bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MCFSA‐Net: A multi‐scale channel fusion and spatial activation network for retinal vessel segmentation
Authors: Li Rui , Li Zuoyong , Fan Haoyi , Teng Shenghua , Cao Xinrong
Published: November 2022

As the only vascular tissue that can be directly viewed in vivo, retinal vessels are medically important in assisting the diagnosis of ocular and cardiovascular diseases. They generally appear as different morphologies and uneven thickness in fundus images. Therefore, the single‐scale segmentation method may fail to capture abundant morphological features, suffering from the deterioration in vessel segmentation, especially for tiny vessels. To alleviate this issue, we propose a multi‐scale channel fusion and spatial activation network (MCFSA‐Net) for retinal vessel segmentation with emphasis on tiny ones. Specifically, the Hybrid Convolution‐DropBlock (HC‐Drop) is first used to extract deep features of vessels and construct multi‐scale feature maps by progressive down‐sampling. Then, the Channel Cooperative Attention Fusion (CCAF) module is designed to handle different morphological vessels in a multi‐scale manner. Finally, the Global Spatial Activation (GSA) module is introduced to aggregate global feature information for improving the attention on tiny vessels in the spatial domain and realizing effective segmentation for them. Experiments are carried out on three datasets including DRIVE, CHASE_DB1, and STARE. Our retinal vessel segmentation method achieves Accuracy of 96.95%, 97.57%, and 97.83%, and F1 score of 82.67%, 81.82%, and 82.95% in the above datasets, respectively. Qualitative and quantitative analysis show that the proposed method outperforms current advanced vessel segmentation methods, especially for tiny vessels.
“Do the Best You Can with Resources You Have to Offer”: Community stakeholder views on supporting immigrant families
Authors: Edwards Nicole Megan , Isik‐Ercan Zeynep , Lu Huan‐Tang , Fall Madjiguene , Sebti Latifa
Published: November 2022

First and second‐generation immigrant families of young children in the United States face potential challenges that may be mitigated with stakeholder support in their communities. We examined self‐reported views and behaviors among professionals (n = 76) working with families in a mid‐Atlantic urban community, and whether these views correlated with demographic factors. Over half of respondents were not able/willing to report the number of immigrant families served and over half believed immigrant parents are less likely to advocate for themselves or their child. Participants were fairly split in seeking advice from others and comfort in talking with immigrant families about their culture/needs. It is essential to assess stakeholders' views on perceived roles, roadblocks, and desired supports. This analysis informs efforts to work more collaboratively with community partners to improve outreach to immigrant families during those formative years in a child's development. Implications for research, practice, and policy are discussed.
Management of Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: Aumpan Natsuda , Mahachai Varocha , Vilaichone Ratha‐korn
Published: November 2022

Helicobacter pylori infection exhibits a wide disease spectrum ranging from asymptomatic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, to gastric cancer. H. pylori can induce dysbiosis of gastric microbiota in the pathway of carcinogenesis and successful eradication can restore gastric homeostasis. Diagnostic testing and treatment for H. pylori infection is recommended in patients with active or past history of peptic ulcer, chronic dyspepsia, chronic non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAID) or aspirin use, precancerous gastric lesions, gastric cancer, mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, family history of gastric cancer, family history of peptic ulcers, household family member having active H. pylori infection, iron deficiency anemia, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, or vitamin B12 deficiency. Recommended first‐line regimens for H. pylori eradication are classified according to clarithromycin resistance. In areas of high clarithromycin resistance (≥15%), we recommend 14‐day concomitant therapy or 14‐day bismuth quadruple therapy (BQT) as first‐line regimen. In areas of low clarithromycin resistance (<15%), we recommend 14‐day triple therapy or 14‐day BQT as first‐line treatment. Second‐line regimens are 14‐day levofloxacin triple therapy or 14‐day BQT if BQT is not previously used. For patients with multiple treatment failure, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) should be performed. If AST is not available, we recommend using antibiotics not previously used or for which resistance is unlikely, such as amoxicillin, tetracycline, bismuth, or furazolidone. High‐dose potent proton pump inhibitor or vonoprazan is recommended to achieve adequate acid suppression. Probiotics can be used as an adjuvant treatment to reduce the side effects of antibiotics and enhance eradication rate.
Combination therapy with chitosan/siRNA nanoplexes targeting PDGF‐D and PDGFR‐β reveals anticancer effect in breast cancer
Authors: Şalva Emine , Özbaş Suna , Alan Saadet , Özkan Naziye , Ekentok‐Atıcı Ceyda , Kabasakal Levent , Akbuğa Jülide
Published: November 2022

Background

Platelet derived growth factors (PDGF)‐D and the expression of its receptor increase in neoplastic progression of cancer. Co‐silencing of growth factor and receptor can be suggested as an important strategy for effective cancer therapy. In the present study, we hypothesized that suppression of PDGF‐D signaling pathway with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting both PDGF‐D and PDGF receptor (PDGFR)‐β is a promising strategy for anticancer therapy.

