bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel Green Leaf‐hopper Flame optimization algorithm for competent frequency regulation in hybrid microgrids
Authors: Sahoo Subash Chandra , Barik Amar Kumar , Das Dulal Chandra
Published: January 2022

A proficient frequency regulation scheme has been explored in this work for two interconnected hybrid microgrids () comprised of multiple renewable energy sources, like solar‐thermal units, wind turbine generator units, solar photovoltaic, biogas turbine, biodiesel generator, and storage units. A new optimization algorithm has been formulated to replicate the photo‐tactic swarming behavior of green leafhoppers named Green Leaf‐hopper Flame optimization algorithm (GLFOA) to tune the system controllers (proportional integral (PI)/proportional derivative (PD)/proportional integral derivative (PID) controllers). The superiority of GLFOA is confirmed by comparing the performance with several popular optimization algorithms. To assess the stability of the several rigorous tests have been conducted considering availability/nonavailability of renewable resources, gusty wind, real‐time variation of solar radiation and wind velocities along with the random load disturbances. GLFOA tuned PID controllers were found to be the best to contain the frequency deviations. The maximum peak overshoot, undershoot, and settling time obtained by GLFOA tuned PID controllers are 0.01051 Hz, −0.00764 Hz, and 14.15 s, respectively, which are within an acceptable limit. Further, there is an improvement of 0.15% in the performance index obtained by GLFOA over its counterpart obtained by grey wolf optimization, confirming the superiority of the GLFOA tuned controller.
Group‐level information decay and inventory inspection: An empirical‐analytical approach
Authors: Chuang Howard Hao‐Chun , Oliva Rogelio , Kumar Subodha
Published: January 2022

Despite numerous optimization techniques proposed to address inventory record inaccuracy (IRI), there continues to be a lack of empirical appreciation of IRI, nor do existing item‐level inspection policies accommodate managerial needs for allocating inspection effort to groups of items. We address these issues by collaborating with a retailer to collect archival data and develop statistical estimation and practical optimization techniques that address IRI. We propose a continuous‐time model to explain group‐level information decay and, based on the model's structure, develop an inspection policy that satisfies managerial needs for allocating inspection effort to a group of items. After analyzing model behavior and quantifying unobservable cost factors using information readily available, we test the efficacy of the proposed policy within the retailing environment and find it to outperform both the retailer's inspection routines and a well‐established industry benchmark. Finally, we illustrate how to optimize grouping and inspection decisions jointly and show potential benefits from optimized group formation. Our empirically grounded modeling effort yields transferable methods and generalizable insights for improving inventory integrity.
High‐performance liquid chromatography quantitative analysis of ephedrine alkaloids in Ephedrae Herba on a perfluorooctyl stationary phase
Authors: Song Chunying , Yu Dongping , Jin Gaowa , Ding Junjie , Zhou Han , Guo Zhimou , Liang Xinmiao
Published: January 2022

Ephedrae Herba is one of the most commonly used herbal medicines, and it has been shown that most of the clinical efficacy for cold and asthma is exerted by its alkaloidal components. A simple and sensitive high‐performance liquid chromatography method was developed using a perfluorooctyl column for the simultaneous determination of five alkaloids (norephedrine, norpseudoephedrine, ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, and methylephedrine) in Ephedrae Herba. The mobile phase comprising acetonitrile and 15 mM ammonium trifluoroacetate was used to elute the targets in isocratic elution mode. The method was validated for linearity (R2 > 0.999), repeatability, intraday and interday precision, recoveries with trueness (93.87–110.99%), limits of detection (5.35–5.76 µg/mL), and limits of quantification (20 µg/mL). The quantitative results revealed that the developed method was precise and accurate. Then it was successfully applied to determine the difference in the contents of three batches of Ephedrae Herba from three pharmaceutical companies.
Disease and secondary sexual traits: effects of pneumonia on horn size of bighorn sheep
Authors: Martin Alynn M. , Hogg John T. , Manlove Kezia R. , LaSharr Tayler N. , Shannon Justin M. , McWhirter Doug E. , Miyasaki Hollie , Monteith Kevin L. , Cross Paul C.
Published: January 2022

Secondary sexual traits (e.g., horns and antlers) have ecological and evolutionary importance and are of management interest for game species. Yet, how these traits respond to emerging threats like infectious disease remains underexplored. Infectious pneumonia threatens bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) populations across North America and we hypothesized it may also reduce horn growth in male sheep. We assess the effect of pneumonia on horn size in male bighorn sheep using 12 herd datasets from across the western United States that had horn growth and disease data. Disease resulted in 12–35% reduction in increment (yearly) length and 3–13% reduction in total horn length in exposed individuals. The disease effect was prolonged when pathogens continued to circulate in sheep populations. Further, disease likely delays the age at which horns reach ¾‐curl and prevents achievement of full‐curl. This is further evidenced with 6 of the 12 herds experiencing an increase in average age at harvest following die‐off events.
Incidence of Head and Neck Cancer With Lung Cancer Screening: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Jassal Japnam S. , Grauer Jordan S. , Cramer John D.
Published: January 2022

Objectives/Hypothesis

To evaluate the incidence of head and neck cancers (HNC) in high‐risk current and/or former smokers with screening low‐dose computed tomography (LDCT) chest versus chest x‐ray (CXR).

Study Design

Second analysis of randomized clinical trial.

