bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The 'five star' fallacy: an analysis of online reviews and testimonials of dental practices in Northern England
Authors: Donnell Christopher C. , Iafrate Lorenzo F. , Worthington Stuart W.
Published: September 2022

Aims and objectives To develop a greater understanding of how dental practices in the UK utilise and promote patient reviews and testimonials. To compare and contrast the star ratings, levels of engagement and levels of identifiability by comparing those placed by patients on social media, review websites and search engines, to those placed on providers' own websites. To provide recommendations for future advertising guidance.

Materials and methods All practices providing dental services in North East England and Cumbria were identified from the Care Quality Commission database. A web-based Google search for the respective dental practice websites, NHS listings, Facebook pages and Google results page listings was performed. The presence or absence of patient testimonials and reviews was recorded, alongside the total number of testimonials/reviews and the number of non-identifiable testimonials/reviews. Data were analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS Statistics.

Results Of the 401 practice websites, 19.7% (n = 79) contained at least one graded review, while 40.9% (n = 158) of the 386 NHS listings; 87.2% (n = 272) of the 343 Facebook pages; and 94.4% (n = 442) of the 468 Google listings also contained at least one graded review. All of the 1,798 testimonials observed on practice websites were positive in their sentiment. Further, 22 practices utilised video testimonials. Each of the online review locations showed overall mean scores above 4.5 out of 5 stars.

Conclusions Dental practice websites, the NHS website, Facebook and Google utilise testimonials and reviews in distinct and diverse ways. Unlike other jurisdictions around the world, the UK does not have guidance in this area. Electronic word of mouth is often replete with bias, and as such, patients need to be encouraged to seek out multiple sources before decision-making. Facebook and Google may be perceived to be more 'trustworthy' sources of information as they appear less curated and less susceptible to manipulation than practice websites, which the public may feel gives greater credence to the information they provide. In order to achieve the highest standards of integrity and honesty, advertising guidance surrounding reviews and testimonials would benefit from future revision.
Genomic landscape of pleural and peritoneal mesothelioma tumours
Authors: Hiltbrunner Stefanie , Fleischmann Zoe , Sokol Ethan S. , Zoche Martin , Felley-Bosco Emanuela , Curioni-Fontecedro Alessandra
Published: September 2022

Background

Malignant pleural and peritoneal mesotheliomas are rare malignancies with unacceptable poor prognoses and limited treatment options. The genomic landscape is mainly characterised by the loss of tumour suppressor genes and mutations in DNA repair genes. Currently, data from next-generation sequencing (NGS) of mesothelioma tumours is restricted to a limited number of cases; moreover, data comparing molecular features of mesothelioma from the pleural and peritoneal origin with NGS are lacking.

Methods

We analysed 1113 pleural mesothelioma and 355 peritoneal mesothelioma samples. All tumours were sequenced with the FoundationOne® or FoundationOne®CDx assay for detection of substitutions, insertion–deletions, copy-number alterations and selected rearrangements in at least 324 cancer genes.

Results

This analysis revealed alterations in 19 genes with an overall prevalence of at least 2%. Alterations in BAP1, CDKN2A, CDKN2B, NF2, MTAP, TP53 and SETD2 occurred with a prevalence of at least 10%. Peritoneal, compared to pleural mesothelioma, was characterised by a lower prevalence of alterations in CDKN2A, CDKN2B and MTAP. Moreover, we could define four distinct subgroups according to alterations in BAP1 and CDKN2A/B. Alterations in Hedgehog pathway-related genes (PTCH1/2 and SUFU) and Hippo pathway-related gene (NF2) as well as KRAS, EGFR, PDGFRA/B, ERBB2 and FGFR3 were detected in both cohorts.

Conclusion

Here, we report the molecular aberrations from the largest cohort of patients with mesothelioma. This analysis identified a proportion of patients with targetable alterations and suggests that molecular profiling can identify new treatment options for patients with mesothelioma.
High-throughput mutagenesis identifies mutations and RNA-binding proteins controlling CD19 splicing and CART-19 therapy resistance
Authors: Cortés-López Mariela , Schulz Laura , Enculescu Mihaela , Paret Claudia , Spiekermann Bea , Quesnel-Vallières Mathieu , Torres-Diz Manuel , Unic Sebastian , Busch Anke , Orekhova Anna , Kuban Monika , Mesitov Mikhail , Mulorz Miriam M. , Shraim Rawan , Kielisch Fridolin , Faber Jörg , Barash Yoseph , Thomas-Tikhonenko Andrei , Zarnack Kathi , Legewie Stefan , König Julian
Published: September 2022

Following CART-19 immunotherapy for B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL), many patients relapse due to loss of the cognate CD19 epitope. Since epitope loss can be caused by aberrant CD19 exon 2 processing, we herein investigate the regulatory code that controls CD19 splicing. We combine high-throughput mutagenesis with mathematical modelling to quantitatively disentangle the effects of all mutations in the region comprising CD19 exons 1-3. Thereupon, we identify ~200 single point mutations that alter CD19 splicing and thus could predispose B-ALL patients to developing CART-19 resistance. Furthermore, we report almost 100 previously unknown splice isoforms that emerge from cryptic splice sites and likely encode non-functional CD19 proteins. We further identify cis-regulatory elements and trans-acting RNA-binding proteins that control CD19 splicing (e.g., PTBP1 and SF3B4) and validate that loss of these factors leads to pervasive CD19 mis-splicing. Our dataset represents a comprehensive resource for identifying predictive biomarkers for CART-19 therapy.
Liquid-crystalline behavior on dumbbell-shaped colloids and the observation of chiral blue phases
Authors: Chen Guangdong , Pei Hanwen , Zhang Xuefei , Shi Wei , Liu Mingjie , Faul Charl F. J. , Yang Bai , Zhao Yan , Liu Kun , Lu Zhongyuan , Nie Zhihong , Yang Yang
Published: September 2022

