bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding the Impact of Fe‐Doping on the Structure and Battery Performance of a Co‐Free Li‐Rich Layered Cathodes
Authors: Celeste Arcangelo , Paolacci Matteo , Schiavi Pier Giorgio , Brutti Sergio , Navarra Maria Assunta , Silvestri Laura
Published: January 2023

A series of Co‐free Li‐rich layered oxides, Li1.24Mn0.62‐xNi0.14FexO2 (x=0, 0.01, 0.02 and 0.03) has been synthetized by a self‐combustion reaction. Fe doping affects either lattice structure and bonding as shown by the changes in the size of unit cell calculated from diffraction patterns and in the vibrational frequencies observed in Raman spectra. The electrochemical performance has been evaluated in a lithium cell by galvanostatic cycling: Doped samples show better capacity retention and minor decreases in the specific capacity (i. e., Li1.24Mn0.60Ni0.14Fe0.02O2 can supply a specific capacity of 235 mAhg−1 with 94 % of capacity retention after 150 cycles). These positive effects originated by alterations in the point defectivity (Ni3+ concentration, anionic and cationic vacancies), changes in the transport properties, as showed by Cyclic Voltammetry; as well as an improved structural resilience compared to the un‐doped material in postmortem analyses.
Ions Dynamics and Diffusion in Self‐Healing Chemical Gel Electrolytes for Li‐ion Batteries
Authors: Quartarone Eliana , Davino Stefania , Lufrano Ernestino , Coppola Luigi , Simari Cataldo , Nicotera Isabella
Published: January 2023

A successful strategy for improving the safety issues of new‐generation lithium‐ion batteries is to replace liquid electrolytes with solid or quasi‐solid membranes, a procedure that ensures adequate ionic conductions and are mechanical strengths.
Liquid Dynamics Determine Transition Metal‐N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Complex Formation
Authors: Zaby Paul , Blasius Jan , Müller Anna K. , Nolan Steven P. , Hollóczki Oldamur
Published: January 2023

The mechanism of metal‐N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complex formation from imidazolium salts in the presence of weak bases was investigated through theoretical methods. Quantum chemical calculations revealed that the two bases considered here, sodium acetate and trimethylamine, both facilitate complex formation. In contrast to previous experiments, these calculations indicated a slightly lower barrier with the amine. Molecular dynamics simulations showed that the ionic nature of the [AuCl2]− and imidazolium ions, as well as the sodium acetate base keep these species associated in the reaction mixture through ion pairing. This pre‐association of the components produces those clusters that are essential for the metal complex formation reaction. The neutral amine, however, remains mostly separated from the other reaction partners, making it a significantly less effective base.
Light‐triggered Modulation of Supramolecular Chirality
Authors: Yang Fan , Yue Bingbing , Zhu Liangliang
Published: January 2023

Dynamically controlling the supramolecular chirality is of great significance in development of functional chiral materials, which is thus essential for the specific function implementation. As an external energy input, light is remote and accurate for modulating chiral assemblies. In non‐polarized light control, some photochemically reactive units (e. g., azobenzene, ɑ‐cyanostilbene, spiropyran, anthracene) or photo‐induced directionally rotating molecular motors were designed to drive chiral transfer or amplification. Besides, photoexcitation induced assembly based physical approach was also explored recently to regulate supramolecular chirality beyond photochemical reactions. In addition, circularly polarized light was applied to induce asymmetric arrangement of organic molecules and asymmetric photochemical synthesis of inorganic metallic nanostructures, in which both wavelength and handedness of circularly polarized light have effects on the induced supramolecular chirality. Although light‐triggered chiral assemblies have been widely applied in photoelectric materials, biomedical fields, soft actuator, chiral catalysis and chiral sensing, there is a lack of systematic review on this topic. In this review, we summarized the recent studies and perspectives in the constructions and applications of light‐responsive chiral assembled systems, aiming to provide better knowledge for the development of multifunctional chiral nanomaterials.
Progress in the catalyst for ethylene/α‐olefin copolymerization at high temperature
Authors: Li Feng , Liu Weifeng
Published: January 2023

