bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory endotype of odontogenic sinusitis
Authors: Craig John R. , Dai Xiangguo , Bellemore Stacey , Woodcroft Kimberley J. , Wilson Carl , Keller Christian , Bobbitt Kevin R. , Ramesh Mayur
Published: October 2022

Background

Odontogenic sinusitis (ODS) is distinct from non‐odontogenic rhinosinusitis with regard to clinical features as well as diagnostic and therapeutic approaches. While numerous studies have explored immune profiles of chronic rhinosinusitis, very few studies have explored the inflammatory endotype of ODS.

Methods

Odontogenic sinusitis was diagnosed by confirming infectious sinusitis adjacent to infectious maxillary odontogenic pathology. Maxillary sinus cultures and mucosal biopsies were obtained during endoscopic endonasal surgery in ODS and control patients. Controls were patients undergoing endoscopic skull base surgery with no sinus disease. Specimens were snap frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored at −80°C. Analysis was performed using a multiplex assay to measure Th‐1 (TNFα, IFNγ, IL‐2,12,18), Th‐2 (IL‐4,5,9,13), Th‐17 (IL‐17A,17F,22), and innate (CCL5,CXCL9,CXCL10, IL‐6,8,10,12,23,27) immune pathways. Groups were compared via independent sample t‐tests; if assumptions were violated, nonparametric Wilcoxon ranked sum tests were performed.

Results

Specimens from 22 ODS patients were compared to nine controls. ODS mucosal tissue was sampled in the setting of the following dental pathologies: post‐dental extraction (n = 15), untreated apical periodontitis (n = 2), apical periodontitis after root canal therapy (n = 2), and maxillary sinus bone grafting with or without dental implantation (n = 3). The following cytokines were significantly elevated in ODS compared to controls: IFNγ, TNFα, IL‐6, 8, 10, 27, and CXCL9. IL‐17 levels were similar in both ODS and controls. Therefore, ODS demonstrated heightened innate and Th1 immune activity.

Conclusion

ODS demonstrated both innate immune and Th1 inflammatory endotypes. Further studies are needed to explore ODS immunopathobiology and its potential impact on ODS management.
Activatable Optical Probes for Fluorescence and Photoacoustic Imaging of Drug‐Induced Liver Injury
Authors: Chen Linrong , Zhen Xu , Jiang Xiqun
Published: October 2022

Drug‐induced liver injury (DILI) is a significant cause of acute liver injury and remains a major concern in drug discovery and clinical use. Optical imaging, including fluorescence imaging and photoacoustic imaging, has been widely used for the early and accurate diagnosis of DILI. Activatable optical probes can detect lesion‐specific molecular alterations with high sensitivity and a high signal‐to‐noise ratio, offering a precise way to evaluate DILI. This review summarizes recent progress in the development of activatable optical probes equipped with fluorescence or photoacousitc imaging capabilities for the diagnosis of DILI in living organisms. The designs and applications of these activatable optical probes are categorized and discussed according to the lesion‐specific molecular alterations of the injured liver, including reactive nitrogen species (RNS), reactive oxygen species (ROS), reactive sulfur species (RSS), and enzymes. The present challenges and perspectives to further advance them into clinical applications are also presented.
Leading‐Edge Pulmonary Gene Therapy Approached by Barrier‐Permeable Delivery System: A Concise Review on Peptide System
Authors: Chen Dinghao , Kong Nan , Wang Huaimin
Published: October 2022

The lack of effective treatments for pulmonary diseases poses a global health burden. The direct local gene therapy serves as one of the alternative administrations to treat pulmonary diseases. Compared with the conventional viral/nonviral system, the peptide–vector‐mediated in vivo lung gene therapies exhibit various benefits. However, the related clinical trials are still in their infancy. The major obstacle to the pulmonary delivery of gene cargoes may be the barriers from various extracellular mucosal layers and intracellular membranes. This review highlights the recent development of peptide‐based gene delivery systems and their applications. The peptide designing rules for the barrier‐permeable pulmonary gene delivery are described first. After briefly summarizing how oligopeptides facilitate the local gene therapy in lung tissue with the focus on cell‐penetrating peptides, the local delivery system of the polypeptide and several alternative hybridizing systems of the peptide with other types of materials are discussed. Finally, the blueprint and the remaining challenges in peptide designations are discussed before they enter into the real translation process.
High‐Performance Inverted Perovskite Solar Devices Enabled by a Polyfullerene Electron Transporting Material
Authors: Yin Junli , Shi Xiaoyu , Wang Lingyuan , Yan He , Chen Shangshang
Published: October 2022

Electron transporting materials (ETMs) play vital roles in determining the efficiency and stability of inverted perovskite solar cells. The widely used PCBM is prone to undesirable aggregation and migration in a cell, thus impairing device stability. In this work, we develop a new type of ETMs by polymerizing C60 fullerene with an aromantic linker unit. The resultant polyfullerene (PFBS‐C12) not only maintains the good optoelectronic properties of fullerenes, but also can address the aforementioned aggregation problem of PCBM. The polyfullerene‐based blade‐coated cells exhibit a high efficiency of 23.2 % and good device stability that maintain 96 % of initial efficiency after >1300‐hour light soaking. An aperture efficiency of 18.9 % is also achieved on a 53.6‐cm2 perovskite mini‐module. This work provides a new strategy for designing ETMs that retain the key figure‐of‐merits of conventional fullerene molecules and enable more stable perovskite solar devices simultaneously.
Atom‐Economical Synthesis of Dimethyl Carbonate from CO2: Engineering Reactive Frustrated Lewis Pairs on Ceria with Vacancy Clusters
Authors: Li Lei , Liu Wenxiu , Chen Runhua , Shang Shu , Zhang Xiaodong , Wang Hui , Zhang Hongjun , Ye Bangjiao , Xie Yi
Published: October 2022