Methods

We performed a secondary analysis examining the incidence of HNC in the National Lung Screening Trial. This was a randomized trial comparing LDCT versus CXR screening for lung cancer detection in high‐risk individuals (30 pack‐year smokers who currently smoke or quit within the last 15 years, aged 55–74). We compared the incidence of HNC in participants screened with LDCT versus CXR. We performed subgroup analyses in participants with mucosal HNC (oral cavity, oropharynx, larynx, hypopharynx, nasal/sinus cavity, or nasopharynx) or nonmucosal HNC (thyroid or salivary gland) and examined survival in the two screening arms.

Results

This trial enrolled 53,452 participants with a median follow‐up of 6.2 years after randomization. The incidence of HNC was 111.8 cases per 100,000 person‐years in the LDCT group versus 87.1 cases per 100,000 person‐years in the CXR group (rate ratio 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.05–1.61). There were 11.7 deaths from HNC per 100,000 person‐years in the LDCT group and 12.9 deaths per 100,000 person‐years in the CXR group (hazard ratio 0.80, 95% CI 0.42–1.52).

Conclusions

Participants screened with LDCT had a modestly higher incidence of HNC. As uptake and adherence of lung cancer screening guidelines improve, clinicians should recognize that incidental findings from screening may lead to increased detection of HNC.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 132:1609–1614, 2022
Are journal archiving and embargo policies impeding the success of India's open access policy?
Authors: Koley Moumita , Lala Kanchan
Published: January 2022

India's primary science funding agencies, the Department of Science & Technology, and the Department of Biotechnology (DST & DBT) together formulated an open access (OA) policy in 2014. This policy mandates immediate self‐archival of research articles generated from publicly funded research across all the institutions in suitable repositories. But with inadequate infrastructure and awareness, the OA mandate did not flourish as expected. This paper aims to understand whether journal policies impede the prospect of DST‐DBT OA policy and the possible routes to achieve policy compliance. The analysis presented in this paper tracks down the journal self‐archiving policies of the top 50 popular journals (among Indian authors) from each of the six STEM fields—Biology, Chemistry, Clinical‐Medicine, Engineering, Materials science, and Physics. The results show that most journals have an embargo of 12–24 months on self‐archiving of the post‐print (final author version after peer‐review), which contradicts the DST‐DBT OA mandate. The study also reveals that hybrid journals dominate, and article processing charges craft a new form of inequity for Indian STEM researchers. We expect that these findings will be helpful for the funding agencies to restructure their policies, and negotiate with journal publishers to resolve the contradictions.
Persistent foramen of Huschke: Presentation, evaluation, and management
Authors: Macielak Robert J. , Nassiri Ashley M. , Fillmore W. Jonathan , Lane John I. , Driscoll Colin L. W. , Carlson Matthew L.
Published: January 2022

Objective

Describe the presentation and management strategy for patients with symptomatic foramen of Huschke (FH).

Patients

Adults with persistent FH confirmed on imaging.

Interventions

Diagnosis and management of symptomatic persistent FH.

Main outcome measure

Resolution of otologic symptoms.

Results

A total of four patients with symptomatic, radiographically‐confirmed persistent FH were included. The majority of patients endorsed otalgia (n = 4) and otorrhea (n = 3), and only one patient was noted to have a conductive hearing loss. All patients were noted to have dynamic movement of an external auditory canal mass with mandible manipulation on examination, and all patients had an identifiable fistula on imaging. Patients underwent surgical intervention, including both preauricular (n = 2) and transcanal (n = 2) approaches, and all endorsed symptomatic resolution after convalescence.

Conclusions

Persistent FH remains an uncommon and potentially underrecognized cause of otologic symptoms. Diagnosis requires a high index of suspicion, and one must rely on both key examination findings and imaging to confirm this diagnosis. In appropriately selected patients, surgical intervention can provide durable symptomatic resolution.

Level of evidence

IV
AGauss–Newtoninversion method based on prior back‐projection information for inverse scattering problems
Authors: Chen Wei , Du Liuge , Zhao Jia , HuYan Siteng
Published: January 2022

Gauss–Newton inversion (GNI) method uses a microwave imaging system to reconstruct the dielectric properties of the target area with high accuracy. But the computational complexity of this method increases significantly as the target area and imaging resolution increase. At present, computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are used in some researches to provide prior information for GNI algorithm to decrease computational complexity. However, these methods cannot be achieved by microwave imaging system. In this letter, a fast and high‐precision imaging approach combining back‐projection (BP) algorithm with GNI algorithm by using the same set of microwaves equipment is proposed. The size of reconstructed area is reduced and a more suitable initial value is predetermined according to the prior information provided by BP fast imaging algorithm. The permittivity distribution of the target area is then reconstructed by GNI algorithm. Numerical simulations are presented to verify that the use of BP prior information improves the real‐time performance and accuracy of the whole algorithm.
Optimization of magnetization transfer contrast for EPI FLAIR brain imaging
Authors: Demir Serdest , Clifford Bryan , Lo Wei‐Ching , Tabari Azadeh , Goncalves Filho Augusto Lio M. , Lang Min , Cauley Stephen F. , Setsompop Kawin , Bilgic Berkin , Lev Michael H. , Schaefer Pamela W. , Rapalino Otto , Huang Susie Y. , Hilbert Tom , Feiweier Thorsten , Conklin John
Published: January 2022

Purpose

To evaluate the impact of magnetization transfer (MT) on brain tissue contrast in turbo‐spin‐echo (TSE) and EPI fluid‐attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images, and to optimize an MT‐prepared EPI FLAIR pulse sequence to match the tissue contrast of a clinical reference TSE FLAIR protocol.