Colloidal liquid crystals are an emerging class of soft materials that naturally combine the unique properties of both liquid crystal molecules and colloidal particles. Chiral liquid crystal blue phases are attractive for use in fast optical displays and electrooptical devices, but the construction of blue phases is limited to a few chiral building blocks and the formation of blue phases from achiral ones is often counterintuitive. Herein we demonstrate that achiral dumbbell-shaped colloids can assemble into a rich variety of characteristic liquid crystal phases, including nematic phases with lock structures, smectic phase, and particularly experimental observation of blue phase III with double-twisted chiral columns. Phase diagrams from experiments and simulations show that the existence and stable regions of different liquid crystal phases are strongly dependent on the geometrical parameters of dumbbell-shaped colloids. This work paves a new route to the design and construction of blue phases for photonic applications.
Accelerating syngas-to-aromatic conversion via spontaneously monodispersed Fe in ZnCr2O4 spinel
Authors: Tian Guo , Liu Xinyan , Zhang Chenxi , Fan Xiaoyu , Xiong Hao , Chen Xiao , Li Zhengwen , Yan Binhang , Zhang Lan , Wang Ning , Peng Hong-Jie , Wei Fei
Published: September 2022

Spontaneous monodispersion of reducible active species (e.g., Fe, Co) and their stabilization in reductive atmospheres remain a key challenge in catalytic syngas chemistry. In this study, we present a series of catalysts including spontaneously monodispersed and enriched Fe on ZnCr2O4. Deep investigation shows remarkable performance in the syngas-to-aromatic reaction only when monodispersed Fe coupled with a H-ZSM-5 zeolite. Monodispersed Fe increases the turnover frequency from 0.14 to 0.48 s−1 without sacrificing the record high selectivity of total aromatics (80–90%) at a single pass. The increased activity is ascribed to more efficient activation of CO and H2 at oxygen vacancy nearest to the isolated Fe site and the prevention of carbide formation. Atomic precise characterization and theoretical calculations shed light on the origin and implications of spontaneous Fe monodispersion, which provide guidance to the design of next-generation catalyst for upgrading small molecules to synthetic fuels and chemicals.
Engineering SARS-CoV-2 specific cocktail antibodies into a bispecific format improves neutralizing potency and breadth
Authors: Ku Zhiqiang , Xie Xuping , Lin Jianqing , Gao Peng , Wu Bin , El Sahili Abbas , Su Hang , Liu Yang , Ye Xiaohua , Tan Eddie Yongjun , Li Xin , Fan Xuejun , Goh Boon Chong , Xiong Wei , Boyd Hannah , Muruato Antonio E. , Deng Hui , Xia Hongjie , Zou Jing , Kalveram Birte K. , Menachery Vineet D. , Zhang Ningyan , Lescar Julien , Shi Pei-Yong , An Zhiqiang
Published: September 2022

One major limitation of neutralizing antibody-based COVID-19 therapy is the requirement of costly cocktails to reduce emergence of antibody resistance. Here we engineer two bispecific antibodies (bsAbs) using distinct designs and compared them with parental antibodies and their cocktail. Single molecules of both bsAbs block the two epitopes targeted by parental antibodies on the receptor-binding domain (RBD). However, bsAb with the IgG-(scFv)2 design (14-H-06) but not the CrossMAb design (14-crs-06) shows increased antigen-binding and virus-neutralizing activities against multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants as well as increased breadth of neutralizing activity compared to the cocktail. X-ray crystallography and cryo-EM reveal distinct binding models for individual cocktail antibodies, and computational simulations suggest higher inter-spike crosslinking potentials by 14-H-06 than 14-crs-06. In mouse models of infections by SARS-CoV-2 and multiple variants, 14-H-06 exhibits higher or equivalent therapeutic efficacy than the cocktail. Rationally engineered bsAbs represent a cost-effective alternative to antibody cocktails and a promising strategy to improve potency and breadth.
IL-23 signaling prevents ferroptosis-driven renal immunopathology during candidiasis
Authors: Millet Nicolas , Solis Norma V. , Aguilar Diane , Lionakis Michail S. , Wheeler Robert T. , Jendzjowsky Nicholas , Swidergall Marc
Published: September 2022

During infection the host relies on pattern-recognition receptors to sense invading fungal pathogens to launch immune defense mechanisms. While fungal recognition and immune effector responses are organ and cell type specific, during disseminated candidiasis myeloid cells exacerbate collateral tissue damage. The β-glucan receptor ephrin type-A 2 receptor (EphA2) is required to initiate mucosal inflammatory responses during oral Candida infection. Here we report that EphA2 promotes renal immunopathology during disseminated candidiasis. EphA2 deficiency leads to reduced renal inflammation and injury. Comprehensive analyses reveal that EphA2 restrains IL-23 secretion from and migration of dendritic cells. IL-23 signaling prevents ferroptotic host cell death during infection to limit inflammation and immunopathology. Further, host cell ferroptosis limits antifungal effector functions via releasing the lipid peroxidation product 4-hydroxynonenal to induce various forms of cell death. Thus, we identify ferroptotic cell death as a critical pathway of Candida-mediated renal immunopathology that opens a new avenue to tackle Candida infection and inflammation.
Chromatin organizer SATB1 controls the cell identity of CD4+ CD8+ double-positive thymocytes by regulating the activity of super-enhancers
Authors: Feng Delong , Chen Yanhong , Dai Ranran , Bian Shasha , Xue Wei , Zhu Yongchang , Li Zhaoqiang , Yang Yiting , Zhang Yan , Zhang Jiarui , Bai Jie , Qin Litao , Kohwi Yoshinori , Shi Weili , Kohwi-Shigematsu Terumi , Ma Jing , Liao Shixiu , Hao Bingtao
Published: September 2022