The chemical conversion of CO2to long‐chain chemicals is considered as a highly attractive method to produce value‐added organics, while the underlying reaction mechanism remains unclear. By constructing surface vacancy‐cluster‐mediated solid frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs), the 100 % atom‐economical, efficient chemical conversion of CO2to dimethyl carbonate (DMC) was realized. By taking CeO2as a model system, we illustrate that FLP sites can efficiently accelerate the coupling and conversion of key intermediates. As demonstrated, CeO2with rich FLP sites shows improved reaction activity and achieves a high yield of DMC up to 15.3 mmol g−1. In addition, by means of synchrotron radiation in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier‐transform spectroscopy, combined with density functional theory calculations, the reaction mechanism on the FLP site was investigated systematically and in‐depth, providing pioneering insights into the underlying pathway for CO2chemical conversion to long‐chain chemicals.
Enzymatic C4‐Epimerization of UDP‐Glucuronic Acid: Precisely Steered Rotation of a Transient 4‐Keto Intermediate for an Inverted Reaction without Decarboxylation
Authors: Borg Annika J. E. , Esquivias Oriol , Coines Joan , Rovira Carme , Nidetzky Bernd
Published: October 2022

UDP‐glucuronic acid (UDP‐GlcA) 4‐epimerase illustrates an important problem regarding enzyme catalysis: balancing conformational flexibility with precise positioning. The enzyme coordinates the C4‐oxidation of the substrate by NAD+ and rotation of a decarboxylation‐prone β‐keto acid intermediate in the active site, enabling stereoinverting reduction of the keto group by NADH. We reveal the elusive rotational landscape of the 4‐keto intermediate. Distortion of the sugar ring into boat conformations induces torsional mobility in the enzyme's binding pocket. The rotational endpoints show that the 4‐keto sugar has an undistorted 4C1 chair conformation. The equatorially placed carboxylate group disfavors decarboxylation of the 4‐keto sugar. Epimerase variants lead to decarboxylation upon removal of the binding interactions with the carboxylate group in the opposite rotational isomer of the substrate. Substitutions R185A/D convert the epimerase into UDP‐xylose synthases that decarboxylate UDP‐GlcA in stereospecific, configuration‐retaining reactions.
Access to N−CF3 Formamides by Reduction of N−CF3 Carbamoyl Fluorides
Authors: Zivkovic Filip G. , D.‐T. Nielsen Christian , Schoenebeck Franziska
Published: October 2022

The departure into unknown chemical space is essential for the discovery of new properties and function. We herein report the first synthetic access to N‐trifluoromethylated formamides. The method involves the reduction of bench‐stable NCF3 carbamoyl fluorides and is characterized by operational simplicity and mildness, tolerating a broad range of functional groups as well as stereocenters. The newly made N−CF3 formamide motif proved to be highly robust and compatible with diverse chemical transformations, underscoring its potential as building block in complex functional molecules.
Darobactins Exhibiting Superior Antibiotic Activity by Cryo‐EM Structure Guided Biosynthetic Engineering**
Authors: Seyfert Carsten E. , Porten Christoph , Yuan Biao , Deckarm Selina , Panter Fabian , Bader Chantal D. , Coetzee Janetta , Deschner Felix , Tehrani Kamaleddin H. M. E. , Higgins Paul G. , Seifert Harald , Marlovits Thomas C. , Herrmann Jennifer , Müller Rolf
Published: October 2022

Over recent decades, the pipeline of antibiotics acting against Gram‐negative bacteria is running dry, as most discovered candidate antibiotics suffer from insufficient potency, pharmacokinetic properties, or toxicity. The darobactins, a promising new small peptide class of drug candidates, bind to novel antibiotic target BamA, an outer membrane protein. Previously, we reported that biosynthetic engineering in a heterologous host generated novel darobactins with enhanced antibacterial activity. Here we utilize an optimized purification method and present cryo‐EM structures of the Bam complex with darobactin 9 (D9), which served as a blueprint for the biotechnological generation of twenty new darobactins including halogenated analogs. The newly engineered darobactin 22 binds more tightly to BamA and outperforms the favorable activity profile of D9 against clinically relevant pathogens such as carbapenem‐resistant Acinetobacter baumannii up to 32‐fold, without observing toxic effects.
Near‐Room‐Temperature Magnetoelectric Coupling via Spin Crossover in an Iron(II) Complex
Authors: Owczarek Magdalena , Lee Minseong , Liu Shuanglong , Blake Ella R. , Taylor Chloe S. , Newman Georgia A. , Eckert James C. , Leal Juan H. , Semelsberger Troy A. , Cheng Hai‐Ping , Nie Wanyi , Zapf Vivien S.
Published: October 2022

