bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fortællinger om forførelse og seksualmoral i 1800-tallets bondesamfund
Authors: Kofod Else Marie
Published: February 2016

Et samfunds ægteskabsideal afføder nogle mere eller mindre uskrevne regler for, hvad der er tilladt og - måske især - hvad der ikke er tilladt med hensyn til udenomsægteskabelige forhold. Det var også tilfældet i 1800-tallets bondesamfund, hvor det at indlede et seksuelt forhold til en anden person end den, man var forlovet eller gift med, ikke alene kunne være en trussel for de enkelte par, men for hele landsbyfællesskabet. Seksuelle emner er ofte tabubelagte. I denne artikel vil jeg vise, hvordan bondesamfundets seksualmoral blev kommunikeret igennem såvel omgangsformer, ritualer og traditioner som igennem sagn om bjergfolk og ellefolk.

 

Tales of seduction and sexual moralityin 19th-century rural society.

The marital ideal of a society generates certain more or less unwritten rules forwhat is permissible and - perhaps especially - impermissible in terms of extramaritalrelations. This was also the case in the rural society of the 19th century,where engaging in a sexual relationship with someone other than the person to whom you were married or betrothed could be a threat not only to the individual couple but to the whole village community. Although the village community in 18th-century rural society underwent a number of changes in the course of the century, it was apparently still important to strengthen the authority of the community or at any rate to give the appearance that it existed. The community in the rural village meant not just something communal in general, but a particular way of performing certain communal actions, including - and perhaps especially - certain social conventions. More fundamentally,'community' therefore refers to the farmer-dominated village's culturally protected norm for what was right and wrong.Besides the norms that were communicated through the unwritten socialconventions, one could also express what was right and wrong through the stories that were told. In the tales it was also possible to engage with sexual themes.The tales that are most relevant in this study are legends of mountain spirits andelves, where human beings engage in some kind of interaction with the supernatural beings. There are a good 300 of these legends. Looking at the consequences such relations could have for the protagonists of the legends enables us to gain insight into how extramarital relations were regarded in rural society. In 19th-century rural society the norms of the village for sexual morality were thus communicated both through games and traditions and through the tales thatwere told of mountain spirits and elves. Both forms of expression involved acommon set of principles for the members of the village community, and laiddown guidelines for the way one was to handle relations with other people ineveryday life.
Krobjekt. Temanummer af Kulturstudier om krop, sundhed og sygdom
Authors: Blaakilde Anne Leonora , Jespersen Astrid Pernille
Published: February 2016

Indledning til temanummeret Krobjekt.
Insulin som trickster: Grænsearbejde i hverdagen med type 2 diabetes
Authors: Lassen Aske Juul
Published: February 2016

The article focuses on the role of insulin in the everyday life of the type 2 diabetic. The diagnosis of type 2 diabetes is not merely the establishment of a chronic disease, it also alters the patient’s conception of his own body and his everyday life. For many patients, the diagnosis is their first encounter with the interiors of their bodies. It is attempted to regulate the diabetes by a number of practices; in the article, this is viewed as a bio-medical disciplinization, which deals with the body and life as objects. The biomedicine conquers the diabetic body and becomes part of the diabetic’s everyday life. Thereby, the body is problematized as a natural and delimited category. The limits of the body are broken down by the recurring penetration of the skin, when the blood sugar is measured or the insulin injected. Insulin is analysed as a trickster figure which exerts a boundary work on the body, plays with its categories and inverts the relations between poison and medicine, freedom and constraint, artificiality and naturalness, security and risk. Everyday life is changed and future put into perspective by the trickster, which at the same time makes both everyday life and the future possible by its blood sugar reducing properties.
Mænd og mad: Artikulering af kroppen i borgerrettet sundhedsfremme
Authors: Schøler Maja , Otto Lene
Published: February 2016

Healthy habits, weight loss and changes in life style are today considered public as well as private matters in Denmark, and after the municipal reform in 2007 it is primarily the municipalities that are responsible for health prevention and health promotion in Denmark. Put together they are today one of the largest suppliers of health promoting and preventive activities to those citizens who need to look after their own health or have an interest in doing so. The present article examines how a group of overweight men try to adopt a healthier life style through participating in a municipally organized life style programme. We focus particularly on the processes of objectivization and subjectivization and their interaction. We discuss how the men, through different body techniques, which differ from the traditional methods such as exercise and slimming, are taught to objectivize the body – to make the body an object of discipline, in order to make it react in a healthy way – at the same time as the teacher appeals to them as health subjects or individuals, whose actions are guided by a health rationale. Through the analysis we demonstrate that there is a constant dynamic between the processes of objectivization and subjectivization, and that these processes are a necessary prerequisite for the actual realisation of a change of life style in everyday life. Through the programme, the participants become healthy subjects who can feel or sense the state of their bodies; but it is a creative process that can only take place by making the body the object for intervention, reflection and education of the body and its senses.
Kroppe i laboratoriet. Individuelle kroppe, forsøgskroppe og samfundskroppe i kliniske forsøg med overvægt
Authors: Jespersen Astrid Pernille
Published: February 2016

In the last years a lot has been said and written about a global epidemic of obesity. In Denmark alone, between 30 and 40 per cent of the adult population is estimated to be overweight or obese. Obesity is regarded as one of the major threats to the health of populations, and it ranks high on the agenda of both politicians and researchers. The present article describes a clinical trial with moderately overweight, inactive males, who, through a twelve week intervention period, were prescribed a training schedule of 0, 30 and 60 minutes per day respectively. The purpose of the trial is many fold; one of its purposes is to examine the insulin sensitivity of the participants, another is to investigate the effects of physical exercise on a number of metabolic parameters; further, there is an investigation into the response of the appetite hormones to the increased level of activity, and finally there is a cultural-analytical investigation into the experiences of the research participants during and after their participation in the trial.