CD4+and CD8+double-positive (DP) thymocytes play a crucial role in T cell development in the thymus. DP cells rearrange the T cell receptor geneTcrato generate T cell receptors with TCRβ. DP cells differentiate into CD4 or CD8 single-positive (SP) thymocytes, regulatory T cells, or invariant nature kill T cells (iNKT) in response to TCR signaling. Chromatin organizer SATB1 is highly expressed in DP cells and is essential in regulatingTcrarearrangement and differentiation of DP cells. Here we explored the mechanism of SATB1 orchestrating gene expression in DP cells. Single-cell RNA sequencing shows thatSatb1deletion changes the cell identity of DP thymocytes and down-regulates genes specifically and highly expressed in DP cells. Super-enhancers regulate the expressions of DP-specific genes, and our Hi-C data show that SATB1 deficiency in thymocytes reduces super-enhancer activity by specifically decreasing interactions among super-enhancers and between super-enhancers and promoters. Our results reveal that SATB1 plays a critical role in thymocyte development to promote the establishment of DP cell identity by globally regulating super-enhancers of DP cells at the chromatin architectural level.
Scalable in situ single-cell profiling by electrophoretic capture of mRNA using EEL FISH
Authors: Borm Lars E. , Mossi Albiach Alejandro , Mannens Camiel C. A. , Janusauskas Jokubas , Özgün Ceren , Fernández-García David , Hodge Rebecca , Castillo Francisca , Hedin Charlotte R. H. , Villablanca Eduardo J. , Uhlén Per , Lein Ed S. , Codeluppi Simone , Linnarsson Sten
Published: September 2022

Methods to spatially profile the transcriptome are dominated by a trade-off between resolution and throughput. Here we develop a method named Enhanced ELectric Fluorescence in situ Hybridization (EEL FISH) that can rapidly process large tissue samples without compromising spatial resolution. By electrophoretically transferring RNA from a tissue section onto a capture surface, EEL speeds up data acquisition by reducing the amount of imaging needed, while ensuring that RNA molecules move straight down toward the surface, preserving single-cell resolution. We apply EEL on eight entire sagittal sections of the mouse brain and measure the expression patterns of up to 440 genes to reveal complex tissue organization. Moreover, EEL can be used to study challenging human samples by removing autofluorescent lipofuscin, enabling the spatial transcriptome of the human visual cortex to be visualized. We provide full hardware specifications, all protocols and complete software for instrument control, image processing, data analysis and visualization.
SAIGE-GENE+ improves the efficiency and accuracy of set-based rare variant association tests
Authors: Zhou Wei , Bi Wenjian , Zhao Zhangchen , Dey Kushal K. , Jagadeesh Karthik A. , Karczewski Konrad J. , Daly Mark J. , Neale Benjamin M. , Lee Seunggeun
Published: September 2022

Several biobanks, including UK Biobank (UKBB), are generating large-scale sequencing data. An existing method, SAIGE-GENE, performs well when testing variants with minor allele frequency (MAF) ≤ 1%, but inflation is observed in variance component set-based tests when restricting to variants with MAF ≤ 0.1% or 0.01%. Here, we propose SAIGE-GENE+ with greatly improved type I error control and computational efficiency to facilitate rare variant tests in large-scale data. We further show that incorporating multiple MAF cutoffs and functional annotations can improve power and thus uncover new gene–phenotype associations. In the analysis of UKBB whole exome sequencing data for 30 quantitative and 141 binary traits, SAIGE-GENE+ identified 551 gene–phenotype associations.
Diversity and transmission of koala retrovirus: a case study in three captive koala populations
Authors: Joyce Briony A. , Blyton Michaela D. J. , Johnston Stephen D. , Meikle William D. , Vinette Herrin Kimberly , Madden Claire , Young Paul R. , Chappell Keith J.
Published: September 2022

Koala retrovirus is a recently endogenized retrovirus associated with the onset of neoplasia and infectious disease in koalas. There are currently twelve described KoRV subtypes (KoRV-A to I, K–M), most of which were identified through recently implemented deep sequencing methods which reveal an animals’ overall KoRV profile. This approach has primarily been carried out on wild koala populations around Australia, with few investigations into the whole-population KoRV profile of captive koala colonies to date. This study conducted deep sequencing on 64 captive koalas of known pedigree, housed in three institutions from New South Wales and South-East Queensland, to provide a detailed analysis of KoRV genetic diversity and transmission. The final dataset included 93 unique KoRV sequences and the first detection of KoRV-E within Australian koala populations. Our analysis suggests that exogenous transmission of KoRV-A, B, D, I and K primarily occurs between dam and joey. Detection of KoRV-D in a neonate sample raises the possibility of this transmission occurring in utero. Overall, the prevalence and abundance of KoRV subtypes was found to vary considerably between captive populations, likely due to their different histories of animal acquisition. Together these findings highlight the importance of KoRV profiling for captive koalas, in particular females, who play a primary role in KoRV exogenous transmission.
Characteristics of children of the Microcephaly Epidemic Research Group Pediatric Cohort who developed postnatal microcephaly
Authors: Ramos Regina Coeli Ferreira , de Barros Miranda-Filho Demócrito , Martelli Celina Maria Turchi , de Araújo Thália Velho Barreto , Wanderley Rocha Maria Angela , van der Linden Vanessa , de Carvalho Maria Durce Costa Gomes , Rodrigues Laura Cunha , Montarroyos Ulisses Ramos , de Souza Wayner Vieira , de Albuquerque Maria de Fátima Pessoa Militão , Brickley Elizabeth B. , de Alencar Ximenes Ricardo Arraes
Published: September 2022