Magnetoelectric coupling is achieved near room temperature in a spin crossover FeII molecule‐based compound, [Fe(1bpp)2](BF4)2. Large atomic displacements resulting from Jahn–Teller distortions induce a change in the molecule dipole moment when switching between high‐spin and low‐spin states leading to a step‐wise change in the electric polarization and dielectric constant. For temperatures in the region of bistability, the changes in magnetic and electrical properties are induced with a remarkably low magnetic field of 3 T. This result represents a successful expansion of magnetoelectric spin crossovers towards ambient conditions. Moreover, the observed 0.3–0.4 mC m−2 changes in the H‐induced electric polarization suggest that the high strength of the coupling obtained via this route is accessible not just at cryogenic temperatures but also near room temperature, a feature that is especially appealing in the light of practical applications.
Durable High‐Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells Enabled by the Working‐Temperature‐Matching Palladium‐Hydrogen Buffer Layer
Authors: Huang Gen , Li Yingying , Tao Li , Huang Zhifeng , Kong Zhijie , Xie Chao , Du Shiqian , Wang Tehua , Wu Yujie , Liu Qie , Zhang Dongcai , Lin Jiaqi , Li Miaoyu , Wang Jun , Zhang Jin , Lu Shanfu , Cheng Yi , Wang Shuangyin
Published: October 2022

The durability degradation during stack‐operating conditions seriously deteriorates the lifetime and performance of the fuel cell. To alleviate the rapid potential rise and performance degradation, an anode design is proposed to match the working temperature of high‐temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cells (HT‐PEMFCs) with the release temperature of hydrogen from palladium. The result is significantly enhanced hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) activity of Pd and superior performance of the Pd anode. Furthermore, Pd as hydrogen buffer and oxygen absorbent layer in the anode can provide additional in situ hydrogen and absorb infiltrated oxygen during local fuel starvation to maintain HOR and suppress reverse‐current degradation. Compared with the traditional Pt/C anode, the Pd/C also greatly improved HT‐PEMFCs durability during start‐up/shut‐down and current mutation. The storage/release of hydrogen provides innovative guidance for improving the durability of PEMFCs.
An efficient interface model to develop scalable methodology of melt processing of polypropylene with graphene oxide produced by an improved and eco‐friendly electrochemical exfoliation
Authors: Dündar Gülayşe Şahin , Saner Okan Burcu
Published: October 2022

This study developed a scalable and straightforward adaptation methodology for melt processing of polypropylene (PP) to provide a high degree of exfoliation of multilayer graphene oxide (GO) by using a high‐shear mixer. GO was first produced by an improved and eco‐friendly electrochemical exfoliation by using an environmentally friendly aqueous methanesulfonic acid (MSA) and a sodium sulfate salt system to minimize the environmental impact. The produced GOs then were melt blended with PP and their mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties were investigated under different GO loadings to attain ideal configuration and increase interfacial interactions between polymer matrix and reinforcer. Comparisons were made by producing different PP composites using two different GO types produced in salt and acid environments. Additionally, by applying different voltages to salt system, the effect of applied voltage on the properties of both GO material and the composites were discussed. The characterization results indicated that GO obtained in MSA solution caused a 71% increase in flexural modulus and 46% in flexural strength with the addition of 1 wt% GO. The rheological characterization also showed that dispersion and viscosity improved with lower GO loadings compared to neat polymer by providing cost‐effective and scalable graphene manufacturing.
Hydrophobic deep eutectic solvent‐based ionic conductive gels with highly stretchable, fatigue‐resistant and adhesive performances for reliable flexible strain sensors
Authors: Gao Yifeng , Wu Linlin , Zhou Jiacheng , Ma Xiaofeng , Fang Ying , Fang Xianli , Dou Qiang
Published: October 2022

Owing to the advantages of temperature resistance, low cost, and biocompatibility, deep eutectic solvent (DES)‐based ionic conductive gels have attracted increasing research interest for flexible devices in recent years. However, current DES gels are all based on hydrophilic DES, which tend to absorb a large amount of environmental moisture, resulting in gel softening and adversely affecting the durability of the device. In this work, we highlight for the first time that N,N‐dimethylacrylamide monomer, and the obtained polymer can form hydrogen‐bonding networks with hydrophobic DES, methyl trioctyl ammonium chloride/ethyl 4‐hydroxybenzoate (1:2), thereby obtaining a hydrophobic DES‐based gel through photo‐polymerization. The resultant DES gel displays high stretchability (~900%), toughness (341.14 kJ m−3), anti‐fatigue property (recovery after 500 compression cycles), desirable conductivity (0.12 mS cm−1), adhesiveness and high transparency (>90% visible light transmittance). Notably, the hydrophobic DES‐based gel absorbs only 2 wt% water but exhibits significant water‐induced stiffening after exposing in ambient air for 1 week. These properties lead to the successful realization of the DES gels as wearable sensors to precisely monitor human motion. This work may open new avenues for the development of hydrophobic DES‐based gel ionotronics with functional performance.
Fabrication and mechanism study of the nitrocellulose aqueous dispersions by solvent displacement method
Authors: Fan Wen‐Hao , Zhou Jie , Ding Ya‐Jun , Xiao Zhong‐Liang
Published: October 2022

The traditional preparation methods of nitrocellulose emulsion have many problems, such as high emulsifier content, complex preparation processes, or the need for high energy‐consuming emulsification equipment. To address these issues, in this paper, the emulsifier‐free NC dispersion was successfully prepared by a simple, low‐energy solvent displacement method for the first time and the formation and stabilization mechanism of NC nanoparticles was also thoroughly investigated. The formation mechanism of the NC particles based on the “nucleation and aggregation” and the stabilization mechanism of the NC aqueous dispersions based on the electrostatic repulsion of anions were proposed and supported by experimental results. At the same time, we achieved effective control of the solid content of the NC dispersion by vacuum concentration. The obtained NC dispersion had a large range of adjustable sizes (63.82–143.43 nm), uniform size distribution (PDI < 0.2), a wide range of tunable solid content (0.5%–16%), and good stability (zeta potential < −20 mV), which has potential application in adhesives and coatings as promising candidates for traditional NC organic coatings.
Poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO) influence on mechanical, thermal, and degradation properties ofPLA/PBSeTblends
Authors: Kwon Sangwoo , Kim Youngsan , Jang Hyunho , Kim Sun Jong , Park Su‐il
Published: October 2022

