bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Proteinuria is associated with worse outcomes in babies born to mothers with preeclampsia: A retrospective cohort study at a tertiary referral hospital in Brazil
Authors: Alves Ferreira Ana Clara , dos Santos Guedes Samara Mirelly , Rodrigues Tamara Cristina Gomes Ferraz , Barbosa Priscila Oliveira , Cavalli Ricardo de Carvalho
Published: November 2024

To evaluate whether the presence of proteinuria, although no longer mandatory in the revised diagnostic criteria, results in worse maternal and fetal outcomes in preeclampsia (PE). A retrospective cohort study was conducted, analyzing data from pregnant patients diagnosed with PE between January 2015 and December 2019 at a tertiary care center in Brazil. Ethical approval was obtained, and the patient records were reviewed to assess maternal and perinatal outcomes based on the revised diagnostic criteria by the College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, focusing on the presence or absence of proteinuria. The study included 816 pregnant patients with PE, of whom 685 (83.9%) were diagnosed based on proteinuria. The revised criteria, which include indicators of organ damage, identified an additional 131 cases (16.4%). Analysis showed no significant differences in maternal outcomes between proteinuria and non‐proteinuria groups, including intensive care unit (ICU) admission, acute pulmonary edema (APE), HELLP syndrome, eclampsia, or C‐section rates. However, babies born to mothers with proteinuria PE experienced worse outcomes, including fetal growth restriction, low birth weight, ICU admission, and higher rates of preterm birth. Relative risk analysis demonstrated a high risk of babies being born with low birth weight, ICU admission, and being born preterm and very preterm in cases where proteinuria was present in mothers with PE. The presence of proteinuria is associated with significantly worse outcomes in babies born to mothers with preeclampsia, while no significant differences were observed in maternal outcomes.
Fluctuation of physical function during chimeric antigen receptor T‐cell therapy during rehabilitation intervention: Real‐world data and risk factor analyses
Authors: Hamada Ryota , Arai Yasuyuki , Kitawaki Toshio , Nakamura Naokazu , Murao Masanobu , Matsushita Michiko , Miyasaka Junsuke , Asano Tsugumi , Jo Tomoyasu , Nishikori Momoko , Kanda Junya , Mizumoto Chisaki , Yamashita Kouhei , Ikeguchi Ryosuke , Takaori‐Kondo Akifumi
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Patients undergoing chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy face prolonged treatment timelines and are prone to cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell‐associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) after infusion. Disabilities in physical function and the importance of rehabilitation during CAR‐T‐cell therapy to maintain physical function have been poorly documented.

Method

We performed a retrospective cohort study to assess changes in exercise tolerance via differences in a 6‐min‐walking distance (Δ6MWD) and factors influencing it.

Results

A total of 77 patients who underwent rehabilitation during CAR‐T‐cell therapy were enrolled, and their 6MWD was 450 m (median, range 180–705 m) before and 450.5 m (107.0–735.0 m) 30 days after CAR‐T treatment. No significant alteration in Δ6MWD was observed overall (11.0 m, 95% confidence interval, −56.1 to 88.2 m). Multiple regression analyses indicated that age (over vs. under 65 years) revealed no notable differences in Δ6MWD (20 vs. 10 m), while ΔHb (β = 0.24, p = 0.03), moderate/severe CRS (grade 1 with continuous fever or grade ≥2; β = −0.25, p = 0.03), and ICANS (any grade; β = −0.22, p = 0.04) were significantly associated with lower Δ6MWD.

Conclusion

This real‐world study indicated that CAR‐T‐cell therapy is less likely to reduce physical function even in older patients if rehabilitation is properly performed, whereas CRS and ICANS can be risk factors to deprive exercise tolerance.
Intravenous immunoglobulin‑based adjuvant therapy for severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome: A single‑center retrospective cohort study
Authors: Zhai Yu , Li Haopeng , Xia Peng , Jiang Yunfei , Tong Hanwen , Zhou Dongming , Jiang Chenxiao , Liu Yun , Wang Jun
Published: November 2024

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is frequently administered to patients with severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS), particularly those with severe manifestations, although its efficacy remains controversial. The study retrospectively analyzed the effects of IVIG administration on SFTS patients in both mild and severe groups. The primary outcome measure was 28‐day mortality. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) with propensity score was used to account for baseline confounders. A total of SFTS patients with complete data enrolled from January 1, 2015, to August 1, 2023. Death at 28 days occurred for 68 (17.5%) patients. By unadjusted analysis, no difference was observed for 28‐day mortality between the IVIG and non‐IVIG groups in both the mild and severe groups. Similar results were found by propensity score matching and by IPTW analysis. Although IVIG is frequently used as adjuvant therapy for severe SFTS patients, no significant association was observed between IVIG treatment and reduced mortality in this patient population.
A Climatological Analysis of Upper‐Level Velocity Potential Using Global Weather Reanalysis, 1959–2020
Authors: Stanfield Tyler J. , Ramseyer Craig Allen
Published: November 2024

