bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Survival difference between secondary and de novo acute myeloid leukemia by age, antecedent cancer types, and chemotherapy receipt
Authors: Sedeta Ephrem , Jemal Ahmedin , Nisotel Lauren , Sung Hyuna
Published: January 2024

Background

This study compared the survival of persons with secondary acute myeloid leukemia (sAML) to those with de novo AML (dnAML) by age at AML diagnosis, chemotherapy receipt, and cancer type preceding sAML diagnosis.

Methods

Data from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 17 Registries were used, which included 47,704 individuals diagnosed with AML between 2001 and 2018. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to compare AML‐specific survival between sAML and dnAML. Trends in 5‐year age‐standardized relative survival were examined via the Joinpoint survival model.

Results

Overall, individuals with sAML had an 8% higher risk of dying from AML (hazard ratio [HR], 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–1.11) compared to those with dnAML. Disparities widened with younger age at diagnosis, particularly in those who received chemotherapy for AML (HR, 1.14; 95% CI, 1.10–1.19). In persons aged 20–64 years and who received chemotherapy, HRs were greatest for those with antecedent myelodysplastic syndrome (HR, 2.04; 95% CI, 1.83–2.28), ovarian cancer (HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.19–3.08), head and neck cancer (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.02–2.36), leukemia (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.12–1.89), and non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.20–1.69). Among those aged ≥65 years and who received chemotherapy, HRs were highest for those with antecedent cervical cancer (HR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.15–5.10) and myelodysplastic syndrome (HR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.19–1.38). The 5‐year relative survival improved 0.3% per year for sAML slower than 0.86% per year for dnAML. Consequently, the survival gap widened from 7.2% (95% CI, 5.4%–9.0%) during the period 2001–2003 to 14.3% (95% CI, 12.8%–15.8%) during the period 2012–2014.

Conclusions

Significant survival disparities exist between sAML and dnAML on the basis of age at diagnosis, chemotherapy receipt, and antecedent cancer, which highlights opportunities to improve outcomes among those diagnosed with sAML.
Deciphering stage 0 hematogones by flow cytometry in follow‐up bone marrow samples of pediatric B—Acute lymphoblastic leukemia cases: A potential mimicker of residual disease after anti CD19 therapy
Authors: Ramalingam Thulasi Raman , Vaidhyanathan Lakshman , Muthu Anurekha , Swaminathan Venkateswaran Vellaichamy , Uppuluri Ramya , Raj Revathi
Published: January 2024

CD19 is frequently targeted for immunotherapy in B cell malignancies, which may result in loss of CD19 expression in leukemic cells as an escape mechanism. Stage 0 hematogones (Hgs) are normal CD19‐negative very early B cell precursors that can be potentially mistaken for CD19 negative residual leukemic cells by flow cytometry (FCM) in B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (BCP‐ALL) cases treated with anti CD19 therapy. Our main objective was to characterize and study the incidence of stage 0 hematogones in follow‐up bone marrow samples of pediatric BCP‐ALL cases. We analyzed the flow cytometry standard files of 61 pediatric BCP‐ALL cases treated with conventional chemotherapy and targeted anti‐CD19 therapy, for identifying the residual disease and normal B cell precursors including stage 0 Hgs. A non‐CD19 alternate gating strategy was used to isolate the B cells for detecting the residual disease and stage 0 Hgs. The stage 0 Hgs were seen in 95% of marrow samples containing CD19+ Hgs. When compared with controls and posttransplant marrow samples, the fraction of stage 0 Hgs was higher in patients receiving anti CD19 therapy (p = 0.0048), but it was not significant when compared with patients receiving chemotherapy (p = 0.1788). Isolated stage 0 Hgs are found in samples treated with anti‐CD19 therapy simulating CD19 negative residual illness. Our findings aid in understanding the stage 0 Hgs and its association with CD19+ Hgs in anti CD19 therapy and conventional chemotherapy. This is crucial as it can be potentially mistaken for residual disease in patients treated with anti CD19 therapy.
An altered plasma lipidome–phenome network characterizes heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Jovanovic Nina , Foryst‐Ludwig Anna , Klose Christian , da Conceicao Cristina Rozados , Alasfar Lina , Birkner Till , Forslund Sofia K. , Kintscher Ulrich , Edelmann Frank
Published: January 2024

Aims

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a multifactorial, multisystemic syndrome that involves alterations in lipid metabolism. This study aimed to test whether distinct plasma lipid profiles or lipid entities or both are associated with clinical and functional echocardiographic parameters in HFpEF.