Poly (lactic acid) (PLA) is an important biodegradable plastic with unique properties. However, its widespread application is hindered by its low miscibility and suboptimal degradation properties. To overcome these limitations, we investigated the mechanical, thermal, and degradation properties of PLA and poly (butylene sebacate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBSeT) blends in the presence of poly (ethylene oxide) (PEO). Specifically, this study aimed to identify the effects of PEO as a compatibilizer and hydrolysis accelerator in PLA/PBSeT blends. PLA (80%) and PBSeT (20%) were melt blended with various PEO contents (2–10 phr), and their mechanical, thermal, and hydrolytic properties were analyzed. All PEO‐treated blends exhibited a higher elongation at break than that of the control sample, and the tensile strength was slightly reduced. In the PEO 10% sample, the elongation at break increased to 800% of that of the control sample. Differential scanning chromatography (DSC) analysis confirmed that when PEO was added to the PLA/PBSeT blends, the two glass transition temperatures (Tg) narrowed, resulting in improved miscibility of PLA and PBSeT. In addition, the hydrolytic degradation of the PLA/PBSeT/PEO blend accelerated as the PEO content increased. It was confirmed that PEO can act as a compatibilizer and hydrolysis‐accelerating agent for PLA/PBSeT blends.
Scanning electron microscopy and morphological analysis reveal differences in the otolith morphology of three species of the family Lethrinidae (Teleostei: Perciformes) from Yemen
Authors: Jawad Laith A. , Shamsan Ebtisam F. , Aguilar Glenn , Hoedemakers Kristiaan
Published: October 2022

Otoliths, or ear‐stones, are calcareous components in the static‐acoustic organs of teleost fishes with a characteristic morphology. As such, they are widely used in fisheries because of the information stored in them concerning, for example, environment, age, and so forth. Otoliths of three lethrinid species Lethrinus borbonicus (Valenciennes, 1830), L. lentjan (Lacepède, 1802), and L. mahsena (Forsskål, 1775) were collected from fish caught along the Red Sea coast of Yemen. Images taken with a scanning electron microscope were used to determine their characteristics. Twenty‐two characters were defined to describe the shapes of the otoliths. Eleven measurements of distance between selected features were used for a linear regression and multivariate analysis to characterize the species by their otoliths. The results illustrate ontogenetic changes for different age groups based on the recorded shapes. All three species show a linear relationship between the total length and the morphometric measurements. A linear discriminant analysis shows marked differences between the otoliths of the three species and emphasizes the importance of the measured variables. Otoliths of L. lentjan and L. borbinicus are more similar to each other and differ from those of L. mahsena. A comparison with previously published otoliths of the species studied from other areas confirms an intraspecific uniformity across larger geographic distances, making the characters useful for diagnostic purposes.
Prebiotic Formation of Catalytically Active Dipeptides via Trimetaphosphate Activation
Authors: Chi Yangyang , Li Xin , Chen Yuyan , Zhang Yumeng , Liu Yan , Gao Xiang , Zhao Yufen
Published: October 2022

Short peptides with unique catalytic abilities are regarded as the simplest enzymes possessing great potential as primordial species to take part in the chemical origin of life. However, prebiotic acquisition pathways of catalytically active peptides remain unclear. In this study, a microwave reactor was used to simulate hydrothermal environments, such as hydrothermal vents, either submarine or subaerial environments. A refrigerator freezer was used to make ice pieces that mimic extra‐terrestrial ice crystals. Serine (Ser) and histidine (His) were used as examples, and the formation of small functional peptides involving sodium trimetaphosphate (P3m) activation in an alkaline aqueous solution was investigated under the two typical prebiotic environments mentioned above. The obtained experimental results showed that the targeted small functional peptide Ser‐His and its sequence isomer His‐Ser could be formed in all simulated environments, even in the presence of disruptive amino acids, such as alanine (Ala), proline (Pro), and aspartic acid (Asp), in the reaction systems. Notably, Pro may have some effect on the chirality of the produced dipeptides by screening the configuration of the amino acids. Owing to the lack of disturbance of N−O migration in the CAPA (His) intermediate, the CAPA intermediate of His is more stable than that of Ser; therefore, His is more easily activated by P3m to form a dipeptide with His at the N‐terminal. The yield of His‐Ser is at least about four times that of Ser‐His in the two simulated prebiotic environments. Additionally, our work suggests that more types of amino acids can be activated simultaneously by P3m to produce various dipeptides, which will provide abundant raw materials for the evolution of life molecules.
An ensemble data assimilation modeling system for operational outdoor microalgae growth forecasting
Authors: Yan Hongxiang , Wigmosta Mark S. , Huesemann Michael H. , Sun Ning , Gao Song
Published: October 2022

