bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enantioselective Alkylation of Aldehydes with Organoborons Enabled by Nickel/N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Catalysis†
Authors: Liu Song‐Yang , Wang Zi‐Chao , Shi Shi‐Liang
Published: May 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Transition‐metal‐catalyzed asymmetric alkylation of aldehydes represents a straightforward strategy for the synthesis of chiral secondary alcohols. However, efficient methods using organoborons as coupling reagents are rare. Herein, we report a highly enantioselective nickel‐catalyzed alkylation reaction of aldehydes, using readily available alkylborons as nucleophiles. A wide variety of chiral secondary alcohols were prepared from commercially available aldehydes with high yields. The key to the excellent enantioselectivity and chemoselectivity was the employment of a bulky C2‐symmetric chiral NHC ligand. This protocol features excellent enantiocontrol, mild conditions, and good functional group compatibility.
Photoredox‐Catalyzed Metal‐Free Regio‐ & Stereoselective C(sp2)–H Amination of Enamides with N‐Aminopyridium Salts
Authors: Qin Zheng‐Bao , Ni Kun , Wang Li , Wu Xiao‐Di , Zhang Yu , Zhao Kai
Published: May 2024

Comprehensive Summary

A visible‐light‐induced photoredox‐catalyzed regioselective and stereoselective C(sp2)–H amination of enamides with bench‐stable and easily accessible N‐aminopyridium salts is developed, affording synthetically and biologically prominent vicinal 1,2‐diamine scaffolds with broad substrate scope and excellent functional group compatibility. The transformation proceeded through a radical pathway involving the Giese addition of the relatively electrophilic N‐centered sulfonamidyl radical species to nucleophilic β‐olefinic position of enamides followed by the ensuing single electron oxidation and β‐H elimination, delivering geometrically‐defined Z‐configured β‐sulfonamidylated enamides. The operational simplicity, environmental friendliness and cost efficiency of this methodology allowed it to pave a new avenue to enrich the arsenal of synthetically crucial functionalized enamides and their related derivatives.
Neurochemistry and circuit organization of the lateral spiriform nucleus of birds: A uniquely nonmammalian direct pathway component of the basal ganglia
Authors: Reiner Anton , Medina Loreta , Abellan Antonio , Deng Yunping , Toledo Claudio A. B. , Luksch Harald , Vega‐Zuniga Tomas , Riley Nell B. , Hodos William , Karten Harvey J.
Published: May 2024

We used diverse methods to characterize the role of avian lateral spiriform nucleus (SpL) in basal ganglia motor function. Connectivity analysis showed that SpL receives input from globus pallidus (GP), and the intrapeduncular nucleus (INP) located ventromedial to GP, whose neurons express numerous striatal markers. SpL‐projecting GP neurons were large and aspiny, while SpL‐projecting INP neurons were medium sized and spiny. Connectivity analysis further showed that SpL receives inputs from subthalamic nucleus (STN) and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), and that the SNr also receives inputs from GP, INP, and STN. Neurochemical analysis showed that SpL neurons express ENK, GAD, and a variety of pallidal neuron markers, and receive GABAergic terminals, some of which also contain DARPP32, consistent with GP pallidal and INP striatal inputs. Connectivity and neurochemical analysis showed that the SpL input to tectum prominently ends on GABAA receptor‐enriched tectobulbar neurons. Behavioral studies showed that lesions of SpL impair visuomotor behaviors involving tracking and pecking moving targets. Our results suggest that SpL modulates brainstem‐projecting tectobulbar neurons in a manner comparable to the demonstrated influence of GP internus on motor thalamus and of SNr on tectobulbar neurons in mammals. Given published data in amphibians and reptiles, it seems likely the SpL circuit represents a major direct pathway‐type circuit by which the basal ganglia exerts its motor influence in nonmammalian tetrapods. The present studies also show that avian striatum is divided into three spatially segregated territories with differing connectivity, a medial striato‐nigral territory, a dorsolateral striato‐GP territory, and the ventrolateral INP motor territory.
Quantifying NF‐κB Activation by Flow Cytometry of IκBα Degradation
Authors: Veerasubramanian Praveen Krishna , Jacobson Bruce A. , Karlsson Fridrik J. , Duffen Jennifer L.
Published: May 2024

Nuclear factor‐κB (NF‐κB) is a crucial pro‐inflammatory transcription factor whose activation is of immense interest to immunology research. Estimation of NF‐κB activation through flow cytometry is not possible due to the unavailability of robust flow cytometry antibodies that can bind to its phosphorylated, active, nuclear form. In this protocol, we describe a flow cytometry assay that measures the activation of the pro‐inflammatory transcription factor NF‐κB in stimulated immune cells by quantifying the degradation of its upstream regulator IκBα. We demonstrate the utility of this protocol by assessment of intracellular IκBα in human primary regulatory T cells experiencing TNFR2 agonism, a process previously reported to activate NF‐κB in these cells. We also show that this assay may be applied to study NF‐κB activation in other cell types, such as human primary T cells and THP‐1 cell‐derived macrophages, when induced by their corresponding inflammatory cues. Thus, this robust and reproducible protocol will be of interest to a wide range of scientists who aim to measure NF‐κB activity in medium‐to‐high‐throughput assays. © 2024 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol: Quantifying inflammatory activation by flow cytometry of IκBα degradation