The present article focuses on the various bodies that are staged and materialized through the trial. This is because the obese body does not participate in the trial in a singular form, but is configured and re-configured in various forms, e.g. as part of a social body, the individual and personal body and the research body. The article is thus an investigation into how these different versions bodies are created, maintained and handled in the intersection between laboratory practises, individuals and a societal challenge high on the political agenda.
Christian IV’s tugt- og børnehus. Social institution eller merkantilistisk foretagende?
Authors: Jensen Peter Agerbo
Published: February 2016

The Gaol and Orphanage of Christian IV - Social Institution or Mercantilist Enterprise?

In 1605, the Danish King Christian IV founded a gaol after English and Northern European models. The purpose of the gaol  was that the inmates, the vagrants, should be taught textile  making. In contrast to contemporary foreign examples the  Danish gaol was founded by the king himself, just as it was the  crown that both owned the institution and was the purchaser of  its textile products. In 1620, the institution was extended with an orphanage as well as various workshops for textile handicrafts. The gaol and orphanage was closed in 1649.

The basic question posed in the present article is: Was the foundation in 1605 and the subsequent operation of the gaol and orphanage of Christian IV in the years until its closure in 1649 a manifestation of mercantilism, the predominant economic theory of the age, or should the institution rather be  seen as a social and preventive measure in the fight against  vagrancy?

In order to answer this question, an examination is made of various contemporary sources, including legislatory material, in order to determine the character of the gaol undertaking.

It is the conclusion of the present article that the gaol and orphanage was a combination of mercantilist policy and a socially preventive measure. From being at the outset in 1605 a predominantly social institution with a certain element of mercantilism, it developed into a predominantly mercantilist enterprise whose previous social function was toned down and receded into the background.
Arbejderpolitik i 1848. De københavnske ’pariserhåndværkere’.
Authors: Nygaard Bertel
Published: February 2016

Labour Politics in 1848. The ‘Parisian Craftsmen’ of Copenhagen

1848 saw the rise of one of the earliest Danish examples of a modern labour movement which was expressly based of the activities of the workers themselves. A small group of Copenhagen craftsmen - the ‘Parisian craftsmen’ - were behind this political movement. Their activities during this year demonstrates the  creation of a critical counter-public opinion and the desire for an  alternative social order which at once was foreign to previous Danish experiences and anchored in already prevalent ideals.
Landsbyens anatomi. En retrogressiv analyse af agrarstrukturen i landsbyen Sundby på Mors med udgangspunkt i opposition ved forsvaret af Steen Buscks disputats: Et landbosamfund i opbrud. Sundby Mors 1600-1800, 2011.
Authors: Frandsen Karl-Erik
Published: February 2016

Opposition to Steen Busck’s Doctoral Thesis A Rural Community Breaking Up. Tradition and Modernization in Sundby Parish on the Island of Mors during the Period 1660-1800, vol. 1-2, Aarhus, 2011

The present article is an extended version of Karl-Erik Frandsen’s opposition to Steen Busck’s doctoral thesis A Rural Community Breaking Up. Tradition and Modernization in Sundby Parish on the Island of Mors during the Period 1660-1800, vol. 1-2, Aarhus, 2011.

Initially, a retrospective analysis is carried out. Taking as its point of departure the enclosure map of 1782, and combining it with the village land register of 1683, the analysis reconstructs the agrarian structures of Sundby in 1683. On this foundation it is subsequently possible to render it convincing that during the Middle Ages Sundby consisted of three large farms, which were later parcelled out into embryonic villages and which at least from 1662 and until the enclosure in 1782 consisted of approx. 30 farms in a complex open-field system. It is obvious that the distribution of land in the outlying fields in 1782 was carried out on the basis of the affiliation of the farms to the three  embryonic villages.
Stadens Ureenlighed
Authors: Andersen Vivi Lena
Published: February 2016

The uncleanliness of landfill culture in 18th-century Copenhagen

After the discovery of an 18th-century landfill that contained a diversity of well-preserved objects discarded by Copenhageners, about 30 archaeological surveys have since been conducted at a site in the north-central part of the city. This coastal district, called Frederiksstaden, is now known for its prominent mansions and the home of the Danish royal family, but its function as a landfill is rarely mentioned as a phenomenon in stories about the area. From studying the excavated items, this article seeks to explore how they reflect the trash culture during Copenhagen’s Age of Absolutism, as well as to describe the landfill’s appearance and when the need for it arose.

Using the archaeological source material as a base, the study also examined geotechnical, written, cartographic, iconographic and natural-scientific sources in order to achieve a more nuanced understanding of the landfill and to reflect on how the different sources relate to each other. This article argues that getting citizens to adapt to the new system of trash management was a long and challenging process; e.g., according to written sources, the landfill was only supposed to receive household garbage and sweepings from the city’s streets, but the archaeological evidence shows that human waste from latrines was also disposed of there. Other trash items found in the landfill exhibit signs of extensive reuse before having been discarded, which supports statements from other sources.