Ethylene/α‐olefin copolymers are one of the most widely‐used polyolefin materials. With the continuous improvement of polyolefin catalysts, high‐performance polyolefin materials were synthesized by adjusting the chain microstructure, changing the comonomer type and comonomer insertion amount, among which the ethylene/α‐olefin random copolymer elastomer (POE) and olefin block copolymer elastomer (OBC) are the most famous and well accepted by the market. The excellent properties of POE and OBC first depend on their polymer chain microstructure. The chain microstructure of polyolefins is fundamentally determined by the catalysts, polymerization conditions, comonomer feed policies, and reaction engineering. High‐performance ethylene/α‐olefin copolymer elastomers are currently prepared by high‐temperature solution polymerization process, which needs to be carried out at a temperature above the melting point of the polymer and is beneficial to speed up the polymerization reaction rate and control the polyolefin chain microstructure. However, the high‐temperature solution polymerization process launched more stringent requirements for the olefin coordination polymerization catalyst. Systematic reports on catalysts for high‐temperature solution copolymerization of ethylene and α‐olefins are lacking. In this review, we screened some catalysts suitable for the controllable copolymerization and high‐temperature solution copolymerization of ethylene/α‐olefin based on the catalyst's heat resistance, copolymerization activity, comonomer insertion ability, molecular weight, and distribution of the copolymer, including traditional Z–N catalysts, metallocene catalysts, and post‐metallocene catalysts. And the future development of catalysts for high‐temperature solution copolymerization of olefins, catalysts for precise control of polyolefin chain microstructures, and catalysts for olefin copolymerization with polar monomers at high temperature are envisaged.
Anion–π Type Aggregation‐Induced Emission Luminogens
Authors: Jiang Guoyu , Wang Jianguo , Zhong Tang Ben
Published: January 2023

As a type of important non‐covalent interactions that can efficiently prohibit π–π interaction to avoid quenching of luminescence, anion–π interactions are receiving growing attention for the fabrication of aggregation‐induced emission luminogens (AIEgens) since 2017. The obtained anion–π type AIEgens can be applied in the fields of wash‐free bioimaging and long‐term tracking of subcellular organelle, photodynamic anti‐cancer and anti‐bacterial therapy due to their good water solubility, superior photostability and excellent reactive oxygen species generation ability. Moreover, anion–π type AIEgens were also further constructed for room temperature phosphorescence by taking advantages of the heavy‐atom participated anion–π interactions. This concept article provides a brief summary of this field, mainly focusing on the design strategy, photophysical properties and applications of anion–π type AIEgens.
Cigarette smoking cessation, duration of smoking abstinence, and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma prognosis
Authors: Lee John J. W. , Kunaratnam Vijay , Kim Christina J. H. , Pienkowski Martha , Hueniken Katrina , Sahovaler Axel , Lam Andrew C. L. , Davies Joel C. , Brown Catherine M. , De Almeida John R. , Huang Shao Hui , Waldron John N. , Spreafico Anna , Hung Rayjean J. , Xu Wei , Goldstein David P. , Liu Geoffrey
Published: January 2023

Background

Tobacco use is a major risk factor for developing head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). However, the prognostic associations with smoking cessation are limited. The authors assessed whether smoking cessation and increased duration of abstinence were associated with improved overall (OS) and HNSCC‐specific survival.

Methods

Clinicodemographic and smoking data from patients with HNSCC at Princess Margaret Cancer Center (2006–2019) were prospectively collected. Multivariable Cox and Fine and Gray competing‐risk models were used to assess the impact of smoking cessation and duration of abstinence on overall mortality and HNSCC‐specific/noncancer mortality, respectively.

Results

Among 2482 patients who had HNSCC, former smokers (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.71; 95% CI, 0.58–0.87; p = .001; N = 841) had a reduced risk of overall mortality compared with current smokers (N = 931). Compared with current smokers, former smokers who quit >10 years before diagnosis (long‐term abstinence; n = 615) had the most improved OS (aHR, 0.72; 95% CI, 0.56–0.93; p = .001). The 5‐year actuarial rates of HNSCC‐specific and noncancer deaths were 16.8% and 9.4%, respectively. Former smokers (aHR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.54–0.95; p = .019) had reduced HNSCC‐specific mortality compared with current smokers, but there was no difference in noncancer mortality. Abstinence for >10 years was associated with decreased HNSCC‐specific death compared with current smoking (aHR, 0.64; 95% CI, 0.46–0.91; p = .012). Smoking cessation with a longer duration of quitting was significantly associated with reduced overall and HNSCC‐specific mortality in patients who received primary radiation.