The number of studies published on postnatal microcephaly in children with Congenital Zika Syndrome is small, clinical presentations vary and aspects of the evolution of these children remain unclarified. The present case series examined clinical characteristics and assessed the growth velocity of the head circumference, weight and height Z-scores in 23 children who developed postnatal microcephaly during follow-up in the Microcephaly Epidemic Research Group Pediatric Cohort. To estimate the change in the head circumference, weight and height Z-scores over time and compare the mean difference between sexes, we used multilevel mixed-effects linear regressions with child-specific random effects. Among these children, 60.9% (n = 14/23) presented with craniofacial disproportion, 60.9% (n = 14/23) with strabismus, 47.8% (n = 11/23) with early onset seizures, 47.8% (n = 11/23) with dysphagia and 43.5% (n = 10/23) with arthrogryposis. Of the 82.7% (n = 19/23) children who underwent neuroimaging, 78.9% (n = 15/19) presented with alterations in the central nervous system. Monthly growth velocity, expressed in Z-scores, of the head circumference was − 0.098 (95% CI % − 0.117 to − 0.080), of weight was: − 0.010 (95%-CI − 0.033 to 0.014) and of height was: − 0.023 (95%-CI − 0.046 to 0.0001). Postnatal microcephaly occurred mainly in children who had already presented with signs of severe brain damage at birth; there was variability in weight and height development, with no set pattern.
Correlating gut microbial membership to brown bear health metrics
Authors: Trujillo Sarah M. , McKenney Erin A. , Hilderbrand Grant V. , Mangipane Lindsey S. , Rogers Matthew C. , Joly Kyle , Gustine David D. , Erlenbach Joy A. , Mangipane Buck A. , Lafferty Diana J. R.
Published: September 2022

The internal mechanisms responsible for modulating physiological condition, particularly those performed by the gut microbiome (GMB), remain under-explored in wildlife. However, as latitudinal and seasonal shifts in resource availability occur, the myriad micro-ecosystem services facilitated by the GMB may be especially important to wildlife health and resilience. Here, we use brown bears (Ursus arctos) as an ecological model to quantify the relationship between wildlife body condition metrics that are commonly used to assess individual and population-level health and GMB community composition and structure. To achieve these aims, we subsampled brown bear fecal samples collected during United States National Park Service research activities at three National Parks and Preserves (Katmai, Lake Clark, and Gates of the Arctic) and extracted microbial DNA for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and microbial taxonomic classification. We analyzed GMB communities using alpha diversity indices, subsequently using Spearman’s correlation analysis to examine relationships between alpha diversity and brown bear health metrics. We found no differences in GMB composition among bears with differing body conditions, nor any correlations between alpha diversity and body condition. Our results indicate that GMB composition reflects diverse foraging strategies while allowing brown bears to achieve similar body condition outcomes.
Hereditary E200K mutation within the prion protein gene alters human iPSC derived cardiomyocyte function
Authors: Wood Aleksandar R. , Foliaki Simote T. , Groveman Bradley R. , Walters Ryan O. , Williams Katie , Yuan Jue , Zou Wen-Quan , Haigh Cathryn L.
Published: September 2022

Cardiomyopathy is a co-morbidity of some prion diseases including genetic disease caused by mutations within the PrP gene (PRNP). Although the cellular prion protein (PrP) has been shown to protect against cardiotoxicity caused by oxidative stress, it is unclear if the cardiomyopathy is directly linked to PrP dysfunction. We differentiated cardiomyocyte cultures from donor human induced pluripotent stem cells and found a direct influence of the PRNP E200K mutation on cellular function. The PRNP E200K cardiomyocytes showed abnormal function evident in the irregularity of the rapid repolarization; a phenotype comparable with the dysfunction reported in Down Syndrome cardiomyocytes. PRNP E200K cardiomyocyte cultures also showed increased mitochondrial superoxide accompanied by increased mitochondrial membrane potential and dysfunction. To confirm that the changes were due to the E200K mutation, CRISPR-Cas9 engineering was used to correct the E200K carrier cells and insert the E200K mutation into control cells. The isotype matched cardiomyocytes showed that the lysine expressing allele does directly influence electrophysiology and mitochondrial function but some differences in severity were apparent between donor lines. Our results demonstrate that cardiomyopathy in hereditary prion disease may be directly linked to PrP dysfunction.
Massive annotation of bacterial l-asparaginases reveals their puzzling distribution and frequent gene transfer events
Authors: Zielezinski Andrzej , Loch Joanna I. , Karlowski Wojciech M. , Jaskolski Mariusz
Published: September 2022

l-Asparaginases, which convert l-asparagine to l-aspartate and ammonia, come in five types, AI-AV. Some bacterial type AII enzymes are a key element in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children, but new l-asparaginases with better therapeutic properties are urgently needed. Here, we search publicly available bacterial genomes to annotate l-asparaginase proteins belonging to the five known types. We characterize taxonomic, phylogenetic, and genomic patterns of l-asparaginase occurrences pointing to frequent horizontal gene transfer (HGT) events, also occurring multiple times in the same recipient species. We show that the reference AV gene, encoding a protein originally found and structurally studied in Rhizobium etli, was acquired via HGT from Burkholderia. We also describe the sequence variability of the five l-asparaginase types and map the conservation levels on the experimental or predicted structures of the reference enzymes, finding the most conserved residues in the protein core near the active site, and the most variable ones on the protein surface. Additionally, we highlight the most common sequence features of bacterial AII proteins that may aid in selecting therapeutic l-asparaginases. Finally, we point to taxonomic units of bacteria that do not contain recognizable sequences of any of the known l-asparaginase types, implying that those microorganisms most likely contain new, as yet unknown types of l-asparaginases. Such novel enzymes, when properly identified and characterized, could hold promise as antileukemic drugs.
Plastomes of limestone karst gesneriad genera Petrocodon and Primulina, and the comparative plastid phylogenomics of Gesneriaceae
Authors: Hsieh Chia-Lun , Xu Wei-Bin , Chung Kuo-Fang
Published: September 2022