Upper‐level (200 hPa) velocity potential (VP200) is useful in identifying areas of rising or sinking atmospheric motions on varying temporal scales (e.g., weekly, seasonal, interannual) especially in the global tropics. These areas are associated with enhancement (rising motion) or suppression (sinking motion) of tropical convection and subsequent weather phenomena dependent on these processes (e.g., tropical cyclones). This study employed commonly used global weather reanalysis datasets to calculate and compare VP200 on interannual through multidecadal temporal scales and quantify any differences that existed between them from 1959 to 2020 over four key regions of tropical variability (Equatorial Africa, Amazon Basin, Equatorial Central Pacific, and Equatorial Indonesia). To supplement this analysis, the highly correlated variables to VP200 of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) and daily precipitation rate were used and directly compared with independent OLR and precipitation datasets to determine the reanalysis' level of agreement with the independent data. The ECMWF ERA5 held the highest agreement to these data over all regions examined and was reasoned to have the highest confidence in accurately capturing the variability of VP200 fields for the study period. Confidence was decreased in the usefulness of the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis 1 as it consistently performed poorly over much of the study domain. The results of this study also emphasised the usefulness in ensemble‐based approaches to assess climate variability and understanding of potential biases and uncertainties that are inherent in these data sources.
Human Biomonitoring of Serum Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers by Supported Liquid Extraction and Gas Chromatography Coupled With Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Liu Miao , Jia Xiangyu , Peng Rongfei , Bai Zhijun , Yuan Jun , Tan Lei
Published: November 2024

This study aims to develop and validate a robust analytical method for the quantification of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in human serum using gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. We compared procedural blanks, recoveries, and operational convenience of liquid–liquid extraction and supported liquid extraction for the determination of serum PBDEs. We evaluated different extraction solvents for their effect on PBDE recoveries. Supported liquid extraction was selected for method validation due to its operational convenience. The method demonstrated satisfactory linearity, sensitivity, and reproducibility, with the range of 0.10–5.00 µg/L for most PBDE congeners and 0.20–10.0 µg/L for PBDE‐154 and PBDE‐183, with limits of detection ranging from 2 to 48 ng/L, and with matrix effects ranging from 94% to 113%. Quality control assessments indicated that recoveries ranged from 85% to 110% and relative standard deviations of less than 11%. The proposed method was applied to biomonitoring of 111 healthy adults, revealing detectable levels of PBDEs in over 90% of the samples. BDE‐47 and BDE‐183 were the most prevalent, with mean concentrations of 4.13 and 22.1 ng/L, respectively. Detection frequencies ranged from 0.90% for BDE‐17 and BDE‐85 to 25.2% for BDE‐47. Males had higher mean concentrations of BDE‐183 than females.
Systematic study on the hydrogen abstraction reactions from oxygenated compounds by H and HO2
Authors: Oppata Hiroki , Shimokuri Daisuke , Miyoshi Akira
Published: November 2024

To extend the rule‐based approach for hydrogen abstraction reactions from oxygenated compounds, a systematic investigation was performed to examine the reactivity of gas‐phase hydrogen abstraction reactions from alkyl groups (methyl and ethyl groups) bound to oxygen atoms in five types of oxygenated compounds (alcohols, ethers, formate esters, acetate esters, and carbonate esters) by H atoms and HO2 radicals comprehensively considering rotational conformers. Quantum chemical calculations were conducted at the CBS‐QB3 level for stationary points. Rate constants were determined employing conventional transition state theory (TST). For hydrogen abstraction reactions by H, the rotational conformer distribution partition function was employed to approximate partition functions, owing to the similarity in vibrational energy‐level structures among conformers. In hydrogen abstraction reactions by HO2, the vibrational structures of transition‐state (TS) conformers varied significantly due to the hydrogen bonding, leading to an inappropriate evaluation of rate constants when using the lowest‐energy conformer as a representative. Therefore, the rate constants were calculated by the multi‐structural TST. It was revealed that the differences in functional groups containing O atoms mainly affect the bond dissociation energies of the C–H bonds and the activation energies of hydrogen abstraction reactions only when the C atoms are adjacent to the O atoms. Additionally, it was found that hydrogen bonds formed in the TSs show minor effect on rate parameters for the overall rate constants, apart from the reduction of the pre‐exponential factors for the H‐abstraction reactions from the methylene position of ethyl groups. The comparison with the rate constants from previous studies showed reasonable results, indicating that the rate constants in this study, which thoroughly consider rotational conformers, can be the current best estimates.
Kinetic studies on the sulfathiazole degradation by activated persulfate with ascorbic acid and cysteine
Authors: Khan Zaheer , Al‐Thubaiti Khloud Saeed , Albishi Hayat M.
Published: November 2024

In this study, ascorbic acid (AA) and cysteine (Cys) were used as homogeneous potassium persulfate (S2O82−) activators. The efficiency of the S2O82−/AA and S2O82−/Cys systems was investigated to generate sulfate radicals (SO4−•) for the oxidation of sulfathiazole (STZ). The presence of AA and Cys displayed a promoting effect on the activation of S2O82−. The results indicated that the STZ/S2O82− redox reaction followed pseudo‐first order kinetics with respect to STZ concentrations. The oxidative degradation of STZ is accelerated by temperature, dose of S2O82−, AA, Cys, and pH with S2O82−/AA and/or S2O82−/Cys systems. The degradation rates of STZ followed the order S2O82−/AA > S2O82−/Cys > S2O82− under similar experimental conditions. The presence of SO4−• and HO• were tested with two radical scavengers, tertiary butanol (TBA) and ethanol, in which HO• was mainly responsible for STZ degradation at higher pH. In summary, S2O82−/AA and S2O82−/Cys systems might provide a potentially useful technique for remediation of water contaminants.
Models incorporating physical, laboratory and gut metabolite markers can be used to predict severe hepatic steatosis in MAFLD patients
Authors: Lin Yi‐Hsuan , Wang Ching‐Hsiang , Huang Yen‐Hsun , Shen Hsiao‐Chin , Wu Wei‐Kai , Yeh Hsiao‐Yun , Huang Chia‐Chang , Su Chien‐Wei , Yang Ying‐Ying , Wu Ming‐Shiang , Lin Han‐Chieh , Hou Ming‐Chih
Published: November 2024