Microalgae have received increasing attention as a potential feedstock for biofuel or biobased products. Forecasting the microalgae growth is beneficial for managers in planning pond operations and harvesting decisions. This study proposed a biomass forecasting system comprised of the Huesemann Algae Biomass Growth Model (BGM), the Modular Aquatic Simulation System in Two Dimensions (MASS2), ensemble data assimilation (DA), and numerical weather prediction Global Ensemble Forecast System (GEFS) ensemble meteorological forecasts. The novelty of this study is to seek the use of ensemble DA to improve both BGM and MASS2 model initial conditions with the assimilation of biomass and water temperature measurements and consequently improve short‐term biomass forecasting skills. This study introduces the theory behind the proposed integrated biomass forecasting system, with an application undertaken in pseudo‐real‐time in three outdoor ponds cultured with Chlorella sorokiniana in Delhi, California, United States. Results from all three case studies demonstrate that the biomass forecasting system improved the short‐term (i.e., 7‐day) biomass forecasting skills by about 60% on average, comparing to forecasts without using the ensemble DA method. Given the satisfactory performances achieved in this study, it is probable that the integrated BGM‐MASS2‐DA forecasting system can be used operationally to inform managers in making pond operation and harvesting planning decisions.
Corporate net zero strategy—Opportunities in start‐up driven climate innovation
Authors: Hakovirta Marko , Kovanen Krista , Martikainen Sonja , Manninen Jussi , Harlin Ali
Published: October 2022

During the era of industrialization, over the period 1850–2019, the total anthropogenic emissions, caused by human activities, have been around 2390 billion tons of carbon dioxide. These concentrations are now higher than any time during the past 2 million years. Mitigating climate change is on top of the strategic agenda of most global leading enterprises. Climate change solutions demand unprecedented levels of innovation in technology, policy, finance, and business models. In this respect, the global innovation ecosystem is highly reliant on large corporations, research institutions, and academia. However, start‐ups are also in the core of innovation, and new start‐up businesses can accelerate and drive climate innovation. In this article, we discuss the role of start‐ups in corporate innovation and sustainability strategies, for mitigating climate change. We analyze the progress of start‐up businesses in driving decarbonization, identified as climate innovation. In addition to studying start‐up companies' deal counts, capital investments, and pre‐ and post‐valuations, we studied the industrial sectors in which the start‐ups in climate innovation businesses operate. The results show that the total combined 2000–2022 post‐valuation of climate innovation start‐ups was 27 billion EUR, and the share of these start‐ups and financial investments or deals grew by 2000% and 2811%, respectively. Our research highlights the importance of start‐up companies specifically in corporate innovation and sustainability strategies while implementing their highly ambitious corporate carbon zero targets and commitments.
New technical concept for alternating tangential flow filtration in biotechnological cell separation processes
Authors: Weinberger Maria E. , Schoch Luis , Kulozik Ulrich
Published: October 2022

Robust cell retention devices are key to successful cell culture perfusion. Currently, tangential flow filtration (TFF) and alternating tangential flow filtration (ATF) are most commonly used for this purpose. TFF, however, suffers from poor fouling mitigation, which leads to high filtration resistance and product retention, and ATF suffers from long residence times and cell accumulation. In this work, we propose a filtration system for alternating tangential flow filtration, which takes full advantage of the fouling mitigation effects of alternating flow and reduces cell accumulation. We have tested this novel setup in direct comparison with the XCell ATF® as well as TFF with a model feed comprising yeast cells and bovine serum albumin as protein at harsh permeate to feed flow conditions. We found that by avoiding the dead‐end design of a diaphragm pump, the proposed filtration system exhibited a reduced filtration resistance by approximately 20% to 30% (depending on feed rate and permeate flow rate). A further improvement of the novel setup was reached by optimization of phase durations and flow control, which resulted in a fourfold extension of process duration until hollow fiber flow channel blockage occurred. Thus, the proposed concept appears to be superior to current cell retention devices in perfusion technology.
Association between a single nucleotide polymorphism in the R3HCC1 gene and irinotecan toxicity
Authors: Kanesada Kou , Tsunedomi Ryouichi , Hazama Shoichi , Ogihara Hiroyuki , Hamamoto Yoshihiko , Shindo Yoshitaro , Matsui Hiroto , Tokumitsu Yukio , Yoshida Shin , Iida Michihisa , Suzuki Nobuaki , Takeda Shigeru , Ioka Tatsuya , Nagano Hiroaki
Published: October 2022

Objective

Irinotecan is a useful anticancer drug for colorectal cancer treatment. UGT1A1*28 and *6 gene polymorphisms are known risk factors for irinotecan‐associated toxicity. However, severe adverse effects due to irinotecan have been observed even in patients who do not harbor UGT1A1*28 or *6. We investigated gene polymorphisms in the whole exome to identify useful biomarkers for irinotecan toxicity other than UGT1A.

Methods

A total of 178 patients with metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and 87 patients with pancreatic cancer were treated with FOLFIRI, FOLFOX, FOLFOXIRI, modified FOLFIRINOX, or gemcitabine plus nab‐paclitaxel. Genome‐wide screening was performed using whole‐exome sequencing (WES), and validation analysis was performed using qPCR with a hydrolysis probe.

Results

Using WES after a doublet chemotherapy regimen comprising irinotecan and 5‐fluorouracil (n = 15), seven single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified as candidate biomarkers for irinotecan‐associated toxicity of neutropenia. Among the seven SNPs, an SNP in R3H domain and coiled‐coil containing 1 (R3HCC1; c.919G > A, rs2272761) showed a significant association with neutropenia (>grade 3) after doublet chemotherapy. Patients receiving irinotecan including triplet chemotherapy, FOLFOXIRI for mCRC (n = 23) or modified FOLFIRINOX for pancreatic cancer (n = 40), also showed significant linear trends between R3HCC1 polymorphism and neutropenia (p = 0.017 and 0.046, respectively). No significant association was observed in patients treated with irinotecan‐free regimens, FOLFOX for mCRC (n = 66), and gemcitabine plus nab‐paclitaxel for pancreatic cancer (n = 47).

