bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bodies in Transit
Authors: Sparrow Tom ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: July 2021

Alphonso Lingis is the author of many hooks and renowned for his translations of Levinas, Merleau-Pontyy and Klossowski. By combining a rich philosophical training with an extensive travel itinerary, Lingis has developed a distinctive brand of phenomenobgy that is only now beginning to gain critical attention. Lingis inhabits a ready-made language and conceptuality, but cultivates a style of thinking which disrupts and transforms the work of his predecessors, setting him apart from the rest of his field. This essay sketches Lingis phenomenobgy of sensation in order to give expression to some dimensions of Lingisian travel. As we see, Lingis deploys a theory of the subject which features the plasticity of the body, the materiality of affect, and the alimentary nature of sensation.
Sylvia Plath and White Ignorance
Authors: Miller Ellen M. ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: July 2021

Sylvia Plath wrote in the midst of growing racial tensions in 1950s and 1960s America. Her work demonstrates ambivalence towards her role as a middle-class white woman. In this paper, I examine the racial implications in Plath's color terms. I disagree with Renee Curry's reading in White Women Writing White that Plath only considers her whiteness insofar as it affects herself. Through a phenomenological study of how whiteness shifts meaning in this poem, I hope to show that Curry's negative estimation is only partly right. I suggest that embodiment is a problem for Plath in general, and this contributes to her inability to fully examine other bodies.
The Necessity of Virtue in a Free Society
Authors: Sandwisch Matthew D. ,   The Polanyi Society
Published: July 2021

In response to the events of January 6 and the second impeachment trial, which made clear the fragility of democracy in the USA, several scholars whose work has appeared in this journal comment on one or more of the following questions: (1) What causes, epistemic and/or social, might Polanyi see as contributing to the incivility, rancor, and division that now characterize American politics? (2) What would Polanyi say about the events of January 6, as well as the events leading up to it? (3) What remedies might Polanyi suggest for rehabilitating our experiment in democracy?
Polanyi’s Telic View of Truth and Contemporary Politics
Authors: Gulick Walter B. ,   The Polanyi Society
Published: July 2021

In response to the events of January 6 and the second impeachment trial, which made clear the fragility of democracy in the USA, several scholars whose work has appeared in this journal comment on one or more of the following questions: (1) What causes, epistemic and/or social, might Polanyi see as contributing to the incivility, rancor, and division that now characterize American politics? (2) What would Polanyi say about the events of January 6, as well as the events leading up to it? (3) What remedies might Polanyi suggest for rehabilitating our experiment in democracy?
Michael Polanyi’s Understanding of Field Theory
Authors: Gulick Walter B. ,   The Polanyi Society
Published: July 2021

Michael Polanyi introduced the concept of fields in the last several pages of Personal Knowledge. In this essay I examine whether the last-minute addition of fields advances his explanation of anthropogenesis. Polanyi’s view of the role of fields in solving problems and discovery plus their place in ontogenesis and phylogenesis is examined and found not to be wholly satisfactory. Alternative explanations of the factors advancing discovery and problem solving are advanced.
Formulation of floating metronidazole microbeads using Terminalia mantaly gum as polymer
Authors: Ajala Tolulope Omolola , Moshood Olorundara T , Odeku Oluwatoyin Adepeju
Published: July 2021

gum was extracted and characterized by material, proximate and pasting properties.Terminalia gum in combination with sodium alginate at varying concentrations(0-80 %w/v) was used in preparing the microbeads by ionotropic gelation using zincchloride as the chelating agent. The microbeads were evaluated using shape,size, swelling, buoyancy, entrapment efficiency, drug release profiles andkinetic modelling. The microbeads were spherical to ovoid in shape with sizesranging from 1093 to 1209.0 µm. The swelling index was 5 to 184 % and itincreased with an increase in gum concentration. Total floating time was highest(175.5 h) for formulations having 20% w/w gum and the least(5.5 h) for those with 80% w/w gum. The entrapment efficiency generally increased with an increase in gumconcentration up to 40% w/w and then reduced. The microbeads showedcontrolled release patterns of metronidazole with the highest t50 of 2260.3. The drug release kineticsfitted the Korsmeyer-Peppas model with a non-Fickian anomalous diffusion mechanism. Terminalia mantaly gum can be furtherdeveloped for use as a co-polymer in the formulation of floating metronidazolemicrobeads.
Investigation of the effect of steroidal imidazoheterocycles hormone derivatives on JEG-3 trophoblast cells of choriocarcinoma
Authors: Todosijević Jovana , Scherbakov Alexander , Volkova Yulia , Jurišić Vladimir
Published: July 2021

This study aimed to examine the biological activities of unique steroid hormone derivatives-steroidal imidazoheterocycles. The activity synthesized steroidal compounds were tested for the viability of JEG-3 trophoblast cells of choriocarcinoma. The results of the MTT cytotoxicity test showed that most of the examined steroidal imidazoheterocycles act proliferatively on the JEG-3 cell line, except (E, F, and J). Antiproliferative activity of these derivates is probably influenced by different substituents at position 17-C atom in the chemical structure of the hormone and by different substituents on the oxygen atom of acetamide group in the hormone molecule. In order to better confirm the antiproliferative activity of these derivatives, it is necessary to performed complex research on a large panel of cancer cell lines and by different assay.
Liparus (Liparus) glabrirostris Küst. and Hylobius (Callirus) abietis (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) first records for Serbia
Authors: Pešić Snežana
Published: July 2021