Metabolic‐associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) induced‐severe hepatic steatosis poses significant health risks. Early prediction of this condition is crucial for prompt intervention. Short‐chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and tryptophan are gut metabolites correlated with MAFLD pathogenesis in the gut–liver axis. This study aims to construct prediction models for severe hepatic steatosis by including SCFAs and tryptophan metabolites. This study enrolled 83 participants from the outpatient department in 2023. Physical measurements, serum metabolic and inflammatory markers, metabolites of serum SCFAs and tryptophan were collected. Severe hepatic steatosis was diagnosed using vibration‐controlled transient elastography and abdominal sonography. All 40 (48.2%) participants diagnosed with severe hepatic steatosis had MAFLD, while approximately three‐quarters of those without severe hepatic steatosis had MAFLD. In comparison to the non‐severe hepatic steatosis group, individuals with severe hepatic steatosis exhibited higher levels of waist and arm circumference, serum triglyceride (TG), and lower levels of serum high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) and AST/ALT ratio. They also had higher serum levels of lipopolysaccharide‐binding protein, isovaleric acid, and propionic acid, and lower levels of 3‐methylvaleric acid, indole‐3‐propionic acid, and indoxyl sulfate. Models incorporating these markers predicted severe hepatic steatosis. One model additionally included waist circumference and triglyceride‐glucose index, while the other incorporated arm circumference and TG/HDL‐C ratio. The area under the curve reached 0.958 and 0.938, respectively (p < 0.001). SCFAs and tryptophan metabolites are valuable in predicting severe hepatic steatosis. Further research is needed to investigate the roles of these metabolites in MAFLD.
Morphology of Nasal Septal Deviation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea Patients and its Treatment Method
Authors: Miyamura Kosuke , Nakashima Daiki , Nakayama Tsuguhisa , Wada Kota , Capasso Robson , Chiba Shintaro
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Nasal septal deviation can cause nasal breathing issues, contribute to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) development, and often hinders successful CPAP therapy. We hypothesized that although prevalent in the general population, nasal septal deviations differ structurally between OSA and non‐OSA patients. This study evaluated nasal septal deviation morphology in OSA versus non‐OSA patients using computed tomography (CT).

Methods

We consecutively enrolled 128 adult patients undergoing septoplasty for nasal obstruction between April and September 2019. Seven with trauma/surgery history were excluded. Polysomnography was performed preoperatively for those with significant sleep complaints. Using identical preoperative sinus CTs routines, we measured anterior, superior, and posterior deviation angles, comparing OSA and non‐OSA groups.

Results

We studied 121 septoplasty patients (37 females, 84 males, mean age 45.73 ± 1.29 years), with 34 OSA and 87 non‐OSA. Anterior deviation angle was significantly greater in OSA (mean 9.1 ± 0.7°) versus non‐OSA (mean 6.5 ± 0.5°) groups (p = 0.001). However, no significant superior or posterior deviation differences existed between groups (p = 0.266 and 0.231, respectively). Multiple logistic regression showed anterior deviation as the only significant independent OSA predictive factor.

Conclusion

Among the nasal septal deviations, only the anterior deviation was associated with the presence of OSA. Thus, the selection of a surgical technique for anterior deviation is an important consideration in patients with OSA.

Level of Evidence

3 Laryngoscope, 2024
Lead‐free Halide Perovskites With ≈100% PLQY and Dual‐Color Emission for White Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Li Xiaoxi , Xia Mengling , Li Weiwei , Lu Ping , Zhang Xianghua , Xu Yinsheng
Published: November 2024

Lead‐free halide perovskites (LHP) have attracted extensive attention in the field of next‐generation solid‐state lighting. However, single perovskite phosphor with tunable white‐light emission and ultra‐high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) are rare. Here, the tunable dual‐color emission LHP phosphor is developed with a near‐unity PLQY of 99.5%. The LHP phosphor comprises Cs2NaInCl6: Sb3+/Bi3+ and Cs2InCl5·H2O: Sb3+/Bi3+ crystals, with the transition between these two perovskite structures being adjustable by the concentration of Na+. The addition of NaCl inhibits the hydrolysis of the [Sb(H2O)Cl5]2− octahedron, resulting in 3D connected [SbCl6]3− octahedron with less Jahn‐Teller distortion, and the PLQY of LHP is greater than 90%. Finally, the white‐light diode device is fabricated by assembling the LHP with a ultraviolet light‐emitting diode  chip and the white light‐emitting diode device achieved Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage color coordinates of (0.34, 0.33), correlated color temperature of 4936 K, and a high color rendering index of 92.9. The LHP perovskite exhibited multimodal luminescence when excited by 365, 335, and 310 nm UV light, showing the multi‐mode anti‐counterfeiting capabilities of the LHP crystals.
Achieving Luminous Efficiency Enhancement and Near‐Infrared Emission in Moisture‐Stable 0D Zinc‐Based Halides
Authors: Wang Wei , Zhang Xinyang , Liao Hanrui , Sun Jinxuan , Huang Xinru , Ju Haonan , Yang Hang , Cai Qingfeng , Su Fuyan , Zou Hua , Wei Yi , Li Guogang
Published: November 2024

