the overall ORR/OER overpotential of NiCo2O4–x/NLG is only 0.67 V in 1.0 mol/L KOH electrolyte, which is superior to commercial noble‐metal‐based catalysts (Pt/C+RuO2). It is evidenced that the enhanced intrinsic OER and ORR activities of NiCo2O4–x/NLG are attributed to a synergistic effect between the pyridinic‐N‐Co coordination and the oxygen vacancies. This work provides a new design strategy for enhancing the intrinsic activity of bifunctional ORR/OER electrocatalysts.
Role of implicit bias in pediatric cancer clinical trials and enrollment recommendations among pediatric oncology providers
Authors: Graetz Dylan E. , Madni Arshia , Gossett Jeffrey , Kang Guolian , Sabin Janice A. , Santana Victor M. , Russo Carolyn L.
Published: October 2020

Background

Provider implicit bias can negatively affect clinician‐patient communication. In the current study, the authors measured implicit bias training among pediatric oncology providers and exposure to implicit association tests (IATs). They then assessed associations between IATs for race and socioeconomic status (SES) and recommendations for clinical trial enrollment.

Methods

A prospective multisite study was performed to measure implicit bias among oncology providers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and affiliate clinics. An IAT was used to assess bias in the domains of race and SES. Case vignettes were used to determine an association between bias and provider recommendation for trial enrollment. Data were analyzed using Studentttests or Wilcoxon tests for comparisons and Jonckheere‐Terpstra tests were used for association.

Results

Of the 105 total participants, 95 (90%) had not taken an IAT and 97 (92%) had no prior implicit bias training. A large effect was found for (bias toward) high SES (Cohend, 1.93) and European American race (Cohend, 0.96). The majority of participants (90%) had a vignette score of 3 or 4, indicating recommendation for trial enrollment for most or all vignettes. IAT and vignette scores did not significantly differ between providers at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or affiliate clinics. No association was found between IAT and vignette scores for race (P= .58) or SES (P= .82).

Conclusions

The authors noted a paucity of prior exposure to implicit bias self‐assessments and training. Although these providers demonstrated preferences for high SES and European American race, this did not appear to affect recommendations for clinical trial enrollment as assessed by vignettes.
On the Convex Geometry of Blind Deconvolution and Matrix Completion
Authors: Krahmer Felix , Stöger Dominik
Published: October 2020

Low‐rank matrix recovery from structured measurements has been a topic of intense study in the last decade and many important problems like matrix completion and blind deconvolution have been formulated in this framework. An important benchmark method to solve these problems is to minimize the nuclear norm, a convex proxy for the rank. A common approach to establish recovery guarantees for this convex program relies on the construction of a so‐called approximate dual certificate. However, this approach provides only limited insight into various respects. Most prominently, the noise bounds exhibit seemingly suboptimal dimension factors. In this paper we take a novel, more geometric viewpoint to analyze both the matrix completion and the blind deconvolution scenario. We find that for both these applications the dimension factors in the noise bounds are not an artifact of the proof, but the problems are intrinsically badly conditioned. We show, however, that bad conditioning only arises for very small noise levels: Under mild assumptions that include many realistic noise levels we derive near‐optimal error estimates for blind deconvolution under adversarial noise. © 2020 The Authors. Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics published by Wiley Periodicals LLC
Impulsiveness in borderline personality disorder predicts the long‐term outcome of a psychodynamic treatment programme
Authors: Wrege Johannes S. , Busmann Mareike , Meyer Andrea H. , Euler Sebastian , Lang Undine E. , Walter Marc
Published: October 2020

Despite the preponderance of treatment outcome predictors in patients with borderline personality disorder (BPD), the predictive value of measures of impulsiveness is inconclusive. This naturalistic study consecutively included hospitalized patients with BPD (N = 99) who underwent a standardized and structured 12‐week inpatient treatment programme, which integrated cognitive‐behavioural and psychodynamic elements. The Brief Symptom Checklist (BSCL) was applied as outcome measure over four time points: pretreatment, posttreatment, first follow‐up at 6 to 8 weeks and second follow‐up at 1 year after discharge. Impulsiveness was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS) at the pretreatment time point. The BSCL significantly decreased between pretreatment and posttreatment, followed by an increase after posttreatment without reaching pretreatment extent. The temporal course of the BSCL significantly varied with pretreatment BIS in that patients with higher impulsiveness revealed a stronger re‐increase of symptom severity from posttreatment to end of follow‐up than those with lower impulsiveness. The least impulsive patients thereby showed no rebound effect. The robustness of the results was examined by cross‐validation. The results indicate that irrespective of the level of impulsiveness, patients with BPD profit from a structured inpatient treatment. However, long‐term treatment success was impaired in patients with high level of impulsiveness at pretreatment. Thus, self‐ratings of impulsiveness in BPD patients can be utilized for treatment planning. After discontinuation of interventions, relapse prevention should be implemented early in high impulsive patients as symptoms recrudesce in the course after discharge.
Seeing is believing? The impact of air pollution on corporate social responsibility
Authors: Tan Zhidong , Tan Jianhua , Chan Kam C.
Published: October 2020

We study the impact of air pollution in the city in which a firm is located on its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Our hypothesis suggests that when managers are personally exposed to bad air pollution, they feel the pain and push their firms to engage in more CSR activities. Leveraging recent announcements regarding air pollution in Chinese cities, we find evidence consistent with our “seeing is believing” hypothesis. The findings are robust to alternative metrics of CSR and air pollution and after accounting for endogeneity. Additional analysis suggests that the impact of air pollution on CSR is more salient for firms with disproportionately older, female, and highly educated managers as well as when the local city government has more stable resources or when media coverage of air pollution increases.
Glucose‐lowering pharmacotherapies in Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease or chronic kidney disease. An expert consensus reported by the Chinese Diabetes Society and the Chinese Society of Endocrinology
Authors: Hong Tianpei , Su Qing , Li Xiaoying , Shan Zhongyan , Chen Li , Peng Yongde , Chen Liming , Yan Li , Bao Yuqian , Lyu Zhaohui , Shi Lixin , Wang Weiqing , Guo Lixin , Ning Guang , Mu Yiming , Zhu Dalong
Published: October 2020

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) are at risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), which are important causes of disabling and death in patients with T2DM. For the prevention and management of ASCVD or CKD, cardiovascular risk factors should be systematically evaluated, and ASCVD and CKD should be screened in patients with T2DM. In this consensus, we recommended that metformin should be used as the first‐line therapy for patients with T2DM and ASCVD or very high cardiovascular risk, heart failure (HF) or CKD, and should be retained in the treatment regimen unless contraindicated or not tolerated. In patients with T2DM and established ASCVD or very high cardiovascular risk, addition of a glucagon‐like peptide 1 receptor agonist (GLP‐1RA) or sodium–glucose cotransporter type 2 (SGLT2) inhibitor with proven cardiovascular benefits should be considered independent of individualised glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) targets. In patients with T2DM and HF, an SGLT2 inhibitor should be preferably added regardless of HbA1C levels. In patients with T2DM and CKD, SGLT2 inhibitors should be preferred for the combination therapy independent of individualised HbA1C targets, and GLP‐1RAs with proven renal benefits would be alternative if SGLT2 inhibitors are contraindicated. Moreover, the prevention of hypoglycaemia and management of multiple risk factors by comprehensive regimen, including lifestyle intervention, antihypertensive therapies, lipid‐lowering treatment and antiplatelet therapies, should be kept in mind in treating patients with T2DM and ASCVD, HF or CKD.