Methods

Chitosan nanoplexes containing dual and single siRNA were prepared at different weight ratios and controlled by gel retardation assay. Characterization, cellular uptake, gene silencing and invasion studies were performed. The effect of nanoplexes on breast tumor growth, PDGF expression and apoptosis was investigated.

Results

We have shown that downregulation of PDGF‐D and PDGFR‐β with chitosan/siRNA nanoplex formulations reduced proliferation and invasion in breast cancer cells. In the in vivo breast tumor model, it was determined that the intratumoral administration of chitosan/siPDGF‐D/siPDGFR‐β nanoplexes markedly decreased the tumor volume and PDGF‐D and PDGFR‐β mRNA and protein expression levels and increased apoptosis.

Conclusions

According to the results obtained, we evaluated the effect of PDGF‐D and PDGFR‐β on breast tumor development and showed that RNAi‐mediated inhibition of this pathway formulated with chitosan nanoplexes can be considered as a new breast cancer therapy strategy.
Dynamic salinity‐induced phase‐inversion conductivity measurements used to characterize alcohol ethoxylate based surfactant/oil/water systems
Authors: Lahasky Samuel H. , Barker Emily M. , Caixeta Guimarães Juliana , da Silva Salvato Rafael Caetano Jardim Pinto
Published: November 2022

Dynamic conductivity measurements proved to be an effective and rapid method to determine the optimal experimental conditions for a salinity‐induced phase‐inversion from surfactant/oil/water (SOW) systems consisting of nonionic surfactants, more specifically alcohol ethoxylates. This emerging methodology can be used as a rapid screening tool to determine the impact of alcohol ethoxylate surfactants in a SOW solution and was demonstrated to be not only repeatable, but highly comparable to the traditional static method, in which the solutions are added to flat bottom tubes and allowed to equilibrate at a given temperature for extended time periods. Given a set of experimental conditions (oil‐type, temperature, etc.), these dynamic salinity‐induced phase‐inversion (Dy‐SPI) conductivity measurements can be used to determine the optimal salinity (S*) for a given surfactant at a set concentration, as well as its characteristic curvature via a series of experiments with varying oil types. Additionally, Dy‐SPI was used to confirm the previously observed inverse relationship between the concentration of an alcohol ethoxylate and S* under a given set of conditions. What makes this method so unique is the amount of time (30 min to 1 h) and the simplicity of the equipment needed for these Dy‐SPI conductivity measurements, allowing for a rapid screening tool for these SOW parameters.
Open Questions that Can Bridge Intermolecular Interactions and Macroscopic Wetting/Dewetting Behaviors of Thin Films
Authors: Petek Evon S. , Katsumata Reika
Published: November 2022

Polymer films and coatings are ubiquitous in nanoscale applications where confined macromolecules experience greater interfacial effects, causing deviations from bulk material properties; however, the fundamental physics dictating their wetting behavior remains poorly understood. This review provides a perspective on thickness‐dependent surface wettability in thin polymer films characterized by critical thickness, where surface energy and contact angle measurements deviate from bulk values. In contrast with dewetting behaviors, which are well‐modeled by van der Waals (vdW) potentials to afford several nanometers of critical thickness, an unexpectedly large critical thickness of ≈100 nm is reported for thin polystyrene films via surface energy and contact angle measurements. This deviation in the critical thickness highlights an opportunity to modify the current theoretical understanding of the vdW potential model. In addition, possible explanations to interpret the long critical length scales are discussed: 1) challenges in sample preparations and contact angle measurements; 2) temperature dependence of surface energy; and 3) the cooperative nature of polymers. This review invites researchers to bridge the knowledge gap between macroscopic behaviors (e.g., wetting/dewetting) and molecular‐level understanding (e.g., vdW potentials) in polymer thin films.
Complete latticeability in vector‐valued sequence spaces
Authors: Botelho Geraldo , Luiz José Lucas P.
Published: November 2022

Using a technique due to Jiménez–Rodríguez, first we prove the complete latticeability of the set of disjoint non‐norm null weakly null sequences and of the set of disjoint non‐norm null regular‐polynomially null sequences in Banach lattices. Then we apply the mother vector technique to prove the complete latticeability of , which implies the complete latticeability of , where E is a Banach lattice and .
Social media engagement and real‐time marketing: Using net‐effects and set‐theoretic approaches to understand audience and content‐related effects
Authors: Santos Susana , Gonçalves Helena Martins , Teles Merícia
Published: November 2022

This study examines how various audience‐related variables and distinct real‐time marketing contents (i.e., predictable and unpredictable real‐time marketing) affect social media engagement. The relations are tested using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) and fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), with a convenience sample that was obtained via conducting three online consumer surveys for several different brands. The SEM findings show that intensity of social media usage, self‐brand congruence, and brand‐real‐time marketing moment congruence are all significant in explaining total engagement. Only self‐brand and brand‐moment congruence are relevant with predictable real‐time marketing content, whereas only brand‐moment congruence is significant with unpredictable real‐time marketing. On the other hand, the FsQCA findings show various conditional configurations for both the presence and absence of engagement in each content context, where the individual variables need to be combined with others. The results also show that brand‐moment congruence is more important to explain engagement with unpredictable content in comparison to other variables, and that differences thus exist with distinct content strategies. This research enriches engagement and real‐time marketing lit.erature and the findings can assist content managers in the selection of social media content and in building more profitable consumer‐brand relations.
Circular or angular? How nostalgia affects product shape preference
Authors: Gong Xiushuang , Zhang Honghong , Zhang Xiadan , Wang Yan
Published: November 2022

