bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Label‐Free Monitoring of Adipogenic Stem Cell Differentiation Using Endogenous Optical Biomarkers
Authors: Mehta Nishir , Shaik Shahensha , Prasad Alisha , Chaichi Ardalan , Sahu Sushant P. , Liu Qianglin , Hasan Syed Mohammad Abid , Sheikh Elnaz , Donnarumma Fabrizio , Murray Kermit K. , Fu Xing , Devireddy Ram , Gartia Manas Ranjan
Published: August 2021

Stem cell‐based therapies carry significant promise for treating human diseases. However, clinical translation of stem cell transplants for effective treatment requires precise non‐destructive evaluation of the purity of stem cells with high sensitivity (<0.001% of the number of cells). Here, a novel methodology using hyperspectral imaging (HSI) combined with spectral angle mapping‐based machine learning analysis is reported to distinguish differentiating human adipose‐derived stem cells (hASCs) from control stem cells. The spectral signature of adipogenesis generated by the HSI method enables identifying differentiated cells at single‐cell resolution. The label‐free HSI method is compared with the standard techniques such as Oil Red O staining, fluorescence microscopy, and qPCR that are routinely used to evaluate adipogenic differentiation of hASCs. HSI is successfully used to assess the abundance of adipocytes derived from transplanted cells in a transgenic mice model. Further, Raman microscopy and multiphoton‐based metabolic imaging is performed to provide complementary information for the functional imaging of the hASCs. Finally, the HSI method is validated using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐mass spectrometry imaging of the stem cells. The study presented here demonstrates that multimodal imaging methods enable label‐free identification of stem cell differentiation with high spatial and chemical resolution.
Spirobifluorene Dimers: Understanding How The Molecular Assemblies Drive The Electronic Properties
Authors: Poriel Cyril , Quinton Cassandre , Lucas Fabien , Rault‐Berthelot Joëlle , Jiang Zuo‐Quan , Jeannin Olivier
Published: August 2021

Spirobifluorene (SBF) is one of the most important scaffolds used in the design of organic semi‐conductors (OSCs) for electronics. In recent years, among all the structures developed for these applications, SBF dimers have been highlighted due to their great potential in thermally activated delayed fluorescence and in phosphorescent organic light‐emitting diodes. Attaching two SBF units generate 10 dimers, each possessing its own structural specificity, which in turn drives its electronic properties. These ten SBF dimers are gathered herein. Understanding how the molecular assembly determines the electronic properties has been one of the pillars of organic electronics. This is the goal of this article. As positional isomerism is a key tool to design OSCs, defining the design guidelines for the SBF scaffold appears of interest for the future of this building block. Herein, the importance of the two main parameters involved in the electrochemical and photophysical properties, namely the nature of the phenyl linkages and the steric congestion between the two SBF units is discussed. The combination of these two parameters drives the electronic properties but their respective weight is different as a function of the regioisomer involved or of the property considered (frontier orbitals energy level, absorption, fluorescence, phosphorescence).
Peptide‐Based Inhibitors for SARS‐CoV‐2 and SARS‐CoV
Authors: Panchal Disha , Kataria Jeena , Patel Kamiya , Crowe Kaytlyn , Pai Varun , Azizogli Abdul‐Rahman , Kadian Neil , Sanyal Sreya , Roy Abhishek , Dodd‐o Joseph , Acevedo‐Jake Amanda M. , Kumar Vivek A.
Published: August 2021

The COVID‐19 (coronavirus disease) global pandemic, caused by the spread of the SARS‐CoV‐2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) virus, currently has limited treatment options which include vaccines, anti‐virals, and repurposed therapeutics. With their high specificity, tunability, and biocompatibility, small molecules like peptides are positioned to act as key players in combating SARS‐CoV‐2, and can be readily modified to match viral mutation rate. A recent expansion of the understanding of the viral structure and entry mechanisms has led to the proliferation of therapeutic viral entry inhibitors. In this comprehensive review, inhibitors of SARS and SARS‐CoV‐2 are investigated and discussed based on therapeutic design, inhibitory mechanistic approaches, and common targets. Peptide therapeutics are highlighted, which have demonstrated in vitro or in vivo efficacy, discuss advantages of peptide therapeutics, and common strategies in identifying targets for viral inhibition.
Senolysis Reduces Senescence in Veins and Cancer Cell Migration
Authors: Estepa‐Fernández Alejandra , Alfonso María , Morellá‐Aucejo Ángela , García‐Fernández Alba , Lérida‐Viso Araceli , Lozano‐Torres Beatriz , Galiana Irene , Soriano‐Teruel Paula M. , Sancenón Félix , Orzáez Mar , Martínez‐Máñez Ramón
Published: August 2021

Senescence is a persistent state of cell cycle arrest. Induction of senescence has been explored as a barrier against tumor progression and is used as a therapeutic option. Despite the advantages of the introduction of senescence‐inducing compounds in the clinic, recent studies show that their side‐effects can be partially masking their antitumor potential. This is due to the deleterious effects that accumulation of senescent cells in tissues and organs causes on tissue microenvironment that confer tumor‐promoting properties. In this study, it is demonstrated that the presence of senescent endothelium favors cancer cell migration and show that palbociclib systemic treatment induces senescence in veins in an orthotopic triple‐negative breast cancer mouse model. Moreover, it is found that following palbociclib‐induced senogenesis, the elimination of senescent cells using the nanoencapsulated senolytic navitoclax (NP(nav)‐Gal) produces the selective elimination of endothelial senescent cells and induces a marked recovery of endothelial tissue functionality. Finally, the treatment with NP(nav)‐Gal produces a significant decrease of senescence in veins which is consistent with the decrease in metastasic burden observed. These results evidence the potential of reducing vascular senescence using senolytic therapies as a strategy to limit the metastatic dissemination of tumors cells in breast cancer patients subjected to chemotherapeutic treatments.
Current status and perspectives of the future of pancreatic surgery: Establishment of evidence by integration of “art” and “science”
Authors: Kang Mee Joo , Kim Sun‐Whe
Published: August 2021