Methods and results

We examined the human plasma lipidome in HFpEF patients (n = 18) with left ventricular ejection fraction ≥50% and N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) >125 pg/mL and control subjects (n = 12) using mass spectrometry‐based shotgun lipidomics. The cohort included 8 women and 22 men with average age of 67.8 ± 8.6 SD. The control and disease groups were not significantly different with respect to age, body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and waist‐to‐hip ratio. The disease group experienced more fatigue (P < 0.001), had more often coronary artery disease (P = 0.04), and received more medications (beta‐blockers, P < 0.001). The disease group had significantly different levels of HFpEF‐relevant parameters, including NT‐proBNP (P < 0.001), left ventricular mass index (P = 0.005), left atrial volume index (P = 0.001), and left ventricular filling index (P < 0.001), and lower left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter (P = 0.014), with no difference in left ventricular ejection fraction. Significant differences in lipid profiles between HFpEF patients and controls could not be detected, including no significant differences in abundance of circulating lipids binned by carbon chain length or by double bonds, nor at the level of individual lipid species. However, there was a striking correlation between selected lipids with smoking status that was independent of disease status, as well as between specific lipids and hyperlipidaemia [with corresponding significance of either false discovery rate (FDR) <0.1 or FDR < 0.01]. In an exploratory network analysis of correlations, we observed significantly stronger correlations within the HFpEF group between individual lipids from the cholesterol ester and phosphatidylcholine (PC) classes and clinical/echocardiographic parameters such as left atrial volume index, left ventricular end‐diastolic diameters, and heart rate (FDR < 0.1). In contrast, the control group showed significantly stronger negative correlations (FDR < 0.1) between individual species from the PC and sphingomyelin classes and left ventricular mass index or systolic blood pressure.

Conclusions

We did not find significant direct associations between plasma lipidomic parameters and HFpEF and therefore could not conclude that any specific lipids are biomarkers of HFpEF. The validation in larger cohort is needed to confidently conclude the absence of first‐order associations.
Cardiac magnetic resonance‐based layer‐specific strain in immune checkpoint inhibitor‐associated myocarditis
Authors: Li Zheng , Zhao Rui , Wang Cong , Wang Yan , Lin Jinyi , Zhao Shihai , Chen Jiahui , Zhou Yuhong , Liu Tianshu , Wang Feng , Shu Xianhong , Zeng Mengsu , Cheng Leilei
Published: January 2024

Aims

To assess the different imaging characteristics between corticosteroid‐sensitive (CS) and corticosteroid‐refractory (CR) immune checkpoint inhibitor‐associated myocarditis (ICIaM) with cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) and the potential CMR parameters in the early detection of CR ICIaM.

Methods and results

Thirty‐five patients diagnosed with ICIaM and 30 age and gender‐matched cancer patients without a history of ICI treatment were enrolled. CMR with contrast was performed within 2 days of clinical suspicion. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) were assessed by CMR. LV sub‐endocardial (GLSendo) and sub‐epicardial (GLSepi) global longitudinal strains were quantified by offline feature tracking analysis. CS and CR ICIaM were defined based on the trend of Troponin I and clinical course during corticosteroid treatment. All 35 patients presented with non‐fulminant symptoms upon initial assessment. Twenty patients (57.14%) were sensitive, and 15 (42.86%) were refractory to corticosteroids. Compared with controls, 22 patients (62.86%) with ICIaM developed LGE. LVEF decreased in CR ICIaM compared with the CS group and controls. GLSendo (−14.61 ± 2.67 vs. −18.50 ± 2.53, P < 0.001) and GLSepi (−14.75 ± 2.53 vs. −16.68 ± 2.05, P < 0.001) significantly increased in patients with CR ICIaM compared with the CS ICIaM. In patients with CS ICIaM, although GLSepi (−16.68 ± 2.05 vs. −19.31 ± 1.80, P < 0.001) was impaired compared with the controls, GLSendo was preserved. There was no difference in CMR parameters between LGE‐positive and negative groups. LVEF, GLSendo, and GLSepi were predictors of CR ICIaM. When LVEF, GLSendo, and GLSepi were included in multivariate analysis, only GLSendo remained an independent predictor of CR ICIaM (OR: 2.170, 95% CI: 1.189–3.962, P = 0.012). A GLSendo of ≥−17.10% (sensitivity, 86.7%; specificity, 80.0%; AUC, 0.860; P < 0.001) could predict CR ICIaM in the ICIaM cohort. Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that in patients with impaired GLSendo of ≥−17.10%, cardiovascular adverse events (CAEs) occurred much earlier than in patients with preserved GLSendo of <−17.10% (Log‐rank test P = 0.017).

Conclusions

CR and CS ICIaM demonstrated different functional and morphological characteristics in different myocardial layers. An impaired GLSendo could be a helpful parameter in early identifying corticosteroid‐refractory individuals in the ICIaM population.
Assessment of the concordance between DN4 scores performed by the patient (self‐assessment) or by the physician (hetero‐assessment) to detect subacute neuropathic postoperative pain
Authors: Adam Frédéric , Chatellier Gilles , Alfonsi Pascal
Published: January 2024

Background

Centres dedicated to chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) have been developed, but delays for accessing to it are generally long. Teleconsultation might be a means to facilitate access to care by allowing an initial triage. CPSPs are neuropathic pain in around half of the cases and their diagnosis is mainly based on the score obtained from validated questionnaires. Among them, those requiring a neurological examination (i.e. the Douleur Neuropathique en 4 questions [DN4]) have a better sensitivity and specificity, and should be preferred. However, effectiveness of a remote neurological examination remains to be established. The aim of this observational study is to check during a face‐to‐face consultation if, after a short training, a naïve patient is capable to self‐assess the clinical signs of neuropathic sensations.

Methods

Thirty patients with suspected neuropathic pain were seen in a face‐to‐face postoperative pain consultation. Before examination, the patient was instructed to fill the DN4 questionnaire, including the neurological examination. Once explanations were given and checked, the patient was left and completed it alone. Then, the pain physician performed the DN4 questionnaire. Inter‐rater reliability between patient and pain physician was assessed for each item and for DN4 score with the Kappa coefficient.