This paper presents a survey of data on two weevil species not recorded for the fauna of Serbia till now. Despite their large size, Liparus (Liparus) glabrirostris Küster, 1849 and Hylobius (Callirus) abietis (Linnaeus, 1758) have not been recorded for Serbia in the newest Palaearctic weevil catalogue (Alonso-Zarazaga et al., 2017) or in the Fauna Europaea (Alonso-Zarazaga et al., 2013, https://fauna-eu.org/). In this paper L. glabrirostris, found in a single locality on Mt Goč, is registered as the third representative of the genus Liparus Olivier, 1807 in Serbia. Hylobius abietis is a serious, widely distributed conifer pest, but was not faunistically registered for Serbia till now. Some ecological data and distribution maps with Serbian locations are given for both species.
Exemplification as explanation: The negative reception of modern architecture revisited
Authors: Lægring Kasper
Published: July 2021

What are the reasons for the negative reception of modern architecture in the 1960s and 1970s? If we consult the critics themselves, the counter-reaction is a result of the overflow of new semantic insights from disciplines such as psychology and sociology in architecture. But if we turn to philosophy of architecture, Nelson Goodman's notion of exemplification might provide some answers; not only to the critiques of modern architecture but also to the epistemic turn affecting architecture. This article argues that it was the extensive use of a formalist aesthetics of exemplification which led to condemnation of the International Style, Brutalism and Structuralism for producing monotonous, self-referential and meaningless works of architecture. By examining the historical critiques of modern architecture under the lens of Goodman's notion of exemplification, a picture emerges where it is the hegemony of one symbol system, exemplification, that may well be the culprit for the negative response to modernism.
Semiotics of architectural: Detail between rationalisation and representation
Authors: Kostić Miloš
Published: July 2021

The aim of this paper is to discuss the realm of values upon which thoughts on architecture have been conceived, through the drawings of architectural detail. Although modernism, which opposes technical detail and ornament, is still regarded as influential theoretical position, it neglects to address a broader meaning of a detail in architecture. The research disputes the opposition between an ornament and a technical detail, claiming that a detail in architecture is the more abstract term, which represents a certain level of design thought besides utility and embellishment. It is argued that both modern and traditional values from different aspects of societal and cultural activities, as for their changes were being referenced to the micro level of architecture, transforming the way of their presence through different visual representations of detail along the history and theory of profession. In this paper, the small-scale drawings are used as a medium a medium which reflects transdisciplinarity of the profession and its entanglement with the knowledge and dynamics of other fields of human activity such as philosophy, economy, religion, engineering, and arts.
Organizational commitment of employees as a result of job satisfaction
Authors: Ilić-Koderman Đurđijana
Published: July 2021

In modern business conditions, human resources are the most valuable resource that enables the realization and maintenance of the competitive advantage of the organization. Given this statement, it is not surprising why in recent decades in professional and academic circles there is a growing interest in researching issues of how to improve, retain and motivate employees to invest their maximum efforts in achieving organizational goals. As companies are both capital and labor intensive, it is easy to come to the conclusion that depending on the degree of motivation and commitment of employees to the realization of organizational goals, the realization of the above-mentioned imperative also depends on it. In other words, the degree to which employees identify with their organization depends on how motivated they will be to achieve its goals and to participate in improving its efficiency. This means that organizational commitment is becoming one of the key determinants of the success of 21st century organizations. Generally speaking, job satisfaction is an attitude that manifests in the workplace as individual behavior of the employee and can have an impact on the organization and organizational behavior. Job satisfaction encourages employees to increase performance and commitment to the organization, while reducing absenteeism and increasing interest in the profession, and it is of immeasurable importance to pay attention to the cause-and-effect relationship of job satisfaction and organizational commitment.
Implications and challenges of using driver-based budgeting in contemporary business environment
Authors: Nikodijević Marija
Published: July 2021

The main characteristics of the business conditions of today's companies are frequent and intensive changes. The dynamic business environment of modern companies requires a new way of management that involves an implementation of new management models, methods, techniques and instruments that are adapted to the modern environment and able to respond to challenges and solve problems that arise in new business conditions. The aim of the paper is to describe the specifics of driver-based budgeting, as one of new management instruments. In comparison with traditional budgeting, driver-based budgeting possesses multiple advantages for companies that enable responding to changes in business environment in a more agile way. These advantages, as well as some perceived difficulties with its implementation in companies are described in the paper. The results of the paper contribute to the further development of the theory and can be an incentive for future research, as well as basis for making recommendations and practical instructions that could help companies improve their budgeting system.
Expediente
Authors: Rech Sandra Regina
Published: July 2021

Expediente
Covid 19, humanidade ameaçada e a vontade latente pelo consumo de produtos de moda: o eterno retorno do desejo?
Authors: Costa Flávia Zimmerle da Nóbrega , Camargo Andréa Barbosa
Published: July 2021