Pancreatic cancer surgery continues to be associated with a high operative morbidity rate, poor long‐term survival outcomes, and various challenges in obtaining high‐level evidence. Not only is the early postoperative morbidity rate high, but also late morbidity involves lifelong nutritional support for long‐term survivors. Due to poor survival outcomes even after curative surgery, pancreatic surgeons have doubts about the role of surgery as the definitive treatment for pancreatic cancer. Additionally, conducting clinical trials to obtain high‐level evidence in the field of pancreatic surgery is difficult, and the results have only had a moderate impact on clinical practice due to skepticism regarding their quality. Therefore, quality evidence regarding the extent of resection, mode of approach to dissection, reconstruction methods for pancreatico‐enteric anastomosis, determination of resectability, timing of surgery, and the definition of the resection margin is lacking. However, numerous innovative pancreatic surgical procedures have been developed, which may aptly have been called “art” when they were first introduced, regardless of whether they subsequently were supported by scientific evidence. In this review, we provide recent examples of the integration of art and science in the field of pancreatic surgery, which illustrate how the creative ideas of pancreatic surgeons evolved into generally accepted clinical practice. Pancreatic surgeons should be considered “surgical artists,” “surgical scientists,” and “surgical practitioners.” We look forward to more “surgical artists” educating future “surgical artists and scientists” to create a richer “spirit of innovation,” leading to a more beautiful integration of art and science in the field of pancreatic surgery.
Ecological consequences of herbivory by Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) on succession patterns of tree assemblages: A case of snowy regions in Japan
Authors: Enari Hiroto , Enari Haruka S.
Published: August 2021

Apart from frugivory, we have limited knowledge of the ecological consequences of primate herbivory. We aimed to ascertain the effects of spring folivory and winter bark/bud herbivory by Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) on tree species and succession patterns of cool‐temperate forests with heavy snow. To evaluate the impact of herbivory on individual trees, we assessed the growth and mortality of trees consumed by simulating herbivory on nine tree species over 4 years. Additionally, we assessed the cumulative impacts of bark/bud herbivory observed at the tree community level by monitoring the patterns of natural herbivory for almost a decade and evaluating the structure of tree assemblages in places with different cumulative impacts of herbivory. The results of simulated herbivory showed that the mortality caused by both spring and winter herbivory was limited (<20%) for almost all tree species monitored; however, the simulated folivory led to delayed tree growth and/or weakening of tree architecture. In contrast, the simulated bark/bud herbivory sometimes resulted in overcompensation of the tree consumed. The multiyear monitoring of natural herbivory demonstrated that, while bark/bud herbivory did not reduced the diversity and biomass of tree assemblages, the cumulative impacts of natural herbivory could have affected the tree succession pattern, resulting in increasing the availability of bark/buds preferably fed by macaques. The key cause for this feedback effect of herbivory on available foods of macaques might be heavy snow conditions, which could physically and physiologically restrain the excessive bark/buds herbivory by macaques.
Effect of waterborne epoxy resin sizing on the surface and properties of high‐strength‐high‐modulus polyimide fibers
Authors: Zhu Li , Zhang Mengying , Sheng Jing , Niu Hongqing , Wu Dezhen
Published: August 2021

To improve the interface adhesion between high‐strength‐high‐modulus polyimide (PI) fibers and epoxy resin (EP) matrix, waterborne epoxy resin (WEP) sizing agents are used to modify the surface of PI fibers. The sizing treatment of PI fibers was carried out by the self‐made sizing machine, and the effect of WEP sizing concentrations on the structure and properties of PI fibers were discussed in detail. The surface roughness, activated carbon percentage, and surface energy of WEP‐sized PI fibers increased with increasing WEP sizing agent contents. While, the mechanical and thermal properties of WEP‐sized PI fibers decreased slightly with the increment of WEP sizing agent concentrations. The optimum WEP sizing concentration was recognized to be 2 wt%. The interfacial shear strength and the interlinear shear strength values of PI fibers and epoxy resin (PI/EP) composites were improved by 175.22 and 25.31%, respectively. Moreover, the mechanism of surface characteristic improvement with WEP sizing treatment were proposed, contributing to the enhancement of mechanical interlocking and chemical interaction between fibers and matrix.
T2‐weighted turbo spin‐echo magnetic resonance imaging of canine brain anatomy at 1.5T, 3T, and 7T field strengths
Authors: Jacqmot Olivier , Van Thielen Bert , Hespel Adrien‐Maxence , Luijten Peter R. , de Mey Johan , Van Binst Anne , Provyn Steven , Tresignie Jonathan
Published: August 2021