Results

For each item of the DN4 questionnaire, Kappa coefficients were between 0.74 and 1, and could be considered as excellent. For DN4 ≥ 4, the Kappa coefficient was 0.86.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that after a short training, a naïve patient is capable of recognizing and diagnosing symptoms of neuropathic pain.

Significance

Our results suggest that self‐assessment, carried out after brief training and using a simple tool, provides results comparable to those obtained by a specialist physician to diagnose symptoms of neuropathic pain. If the results of the current study are confirmed on a larger scale, self‐assessment will help improve access to specialized chronic pain care by better orienting patients and opening up access to teleconsultations.
Bifidobacterium lactis Probio‐M8 prevents nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in high‐fat diet‐fed rats: The potential role in modulating gut microbiota
Authors: Fan Wen , Tang Kairui , Deng Yuanjun , Zheng Chuiyang , Pan Maoxing , Pi Dajin , Liang Zheng , Zhen Jianwei , Yang Qinhe , Zhang Yupei
Published: January 2024

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a major global health problem with few therapeutic options available so far. Accumulating evidence suggests that probiotics have beneficial effects on NAFLD by modulating gut microbiota. Bifidobacterium lactis Probio‐M8 (M8) is a new probiotic strain isolated from human breast milk. The aim of this study was to investigate whether M8 could protect against NAFLD in rats fed a high‐fat diet by modulating gut microbiota. In this study, rats were randomly distributed into four groups: normal diet (ND) group, normal diet plus M8 (ND+M8) group, high‐fat diet (HFD) group, and high‐fat diet plus M8 (HFD+M8) group. Ten weeks later, hepatic morphological changes and biochemical indicators were measured. 16S rDNA sequencing was applied to analyze the gut microbiota alterations. Our results showed that M8 administration effectively improved hepatic steatosis and liver damage in high‐fat diet‐fed rats. 16S rDNA analysis of gut microbiota indicated that M8 could modulate the gut microbiota composition, especially increasing Bifidobacterium and decreasing Bilophila, Lachnoclostridium, GCA‐900066225, and Phascolarctobacterium in high‐fat diet‐fed rats. In conclusion, our findings demonstrated that M8 could protect against NAFLD in rats fed a high‐fat diet, which may be attributed to the modulation of gut microbiota.
Effect of time interval between surgery and the initiation of adjuvant therapy on the oncologic outcomes of early‐stage endometrial cancer
Authors: Suphasynth Yuthasak , La‐Orpipat Thanawut , Saeaib Nungrutai , Janmunee Narumon , Jiamset Ingporn
Published: January 2024

Objective

To identify the impact of time interval between surgery and initial adjuvant radiotherapy on oncologic outcomes in early‐stage endometrial cancer.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study included patients with stage I/II endometrial cancer who underwent surgical staging and adjuvant therapy at Songklanagarind Hospital from January 1, 2007, to December 31, 2017. Patients were categorized into two groups: TI <6 weeks and TI ≥6 weeks. The effects of TI and clinicopathological factors on recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using Cox proportional‐hazards regression.

Results

In total, 177 patients were enrolled, with 52% receiving adjuvant radiotherapy at <6 weeks (overall median TI 5.7 weeks). The recurrence and death rates were 13% and 10.2%, respectively. The median follow‐up time was 46.6 months. The overall 3‐year RFS and OS rates were 88.2% and 85.2%, respectively. The TI significantly affected the 3‐year RFS (94.4% vs 81.2%; P = 0.008) and 3‐year OS (95.5% vs 83.2%; P = 0.012) in patients with TI <6 and ≥6 weeks, respectively. In multivariate analysis, the depth of myometrial invasion (MI), presence of lymphovascular space invasion, and TI were independent prognostic factors for both RFS and OS. Delaying the TI (≥6 weeks) was significantly associated with a worse RFS (hazard ratio [HR] 3.70; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.34–10.22; P = 0.012) and an inferior OS (HR 3.80; 95% CI: 1.23–11.69; P = 0.02).

Conclusion

A delay in the TI between surgery and the initiation of adjuvant radiotherapy of ≥6 weeks negatively affected the oncologic outcomes in early‐stage endometrial cancer.
Storage‐D: A user‐friendly platform that enables practical and personalized DNA data storage
Authors: Huang Xiaoluo , Cui Junting , Qiang Wei , Ye Jianwen , Wang Yu , Xie Xinying , Li Yuanzhen , Dai Junbiao
Published: January 2024

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) has been suggested as a very promising medium for data storage in recent years. Although numerous studies have advocated for DNA data storage, its practical application remains obscure and there is a lack of a user‐oriented platform. Here, we developed a DNA data storage platform, named Storage‐D, which allows users to convert their data into DNA sequences of any length and vice versa by selecting algorithms, error‐correction, random‐access, and codec pin strategies in terms of their own choice. It incorporates a newly designed “Wukong” algorithm, which provides over 20 trillion codec pins for data privacy use. This algorithm can also control GC content to the selected standard, as well as adjust the homopolymer run length to a defined level, while maintaining a high coding potential of ~1.98 bis/nt, allowing it to outperform previous algorithms. By connecting to a commercial DNA synthesis and sequencing platform with “Storage‐D,” we successfully stored “Diagnosis and treatment protocol for COVID‐19 patients” into 200 nt oligo pools in vitro, and 500 bp genes in vivo which replicated in both normal and extreme bacteria. Together, this platform allows for practical and personalized DNA data storage, potentially with a wide range of applications.
Impact of contact force on the lesion characteristics of very high‐power short‐duration ablation using a QDOT‐MICRO catheter
Authors: Yamaguchi Junji , Takigawa Masateru , Goya Masahiko , Martin Claire A. , Negishi Miho , Yamamoto Tasuku , Ikenouchi Takashi , Goto Kentaro , Shigeta Takatoshi , Kawamura Iwanari , Nishimura Takuro , Takamiya Tomomasa , Tao Susumu , Miyazaki Shinsuke , Sasano Tetsuo
Published: January 2024