Conclusions

Smoking cessation before the time of diagnosis reduced overall mortality and cancer‐specific mortality among patients with HNSCC, but no difference was observed in noncancer mortality. Long‐term abstinence (>10 pack‐years) had a significant OS and HNSCC‐specific survival benefit.
Psychological mobile app for patients with acute myeloid leukemia: A pilot randomized clinical trial
Authors: El‐Jawahri Areej , Luskin Marlise R. , Greer Joseph A. , Traeger Lara , Lavoie Mitchell , Vaughn Dagny Marie , Andrews Stephanie , Yang Daniel , Boateng Kofi Y. , Newcomb Richard A. , Ufere Nneka N. , Fathi Amir T. , Hobbs Gabriela , Brunner Andrew , Abel Gregory A. , Stone Richard M. , DeAngelo Daniel J. , Wadleigh Martha , Temel Jennifer S.
Published: January 2023

Background

Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) experience a substantial decline in quality of life (QoL) and mood during their hospitalization for intensive chemotherapy, yet few interventions have been developed to enhance patient‐reported outcomes during treatment.

Methods

We conducted a pilot randomized trial (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03372291) of DREAMLAND, a psychological mobile application for patients with a new diagnosis of AML who are receiving intensive chemotherapy. Patients were randomly assigned to DREAMLAND or usual care. DREAMLAND included four required modules focused on: (1) supportive psychotherapy to help patients deal with the initial shock of diagnosis, (2) psychoeducation to manage illness expectations, (3) psychosocial skill‐building to promote effective coping, and (4) self‐care. The primary end point was feasibility, which was defined as ≥60% of eligible patients enrolling and 60% of those enrolled completing ≥60% of the required modules. We assessed patient QoL (the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Leukemia), psychological distress (the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9), symptom burden (the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale), and self‐efficacy (the Cancer Self‐Efficacy Scale) at baseline and at day 20 after postchemotherapy.

Results

We enrolled 60 of 90 eligible patients (66.7%), and 62.1% completed ≥75% of the intervention modules. At day 20 after chemotherapy, patients who were randomized to DREAMLAND reported improved QoL scores (132.06 vs. 110.72; p =.001), lower anxiety symptoms (3.54 vs. 5.64; p = .010) and depression symptoms (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale: 4.76 vs. 6.29; p = .121; Patient Health Questionnaire‐9: 4.62 vs. 8.35; p < .001), and improved symptom burden (24.89 vs. 40.60; p = .007) and self‐efficacy (151.84 vs. 135.43; p = .004) compared with the usual care group.

Conclusions

A psychological mobile application for patients with newly diagnosed AML is feasible to integrate during hospitalization for intensive chemotherapy and may improve QoL, mood, symptom burden, and self‐efficacy.
Sustainability, asset redeployability, and board gender diversity
Authors: Pothisarn Thunyanee , Chatjuthamard Pattanaporn , Jiraporn Pornsit , Papangkorn Suwongrat
Published: January 2023

In times of crisis, corporate governance, particularly the gender equality aspect, is critically important. Motivated by the phrase “gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow,” we investigate how board gender diversity affects asset redeployability, which is a key element in the literature on investment irreversibility and a predictor of a firm's liquidity, especially in the face of unforeseen events. Asset redeployability is a crucial feature of sustainability that has received surprisingly little attention in the literature. Based on a novel indicator of asset redeployability developed recently by Kim and Kung, our results suggest that greater board gender diversity leads to greater asset redeployability, implying that female directors value asset redeployability. The findings significantly support the argument that female directors have lower risk tolerance and, as a result, favor asset redeployability, which is less risky due to flexibility of use. Further analyses, such as propensity score matching, an instrumental‐variable analysis, and Oster's approach for assessing coefficient stability, validate the results. Our results suggest that female directors foster sustainability by enhancing asset redeployability.
l‐Theanine Goes Greener: A Highly Efficient Bioprocess Catalyzed by the Immobilized γ‐Glutamyl Transferase from Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Robescu Marina S. , Alcántara Andrés R. , Calvio Cinzia , Morelli Carlo F. , Speranza Giovanna , Ubiali Daniela , Bavaro Teodora
Published: January 2023