As an important marketing strategy, nostalgia marketing is widely used by enterprises to attract consumers and influence their decision‐making. Besides, feelings of nostalgia can be easily elicited in people's daily life and exert a great impact on them. Though the effect of nostalgia on consumer behavior has been extensively studied, whether and how nostalgia affects consumer preference for products with certain visual designs remain underexplored. Our research extends this domain by focusing on product shape preference as a new downstream consequence of nostalgia. Five studies (including one field experiment) demonstrate that nostalgia can increase consumer preference for circular‐shaped products, with social connectedness as the underlying driver. Moreover, the indirect effect of nostalgia on circular shape preference via social connectedness is moderated by consumers' current social connections, such that the effect holds true for consumers with a low number of current social connections but is eliminated for those with a high number of current social connections. Together, marketers seeking to increase the sales of circular‐shaped products may use nostalgic elements or cues in marketing campaigns.
Magnetic flux ruled surfaces
Authors: Bayram Ergin , Güler Fatma , Kasap Emin
Published: November 2022

There is a unique curve called striction curve that is not present on a surface except a ruled surface. This curve is defined as the shortest distance with the help of a common perpendicular line between two adjacent rulings. In this work, we present Lorentz forces and magnetic striction curves produced by the geodesic Frenet frame
on the striction curve of the ruled surface defined by the spherical indicatrix curve in a magnetic field. We calculate magnetic vector fields of magnetic striction curves for
, and
. Furthermore, we define magnetic flux surfaces constructed by magnetic vector fields along magnetic striction curves. We obtain developability conditions for these surfaces according to their curvature functions. Finally, we give some examples about magnetic flux surfaces.
Optimization and control for a DC microgrid
Authors: Ornelas‐Tellez Fernando , Ortiz‐Bejar Jose , Rico‐Melgoza J.Jesus , Esquivel Pedro
Published: November 2022

This article contributes with the development of an optimization and control scheme to profitably manage the energy of a microgrid composed of different energy resources. The proposed scheme presents the following two salient characteristics: first, the dynamics of the storage device are included in the optimization model to take advantage of its motion and energy storage capacity, and second, based on the optimization results, a distributed optimal nonlinear control strategy is synthesized to efficiently regulate the power flow into the microgrid components through power converters, where trajectory tracking for the controlled variables can be achieved. The considered microgrid in this article is composed of multiple components, which are associated with renewable power sources (solar, wind, etc.), energy storage devices (battery banks), loads, and the connection with the utility grid for exchanging energy. The optimization model includes the forecasting of available energy, energy prices, load profile, as well as the storage device dynamics of the storage device. Simulation results are presented to demonstrate the satisfactory operation of the microgrid and the performance of the power converters optimal controllers.
Labor Market Returns to MBAs From Less‐Selective Universities: Evidence From a Field Experiment During COVID‐19
Authors: Bennett Christopher T.
Published: November 2022

Master's degree enrollment and debt have increased substantially in recent years, raising important questions about the labor market value of these credentials. Using a field experiment featuring 9,480 job applications submitted during the early months of the COVID‐19 pandemic, I examine employers’ responses to job candidates with a Master of Business Administration (MBA), which represents one‐quarter of all master's degrees in the United States. I focus on MBAs from three types of less‐selective institutions that collectively enroll the vast majority of master's students: for‐profit, online, and regional universities. Despite the substantial time and expense required for these degrees, job candidates with MBAs from all three types of institutions received positive responses from employers at the same rate as candidates who only had a bachelor's degree—even for positions that listed a preference for a master's degree. Additionally, applicants with names suggesting they were Black men received 30 percent fewer positive responses than otherwise equivalent applicants whose names suggested they were White men or women, providing further evidence of racial discrimination in hiring practices.
Molecular dynamics and conduction mechanism of poly(vinyl chloride‐co‐vinyl acetate‐co‐2‐hydroxypropyl acrylate) terpolymer containing ionic liquid
Authors: Elmahdy Mahdy M. , Aldhafeeri Khalid A. , Ahmed Moustafa T. , Azzam Maged A. , Fahmy Tarek
Published: November 2022