Conclusion

Thus, an SNP in the R3HCC1 gene may be a useful biomarker for the toxicity of irinotecan‐containing chemotherapy for mCRC and pancreatic cancer.
Prediction of cervical lymph node metastasis from immunostained specimens of tongue cancer using a multilayer perceptron neural network
Authors: Kawamura Kohei , Lee Chonho , Yoshikawa Takashi , Hani Al‐Shareef , Usami Yu , Toyosawa Satoru , Tanaka Susumu , Hiraoka Shin‐Ichiro
Published: October 2022

Background

Although cervical lymph node metastasis is an important prognostic factor for oral cancer, occult metastases remain undetected even by diagnostic imaging. We developed a learning model to predict lymph node metastasis in resected specimens of tongue cancer by classifying the level of immunohistochemical (IHC) staining for angiogenesis‐ and lymphangiogenesis‐related proteins using a multilayer perceptron neural network (MNN).

Methods

We obtained a dataset of 76 patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the tongue who had undergone primary tumor resection. All 76 specimens were IHC stained for the six types shown above (VEGF‐C, VEGF‐D, NRP1, NRP2, CCR7, and SEMA3E) and 456 slides were prepared. We scored the staining levels visually on all slides. We created virtual slides (4560 images) and the accuracy of the MNN model was verified by comparing it with a hue–saturation (HS) histogram, which quantifies the manually determined visual information.

Results

The accuracy of the training model with the MNN was 98.6%, and when the training image was converted to grayscale, the accuracy decreased to 52.9%. This indicates that our MNN adequately evaluates the level of staining rather than the morphological features of the IHC images. Multivariate analysis revealed that CCR7 staining level and T classification were independent factors associated with the presence of cervical lymph node metastasis in both HS histograms and MNN.

Conclusion

These results suggest that IHC assessment using MNN may be useful for identifying lymph node metastasis in patients with tongue cancer.
Aufbaukörnungen aus gipshaltigem Mauerwerkbruch – Teil 1: Untersuchungen im Labormaßstab
Authors: Müller Anette , Liebezeit Steffen , Palzer Ulrich
Published: October 2022

Bereits früher wurde über die Möglichkeit berichtet, heterogene Bauabfälle wie Mauerwerkbruch als Rohstoff für die Herstellung von leichten Gesteinskörnungen, die den Blähtonen oder auch dem Bims ähnlich sind, einzusetzen. Dieser Weg wurde konsequent weiterverfolgt. Als aktueller Aspekt wurde untersucht, inwieweit auch gipshaltiger Mauerwerkbruch als Rohstoff geeignet ist. Damit wird nicht nur die (teure) Deponierung dieses Materials umgangen, sondern gleichzeitig wird ein Beitrag geleistet, um die durch den Wegfall des Rauchgasentschwefelungsgipses entstehende „Gipslücke” zumindest teilweise auszufüllen. Im ersten Teil dieser Veröffentlichung wird über Versuche im Labormaßstab berichtet. Im zweiten Teil steht die Erprobung des Verfahrens in der Pilotanlage im Mittelpunkt.
Association between neighborhood socioeconomic status, built environment and SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among cancer patients treated at a Tertiary Cancer Center in New York City
Authors: Dioun Shayan , Chen Ling , Hillyer Grace , Tatonetti Nicholas P. , May Benjamin L. , Melamed Alexander , Wright Jason D.
Published: October 2022

Background

Racial and ethnic minority groups experience a disproportionate burden of SARS‐CoV‐2 illness and studies suggest that cancer patients are at a particular risk for severe SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Aims

The objective of this study was examine the association between neighborhood characteristics and SARS‐CoV‐2 infection among patients with cancer.

Methods and Results

We performed a cross‐sectional study of New York City residents receiving treatment for cancer at a tertiary cancer center. Patients were linked by their address to data from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey and to real estate tax data from New York's Department of City Planning. Models were used to both to estimate odds ratios (ORs) per unit increase and to predict probabilities (and 95% CI) of SARS‐CoV2 infection. We identified 2350 New York City residents with cancer receiving treatment. Overall, 214 (9.1%) were infected with SARS‐CoV‐2. In adjusted models, the percentage of Hispanic/Latino population (aOR = 1.01; 95% CI, 1.005–1.02), unemployment rate (aOR = 1.10; 95% CI, 1.05–1.16), poverty rates (aOR = 1.02; 95% CI, 1.0002–1.03), rate of >1 person per room (aOR = 1.04; 95% CI, 1.01–1.07), average household size (aOR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.23–2.59) and population density (aOR = 1.86; 95% CI, 1.27–2.72) were associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Conclusion

Among cancer patients in New York City receiving anti‐cancer therapy, SARS‐CoV‐2 infection was associated with neighborhood‐ and building‐level markers of larger household membership, household crowding, and low socioeconomic status.