Support Protocol 1: Isolating and expanding human regulatory T cells

Support Protocol 2: Calculating IC50 from flow cytometry data using Excel
Brown patch severity as affected by cool‐season turfgrass species, cultivar, and nitrogen rate
Authors: Powlen Jada S. , Kerns James P. , Fidanza Michael A. , Bigelow Cale A.
Published: May 2024

Brown patch (caused by various Rhizoctonia and Rhizoctonia‐like species) is a major summer disease for several cool‐season turfgrass species, including creeping bentgrass (CBG) (Agrostis stolonifera L.), colonial bentgrass (CLBG) (Agrostis capillaris L.), perennial ryegrass (PRG) (Lolium perenne L.), and turf‐type tall fescue (TTTF; [Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort., nom. cons.]). Elevated nitrogen (N) rates are suggested to enhance development of brown patch symptoms. A controlled environment study was conducted to determine the influence of two N rates among four cool‐season turfgrass species maintained at 1.9 cm after inoculation with R. solani. Field‐grown plants of four CBG cultivars, a CLBG cultivar, a PRG blend, and two TTTF cultivars were fertilized weekly, totaling 49 and 196 kg N ha−1 across four applications. Turfgrass responses were measured as relative growth rate, brown patch severity, and seasonal brown patch using area under the disease progress curve (AUDPC). On average, peak brown patch severity among the species and cultivars was between 22.6% and 68.1% for Raptor III TTTF and Penn A‐1 CBG, respectively. Turf‐type tall fescue cultivars decreased brown patch by 61% compared to CBG, CLBG, and PRG. The lower N rate reduced brown patch AUDPC by 17% and 33% for CBG and PRG, respectively, but N rate generally had no effect for CLBG and TTTF. These results reinforce the importance of planting disease‐resistant species and cultivars. Additionally, N rate may be an important factor affecting brown patch severity for select intensively managed turfgrass species.
Metal Doping Regulates Electrocatalysts Restructuring During Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Wang Maoyu , Muhich Brian A. , He Zizhou , Yang Zhenzhen , Yang Dongqi , Lucero Marcos , Nguyen Hoan Kim Khai , Sterbinsky George E. , Árnadóttir Líney , Zhou Hua , Fei Ling , Feng Zhenxing
Published: May 2024

High‐efficiency and low‐cost catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are critical for electrochemical water splitting to generate hydrogen, which is a clean fuel for sustainable energy conversion and storage. Among the emerging OER catalysts, transition metal dichalcogenides have exhibited superior activity compared to commercial standards such as RuO2, but inferior stability due to uncontrolled restructuring with OER. In this study, we create bimetallic sulfide catalysts by adapting the atomic ratio of Ni and Co in CoxNi1‐xSy electrocatalysts to investigate the intricate restructuring processes. Surface‐sensitive X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and bulk‐sensitive X‐ray absorption spectroscopy confirmed the favorable restructuring of transition metal sulfide material following OER processes. Our results indicate that a small amount of Ni substitution can reshape the Co local electronic structure, which regulates the restructuring process to optimize the balance between OER activity and stability. This work represents a significant advancement in the development of efficient and noble metal‐free OER electrocatalysts through a doping‐regulated restructuring approach.
Characterisation of novel influenza‐derived HLA‐B*18:01‐restricted epitopes
Authors: Leong Samuel Liwei , Murdolo Lawton , Maddumage Janesha C , Koutsakos Marios , Kedzierska Katherine , Purcell Anthony W , Gras Stephanie , Grant Emma J
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Seasonal influenza viruses cause roughly 650 000 deaths annually despite available vaccines. CD8+ T cells typically recognise influenza‐derived peptides from internal structural and non‐structural influenza proteins and are an attractive avenue for future vaccine design as they could reduce the severity of disease following infection with diverse influenza strains. CD8+ T cells recognise peptides presented by the highly polymorphic Human Leukocyte Antigens class I molecules (HLA‐I). Each HLA‐I variant has distinct peptide binding preferences, representing a significant obstacle for designing vaccines that elicit CD8+ T cell responses across broad populations. Consequently, the rational design of a CD8+ T cell‐mediated vaccine would require the identification of highly immunogenic peptides restricted to a range of different HLA molecules.

Methods

Here, we assessed the immunogenicity of six recently published novel influenza‐derived peptides identified by mass‐spectrometry and predicted to bind to the prevalent HLA‐B*18:01 molecule.

Results

Using CD8+ T cell activation assays and protein biochemistry, we showed that 3/6 of the novel peptides were immunogenic in several HLA‐B*18:01+ individuals and confirmed their HLA‐B*18:01 restriction. We subsequently compared CD8+ T cell responses towards the previously identified highly immunogenic HLA‐B*18:01‐restricted NP219 peptide. Using X‐ray crystallography, we solved the first crystal structures of HLA‐B*18:01 presenting immunogenic influenza‐derived peptides. Finally, we dissected the first TCR repertoires specific for HLA‐B*18:01 restricted pathogen‐derived peptides, identifying private and restricted repertoires against each of the four peptides.