Background

Lesion size is reported to become larger as contact force (CF) increases. However, this has not been systematically evaluated in temperature‐guided very high‐power short‐duration (vHPSD) ablation, which was therefore the purpose of this study.

Methods

Radiofrequency applications (90 W/4 s, temperature‐control mode) were performed in excised porcine myocardium with four different CFs of 5, 15, 25, and 35 g using QDOT‐MICRO™ catheter. Ten lesions for each combination of settings were created, and lesion metrics and steam‐pops were compared.

Results

A total of 320 lesions were analyzed. Lesion depth, surface area, and volume were smallest for CF of 5 g than for 15, 25, and 35 g (depth: 2.7 mm vs. 2.9 mm, 3.0 mm, 3.15 mm, p < .01; surface area: 38.4 mm2 vs. 41.8 mm2, 43.3 mm2, 41.5 mm2, p < .05; volume: 98.2 mm3 vs. 133.3 mm3, 129.4 mm3, 126.8 mm3, p < .01 for all pairs of groups compared to CF = 5 g). However, no significant differences were observed between CFs of 15–35 g. Average power was highest for CF of 5 g, followed by 15, 25, and 35 g (83.2 W vs. 82.1 W vs. 77.1 W vs. 66.1 W, p < .01 for all pairs), reflecting the higher incidence of temperature‐guided power titration with greater CFs (5 g:8.8% vs. 15 g:52.5% vs. 25 g:77.5% vs. 35 g:91.2%, p < .01 for all pairs except for 25 g vs. 35 g). The incidence of steam‐pops did not significantly differ between four groups (5 g:3.8% vs. 15 g:10% vs. 25 g:6.2% vs. 35 g:2.5%, not significant for all pairs).

Conclusions

For vHPSD ablation, lesion size does not become large once the CF reaches 15 g, and the risk of steam‐pops may be mitigated through power titration even in high CFs.
The effect of tenotomy, neurotomy, and dual injury on mouse rotator cuff muscles: Consequences for the mouse as a preclinical model
Authors: Gibbons Michael C. , Silldorff Morgan , Okuno Hiroshi , Esparza Mary C. , Migdal Christopher , Johnson Seth , Schenk Simon , Ward Samuel R.
Published: January 2024

A common animal model of muscle pathology following rotator cuff tear (RCT) is a tenotomy of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus, often combined with neurotomy of the suprascapular nerve, which induces a more robust atrophy response than tenotomy alone. However, the utility of this model depends on its similarity to human muscle pathology post‐RCT, both in terms of the disease phenotype and mechanisms of muscle atrophy and fatty infiltration. Given the clinical prevalence of nerve injury is low and the muscular response to denervation is distinct from mechanical unloading in other models, an understanding of the biological influence of the nerve injury is critical for interpreting data from this RCT model. We evaluated the individual and combined effect of tenotomy and neurotomy across multiple biological scales, in a robust time‐series in the mouse supraspinatus. Muscle composition, histological, and gene expression data related to muscle atrophy, degeneration–regeneration, fatty infiltration, and fibrosis were evaluated. Broadly, we found tenotomy alone caused small, transient changes in these pathological features, which resolved over the course of the study, while neurotomy alone caused a significant fatty atrophy phenotype. The dual injury group had a similar fatty atrophy phenotype to the neurotomy group, though the addition of tenotomy did marginally enhance the fat and connective tissue. Overall, these results suggest the most clinically relevant injury model, tenotomy alone, does not produce a clinically relevant phenotype. The dual injury model partially recapitulates the human condition, but it does so through a nerve injury, which is not well justified clinically.
Functional structure and diversity of marine benthos reflect food availability and quality, as evidenced by isotopic diversity
Authors: Szczepanek Marta , Silberberger Marc J. , Kędra Monika
Published: January 2024

Organic matter (OM) resources shape not only the trophic diversity of benthic communities but also the diversity of benthic functional traits. The resulting community structure has a direct effect on many ecosystem processes and functions. Still, the relationship between functional diversity of marine benthos and its trophic diversity in response to the variability of food remains poorly investigated. To explore this relationship we focused on the assessment of various facets of macrobenthic diversity in two temperate coastal areas (southern Baltic Sea) characterized by similar species pool and habitat properties but different OM sources and supplies. We also identified spatio‐temporal patterns of functional structure and assessed, which OM properties had the strongest influence on benthic communities. In our study, functional space dispersion followed isotopic space dispersion, reflecting the positive relationship between food variability and ecological functions of benthic communities. Moreover, functional structure in shallow areas was more location‐specific in comparison to deeper areas, and this was significantly related to OM parameters. Higher OM variability close to the river mouth prevented the community from becoming dominated by one specialized species, whereas limited OM supply at shallow open coast lowered the diversity by enabling stronger competitor to dominate the community. In more offshore areas, local OM variability ceased and hence, communities tended to reflect similar trophic and functional patterns. Our study demonstrates that functional and isotopic diversity approaches can be effectively combined to better understand mechanisms driving benthic community structure and confirm that greater variability in OM supply increases diversity of benthic communities.
Far‐Field Detection of Near‐Field Circular Dichroism Enhancements Induced by a Nanoantenna
Authors: Olmos‐Trigo Jorge , Sugimoto Hiroshi , Fujii Minoru
Published: January 2024