Methods

Five healthy volunteers underwent 3T brain MRI, including single slice TSE FLAIR, multi‐slice TSE FLAIR, EPI FLAIR without MT‐preparation, and MT‐prepared EPI FLAIR with variations of the MT‐preparation parameters, including number of preparation pulses, pulse amplitude, and resonance offset. Automated co‐registration and gray matter (GM) versus white matter (WM) segmentation was performed using a T1‐MPRAGE acquisition, and the GM versus WM signal intensity ratio (contrast ratio) was calculated for each FLAIR acquisition.

Results

Without MT preparation, EPI FLAIR showed poor tissue contrast (contrast ratio = 0.98), as did single slice TSE FLAIR. Multi‐slice TSE FLAIR provided high tissue contrast (contrast ratio = 1.14). MT‐prepared EPI FLAIR closely approximated the contrast of the multi‐slice TSE FLAIR images for two combinations of the MT‐preparation parameters (contrast ratio = 1.14). Optimized MT‐prepared EPI FLAIR provided a 50% reduction in scan time compared to the reference TSE FLAIR acquisition.

Conclusion

Optimized MT‐prepared EPI FLAIR provides comparable brain tissue contrast to the multi‐slice TSE FLAIR images used in clinical practice.
A study on accuracy and precision of fluid volume measurements by nurses, patients and healthy persons in a clinical setting
Authors: Michelsen Charlotte Frydenlund , Svendsen Morten Bo Søndergaard , Bagger Marie Lommer , Konradsen Hanne
Published: January 2022

Aim

To evaluate the accuracy and precision for assessing fluid intake by examining the ability of nurses, patients and healthy people to visually estimate fluid volumes, thereby reflecting the fluid monitoring process in clinical practice.

Design

A cross‐sectional study.

Methods

This study used the convenience sampling method and involved twenty‐five participants from three groups; nurses, patients and healthy people. The participants carried out a set of different visual volume assessments of two types of fluids using two fluid containers. The exact volumes were measured, and the results were compared with the target volumes.

Results

High variations were observed in the fluid volume assessments for patients, nurses and healthy persons and also were observed to be an effect of environmental factors (fluid container or fluid type) on volume perceptions. This highlights the importance of finding new and innovative ways of measuring fluids for oral intake in a hospital setting, to ensure accurate and reliable data on fluid balance and thereby increase patient safety.
Advances in the use of electrospinning as a promising technique for obtaining nanofibers to guide epithelial wound healing in diabetics—Mini‐review
Authors: da Costa Pamela Roberta Alves , de Menezes Lívia Rodrigues , Dias Marcos Lopes , da Silva Emerson Oliveira
Published: January 2022

Diabetes is one of the chronic diseases that most affect the world population, and it is estimated that in a few years it will progressively increase. It can appear at any stage of life, being Type I most common in childhood and Type II in adulthood, but both are related to hyperglycemia. Studies show that physical inactivity, obesity, and poor eating habits can influence the onset and/or worsening of Type II diabetes. Among the complications that diabetics may develop are amputations, these are caused due to the neuropathy that the diabetic develops and ends up losing sensitivity when injured. Consequently, the wounds often become infected ulcers and the tissue dies, leading the patient to undergo surgical procedures for tissue removal. To try to prevent wounds from becoming ulcers and/or to reduce the percentage of amputations, researchers have been using the electro‐spinning technique to form nanofibers. The fibers when electrospun have nanofiber morphology and one of the characteristics of these is the volume/area ratio in which positively increases the properties of the fibers. These are being widely used in tissue engineering as they have been shown to be effective in tissue regeneration. In addition, they prove to be promising in the biomedical area for modified drug release. Polymers such as poly (ε‐caprolactone), poly (lactic‐co‐glycolic acid), gum tragacanth, among others, are gaining ground in the scientific field to produce nanofibers incorporating some antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti‐inflammatory agent. For treating diabetic wounds, preventing amputation processes and an improvement in the quality of life. The aim of this paper is to review the use of the electrospinning technique to aid the healing of diabetic wounds in the scientific literature.
Preparation and characterization of thermal‐ and light‐triggered self‐healing azobenzene polymer
Authors: Xue Xiaoqiang , Liang Kang , Wang Xuezi , Huang Wenyan , Yang Hongjun , Jiang Li , Jiang Qimin , Jiang Bibiao , Komarneni Sridhar
Published: January 2022

Both temperature‐ and light‐triggered self‐healing azobenzene polymer was successfully synthesized via radical copolymerization of 4‐(furan‐maleimide ethyl) methyl methacrylate (MMA‐FMI), 4′‐(oxyhexyl methacrylate)‐4‐(oxyfuran‐2‐carbomethoxy) azobenzene (MMA‐FAzo) and 6‐(4′‐methoxy‐4‐oxyazobenzene)‐hexyl methacrylate at 50°C. The structure of the polymer was characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and gel permeation chromatography. Interestingly, furan and maleimide thermally reversible groups were introduced into the polymer. After the furan rings on the MMA‐FMI were removed at high temperatures, the exposed maleimide groups were further added with the furan rings on the MMA‐FAzo to form a crosslinked network. The crosslinked polymer film was still soluble in the anisole after heating, which could further illustrate the thermal reversibility of the polymer film and realized the recyclability and reworkability of the side‐chain azobenzene polymer. 1H‐NMR could prove that the crosslinked polymer was completely decrosslinked and the polymer was thermoreversible. Ultraviolet–visible (UV–Vis) absorption spectra showed rapid photoisomerization of the polymer, and surface‐relief grating formed on the crosslinked PAzo film was also investigated using illumination from a linearly polarized Kr+ laser beam. The surface modulation depth and grating spacing were about 149 nm, and 1.7 μm, respectively. What is more, the polarized light microscopy showed that the crosslinked polymer film could be self‐repaired under the combined action of UV light and heating.
Amorphous polyamide m‐xylylenediamine‐adipic acid‐isophthalic acid copolymer (MXD6I): Evaluation of oxygen barrier property and free volume in high humidity condition
Authors: Yamanaka Masaki , Muraya Takahiro , Oda Takahumi , Saegusa Nobuya , Watanabe Ryota , Hagihara Hideaki
Published: January 2022