Conclusion

Overall the characterisation of these novel immunogenic peptides provides additional HLA‐B*18:01‐restricted vaccine targets derived from the Matrix protein 1 and potentially the non‐structural protein and the RNA polymerase catalytic subunit of influenza viruses.
Effects of extremely preterm birth on cytokine and chemokine responses induced by T‐cell activation during infancy
Authors: Govindaraj Dhanapal , Jensen Georg Bach , Rahman Qazi Khaleda , Sverremark‐Ekström Eva , Abrahamsson Thomas , Jenmalm Maria C
Published: May 2024

Objectives

Extremely preterm (EPT; gestational week < 28 + 0, < 1000 g) neonates are vulnerable to infections and necrotising enterocolitis, important contributors to mortality and morbidity. However, knowledge regarding their immune maturation remains limited. We here investigated the longitudinal development of functional T‐cell capacity in EPT infants.

Methods

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated at 14th and 28th day (D) and at gestational week 36 + 0 (Gw36) from EPT infants, participated in a randomised, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study of Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 probiotic supplementation. Blood collected from 25 full‐term (FT) infants at D14 was used as control. The secretion of immune mediators was determined through comprehensive Luminex panels after stimulation with human T‐cell activator CD3/CD28 beads.

Results

The levels of many mediators were low in EPT infants at D14, whereas the secretion of several chemokines was higher in EPT than in FT infants. Furthermore, Th2:Th1 cytokine ratios were higher in EPT than in FT infants. Progressively elevated secretion of, for example, IFN‐γ, TNF and IL‐17A in EPT infants was observed from D14 to D28 and then at Gw36. Elevated levels were observed for many proinflammatory mediators at D28. Probiotic supplementation or perinatal factors (e.g. clinical chorioamnionitis, preeclampsia and delivery mode) did not influence the cytokine and chemokine responses.

Conclusions

Immune mediators induced by T‐cell activation in EPT infants were mainly reduced at D14 and Th2 skewed compared to those in FT infants, but mostly recovered at Gw36, indicating immune maturation. Increased proinflammatory responses at D28 may be related to the heightened risk of severe immune‐associated complications seen in EPT infants.
A design of compact wideband substrate integrated waveguide fractal koch surface slot antenna for Ka‐band applications
Authors: Aparna Elagandula , Ram Gopi , Kumar G.Arun
Published: May 2024

This article analyses a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) fractal koch surface (FKS) slot antenna performance for Ka‐band applications. This FKS slot shape is obtained by modifying the conventional rectangular slot with the first iteration of the FKS method. The resultant FKS slot behaves as a radiator in the provided space. A single‐ and two‐element FKS slotted SIW antenna characteristics are analysed on a 20 mil thick RT/Duroid 5880 substrate and compared with the conventional rectangular slot. The proposed antenna with dimensions
 mm3 achieves an impedance bandwidth from 27.4 to 32.1 GHz with a fractional bandwidth of 15.79% and achieves a gain of 8.3 dBi in broadside direction by improving space filling factor in SIW structure. The prototype of the SIW‐fed FKS slotted antenna array measurement results is satisfactory with the simulation results.
Implementing intelligent‐based sparse channel estimation in Multi User‐Multiple Input Multiple Output‐Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing system with hybridized optimization algorithm
Authors: Roji Y. , Jayasankar K. , Devi L. Nirmala
Published: May 2024

The channel plays a significant role as the multipath in Multiple Input Multiple Output‐Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing (MIMO‐OFDM) systems. The precoding‐based channel estimation algorithms estimate the channel capacity at the receiver node and they provide efficient channel estimates under worst case channel scenarios. To estimate the channel capacity in the mobile node, semi‐blind scenario is a crucial task in Multi User (MU) MIMO systems. Therefore, a semi blind sparse channel estimation algorithm is demonstrated in the MU‐MIMO system to provide better performance. In the transmitter side, the signal modulation is performed with the help of Quadrature Phase Shift Keying (QPSK), and the modulated signal is given to Pulse Shaping Algorithm (PSA) to reduce the inter‐carrier interference as well as inter symbol interference. At each transmitter, the Inverse Fast Fourier Transforms (IFFT) technique is used for mapping the symbols and then the mapped signal is send to the receiver. In the receiver side, the FFT, pulse reshaping, and QPSK demodulation blocks are serially connected and perform inverse operations of the transmitter in the receiver. Then, the sparse channel is estimated at the receiver by using the semi blind sparse algorithm, where the parameters are optimized by using the Hybridized Drosophila with Virus Colony Search Optimization (HD‐VCSO). The objective function of the developed sparse channel estimation is the reduction of Minimum Mean Square Error (MMSE) in the channel. The performance of the developed sparse channel estimation algorithm is analyzed through different conventional algorithms to validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Stable Organic Solar Cells Enabled by Simultaneous Hole and Electron Interlayer Engineering
Authors: Hadmojo Wisnu Tantyo , Isikgor Furkan H. , Lin Yuanbao , Ling Zhaoheng , He Qiao , Faber Hendrik , Yengel Emre , Ali Roshan , Samad Abdus , Ardhi Ryanda Enggar Anugrah , Jeong Sang Young , Woo Han Young , Schwingenschlögl Udo , Heeney Martin , Anthopoulos Thomas D.
Published: May 2024