Post‐mortem T2 weighted images of canine heads were acquired at 1.5T, 3T, and 7T. This study aimed to (1) identify anatomical structures of the canine brain using an ultra‐high‐field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (7T) to help to facilitate their localization on high field MRI images (3T and 1.5T), where these structures may appear less well defined and delineated and (2) evaluate the visibility of canine brain anatomical structures on 1.5T, 3T, and 7T MRI images for optimizing clinical utility. Our hypothesis was that the provided subjective image quality comparison at different field strengths may offer a general baseline for canine brain anatomy and may help clinicians evaluate MRI options better. Six canine heads were examined with 1.5T, 3T, and 7T MRI scanners. T2‐weighted images were acquired in three orthogonal planes at each field strength using a turbo spin‐echo sequence. Fifty neuroanatomic structures were identified and evaluated on the 7T MR images; subsequently, those were found on the 3T and 45 out of the 50 structures were detected on the 1.5T imaging. The structures that were not able to be identified on the 1.5T imaging included the septum pellucidum, oculomotor nucleus, substantia nigra, claustrum, and thalamic nucleus griseus. Images acquired at 7T were subjective of higher spatial and contrast resolution. However, the ultra‐high‐field images were prone to artifacts at the interface between tissues of different magnetic properties. In conclusion, 3T MR imaging appears to be the best comprise for evaluating canine brain anatomy on MRI with fewer imaging artifacts.
Case provides new guidance for handling student‐athletes’ online posts
Authors: O'Brien Timothy
Published: August 2021

A recent decision by the U.S. Supreme Court involving a student‐athlete's comments on a social media platform provides an interesting update on First Amendment protections for off‐campus speech about school teams. Although the case involved a high school student, the decision still provides instructive guidance for dealing with comments made by student‐athletes at the collegiate level.
Comparison of 6‐month vascular healing response after bioresorbable polymer versus durable polymer drug‐eluting stent implantation in patients with acute coronary syndromes: A randomized serial optical coherence tomography study
Authors: Noguchi Masahiko , Dohi Tomotaka , Okazaki Shinya , Matsumura Mitsuaki , Takeuchi Mitsuhiro , Endo Hirohisa , Kato Yoshiteru , Okai Iwao , Nishiyama Hiroki , Doi Shinichiro , Iwata Hiroshi , Isoda Kikuo , Usui Eisuke , Fujimura Tatsuhiro , Seike Fumiyasu , Mintz Gary S. , Miyauchi Katsumi , Daida Hiroyuki , Minamino Tohru , Maehara Akiko
Published: August 2021

Objectives

This study was conducted to use optical coherence tomography (OCT) to compare vascular healing between bioresorbable polymer (BP) and durable polymer (DP) everolimus‐eluting stents (EES) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

Background

Whether BP‐EES induce better vascular healing compared to contemporary DP‐EES remains controversial, especially for ACS.

Methods

In this prospective, randomized, non‐inferiority trial, we used OCT to compare 6‐month vascular healing in patients with ACS randomized to BP versus DP‐EES: percent strut coverage (primary endpoint, non‐inferiority margin of 2.0%) and neointimal thickness and percent neointimal hyperplasia (NIH) volume. As an exploratory analysis, morphological factors related to the endpoints and the effect of underlying lipidic plaque on stent healing were evaluated.

Results

A total of 104 patients with ACS were randomly assigned to BP‐EES (n = 52) versus DP‐EES (n = 52). Of these, 86 patients (40 BP‐EES and 46 DP‐EES) were included in the final OCT analyses. Six‐month percent strut coverage of BP‐EES (83.6 ± 11.4%) was not non‐inferior compared to those of DP‐EES (81.6 ± 13.9%), difference 2.0% (lower 95% confidence interval‐2.6%), pnon‐inferiority = 0.07. There were no differences in neointimal thickness 70.0 ± 33.9 μm versus 67.2 ± 33.9 μm, p = 0.71; and percent NIH volume 7.5 ± 4.7% versus 7.3 ± 5.3%, p = 0.85. By multivariable linear regression analysis, stent type was not associated with percent strut coverage or percent NIH volume; however, percent baseline embedded struts or stent expansion was positively associated with percent NIH volume. Greater NIH volume was observed in lipidic compared with non‐lipidic segments (8.7 ± 5.6% vs. 6.1 ± 5.2%, p = 0.005).

Conclusions

Six‐month strut coverage of BP‐EES was not non‐inferior compared to those of DP‐EES in ACS patients. Good stent apposition and expansion were independently associated with better vascular healing.
Median arcuate ligament syndrome masquerading as mesenteric angina
Authors: Chapra Ammar , Kunjumon Neethu Maria , Elzouki Abdel‐Naser , Danjuma Mohammed Ibn‐Mas'ud
Published: August 2021

Patients with recurrent unclear causes of postprandial abdominal pain should have median arcuate ligament syndrome as a differential diagnosis which is thought to be caused by celiac artery compression. Diagnosis is by imaging such as CT angiography.
Intestinal perforation caused by fishbone in a child with the misdiagnosis of acute appendicitis: A case report
Authors: Ngoc Nguyen Sang , Duy Nguyen Tuan , Tung Vu Lam , Ngoc Bao Hoang Cuong
Published: August 2021

If a child has abdominal pain, it is important to evaluate the possibility of intestinal perforation caused by foreign objects such as fishbone. If a foreign agent is present, laparoscopic surgery is an effective method to remove the foreign objects.
The Catalytic Mechanism of the Retaining Glycosyltransferase Mannosylglycerate Synthase
Authors: Ferreira Pedro , Fernandes Pedro A. , Ramos Maria J.
Published: August 2021