Na primeira reabertura comercial pós-lockdown que visou minimizar o contágio da Sars-CoV-2, em várias capitais mundiais, assistimos a tumultuadas cenas de aglomeração causadas por consumidores ansiosos. Eles aguardavam a abertura das lojas de grandes marcas de moda e, como resultado, geraram um relevante faturamento para estas empresas. Embasados no pensamento dos filósofos: Lipovetsky, Deleuze e Foucault, promovemos uma reflexão sobre tal comportamento. Considerando o contexto ameaçador e, naquela altura, a exposição a um risco de proporções ainda desconhecidas, nos questionamos: o que impulsiona essa vontade de consumo? Tratamos da lógica que rege os sistemas capitalista e de moda, cuja relação histórica fez surgir um consumidor desejante.  Fugindo do pensamento dicotômico, consideramos que o sistema-razão é uma condição produzida constitutivamente ao sujeito, que tem na cultura de moda sua máxima expressão. Concluimos que, como a cultura de moda é a cultura do Ser, esse foi buscado como um consumo essecial.
Video-assisted thoracoscopic resection of a Hattori’s cyst in the posterior mediastinum: a case report
Authors: Domjan Matic , Šekoranja Daja , Srpčič Matevž
Published: July 2021

First reported by Hattori in 2004, the mediastinal cyst with Mullerian differentiation is a rather new finding. We present a case of a 51-year-old woman with a cystic formation in the left paravertebral space at the level of 4th and 5th thoracic vertebrae, which was discovered on an MRI scan. We have performed a video-assisted thoracosopic (VATS) resection of the cyst. Histological and immunohistochemical staining showed a ciliated cyst with Mullerian differentiation (i.e. Hattori's cyst). To our knowledge, only 31 cases have been described in the literature so far. Data suggests their prevalence may be higher since they are often found incidentally and are typically asymptomatic.
Connectivites in Dermatology: A series of 290 cases in Dakar, Senegal
Authors: Ndour Niare , Ndiaye Maodo , Diatta Boubacar Ahy , Ndiaye Coumba , Berrada Imane , Kaddoura Jade , Sarr Mamadou , Diouf Elisabeth , Diadie Saër , Ndiaye Mame Téné , Deh Aminata , Diop Khadim , Diop Assane , Diallo Moussa , Ly Fatimata , Niang Suzane Oumou
Published: July 2021

Introduction: The general objective was to determine the epidemiological, clinical, paraclinical, therapeutic and evolutionary aspects of connectivitis in the dermatology department of the CHU Aristide Le Dantec. Patients and methods: This was a retrospective and descriptive study conducted in the Dermatology Department of the University Hospital Center (UHC) Aristide Le Dantec (HALD) of Dakar between January 2009 and December 2019. Their diagnoses were retained according to the international criteria validated in the course of connectivites Results: We identified 290 cases of connectivitis. Systemic scleroderma was the most frequent in 34.42% (n=94), followed by systemic lupus in 25.86% (n=75), mixed connectivities in 22,06% (n=64) and dermatomyositis in 19,32% (n=56). Cancer was associated with dermatomyositis in 11 cases and with systemic scleroderma in 3 cases. The mean age of our patients was 38.23 years. The sex ratio was 4.2 and the mean duration of evolution was 25 months. Dermatological manifestations were constant, found in all patients. In systemic lupus, they were dominated by discoid lupus lesions found in 40% and hypochromic spots (86%) in systemic scleroderma. In dermatomyositis, skin lesions were dominated by periorbital erythroedema (66.07%). Joint manifestations were found in 56.89% of cases (n= 165), muscular manifestations in 41.37% of cases (n= 120) and pleuropulmonary manifestations in 31.3% of cases (n=91). Neuropsychiatric manifestations were noted in 5.17% of cases (n=15). All our patients were treated with corticosteroid therapy and 12.06% of them had received immunosuppressive treatment, the most commonly used molecules being methotrexate (3.44%) and cyclophosphamide (8.27%). Hydroxychloroquine was prescribed in 59.31% of patients, while D-penicillamine was prescribed in 42.06% of patients, 100% of whom were treated for systemic scleroderma. The main complications encountered were infectious complications in 83 cases (28.6%). Visceral complications, a type of visceral insufficiency, were noted in 4.13% of cases. Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the frequency of connectivitis in the dermatology department. Its particularity was the predominance of systemic scleroderma over lupus which was classically the first connectivite in dermatology services. The delay in diagnosis noted is correlated with visceral attacks; hence the importance of a better knowledge of these affections for an early management.
Cutaneous drug reactions in the Dermatology-STD department of the University Hospital of Conakry (Guinea): responsibility of antiretroviral drugs
Authors: Soumah Mohamed Maciré , Keita Moussa , Tounkara Thierno Mamadou , Diane Boh Fanta , Bangoura Marguerite Bombo , Sako Fodé Bangaly , Keita Fatimata , Savane Moussa , Kante Mamadou Diouldé , Cisse Mohamed
Published: July 2021