Nanophotonics can enhance the inherent weak signal exhibited by chiral molecules in circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy experiments. One mechanism to achieve this CD enhancement is based on increasing the optical chirality produced by nanophotonics antennas in their near‐field, where chiral molecules are placed. However, ascertaining whether this CD enhancement is reached presents significant experimental challenges due to the complexity of measuring near‐field optical chirality. Here, it is demonstrated that a local and single measurement of the degree of circular polarization in the far‐field enables quantifying near‐field CD enhancements. Thereby, based on this far‐field measurement, the optimal response of the antenna is predicted for enhanced chiral sensing. Experimental validation of this near‐to‐far‐field relation is provided for silicon spherical nanoantennas. The experimental results, supported by analytical theory and exact numerical simulations, can be interesting for the experimental characterization of devices capable of enhancing CD from a single far‐field Stokes measurement.
The combination of inorganic phosphate and pyrophosphate 31P‐NMR for the electrodeless pH determination in the 5–12 range
Authors: Carta Paola , Scorciapino Mariano Andrea
Published: January 2024

Potentiometry is the primary pH measurement method, but alternatives are sought beyond glass electrodes operative limitations. In nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) experiments, electrodeless pH sensing is important to track changes along titrations, during chemical reactions or inside compartmentalized environments inaccessible to electrodes, for instance. Although several interesting NMR pH indicators have been already presented, the potential of inorganic phosphate is overlooked, despite its common presence in NMR samples as the buffer main component. Its use for electrodeless pH determination can be expanded by exploiting all its three proton dissociations. This study was aimed at verifying the use of inorganic phosphate 31P chemical shift to sense pH variations, and at exploring the complementary use of pyrophosphate ions to cover a wide pH range. A simple set of equations is presented to utilize both phosphate and pyrophosphate 31P chemical shift in combination for accurate pH determination without a glass electrode over the 5–12 pH range, and without affecting the spectrum of other nuclei. The present study demonstrated an average deviation of 0.09 (maximum <0.2) pH unit from glass electrode measurements. The trimethylphosphate can be used as a suitable chemical shift reference for both 31P and 1H (also 13C), with its hydrolysis being significant only at pH > 12. The method was also demonstrated by determining the pKa of three distinct molecules in a mixture and by comparing the results to those obtained when the glass electrode was used to measure the pH. The approach shown here can be easily tuned to different experimental conditions.
Evaluation of in vitro and in vivo digestibility of potential feed ingredients for juvenile Yellowtail Snapper
Authors: Barreto Alvaro , Arenas Martín , Álvarez-González Alfonso , Suárez-Bautista Jaime , Sánchez Adolfo , Maldonado Carlos , Cuzon Gerard , Gaxiola Gabriela
Published: January 2024

Objective

The carnivorous Yellowtail Snapper Ocyurus chrysurus has the potential for production in aquaculture. However, there is a lack of studies investigating the digestibility of ingredients needed to formulate balanced diets for this species.

Methods

The in vitro protein digestibility of fish meal (FM), poultry by-product meal (PBM), poultry meal (PM), protiblend, canola meal (CM), soybean meal, and wheat gluten was evaluated using the pH-stat technique. The in vivo digestibility was determined by formulating test diets with a 70:30 ratio of the reference diet and the test ingredients.

Result

In terms of in vitro digestibility, FM, PBM, and PM exhibited the highest degree of hydrolysis (DH). Conversely, PBM displayed the lowest apparent digestibility coefficient of protein (ADCprotein) in the in vivo digestibility test. Meanwhile, FM, PM, and CM demonstrated higher values of protein digestibility. Beta regression between ADCprotein and the DH and ash content of the ingredients resulted in a high correlation (R2 = 0.94).

Conclusion

The results of the present study indicate that Yellowtail Snapper efficiently digested and absorbed FM, PM, and CM ingredients, which contain a lower content of ash.
Improving prenatal diagnosis through standards and aggregation
Authors: Duyzend Michael H. , Cacheiro Pilar , Jacobsen Julius O. B. , Giordano Jessica , Brand Harrison , Wapner Ronald J. , Talkowski Michael E. , Robinson Peter N. , Smedley Damian
Published: January 2024

Advances in sequencing and imaging technologies enable enhanced assessment in the prenatal space, with a goal to diagnose and predict the natural history of disease, to direct targeted therapies, and to implement clinical management, including transfer of care, election of supportive care, and selection of surgical interventions. The current lack of standardization and aggregation stymies variant interpretation and gene discovery, which hinders the provision of prenatal precision medicine, leaving clinicians and patients without an accurate diagnosis. With large amounts of data generated, it is imperative to establish standards for data collection, processing, and aggregation. Aggregated and homogeneously processed genetic and phenotypic data permits dissection of the genomic architecture of prenatal presentations of disease and provides a dataset on which data analysis algorithms can be tuned to the prenatal space. Here we discuss the importance of generating aggregate data sets and how the prenatal space is driving the development of interoperable standards and phenotype‐driven tools.
Examining biomarkers of stress over the process of teaching among teachers of English as a foreign language
Authors: Nejad Ali Mansouri , Mahfoodh Omer Hassan Ali
Published: January 2024