The development of high‐performance organic solar cells (OSCs) with high operational stability is essential to accelerate their commercialization. Unfortunately, our understanding of the origin of instabilities in state‐of‐the‐art OSCs based on bulk heterojunction (BHJ) featuring non‐fullerene acceptors (NFAs) remains limited. Herein, we developed NFA‐based OSCs using different charge extraction interlayer materials and studied their storage, thermal, and operational stabilities. Despite the high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the OSCs (17.54%), we found that cells featuring self‐assembled monolayers (SAMs) as hole‐extraction interlayers exhibited poor stability. The time required for these OSCs to reach 80% of their initial performance (T80) was only 6 h under continuous thermal stress at 85 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere and 1 h under maximum power point tracking (MPPT) in a vacuum. Inserting MoOx between ITO and SAM enhanced the T80 to 50 and ~15 h after the thermal and operational stability tests, respectively, while maintaining a PCE of 16.9%. Replacing the organic PDINN electron transport layer with ZnO NPs further enhances the cells' thermal and operational stability, boosting the T80 to 1000 and 170 h, respectively. Our work reveals the synergistic roles of charge‐selective interlayers and device architecture in developing efficient and stable OSCs.
New York Heart Association functional class and implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator in non‐ischaemic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction: Extended follow‐up of the DANISH trial
Authors: Karacan Munise N. , Doi Seiko N. , Yafasova Adelina , Thune Jens Jakob , Nielsen Jens C. , Haarbo Jens , Bruun Niels E. , Gustafsson Finn , Eiskjær Hans , Hassager Christian , Svendsen Jesper H. , Høfsten Dan E. , Pehrson Steen , Køber Lars , Butt Jawad H.
Published: May 2024

Aims

Current guidelines recommend implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (ICD) therapy in patients with heart failure, a left ventricular ejection fraction of ≤35%, and New York Heart Association (NYHA) class II–III. However, the evidence regarding the benefit of primary prevention ICD is less consistent in patients with NYHA class III. We investigated the long‐term effects of primary prevention ICD implantation according to NYHA class in an extended follow‐up study of the DANISH trial.

Methods and results

The DANISH trial randomized 1116 patients with non‐ischaemic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) to ICD implantation or usual care. Outcomes were analysed according to NYHA class at baseline (NYHA class II and III/IV). The primary outcome was all‐cause mortality. Of the 1116 patients randomized in the DANISH trial, 597 (53.5%) were in NYHA class II at baseline, 505 (45.3%) in NYHA class III, and 14 (1.3%) in NYHA class IV. During a median follow‐up of 9.5 years, NYHA class III/IV, compared with NYHA class II, were associated with a greater long‐term rate of all‐cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.52, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.20–1.93) and cardiovascular death (HR 1.95 [1.47–2.60]). ICD implantation, compared with usual care, did not reduce the long‐term rate of all‐cause mortality (all participants: HR 0.89 [95% CI 0.74–1.08]; NYHA class II: HR 0.85 [0.64–1.13]; NYHA class III/IV: HR 0.89 [0.69–1.14]; pinteraction = 0.78) or cardiovascular death (all participants: HR 0.87 [95% CI 0.70–1.09]; NYHA class II: HR 0.78 [0.54–1.12]; NYHA class III/IV: HR 0.89 [0.67–1.19]; pinteraction = 0.58), irrespective of NYHA class. Similarly, NYHA class did not modify the beneficial effects of ICD implantation on sudden cardiovascular death (all participants: HR 0.60 [95% CI 0.40–0.92]; NYHA class II: HR 0.73 [0.40–1.36]; NYHA class III/IV: HR 0.52 [0.29–0.94]; pinteraction = 0.39).

Conclusions

In patients with non‐ischaemic HFrEF, ICD implantation, compared with usual care, did not reduce the overall mortality rate, but it did reduce sudden cardiovascular death, regardless of baseline NYHA class.

Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00542945.
Up for the tackle? The pelvic floor and rugby. A review
Authors: Donnelly G. M. , Bø K. , Forner L. B. , Rankin A. , Moore I. S.
Published: May 2024

The pelvic floor and its associated disorders are a unique and often overlooked aspect of women's rugby. This review discusses relevant biopsychosocial considerations specific to the pelvic floor and rugby. Pelvic floor disorders can present at any time across the female lifespan but are more prevalent during pregnancy and postpartum. This is due to the substantial physiological and anatomical changes experienced during pregnancy and vaginal childbirth. Consequently, pelvic floor disorders can impact a player's ability to perform, maintain engagement with, or return to, rugby due to symptoms. Players need to be informed, supported, and guided through focused pelvic floor muscle training to condition the muscles and ‘ready’ them for the varied demands of rugby. Health and fitness professionals should understand the risk of pelvic floor disorders across the female lifespan and screen players for symptoms when supporting them to maintain or return to rugby. Rugby players who are symptomatic of pelvic floor disorders should be signposted to specialist services and/or resources to manage their symptoms. Once engaging in rugby training, ongoing evaluation of player load tolerance and implementation of individualized strategies to support managing rugby‐related loads to the pelvic floor should be considered. Finally, surveillance and research focusing specifically on rugby players and pelvic floor function are needed.
Enabling efficient regional seismic fragility assessment of multi‐component bridge portfolios through Gaussian process regression and active learning
Authors: Ning Chunxiao , Xie Yazhou , Burton Henry , Padgett Jamie E.
Published: May 2024