Background: Antiretroviral (ARV)-induced toxidermia is increasingly reported. They most often complicate ARV therapy and can compromise the therapeutic future of patients living with HIV. The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of ARV-induced toxidermia, to identify the ARVs responsible, to describe the clinical forms encountered and the evolutionary modalities of patients. Material and methods: This was a cross-sectional study from January 2000 to December 2018. The study consisted in identifying and documenting all cases of ARV-induced toxidermia during the study period at the Dermatology-IST department of the University Hospital of Conakry. Internationally accepted diagnostic criteria were used for diagnosis. Accountability was based on the Begaud criteria. Results: We recorded 47/198 (23.7%) cases of ARV-induced toxidermia during the period. The mean age of the patients was 35.02± 1.60 with extremes of 23 and 61 years. The sex ratio was 0.7. The toxidermia encountered were Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) in 22/47 (46.8%) cases, toxic épidermal necrolysis (TEN) in 8/47 (17%) cases, overlap syndrome between SJS and TEN in 1/47 (2.1%) cases, maculo-papular exanthema in 10/47 (21.3%) cases, urticaria in 4/47 (8.5%) cases and erythema pigmentum fixans in 2/47 (4.3%). The ARVs involved were nevirapine in 44/47 (93.6%) cases and efavirenz in 3/47 (6.4%) cases. We recorded 8/44 (17%) deaths. Conclusion: The occurrence of toxidermia during antiretroviral therapy is a major challenge. Therefore, ARVs with a high risk of toxidermia should be removed from the ARV regimens offered to patients.
Cytosteatonecrosis in newborns at Conakry chu: About a new observation
Authors: Kanté Mamadou Diouldé , Diané Boh Fanta , Keita Fatimata , Diallo Abdoulaye Sadio , Fofana Kade , Bangoura Marguerite Bomboh , Diallo Aïssatou Bobo , Tounkara Thierno Mamadou
Published: July 2021

Cytosteatonecrosis is an acute condition of unknown pathogenesis that occurs in the first weeks of extra-uterine life. It presents clinically in the form of a large plaque, indurated and sometimes nodular. It often sits on the trunk, buttocks and thighs (root of the limbs). The course of cytosteatonecrosis is benign but sometimes enamelled with complications such as hypercalcemia and metabolic disorders. The rarity of this affection would be justified by the ignorance of the cutaneous signs. We report here a case of neonatal cytosteatonecrosis remarkable for the delay in diagnosis and the efficacy of low-dose corticosteroid therapy.
The Value Chain as the Basis of Business Model Design
Authors: Strakova Jarmila , Simberova Iveta , Partlova Petra , Vachal Jan , Zich Robert
Published: July 2021

The article presents a new approach to the generation of business models based on value streams. The originality of the study lies in the assumption that in every business model the generator of added value is the value chain which, if original enough, will maximize potential while minimizing costs. This approach will provide the respective enterprise with a high level competitiveness in the long term. The tested group of enterprises consisted of 354 SMEs, one hundred eightyseven of which were from the manufacturing and industry sector, with 167 from the services sector. The novelty of this approach also consists of the integrated approach to the business environment in which the value streams were analyzed. The results suggest that the analysis of value streams is suitable for the projection of business models. In addition, the methods of dimensional reduction and logit regression have been identified as appropriate analytical tools, with representative results found valid and utilizable in business practice. The authors of the article are aware that this is only the first step in addressing this issue, one which will play a critical role in the gradual process of the upcoming digital transformation of all business models, not only those of SMEs in the Czech Republic.
Circular photogalvanic effect
Authors: Su Xin , Huang Tian-Ye , Wang Jun-Zhuan , Liu Yuan , Zheng You-Liao , Shi Yi , Wang Xiao-Mu ,   School of Electric Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
Published: July 2021

The spin and valley degree of freedom are a novel way to extend the functionalities of spintronic and valleytronic devices. A traditional, room-temperature way of examining the spin polarization generates the photocurrent whose magnitude and polarity depend on chirality of induced optical excitation. The circularly polarized photovoltaic effect is a kind of second-order nonlinear photoelectric response, which means that the photocurrent generated varies with the polarization angle of circularly polarized light. The generation of photocurrent depends on many factors such as spin, valley polarization, symmetry and Berry curvature, so it can reveal the fundamental physical properties of materials. In this review, we discuss the main mechanisms of circularly polarized photovoltaic effect in different material systems, including circularly polarized optical current caused by symmetry breakdown of Rashba spin-orbit coupling in semiconductor heterojunction, the electron momentum selection caused by Berry curvature and Pauli blocking in topological Weyl semimetals, and the valley polarization current generated by circularly polarized light in TMDC. Additionally, the recent progress of applications of circular photogalvanic effect is also presented.
Crash landing of Vibrio cholerae by MSHA pili-assisted braking and anchoring in a viscoelastic environment
Authors: Zhang Wenchao , Luo Mei , Feng Chunying , Liu Huaqing , Zhang Hong , Bennett Rachel R , Utada Andrew S , Liu Zhi , Zhao Kun
Published: July 2021

Mannose-sensitive hemagglutinin (MSHA) pili and flagellum are critical for the surface attachment ofVibrio cholerae, the first step ofV. choleraecolonization on host surfaces. However, the cell landing mechanism remains largely unknown, particularly in viscoelastic environments such as the mucus layers of intestines. Here, combining the cysteine-substitution-based labeling method with single-cell tracking techniques, we quantitatively characterized the landing ofV. choleraeby directly observing both pili and flagellum of cells in a viscoelastic non-Newtonian solution consisting of 2% Luria-Bertani and 1% methylcellulose (LB+MC). The results show that MSHA pili are evenly distributed along the cell length and can stick to surfaces at any point along the filament. With such properties, MSHA pili are observed to act as a brake and anchor during cell landing which includes three phases: running, lingering, and attaching. Importantly, loss of MSHA pili results in a more dramatic increase in mean path length in LB+MC than in 2% LB only or in 20% Ficoll solutions, indicating that the role of MSHA pili during cell landing is more apparent in viscoelastic non-Newtonian fluids than viscous Newtonian ones. Our work provides a detailed picture of the landing dynamics ofV. choleraeunder viscoelastic conditions, which can provide insights into ways to better controlV. choleraeinfections in a real mucus-like environment.
Genome-wide analysis of genetic diversity and artificial selection in Large White pigs in Russia
Authors: Bakoev Siroj , Getmantseva Lyubov , Kostyunina Olga , Bakoev Nekruz , Prytkov Yuri , Usatov Alexander , Tatarinova Tatiana V.
Published: July 2021