Dielectric spectroscopy (DS) measurements were performed to probe the segmental dynamics and ion mobility of poly(vinyl chloride‐co‐vinyl acetate‐co‐2‐hydroxypropyl acrylate) terpolymer dopped with different amounts of tetrabutylammonium tetrafluoroborate ([TBA] [BF4]) ionic liquid (IL). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was also employed to trace the change in the glass transition temperature (Tg) at different loads of IL. The DSC measurements revealed a remarkable reduction in the PVVH Tg from 344 to 310 K just by adding 20 wt% of IL. The DS measurements revealed three relaxation processes named α, β1, and β2. The α‐process is related to the segmental motion of PVVH while the β1 and β2 are due to the restricted local dynamics of side chains. The segmental relaxation times (α‐relaxation) speed up with increasing the concentration of IL due to the plasticization effect of IL on polymer chains. The temperature dependence of α‐relaxation follows the Vogel‐Fulcher‐Tammann (VFT) relation with dynamic glass transition between 323 and 294 K in agreement with the DSC measurements. The β1 and β2‐relaxations have an Arrhenius temperature dependence. The temperature dependence of ionic conductivity obeys the VFT behavior indicating the coupling between the segmental motion of PVVH chains and ion transport. Polaronic tunneling is the predominant conduction mechanism in PVVH and its composites. The specific capacitance increases with increasing both the temperature and IL concentration.
Prenatal phenotype of FBXL4‐associated encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome‐13
Authors: Saini Neelam , Vijayasree Venkatapuram , Nandury Eshwar Chandra , Dalal Ashwin , Aggarwal Shagun
Published: November 2022

FBXL4 ‐associated encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome‐13 (MTDPS13) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by early neonatal onset of encephalopathy, seizures, lactic acidosis, hypotonia, dysmorphism, and severe global developmental delay. Prenatal phenotype of molecularly confirmed MTDPS13 has not been well studied.

This is the case report of a non‐consanguineously conceived fetus ascertained first at 20 weeks of gestation with multiple soft markers. Follow‐up fetal ultrasonogram at 26 weeks revealed periventricular cysts, periventricular echogenicity, ventriculomegaly, thin corpus callosum, mega cisterna magna, and large cavum. Fetal MRI confirmed these findings. Postnatally, the baby had clinical and biochemical findings indicative of a mitochondriopathy and died on neonatal day 3. Whole exome sequencing on stored amniotic fluid DNA confirmed the diagnosis of encephalomyopathic mitochondrial DNA depletion syndrome‐13 (MTDPS13). This report presents the prenatal phenotype of this rare mitochondriopathy, which has been recognized primarily in postnatal patients. The brain imaging findings in the reported fetus indicate that MTDPS13 is associated with progressive neurological involvement and brain tissue destructive changes starting as early as the second trimester of pregnancy. The case also raises concerns regarding the association of so‐called soft markers, which were the only initial finding in this case, with severe monogenic diseases.
Identification of regulatory variants of carboxylesterase 1 (CES1): A proof‐of‐concept study for the application of the Allele‐Specific Protein Expression (ASPE) assay in identifying cis‐acting regulatory genetic polymorphisms
Authors: Her Lucy , Shi Jian , Wang Xinwen , He Bing , Smith Logan S. , Jiang Hui , Zhu Hao‐Jie
Published: November 2022

It is challenging to study regulatory genetic variants as gene expression is affected by both genetic polymorphisms and non‐genetic regulators. The mRNA allele‐specific expression (ASE) assay has been increasingly used for the study of cis‐acting regulatory variants because cis‐acting variants affect gene expression in an allele‐specific manner. However, poor correlations between mRNA and protein expressions were observed for many genes, highlighting the importance of studying gene expression regulation at the protein level. In the present study, we conducted a proof‐of‐concept study to utilize a recently developed allele‐specific protein expression (ASPE) assay to identify the cis‐acting regulatory variants of CES1 using a large set of human liver samples. The CES1 gene encodes for carboxylesterase 1 (CES1), the most abundant hepatic hydrolase in humans. Two cis‐acting regulatory variants were found to be significantly associated with CES1 ASPE, CES1 protein expression, and its catalytic activity on enalapril hydrolysis in human livers. Compared to conventional gene expression‐based approaches, ASPE demonstrated an improved statistical power to detect regulatory variants with small effect sizes since allelic protein expression ratios are less prone to the influence of non‐genetic regulators (e.g., diseases and inducers). This study suggests that the ASPE approach is a powerful tool for identifying cis‐regulatory variants.
Trends of use and factors that determine the choice of oral anticoagulants in women and men with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Lenglet Aurélie , Qazi Jakub Z. , Boivin Proulx Laurie‐Anne , Legault Catherine , Dorais Marc , Perreault Sylvie
Published: November 2022

The aim was to identify sex‐specific factors linked with oral anticoagulant initiation in a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation using administrative data from Quebec (Canada) between 2014 and 2017. Cohort entry defined as new users, that is, no claims in last 12 months, a cohort of 32 050 patients was stratified in two groups, that is, women and men. Multivariable regression models were used to identify factors of initiations for low‐ and standard‐dose direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) versus warfarin, and low‐ versus standard‐dose DOACs. In both sexes, warfarin initiation decreased and DOAC initiation increased, with year of initiation as major factors of DOACs use. In 2017, the increase was of 2‐ to 4‐fold and 3‐ to 8‐fold for low‐ and standard‐dose DOACs (vs. warfarin), respectively. The proportion of patients starting on a low‐dose DOAC was higher in women than men. Older age for both sexes and CHADS2 score ≥2 (only women) were major factors of low‐dose dabigatran and rivaroxaban versus warfarin use. The only significant factor of standard‐dose DOAC versus warfarin use was age of 65–79 for women or men treated with apixaban by 1.8‐ and 1.4‐fold, respectively. Factors that made women and men less likely to receive a standard‐dose DOAC versus warfarin were higher CHADS2 (for dabigatran and rivaroxaban), HAS‐BLED and frailty scores, prior coronary disease, major bleeding, and chronic kidney disease (CKD) status. The choice of a low‐ versus standard‐dose DOAC was mainly driven by age and CKD, and higher CHADS2 score (for dabigatran and apixaban) for both sexes.
Flame behaviors and explosion characteristics of two‐phase propylene oxide/air mixture under different ambient pressures
Authors: Wan Hangwei , Wen Yuquan , Zhang Qi
Published: November 2022