The most obvious sources for information about the appearance of the landfill – specifically, 18th-century cartography and art – proved not to be worthwhile. Instead, archaeological evidence and written sources provided a better image of the swampy conditions that caused the terrain to even out over time – a process that began in this area during the second half of the 17th century. The need for a centrally-controlled framework to manage garbage seems to be connected to the development of a permanent settlement, the new system of matriculation, an emphasis on ownership and overall population growth, which included the fear and nuisance of disease. This resulted in using a coastal area as a landfill – an area where aristocratic mansions were also built during Copenhagen’s Age of Absolutism.
Fix og færdig
Authors: Pedersen Jens
Published: February 2016

Fix & Finish

“WHO CAN FIX IT?” is an investigation of the needles left behind by drug users in Copenhagen’s Vesterbro district. Based on the praxiological methods developed by Annemarie Mol as well as processes of objectification as described by Daniel Miller, the used needle appears to be a multiple object that is related to opportunities, fear, good intentions and trash. This article is an invitation to study material culture and material practices as a part of semiotic and discursive analyses in order to sharpen a researcher’s analytical focus while remaining grounded in reality.
Det gode liv i etnologien
Authors: Damsholt Tine
Published: February 2016

Den 19. september 2014 holdt Tine Damsholt sin tiltrædelsesforelæsning som professor mso. i etnologi på Københavns Universitet. I forelæsningen diskuteres begrebet 'det gode liv' - dets rolle i dansk etnologi og mulighederne for en mere kompleks forståelse af hverdagsliv. Det gode liv diskuteres som noget normativt, analytisk og situeret.
Ældres hverdagspraksisser og aldringspolitik. Om synkroniseringsarbejdet imellem hverdag og politik
Authors: Lassen Aske Juul , Jespersen Astrid Pernille
Published: February 2016

Ældres hverdagspraksisser fremtræder ofte som problemer, som aldringspolitik- ken søger at løse. Forfatterne diskuterer forskellige etnologiske tilgange til hver- dagen, og præsenterer forholdet imellem hverdagspraksisser og politiske praksis- ser som et kontinuerligt synkroniseringsarbejde. Dette bruges til at vise, hvordan problemer som afhængighed, forfald, ensomhed og passivitet bliver problemati- seret på bestemte måder i diskursen om aktiv aldring, og hvordan problemerne tager sig ud for de ældre, set fra et hverdagslivsperspektiv. Artiklen er baseret på et etnografisk feltarbejde på to aktivitetscentre.
Hvem var Leonard? Komponisten, kirkemusikeren og musikpædagogen Bernhard Christensen i slutningen af 1920'erne, set i et musikalsk identitetsperspektiv
Authors: Pedersen Peder Kaj
Published: February 2016

Bernhard Christensen er interessant i et musikalsk identitetsperspektiv, fordi han forener et virke som kirkemusiker med et virke som komponist af jazzpræget musik til revyer og film og som en banebrydende skikkelse inden for musikpædagogik på grundlag af „rytmisk musik“. Artiklen belyser, hvordan denne sammensatte musi- kalske identitet voksede frem, og hvordan den blev opfattet i samtiden. Kilderne er upublicerede dagbogsoptegnelser fra efteråret 1925, en brevveksling med vennen Herman D. Koppel fra perioden 1929-30 og et udvalg af avisomtaler, der beskæftiger sig med dobbeltheden i Bernhard Christensens virke som musiker og komponist.
An experimentally validated network of nine haematopoietic transcription factors reveals mechanisms of cell state stability
Authors: Schütte Judith , Wang Huange , Antoniou Stella , Jarratt Andrew , Wilson Nicola K , Riepsaame Joey , Calero-Nieto Fernando J , Moignard Victoria , Basilico Silvia , Kinston Sarah J , Hannah Rebecca L , Chan Mun Chiang , Nürnberg Sylvia T , Ouwehand Willem H , Bonzanni Nicola , de Bruijn Marella FTR , Göttgens Berthold
Published: February 2016

Transcription factor (TF) networks determine cell-type identity by establishing and maintaining lineage-specific expression profiles, yet reconstruction of mammalian regulatory network models has been hampered by a lack of comprehensive functional validation of regulatory interactions. Here, we report comprehensive ChIP-Seq, transgenic and reporter gene experimental data that have allowed us to construct an experimentally validated regulatory network model for haematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs). Model simulation coupled with subsequent experimental validation using single cell expression profiling revealed potential mechanisms for cell state stabilisation, and also how a leukaemogenic TF fusion protein perturbs key HSPC regulators. The approach presented here should help to improve our understanding of both normal physiological and disease processes.
Fabrication of freestanding heteroepitaxial diamond substrate via micropatterns and microneedles
Authors: Aida Hideo , Kim Seong-Woo , Ikejiri Kenjiro , Kawamata Yuki , Koyama Koji , Kodama Hideyuki , Sawabe Atsuhito
Published: February 2016

The fabrication of a high-quality freestanding diamond substrate was successfully demonstrated via heteroepitaxy by introducing diamond micropatterns and microneedles in the early stage of growth. Micropatterns contributed to a marked reduction in the number of dislocations induced by epitaxial lateral overgrowth, and microneedles relaxed heteroepitaxial strain. Raman spectroscopy indicated the absence of nondiamond carbon inclusions in the obtained freestanding substrate. The full width at half maximum of the X-ray rocking curve for diamond (004) reflections was 0.07°, the lowest value for heteroepitaxial diamond that has been reported so far. The results provide novel insights toward realizing large-diameter single-crystalline diamond substrates.
Dye sensitized solar cells with carbon black as counter electrodes
Authors: Lin Chi-Feng , Chou Yu-Chen , Haung Jhang-Fu , Chen Pin-Hung , Han Hsieh-Cheng , Chiu Kuo-Yuan , Su Yuhlong Oliver
Published: February 2016