Regional seismic fragility assessment of bridge portfolios must address the embedded uncertainties and variations stemming from both the earthquake hazard and bridge attributes (e.g., geometry, material, design detail). To achieve bridge‐specific fragility assessment, multivariate probabilistic seismic demand models (PSDM) have recently been developed that use both the ground motion intensity measure and bridge parameters as inputs. However, explicitly utilizing bridge parameters as inputs requires numerous nonlinear response history analyses (NRHAs). In this situation, the associated computational cost increases exponentially for high‐fidelity bridge models with complex component connectivity and sophisticated material constitutive laws. Moreover, it remains unclear how many analyses are sufficient for the response data and the resulting demand model to cover the entire solution space without overfitting. To deal with these issues, this study integrates Gaussian process regression (GPR) and active learning (AL) into a multistep workflow to achieve efficient regional seismic fragility assessment of bridge portfolios. The GPR relaxes the probability distribution assumptions made in typical cloud analysis‐based PSDMs to enable heteroskedastic nonparametric seismic demand modeling. The AL leverages the varying standard deviation to select the least but most representative bridge‐model‐ground‐motion sample pairs to conduct NRHA with much‐improved efficiency. Both independent and correlated multi‐output GPRs are proposed to deal with bridge portfolios with seismic demand correlations among multiple components (column, bearing, shear key, abutment, unseating, and joint seal). Considering a single benchmark highway bridge class in California as the case study, the AL‐GPR framework and the associated component‐level fragility results are investigated in terms of their efficiency, accuracy, and robustness. The fragility results show that 70 AL‐selected samples would enable the GPR to derive bridge‐specific fragility models comparable to the ones using the multiple stripes analysis approach with 1950 ground motions considered for each individual bridge. The AL‐GPR model also successfully captures the physics of how bridge span length, deck area, column slenderness, and steel reinforcement ratio would change the damage state exceedance probabilities of different bridge components. The efficiency of AL stems from the fact that, with the multi‐output independent GPR, a stable and reliable fragility model can be achieved using 50 AL‐selected samples compared to at least 270 randomly chosen samples. The proposed methodology advances the state of the art in enabling more efficient and reliable regional seismic fragility assessment of multi‐component bridge portfolios.
Superior facial emotion recognition in adolescents with anorexia nervosa – A replication study
Authors: Sfärlea Anca , Buhl Christina , Lukas Linda , Schulte‐Körne Gerd
Published: May 2024

Objective

Anorexia nervosa (AN) has been associated with alterations in the processing of socio‐emotional information, including impairments in the recognition of emotions in other people's faces. However, adolescents with AN might not show the impairments found in adult patients. The present study investigated facial emotion recognition in adolescents with AN, aiming to replicate our previous results of superior emotion recognition abilities in adolescents with AN compared to adolescents without mental disorders.

Method

Adolescent girls (12–18 years) with AN (n = 33) were compared to girls without mental disorders (n = 41). Participants completed one task requiring identification of emotions (happy, sad, afraid, angry, neutral) in faces and one control task.

Results

As expected, adolescents with AN showed superior emotion recognition, with higher accuracy rates specifically for afraid faces.

Conclusion

This is the first study replicating previous results on basic emotion recognition in adolescents with AN using (almost) the same methodology. The results suggest that, in contrast to adults, adolescents with AN do not show impairments in facial emotion recognition. The impairments may arise in the longer course of the illness, however, longitudinal studies are necessary to confirm this assumption.
Multi‐omics approaches reveal inflammatory response and intestinal damage mediated by sRNA SaaS during Salmonella invasion in mice
Authors: Cai Lin‐lin , Xie Yun‐ting , Hu Hai‐jing , Xu Xing‐lian , Wang Hu‐hu , Zhou Guang‐hong
Published: May 2024

Salmonella Enteritidis is a foodborne enteric pathogen that infects humans and animals, and bacterial small RNAs (sRNAs) have been found to play critical roles in the virulence of Salmonella. However, the specific mechanism by which sRNAs contribute to the host–pathogen interaction in the intestine remains unclear. In this study, a combination of transcriptomic and proteomic analysis was used to investigate the effect of a particular sRNA known as Salmonella adhesive‐associated sRNA (SaaS) on the intestinal damage induced by Salmonella. The results revealed that SaaS sRNA could suppress the host's inflammatory response through various gene sets, mainly including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α signaling via NF‐κB, IL‐6 JAK‐STAT3 signaling, and interferon gamma responses. This suppressive effect was further confirmed by ELISA analysis, which showed the lowest levels of TNF‐α, IL‐6, and interferon gamma (IFN‐γ). Meanwhile, the work has identified several crucial factors, peptidoglycan recognition protein short, transferrin receptor protein 1, and corticosteroid 11‐beta‐dehydrogenase isozyme 2, that are specifically targeted by SaaS to regulate inflammatory response, neutrophils activity, and diseases. Furthermore, combining hematologic analysis and correlation analysis, this study demonstrated that SaaS led to a decrease in the percentage of neutrophils and revealed a strong correlation between the three crucial factors and various markers of inflammation and intestinal barrier function. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of how SaaS sRNA modulates Salmonella invasion in the animal intestine and further present a strategy on controlling foodborne Salmonella based on the new targets, sRNAs.
Construction of Z‐scheme 1T/2H‐MoS2/CdS for improving photocatalytic degradation of antibiotic residues
Authors: Liu Y. R. , Wu J. H. , Wang X. Z. , Li C. Y. , Cai Y. X. , Xing H. H. , Xia S. S. , Zhao J. Q. , Zhao W. , Chen Z.
Published: May 2024