To get insights into the excellent gas‐barrier properties of amorphous polyamide m‐xylylenediamine‐adipic acid‐isophthalic acid copolymer (MXD6I), free‐volume hole size and thermophysical properties of MXD6I were evaluated. The results from positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) showed that the free‐volume hole size of MXD6I—which was estimated from the ortho‐positronium (o‐Ps) lifetime and o‐Ps intensity—remained almost unchanged even with a high water‐absorption rate. This indicates that no significant structural changes occurred in MXD6I. In contrast, the free‐volume hole size of the semicrystalline polyamide MXD6 significantly increased due to water absorption. The glass transition temperature (Tg) of MXD6I decreased due to water absorption, but it remained higher than the ambient temperature. The molecular motion of MXD6I is likely to be limited even under high humidity conditions; therefore, nanoscale structural changes such as crystallization are unlikely. We found that the stable gas‐barrier properties of MXD6I can be attributed to its amorphous nature and a high Tg even in a water‐saturated state.
A comprehensive review on polymer composites in railway applications
Authors: Jagadeesh Praveenkumara , Puttegowda Madhu , Oladijo Oluseyi Philip , Lai Chin Wei , Gorbatyuk Sergey , Matykiewicz Danuta , Rangappa Sanjay Mavinkere , Siengchin Suchart
Published: January 2022

The main challenging things in railway vehicles are to reduce the consumption of energy for transportation and to decrease the emission of harmful gasses by limiting the consumption of fuel sources. These drawbacks can be overcome by lightweight structures designed for the vehicle bodies and frameworks. The composite materials with fiber reinforcements are the preferred choice for manufacturing lightweight structures to reduce the overall weight of the rail vehicle. The fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) materials possess light‐weightiness, high strength, high stiffness value and are more durable in nature. The researchers are continuously putting their efforts into new innovations in concern towards the replacement of existing conventional materials by FRP composites in railway applications. This review focuses on the overview of FRP composites, the role of composites in past rail vehicles, the rail vehicle component selection and methodology and FRP composites used for various railway components manufacturing with their challenges. Also, this review included the data of FRP composites used in various countries for different railway components applications. Hence, this review is beneficial for the upcoming researchers as a foundation literature to work on railway vehicle applications using variety of FRP materials. Moreover, the challenges are quoted in this review through the comprehensive analysis of literature and hence it provides the information in the form of research gap, so that it would be helpful for the researchers to overcome all the challenges in their upcoming research works.
Evolving channeling in prescribing SGLT‐2 inhibitors as first‐line treatment for type 2 diabetes
Authors: Shin HoJin , Schneeweiss Sebastian , Glynn Robert J. , Patorno Elisabetta
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors (SGLT‐2i) are increasingly being considered as first‐line treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D). The benefits of SGLT‐2i from cardiovascular outcome trials may lead to preferential prescribing of SGLT‐2i to patients at high cardiovascular risk, possibly causing confounding in non‐randomized studies of SGLT‐2i as first‐line treatment. We assessed evolving imbalances in characteristics of patients starting SGLT‐2i versus metformin as first‐line monotherapy.

Methods

Using claims data from two US commercial health insurance and Medicare, we identified patients with T2D aged ≥18 years (>65 years in Medicare) initiating first‐line SGLT‐2i or metformin from 2013 through 2019. Standardized differences (SDs) for patient characteristics were assessed during four consecutive calendar time blocks (T1:4/2013‐12/2014; T2:1/2015‐6/2016; T3:7/2016‐12/2017; and T4:1/2018‐12/2019). We also estimated the propensity score of receiving SGLT‐2i versus metformin within each time block and evaluated time trends in model discrimination with c‐statistics.

Results

We identified 9113 initiators of first‐line SGLT‐2i and 810 348 initiators of first‐line metformin. During T1, SGLT‐2i initiators were younger (SD = −0.24) and less likely to have seen cardiologists (−0.07) with a similar prevalence of CVD (0.04) compared with metformin. During T4, patients were more balanced for age (−0.01). Cardiologist visits (0.08) and CVD (0.25) became more prevalent among SGLT‐2i initiators.