In this experiment, we use carbon black as counter electrodes to replace the conventional platinum electrodes in dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC). The electrical properties and device efficiency with carbon black counter electrodes with various concentrations, and under the annealing temperature from 100 to 500 °C are discussed. After the proper annealing process, the conductivity and redoxing ability of the carbon black is improved, resulted in the enhancement of the electrical characteristics, especially fill factor, of the device. The highest device efficiency was 7.28% with the J
SC of 14.70 mA/cm2, V
OC of 0.75 V, and fill factor of 0.67 under 1-sun AM 1.5G solar illumination.
Fluorescence microscopy imaging of cells with a plasmonic dish integrally molded
Authors: Tawa Keiko , Sasakawa Chisato , Fujita Tsuyoshi , Kiyosue Kazuyuki , Hosokawa Chie , Nishii Junji , Oike Makoto , Kakinuma Norihiro
Published: February 2016

A plastic dish with a wavelength-scale periodic structure at a bottom panel was integrally molded and coated with thin metal films. The integrally molded dish called plasmonic dish was applied to bioimaging under a fluorescence microscope. On the plasmonic substrate, the enhanced electric field based on a grating-coupled surface plasmon resonance (GC-SPR) can provide an enhanced fluorescence. In this study, two kinds of cells, human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells and neuronal cells, were observed in our plasmonic dish. Fluorescence images of HEK cells were above 10 times brighter than those obtained on a conventional glass-bottomed dish. Neuronal cells were successfully cultured for 10 d on the plasmonic dish integrally molded, and in fluorescence images with transmitted light, a higher contrast was obtained than in epifluorescence images. The plasmonic dish integrally molded, as well as that fabricated by the UV nanoimprint method, was also found to be useful for sensitive bioimaging.
Plating versus intramedullary fixation for mid-shaft clavicle fractures: a systemic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Gao Yan , Chen Wei , Liu Yue-Jv , Li Xu , Wang Hai-Li , Chen Zhao-yu
Published: February 2016

Background.Plate fixation and intramedullary fixation are the most commonly used surgical treatment options for mid-shaft clavicle fractures; the latter method has demonstrated better performance in some studies.

Objectives.Our aim was to critically review and summarize the literature comparing the outcomes of mid-shaft clavicle fracture treatment with plate fixation or intramedullary fixation to identify the better approach.

Search Methods.Potential academic articles were identified from the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (1966-2015.5), PubMed (1966-2015.5), EMBASE (1980-2015.5) and ScienceDirect (1966-2015.5). Gray studies were identified from the references of the included literature.

Selection Criteria.Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and non-RCTs comparing plate fixation and intramedullary fixation for mid-shaft clavicle fracture were included.

Data Collection and Analysis.Two reviewers performed independent data abstraction. TheI2statistic was used to assess heterogeneity. A fixed- or random-effects model was used for the meta-analysis.

Results.Six RCTs and nine non-RCTs were retrieved, including 513 patients in the intramedullary fixation group and 521 patients in the plating group. No significant differences in terms of the union rate and shoulder function were found between the groups. Patients in the intramedullary fixation group had a shorter operative time, less blood loss, smaller wound size, and shorter union time than those in the plating group. With respect to complications, significant differences were identified for all complications and major complications (wound infection, nonunion, implant failures, transient brachial plexopathy, and pain after 6 months). Similar secondary complications (symptomatic hardware, hardware irritation, prominence, numbness, hypertrophic callus) were observed in both groups.

Conclusions.Intramedullary fixation may be superior to plate fixation in the treatment of mid-shaft clavicle fractures, with similar performance in terms of the union rate and shoulder function, better operative parameters and fewer complications.
Do Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) perceive what conspecifics do and do not see?
Authors: Canteloup Charlotte , Piraux Emilie , Poulin Nicolas , Meunier Hélène
Published: February 2016

The understanding of the visual perception of others, also named visual perspective taking, is a component of Theory of Mind. Although strong evidence of visual perspective taking has been reported in great apes, the issue is more open to discussion in monkeys. We investigated whether Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana) know what conspecifics do and do not see, using a food competition paradigm originally developed in great apes. We tested individuals in pairs, after establishing the dominance relationship within each pair. Twenty-one pairs were tested in four different conditions. In one condition, the subordinate had the choice between two pieces of food, one that was visible only to it and another that was also visible to the dominant. It was predicted that if the subordinate understands that the dominant cannot see both pieces of food because one is hidden from its view, the subordinate should preferentially go for the food visible only to itself. In the three other conditions, we varied the temporal and visual access to food for both individuals, to control for alternative explanations based on dominance. We recorded the first movement direction chosen by subjects, i.e. towards a) visible food b) hidden food or c) elsewhere; and the outcome of the test, i.e. the quantity of food obtained. Results showed that subordinates moved preferentially for the hidden food when released simultaneously with the dominant and also with a head start on the dominant. By contrast, dominants’ choices of the two pieces of food were random. We also describe and discuss some of the strategies used by subordinates in these tests. According to the whole of our results, Tonkean macaques seem capable of visual perspective taking despite the fact that a low-level explanation as behavior reading has not been totally excluded.
Innovative technology‐based interventions in Parkinson's disease: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Yau Chun En , Ho Eric Chi Kiat , Ong Natasha Yixuan , Loh Clifton Joon Keong , Mai Aaron Shengting , Tan Eng‐King
Published: September 2024

Objective

Novel technology‐based interventions have the potential to improve motor symptoms and gait in Parkinson's disease (PD). Promising treatments include virtual‐reality (VR) training, robotic assistance, and biofeedback. Their effectiveness remains unclear, and thus, we conducted a Bayesian network meta‐analysis.