Breeding practices adopted at different farms are aimed at maximizing the profitability of pig farming. In this work, we have analyzed the genetic diversity of Large White pigs in Russia. We compared genomes of historic and modern Large White Russian breeds using 271 pig samples. We have identified 120 candidate regions associated with the differentiation of modern and historic pigs and analyzed genomic differences between the modern farms. The identified genes were associated with height, fitness, conformation, reproductive performance, and meat quality.
Preliminary Investigation of Whole Versus Sliced (Cut) Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Tubers Performance in Pankshin, North Central, Nigeria
Authors: Dayok S. T. , Gani A. T. , Fodim F. I.
Published: July 2021

Potato is a highly perishable crop and storage facilities for the crop are also limited. Consequently, to keep planting materials (seed) from the end of one cropping season to the beginning of another pose a great challenge to growers. This study was conducted during the 2019 cropping season in Pankshin, Plateau state, Northern Guinea savanna zone, Nigeria to compare the performance of whole seed tubers (T1) and slice seed tubers (T2) of potato. The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), each replicated thrice. Individual plots have a dimension of 3 m x 5 m with distance of 1 m between blocks and 0.5m between plots. Parameters evaluated were rate of plant germination from cultivated tubers, plant height and fresh yield.  The data were analysed using T – test. Results showed that there was no significant difference between whole seed potato and sliced tuber seed for all the parameters tested.  This study suggests that in areas where seed tubers are scarce, growers should cut there potato seed tubers to enable them have more seeds for planting. Storage facilities should be provided to farmers by government and spirited individuals or groups in order to reduce the high costs of seeds for planting.
EHMT1 knockdown induces apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in lung cancer cells by increasing CDKN1A expression
Authors: Lee Jinkwon , Kim Kwangho , Ryu Tae Young , Jung Cho‐Rok , Lee Moo‐Seung , Lim Jung Hwa , Park Kunhyang , Kim Dae‐Soo , Son Mi‐Young , Hamamoto Ryuji , Cho Hyun‐Soo
Published: July 2021

Dozens of histone methyltransferases have been identified and biochemically characterized, but the pathological roles of their dysfunction in human diseases such as cancer remain largely unclear. Here, we demonstrate the involvement of EHMT1, a histone lysine methyltransferase, in lung cancer. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that the expression levels of EHMT1 are significantly elevated in human lung carcinomas compared with non‐neoplastic lung tissues. Through gene ontology analysis of RNA‐seq results, we showed that EHMT1 is clearly associated with apoptosis and the cell cycle process. Moreover, FACS analysis and cell growth assays showed that knockdown of EHMT1 induced apoptosis and G1 cell cycle arrest via upregulation of CDKN1A in A549 and H1299 cell lines. Finally, in 3D spheroid culture, compared to control cells, EHMT1 knockdown cells exhibited reduced aggregation of 3D spheroids and clear upregulation of CDKN1A and downregulation of E‐cadherin. Therefore, the results of the present study suggest that EHMT1 plays a critical role in the regulation of cancer cell apoptosis and the cell cycle by modulating CDKN1A expression. Further functional analyses of EHMT1 in the context of human tumorigenesis may aid in the development of novel therapeutic strategies for cancer.
Flexible Ultrasonic Patch for Accelerating Chronic Wound Healing
Authors: Lyu Wenhan , Ma Yinji , Chen Siyu , Li Haibo , Wang Peng , Chen Ying , Feng Xue
Published: July 2021

Ultrasound treatment is an effective method for accelerating chronic wound healing. However, it is not widely used because traditional ultrasonic probes cannot be conformal to the wound surface, which leads to limitations of use and unstable treatment effects. In addition, the use of liquid coupling agent increases the chance of wound infection. A strategy is proposed to design and fabricate a flexible ultrasonic patch for treating chronic wounds effectively. The piezoelectric ceramic in the patch is discretized into several linearly arranged units, which are integrated on a flexible circuit substrate. A thin hydrogel patch is used as both encapsulation and coupling layer to avoid wound infection and ensure the penetration of ultrasound. The ultrasonic patch is soft, light, and can completely conform to the treatment area. Bending of the patch focuses the sound beams on the center of the bending circle, which achieves control of the target treatment area. Ultrasound treatment experiments are carried out on some type‐II diabetic rats. Immunohistochemical (IHC) results indicate that ultrasound accelerates wound healing by activating Rac1 in both dermal and epidermal layers. Treatment results show that wound treated with the ultrasound heals faster than wounds without. The healing time is shortened by ≈40%.
A Continuous Add‐On Probe Reveals the Nonlinear Enlargement of Mitochondria in Light‐Activated Oncosis
Authors: Wang Kang‐Nan , Shao Xintian , Tian Zhiqi , Liu Liu‐Yi , Zhang Chengying , Tan Cai‐Ping , Zhang Jie , Ling Peixue , Liu Fei , Chen Qixin , Diao Jiajie , Mao Zong‐Wan
Published: July 2021