Conclusions

When comparing initiators of first‐line SGLT‐2i versus metformin, imbalances in patient characteristics evolved from 2013 through 2019, particularly channeling SGLT‐2i to individuals at high cardiovascular risk. Evolving channeling in prescribing first‐line SGLT‐2i should be expected and accounted for in non‐randomized comparative effectiveness research.
Responding to healthcare distrust among underserved communities: Phase II
Authors: Webb Hooper Monica , Mitchell Charlene , Marshall Vanessa J. , Cheatham Chesley , Austin Kristina , Sanders Kimberly , Grafton Lena L.
Published: January 2022

Objective

Medical distrust is both a psychosocial construct and an underappreciated individual social determinant of health with the potential to affect oncology care and clinical trial participation. A community‐based participatory research effort, called the Forward Movement Project (FMP), identified multilevel factors affecting trust for healthcare and research in an underserved urban community. In FMP Phase II, we implemented a community‐responsive approach to provide lay‐oriented education and address misinformation, with the goal of beginning to remediate distrust for healthcare systems and biomedical research.

Methods

Community residents (N = 154 adults, 64% male, M = 61.5 years old, 53% annual income <$10,000, 83% African American/Black) engaged in participant‐driven dialogues with oncology clinicians/clinical researchers and support services professionals. A program evaluation focused on trust for healthcare and biomedical research.

Results

Participants reported positive evaluations of both the program and the cancer center clinicians and staff, who were rated as trustworthy (80% strong agreement). However, trust for healthcare systems (“Strongly agree” = 58%) and medical researchers (“Strongly agree” = 50%) following the program was moderate. Over half of the sample (52%) strongly agreed they would participate in a clinical trial compared to before joining this study.

Conclusion

Findings supported the user‐generated program approach. The FMP is an example of a model for true community engaged research and has implications for rebuilding trust in healthcare and research.
Phylogenetic convergence of phase separation and mitotic function in the disordered protein BuGZ
Authors: Chin Alexander F. , Zheng Yixian , Hilser Vincent J.
Published: January 2022

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) effect biological function despite their sequence‐encoded lack of preference for stable three‐dimensional structure. Among their many functions, IDPs form membraneless cellular compartments through liquid–liquid phase separation (LLPS), also termed biomolecular condensation. The extent to which LLPS has been evolutionarily selected remains largely unknown, as the complexities of IDP evolution hamper progress. Unlike structured proteins, rapid sequence divergence typical of IDPs confounds inference of their biophysical or biological functions from comparative sequence analyses. Here, we leverage mitosis as a universal eukaryotic feature to interrogate condensate evolutionary history. We observe that evolution has conserved the ability for six homologs of the mitotic IDP BuGZ to undergo LLPS and to serve the same mitotic function, despite low sequence conservation. We also observe that cellular context may tune LLPS. The phylogenetic correlation of LLPS and mitotic function in one protein raises the possibility of an ancient evolutionary interplay between LLPS and biological function, dating back at least 1.6 billion years to the last common ancestor of plants and animals.
Single‐port versus multiport robotic‐assisted radical prostatectomy: A systematic review and meta‐analysis on the da Vinci SP platform
Authors: Hinojosa‐Gonzalez David Eugenio , Roblesgil‐Medrano Andres , Torres‐Martinez Mauricio , Alanis‐Garza Cordelia , Estrada‐Mendizabal Ricardo J. , Gonzalez‐Bonilla Eduardo Alberto , Flores‐Villalba Eduardo , Olvera‐Posada Daniel
Published: January 2022

Context

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men; robotic prostatectomy has cemented itself as part of the standard of care. Since its approval by the Food and Drug Administration in 2018, the SP console's application has been increasingly studied and compared with the multiport (MP) robotic approach.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines and PROSPERO registration CRD42021228744, a systematic review was performed in April 2021 on single‐port robotic‐assisted radical prostatectomies (SP‐RARPs) compared to MP. Outcomes of interest were operative time, bleeding, complications, analgesic use, and postoperative continence, and erectile function. Data were analyzed with Review Manager 5.3.

Results

Seven studies were included, of which six studies met the inclusion criteria for quantitative synthesis, totalling 1068 patients, out of which 324 underwent SP‐RARP and 744 underwent MP‐RARP. No differences were found in baseline characteristics such as age, body mass index, prostatic‐specific antigen, or stage. No differences in blood loss—15.77 mL [−42.44, 10.89], p = 0.25, operative time 3.93 min [−4.12, 11.98], p = 0.34, or positive surgical margins, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.78 [0.55, 1.10], p = 0.15—were found. Length of stay was significantly shorter in SP −0.94 days [−1.56, −0.33], p = 0.003, with no differences in complication rates, with an OR of 1.29 [0.78, 2.14], p = 0.32, continence rates, with an OR of 1.29 [0.90, 1.83], p = 0.16, erectile function, with an OR of 0.86 [0.52, 1.40], p = 0.54, or biochemical recurrence. Qualitative evidence suggests decreased opioid consumption.

Conclusion

SP‐RARPs are feasible alternatives to the traditional MP with possible benefits in pain management and length of stay. Future high‐quality studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Backbone distortions in lactam‐bridged helical peptides
Authors: Moazzam Ali , Stanojlovic Vesna , Hinterholzer Arthur , Holzner Christoph , Roschger Cornelia , Zierer Andreas , Wiederstein Markus , Schubert Mario , Cabrele Chiara
Published: January 2022