Propylene oxide (PO) is widely used in fuel‐air explosives and pulse detonation engines. Based on computational fluid dynamics, the effects of ignition position, initial pressure, and mass concentration on the explosion characteristics of the PO/air mixture were studied by using a 20 L spherical container. The results showed that the ignition position had a significant effect on the flame structure. When the fuel cloud was ignited at the center, the flame structure experienced spherical, elliptical, and tulip shapes. The explosion time first decreased and then increased with the increase of ignition position, while the maximum explosion pressure decreased correspondingly. The maximum explosion pressure and the temperature had an inverted “U” correlation with concentration at normal pressure. However, the overpressure was insensitive to concentration in the negative pressure condition. The maximum flame temperature showed different flame behaviors under different initial negative pressures and cloud concentrations. This study provides a theoretical basis for understanding the explosion behaviors of PO/air mixture with different ignition positions and initial vacuum pressures, which is of great significance in preventing explosion accidents.
Antcin A, a phytosterol regulates SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein‐mediated metabolic alteration in THP‐1 cells explored by the 1H‐NMR‐based metabolomics approach
Authors: Dakpa Gyaltsen , Senthil Kumar Kanthasamy Jayabal , Tsao Nai‐Wen , Wang Sheng‐Yang
Published: November 2022

The mechanism of SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein‐mediated perturbations of metabolic pathways and modulation of antcin A, a steroid‐like compound isolated from Taiwanofungus camphoratus, are not studied. Here, we investigated the metabolic alteration by SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein and the regulatory effect of antcin A on SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein‐induced metabolic changes in the Phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA)‐induced human monocytes (THP‐1) using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) and MetaboAnalyst 5.0 software. The cytotoxic potential of SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein, antcin A, and dexamethasone was assessed by MTT assay. The metabolomic perturbations and their relation to human coronaviruses' receptors were evaluated by qPCR. This study indicated that the altered metabolites mediated by SARS‐CoV‐2 protein, such as methionine, phosphoenolpyruvic acid, canadine, glutamine, ethanolamine, and phenylalanine, were significantly reversed by antcin A. In addition, antcin A significantly inhibited SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein‐mediated up‐regulation of TLR‐4 and ACE2 receptors, while GRP78 inhibition was not statistically significant. This is the first study to use 1H‐NMR to investigate SARS‐CoV‐2 spike protein‐induced metabolomic changes in PMA‐induced THP‐1 cells. Antcin A significantly reversed metabolomic alters while dexamethasone failed to fix them. Therefore, we believe that antcin A could be a potential candidate for therapeutic agents for viral infections related to a metabolic abnormality.
Modeling interactions between trypanothione and antimony‐oxide clusters
Authors: Rabaâ Hassan , Grafov Andriy , Sundholm Dage
Published: November 2022

Interactions of antimony‐oxide clusters with trypanothione have been modeled to understand their inhibitory activity against leishmaniasis. Trypanothione is essential for the survival of leishmania parasites because it is responsible for maintaining their cellular thiol‐disulfide redox regulation. Density functional theory calculations show that SbV oxide clusters form hydrogen bonds from the hydroxyl groups to the amine and carboxyl groups of the trypanothione. The reaction between trypanothione and the SbV oxide cluster does not break the SS bond of trypanothione, whereas a reaction between trypanothione and an antimony‐oxide cluster containing one SbIII atom may lead to dissociation of the SS bond of the trypanothione suggesting that antimony‐oxide clusters with at least one SbIII atom can destroy trypanothione that is vital for the parasite metabolism.
Synthesis, Isolation, and Structural Study of Trifluoromethyl Derivatives of the IPR Isomer of C84 Fullerene, C84(11)(CF3)14,16,18
Authors: Tamm Nadezhda B. , Fritz Maria A. , Romanova Natalia A. , Markov Vitaliy Yu. , Goryunkov Alexey A. , Troyanov Sergey I.
Published: November 2022