Zero‐dimensional (0D) metal halides are attractive due to their structure‐dependent and tunable photoluminescence properties. Herein, a new 0D organic–inorganic hybrid Zn‐based halide, (C4H12N2)ZnBr4, featuring a long‐term stable crystal structure and moisture‐stable PL emission under various extreme conditions is reported. A strong electron–phonon coupling effect enables the Zn‐based halide to display highly efficient blue light at 472 nm with a large Stokes shift of 7385 cm−1. Intriguingly, heterovalent substitution of Cu+‐Zn2+ further enhances the photoluminescence quantum efficiency to 60% as the introduction of Cu+ effectively suppresses the nonradiative recombination process. Besides, the formation of twisted [SbBr4]− tetrahedra via Sb3+‐Zn2+ substitution help to achieve a broadband near‐infrared (NIR) emission (760 nm) with full width at half maxima (FWHM) of 203 nm, enabling the potential applications in night‐vision and nondestructive fruit damage inspection. Detailed structural and optical analyses are used to investigate the photophysical processes of different self‐trapped exciton (STE) emission for pristine and Cu+/Sb3+‐doped 0D metal halides. These findings advance the understanding of spectral regulation mechanism via heterovalent substitution and initiate more exploitation of luminescent metal halides for emerging applications.
Clickable Plastic Surfaces with Controllable Azide Surface Density
Authors: Amo Hikaru , Kanki Yusuke , Fujii Miku , Morita Kenta , Maruyama Tatsuo
Published: November 2024

This study investigates the surface functionalization of plastic substrates through dip‐coating in azide‐functionalized polymer solutions, followed by a click reaction (i.e., strain‐promoted azide–alkyne cycloaddition). Acrylic, poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and nylon substrates are dip‐coated with a series of polymers containing various azide groups grafted onto the poly(methyl methacrylate‐co‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate) backbone to examine structural effects on the surface density of clickable azide groups. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy confirm the subsequent click‐immobilization of cycloalkyne‐tagged fluorescein, which is quantified to calculate the surface density of clickable azide groups. Further investigations demonstrate that the surface density of azide groups can be controlled by manipulating the polymer ratio during dip‐coating, thus enabling the preparation of a linear surface gradient in terms of azide group density. Finally, the microcontact printing (µCP) method is employed to pattern the functionalized surfaces and quantify the functional molecules immobilized on the surface by µCP. This study highlights the adaptability of click chemistry and polymer coating techniques for the advanced functionalization of plastic surfaces for materials science and engineering applications.
Precise Control of Molecular Weight Characteristics of Charge‐Shifting Poly(2‐(N,N‐Dimethylamino)Ethylacrylate) Synthesized by Reversible Addition‐Fragmentation Chain Transfer Polymerization
Authors: Sivkova Radoslava , Konefal Rafal , Kostka Libor , Laga Richard , García‐Briones Gabriela S. , Kočková Olga , Pop‐Georgievski Ognen , Kubies Dana
Published: November 2024

Poly(2‐(N,N‐dimethylamino)ethyl acrylate) (PDMAEA) is a promising charge‐shifting polycation with the capacity to form a range of morphologically distinct polyelectrolyte assemblies. Nevertheless, the basic character of the monomer and its hydrolytic instability impedes its controlled synthesis to higher molecular weight (MW). Herein, the reversible addition‐fragmentation chain transfer polymerization of DMAEA is reported using a tert‐butanol/V70 initiator/trithiocarbonate‐based chain transfer agent (CTA) polymerization setup. The CTA instability is demonstrated in the presence of the unprotonated tertiary amino group of the DMAEA monomer, which limits the control over the conversion and MW of the polymer. In contrast, the shielding of the amino groups by their protonation leads to polymerization with high conversions and excellent control over MWs of polymer up to 100 000 g mol−1. Hydrolytic degradation study at pH values ranging from 5 to 9 reveals that both basic and protonated PDMAEA undergo a pH‐dependent hydrolysis. The proposed polymerization conditions provide a means of synthesizing PDMAEA with well‐controlled characteristics, which are beneficial for controlling the complexation processes during the formation of various polyelectrolyte assemblies.
Artificial Intelligence and the Development of “Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” Small‐ and Medium‐Sized Enterprises
Authors: Zhang Baizhen , Peng Biyu
Published: November 2024