Side‐chain‐to‐side‐chain cyclization is frequently used to stabilize the α‐helical conformation of short peptides. In a previous study, we incorporated a lactam bridge between the side chains of Lys‐i and Asp‐i+4 in the nonapeptide 1Y, cyclo‐(2,6)‐(Ac‐VKRLQDLQY‐NH2), an artificial ligand of the inhibitor of DNA binding and cell differentiation (ID) protein with antiproliferative activity on cancer cells. Herein, we show that only the cyclized five‐residue segment adopts a helical turn whereas the C‐terminal residues remain flexible. Moreover, we present nine 1Y analogs arising from different combinations of hydrophobic residues (leucine, isoleucine, norleucine, valine, and tyrosine) at positions 1, 4, 7, and 9. All cyclopeptides except one build a lactam‐bridged helical turn; however, residue‐4 reveals less helix character than the neighboring Arg‐3 and Gln‐5, especially with residue‐4 being isoleucine, valine, and tyrosine. Surprisingly, only two cyclopeptides exhibit helix propagation until the C‐terminus, whereas the others share a remarkable outward tilting of the backbone carbonyl of the lactam‐bridged Asp‐6 (>40° deviation from the orientation parallel to the helix axis), which prevents the formation of the H‐bond between Arg‐3 CO and residue‐7 NH: As a result, the propagation of the helix beyond the lactam‐bridged sequence becomes unfavorable. We conclude that, depending on the amino‐acid sequence, the lactam bridge between Lys‐i and Asp‐i+4 can stabilize a helical turn but deviations from the ideal helix geometry are possible: Indeed, besides the outward tilting of the backbone carbonyls, the residues per turn increased from 3.6 (typical of a regular α‐helix) to 4.2, suggesting a partial helix unwinding.
NDRG1 is expressed in human granulosa cells: An implicative role of NDRG1 in the ovary
Authors: Nishigaki Akemi , Tsubokura Hiroaki , Ishida Mitsuaki , Hashimoto Yoshiko , Yoshida Aya , Hisamatsu Yoji , Tsuzuki‐Nakao Tomoko , Murata Hiromi , Okada Hidetaka
Published: January 2022

Purpose

N‐myc downstream‐regulated gene 1 (NDRG1) is expressed in various human tissues and plays a role in regulating cellular proliferation, angiogenesis, and hypoxia sensing. However, the role of NDRG1 in the ovary remains poorly understood. Therefore, we investigated NDRG1 expression and the role of NDRG1 in the human ovary.

Methods

Follicular fluid (FF) and luteinized granulosa cells were collected from follicles during oocyte retrieval. KGN cells were cultured with cobalt chloride (CoCl2, a hypoxia‐mimicking agent) and/or echinomycin. mRNA, protein levels and secretion, and localization were assessed by real‐time PCR, Western blotting, ELISA, and immunohistochemical analysis, respectively. KGN cells were also transfected with NDRG1 siRNA for 72 h.

Results

NDRG1 protein was expressed in luteinized granulosa cells. NDRG1 concentration was positively correlated with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and progesterone concentrations in FF. CoCl2‐induced hypoxic stress significantly increased NDRG1 and VEGF mRNA and protein and hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α expression compared with those in the controls. The CoCl2‐induced overexpression of NDRG1 and VEGF was suppressed by echinomycin. Transfection with NDRG1 siRNA significantly suppressed the release of progesterone in the culture medium.

Conclusions

These results indicate that ovarian NDRG1 may play important roles in follicular development, especially in the early luteinization of pre‐ovulatory follicles.
Push‐Pull Effect at Formation of Sitting‐Atop Metal‐Porphyrin Complex in Solvating Media: H‐Bonding and Electrostatic Repulsion
Authors: Burmistrov Vladimir A. , Trifonova Irina P. , Islyaikin Mikhail K. , Semeikin Aleksander S. , Koifman Oskar I.
Published: January 2022

This work presents the results of experimental and theoretical studies of the solvation effects on the kinetics of the porphyrins reaction with zinc and cadmium acetate, the structure and characteristics of the intermediate ‐ sitting‐atop (SAT) complex. Kinetic rate constants of metal complexes of tetra‐p‐substituted tetraphenylporphins formation in binary solutions with a regulated solvating ability were obtained. Extreme dependences of the rate constants on the solvent composition were found. The acceleration of the reaction was shown to be observed with an enhancement of the electron‐donating properties of the substituent. These data indicate the formation of the SAT complex as limiting stage. The structure and energy parameters of porphin‐zinc SAT complexes and its solvates were studied by DFT method using B3LYP and long range corrected CAM‐B3LYP hybrid functionals. A significant distortion of the porphin structure during the formation of an intermediate and its solvation was ascertained. The influence of these processes on structural and energy changes was founded to be the consequence of push‐pull effect due to the repulsion of NH hydrogen atoms by a metal ion (push) and stretching of these bonds (pull) during the formation of H‐bonds.
Synthesis of Novel Pyrimidinylselenium Compounds as Acetolactate Synthase‐Inhibiting Herbicides
Authors: Chen Jinglei , Hu Hang , Ye Kai , Wang Wei , Xu Defeng
Published: January 2022