This study examines stress biomarkers over the process of teaching and their associations with demographics, emotions, and mental health of 56 English as Foreign Language teachers. Participating teachers were invited to complete a questionnaire packet and provide saliva samples over three‐time points (i.e., before, during, and end of teaching). Afterward, the saliva samples were assayed for cortisol and α‐amylase as stress biomarkers. The results showed a significant change in the concentrations of cortisol and α‐amylase over the teaching process. In addition, being female, younger, more educated, and having more teaching experience were significantly associated with a higher level of α‐amylase, particularly before and during class time, thereby reflecting a greater level of stress. However, emotions and general mental health were not significantly associated with cortisol and α‐amylase over time. The findings highlighted the changes of biomarkers over the process of teaching and their relationships with other variables.
Effect of cold plasma treatment and plasma‐activated water on physicochemical and structural properties of starch: A green and novel approach for environmental sustainability
Authors: Gupta Rakesh Kumar , Guha Proshanta , Srivastav Prem Prakash
Published: January 2024

Starch is a crucial part of the human dietary regimen. Still, its restricted water solubility, low viscosity, and weak heat stability are unfavorable physicochemical characteristics that restrict its use in food applications. So, in the 21st century, green and novel technologies such as cold plasma technology (CPT) and plasma‐activated water (PAW) have been employed for starch modification to improve the starch's physicochemical, digestibility, functional, structural, and thermal properties. This article provided an in‐depth evaluation of the use of cold plasma intervention in starch systems. Moreover, starch was modified due to cross‐linking, plasma etching, and depolymerization mechanisms mediated by plasma species. We may conclude that CPT and PAW are substitute methods for changing starch characteristics.
Zn12O12 Cluster‐Based Materials with Enhancing Visible Light Absorption by Doping Alkaline Earth Metal Atoms: A First‐Principles Prediction
Authors: Wang Peixian , Song Bin , Zhao Gaoling
Published: January 2024

Zinc oxide (ZnO) is a promising semiconductor material in the field of photocatalysis due to its excellent electronic and optical properties. Due to its wide bandgap, ZnO cannot absorb visible light, which limits its photocatalytic performance. The current research is mainly to reduce the bandgap of wurtzite ZnO by doping different atoms, so as to enhance its visible light absorption, but the effect is limited. Under the framework of first‐principles calculation, three alkaline earth metal elements, Be, Mg, and Ca, are selected to dope the low‐energy sites in the cavities of Zn12O12 cluster‐assembled material (SOD type) with single and double atoms, respectively (equivalent to the doping concentration of 8.3% and 16.7%) using a combination of geometric optimization and molecular dynamics, and a stable new semiconductor material with direct bandgap less than 1 eV is obtained, which has excellent light absorption properties in the visible region. In addition, the reason for the bandgap reduction of doped materials is revealed by analyzing the energy band structures and the density of states. This work provides a new idea for the development of new photocatalytic material based on ZnO.
Mulberry Leaf Lipid Nanoparticles: a Naturally Targeted CRISPR/Cas9 Oral Delivery Platform for Alleviation of Colon Diseases
Authors: Ma Lingli , Ma Ya , Gao Qiang , Liu Shengsheng , Zhu Zhenhua , Shi Xiaoxiao , Dai Fangyin , Reis Rui L. , Kundu Subhas C. , Cai Kaiyong , Xiao Bo
Published: January 2024

Oral treatment of colon diseases with the CRISPR/Cas9 system has been hampered by the lack of a safe and efficient delivery platform. Overexpressed CD98 plays a crucial role in the progression of ulcerative colitis (UC) and colitis‐associated colorectal cancer (CAC). In this study, lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) derived from mulberry leaves are functionalized with Pluronic copolymers and optimized to deliver the CRISPR/Cas gene editing machinery for CD98 knockdown. The obtained LNPs possessed a hydrodynamic diameter of 267.2 nm, a narrow size distribution, and a negative surface charge (−25.6 mV). Incorporating Pluronic F127 into LNPs improved their stability in the gastrointestinal tract and facilitated their penetration through the colonic mucus barrier. The galactose end groups promoted endocytosis of the LNPs by macrophages via asialoglycoprotein receptor‐mediated endocytosis, with a transfection efficiency of 2.2‐fold higher than Lipofectamine 6000. The LNPs significantly decreased CD98 expression, down‐regulated pro‐inflammatory cytokines (TNF‐α and IL‐6), up‐regulated anti‐inflammatory factors (IL‐10), and polarized macrophages to M2 phenotype. Oral administration of LNPs mitigated UC and CAC by alleviating inflammation, restoring the colonic barrier, and modulating intestinal microbiota. As the first oral CRISPR/Cas9 delivery LNP, this system offers a precise and efficient platform for the oral treatment of colon diseases.
Nitrogen and Sulfur Co‐Doped Carbon‐Coated Ni3S2/MoO2 Nanowires as Bifunctional Catalysts for Alkaline Seawater Electrolysis
Authors: Fan Xiaocheng , Li Bei , Zhu Chunling , Yan Feng , Zhang Xitian , Chen Yujin
Published: January 2024