Oncosis, depending on DNA damage and mitochondrial swelling, is an important approach for treating cancer and other diseases. However, little is known about the behavior of mitochondria during oncosis, due to the lack of probes for in situ visual illumination of the mitochondrial membrane and mtDNA. Herein, a mitochondrial lipid and mtDNA dual‐labeled probe, MitoMN, and a continuous add‐on assay, are designed to image the dynamic process of mitochondria in conditions that are unobservable with current mitochondrial probes. Meanwhile, the MitoMN can induce oncosis in a light‐activated manner, which results in the enlargement of mitochondria and the death of cancer cells. Using structured illumination microscopy (SIM), MitoMN‐stained mitochondria with a dual‐color response reveals, for the first time, how swelled mitochondria interacts and fuses with each other for a nonlinear enlargement to accelerate oncosis into an irreversible stage. With this sign of irreversible oncosis revealed by MitoMN, oncosis can be segregated into three stages, including before oncosis, initial oncosis, and accelerated oncosis.
Biodegradable and Peroxidase‐Mimetic Boron Oxynitride Nanozyme for Breast Cancer Therapy
Authors: Zeng Lula , Han Yuxin , Chen Zhiwei , Jiang Kang , Golberg Dmitri , Weng Qunhong
Published: July 2021

Nanomaterials having enzyme‐like activities are recognized as potentially important self‐therapeutic nanomedicines. Herein, a peroxidase‐like artificial enzyme is developed based on novel biodegradable boron oxynitride (BON) nanostructures for highly efficient and multi‐mode breast cancer therapies. The BON nanozyme catalytically generates cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals, which induce apoptosis of 4T1 cancer cells and significantly reduce the cell viability by 82% in 48 h. In vivo experiment reveals a high potency of the BON nanozyme for breast tumor growth inhibitions by 97% after 14‐day treatment compared with the control, which are 10 times or 1.3 times more effective than the inert or B‐releasing boron nitride (BN) nanospheres, respectively. This work highlights the BON nanozyme and its functional integrations within the BN nanomedicine platform for high‐potency breast cancer therapies.
Enhanced Efficiency and Stability of All‐Inorganic CsPbI2Br Perovskite Solar Cells by Organic and Ionic Mixed Passivation
Authors: He Jian , Su Jie , Lin Zhenhua , Ma Jing , Zhou Long , Zhang Siyu , Liu Shengzhong , Chang Jingjing , Hao Yue
Published: July 2021

All‐inorganic perovskites have been intensively investigated as potential optoelectronic materials because of their excellent thermal stability, especially for CsPbI2Br. Herein, the authors studied the effects of mixed passivation utilizing organic phenylethylammonium bromide and inorganic ionic cesium bromide (PEABr + CsBr) on the all‐inorganic perovskite (CsPbI2Br) solar cells for the first time. The treatment with different passivation mechanisms enhances the perovskite film quality, resulting in uniform surface morphology and compact film with low trap density. Besides, the passivation improves the energy level alignment, which benefits the hole extraction at the perovskite/HTL interface and drives the interface electron separation, suppressing the charge recombination and realizing a high open‐circuit voltage (Voc). Finally, the device represents a high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.70%, a Voc of 1.30 V, and an excellent fill factor (FF) of 0.82. The Voc loss and high FF should be among the best values for CsPbI2Br based devices. Furthermore, the treated devices exhibit remarkable long‐term stability with only 8% PCE loss after storing in a glove box for more than 1000 h without encapsulation.
Risk factors of post‐endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography pancreatitis among living‐donor liver transplant recipients with biliary complications
Authors: Espinosa Wendell , Chiu Yi‐Chun , Kuo Chung‐Mou , Liang Chih‐Ming , Lu Lung‐Sheng , Wu Cheng‐Kun
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study is to investigate the incidence of post‐ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography) pancreatitis (PEP) among living donor liver transplant (LDLT) recipients and the risk factors that may predispose to PEP. From December 2008 to August 2015, a total of 652 adult LDLT cases were performed at the Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. LDLT recipients with biliary complications undergoing ERCP treatment were recruited in this study. PEP was assessed by using established consensus criteria. Patient‐ and procedure‐related factors were collected and analyzed to investigate the association with PEP. A total of 62 (9.5%) patients developed biliary complications after LDLT and received 223 ERCP procedures. Initial ERCP treatments were successful in 58 (93.5%) patients, and 4 (6.5%) patients failing in biliary cannulation proceeded to rendezvous procedure successfully. Pancreatic duct (PD) injection had the highest incidence (23.5%) of PEP followed by a short interval between LT and ERCP (<12 weeks) (18.5%), creatinine >2 mg/dl (16.6%), initial ERCP (16.1%), precut EST (13.8%), EST (12.9%), and use of prednisone (8.9%). Univariate analysis showed that initial ERCP, precut EST, PD injection, a short interval between LT and ERCP, and use of prednisolone were associated with PEP. However, multivariate analysis revealed that only initial ERCP (OR 17.2, 95% CI 1.9–150.2) and PD injection (OR 5.4, 95% CI 1.2–24.7) were independent risk factors of PEP among LDLT recipients. LDLT recipients undergoing initial ERCP and PD injection of contrast during the procedure are at a high risk to develop PEP. Prophylactic strategies should be adopted especially in this subset of patients.
Enhancing thermal and dynamic‐mechanical properties of epoxy reinforced by amino‐functionalized microcrystalline cellulose
Authors: Motta Neves Roberta , Zattera Ademir José , Campos Amico Sandro
Published: July 2021