To protect their intracellular proteins, extremophile microorganisms synthesize molecules called compatible solutes. These molecules are the result of the attachment of a small negatively charged molecule to a sugar molecule. It has been found that these molecules, not only protect the microorganism against osmotic stress but also against other extreme conditions. They can also confer protection against extreme conditions to isolated enzymes from different organisms making them an exciting prospect for potential biotechnological applications. One of the most widespread compatible solute in hyperthermophile organisms is the molecule 2‐O‐α‐D‐mannosyl‐D‐glycerate (MG). In addition to confer protection to proteins against extreme conditions, MG was found to prevent Alzheimer's β‐amyloid aggregation and reduce α‐synuclein fibril formation in Parkinson's disease. In this work we studied, using computational methods, the catalytic mechanism of the synthesis of MG by the enzyme mannosylglycerate synthase (MGS) from the thermophilic bacteria Rhodothermus marinus.
Copper‐Promoted N‐Arylation of the Imidazole Side Chain of Protected Histidine by Using Triarylbismuth Reagents
Authors: Chan Hwai‐Chien , Bueno Bianca , Le Roch Adrien , Gagnon Alexandre
Published: August 2021

The N‐arylation of the side chain of histidine by using triarylbismuthines is reported. The reaction is promoted by copper(II) acetate in dichloromethane at 40 °C under oxygen in the presence of diisopropylethylamine and 1,10‐phenanthroline and allows the transfer of aryl groups with substituents at any position of the aromatic ring. The reaction shows excellent functional group tolerance and is applicable to dipeptides where the histidine is located at the N terminus. A histidine‐guided backbone N−H arylation was observed in dipeptides where the histidine occupies the C terminus.
Hollow Carbon Sphere‐Modified Graphitic Carbon Nitride for Efficient Photocatalytic H2 Production
Authors: Li Jinghua , Xiong Lunqiao , Luo Bing , Jing Dengwei , Cao Jiamei , Tang Junwang
Published: August 2021

A novel hybrid photocatalyst composed of hollow carbon nanospheres (NCS) and graphitic carbon nitride (CN) curly nanosheets has been prepared by the calcination of a NCS precursor and freeze‐dried urea. The optimized photocatalyst exhibits an efficient photocatalytic performance under visible light irradiation with a highest H2 generation rate of 3612.3 μmol g−1 h−1, leading to an apparent quantum yield of 10.04 % at 420 nm, five times higher than the widely reported benchmark photocatalyst CN (2.01 % AQY). The materials characterization shows that NCS‐modified CN curly nanosheets can promote photoelectron transfer and suppress charge recombination through their special coupling interface and NCS as an electron acceptor, which significantly improves the photocatalytic efficiency. Thus, this study provides an efficient strategy for the design of highly efficient photocatalyst, particularly suitable for a totally metal‐free photocatalytic system.
Was Menschen bewegt, die etwas bewegen
Authors: Sieß Wolfgang
Published: August 2021

im Jahr 1988 kam Wolfgang Sieß zum Verlag Chemie nach Weinheim, dem heutigen Verlag ‐Wiley‐VCH. Hier konzipierte und etablierte er mit der CITplus ein Praxismagazin für Chemieingenieure und Verfahrenstechniker, das er seit der ersten Ausgabe im September 1998 bis zu seiner Verrentung im Juni 2021 betreute.
Dummy endogenous treatment effect estimation using high‐dimensional instrumental variables
Authors: Zhong Wei , Zhou Wei , Fan Qingliang , Gao Yang
Published: August 2021

We develop a two‐stage approach to estimate the treatment effects of dummy endogenous variables using high‐dimensional instrumental variables (IVs). In the first stage, instead of using a conventional linear reduced‐form regression to approximate the optimal instrument, we propose a penalized logistic reduced‐form model to accommodate both the binary nature of the endogenous treatment variable and the high dimensionality of the IVs. In the second stage, we replace the original treatment variable with its estimated propensity score and run a least‐squares regression to obtain a penalized logistic regression instrumental variables estimator (LIVE). We show theoretically that the proposed LIVE is root‐nconsistent with the true treatment effect and asymptotically normal. Monte Carlo simulations demonstrate that LIVE is more efficient than existing IV estimators for endogenous treatment effects. In applications, we use LIVE to investigate whether the Olympic Games facilitate the host nation's economic growth and whether home visits from teachers enhance students' academic performance. In addition, the R functions for the proposed algorithms have been developed in an R package naivereg.
Towards Imaging Pt Chemoresistance Using Gd(III)‐Pt(II) Theranostic MR Contrast Agents
Authors: Adams Casey J. , Meade Thomas J.
Published: August 2021