“Specialized, Refined, Unique, and Innovative” (SRUI) enterprises are a crucial part of the national innovation system and play a significant role in enhancing national core competitiveness by leveraging strengths and addressing weaknesses. Given the limited quantitative analysis on the productivity of SRUI enterprises in the academic field, this paper constructs an enterprise‐level artificial intelligence index based on text analysis and machine learning. Using panel data from 2018 to 2022, we investigate the impact of artificial intelligence on the productivity of SRUI small‐ and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). The research findings indicate that (1) artificial intelligence significantly enhances the productivity of SRUI SMEs, and for each one standard deviation increase in artificial intelligence, the productivity level of SRUI enterprises will increase by 6.82%. (2) Mechanism tests reveal that artificial intelligence improves productivity by optimizing labor structure, improving labor resource allocation, stimulating endogenous motivation and innovation vitality within enterprises, and enhancing management level and investment efficiency. (3) Heterogeneity analysis indicates that at the regional level, artificial intelligence significantly boosts the productivity of enterprises with well‐developed network infrastructure and robust intellectual property protection systems. At the industry level, AI has a more pronounced effect on the productivity of technology‐intensive and competitive industries. Additionally, we also find that the impact of AI on productivity is more significant in enterprises with younger executive teams and executives with digital and intelligent education backgrounds. This study expands the research scope of productivity and provides valuable insights for the government to optimize digital economy policies and for enterprises to formulate digital innovation strategies.
The Use of Pedicular Arteriovenous Fistula (PAVF) in Microvascular Reconstruction to Enhance Flow Across the Microvascular Anastomoses
Authors: Odobescu Andrei , Basagaoglu Berkay , Dogaroiu Anca , Buntic Rudolph F , Zhang Andrew Y , Safa Bauback
Published: November 2024

Background

Free flap success rates have improved dramatically over the past three decades, setting a high standard for microvascular reconstruction. However, rates of arterial or venous thrombosis, and subsequent failure, remain high in burn and trauma reconstruction when compared to autologous breast reconstruction and other elective flaps. To address the higher failure rate, we use a novel vascular approach. We create a pedicular arteriovenous fistula (PAVF), allowing the flow to be enhanced across the microvascular anastomoses.

Methods

We performed a retrospective review of 13 consecutive patients with 14 free flaps who underwent PAVF creation by the first author, AO. All patients who required free tissue transfer for trauma and burn reconstruction were indicated for PAVF during this study period. The flaps in this study included ALT, fibula, parascapular, and partial latissimus. The perforator and pedicle for the flaps were dissected in the usual manner. Distal to the takeoff of the perforator to the flap, the pedicular artery and the larger of the accompanying veins were anastomosed to create the PAVF.

Results

Patients were followed for a mean of 171 days Thrombosis was a rare complication in the group with one venous thrombosis (n = 1, 7.14%) and no arterial thrombosis. The most common complication was return to the operating room n = 4 (28.57%), two of which secondary to hematomas (14.29%), one wound dehiscence and one venous thrombosis. This latter patient eventually had partial flap loss.

Discussion

We did not observe flap ischemia due to vascular steal, nor any venous congestion from pressurizing the venous outflow. As opposed to anticoagulation, flow enhancement aims to decrease the risk of thrombosis by reducing stasis. While further data is needed to compare the outcomes of venous enhanced flaps when compared to flaps treated prophylactically with anticoagulation, our initial data suggests that PAVF is a safe procedure and does not result in vascular steal or flap congestion.
The Sex Dependent and Independent Effects of Dietary Whey Proteins Are Passed from the Mother to the Offspring
Authors: Nilaweera Kanishka N. , Nychyk Oleksandr , McCarthy William , Moreira Luiza P. D. , Alabedallat Qusai M. , Purfied Deirdre , Doyle Jennifer , Cormican Paul , Santos Antonia , Yin Xiaofei , Tobin John , Speakman John R. , Berry Donagh , Brennan Lorraine , Cotter Paul D.
Published: November 2024

Scope

The study assesses the metabolic impact of dietary whey proteins across generations.

Method and results

Virgin females are fed 20% energy whey proteins with 70% energy carbohydrates, which reduces body weight gain and visceral adipose compared to controls fed dietary casein. In contrast, the males are unresponsive. The effect is accentuated in reproductive females that also have reduced plasma levels of glucose. The responsive females have increased cecal levels of pyruvic and lactic acid, suggesting a greater catabolism of carbohydrates in the gut. While the male and female offspring born to mothers on whey proteins continue to reduce body weight gain, the female offspring further decreases the visceral and subcutaneous tissues and increases the gut capacity to breakdown dietary carbohydrates and proteins, whereas the male offspring are able to only decrease the visceral and increase protein catabolism in the gut. The ileum of male mice responded by reducing the gene expression for fibroblast growth factor 15 and increasing the expression of chymotrypsinogen B1.

Conclusion

The effect of whey proteins on growth can be passed from the mother to the offspring without a sex preference, whereas the transmission of gut activity and adiposity are dependent on the sex of the offspring.
Quercetin Boosts Pulsatile Gonadotropin‐Releasing Hormone Release to Improve Luteal Function via Inhibiting NF‐κB/NLRP3‐Mediated Neuron Pyroptosis
Authors: Shang Yujie , Han Di , Deng Kun , Zhou Huifang , Wu Minghua
Published: November 2024

Scope: Luteal phase deficiency (LPD) is the main cause of infertility without an effective cure. Quercetin (QUE) is a bioactive flavonoid with antioxidant properties, while its role in treating LPD remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of QUE on infertility and menstrual disorders induced by LPD, thus further exploring the underlying mechanism.