Petrocodon and Primulina are two characteristic genera of Gesneriaceae that exhibit remarkable species and floral diversity, and high endemism across the Sino-Vietnamese Limestone Karsts. To better understand the evolution of limestone gesneriad plastomes, we report nine complete plastomes of seven Primulina and two Petrocodon which have never been assembled before. The newly generated plastomes range from 152,323 to 153,786 bp in size and display a typical quadripartite structure. To further explore the plastome evolution across Gesneriaceae, we assembled five additional plastomes from public reads data and incorporated 38 complete Gesneriaceae plastomes available online into comparative and phylogenomic analyses. The comparison of 52 Gesneriaceae plastomes reveals that not only Primulina and Petrocodon but all gesneriad genera analyzed are highly conserved in genome size, genome structure, gene contents, IR boundary configurations, and codon usage bias. Additionally, sliding window analyses were implemented across alignments of Primulina and Petrocodon for identifying highly variable regions, providing informative markers for future studies. Meanwhile, the SSRs and long repeats of Gesneriaceae plastomes were characterized, serving as useful data in studying population and repetitive sequence evolutions. The results of plastome phylogenetics represent a preliminary but highly resolved maternal backbone genealogy of Primulina and the Old World subtribes of Gesneriaceae.
Bending analysis of sandwich panel composite with a re-entrant lattice core using zig-zag theory
Authors: Khoshgoftar M. J. , Barkhordari A. , Limuti M. , Buccino F. , Vergani L. , Mirzaali M. J.
Published: September 2022

The sandwich panel structures have been widely used in many industrial applications because of their high mechanical properties. The middle layer of these structures is very important factor in controlling and enhancing their mechanical performance under various loading scenarios. The re-entrant lattice configurations, are prominent candidates that can be used as the middle layer in such sandwich structures because of several reasons namely the simplicity in tuning their elastic (e.g., values of Poisson’s ratio and elastic stiffness) and plastic (e.g., high strength-to-weight ratio) properties by only adjusting the geometrical features of the constituting unit cells. Here, we investigated the response of a three-layered sandwich plate with a re-entrant core lattice under flexural bending using analytical (i.e., zig-zag theory), computational (i.e., finite element) and experimental tests. We also analyzed the effects of different geometrical parameters (e.g., angle, thicknesses, and length to the height ratio of unit cells) of re-entrant lattice structures on the overall mechanical behavior of sandwich structures. We found that the core structures with auxetic behavior (i.e., negative Poisson’s ratio) resulted in a higher bending strength and a minimum out-of-plane shear stress as compared to those with conventional lattices. Our results can pave way in designing advanced engineered sandwich structures with architected core lattices for aerospace and biomedical applications.
Drosophila suzukii preferentially lays eggs on spherical surfaces with a smaller radius
Authors: Akutsu Junichi , Matsuo Takashi
Published: September 2022

Drosophila suzukii is an agricultural pest that predominantly harms small fruits, having a serrated ovipositor that is able to pierce the skin of ripening fruits. Its oviposition preference has been studied from various aspects including chemical and physical properties of oviposition substrates. However, its preference for certain shapes or sizes of substrates has not been explored. In this study, we tested the oviposition preference of D. suzukii for artificial oviposition substrates with different surface curvatures using 27 strains recently established from wild populations collected in Japan. We found that D. suzukii laid more eggs on a surface with smaller radii (4.8 and 5.7 mm) compared with larger radii (7.7 and 9.6 mm). We also found that the most preferred radius differed among strains. Notably, the preference was independent of the volume of substrates, suggesting that D. suzukii uses the surface curvature as a cue for its oviposition site selection. These results provide an additional explanation for why D. suzukii preferentially uses small fruits as its oviposition sites.
Carbon clusters on substrate surface for graphene growth- theoretical and experimental approach
Authors: Kaneko Satoru , Tokumasu Takashi , Yasui Manabu , Kurouchi Masahito , Tanaka Satomi , Kato Chihiro , Yasuhara Shigeo , Endo Tamio , Matsuda Akifumi , Yoshimoto Mamoru , Can Musa , Sahoo Sumanta Kumar , Sardar Kripasindhu , Ting Jyh-Ming , Yoshimura Masahiro
Published: September 2022

Growth morphology of carbon clusters deposited on different substrates were investigated by theoretical and experimental approach. For theoretical approach, molecular dynamics was employed to evaluate an adsorptive stability of different size of carbon clusters placed on different substrates. The adsorptive stability was estimated by the difference of total energy of supercell designed as carbon cluster placed on a certain crystal plane of substrate. Among the simulations of this study, carbon cluster flatly settled down on the surface of SrTiO$$_{3}$$

3

(001). The result was experimentally verified with layer by layer growth of graphene by pulsed laser deposition in carbon dioxide atmosphere. The absorptive stability can be useful reference for screening substrate for any target material other than graphene.
Analyzing integrated network of methylation and gene expression profiles in lung squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Heryanto Yusri Dwi , Katayama Kotoe , Imoto Seiya
Published: September 2022