1T/2H‐MoS2/CdS composite was effectively prepared by a two‐step hydrothermal method, which greatly improved the photocatalytic degradation efficiency of tetracycline hydrochloride and photocatalytic cycle stability compared with pristine 1T/2H‐MoS2. The highest photodegradation efficiency of 70.8% is achieved when the molar ratio of 1T/2H‐MoS2 to cadmium sulfide is 1:4. The capture experiment indicates that hydroxyl radical (⋅OH) and superoxide radical (⋅O2−) play a role in the photocatalytic degradation process. A Z‐type heterojunction may be formed on the 1T/2H‐MoS2/CdS composite based on a series of analyses, which improves the photocatalytic performance effectively via expanding the range of light response and promoting the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes. This work provides an alternative to constructing novel Z‐scheme photocatalysts with high performance in the absence of noble metals.
Repurposing Sewage and Toilet Systems: Environmental, Public Health, and Person‐Centered Healthcare Applications
Authors: Yigci Defne , Bonventre Joseph , Ozcan Aydogan , Tasoglu Savas
Published: May 2024

Global terrestrial water supplies are rapidly depleting due to the consequences of climate change. Water scarcity results in an inevitable compromise of safe hygiene and sanitation practices, leading to the transmission of water‐borne infectious diseases, and the preventable deaths of over 800.000 people each year. Moreover, almost 500 million people lack access to toilets and sanitation systems. Ecosystems are estimated to be contaminated by 6.2 million tons of nitrogenous products from human wastewater management practices. It is therefore imperative to transform toilet and sewage systems to promote equitable access to water and sanitation, improve public health, conserve water, and protect ecosystems. Here, the integration of emerging technologies in toilet and sewage networks to repurpose toilet and wastewater systems is reviewed. Potential applications of these systems to develop sustainable solutions to environmental challenges, promote public health, and advance person‐centered healthcare are discussed.
Differential levels of circulating RNAs prior to endometrial cancer diagnosis
Authors: Rostami Sina , Rounge Trine B. , Pestarino Luca , Lyle Robert , Fortner Renée Turzanski , Haaland Øystein Ariansen , Lie Rolv T. , Wiklund Fredrik , Bjørge Tone , Langseth Hilde
Published: May 2024

Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common female cancers and there is currently no routine screening strategy for early detection. An altered abundance of circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) and other RNA classes have the potential as early cancer biomarkers. We analyzed circulating RNA levels using small RNA sequencing, targeting RNAs in the size range of 17–47 nucleotides, in EC patients with samples collected prior to diagnosis compared to cancer‐free controls. The analysis included 316 cases with samples collected 1–11 years prior to EC diagnosis, and 316 matched controls, both from the Janus Serum Bank cohort in Norway. We identified differentially abundant (DA) miRNAs, isomiRs, and small nuclear RNAs between EC cases and controls. The top EC DA miRNAs were miR‐155‐5p, miR‐200b‐3p, miR‐589‐5p, miR‐151a‐5p, miR‐543, miR‐485‐5p, miR‐625‐p, and miR‐671‐3p. miR‐200b‐3p was previously reported to be among one of the top miRNAs with higher abundance in EC cases. We observed 47, 41, and 32 DA miRNAs for EC interacting with BMI, smoking status, and physical activity, respectively, including two miRNAs (miR‐223‐3p and miR‐29b‐3p) interacting with all three factors. The circulating RNAs are altered and show temporal dynamics prior to EC diagnosis. Notably, DA miRNAs for EC had the lowest q‐value 4.39–6.66 years before diagnosis. Enrichment analysis of miRNAs showed that signaling pathways Fc epsilon RI, prolactin, toll‐like receptor, and VEGF had the strongest associations.
Ruthenium complexes bearing nile red chromophore and one of its derivative: Theoretical evaluation of PDT‐related properties
Authors: Barretta Pierraffaele , Scoditti Stefano , Belletto Daniele , Ponte Fortuna , Vigna Vincenzo , Mazzone Gloria , Sicilia Emilia
Published: May 2024

The outcomes of DFT‐based calculations are here reported to assess the applicability of two synthesized polypyridyl Ru(II) complexes, bearing ethynyl nile red (NR) on a bpy ligand, and two analogues, bearing modified‐NR, in photodynamic therapy. The absorption spectra, together with the non‐radiative rate constants for the S1 – Tn intersystem crossing transitions, have been computed for this purpose. Calculations evidence that the structural modification on the chromophore destabilizes the HOMO of the complexes thus reducing the H‐L gap and, consequently, red shifting the maximum absorption wavelength within the therapeutic window, up to 620 nm. Moreover, the favored ISC process from the bright state involves the triplet state closest in energy, which is also characterized by the highest SOC value and by the involvement of the whole bpy ligand bearing the chromophore in delocalising the unpaired electrons. These outcomes show that the photophysical behavior of the complexes is dominated by the chromophore.
Modeling the impact of measured and projected climate and management systems on agricultural fields: Surface runoff, soil moisture, and soil erosion
Authors: Lee Sanghyun , Moriasi Daniel N. , Fortuna Ann‐Marie , Mirchi Ali , Danandeh Mehr Ali , Chu Maria L. , Guzman Jorge A. , Starks Patrick
Published: May 2024