Cisplatin and related Pt(II) chemotherapeutics are indispensable tools for the treatment of various solid tumors. Despite their widespread clinical use in approximately 50 % of chemotherapy regimens, they are hindered by issues with off‐target toxicity and chemoresistance, both innate and acquired. To date, there is no effective way to predict the outcome of Pt(II) chemotherapy because the genes associated with resistance are not completely known or understood. Instead, patients undergo weeks to months of potentially harmful therapy before knowing if it is effective. Here we report two Gd(III)‐Pt(II) theranostic MR contrast agents that contain cisplatin and carboplatin‐based moieties respectively. We used these agents to demonstrate that accumulation differences in Pt(II) sensitive and resistant cells, a dominant factor in chemoresistance, can be imaged by MR. Both theranostic agents bind to DNA, are cytotoxic, and enhance the intracellular T1‐weighted MR contrast of multiple cell lines. Most importantly, the cisplatin‐based agent accumulates less in Pt(II) resistant cells in vitro and in vivo, resulting in decreased MR contrast enhancement compared to the parent Pt(II) sensitive cell line. This straightforward method to image a key factor of Pt(II) resistance using MRI is an important first step towards the ultimate goals of predicting response to Pt(II) chemotherapy and monitoring for the onset of chemoresistance – a critical unmet need in medicine that could significantly improve patient outcomes.
Direct, Late‐Stage Mono‐N‐arylation of Pentamidine: Method Development, Mechanistic Insight, and Expedient Access to Novel Antiparastitics against Diamidine‐Resistant Parasites
Authors: Robertson Jack , Ungogo Marzuq A. , Aldfer Mustafa M. , Lemgruber Leandro , McWhinnie Fergus S. , Bode Bela E. , Jones Katherine L. , Watson Allan J. B. , de Koning Harry P. , Burley Glenn A.
Published: August 2021

A selective mono‐N‐arylation strategy of amidines under Chan‐Lam conditions is described. During the reaction optimization phase, the isolation of a mononuclear Cu(II) complex provided unique mechanistic insight into the operation of Chan‐Lam mono‐N‐arylation. The scope of the process is demonstrated, and then applied to access the first mono‐N‐arylated analogues of pentamidine. Sub‐micromolar activity against kinetoplastid parasites was observed for several analogues with no cross‐resistance in pentamidine and diminazene‐resistant trypanosome strains and against Leishmania mexicana. A fluorescent mono‐N‐arylated pentamidine analogue revealed rapid cellular uptake, accumulating in parasite nuclei and the kinetoplasts. The DNA binding capability of the mono‐N‐arylated pentamidine series was confirmed by UV‐melt measurements using AT‐rich DNA. This work highlights the potential to use Chan‐Lam mono‐N‐arylation to develop therapeutic leads against diamidine‐resistant trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis.
Determinants of patient‐reported xerostomia among long‐term oropharyngeal cancer survivors
Authors: Aggarwal Puja , Hutcheson Katherine A. , Garden Adam S. , Mott Frank E. , Lu Charles , Goepfert Ryan P. , Fuller Clifton D. , Lai Stephen Y. , Gunn G. Brandon , Chambers Mark S. , Sturgis Erich M. , Hanna Ehab Y. , Shete Sanjay
Published: August 2021

Background

This study was conducted to identify clinicodemographic risk factors for xerostomia among long‐term oropharyngeal cancer (OPC) survivors.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study included 906 disease‐free, adult OPC survivors with a median survival duration at the time of survey of 6 years (range, 1‐16 years); self‐reported xerostomia scores were available for 877 participants. Study participants had completed curative treatment between January 2000 and December 2013 and responded to a survey administered from September 2015 to July 2016. The primary outcome variable was cancer patient–reported xerostomia measured with the MD Anderson Symptom Inventory Head and Neck Cancer Module. Clinicodemographic risk factors for moderate to severe xerostomia were identified via multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Moderate to severe xerostomia was reported by 343 of the respondents (39.1%). Female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.82; 95% CI, 1.22‐2.71; P = .003; Bayesian false‐discovery probability [BFDP] = 0.568), high school or lower education (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.19‐2.52; P = .004; BFDP = 0.636), and current cigarette smoking at the time of survey (OR, 2.56; 95% CI, 1.19‐5.47; P = .016; BFDP = 0.800) were risk factors for moderate to severe xerostomia, and bilateral intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) combined with proton therapy and ipsilateral IMRT were protective.

Conclusions

In this large xerostomia study, modern radiotherapy was a protective factor, and continued cigarette smoking at the time of survey, female sex, and high school or lower education were identified as other contributing risk factors associated with moderate to severe xerostomia. Importantly, these findings need to be confirmed in prospective studies. These results can inform future research and targeted patient‐centered interventions to monitor and manage radiation therapy–associated xerostomia and preserve quality of life among patients with OPC.
Spectral spatial joint feature based convolution neural network for hyperspectral image classification
Authors: Kumar Pathak Diganta , Kumar Kalita Sanjib , Kumar Bhattacharya Dhruba
Published: August 2021

Hyperspectral sensor generates huge datasets which conveys abundance of information. However, it poses many challenges in the analysis and interpretation of these data. Deep networks like VGG16, VGG19 are difficult to directly apply for hyperspectral image (HSI) classification because of its higher number of layers which in turn requires high level of system resources. This article suggests a novel framework with lesser number of layers for hyperspectral image classification (HSIC) that takes into account spectral‐spatial context sensitivity of HSI, which focuses on enhancing the discriminating capability of HSIC. The model uses available spectral feature as well as spatial contexts of HSI and consecutively learn the distinctive features. A small training set has been used to optimize the network parameters while the overfitting problem is alleviated using the validation set. Regularization has been performed using batch normalization (BN) layer after each convolution layer. The cost of the model is measured in terms of training and testing time duration under the same platform, which has further been compared with some ensemble learning methods, SVM and other three recent state‐of‐the‐art methods. Experimental results establish that the proposed model performs very well with the three benchmark datasets: Indian Pines, Salinas and University of Pavia, which mostly contain land cover of agriculture, forest, soil, rural, and urban area.
Early Divergence in Misfolding Pathways of Amyloid‐Beta Peptides
Authors: Mamone Salvatore , Glöggler Stefan , Becker Stefan , Rezaei‐Ghaleh Nasrollah
Published: August 2021