Novelty and impact

We performed a cross‐sectional analysis of residents of New York City receiving treatment for cancer in which we linked subjects to census and real estate date. This linkage is a novel way to examine the neighborhood characteristics that influence SARS‐COV‐2 infection. We found that among patients receiving anti‐cancer therapy, SARS‐CoV‐2 infection was associated with building and neighborhood‐level markers of household crowding, larger household membership, and low socioeconomic status. With ongoing surges of SARS‐CoV‐2 infections, these data may help in the development of interventions to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with SARS‐CoV‐2 among cancer patients.
Asparaginase activity monitoring in pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia: A cross‐sectional nationwide study in Spain
Authors: Lassaletta Álvaro , Gutiérrez Fernando ,   the PEGASO study investigators
Published: October 2022

Background

A cross‐sectional nationwide study was designed to assess national compliance with international consensus/guidelines of monitoring asparaginase levels in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with asparaginase in routine clinical practice.

Methods

An ad hoc questionnaire was designed and completed by staff physicians from Hemato‐Oncology Units throughout Spain.

Results

A total of 39 physicians (64% pediatricians) with a mean (SD) age 43.5 (7.9) years and 15.3 (17.6) years of professional activity participated in the study. They accounted for 90% of hospitals in which children with ALL are treated in Spain. A total of 19 participants (48.7%) reported that asparaginase levels were routinely monitored (own center in 2 cases [10.5%], another hospital in 17 cases [89.5%]). Asparaginase was not monitored in 51.3% of the cases, mostly (80%) because unavailability of testing. When asparaginase was monitored, 68% of participants reported that this was done in all asparaginase‐treated patients and 84% in all phases of the disease (induction, consolidation, re‐induction, maintenance) with a time interval of 7 days for the pegylated form, 48 h for Erwinia asparaginase and 14 days for maintenance with the pegylated form. All participants reported that they modified treatment according to results of testing, with a limit of total depletion of ≥100 IU/L. Levels <100 or 20 IU/L were considered indicative of hypersensitivity by 46% of physicians.

Conclusion

There is still a gap between what is recommended and what is done in clinical practice, with more than 50% of centers not monitoring the level of asparaginase activity in pediatric ALL. Protocols for asparaginase testing in daily practice should be implemented.
Peripheral T‐cell lymphoma of the oral cavity: A case report
Authors: Asadi Amir Ali , Mahmoudi Hamed , Mofidi Abbas , Mortezazadeh Masoud , Hadizadeh Alireza
Published: October 2022

Background

Peripheral T‐Cell Lymphoma Not Otherwise Specified (PTCL‐NOS) is a rare type of non‐Hodgkin T‐cell lymphoma which frequently seen in immunocompromised individuals. It is estimated that only 2% of lymphomas are located on the buccal mucosa. In this case report, we present a 34‐year‐old male with a PTCL diagnosis.

Case

A 34‐year‐old immune‐competent male presented with a buccal progressive ulcerated lesion. Histopathologic and immunohistochemical findings were compatible with PTCL‐NOS and classified as stage IIEA according to the Ann Arbor staging. The patient underwent chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy. He remained disease‐free after 12 months of follow‐up.

Conclusion

Although lymphoma is uncommon in the oral cavity, physicians especially dentists in ordinary dental checkups should consider persistent progressive lesions as an important differential diagnosis of lymphoma.
Review of automated depression detection: Social posts, audio and video, open challenges and future direction
Authors: Yadav Uma , Sharma Ashish K. , Patil Dipti
Published: October 2022

Depression is the primary cause of illness and injury in the country, with over 280 million people suffering from it as per the 2021 survey. Depression is one of the most common psychiatric illnesses in the world, affecting millions of people. Early detection of major depression symptoms and treatment with timely intervention can help to prevent the emergence of major depression. This has generated the need for some novel techniques to be utilized for depression detection to help doctors in diagnosing and treating depression effectively. Depression can be investigated through online posts, audio files, facial expressions, as well as through video files. In this regard, the research presents a detailed survey of the existing machine learning methods in depression detection, along with the different datasets available. The research explores automated depression detection strategies and the various ways to detect depression from text, audio, and video, and even examines the various systems and procedures for detecting depression using various criteria. More than 140 related research articles were considered for this review, with 80 of them being processed for comparative analysis based on various key performance indicators. The classifications of various methods used to detect stress, anxiety, and depression are highlighted followed by open research challenges and issues while analyzing depression techniques.
Catalytic NO Reduction by NO Pre‐Adsorbed RhCeO2NO−Clusters
Authors: Chen Jiao‐Jiao , Liu Qing‐Yu , Wang Si‐Dun , Li Xiao‐Na , He Sheng‐Gui
Published: October 2022

A fundamental understanding on the dynamically structural evolution of catalysts induced by reactant gases under working conditions is challenging but pivotal in catalyst design. Herein, in combination with state‐of‐the‐art mass spectrometry for cluster reactions, cryogenic photoelectron imaging spectroscopy, and quantum‐chemical calculations, we identified that NO adsorption on rhodium‐cerium bimetallic oxide cluster RhCeO2−can create a Ce3+ion in product RhCeO2NO−that serves as the starting point to trigger the catalysis of NO reduction by CO. Theoretical calculations substantiated that the reduction of another two NO molecules into N2O takes place exclusively on the Ce3+ion while Rh behaves like a promoter to buffer electrons and cooperates with Ce3+to drive NO reduction. Our finding demonstrates the importance of NO in regulating the catalytic behavior of Rh under reaction conditions and provides much‐needed insights into the essence of NO reduction over Rh/CeO2, one of the most efficient components in three‐way catalysts for NOxremoval.
Formation of multiple anodic fire spots inside an electrostatic cavity
Authors: Bose Subhojit , Debnath Arpan , Paul Manash Kumar
Published: October 2022