Gene expression, DNA methylation, and their organizational relationships are commonly altered in lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSC). To elucidate these complex interactions, we reconstructed a differentially expressed gene network and a differentially methylated cytosine (DMC) network by partial information decomposition and an inverse correlation algorithm, respectively. Then, we performed graph union to integrate the networks. Community detection and enrichment analysis of the integrated network revealed close interactions between the cell cycle, keratinization, immune system, and xenobiotic metabolism gene sets in LUSC. DMC analysis showed that hypomethylation targeted the gene sets responsible for cell cycle, keratinization, and NRF2 pathways. On the other hand, hypermethylated genes affected circulatory system development, the immune system, extracellular matrix organization, and cilium organization. By centrality measurement, we identified NCAPG2, PSMG3, and FADD as hub genes that were highly connected to other nodes and might play important roles in LUSC gene dysregulation. We also found that the genes with high betweenness centrality are more likely to affect patients’ survival than those with low betweenness centrality. These results showed that the integrated network analysis enabled us to obtain a global view of the interactions and regulations in LUSC.
Decontamination of water co-polluted by copper, toluene and tetrahydrofuran using lauric acid
Authors: Earnden Laura , Marangoni Alejandro G. , Laredo Thamara , Stobbs Jarvis , Marshall Tatianna , Pensini Erica
Published: September 2022

Co-contamination by organic solvents (e.g., toluene and tetrahydrofuran) and metal ions (e.g., Cu2+) is common in industrial wastewater and in industrial sites. This manuscript describes the separation of THF from water in the absence of copper ions, as well as the treatment of water co-polluted with either THF and copper, or toluene and copper. Tetrahydrofuran (THF) and water are freely miscible in the absence of lauric acid. Lauric acid separates the two solvents, as demonstrated by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) and Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR). The purity of the water phase separated from 3:7 (v/v) THF:water mixtures using 1 M lauric acid is ≈87%v/v. Synchrotron small angle X-Ray scattering (SAXS) indicates that lauric acid forms reverse micelles in THF, which swell in the presence of water (to host water in their interior) and ultimately lead to two free phases: 1) THF-rich and 2) water-rich. Deprotonated lauric acid (laurate ions) also induces the migration of Cu2+ ions in either THF (following separation from water) or in toluene (immiscible in water), enabling their removal from water. Laurate ions and copper ions likely interact through physical interactions (e.g., electrostatic interactions) rather than chemical bonds, as shown by ATR-FTIR. Inductively coupled plasma—optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) demonstrates up to 60% removal of Cu2+ ions from water co-polluted by CuSO4 or CuCl2 and toluene. While lauric acid emulsifies water and toluene in the absence of copper ions, copper salts destabilize emulsions. This is beneficial, to avoid that copper ions are re-entrained in the water phase alongside with toluene, following their migration in the toluene phase. The effect of copper ions on emulsion stability is explained based on the decreased interfacial activity and compressional rigidity of interfacial films, probed using a Langmuir trough. In wastewater treatment, lauric acid (a powder) can be mixed directly in the polluted water. In the context of groundwater remediation, lauric acid can be solubilized in canola oil to enable its injection to treat aquifers co-polluted by organic solvents and Cu2+. In this application, injectable filters obtained by injecting cationic hydroxyethylcellulose (HEC +) would impede the flow of toluene and copper ions partitioned in it, protecting downstream receptors. Co-contaminants can be subsequently extracted upstream of the filters (using pumping wells), to enable their simultaneous removal from aquifers.
Culture-independent susceptibility determination of E. coli isolated directly from patients’ urine using FTIR and machine-learning
Authors: Abu-Aqil George , Sharaha Uraib , Suleiman Manal , Riesenberg Klaris , Lapidot Itshak , Salman Ahmad , Huleihel Mahmoud
Published: September 2022

One of the most common human bacterial infections is the urinary tract infection (UTI).
A protein-conjugated photosensitizer with mitochondrial targeting for enhanced photodynamic therapy
Authors: Shi Mingwan , Pan Wei , Gao Peng , Chen Yuanyuan , Wang Kaiye , Li Na , Tang Bo
Published: September 2022

A protein-conjugated photosensitizer with mitochondrial targeting was synthesized for enhanced photodynamic therapy. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the produced ROS induced mitochondria-mediated cell apoptosis.
To photodeprotect or not: effect of the oxidation state of the sulfur atom of thiochromone derivatives
Authors: Li Xuyang , Guo Yan , Xu Tongyu , Wang Jialin , Dai Mingdong , Kakiuchi Kiyomi , Morimoto Tsumoru , Ma Jiani
Published: September 2022

Time-resolved spectroscopic experiments, assisted with DFT calculations, were employed to study the photochemical reaction mechanism of TC and TS-PPG in different solvents.
Effect of inositol on the thermally induced crystallization and phase evolution of amorphous calcium phosphate
Authors: Wang Lu , Bi Jianqiang , Sun Kangning , Li Aimin , Yuan Zhen , Yang Fushuai , Mao Junjie
Published: September 2022

The dose-dependent effect of inositol on the thermally induced crystallization and phase evolution of amorphous calcium phosphate.
Ultra-high piezoelectric properties and labyrinthine-domain structure in (K,Na)(Ta,Nb)O3 with phase boundaries
Authors: Meng Xiangda , Huang Xiaolin , Xing Bohan , Sun Xuejie , Liu Mingxuan , Tian Hao
Published: September 2022

A labyrinthine-domain-structure pattern, contributing to the high piezoelectric performance, is observed via a PFM in K0.41Na0.59Ta0.41Nb0.59O3 with a polymorphic phase transition boundary.
Polymer-mediated self-assembly, dispersion, and phase separation of Janus nanorods
Authors: Dhumal Umesh , Erigi Umashankar , Tripathy Mukta
Published: September 2022

The challenge of stabilizing polymer nanocomposites lies in the fact that nanoparticles tend to phase separate from the polymer melt due to an entropic ‘depletion attraction’ between nanoparticles.
DNA-mediated dynamic plasmonic nanostructures: assembly, actuation, optical properties, and biological applications
Authors: Zhang Jingjing , Song Chunyuan , Wang Lianhui
Published: September 2022