Methods and results: Mifepristone‐induced rats are used to explore the protective effects of QUE against LPD. QUE stimulates the spontaneous secretion of progesterone to improve luteal function and endometrial receptivity in LPD rats by activating the kisspeptin/GPR54 system to facilitate the gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) pulsatility. Bioinformatics analysis reveals that the core mechanism of QUE in treating LPD is to attenuate the GnRH neuron pyroptosis by inhibiting the NF‐κB pathway, which is further verified in LPD rats and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐treated GT1‐7, as QUE significantly reduces the expression of key factors concerning NF‐κB pathway and NOD‐like receptor family pyrin domain‐containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome.

Conclusion: This study first proposes that neuron pyroptosis‐induced GnRH pulsatility disruption accounts for the pathogenesis of LPD, and QUE facilitates the pulse secretion of GnRH to boost the spontaneous progesterone secretion by inhibiting NF‐κB/NLRP3‐mediated neuron pyroptosis, which provides a new therapeutic target and strategy for LPD.
Lactobacillus fermentum MCC2760 Attenuates Heated Oil‐Induced Brain Oxidative Stress and Inflammation via Modulation of NRF2 and NF‐kB in Rats
Authors: Keremane Vyshali Ramesh , Yashwanthkumar Manasa Hassan , Uppin Vinayak , Halami Prakash , Talahalli Ramaprasad Ravichandra
Published: November 2024

Scope

Reusing deep‐fried oil is a common practice to cut costs, and their consumption may affect brain function. Hence, the study investigates the modulatory potential of Lactobacillus fermentum MCC2760 (LF) on heated oil‐induced brain oxidative stress (OS) and inflammation that may have a bearing on cognition in experimental rats.

Methods and results

Female Wistar rats are fed with diets containing native sunflower oil (N‐SFO), native canola oil (N‐CNO), heated sunflower oil (H‐SFO), heated canola oil (H‐CNO), heated sunflower oil with probiotic (H‐SFO + LF), or heated canola oil with probiotic (H‐CNO + LF} for 60 days. Compared to respective controls, heated oils significantly (p < 0.05) increased OS by decreasing antioxidant defense enzymes and nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (NRF2) activity. Further, heated oil elevates brain expression of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2), prostaglandin‐E receptor 4 (EP‐4), intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1), nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS‐2), followed by an increased production of proinflammatory eicosanoids (prostaglandin E2 [PGE2] and leukotriene B4 [LTB4]) and cytokines (tumor necrosis factor‐α [TNF‐α], monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 [MCP‐1], interleukin‐1β [IL‐1β], and interleukin‐6 [IL‐6]). The increased nuclear translocation of nuclear factor kappa beta (NF‐kB) in heated oil‐fed groups’ brains corroborates the heightened inflammatory response. Heated oils decrease neurotrophins and neuron development markers. However, administration of LF abrogates the heated oil‐induced alterations significantly (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

The present study is novel in demonstrating the protective role of probiotic LF against heated‐oil‐induced brain OS and inflammation in rats.
Solving Multi‐Term Time‐Fractional Diffusion Equations Using a High‐Order Fractional Finite Difference Scheme Accompanied by Neural Network Techniques
Authors: Mostajeran Farinaz , Hosseini Seyed Mohammad
Published: November 2024

This article is devoted to solving multi‐term time‐fractional diffusion equations with a high‐order finite difference scheme. We approximate the temporal fractional derivatives by the L1‐2‐3 formula, an expansion of the L1 formula with higher accuracy. We employ neural network strategies and automatic differentiation techniques for approximating integer‐order derivatives. In the present work, we propose very important lemmas and theorems to prove the unconditional stability and convergence of the proposed scheme. Extensive numerical experiments for one‐ and two‐dimensional problems, especially for curved boundaries, confirm the theoretical convergence orders. Comparisons with fractional physics‐informed neural networks and finite difference methods in solving the multi‐term time‐fractional diffusion equations demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method. It is also illustrated that the proposed scheme can efficiently and accurately extract the pattern of the solutions even when noise corruption up to ten percent is imposed on the forcing term.
Colonial management drives ecological change following the exclusion of Indigenous stewardship in a Stoney Iyethka montane grassland, Canadian Rocky Mountains
Authors: Schepens Gabriel , Seider Jordan H. , Wesley Barry L. , Mathews Darcy L. , Starzomski Brian M.
Published: November 2024

For millennia, Indigenous Peoples and their ecological stewardship have kept culturally important landscapes open, diverse and productive. Under colonization which suppresses stewardship activities, landscape vegetation patterns shift and areas previously stewarded by Indigenous Peoples are now undergoing successional change. As a case study, we document ecological change on the homelands of the Stoney Iyethka Nations in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, where landscapes have changed dramatically over the past century of colonial management.

On the Stoney Iyethka traditional montane Egnuck Wida grasslands, we analysed vegetation change on both the landscape and plot level. Using oblique photographs taken in 1924 paired with 2021 satellite imagery, we compared past and present landscape vegetation cover and assessed drivers of succession. We also examined differences in vegetation class cover and plant community structure between surveys conducted in 1981, 1995 and 2020.

Nearly half (47%) of the landscape surveyed showed seral progression in vegetation class, which was not explained by topography, geology or climate warming. Grassland area decreased four‐fold between 1924 and 2021. Grassland retention was strongly related to management zoning, with greater losses in the crown‐managed ecological reserve than on lands that remain under Stoney Iyethka stewardship.