Bifunctional catalysts have inherent advantages in simplifying electrolysis devices and reducing electrolysis costs. Developing efficient and stable bifunctional catalysts is of great significance for industrial hydrogen production. Herein, a bifunctional catalyst, composed of nitrogen and sulfur co‐doped carbon‐coated trinickel disulfide (Ni3S2)/molybdenum dioxide (MoO2) nanowires (NiMoS@NSC NWs), is developed for seawater electrolysis. The designed NiMoS@NSC exhibited high activity in alkaline electrolyte with only 52 and 191 mV overpotential to attain 10 mA cm−2 for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), respectively. Significantly, the electrolyzer (NiMoS@NSC||NiMoS@NSC) based on this bifunctional catalyst drove 100 mA cm−2 at only 1.71 V along with a robust stability over 100 h in alkaline seawater, which is superior to a platinum/nickel‐iron layered double hydroxide couple (Pt||NiFe LDH). Theoretical calculations indicated that interfacial interactions between Ni3S2 and MoO2 rearranged the charge at interfaces and endowed Mo sites at the interfaces with Pt‐like HER activity, while Ni sites on Ni3S2 surfaces at non‐interfaces are the active centers for OER. Meanwhile, theoretical calculations and experimental results also demonstrated that interfacial interactions improved the electrical conductivity, boosting reaction kinetics for both HER and OER. This study presented a novel insight into the design of high‐performance bifunctional electrocatalysts for seawater splitting.
3D Pathways Enabling Highly‐Efficient Lithium Reservoir for Fast‐Charging Batteries
Authors: Han Sang A , Suh Joo Hyeong , Kim Junyoung , Park Sungmin , Jeong Won Ung , Shimada Yusuke , Kim Jung Ho , Park Min‐Sik , Dou Shi Xue
Published: January 2024

Enhancing the mobility of lithium‐ions (Li+) through surface engineering is one of major challenges facing fast‐charging lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). In case of demanding charging conditions, the use of a conventional artificial graphite (AG) anode leads to an increase in operating temperature and the formation of lithium dendrites on the anode surface. In this study, a biphasic zeolitic imidazolate framework (ZIF)‐AG anode, designed strategically and coated with a mesoporous material, is verified to improve the pathways of Li+ and electrons under a high charging current density. In particular, the graphite surface is treated with a coating of a ZIF‐8‐derived carbon nanoparticles, which addresses sufficient surface porosity, enabling this material to serve as an electrolyte reservoir and facilitate Li+ intercalation. Moreover, the augmentation in specific surface area proves advantageous in reducing the overpotential for interfacial charge transfer reactions. In practical terms, employing a full‐cell with the biphasic ZIF‐AG anode results in a shorter charging time and improved cycling performance, demonstrating no evidence of Li plating during 300 cycles under 3.0 C‐charging and 1.0 C‐discharging. The research endeavors to contribute to the progress of anode materials by enhancing their charging capability, aligning with the increasing requirements of the electric vehicle applications.
21.2% GaAs Solar Cell Using Bilayer Electron Selective Contact
Authors: Raj Vidur , Haggren Tuomas , Mayon Yahuitl Osorio , Jagadish Chennupati , Tan Hark Hoe
Published: January 2024

GaAs remains one of the crucial materials for solar cell applications as it boasts the world's highest efficiency single‐junction solar cells. However, their high cost limits their widespread terrestrial applications. Traditional GaAs solar cells require a complex stack of doped junctions, which can only be grown using epitaxy, which is a very costly technique. Herein, a nonepitaxial bilayer of ZnO and TiO2 as electron‐selective contact is studied. It is shown that a bilayer selective contact can achieve very high performance through interface band engineering and a reduction of the barrier for electron transfer. 21.2% efficient solar cells is achieved, with Voc of 1.04 V, Jsc of 26.13 mA cm−2, and a fill factor of 77.8%. The Voc reported in the article is comparable to the highest Voc reported for substrate‐based GaAs solar cells of 1.075 V. An experimental loss analysis shows that the device is mainly limited by series and shunt resistance and reflection losses, both of which can further be minimized by optimization of the fabrication process. The results presented will be very useful for the further development of cheaper GaAs solar cells, whereas the bilayer selective contact concept can be implemented for other kinds of solar cells.
Analytical and computational analysis of vibrational behavior of axially loaded beams placed on elastic foundations
Authors: Alahmadi Hani , Nawaz Rab , Kanwal Gulnaz , Alruwaili Abdulmohsen
Published: January 2024