A series of pyrimidinylselenosalicylic acid derivatives (5 a–5 l) and 4‐selenopyrimidine derivatives (6 a–6 f) were synthesized and evaluated as potential acetylactate synthase (ALS)‐inhibiting herbicides. All synthesized new compounds were characterized by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and high‐resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS). The compounds were subjected to herbicidal activity, in vitro ALS enzyme inhibitory activity, and crop safety studies. The herbicidal activity study shows that 4‐chloro (5 b), 5‐chloro (5 c), 5‐methoxy (5 e), 4,5‐dimethoxy (5 f), 5‐fluoro (5 h), and 4,5‐difluoro (5 i) substituted 2‐[(4,6‐dimethoxy‐2‐pyrimidinyl)selanyl]benzoic acid exhibit significantly enhanced weed control effect than other new compounds and Pyrithiobac. Most of compounds exhibit enhanced inhibition effect on Cyperus difformis Linn than those on barnyard grass, Portulaca oleracea, Eleusine indica, and Amaranthus retroflexus. Importantly, 5 c, 5 f, and 5 i also exhibit more potent inhibition effect on Escherichia coli ALS enzyme than other new compounds and Pyrithiobac in in vitro ALS enzyme inhibitory activity study. The possible binding modes of 5 c, 5 f, and 5 i with ALS enzyme were studied on Discovery Studio. To test the possibility of 5 c, 5 f, and 5 i as potential herbicides in paddy fields, we performed the crop safety study. The results show that 5 f and 5 i are safer to rice than 5 c. The present work indicates that 5 f and 5 i may serve as new herbicide candidates for weed control in paddy fields.
Synergistic Regulation Effect of Nitrate and Calcium Ions for Highly Luminescent and Robust α‐CsPbI3 Perovskite
Authors: Wu Xiufeng , Shao He , Zhong Yuan , Li Lifang , Chen Wenda , Dong Biao , Xu Lin , Xu Wen , Zhou Donglei , Wu Zhennan , Song Hongwei , Bai Xue
Published: January 2022

The α‐CsPbI3 nanocrystals (NCs) easily transform into yellow non‐perovskite, accompanying with declining photoelectric properties that restricting their practical applications in diverse fields. Herein, the highly luminescent and robust α‐CsPbI3 NCs is achieved through engineering the lattice symmetry of perovskite, enabled by the synergistic effect of NO3− ion passivation and Ca2+ ion doping. The introduced NO3− ions enhance the phase‐change energy barrier and the surface steric hindrance, thus promoting the formation of α‐CsPbI3 NCs with hyper‐symmetric crystal structure, while the Ca2+ ion doping contributes to improving their lattice symmetry by significant regulation of the tolerance factor. As a result, the obtained α‐CsPbI3 NCs display an outstanding photoluminescence quantum yield of 96.6%, together with the reduced defect state density and eminent conductivity. Most importantly, the as‐engineered α‐CsPbI3 NCs exhibit excellent stability under ambient conditions for 9 months and UV illumination for 32 h. It displays brilliant thermal stability, maintaining luminous intensity for 15 min under 140 °C, and performing desired durability and reversibility, evidenced by 160 °C cyclic test and 120 °C reversibility test. Given enhanced robustness, the as‐engineered α‐CsPbI3 NCs based light‐emitting‐diode devices are constructed, exhibiting a power efficiency of 105.3 lm W−1 and the excellent working stability for 18 h.
Lithium intoxication induced pyroptosis viaROS/NF‐κB/NLRP3inflammasome regulatory networks in kidney of mice
Authors: Jing Hongyuan , Wang Fuhan , Gao Xue‐jiao
Published: January 2022

Humans and animals may be exposed to increasing contaminant lithium (Li) concentrations in the environment with the use and disposal of Li‐containing products. Meanwhile, Li plays a key role in the treatment of human mental disorders, while the excessive accumulation of Li salts in the body can cause renal damage and nephrotic syndrome. In this study, the mechanism of renal inflammatory reaction induced by Li excessive intake was studied by establishing mice models in vitro and in vivo. The results of histopathology staining and TdT‐mediated dUTP nick‐end labeling assay showed that high Li condition (Lithium carbonate, 20 mg/kg/twice a day, i.e., for 30 consecutive days) caused inflammatory damage and apoptosis in kidney tissue cells. Western blot, qPCR, and immunohistochemical analysis were used to further study. In the vivo experiments, we found that Li reduced antioxidant enzyme capacity (glutathione peroxidase, total superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, and catalase) and induced the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, excessive Li activated nuclear factor kappa‐B (NF‐κB) signaling pathway and nucleotide‐binding oligomerization domain‐like receptors domains–containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, resulting in activation of inflammatory factors tumor necrosis factor‐α and IL‐1β in the kidney of mice. In the vitro study, ROS as an upstream signal phosphorylated IκBα and NF‐κB, up‐regulated the NLRP3 inflammasome, increased caspase3, 6, 7, and 9 to exaggerate inflammation response, finally inducing pyroptosis in renal cells.
Effects of mobile phone electromagnetic radiation on rat hippocampus proteome
Authors: Singh Kumari Vandana , Arya Rakesh , Nirala Jay Prakash , Sahu Debasis , Nanda Ranjan Kumar , Rajamani Paulraj
Published: January 2022

Worldwide, the number of mobile phone users has increased from 5.57 billion in 2011 to 6.8 billion in 2019. However, short‐ and long‐term impact of the electromagnetic radiation emitting from mobile phones on tissue homeostasis with particular to brain proteome composition needs further investigation. In this study, we attempted a global proteome profiling study of rat hippocampus exposed to mobile phone radiation for 20 weeks (for 3 h/day for 5 days/week) to identify deregulated proteins and western blot analysis for validation. As a result, we identified 358 hippocampus proteins, of which 16 showed deregulation (log2 (exposed/sham) ≥ ±1.0, p‐value <.05). Majority of these deregulated proteins grouped into three clusters sharing similar molecular pathways. A set of four proteins (Succinate‐semialdehyde dehydrogenase: Aldh5a1, Na+ K+ transporting ATPase: Atp1b2, plasma membrane calcium transporting ATPase: PMCA and protein S100B) presenting each functional pathway were selected for validation. Western blot analysis of these proteins, in an independent sample set, corroborated the mass spectrometry findings. Aldh5a1 involve in cellular energy metabolism, both Atp1b2 and PMCA responsible for membrane transport and protein S100B have a neuroprotective role. In conclusion, we present a deregulated hippocampus proteome upon mobile phone radiation exposure, which might influence the healthy functioning of the brain.
Development of digital elevation model for assessment of flood vulnerable areas using Cartosat‐1 and GIS at Thamirabarani river, Tamilnadu, India
Authors: Sudalaimuthu Karuppasamy , Jesudhas Colins Johnny , Ramachandran UmaRani , Somanathan Adish Kumar , Ganapathy Sakthinathan , Jeyakumar Rajesh Banu
Published: January 2022