The amyloid cascade hypothesis proposes that amyloid‐beta (Aβ) aggregation is the initial triggering event in Alzheimer's disease. Here, we utilize NMR spectroscopy and monitor the structural dynamics of two variants of Aβ, Aβ40 and Aβ42, as a function of temperature. Despite having identical amino acid sequence except for the two additional C‐terminal residues, Aβ42 has higher aggregation propensity than Aβ40. As revealed by the NMR data on dynamics, including backbone chemical shifts, intra‐methyl cross‐correlated relaxation rates and glycine‐based singlet‐states, the C‐terminal region of Aβ, especially the G33‐L34‐M35 segment, plays a particular role in the early steps of temperature‐induced Aβ aggregation. In Aβ42, the distinct dynamical behaviour of C‐terminal residues at higher temperatures is accompanied with marked changes in the backbone dynamics of residues V24‐K28. The distinctive role of the C‐terminal region of Aβ42 in the initiation of aggregation defines a target for the rational design of Aβ42 aggregation inhibitors.
Historical biogeography of the genusRhadinaea(Squamata: Dipsadinae)
Authors: García‐Sotelo Uriel A. , García‐Vázquez Uri O. , Espinosa David
Published: August 2021

Multiple geological and climatic events have created geographical or ecological barriers associated with speciation events, playing a role in biological diversification in North and Central America. Here, we evaluate the influence of the Neogene and Quaternary geological events, as well as the climatic changes in the diversification of the colubrid snake genusRhadinaeausing molecular dating and ancestral area reconstruction. A multilocus sequence dataset was generated for 37 individuals ofRhadinaeafrom most of the biogeographical provinces where the genus is distributed, representing 19 of the 21 currently recognized species, and two undescribed species. Our analyses show that the majority of theRhadinaeaspecies nest in two main clades, herein identified as “Eastern” and “Southern”. These clades probably diverged from each other in the early Miocene, and their divergence was followed by 11 divergences during the middle to late Miocene, three divergences during the Pliocene, and six divergences in the Pleistocene. The ancestral distribution ofRhadinaeawas reconstructed across the Sierra Madre del Sur. Our phylogenetic analyses do not support the monophyly ofRhadinaea. The Miocene and Pliocene geomorphology, perhaps in conjunction with climate change, appears to have triggered the diversification of the genus, while the climatic changes during the Miocene probably induced the diversification ofRhadinaeain the Sierra Madre del Sur. Our analysis suggests that the uplifting of the Trans‐Mexican Volcanic Belt and Chiapan–Guatemalan highlands in this same period resulted in northward and southward colonization events. This was followed by more recent, independent colonization events in the Pliocene and Pleistocene involving the Balsas Basin, Chihuahuan Desert, Pacific Coast, Sierra Madre Occidental, Sierra Madre Oriental, Sierra Madre del Sur, Trans‐Mexican Volcanic Belt, and Veracruz provinces, probably driven by the climatic fluctuations of the time.
The cost of evolved constitutive lac gene expression is usually, but not always, maintained during evolution of generalist populations
Authors: Phillips Kelly N. , Cooper Tim F.
Published: August 2021

Beneficial mutations can become costly following an environmental change. Compensatory mutations can relieve these costs, while not affecting the selected function, so that the benefits are retained if the environment shifts back to be similar to the one in which the beneficial mutation was originally selected. Compensatory mutations have been extensively studied in the context of antibiotic resistance, responses to specific genetic perturbations, and in the determination of interacting gene network components. Few studies have focused on the role of compensatory mutations during more general adaptation, especially as the result of selection in fluctuating environments where adaptations to different environment components may often involve trade‐offs. We examine whether costs of a mutation in lacI, which deregulated the expression of the lac operon in evolving populations of Escherichia coli bacteria, were compensated. This mutation occurred in multiple replicate populations selected in environments that fluctuated between growth on lactose, where the mutation was beneficial, and on glucose, where it was deleterious. We found that compensation for the cost of the lacI mutation was rare, but, when it did occur, it did not negatively affect the selected benefit. Compensation was not more likely to occur in a particular evolution environment. Compensation has the potential to remove pleiotropic costs of adaptation, but its rarity indicates that the circumstances to bring about the phenomenon may be peculiar to each individual or impeded by other selected mutations.
Weighing the predictors: host traits and coinfecting species both explain variation in parasitism of Rock Ptarmigan
Authors: Morrill André , Nielsen Ó. K. , Stenkewitz U. , Pálsdóttir G. R. , Forbes M. R. , Skírnisson K.
Published: August 2021