Vegetation plots surveyed reveal changes to plant community composition and shifts in dominant vegetation class. In plots previously composed primarily of forbs and graminoids, shrubs have become the dominant groundcover. Declines in historic vegetation include a loss of culturally important food, medicine and ceremonial plants to the Stoney Iyethka Nations.

The most likely explanation for these results is the displacement of Indigenous Peoples and their stewardship from the landscape. We demonstrate that the past century of colonial environmental management has altered ecological processes maintained on this landscape for millennia by Indigenous Peoples.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
What about the negatives? An integrated framework for revealing diverse values of nature and its conservation
Authors: Oostvogels V. J. , Dumont B. , Nijland H. J. , de Boer I. J. M. , Ripoll‐Bosch R.
Published: November 2024

Taking into account the perspectives of local stakeholders is essential for just and effective biodiversity conservation. Plural valuation, making visible the diverse values people hold in relation to nature, has emerged as a key approach towards better inclusion of stakeholders' perspectives.

So far, plural valuation has mainly focused on positive values, leaving equally important negative values underexposed. To address this, a concrete proposal has been presented to also consider ‘disvalues’. However, accessible frameworks to help practitioners apply this concept are arguably still lacking.

To address this gap, we here propose the ‘Integrated Nature Futures Framework’ (I‐NFF), where ‘integrated’ indicates joint consideration of positive and negative values. The I‐NFF draws on the popular Nature Futures Framework (NFF) to develop disvalue thinking in a more accessible form.

The I‐NFF considers three perspectives (‘nature’, ‘society’ and ‘culture’), based on which something can be placed on a spectrum from positive (‘for nature’, ‘for society’ and ‘as culture’) to negative (‘against nature’, ‘against society’ and ‘in conflict with culture’), and can be represented as two mirrored triangles.

Using empirical data, we illustrate various purposes for which the I‐NFF can be used: to inventory nature‐related topics ‘at play’ in a given context, to depict how people frame their overall relationship with nature or to depict how people frame specific issues. This demonstrates how the I‐NFF helps reveal value pluralism and trade‐offs, capture the reciprocity of human–nature relationships and identify where perspectives differ and share common ground.

We close by discussing how the I‐NFF can enhance the inclusion of stakeholder voices in biodiversity conservation, which is indispensable for a more nature‐ and people‐positive future.

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A European, Observational, 3‐Year Cohort Comparative Study on the Safety of the Fixed Dose Combination Pravastatin 40 mg/Fenofibrate 160 mg vs. Statin Alone in Real Clinical Practice: The POSE Study
Authors: Papadopoulos Nikolaos , Arvaniti Eleni , Angelopoulos Theodoros , Tziomalos Konstantinos , Tembra Manuel Suarez , Diaz Jose Luis , De Niet Sophie , Da Silva Stéphanie , Doupis John
Published: November 2024

Background and Purpose

The aim of the study was to provide valuable real‐world long‐term safety data of the fixed pravastatin 40 mg/fenofibrate 160 mg combination in comparison of monotherapy with statins of moderate intensity.

Materials and Methods

POSE study was an observational, comparative study conducted in three European countries. Patients treated or planned to be treated with pravastatin 40 mg/fenofibrate 160 mg or with a moderate‐intensity statin in monotherapy were assessed over 3 years. The main safety endpoints included the incidence of renal or urinary disorder, musculoskeletal or connective tissue disorder, hepatobiliary disorder and cardiovascular events.

Results

The study included 3075 patients treated for dyslipidaemia, with diabetes mellitus (47%), hypertension (56%) and/or established cardiovascular disease (61%). Over the 3 years of follow‐up, the difference in incidence rate of safety events between the pravastatin 40 mg/fenofibrate 160 mg group and the statin group was not statistically significant (RR = 1.366 [95% CI = 0.967–1.929]). The most frequently occurring events were musculoskeletal and connective tissue disorders (AR = 0.030 in the pravastatin 40 mg/fenofibrate 160 mg group and 0.024 in the statin group), renal and urinary disorders (AR = 0.019 vs. 0.016, respectively) and aggravated diabetes mellitus (0.021 vs. 0.014). Most events occurred during the first year, then incidence decreased over the 3‐year period. No statistically significant difference was observed between treatment groups regarding the cardiovascular events (RR = 1.209 [95% CI = 0.596–2.453]) and no new signal emerged from the long‐term follow‐up.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates a reassuring long‐term safety profile of the fixed pravastatin 40 mg/fenofibrate 160 mg combination in routine clinical practice, with low and similar incidence of events over the 3 years follow‐up compared to a monotherapy with statins of moderate intensity.
Raman spectroscopy and imaging in bio and life sciences
Authors: Castelo‐Porta Antonio
Published: November 2024

Raman spectroscopy is a well‐known technique to study different materials and determine their chemical composition. It is based on the inelastic scattering of light and provides a unique spectrum for the sample under study. The advances in lasers and detectors, their combination with imaging systems and the discovery of new phenomena have expanded the use of this technique in several research fields. In the particular case of biology and life sciences, it has been used to provide chemical and compositional information on plant and animal tissues, cells, biofluids, etc., with the advantage that the presence of water molecules normally does not cause interference in the measured signal.
Resilient Event‐Triggered Control for Switched Systems With Reconstructed Switching Signals Under DoS Attacks
Authors: Li Fanfan , Sun Yuangong , Zhang Zhiqiang , Zhu Xingao
Published: November 2024