In this study, microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was chemically modified with 3‐(aminopropyl)triethoxysilane and added to epoxy to improve chemical, thermal and dynamic‐mechanical characteristics of the composites. The composites were manufactured aided by sonication with 1.0%, 2.5%, or 5.0% wt/wt of untreated MCC or amino‐functionalized MCC (MCC‐Si). The epoxy/MCC‐Si composites showed a decrease in the ─OH band by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction analysis indicated better dispersion. The incorporation of MCC‐Si in epoxy resin decreased the heat of reaction, increased activation energy values (Ea) and pre‐exponential factor (A), and did not affect thermal degradation. All conversion degree (α) versus temperature curves for the composites showed a sigmoidal shape. MCC‐Si composites showed better dynamic‐mechanical properties than the MCC counterparts, and the functionalization effect was evidenced in storage modulus (E') and loss modulus (E"). At 2.5% wt/wt of MCC‐Si content an increase of 119% in E' at the glassy region, 127% in E' at the rubbery region and 173% in E" was observed compared to the neat resin, whereas the Tg barely changed among samples. Good adhesion between the amino‐functionalized MCC and the epoxy matrix was observed at the fracture surface, evidencing that surface modification of MCC improves their chemical interaction.
Maternal antibodies to gliadin and autism spectrum disorders in offspring—A population‐based case–control study in Sweden
Authors: Gardner Renee M. , Samuelsson Ida , Severance Emily G. , Sjöqvist Hugo , Yolken Robert H. , Dalman Christina , Karlsson Håkan
Published: July 2021

While individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have higher levels of antibodies directed towards gliadin, a component of wheat gluten, no study has examined anti‐gliadin antibodies (AGA) in etiologically relevant periods before diagnosis. The objective of this study was to investigate if maternal levels of AGA, during pregnancy and at the time of birth, are associated with ASD in offspring. We analyzed AGA in archived neonatal dried blood spots (NDBS) for 921 ASD cases and 1090 controls, and in paired maternal sera collected earlier in pregnancy for a subset of 547 cases and 428 controls. We examined associations with ASD diagnoses as a group and considering common comorbidities (intellectual disability [ID] and attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder). We compared 206 cases to their unaffected siblings to examine the potential for confounding by shared familial factors. Odds of ASD tended to be lower among those with the highest levels (≥90th percentile) of AGA compared to those with low levels (<80th percentile; OR 0.78, 95% CI 0.56–1.09, measured in NDBS). This pattern was more apparent for ASD with comorbid ID when measured in NDBS (0.51, 0.30–0.87), with a similar trend in maternal sera (0.55, 0.24–1.29). High levels of AGA were similarly associated with lower odds of ASD in the sibling comparison. In summary, we found little association between maternal antibodies raised against components of gluten and risk of ASD in general. Exposure to high levels of AGA in the pre‐ and perinatal periods may be protective in terms of risk for ASD with ID.

Lay Summary

There is a debate among both scientists and community members as to whether an immune reaction to gluten exposure could be considered a cause of autism. We examined antibodies that are directed against gliadin, a part of gluten, in samples collected from pregnant mothers and their newborn babies. We did not see any major differences in the antibody level among those children diagnosed with ASD or their mothers compared to children who were not diagnosed with ASD. High levels of the antibodies were in fact associated with a somewhat lower risk of ASD with co‐occurring intellectual disabilities, though we cannot tell from this study why that might be the case.
Drug‐drug interaction between diclofenac and gamma‐hydroxybutyric acid
Authors: Rodriguez‐Cruz Vivian , Ren Tianjing , Morris Marilyn E.
Published: July 2021

Gamma hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) has been approved clinically to treat excessive daytime sleepiness and cataplexy in patients with narcolepsy, alcohol and opioid withdrawal, and as an anesthetic. The use of GHB clinically is limited due to its high abuse potential. The absorption, clearance and tissue uptake of GHB is mediated by proton‐dependent and sodium‐coupled monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs and SMCTs) and inhibition of these transporters may result in a change in GHB pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Previous studies have reported that non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may inhibit these monocarboxylate transporters. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to analyze the interaction between GHB (at a dose of 600 mg/kg i. v.) and the NSAID, diclofenac, by examining the effects of this drug on the in vivo pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in rat studies. The pharmacodynamic effect evaluated was respiratory depression, a measure of toxicity observed by GHB at this dose. There was an improvement in the respiratory rate with diclofenac administration suggesting an effect of diclofenac on GHB toxicity. In vitro studies with rat blood brain endothelial cells (RBE4) that express MCT1 indicated that diclofenac can inhibit GHB transport with an IC50 of 10.6 μM at pH 7.4. In vivo studies found a decrease in brain GHB concentrations and a decrease in the brain‐to‐plasma concentration ratio following diclofenac treatment. With this study we can conclude that diclofenac and potentially other NSAIDs can inhibit the transport of GHB into the brain, therefore decreasing GHB's pharmacodynamic effects and toxicity.
Probing the Effects of Acid Electrolyte Anions on Electrocatalyst Activity and Selectivity for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Authors: Zamora Zeledón José A. , Kamat Gaurav Ashish , Gunasooriya G. T. Kasun Kalhara , Nørskov Jens K. , Stevens Michaela Burke , Jaramillo Thomas F.
Published: July 2021