C84 is the most abundant higher fullerene which is present in the arc‐discharge fullerene soot. Among 24 topologically possible IPR isomers of C84, two major isomers, C84(22) and C84(23), and several minor ones have been identified experimentally. We report the synthesis, isolation, and structure elucidation of trifluoromethyl derivatives of the most abundant minor isomer of C84, C84(11)(CF3)14,16,18. The experimentally determined addition patterns of altogether eight new compounds, four C84(11)(CF3)14, three C84(11)(CF3)16, and one C84(11)(CF3)18, are discussed in terms of the attachments in ribbons of para C6(CF3)2 hexagons and formation of stabilizing substructures of local aromaticity on the C2−C84(11) carbon cage. The general principles of multi addition of bulky CF3 groups are considered which are based on theoretical DFT calculations of formation energies of C84(11)(CF3)n isomers. Thus, trifluoromethylation pathways are now discussed in details for five different isomers of C84.
Molecular Structure and Antibacterial Activity of Degradation Products from Cephalexin Solutions Submitted to Thermal and Photolytic Stress
Authors: Lourenço Cecília , Souza Louise E. A. , Valêncio André , Machado Marcelo F. M. , Miranda Antonio , Silva Emerson R.
Published: November 2022

Cephalexin is a beta‐lactam antibiotic of the first generation of cephalosporins which is very effective against various bacterial infections. In this work, we investigate the structure and antibacterial activity of cephalexin solutions submitted to forced degradation under heat stress and photolytic irradiation. A combination of analytical techniques gathering LC/ESI‐MS and NMR spectroscopy allowed us to identify different chemical species amongst the byproducts, revealing that photolysis via UVA light leads to significant amounts of oxidized species that conserve the dihydrothiazine ring adjacent to the beta‐lactam ring. In contrast, thermodegradation induces the rupture of the bioactive moiety possibly with the production of cephalosporinic acid and deaminated species, which are inactive to bacteria. Microbiological analyses using E. coli as a model organism indicated that the antimicrobial capacity of samples submitted to thermolysis is suppressed while solutions submitted to irradiation with UVA light preserve their bactericidal power. Atomic force microscopy showed that cells incubated with photodegraded cephalexin are much longer than those incubated with the undegraded antibiotic, indicating that byproducts from photolysis inhibit septum formation and likely affect the action of penicillin‐binding protein 3 in the divisome of E. coli cells.
2D MXene‐Based Biosensing: A Review
Authors: Amara Umay , Hussain Iftikhar , Ahmad Muhmmad , Mahmood Khalid , Zhang Kaili
Published: November 2022

MXene emerged as decent 2D material and has been exploited for numerous applications in the last decade. The remunerations of the ideal metallic conductivity, optical absorbance, mechanical stability, higher heterogeneous electron transfer rate, and good redox capability have made MXene a potential candidate for biosensing applications. The hydrophilic nature, biocompatibility, antifouling, and anti‐toxicity properties have opened avenues for MXene to perform in vitro and in vivo analysis. In this review, the concept, operating principle, detailed mechanism, and characteristic properties are comprehensively assessed and compiled along with breakthroughs in MXene fabrication and conjugation strategies for the development of unique electrochemical and optical biosensors. Further, the current challenges are summarized and suggested future aspects. This review article is believed to shed some light on the development of MXene for biosensing and will open new opportunities for the future advanced translational application of MXene bioassays.
Critical Understanding of English Learners: Experience and Practice of Educators in a Professional Development Course
Authors: Dwomoh Razak , Osei‐Tutu Araba A. Z. , Chhikara Alankrita , Zhou Lili , Oudghiri Stephanie , Bell Troy
Published: November 2022

Studies over the years emphasize the need to foster critical cultural awareness among teachers in U.S. classrooms. Using a critical theoretical approach, we examined the critical cultural awareness of practicing teachers and educators' experiences with English Learners (ELs) and their preparedness to meet the needs of ELs through actionable plans from a professional development (PD) module. We argue that PD courses on critical theoretical perspectives on ELs are essential not just for EL professionals but for all educators who work with ELs in one way or the other. Sixty‐eight educators (teachers and school directors) in a midwestern community participated in the PD modular course, where they were exposed to various critical theories. The data include discussion responses and educators' critical theoretical reflections on ELs. In this article, we iterate the need to include critical theoretical EL education in teacher training preparation and professional development programs to support pre‐service teachers, in‐service teachers, and principals. The findings show that the impact of such critical awareness transforms teachers' and educators' perceptions about their respective roles in effectively educating ELs.
Antenatal corticosteroids and perinatal outcome in late fetal growth restriction: analysis of prospective cohort
Authors: Familiari A. , Napolitano R. , Visser G. H. A. , Lees C. , Wolf H. , Prefumo F. ,   the TRUFFLE‐2 feasibility study investigators
Published: November 2022

Objective

To evaluate the role of antenatal administration of corticosteroids for fetal lung maturation on the short‐term perinatal outcome of pregnancy complicated by late fetal growth restriction (FGR).

Methods

This cohort study was a secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective observational study, the TRUFFLE‐2 feasibility study, conducted between 2017 and 2018 in 33 European perinatal centers. The study included women with a singleton pregnancy from 32 + 0 to 36 + 6 weeks of gestation with a fetus considered at risk for FGR, defined as estimated fetal weight (EFW) and/or fetal abdominal circumference < 10th percentile, or umbilicocerebral ratio (UCR) ≥ 95th percentile or a drop of more than 40 percentile points in abdominal circumference measurement from the 20‐week scan. For the purposes of the current study, we identified women who received a single course of steroids to improve fetal lung maturation before delivery. Each exposed pregnancy was matched with one that did not receive antenatal corticosteroids (ACS) (control), based on gestational age at delivery and birth weight. The primary adverse outcome was a composite of abnormal condition at birth, major neonatal morbidity or perinatal death.