In this article, the resilient event‐triggered control issue for switched linear systems with the bounded disturbance is explored under the aperiodic denial‐of‐service (DoS) attacks. Unlike the discussions on asynchronous behavior caused by network transmission/DoS attacks, configure a copy of predictor at controller module to avert the negative impacts of asynchronous switching. Subsequently, by establishing a resilient event‐triggered strategy (RETS) to eliminate invalid sampling during DoS attacks intervals, the waste of network resources is reduced. Besides, a sufficient condition is derived to ensure the input‐to‐state stability (ISS) for the close‐loop switched systems under DoS attacks. The results indicate that the switched systems can resist a certain degree of DoS attacks under the average dwell time (ADT) constrained by DoS attacks frequency and duration. In addition, Zeno behavior is eliminated by calculating the lower bound of the triggering intervals. Finally, the availability of theoretical approach is verified through a numerical simulation.
Empirical Sandwich Variance Estimator for Iterated Conditional Expectation g‐Computation
Authors: Zivich Paul N. , Ross Rachael K. , Shook‐Sa Bonnie E. , Cole Stephen R. , Edwards Jessie K.
Published: November 2024

Iterated conditional expectation (ICE) g‐computation is an estimation approach for addressing time‐varying confounding for both longitudinal and time‐to‐event data. Unlike other g‐computation implementations, ICE avoids the need to specify models for each time‐varying covariate. For variance estimation, previous work has suggested the bootstrap. However, bootstrapping can be computationally intense. Here, we present ICE g‐computation as a set of stacked estimating equations. Therefore, the variance for the ICE g‐computation estimator can be consistently estimated using the empirical sandwich variance estimator. Performance of the variance estimator was evaluated empirically with a simulation study. The proposed approach is also demonstrated with an illustrative example on the effect of cigarette smoking on the prevalence of hypertension. In the simulation study, the empirical sandwich variance estimator appropriately estimated the variance. When comparing runtimes between the sandwich variance estimator and the bootstrap for the applied example, the sandwich estimator was substantially faster, even when bootstraps were run in parallel. The empirical sandwich variance estimator is a viable option for variance estimation with ICE g‐computation.
Triple‐Layered Noncombustible PEO‐Based Solid Electrolyte for Highly Safe Lithium‐Metal Batteries
Authors: Lim Heesoo , Chae Munseok S. , Jamal Hasan , Khan Firoz , Jeon Injun , Kim Jongmin , Kim Jae Hyun
Published: November 2024

Lithium‐metal batteries are currently recognized as promising next‐generation technologies owing to their high energy density. Solid polymer electrolytes, particularly those based on polyethylene oxide (PEO), are lauded for their leakage resistance, safety, and flexible design. Despite the ongoing fire safety‐ and ionic conductivity‐related concerns, a novel noncombustible solid polymer electrolytes with superior ionic conductivities are introduced here with additive decabromodiphenyl ethane and zeolite. To enhance the mechanical strength and ensure soft interactions at the electrode interface, a triple‐layer structure with self‐extinguishing properties and robust ionic conductivity is proposed. Notably, the softness at the electrode interface intensifies as the LiTFSI concentration increases; this higher concentration negatively impacts PEO crystallinity, enhancing the ionic conductivity owing to the presence of free Li+ and TFSI− ions. This novel electrolyte can achieve a conductivity of 1.5 mS cm−1 at 60 °C, maintain anodic stability up to 4.8 V, and exhibit flame retardancy. Furthermore, adding LiTFSI at 60% relative to PEO is shown to reduce LiF formation on the surface, enhancing anode stability. The [LiFePO4/triple‐layered electrolyte/Li] lithium‐metal batteries are capable of an initial capacity of 153 mAh g−1, sustained superior capacity retention of 87.9%, and high Coulombic efficiency (99.6%) over 1000 cycles at a 1C rate.
In Situ Optical Observation of Lithium Dendrite Pattern in Solid Polymer Electrolytes
Authors: Liu Jie , Song Ziyu , Yu Fengjiao , Armand Michel , Zhou Zhibin , Zhang Heng , Chen Yuhui
Published: November 2024

Solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs) have been treated as a viable solution to build high‐performance solid‐state lithium metal batteries (SSLMBs) at the industrial level, bypassing the safety and energy density dilemmas experienced by today's lithium‐ion battery technology. To promote a wider application of SPEs‐based SSLMBs, the chemical and electrochemical characteristics of lithium metal (Li°) electrode in SPEs have to be clearly elucidated. In this work, the morphological evolution of Li° electrode in the SPEs‐based SSLMBs is comprehensively investigated, via a customized electrochemical cell allowing optical microscopic analyses. The results demonstrate that differing from inorganic solid electrolytes, the elastic feature of SPEs eliminates the “memory effect” of the dendrite formation, in which the previously formed dendrites can be dissolved and the resulting space can be simultaneously occupied by electrolyte components, instead of leaving for a second‐round growth of Li° dendrites. Furthermore, the largely increased electronic conductivities of the as‐formed interphases between Li° electrode and SPEs are found to be responsible for the notoriously soft short‐circuit behavior observed during cycling. These findings bring a fresh understanding of the formation and evolution of lithium dendrites in SPE‐based cells, which are vital for improving the long‐term stability of SSLMBs and other related high‐energy battery systems.