In this perspective, recent advances in DNA-mediated dynamic plasmonic nanostructures, including assembly approaches, actuation media, optical properties and bio-applications are reviewed, and the remaining challenges and perspectives are discussed.
Ionization potentials of MgN (N = 7–56) clusters formed by spontaneous collapse of magnesium foam in helium nanodroplets
Authors: Kazak Lev , Meiwes-Broer Karl-Heinz , Tiggesbäumker Josef
Published: September 2022

Ultracold helium nandroplets are doped by Mg atoms in order to extract ionization potentials of magnesium clusters MgN in the size range N = 7–56.
Reaction of lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS) with water at ultracold conditions
Authors: Jäger Svenja , Meyer Philipp , Feichtner Kai-Stephan , Henkel Stefan , Schwaab Gerhard W. , Gessner Viktoria H. , Havenith Martina
Published: September 2022

The reaction of LiHMDS with water was investigated at ultra-cold conditions (0.37 K) in superfluid helium nanodroplets using mid IR radiation.
Luminescence thermometry in a Dy4 single molecule magnet
Authors: Corredoira-Vázquez Julio , González-Barreira Cristina , Fondo Matilde , García-Deibe Ana M. , Sanmartín-Matalobos Jesús , Hernández-Rodríguez Miguel A. , Carlos Luís D.
Published: September 2022

A Dy4-based SMM optical thermometer accesses the thermometric characteristics involving the ligand ascribed to the triplet emission in combination with DyIII emission.
Boronic ester functionalised 1,8-diboryl-naphthalene scaffolds: fluoride versus oxide chelation
Authors: Booth Anna C. , Vasko Petra , Fuentes M. Ángeles , Cornelissen Bart , Faulkner Stephen , Aldridge Simon
Published: September 2022

1,8-C10H6(BCat)(BMes2) takes up F− to give a kinetic product featuring a bridging B–F–B unit. An alternative structural motif featuring a terminal B–F bond and a B–O–B bridge using one of the catechol oxygens is shown to be more favourable thermodynamically.
Preface
Authors: Robertson Struan H.
Published: September 2022

Dr Struan H. Robertson introduces the Faraday Discussion on unimolecular reactions, held in Oxford during June 2022, 100 years after the publication of the Faraday Discussion where Lindemann proposed collisions as the mechanistic basis behind unimolecular reactions.
Recapitulation of dynamic nanoparticle transport around tumors using a triangular multi-chamber tumor-on-a-chip
Authors: Chen You , Xue Yifan , Xu Langtao , Li Weilin , Chen Yiling , Zheng Shunan , Dai Rui , Liu Jie
Published: September 2022

A triangular multi-chamber tumor-on-a-chip platform simulates the key biological microenvironment parameters affecting the dynamic transport of nanoparticles and drugs, including dynamic culture, bionic ECMs and 3D tumor spheroids.
Ultrasensitive and selective fluorescence recognition of selenite byo-phenylenediamine functionalized carbon quantum dots
Authors: Wang Wenxian , Zhou Yufei , Yang Dan , Zhang Xianfen , Guan Lijiao , Zhang Yuding , Huang Saipeng
Published: September 2022

Highly selective and sensitive OPD-CQDs exhibited good water solubility, high quantum yield, and an excellent recovery rate in water and biological samples.
Iodo-sulphonylation of 1,6-enynones: a metal-free strategy to synthesizeN-substituted succinimides
Authors: Sivanantham Mathiyazhagan , Jennifer G Abigail , Varathan Elumalai , Ramasamy Mohankumar , Senadi Gopal Chandru
Published: September 2022

I2-TBHP promoted stereoselective synthesis of iodo-sulfonated succinimides was achieved through a cascade C–C, C–S and C–I bond formation reaction. The synthetic application of the iodo-functionality has been extended to the Heck coupling reaction.
Sensitive structural motifs separately distributed in azide-based 3D EMOFs: a primary explosive with an excellent initiation ability and enhanced stability
Authors: Yan Yun-Fan , Xu Jian-Gang , Wen Fei , Zhang Yu , Bian Hong-Yi , Li Bao-Yi , Zhang Ning-Ning , Zheng Fa-Kun , Guo Guo-Cong
Published: September 2022

The unique type of molecular architectures with a remarkable initiation ability and enhanced stability is proposed. The relationship between the structure and sensitivity of Cu(N3)2-based primary explosive is revealed.
Polydopamine surface functionalization of 3D printed resin material for enhanced polystyrene adhesion towards insulation layers for 3D microelectrode arrays (3D MEAs)
Authors: Azim Nilab , Orrico Julia Freitas , Appavoo Divambal , Zhai Lei , Rajaraman Swaminathan
Published: September 2022

3D printing involves the use of toxic photopolymerizable resins which typically have incompatible properties with polystyrene for biomedical applications. Herein, we use 3D printing tricks and polydopamine to dramatically improve adhesion.
In vitroand computational investigations of novel synthetic carboxamide-linked pyridopyrrolopyrimidines with potent activity as SARS-CoV-2-MProinhibitors
Authors: Aljuhani Ateyatallah , Ahmed Hany E. A. , Ihmaid Saleh K. , Omar Abdelsattar M. , Althagfan Sultan S. , Alahmadi Yaser M. , Ahmad Iqrar , Patel Harun , Ahmed Sahar , Almikhlafi Mohannad A. , El-Agrody Ahmed M. , Zayed Mohamed F. , Turkistani Safaa Abdulrahman , Abulkhair Shorouk H. , Almaghrabi Mohammed , Salama Samir A. , Al-Karmalawy Ahmed A. , Abulkhair Hamada S.
Published: September 2022