In this study, the vibrational behavior of Rayleigh and shear beams placed over the Hetényi and Pasternak foundations is investigated, with special attention paid to the effects of axial stresses (both tensile and compressive). The uniqueness of the work comes from the thorough consideration of how axial forces, shear deformation, rotational inertia, and foundation factors affect the eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes that control beam vibrations. Eigenfrequencies and eigenmodes are determined through computational analyses with the Galerkin finite element method (GFEM) employing quadratic and cubic polynomials. Comparisons between finite element results and analytical outcomes, both in generalized and specialized contexts, serve to demonstrate the correctness and effectiveness of the approximate solution. The study shows that the Hetényi foundation's influence on eigenfrequency depends on foundation stiffness and relative beam magnitudes, and that shear deformation affects eigenfrequencies more than rotary inertia does. Higher frequencies are largely unaffected by compressive and tensile stresses, but the fundamental frequency is rigorously influenced. Further demonstrating its accuracy, the finite element approach shows great agreement in forecasting eigenmodes and eigenfrequencies. A variety of real‐world situations involving elastically confined beams resting on elastic foundations and being subjected to axial forces are the focus of the study. Axial forces commonly result from external loads, thermal expansion, or structural interactions in real‐world settings. Therefore, it is crucial to understand how they affect beam vibration when designing structures that can endure expected stresses and vibrations while maintaining safety and performance criteria.
Back to heterotic strings on ALE spaces. Part II. Geometry of T-dual little strings
Authors: Del Zotto Michele , Liu Muyang , Oehlmann Paul-Konstantin
Published: January 2024

Abstract

This work is the second of a series of papers devoted to revisiting the properties of Heterotic string compactifications on ALE spaces. In this project we study the geometric counterpart in F-theory of the T-dualities between Heterotic ALE instantonic Little String Theories (LSTs) extending and generalising previous results on the subject by Aspinwall and Morrison. Since the T-dualities arise from a circle reduction one can exploit the duality between F-theory and M-theory to explore a larger moduli space, where T-dualities are realised as inequivalent elliptic fibrations of the same geometry. As expected from the Heterotic/F-theory duality the elliptic F-theory Calabi-Yau we consider admit a nested elliptic K3 fibration structure. This is central for our construction: the K3 fibrations determine the flavor groups and their global forms, and are the key to identify various T-dualities. We remark that this method works also more generally for LSTs arising from non-geometric Heterotic backgrounds. We study a first example in detail: a particularly exotic class of LSTs which are built from extremal K3 surfaces that admit flavor groups with maximal rank 18. We find all models are related by a so-called T-hexality (i.e. a 6-fold family of T-dualities) which we predict from the inequivalent elliptic fibrations of the extremal K3.
Tibial plateau fracture morphology based on injury force mechanism is predictive for patient-reported outcome and conversion to total knee arthroplasty
Authors: Assink Nick , Vaartjes Thijs P. , Bosma Eelke , van Helden Sven H. , ten Brinke Joost G. , Hoekstra Harm , IJpma Frank F. A.
Published: January 2024

Purposes

The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between injury mechanism–based fracture patterns and patient-reported outcome as well as conversion rate to total knee arthroplasty (TKA) at follow-up.

Methods

A multicenter cross-sectional study was performed including 1039 patients treated for a tibial plateau fracture between 2003 and 2019. At a mean follow-up of 5.8 ± 3.7 years, patients completed the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire. For all patients, the injury force mechanism was defined based on CT images. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to assess the relationship between different injury mechanisms and functional recovery. Cox regression was performed to assess the association with an increased risk on conversion to TKA.

Results

A total of 378 (36%) patients suffered valgus-flexion, 305 (29%) valgus-extension, 122 (12%) valgus-hyperextension, 110 (11%) varus-flexion, 58 (6%) varus-hyperextension, and 66 (6%) varus-extension injuries. ANOVA showed significant different KOOS values between injury fracture patterns in all subscales (P < 0.01). Varus-flexion injuries had the lowest average KOOS scores (symptoms 65; pain 67; ADL 72; sport 35; QoL 48). Varus-flexion mechanism was associated with an increased risk on a TKA (HR 1.8; P = 0.03) whereas valgus-extension mechanism was associated with a reduced risk on a TKA (HR 0.5; P = 0.012) as compared to all other mechanisms.

Conclusion

Tibial plateau fracture patterns based on injury force mechanisms are associated with clinical outcome. Varus-flexion injuries have a worse prognosis in terms of patient-reported outcome and conversion rate to TKA at follow-up. Valgus-extension injuries have least risk on conversion to TKA.
Embodied mental rotation ability in open- and closed-skill sports: pilot study with a new virtual paradigm
Authors: Geisen Mai , Raab Markus , Jansen Petra , Klatt Stefanie
Published: January 2024

Embodied mental rotation is the influence of the body on mental rotation ability. Sports expertise enhances embodied mental rotation ability. However, sport-skill-dependent effects remain unclear. Previous studies refer to the influence of body positions on mental rotation ability. Yet, in sports, the investigation of the effect of simultaneous body and mental rotation movements is essential. Athletes need to constantly mentally and physically adapt to environmental changes and new motor tasks while being in motion themselves. This study aimed to investigate embodied mental rotation ability with simultaneous body and mental rotation in individuals with different sport skills, i.e., in open- and closed-skill sports. Forty-eight men and women, divided into two groups depending on their sport, performed 32 trials of an extended embodied mental rotation task. Simultaneous body and mental rotation were enabled by a novel test method including Virtual Reality. Results revealed shorter response times to the task stimulus in closed-skill sports participants than in open-skill sports participants. This group difference was significant for trials in which rotation directions of the own body and the mental rotation stimulus were aligned. The results might be related to sport-specific skill development processes. Motor imitation skills, as relevant in many closed-skill sports, may facilitate cognitive processes when the motion direction of the own body and of the mental rotation stimulus are aligned. The novel test method identifies potential applications that should be increasingly explored in the future, both for cognitive science and sports research.