Testing hypotheses in ecological and evolutionary parasitology can require testing whether host traits or coinfecting parasites explain variation in parasitism by focal species. However, when host traits and coinfecting parasites are considered separately, relations between either and parasitism by focal species can be spurious—a problem that is addressed when both are considered together. We assessed whether abundances of focal parasites related to host age/sex and coinfecting parasites for three endoparasites and nine ectoparasites of Icelandic Rock Ptarmigan (Lagopus muta) collected over 12 yr (2006–2017), and quantified the variation in focal parasitism explained by these predictors. Host traits and coinfecting parasites explained significant variation in abundance of all nine focal parasite species for which models converged, when those models were based on groups of parasites sharing tissue tropism and/or transmission pathways and included year as a random effect. We found a single spurious relation: a host age–sex interaction effect that was removed once concurrent parasitism was considered. When considering focal parasites within groups of coinfecting parasites, we found cases of positive, negative, and lacks of correlations. The amount of variation in focal parasite abundance explained by host traits versus coinfecting parasites depended on the focal parasite and its group. Overall variation explained was both related to the prevalence of the focal parasite, possibly due to underlying parasite aggregation, and similar to variation explained in other models in ecology and evolution. We conclude that host traits and coinfecting parasites often combine to determine infection by focal species. Future studies should also explore the mechanisms underlying parasite–parasite relations and their potential impacts on host demography for this and other study associations, and assess relative effects of host traits and coinfecting parasites on focal parasitism.
[11C]HCN Radiochemistry: Recent Progress and Future Perspectives
Authors: Xu Youwen , Qu Wenchao
Published: August 2021

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a unique non‐invasive imaging tool for studying in vivo biological processes. It utilizes short‐lived positron emitter labeled organic molecules to study biological events in real‐time. To incorporate the positron emitter into a molecule of biological interest, radioactive synthons are developed to facilitate radiolabeling chemistry. In addition to 11C‐methylation with [11C]CH3I/[11C]CH3OTf, 11C‐carbonylation with [11C]CO, and 11C‐carboxylation of organometallic reagents with [11C]CO2, 11C‐cyanation with [11C]HCN is another frequently used 11C‐labeling methodology. It can lead to the generation of [11C]organo‐nitriles, [carbonyl‐11C]carboxylic acids, [carbonyl‐11C]aldehydes, [carbonyl‐11C]amides, [11C]alkyl amines, [tetrazoyl‐11C]tetrazoles, [11C]CN‐containing heterocycles, etc. This review recognizes the important roles of 11C‐cyanation reactions with the emphasis of recent advances, along with the discussion of molar activities (Am) of [11C]HCN based radiotracers and prompts for future potential [11C]cyanide based radiotracer development.
DTBP‐Mediated Cascade Spirocyclization and Dearomatization of Biaryl Ynones: Facile Access to Spiro[5.5]trienones through C(sp3)−H Bond Functionalization
Authors: Zhang Ming‐Ming , Shen Liu‐Yu , Dong Sa , Li Bing , Meng Fei , Si Wei‐Jie , Yang Wen‐Chao
Published: August 2021

Oxidative radical cascade spirocyclization and dearomatization of biary ynones with a variety of hydrocarbons including toluenes, ethers, ketones, and alkanes has been developed to construct alkyl substituted spiro[5.5]trienones.
Segmentation‐based analysis of single‐cell immunoblots
Authors: Gopal Anjali , Herr Amy E.
Published: August 2021

From genomics to transcriptomics to proteomics, microfluidic tools underpin recent advances in single‐cell biology. Detection of specific proteoforms—with single‐cell resolution—presents challenges in detection specificity and sensitivity. Miniaturization of protein immunoblots to single‐cell resolution mitigates these challenges. For example, in microfluidic western blotting, protein targets are separated by electrophoresis and subsequently detected using fluorescently labeled antibody probes. To quantify the expression level of each protein target, the fluorescent protein bands are fit to Gaussians; yet, this method is difficult to use with noisy, low‐abundance, or low‐SNR protein bands, and with significant band skew or dispersion. In this study, we investigate segmentation‐based approaches to robustly quantify protein bands from single‐cell protein immunoblots. As compared to a Gaussian fitting pipeline, the segmentation pipeline detects >1.5× more protein bands for downstream quantification as well as more of the low‐abundance protein bands (i.e., with SNR ∼3). Utilizing deep learning‐based segmentation approaches increases the recovery of low‐SNR protein bands by an additional 50%. However, we find that segmentation‐based approaches are less robust at quantifying poorly resolved protein bands (separation resolution, Rs < 0.6). With burgeoning needs for more single‐cell protein analysis tools, we see microfluidic separations as benefitting substantially from segmentation‐based analysis approaches.
Elucidating active sites and decomposition mechanisms for oxythiomolybdate clusters (Mo2O2Sx, x = 6;8) as catalyzers for hydrogen evolution reactions
Authors: Bertolini Samuel , Jacob Timo
Published: August 2021

We investigated the decomposition mechanism of Mo3S13 (chalcogenides) and Mo2O2Sx(x = 6,8) through Density Functional Theory, in particular Mo2O2Sx. Oxythiomolybdates are more stable than chalcogenides, and decompose through cathodic reactions, while chalcogenides decompose also through anodic reactions. The solvent acts on the polymerization mechanism of Mo2O2S6, blocking or reducing the polymerization between Mo2O2S6 clusters. The electrons’ excess is responsible for the catalyst decomposition and, also induces absorption of hydrogen on terminal oxygen. Moreover, Mo2O2S6 absorbs two hydrogens on each terminal disulfide without absorbing electrons. The Mo2O2S4 can absorb one hydrogen and catalyze hydrogen evolution reactions (HER), however, decomposition still occurs. Ab initio molecular dynamics shows the explicit absorption of hydrogen in Mo2O2S6 by adding electrons to the system, in which hydrogen can be absorbed in a disulfide or in an oxygen terminal. Heyrovsky mechanism tends to dominate HER, and hydrogen absorption can also remove oxygen from Mo2O2S6 and produce water.
Formic acid reduction and CO2 activation at Mo2C: The important role of surface oxide
Authors: Winkler Daniel , Dietrich Valentin , Griesser Christoph , Nia Niusha Shakibi , Wernig Eva‐Maria , Tollinger Martin , Kunze‐Liebhäuser Julia
Published: August 2021