Results

A total of 86 pregnancies that received ACS were matched to 86 controls. The two groups were similar with respect to gestational age (33.1 vs 33.3 weeks), EFW (1673 vs 1634 g) and UCR (0.68 vs 0.62) at inclusion, and gestational age at delivery (35.5 vs 35.9 weeks) and birth weight (1925 vs 1948 g). No significant differences were observed between the exposed and non‐exposed groups in the incidence of composite adverse outcome (28% vs 24%; P = 0.73) or any of its elements.

Conclusion

The present data do not show a beneficial effect of steroids on short‐term outcome of fetuses with late FGR. © 2023 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Table understanding: Problem overview
Authors: Shigarov Alexey
Published: November 2022

Tables are probably the most natural way to represent relational data in various media and formats. They store a large number of valuable facts that could be utilized for question answering, knowledge base population, natural language generation, and other applications. However, many tables are not accompanied by semantics for the automatic interpretation of the information they present. Table Understanding (TU) aims at recovering the missing semantics that enables the extraction of facts from tables. This problem covers a range of issues from table detection in document images to semantic table interpretation with the help of external knowledge bases. To date, the TU research has been ongoing on for 30 years. Nevertheless, there is no common point of view on the scope of TU; the terminology still needs agreement and unification. In recent years, science and technology have shown a rapidly increasing interest in TU. Nowadays, it is especially important to check the meaning of this research problem once again. This article gives a comprehensive characterization of the TU problem, including a description of its subproblems, tasks, subtasks, and applications. It also discusses the common limitations used in the existing problem statements and proposes some directions for further research that would help overcome the corresponding limitations.

This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Text Mining

Algorithmic Development > Web Mining
Effects of Infantile Hypophosphatasia on Human Dental Tissue
Authors: Wölfel Eva Maria , von Kroge Simon , Matthies Levi , Koehne Till , Petz Karin , Beikler Thomas , Schmid-Herrmann Carmen Ulrike , Kahl-Nieke Bärbel , Tsiakas Konstantinos , Santer René , Muschol Nicole Maria , Herrmann Jochen , Busse Björn , Amling Michael , Rolvien Tim , Jandl Nico Maximilian , Barvencik Florian
Published: November 2022

Hypophosphatasia (HPP) is an inherited, systemic disorder, caused by loss-of-function variants of the ALPL gene encoding the enzyme tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP). HPP is characterized by low serum TNSALP concentrations associated with defective bone mineralization and increased fracture risk. Dental manifestations have been reported as the exclusive feature (odontohypophosphatasia) and in combination with skeletal complications. Enzyme replacement therapy (asfotase alfa) has been shown to improve respiratory insufficiency and skeletal complications in HPP patients, while its effects on dental status have been understudied to date. In this study, quantitative backscattered electron imaging (qBEI) and histological analysis were performed on teeth from two patients with infantile HPP before and during asfotase alfa treatment and compared to matched healthy control teeth. qBEI and histological methods revealed varying mineralization patterns in cementum and dentin with lower mineralization in HPP. Furthermore, a significantly higher repair cementum thickness was observed in HPP compared to control teeth. Comparison before and during treatment showed minor improvements in mineralization and histological parameters in the patient when normalized to matched control teeth. HPP induces heterogeneous effects on mineralization and morphology of the dental status. Short treatment with asfotase alfa slightly affects mineralization in cementum and dentin. Despite HPP being a rare disease, its mild form occurs at higher prevalence. This study is of high clinical relevance as it expands our knowledge of HPP and dental involvement. Furthermore, it contributes to the understanding of dental tissue treatment, which has hardly been studied so far.
Aetiology of long bone chronic osteomyelitis: an analysis of the current situation in one region in Egypt
Authors: Elsheikh Ahmed , Hashish Akram , Kamal Mai , El-Mohammadi Sayed , Ismael Yasser
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Chronic osteomyelitis (COM) is a devastating infection requiring a multidisciplinary approach, including radiology, microbiology, pathology, and orthopaedic surgery to treat. The present study analysed the bacterial profile causing chronic osteomyelitis and their antibiogram in our region.

Patients and methods

This prospective study was done on a consecutive group of patients who underwent surgical debridement for long bone COM. Three to six deep tissue samples were collected during the index debridement for microbiology and one sample for histopathology. Antimicrobial sensitivity testing used an automated bacterial identification system. Gram stain was used to identify the bacteria type from its size, shape, and arrangement of bacterial growth.

Results

Intra-operative deep tissue and bone specimens accurately identified causative bacteria in 84.8% of patients. Gram-ve bacilli (GNB) were the most common causative organisms in 51.6% of all growing samples (36.4% isolated G-ve and 15.2% mixed with G + ve). Thirty-three patients (30 males/three females) were included; the mean age at index debridement surgery was 37.1 years. Half of the cohort had no metalwork. The aetiology of COM was post-operative infection in half of the patients.