Methods

We searched the Medline, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Clinicaltrials.gov databases until 2 April 2024 and only included randomized controlled trials. Outcomes included changes in UPDRS‐III/MDS‐UPDRS‐III score, stride length, 10‐meter walk test (10MWT), timed up‐and‐go (TUG) test, balance scale scores and quality‐of‐life (QoL) scores. Results were reported as mean differences (MD) or standardized mean differences (SMD), with 95% credible intervals (95% CrI).

Results

Fifty‐one randomized controlled trials with 2095 patients were included. For UPDRS (motor outcome), all interventions had similar efficacies. VR intervention was the most effective in improving TUG compared with control (MD: −4.36, 95% CrI: −8.57, −0.35), outperforming robotic, exercise, and proprioceptive interventions. Proprioceptive intervention significantly improved stride length compared to control intervention (MD: 0.11 m, 95% CrI: 0.03, 0.19), outperforming VR, robotic and exercise interventions. Virtual reality improved balance scale scores significantly compared to exercise intervention (SMD: 0.75, 95% CrI: 0.12, 1.39) and control intervention (SMD: 1.42, 95% CrI: 0.06, 2.77). Virtual reality intervention significantly improved QoL scores compared to control intervention (SMD: −0.95, 95% CrI: −1.43, −0.52), outperforming Internet‐based interventions.

Interpretation

VR‐based and proprioceptive interventions were the most promising interventions, consistently ranking as the top treatment choices for most outcomes. Their use in clinical practice could be helpful in managing motor symptoms and QoL in PD.
Modulating the Mucosal Drug Delivery Efficiency of Polymeric Nanogels Tuning their Redox Response and Surface Charge
Authors: Udabe Jakes , Muñoz‐Juan Amanda , Tafech Belal , Orellano María Soledad , Hedtrich Sarah , Laromaine Anna , Calderón Marcelo
Published: September 2024

Mucus is a hydrated, viscoelastic, and adhesive gel that lubricates and protects the body from pathogens; however, its protective function hinders drug/nanomedicine diffusion and treatment efficiency. Therefore, novel drug delivery strategies are required to overcome challenging mucosal barriers. Here, multi‐responsive nanogels (NGs) are developed and explored their interaction with mucus. Specific NG features (e.g., surface charge, temperature responsiveness, and redox response) are evaluated in a typical mucus‐associated environment (i.e., mucin proteins and high glutathione concentrations). The results demonstrate that biocompatibility and the capacity to deliver a protein through mucosal barriers in different in vitro and in vivo models highlight the importance of specific NG design elements. Disulfide bonds are highlighted as redox‐sensitive cross‐linkers within the NG structure as critical for drug delivery performance; they function as degradation points that enable NG degradation and subsequent drug release and anchoring points to adhere to mucin, thereby enhancing their residence time at the desired site of action. Additionally, it is confirmed that surface charges impact interactions with mucin; positively charged NGs exhibit improved interactions with mucin compared to negatively charged and neutral NGs. Overall, the findings underline the importance of redox response and surface charge in NG design for reaching efficient mucosal drug delivery.
Stabilized High‐Valent Indium for Promoted Formate Production from Electrochemical CO2 Reduction
Authors: Ma Tengfei , Wang Feng , Jing Wenhao , Qiu Haoran , Liu Ya , Guo Liejin
Published: September 2024

Electrocatalysts based on high‐valent indium are promising for formate production via CO2 electroreduction. However, reconstruction often occurs during the reaction progress, resulting in a decline in catalytic performance. Here, a composite of In2O3/In2S3 is developed, and its catalytic performance exceeds that of either individual phase, particularly in stability. Analysis of morphology, valence state, and in situ Raman spectroscopy reveals that In2O3 is well preserved during the reaction. Theoretical calculations suggest that the desorption energy of lattice oxygen on In2O3 can be strengthened due to In2O3‐In2S3 bonding within the composite. This reinforcement facilitates the formation of more active sites and promotes CO2 adsorption, further decreasing the energy barrier of formate production to only 0.12 eV. As a result, the composite exhibits a formate selectivity over 95.05% at –1.13 V vs reversible hydrogen electrode accompanied by a partial current density of 434.4 mA cm–2. Notably, the selectivity of formate maintains over 95% even after 50 h at an industrial‐level current density of 200 mA cm–2, 17 times longer than the individual phase. Furthermore, 18.33% solar‐to‐formate and 19.49% solar‐to‐fuel are obtained when coupled with III‐V solar cells, demonstrating its feasibility.
Cephalo: Multi‐Modal Vision‐Language Models for Bio‐Inspired Materials Analysis and Design
Authors: Buehler Markus J.
Published: September 2024