An essential target for COVID-19 is the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 (Mpro).
Deep learning in single-molecule imaging and analysis: recent advances and prospects
Authors: Liu Xiaolong , Jiang Yifei , Cui Yutong , Yuan Jinghe , Fang Xiaohong
Published: September 2022

Deep learning has been applied in all stages of single molecule imaging and analysis.
Covalent organic framework supported palladium catalysts
Authors: Salemi Hadi , Debruyne Maarten , Van Speybroeck Veronique , Van Der Voort Pascal , D'hooghe Matthias , Stevens Christian V.
Published: September 2022

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs), as highly porous crystalline structures, are newly emerging materials designed with tuneable features.
Insight into the structural evolution mechanism and potassium storage performance of expanded graphitic onion-like carbon
Authors: Meng Chenyang , Yuan Man , Cao Bin , Jiang Zipeng , Zhang Jiapeng , Li Ang , Chen Xiaohong , Jia Mengqiu , Song Huaihe
Published: September 2022

GOC with a polyhedral structure exhibits a different expansion pattern from NFG, making EGOC present higher structural stability than ENFG.
PCL NGCs integrated with urolithin-A-loaded hydrogels for nerve regeneration
Authors: Jin Xue-Han , Fang Jia-Qi , Wang Jian-Guang , Xu Bo , Wang Xu , Liu Shu-Hao , Chen Feng , Liu Jun-Jian
Published: September 2022

PCL NGCs were prepared by electrospinning, UA-loaded hydrogels were injected into the lumen of PCL NGCs to obtain the PCL/collagen/UA NGCs, and then the NGCs were implanted in the rat model.
Oxidation activity modulation of a single atom Ce-N-C nanozyme enabling a time-resolved sensor to detect Fe3+ and Cr6+
Authors: Song Guangchun , Zhang Qi , Liang Shuang , Yao Ying , Feng Menglin , Majid Zainabu , He Xiaoyun , Huang Kunlun , Li Jin-Cheng , Cheng Nan
Published: September 2022

A time-resolved sensor based on single atom Ce-N-C nanozyme oxidase-like catalytic activity to detect Fe3+ and Cr6+ simultaneously.
CO32− ion-induced Cu2+ ion determination using DPA capped-LaF3:Eu3+ nanocrystals
Authors: Adusumalli Venkata N. K. B. , Lis Stefan , Il Park Yong
Published: September 2022

The fluorescence quenching strategy has been developed as an exceedingly selective and sensitive method for the determination of Cu2+ ions in the presence of CO32− ions in an aqueous medium.
Hybrid cascaded MLI development for PV‐grid connection applications
Authors: Noman Abdullah M. , Al‐Shamma'a Abdullrahman A. , Asef Pedram , Alkuhayli Abdulaziz
Published: September 2022

For grid‐connected solar photovoltaic (PV) applications, a hybrid cascaded MLI (H‐CMLI) topology based on cascaded H‐bridge MLI is proposed in this study. The proposed configuration is a hybrid of two common MLIs: Cascaded H‐bridge and three‐phase cascaded voltage source inverter (VSI). For the same voltage level, the proposed topology enhances the number of the generated voltage levels while employing fewer components, relative to other traditional MLI topologies. Furthermore, the voltage stresses on switches in the proposed topology are decreased, compared to when each part operates independently. The proposed topology could be utilized for many applications, such as PV‐grid connection, active power filters, and STATCOM. To verify the effectiveness of the proposed topology, the model is developed in MATLAB/Simulink environment, in which a closed‐loop control scheme based on the traditional one is used to achieve the PV‐grid connection. Alongside the simulation results, the proposed topology and its control scheme are experimentally implemented in the laboratory. Two cases were experimentally applied to validate the successful performance of the proposed H‐CMLI: Open‐loop control and closed‐loop control for PV‐grid integration. The proposed control scheme effectively maintains the DC link voltage at its reference voltages. Also, the closed‐loop control scheme is capable of providing the power factor at unity and maintaining the total harmonic distortion (THD) of grid current within the acceptable limit. To demonstrate the proposed topology's functionality and viability, experimental results are provided.
Insights into growing flexible single crystals could help develop new electronics materials
Authors: Johnson-Groh Mara
Published: September 2022

Using in situ X-ray measurements to get a closer look at how complex oxide thin films grow on graphene.
Monitoring glaucoma with contact lenses
Authors: Piccone Ashley
Published: September 2022

Shadow-mask-assisted flattening and deposition method fabricates wearable intraocular pressure sensors on flexible hydrogel surfaces.
Absolute and real time experimental radiative loss measurements of spherical expanding free flames: FAIRS (Fast Absolute InfraRed Sensor)—An innovative technique
Authors: Idir Mahmoud , Rayaleh Ayan Mousse , De Sousa Meneses Domingos , Semmar Nadjib , Chaumeix Nabiha
Published: September 2022

An innovative technique was developed for the direct measurement of the absolute radiant flux emitted from transient flames. The design of the experimental device, called FAIRS (Fast Absolute Infra-Red Sensor), is detailed in this work. The main concept of FAIRS is based on the combination of a carbon nano-tube-based black body as a sensitive element, coupled to a fast IR HgCdTe detector via an achromatic optical setup. A specific calibration protocol based on a laboratory blackbody (ambient to 850 °C) allows the qualification of the FAIRS for absolute radiative heat-flux measurements, with a response time less than 1 µs that was checked, thanks to pulsed laser irradiation. It is thus demonstrated that FAIRS is a good candidate for transient measurements, with a simplified calibration procedure. FAIRS was coupled with ultra-fast schlieren imaging on spherical expanding CH4/air and C3H8/air flames. In this condition, it is possible to correlate the real time flame diameter to its absolute radiative heat losses.