The local microenvironment at the electrode‐electrolyte interface plays an important role in electrocatalytic performance. Herein, we investigate the effect of acid electrolyte anion identity on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and selectivity of smooth Ag and Pd catalyst thin films. Cyclic voltammetry in perchloric, nitric, sulfuric, phosphoric, hydrochloric, and hydrobromic acid, at pH 1, reveals that Ag ORR activity trends as follows: HClO4>HNO3>H2SO4>H3PO4>HCl≫HBr, while Pd ORR activity trends as: HClO4>H2SO4>HNO3>H3PO4>HCl≫HBr. Moreover, rotating‐ring‐disk‐electrode selectivity measurements demonstrate enhanced 4e− selectivity on both Ag and Pd, by up to 35 %H2O2 and 10 %H2O2 respectively, in HNO3 compared to in HClO4. Relating physics‐based modeling and experimental results, we postulate that ORR performance depends greatly on anion‐related phenomena in the double layer, for instance competitive adsorption and non‐covalent interactions.
Comparing the Performance of Organic Solvent Nanofiltration Membranes in Non‐Polar Solvents
Authors: Merlet Renaud , Winnubst Louis , Nijmeijer Arian , Amirilargani Mohammad , Sudhölter Ernst J. R. , de Smet Louis C. P. M. , Salvador Cob Sara , Vandezande Pieter , Dorbec Matthieu , Sluijter Soraya , van Veen Henk , VanDelft Yvonne , Wienk Ingrid , Cuperus Petrus , Behera Subhalaxmi , Hartanto Yusak , Vankelecom Ivo F. J. , de Wit Patrick
Published: July 2021

Organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) is gradually expanding from academic research to industrial implementation. The need for membranes with low and sharp molecular weight cutoffs that are able to operate under aggressive OSN conditions is increasing. However, the lack of comparable and uniform performance data frustrates the screening and membrane selection for processes. Here, a collaboration is presented between several academic and industrial partners analyzing the separation performance of 10 different membranes using three model process mixtures. Membrane materials range from classic polymeric and thin film composites (TFCs) to hybrid ceramic types. The model solutions were chosen to mimic cases relevant to today's industrial use: relatively low molar mass solutes (330–550 Da) in n‐heptane, toluene, and anisole.
Language mapping functions: Improving softmax estimation and word embedding quality
Authors: Rangriz Emad , Pourahmadi Vahid
Published: July 2021

One of the best methods for estimating the softmax layer in neural network language models is the noise‐contrastive estimation (NCE) method. However, this method is not proper for word embedding applications compared with some other robust methods such as the negative sampling (NEG) method. The NEG method implements the pointwise mutual information (PMI) relation between the word‐context space in the neural network, and the NCE method implements conditional probability. Both the NCE and NEG methods use dot‐product‐based mapping to map words and contexts vector to the probabilities. This article presents the parametric objective function, which uses the mapping function as the parameter. Also, we obtained a parametric relation between word‐context space according to the mapping parameter. Using the parametric objective function, we identify conditions for a mapping that make it a proper selection for both softmax estimation and word embedding. The article also presents two specific mapping functions with the required conditions, and we compared their performance with that of the dot‐product mapping function. The performance of the new mapping functions is also reported over common word embedding and language models' benchmarks.
Interleukin‐1 pathway in active large vessel vasculitis patients with a poor prognosis: a longitudinal transcriptome analysis
Authors: Matsumoto Kotaro , Suzuki Katsuya , Yoshimoto Keiko , Ishigaki Sho , Yoshida Hiroto , Magi Mayu , Matsumoto Yoshihiro , Kaneko Yuko , Takeuchi Tsutomu
Published: July 2021

Objectives

Large vessel vasculitis (LVV) is characterised by a high relapse rate. Because accurate assessment of the LVV disease status can be difficult, an accurate prognostic marker for initial risk stratification is required. We conducted a comprehensive longitudinal investigation of next‐generation RNA‐sequencing data for patients with LVV to explore useful biomarkers associated with clinical characteristics.

Methods

Key molecular pathways relevant to LVV pathogenesis were identified by examining the whole blood RNA from patients with LVV and healthy controls (HCs). The data were examined by pathway analysis and weighted gene correlation network analysis (WGCNA) to identify functional gene sets that were differentially expressed between LVV patients and HCs, and associated with clinical features. We then compared the expression of the selected genes during week 0, week 6, remission and relapse.

Results

The whole‐transcriptome gene expression data for 108 samples obtained from LVV patients (n = 27) and HCs (n = 12) were compared. The pathway analysis and WGCNA revealed that molecular pathway related to interleukin (IL)‐1 was significantly upregulated in LVV patients compared with HCs, which correlated with the positron emission tomography vascular activity score, a disease‐extent score based on the distribution of affected arteries. Further analysis revealed that the expression levels of genes in the IL‐1 signalling pathway remained high after conventional treatment and were associated with disease relapse.

Conclusion

Upregulation of the IL‐1 signalling pathway was a characteristic of LVV patients and was associated with the extent of disease and a poor prognosis.