Cephalo is presented as a series of multimodal vision large language models (V‐LLMs) designed for materials science applications, integrating visual and linguistic data for enhanced understanding. A key innovation of Cephalo is its advanced dataset generation method. Cephalo is trained on integrated image and text data from thousands of scientific papers and science‐focused Wikipedia data demonstrates it can interpret complex visual scenes, generate precise language descriptions, and answer queries about images effectively. The combination of a vision encoder with an autoregressive transformer supports multimodal natural language understanding, which can be coupled with other generative methods to create an image‐to‐text‐to‐3D pipeline. To develop more capable models from smaller ones, both mixture‐of‐expert methods and model merging are reported. The models are examined in diverse use cases that incorporate biological materials, fracture and engineering analysis, protein biophysics, and bio‐inspired design based on insect behavior. Generative applications include bio‐inspired designs, including pollen‐inspired architected materials, as well as the synthesis of bio‐inspired material microstructures from a photograph of a solar eclipse. Additional model fine‐tuning with a series of molecular dynamics results demonstrate Cephalo's enhanced capabilities to accurately predict statistical features of stress and atomic energy distributions, as well as crack dynamics and damage in materials.
Surface ‒OH Termination‐Reduced Ti3C2Tx Pseudo‐capacitors with Reinforced Ionic Liquid Accessibility to Achieve High Energy Density
Authors: Shi Hu , Ma Mengyao , Sun Yue , Cui Miaomiao , Qian Aniu
Published: September 2024

Highly conductive Ti3C2Tx pseudo‐capacitors hold promise to expand energy density by utilizing ionic liquid (IL) electrolytes (e.g., 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bis trifluoromethane sulfonyl imide, EMITFSI) that possesses broaden voltage window, resulting in various applications involving hybrid vehicle, rail transportation, and power system. However, abundantly random surface ‒OH terminations cannot maintain an extremely stabilized Ti3C2Tx layer spacing framework for efficient ion arrangements, increase ionic diffusion barriers, and decline in energy density. Herein, intensely chemical covalent bonding interactions of ‒SH, ‒COOH, and ‒NH2 terminated L‐cysteine molecules with ‒OH terminations are proposed to stabilize Ti3C2Tx and expand interlayer structure, allowing sufficient ionic transport and realizing high energy‐density Ti3C2Tx pseudo‐capacitors. It is found that, with cysteine molecules stayed flat to Ti3C2Tx layer, superior hydrophilic surface, and increased interlayer spacing to 1.51 nm, 2.16‐folds higher than Ti3C2Tx electrode, the Ti3C2Tx‒cysteine electrode delivered high capacitance of 279 F g−1 in EMITFSI/acetonitrile electrolyte. Assembled asymmetric Ti3C2Tx‒cysteine//activated carbon flexible device exhibited a high voltage of 2.9 V and a high energy density of 72.1 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 874 W kg−1, which could power various colored smart rollable flexible electronics at bent angle of 90°. Additionally, identical mechanisms are found in Ti3C2Tx‐amino acid systems, wherein amino acid stayed flat between Ti3C2Tx layers with optimized content, interlayer spacing, and capacitance, no matter amino acid in different charged feature and different sidechain lengths (e.g., glutamine, cysteine, and lysine). The present study provides systematically experimental evidence for improving ion accessibility in IL electrolytes based on an organic‐modified Ti3C2Tx electrode structure.
Integrating mTOR Inhibition and Photodynamic Therapy Based on Carrier‐Free Nanodrugs for Breast Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Liu Jinzhao , Lyu Qingyang , Wu Meicen , Zhou Yang , Wang Tianyi , Zhang Yichi , Fan Ni , Yang Chang , Wang Weiping
Published: September 2024

Conventional photodynamic therapy (PDT) in cancer treatment needs to utilize oxygen to produce reactive oxygen species to eliminate malignant tissues. However, oxygen consumption in tumor microenvironment exacerbates cancer cell hypoxia and may promote vasculature angiogenesis. Since the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway plays a vital role in endothelial cell proliferation and fibrosis, mTOR inhibitor drugs hold the potential to reverse hypoxia‐evoked angiogenesis for improved PDT effect. In this study, a carrier‐free nanodrug formulation composed of Torin 1 as mTORC1/C2 dual inhibitor and Verteporfin as a photosensitizer and Yes‐associated protein inhibitor is developed. These two drug molecules can self‐assemble into stable nanoparticles through π–π stacking and hydrophobic interactions with good long‐term stability. The nanodrugs can prompt synergistic apoptosis, combinational anti‐angiogenesis, and strong immunogenic cell death effects upon near‐infrared light irradiation in vitro. Furthermore, the nanosystem also exhibits improved antitumor effect, anti‐cancer immune response, and distant tumor inhibition through tumor microenvironment remodeling in vivo. In this way, the nanodrugs can reverse PDT‐elicited angiogenesis and promote cancer immunotherapy to eliminate tumor tissues and prevent metastasis. This nanosystem provides insights into integrating mTOR inhibitors and photosensitizers for safe and effective breast cancer treatment in clinical settings.
Neutral Nanocomplex Delivers Plasmid Encoding α‐Hemolysin for Uveal Melanoma Treatment
Authors: Wu Shanshan , He Liming , Yang Ling , Li Xun , Wang Jie , Ren Min , Gao Yunxia , Chen Yi , Wei Hong , Zhang Ming , Gou Maling
Published: September 2024