Conclusion

There may be concerning features in our patients’ aetiologies and causative organisms; closed fractures turn into COM postoperatively, several unsuccessful attempts, delayed index debridement, and more GNB. Plans need to be applied to break the cycle and improve outcomes.
The organizational reasons for wrongdoing. The case of Italy’s Superior Council of the Judiciary (CSM)
Authors: Catino Maurizio , Dallara Cristina , Rocchi Sara
Published: November 2022

Many scholars have highlighted the individual, organizational and inter-organizational causes of organizational wrongdoing; others have focused on its (negative) consequences or have analyzed how it can persist and spread between organizations. An underlining assumption shared by many of those studies is that organizational wrongdoing is a deviant, society-damaging phenomenon originating from individual and organizational actors’ pursuit of undue advantages. We argue that, at least in some cases, actors may also have “organizational reasons” for wrongdoing, besides self-interest. This article aims at analyzing the organizational reasons for wrongdoing in the CSM affair, a scandal that shed light on the deviant practices for career paths within the Italian judiciary system. By relying on documents and several semi-structured interviews to judges, public prosecutors, and experts in the field, we reconstructed actual practices for career advancement (extra-legal governance) and compared them with formal policies (legal governance). Our analysis shows that deviant practices were not merely occasional episodes of favoritism, but were part of an extra-legal governance system that involved virtually all of Italy’s judges. We also found that the CSM decoupled formal policies from actual practices to manage two organizational trade-offs – bureaucratic rules vs. efficiency, and independence vs. accountability. Therefore, besides individual gain, actors had two major “organizational reasons” for wrongdoing: first, they needed to cope with a lack of organizational capabilities and resources; second, they needed to address calls for greater accountability. In the light of our findings, we conclude with some considerations about organizational learning and the relation between law, organizations, and wrongdoing.
Unlocking the genetic control of spring wheat kernel traits under normal and heavy metals stress conditions
Authors: Mourad Amira M. I. , Eltaher Shamseldeen , Börner Andreas , Sallam Ahmed
Published: November 2022

Background and aims

Pb and Sn concentration increase rapidly due to the industrial revolution and cause a significant reduction in wheat production and productivity. Understanding the genetic control of Pb and Sn tolerance is very important to produce wheat cultivars that are tolerant to such metals.

Methods

Extensive genetic analyses using genome-wide association study, functional annotation, and gene enrichment were investigated in a set of 103 highly diverse spring wheat genotypes. Kernel traits such as kernel length (KL), kernel diameter (KD), kernel width (KW), and 1000-kernel weight (TKW) were measured under each metal as well as under controlled conditions.

Results

The GWAS identified a total of 131, 126, and 115 markers that were associated with kernel traits under Ctrl, Pb, and Sn. Moreover, the stress tolerance index (STI) for Pb and Sn was calculated and GWAS revealed 153 and 105 significant markers, respectively. Remarkably, one SNP Ku_c269_2643 located within TraesCS2A02G080700 gene model was found to be associated with KL under the three conditions. The results of gene enrichment revealed three, three, and six gene networks that have an association with the processes involved in kernel formation. The target alleles of all significant markers detected by GWAS were investigated in the most tolerant wheat genotypes to truly select the candidate parents for crossing in future breeding programs.

Conclusion

This is the first study that unlocked the genetic control of kernel yield under controlled and heavy metals conditions. Understanding the genetic control of kernel traits under heavy metals will accelerate breeding programs to improve wheat tolerance to Pb and Sn.
Local control comparison of early-stage non-melanoma skin Cancer (NMSC) treated by superficial radiotherapy (SRT) and external beam radiotherapy (XRT) with and without dermal image guidance: a meta-analysis
Authors: Yu Lio , Moloney Mairead , Tran Alison , Zheng Songzhu , Rogers James
Published: November 2022

Background

Various treatments exist for non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), but the mainstay is surgical removal. Superficial radiotherapy (SRT) is one non-surgical technique that has been used for over a century but fell out of favor due to the advent of Mohs micrographic surgery (MMS). A new technology that combines a 22 megahertz (MHz) dermal ultrasound with SRT (US-SRT) enables tumor visualization before, during, and after treatment, and demonstrates increased cure rates and reduced recurrences.

Methods

We conducted a meta-analysis comparing the local control (LC) of four studies using traditional non-image-guided forms of radiotherapy for NMSC treatment to two seminal studies utilizing high-resolution dermal ultrasound-guided SRT (HRUS-SRT). The four traditional radiotherapy studies were obtained from a comprehensive literature search used in an article published by the American Society of Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) on curative radiation treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and squamous cell carcinoma in-situ (SCCIS) lesions. The meta-analysis employed a logit as the effect size indicator with Q-statistic to test the null hypothesis.

Results

LC rates for the 2 US-SRT studies were statistically superior to the 4 traditional therapies individually and collectively. When stratified by histology, statistically superior outcomes for US-SRT were observed in all subtypes with p-values ranging from p < 0.0001 to p = 0.0438. These results validated an earlier analysis using a logistic regression statistical method showing the same results.

Conclusion

US-SRT is statistically superior to non-image-guided radiotherapies for NMSC treatment. This modality may represent the future standard of non-surgical treatment for early-stage NMSC.