In recent years, a considerable occurrence of floods at global level impacts the occupation and various segments of the economy. Flood vulnerability is the key paradigm in flood menace management. Assessment of flood vulnerability is essential to investigate the hypothetical onsets of vulnerability. Recent flood inundation in Thamirabarani river basin in Tirunelveli district, Tamil Nadu has caused devastating impacts to the lives around the river basin area. The proposed study integrated remote sensing and GIS techniques to produce flood map of flood inundation area in the nearby Thamirabarani river basin using Cartosat‐1 Satellite based Digital Elevation Model (DEM) derived by means of Leica Photogrammetry Suite to identify flood prone areas. A flow model was designed with the aid of DEM. The DEM classified the flood prone zones into high risk, medium risk and low risk zones using equal interval of classification based on elevation (buffer distance) from the river basin. Based on the nature and extent of flood, the remedial measures were classified as short‐ term, medium‐term and long‐ term measures. The proposed study has recommended some flood mitigation remedial measures to the district administration of Tirunelveli for managing the flood disaster caused during the monsoon rainfall.
Influence of fibroids on cell‐free DNA screening accuracy: what we need to know
Authors: Yang Y.‐D. , Cao Q. , Li D.‐Z.
Published: January 2022

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on Scott et al. Click here to view the article.
Fetal circulatory redistribution during open spina bifida repair: can loss or reversal of end‐diastolic umbilical artery flow be avoided?
Authors: Gonser M. , Vonzun L. , Kandler L. , Ochsenbein‐Kölble N.
Published: January 2022

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on Cruz‐Martínez et al. Click here to view the article.
Corpus callosal agenesis, fetal MRI and molecular genetics
Authors: Carbillon L. , Amarenco B.
Published: January 2022

Linked article: This Correspondence comments on Diogo et al. Click here to view the article.
Impact of heavy metal cations on deposition and release of clay colloids in saturated porous media
Authors: Shi Kaiyu , Wang Xingrun , Chu Xianxian , Li Tiantian , Yin Yaru , Shen Chongyang
Published: January 2022

While the facilitated transport of heavy metals by colloids such as clay particles has been widely recognized, the influence of heavy metals on transport of the colloids has received much less attention. This study conducted saturated column experiments to systematically examine influence of multivalent heavy metal cations on transport of natural clay colloids and fullerene nC60 nanoparticles in glass bead porous media. Results showed that the presence of Cd2+ in the solution can cause more deposition of clay colloids in glass beads compared to Ca2+ at a given ionic strength (IS), and the subsequent release by IS reduction was less, demonstrating that the presence of Cd2+ increased the irreversibility of attachment. When the glass beads were initially adsorbed with Ca2+ and Cd2+, the release of clay colloids was significantly reduced due to strong cation bridge between the clay colloids and collector surfaces via the heavy metal cations. The release of clay colloids was significantly increased upon reduction of solution IS if the Na+ was used to exchange for the Ca2+ or Cd2+ before the IS reduction. Additional experiments showed that the nC60 nanoparticles that were deposited in the presence of Fe3+ and Cu2+ cannot be released by reduction of solution IS. However, the nanoparticle release occurred when the Ca2+ was used to exchange for the Fe3+ and Cu2+. Our work was the first to reveal the influence of heavy metal cations on the irreversibility of colloid attachment, and the findings have important implication to fabrication of functional nanomaterials for stabilization of heavy metals in soil and development of mathematic models for accurate prediction of cotransport of heavy metals and colloids in subsurface environments.
Branched, dendritic, and hyperbranched polymers in liquid biopsy device design
Authors: Poellmann Michael J. , Rawding Piper , Kim DaWon , Bu Jiyoon , Kim YoungSoo , Hong Seungpyo
Published: January 2022

The development of minimally invasive tests for cancer diagnosis and prognosis will aid in the research of new treatments and improve survival rates. Liquid biopsies seek to derive actionable information from tumor material found in routine blood samples. The relative scarcity of tumor material in this complex mixture makes isolating and detecting cancerous material such as proteins, circulating tumor DNA, exosomes, and whole circulating tumor cells a challenge for device engineers. This review describes the chemistry and applications of branched and hyperbranched to improve the performance of liquid biopsy devices. These polymers can improve the performance of a liquid biopsy through several mechanisms. For example, polymers designed to increase the affinity of capture enhance device sensitivity. On the other hand, polymers designed to increase binding avidity or repel nonspecific adsorption enhance device specificity. Branched and hyperbranched polymers can also be used to amplify the signal from small amounts of detected material. The further development of hyperbranched polymers in liquid biopsy applications will enhance device capabilities and help these critical technologies reach the oncology clinic where they are sorely needed.

This article is categorized under:

Diagnostic Tools > Biosensing

Diagnostic Tools > Diagnostic Nanodevices