As global climate change poses a challenge to crop production, it is imperative to prioritize effective adaptation of agricultural systems based on a scientific understanding of likely impacts. In this study, we applied an integrated watershed modeling framework to examine the impacts of projected climate on runoff, soil moisture, and soil erosion under different management systems in Central Oklahoma. The proposed model uses measured climate data and three downscaled ensembles from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) at the water resources and erosion watershed to understand the impact of climate change and various climate conditions under three management systems: (1) continuous winter wheat (Triticum aestivum) under conventional tillage (WW‐CT; baseline system), (2) continuous winter wheat under no‐till (WW‐NT), and (3) cool and warm season forage cover crop mixes under no‐till (CC‐NT). The study indicates that the occurrence of agricultural drought is projected to increase while erosion rates will remain unchanged under the WW‐CT. In contrast, climate simulations imposed on the WW‐NT and CC‐NT systems significantly reduce runoff and sediment while preserving soil moisture levels. Especially, implementing the CC‐NT system can bolster food security and foster sustainable farming practices in Central Oklahoma in the face of a changing climate.
International tourism and economic growth: Empirical evidence from Kerala
Authors: Praveen Anandu
Published: May 2024

This study evaluates the trend and growth pattern of international tourism and analyzes the impact of tourism on the economic growth of Kerala for the past four decades from 1980 to 2019. The time series analysis employed in this study uses the secondary data on Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) of Kerala at constant prices, foreign tourist arrivals (FTA), and foreign exchange earnings (FEE) at constant prices, collected from various sources of the State and Central Government. The methodology of this study uses the Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) test for unit root, followed by the Johansen Cointegration test, the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM), and the Granger Causality test. The results of the analysis reveal the existence of a positive and significant unidirectional long‐run causality running from tourism to the economic growth of Kerala and a bidirectional causal relationship between tourism development and the economic growth in the short run.
Magnetically Active Bicontinuous Polymer Structures for Multiple Controlled Drug Delivery
Authors: Lacroce Elisa , Pizzetti Fabio , Urrego Nicolás M. Barbosa , Nunziata Giuseppe , Masi Maurizio , Rossi Filippo
Published: May 2024

The targeted delivery of drugs using wireless navigable magnetic robots allows the delivery of drug molecules to be controlled non only in time but also in space, improving medical outcomes. The main disadvantages behind their use lies in the low amount of drug that can be transported and the single nature of drug that can be loaded (hydrophilic or hydrophobic). These considerations limit their use in co‐delivery systems, now recognized to be very promising for many different pathologies. A magnetic bijel‐like structure is developed to load and release different types of molecules (hydrophilic and hydrophobic). In this work, the use of ε‐caprolactone is explored, which can polymerize, forming hydrophobic domains (oil phase). After mixing with iron oxide nanoparticles (NPs), the water dispersion creates a magnetic biphasic porous structure without phase separation. The resulting device shows good performance both in magnetic actuation and as a drug delivery system.
Simulation‐Guided Design of Gradient Multilayer Microwave Absorber with Tailored Absorption Performance
Authors: Wang Ye , Lv Chunzheng , Zhang Xuan , Liu Xingang , Zhang Chuhong
Published: May 2024

Flexible microwave absorber (MAR), vital in advanced applications such as wearable electronics and precision devices, are highly valued for their lightweight, exceptional electromagnetic waves (EWs), and ease of fabrication. However, optimizing the electromagnetic parameters of microwave absorption materials (MAMs) to enhance absorption ability and expand effective absorption broadband (EAB, reflection loss (RL) <−10 dB) is a considerable challenge. Herein, a permittivity‐attenuation evaluation diagram (PAED) is constructed using parameter scanning based on the Materials Genome Initiative to determine the ideal electromagnetic parameters and thickness, optimize absorption efficiency, and obtain highly efficient absorbers. Guided by the PAED, a multilayer MAR consisting of a “matching‐absorption‐reflection layer” and a dielectric loss gradient aligned with the direction of EWs propagation is developed. This design significantly enhances the EWs penetration and ensures effective absorption, attributed to the well‐matched impedance and attenuation characteristics. As anticipated, the microwave absorption of the absorber (density = 0.063 g cm−3) is optimized, with an RL of −34 dB at d = 4 mm and an EAB covering the entire X‐band (8.2–12.4 GHz). This study presents a novel approach for establishing a material database for MAMs and developing high‐performance absorbers characterized by thinness, lightness, broad operational frequency range, and robust absorption capacity.
Two days before Friday versus 2 days from today: How future (vs. present) anchors in deadlines increase goal achievement
Authors: Lim Ga Young , Kim Aekyoung
Published: May 2024