Charged particles exhibit self‐organized behaviour during the discharge state transitions inside an electrostatic cavity, along with the energy redistribution in different coherent modes with progressive anode potential. Multiple sheath formations around the spherical metallic ball anode placed inside the cavity transit to intensely glowing multiple anode spot formations (fireballs) on the anode surface with progressive anode potential. The intensely glowing anode spots reorganize over the anode surface and multiply quickly on increasing the anode potential. The nonlinear analysis of the fluctuating discharge current reveals the presence of self‐organized criticality (SOC) during different states of discharge along with a strong memory effect within (10–104) time lags in every state of discharge. The multiple anode spots exhibit long‐range correlation in the absence of a magnetic field, indicating SOC behaviour. The present study investigates energy distribution among the coherent modes of discharge through the application of the Empirical Mode Decomposition technique. The analysis indicates that the introduction of a magnetic field results in the interchange of coherent modes carrying most of the energy during multiple spot formations. The present experimental configuration produces stable multiple coherent modes along with the evolution of anodic sheath layers in the absence and then in the presence of the magnetic field. Relating SOC with such discharge transitions may help to understand the relation between complex structure formations in plasma with nonlinear aspects of glow discharge, which is of vital importance in the investigation of complexities in space plasma.
Type 1 diabetes recurrence after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in a subject with pancreas transplantation
Authors: Popolla Valentina , Rizzi Alessandro , Tartaglione Linda , Pontecorvi Alfredo , Pitocco Dario
Published: October 2022

Background

During COVID‐19 pandemic, several studies have demonstrated a strong link between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and diabetes mellitus. Hyperglycaemia is a frequent event during the infection, also in patients without a history of diabetes. Furthermore, several cases of diabetic ketoacidosis during COVID‐19 disease have been described. No data are available about the effects of SARS‐CoV‐2 infection on glycaemic control in pancreas transplant patients.

Case presentation

A 45‐year‐old woman affected by type 1 diabetes mellitus was treated with kidney‐pancreas transplantation in 2015, 6 years before COVID‐19 infection. After transplantation, insulin therapy was stopped with a good glycaemic control during the following years.After SARS‐CoV‐2 infection, she developed severe hyperglycaemia requiring insulin therapy again. During the acute phase of the infection, the detection of antibodies against islet cells (ICA) and against glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) was found positive.

Conclusions

The onset of hyperglycaemia after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection might be the result of a direct virus‐induced toxicity or the effect of a virus‐mediated activation of autoimmunity.
HMG‐CoA reductase inhibition medicated hypocholesterolemic and antiatherosclerotic potential of phytoconstituents of an aqueous pod extract of Prosopis cineraria (L.) Druce: In silico, in vitro, and in vivo studies
Authors: Jaipal Noopur , Ram Heera , Charan Jaykaran , Dixit Anshuman , Singh Garima , Singh Bhim P. , Kumar Ashok , Panwar Anil
Published: October 2022

Hydrophilic bioactive compounds are copiously exhibited in aqueous extracts owed to solubility. The study was assigned to assess the ability of phytoconstituents of aqueous pod extract of Prosopis cineraria to inhibit 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutary‐coenzyme A (HMG‐CoA) reductase activity and regression in atherosclerotic plaque through in vitro, in vivo, and in silico assessments along with phytochemistry of extract. The test extract exhibited 17 leading compounds as examined by Liquid Chromatograph Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectroscope. In vitro assay of test extract showed 78.1% inhibition of HMG‐CoA inhibition (IC50 was 0.03 μg/ml). In vivo assessments, hypercholesterolemia was induced by supplementing cholesterol powder and a high‐fat diet. The treatment of test extract caused significant (p ≤ 0.001) improvements in the lipid profile and antioxidant levels. Subsequently, the reductions in the atherosclerotic plaque and improved lumen volume were pointedly observed. In silico analyses of molecular docking revealed potent interaction capabilities of cloprostenol with the target protein of HMGR. The interactions were validated through structural simulations of the molecular dynamics such as root mean square fluctuation, the radius of gyration, and solvent accessible surface area. The druggability of potent compounds was also examined. The results revealed that phytoconstituents of the test extract could inhibit HMGR and regress atherosclerotic plaque.
The Role of Porous Carbon Inserts on the Performance of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells: A Parametric Numerical Study
Authors: Moradi Bilondi Abbas , Bagherighajari Fatemeh , Abdollahzadehsangroudi Mohammadmahdi , Kermani Mohammad Jafar , Páscoa José Carlos
Published: October 2022

Herein, for the first time, a computational fluid dynamic study is performed to investigate the effects of using porous carbon inserts (PCI) on the performance of PEMFC. A 3D multiphase multicomponent model is developed to simulate the fuel cell performance. The effects of several geometric and physical parameters of the PCI, including porosity, size, and the arrangement of PCI in the landing area, are numerically examined, which are not investigated in the literature so far. The numerical results showed that using PCI, a 23% improvement in the fuel cell performance is achieved for the optimum case with 80% PCI. In addition, increasing the PCI porosity results in performance enhancement (12.6% improvement when increasing the porosity up to 0.8). Using PCI with different rib/channel width ratios demonstrates that the use of PCI at higher ratios has a more significant effect. When using 34.1% PCI in a case with a ratio of 2:1, the performance increases about 35%. Moreover, a PCI with larger longitudinal size (4 mm compared to 2 mm) shows higher performance enhancement (5.3% compared to 3.5%).