Uveal melanoma (UM) is the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults. Currently, the efficacy of existing eye‐preserving local treatments for primary UM is unsatisfactory, expressing a need to explore a new therapy for UM treatment. α‐Hemolysin (Hla), a pathogenic toxin fom Staphylococcus aureus, can induce cell death by disrupting the cell membrane and has potential antitumor effects. However, the broad toxicity of Hla limits its application in tumor therapy. In this study, the Hla‐based gene therapy strategy that uses plasmids to encode the Hla gene and applies tumor‐targeting nanoparticles to load the plasmids to form a nanocomplex is proposed. This gene formulation can overcome the obstructions of ocular barriers with its favorable neutral surface charge and nano size, allowing for precise targeting of tumor cells after local administration. The nanocomplex can effectively transfect tumor cells, and the expression of Hla can significantly inhibit tumor growth and directly exert a killing effect. Moreover, the nanocomplex can enhance the antitumor effect by recruiting CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and reducing angiogenesis after local administration. The study provides a novel gene therapy strategy for primary UM treatment and demonstrates a potential application for future gene therapy in intraocular tumors.
Targeting Dual Immune Checkpoints PD‐L1 and HLA‐G by Trispecific T Cell Engager for Treating Heterogeneous Lung Cancer
Authors: Lin Yu‐Chuan , Chen Mei‐Chih , Huang Shi‐Wei , Chen Yeh , Ho Jennifer Hui‐Chun , Lin Fang‐Yu , Tan Xiao‐Tong , Chiang Hung‐Che , Huang Chiu‐Ching , Tu Chih‑Yen , Cho Der‐Yang , Chiu Shao‐Chih
Published: September 2024

Immunotherapy targeting immune checkpoints (ICPs), such as programmed death‐ligand‐1 (PD‐L1), is used as a treatment option for advanced or metastatic non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, overall response rate to anti‐PD‐L1 treatment is limited due to antigen heterogeneity and the immune‐suppressive tumor microenvironment. Human leukocyte antigen‐G (HLA‐G), an ICP as well as a neoexpressed tumor‐associated antigen, is previously demonstrated to be a beneficial target in combination with anti‐PD‐L1. In this study, a nanobody‐based trispecific T cell engager (Nb‐TriTE) is developed, capable of simultaneously binding to T cells, macrophages, and cancer cells while redirecting T cells toward tumor cells expressing PD‐L1‐ and/or HLA‐G. Nb‐TriTE shows broad spectrum anti‐tumor effects in vitro by augmenting cytotoxicity mediated by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). In a humanized immunodeficient murine NSCLC model, Nb‐TriTE exhibits superior anti‐cancer potency compared to monoclonal antibodies and bispecific T cell engagers. Nb‐TriTE, at the dose with pharmacoactivity, does not induce additional enhancement of circulating cytokines secretion from PMBCs. Nb‐TriTE effectively prolongs the survival of mice without obvious adverse events. In conclusion, this study introduces an innovative therapeutic approach to address the challenges of immunotherapy and the tumor microenvironment in NSCLC through utilizing the dual ICP‐targeting Nb‐TriTE.
FGF12 Positively Regulates Keratinocyte Proliferation by Stabilizing MDM2 and Inhibiting p53 Activity in Psoriasis
Authors: Wang Nan , Xu Xiejun , Guan Fangqian , Lin Yifan , Ye Yizhou , Zhou Jie , Feng Jianjun , Li Sihang , Ye Junbo , Tang Zhouhao , Gao Wenjie , Sun Bohao , Shen Yingjie , Sun Li , Song Yonghuan , Jin Litai , Li Xiaokun , Cong Weitao , Zhu Zhongxin
Published: September 2024

Psoriasis is a chronic skin disease characterized by abnormal proliferation and inflammation of epidermal keratinocytes. Fibroblast growth factor 12 (FGF12) is implicated in the regulation of diverse cellular signals; however, its precise mechanism in psoriasis requires further investigation. In this study, high expression of FGF12 is observed in the epidermis of skin lesion in psoriasis patients and imiquimod (IMQ)‐induced psoriasis like‐dermatitis. Moreover, specific loss of FGF12 in keratinocytes in IMQ‐induced psoriasis model alleviates psoriasis‐like symptoms and reduces proliferation. In vitro RNA sequencing demonstrates that knockdown of FGF12 effectively arrests the cell cycle, inhibits cell proliferation, and predominantly regulates the p53 signaling pathway. Mechanistically, FGF12 is selectively bound to the RING domain of MDM2, thus partially inhibiting the binding of β‐Trcp to MDM2. This interaction inhibits β‐Trcp‐induced‐K48 ubiquitination degradation of MDM2, thereby suppressing the activity of the p53 signaling pathway, which results in excessive cell proliferation. Last, the alleviatory effect of FGF12 deficiency on psoriasis progression is reversed by p53 knockdown. In summary, these findings provide valuable insights into the mechanisms by which FGF12 suppresses p53 signaling in keratinocytes, exacerbating the development of psoriasis. This positive regulatory loop highlights the potential of FGF12 as a therapeutic target to manage psoriasis.
m6A‐Dependent ITIH1 Regulated by TGF‐β Acts as a Target for Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression
Authors: Liao Zhibin , Zhang Hongwei , Liu Furong , Wang Weijian , Liu Yachong , Su Chen , Zhu He , Chen Xiaoping , Zhang Bixiang , Zhang Zhanguo
Published: September 2024