While deadlines are routinely used as a strategy to achieve goals, the way these deadlines are described has been relatively overlooked in terms of their influence on decision‐making. We examined the unique effect of future (vs. present) anchors in deadlines on ones' goal achievement. A field study shows that a deadline with a future anchor encourages people to complete a task more effectively within the deadline than a deadline with a present anchor (Study 1). In Study 2, we further demonstrated the positive effect of future (vs. present) anchors on individuals' goal achievement in a more controlled lab setting. Study 3 provided support for our mechanism by examining individuals' perceived time availability until the deadline underlies this effect. Studies 4 and 5 delved deeper, investigating our mechanism by examining individuals' dispositional time value as an important moderator. This research enriches our understanding of time perception and decision‐making, and offers valuable insights on how to strategically deal with deadlines to enhance one's goal achievement.
Multilayer circular SIW cavity differential bandpass filter with wide‐stopband characteristics
Authors: Medda Amrita , Azad Amit Ranjan , Mohan Akhilesh , Sinha Manoranjan
Published: May 2024

In this paper, a compact differential bandpass filter with wide‐stopband is presented. The proposed differential filter is designed using two circular substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) cavities coupled through a pair of symmetric coupling slots. The filter operates in TM110 mode of the circular SIW cavity. The degenerate TM110 mode is shifted to higher frequency by the introduction of two pairs of perturbation vias. The center frequency of the differential passband can be tuned by changing different design parameters such as location of perturbation vias and length of the slotlines. As a proof of the proposed concept, a second‐order differential bandpass filter is designed, fabricated, and measured. The measured results are in good agreement with the electromagnetic‐simulated ones.
Fast and High‐Resolution T2 Mapping Based on Echo Merging Plus k‐t Undersampling with Reduced Refocusing Flip Angles (TEMPURA) as Methods for Human Renal MRI
Authors: Li Hao , Priest Andrew N. , Horvat‐Menih Ines , Huang Yuan , Li Shaohang , Stewart Grant D. , Mendichovszky Iosif A. , Francis Susan T. , Gallagher Ferdia A.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

To develop a highly accelerated multi‐echo spin‐echo method, TEMPURA, for reducing the acquisition time and/or increasing spatial resolution for kidney T2 mapping.

Methods

TEMPURA merges several adjacent echoes into one k‐space by either combining independent echoes or sharing one echo between k‐spaces. The combined k‐space is reconstructed based on compressed sensing theory. Reduced flip angles are used for the refocusing pulses, and the extended phase graph algorithm is used to correct the effects of indirect echoes. Two sequences were developed: a fast breath‐hold sequence; and a high‐resolution sequence. The performance was evaluated prospectively on a phantom, 16 healthy subjects, and two patients with different types of renal tumors.

Results

The fast TEMPURA method reduced the acquisition time from 3–5 min to one breath‐hold (18 s). Phantom measurements showed that fast TEMPURA had a mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) of 8.2%, which was comparable to a standardized respiratory‐triggered sequence (7.4%), but much lower than a sequence accelerated by purely k‐t undersampling (21.8%). High‐resolution TEMPURA reduced the in‐plane voxel size from 3 × 3 to 1 × 1 mm2, resulting in improved visualization of the detailed anatomical structure. In vivo T2 measurements demonstrated good agreement (fast: MAPE = 1.3%–2.5%; high‐resolution: MAPE = 2.8%–3.3%) and high correlation coefficients (fast: R = 0.85–0.98; high‐resolution: 0.82–0.96) with the standardized method, outperforming k‐t undersampling alone (MAPE = 3.3–4.5%, R = 0.57–0.59).

Conclusion

TEMPURA provides fast and high‐resolution renal T2 measurements. It has the potential to improve clinical throughput and delineate intratumoral heterogeneity and tissue habitats at unprecedented spatial resolution.
A new laboratory‐based method to experimentally induce diagenetic modifications in human bone tissue using archaeological gravesoils
Authors: Caruso Valentina , Marinoni Nicoletta , Diella Valeria , Ferrari Elena , Possenti Elena , Trombino Luca , Cattaneo Cristina , Viani Alberto
Published: May 2024

The conditions of the burial environment trigger microstructural modifications and physical‐chemical changes in the bone, such as chemical dissolution, increase of crystallinity, chemical exchanges, collagen degradation and changes in porosity, hence to reproduce these patterns is a challenging task. This work presents a new method to accelerate the diagenetic processes in the laboratory. Artificial aging is obtained by immersion at 80°C in “enriched” solutions derived from the leaching of gravesoils, maintaining the same pH, for 1 month, on modern bones collected from an autopsy. Two distinct solutions from two graves of the necropolis of Travo (IT) (7th–8th century AD) were adopted. The induced damage patterns, on the bone microstructure and the organo‐mineral fraction, have been compared with those observed on buried skeletal elements from the same graves, by providing a multi‐analytical approach (BSE‐SEM, EMPA, FT‐IR, MP‐AES). Bioapatite parameters, such as crystallinity index and Ca/P molar ratio, evolved similarly and, in some cases, reached the same values of buried bones. Conversely, in the absence of microbial activity, the organic fraction better survived the artificial aging. For the same reason, the porosity due to bioerosion was absent in the artificially aged samples, whereas the biological pores and the post‐mortem fractures exhibited the same histomorphology. It is believed that the opportunity of reproducing the diagenetic changes by replicating the chemical environment of the burial site at the laboratory scale is of great interest to forensic science and archaeology (e.g., to reconstruct the burial environment).