Small organic acids, such as formic or acetic acid, which are well‐known products of the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction, are often not further reduceable to their respective alcohols. Alcohols are well‐desired chemicals and useful as fuels, since they can be easily purified and provide a high energy density. Here, we present a combined electrochemical, differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS), and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR) study, providing insight in the electro‐reduction of formic acid on Mo2C electrodes, and the corresponding formation of notable amounts of methanol, with a Faraday efficiency of ∼27 % at a high steady state current density of –0.3 mA/cm2 compared to other formic acid electroreduction catalysts, such as Pb or Sn. Intriguingly, we find that formic and acetic acid readily form on native oxide covered Mo2C surfaces in air and especially in humid CO2 atmosphere. We realize that the thin native oxide layer that is ubiquitously present on these electrodes is the key factor for the activation of CO2 and the corresponding formation of formic and acetic acid at the solid/gas interface. Subsequent electrochemical reduction of these two acids at the solid/liquid interface proceeds through direct formation of their respective alcohols. The activity toward organic acid reduction on Mo2C catalysts can therefore be enhanced by their adsorption properties at the surface and not necessarily through inhibition of the HER, which is exceptional and points to a general strength of compound catalysts for organic acid reduction and CO2 activation.
A review on binder‐free NiO‐Ni foam as anode of high performance lithium‐ion batteries
Authors: Rahman Md. Arafat , Rahman Md. Mizanur , Song Guangsheng
Published: August 2021

In recent times, lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in the fields of small electronic devices, wearable electronic devices, and automobiles. In the light of some current research on LIBs investigated on replacing commercial carbonaceous anode materials with transition metal oxides such as NiO due to its high theoretical capacity of 718 mAh g−1. However, NiO still suffers from low cycling stability, low coulombic efficiency, and low rate capability resulting from large volume expansion and poor electrical conductivity which greatly limits the development of large‐capacity LIBs. To overcome these barriers, various NiO electrodes with different morphologies and physical structures are developed. In this review, we introduce and summarize the electrochemical performances of binder‐free NiO‐Ni foam as anode of LIBs.
Kudzu isoflavone C‐glycosides: Analysis, biological activities, and metabolism
Authors: Prasain Jeevan K. , Barnes Stephen , Wyss J. Michael
Published: August 2021

Radix Pueraria (the root of kudzu Pueraria lobota) is a popular traditional Chinese medicine used in dietary supplements in Western markets and has potential health benefits. Kudzu roots are rich in isoflavones C‐ and O‐glycosides, of which puerarin (daidzein 8‐C‐glucoside) is the most abundant isoflavone. Puerarin is a unique isoflavone that it is resistant to intestinal hydrolysis and has a wide range of effects in preventing metabolic diseases. Our previous studies indicate that chronic exposure to a diet enriched in puerarin significantly reduces serum total cholesterol, arterial blood pressure, insulin resistance and hyperglycemia in ovariectomized, stroke‐prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SP‐SHR), a model of metabolic syndrome. Further, our studies demonstrate that puerarin is absorbed as the intact glucoside and acutely improves glucose tolerance, indicating that it has potential for the prevention and treatment of diabetes. This paper reviews recent progress in the understanding of biological activities and metabolism and in the analysis of puerarin in kudzu root extracts or supplements.
Recognition and development of customized cosmetics for military trainees in 20s and 30s in Republic of Korea
Authors: Lee Jinkyung , Kwon Ki Han
Published: August 2021

Background

For the health of the skin, social standards have been changed to increase the public's interest in achieving perfect skin. With the diversification of consumer needs, the reorganized core market for demand pursues the attributes of customization that bring the individual ego and product image to match through aggressive consumer needs.

Objectives

Therefore, in this study, we conducted a questionnaire to 450 men in their 20s and 30s, Chuncheon City, Gangwon‐do, Republic of Korea, focused on the fact that customized cosmetics drive individuals and optimization.

Methods

Statistical processing of materials collected by the data analysis method is analyzed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Science) WIN25.0 statistical package program through the process of data coding and data cleaning.

Results

As a result, “I think I need customized cosmetics for me.” 3.91 (SD = 1.19), and it seems that the number of custom cosmetics used will increase in the future. “3.99 (SD = 1.06) It was the highest in terms of points. Also, I would like to use PX's men's custom cosmetics when they are released.” The average was 4.34 (SD = 0.91), which was the highest. Comprehensive research results of P <0 .001 and above suggested the possibility of developing customized cosmetics for men.

Conclusion

Therefore, this requires continuous research on personalized bespoke cosmetics according to work and usage characteristics, and PX custom products for future soldiers should be developed. In the future, the researcher plans to continue to study the recognition and development potential of customized cosmetics for female military personnel in South Korea in subsequent research.
Decreased fetal heart rate variability and maternal combined dose of sodium valproate and phenytoin
Authors: Makino Marie , Osato Kazuhiro , Kuriyama Moeko , Nagao Kenji , Ikeda Tomoaki
Published: August 2021

Synopsis

A rare combination of anti‐epileptic drugs, sodium valproate and phenytoin prescribed to a pregnant woman with epilepsy might have decreased the fetal heart rate variability.