Both the transforming growth factor beta (TGF‐β) signaling pathway and N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) modification for mRNA play an important role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) progression. However, the relationship between TGF‐β and m6A in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unclear. Here, it is found that TGF‐β can promote the liquid phase separation of METTL3, which further leads to the reduction of mRNA stability of ITIH1. As a secreted protein, ITIH1 can act as a ligand of integrin α5β1 to antagonize fibronectin, induce the inhibition of focal adhesion kinase signaling pathway, and inhibit the progression of HCC. In the preclinical model (mouse model, patient‐derived organoid, patient‐derived xenografts), purified recombinant ITIH1 (r‐ITIH1) protein can be targeted for HCC. More importantly, r‐ITIH1 can play a synergistic role in targeting HCC with TGF‐β inhibitor. The downstream ITIH1 regulatory mechanism of TGF‐β and m6A modification is revealed, and ITIH1 can be translational as a potential target for HCC.
Molecularly Imprinted Polymer Sensor Empowered by Bound States in the Continuum for Selective Trace‐Detection of TGF‐beta
Authors: Zito Gianluigi , Siciliano Giulia , Seifalinezhad Aida , Miranda Bruno , Lanzio Vittorino , Schwartzberg Adam , Gigli Giuseppe , Turco Antonio , Rendina Ivo , Mocella Vito , Primiceri Elisabetta , Romano Silvia
Published: September 2024

The integration of advanced materials and photonic nanostructures can lead to enhanced biodetection capabilities, crucial in clinical scenarios and point‐of‐care diagnostics, where simplified strategies are essential. Herein, a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) photonic nanostructure is demonstrated, which selectively binding to transforming growth factor‐beta (TGF‐β), in which the sensing transduction is enhanced by bound states in the continuum (BICs). The MIP operating as a synthetic antibody matrix and coupled with BIC resonance, enhances the optical response to TGF‐β at imprinted sites, leading to an augmented detection capability, thoroughly evaluated through spectral shift and optical lever analogue readout. The validation underscores the MIP‐BIC sensor capability to detect TGF‐β in spiked saliva, achieving a limit of detection of 10 fM and a resolution of 0.5 pM at physiological concentrations, with a precision of two orders of magnitude above discrimination threshold in patients. The MIP tailored selectivity is highlighted by an imprinting factor of 52, showcasing the sensor resistance to interference from other analytes. The MIP‐BIC sensor architecture streamlines the detection process eliminating the need for complex sandwich immunoassays and demonstrates the potential for high‐precision quantification. This positions the system as a robust tool for biomarker detection, especially in real‐world diagnostic scenarios.
Enzymolysis Modes Trigger Diversity in Inhibitor‐α‐Amylase Aggregating Behaviors and Activity Inhibition: A New Insight Into Enzyme Inhibition
Authors: Cao Junwei , Zhang Jifan , Cao Ruibo , Zhang Bin , Miao Ming , Liu Xuebo , Sun Lijun
Published: September 2024

Inhibitors of α‐amylase have been developed to regulate postprandial blood glucose fluctuation. The enzyme inhibition arises from direct or indirect inhibitor‐enzyme interactions, depending on inhibitor structures. However, an ignored factor, substrate, may also influence or even decide the enzyme inhibition. In this work, it is innovatively found that the difference in substrate enzymolysis modes, i.e., structural composition and concentration of α‐1,4‐glucosidic bonds, triggers the diversity in inhibitor‐enzyme aggregating behaviors and α‐amylase inhibition. For competitive inhibition, there exists an equilibrium between α‐amylase‐substrate catalytic affinity and inhibitor‐α‐amylase binding affinity; therefore, a higher enzymolysis affinity and concentration of α‐1,4‐glucosidic structures interferes the balance, unfavoring inhibitor‐enzyme aggregate formation and thus weakening α‐amylase inhibition. For uncompetitive inhibition, the presence of macromolecular starch is necessary instead of micromolecular GalG2CNP, which not only binds with active site but with an assistant flexible loop (involving Gly304‐Gly309) near the site. Hence, the refined enzyme structure due to the molecular flexibility more likely favors the inhibitor binding with the non‐active loop, forming an inhibitor‐enzyme‐starch ternary aggregate. Conclusively, this study provides a novel insight into the evaluation of α‐amylase inhibition regarding the participating role of substrate in inhibitor‐enzyme aggregating interactions, emphasizing the selection of appropriate substrates in the development and screening of α‐amylase inhibitors.
A Novel Asymmetric Diffusion Path for Superior Ion Dynamic in High‐Voltage Mg‐Based Hybrid Batteries
Authors: Huang Kaifeng , Qu Baihua , Shen Xing , Deng Rongrui , Li Rong , Huang Guangsheng , Tang Aitao , Li Qian , Wang Jingfeng , Pan Fusheng
Published: September 2024

Magnesium‐based batteries have garnered significant attention due to their high energy density, excellent intrinsic safety, and low cost. However, the application process has been hindered by the high Mg2+ ions diffusion barrier in solid‐state structures and solid‐liquid interphase. To address this issue, a hybrid battery technology based on Mg anode and Fe‐based Prussian Blue Analogue cathode doped with functional transition metal ions and N═O bonds is proposed. Combined multiscale experimental characterizations with theoretical calculations, the subtle lattice distortion can create an asymmetric diffusion path for the active ions, which enables reversible extraction with significantly reduced diffusion barriers achieved by synergistic doping. The optimized cathode exhibits a working potential of 2.3 V and an initial discharge capacity of 152 mAh g−1 at 50 mA g−1. With the preferred electrolyte combined with equivalent concentration [Mg2(µ‐Cl)2(DME)4][AlCl4]2 and NaTFSI salt solution, the hybrid system demonstrates superior cycling performance over 200 cycles at a high current density of 200 mA g−1, maintaining ≈100% coulombic efficiency with superior ion dynamic. The findings are expected to be marked an important step in the further application of high‐voltage cathodes for Mg‐based hybrid batteries.