l‐Theanine (l‐Th) was synthesized by simply mixing the reactants (l‐glutamine and ethylamine in water) at 25 °C and Bacillus subtilis γ‐glutamyl transferase (BsGGT) covalently immobilized on glyoxyl‐agarose according to a methodology previously reported by our research group; neither buffers, nor other additives were needed. Ratio of l‐glutamine (donor) to ethylamine (acceptor), pH, enzymatic units (IU), and reaction time were optimized (molar ratio of donor/acceptor=1 : 8, pH 11.6, 1 IU mL−1, 6 h), furnishing l‐Th in 93 % isolated yield (485 mg, 32.3 g L−1) and high purity (99 %), after a simple filtration of the immobilized biocatalyst, distillation of the volatiles (unreacted ethylamine) and direct lyophilization. Immobilized BsGGT was re‐used (four reaction cycles) with 100 % activity retention. This enzymatic synthesis represents a straightforward, fast, high‐yielding, and easily scalable approach to l‐Th preparation, besides having a favorable green chemistry metrics.
Highly Coupled Heterobicycle‐Fused Porphyrin Dimers: Excitonic Coupling and Charge Separation with Coordinated Fullerene, C60
Authors: Moss Austen , Jang Youngwoo , Arvidson Jacob , Wang Hong , D'Souza Francis
Published: January 2023

Porphyrin dimers have been widely explored and studied owing to their importance in photosynthetic systems. A vast variety of dimers linked by different groups and at different angles have been synthesized and studied; however, the means by which to synthesize rigidly fused porphyrins with direct conjugation of the chromophores remains limited. Such a class of porphyrins may possess interesting properties that unconjugated or stacked dimers may not exhibit. In this study, bisbenzimidazole‐fused porphyrin dimers and their mono‐ and bis−zinc derivatives are synthesized and characterized. As a consequence of excitonic coupling, these dimers exhibit a split Soret band irrespective of the metal ion in the porphyrin cavity. Steady‐state fluorescence and excitation spectra followed by femtosecond transient absorption spectral studies of the heterometallated dimer, (free‐base and zinc porphyrin) reveals the occurrence of efficient singlet‐singlet energy transfer (>95 % efficiency and rate constant >1012 s−1) within the dyad. Further, donor‐acceptor conjugates were formed by metal‐ligand axial coordination of phenyl imidazole functionalized C60 and were characterized by a variety of physicochemical techniques. Excited state charge separation from both singlet and triplet excited states of ZnP in the conjugates has been established. The lifetime of the final charge‐separated state was in the 30–40 μs range revealing charge stabilization. Interestingly, no charge separation in the conjugate derived from the heterometallated dimer was observed wherein excitation transfer dominated the process. The present study brings out the importance of the rigid π‐spacer connecting porphyrin dimers in governing the energy and electron transfer events when coupled with an electron acceptor.
Design and experimental verification of a simplified controller for high‐order converters
Authors: Zhang Guidong , Chen Zexiang , Yu Samson S.
Published: January 2023

The modeling of high‐order converter systems and design of their closed‐loop controllers are difficult due to their high nonlinearity, hence high‐order systems, large number of zero‐poles, and complex frequency‐domain characteristics. To ease the design methodologies, this paper studies high‐order power converters and proposes a modeling and control method for such converter systems with order reduction. As an example, the 7th‐order non‐electrolytic capacitor‐I‐Z‐Source converter (NEC‐I‐ZSC) is employed to implement the proposed design method. Operational analysis and small signal modeling of the NEC‐I‐ZSC are conducted, and a reduced‐order controller is then devised. Experimental verification is conducted, which prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed design method.
Offloading of diabetes‐related neuropathic foot ulcers at Swedish prosthetic and orthotic clinics
Authors: Gigante Isabella , Sigurjónsdóttir Elva Dröfn , Jarl Gustav , Hellstrand Tang Ulla
Published: January 2023

Aims

This study aimed to assess (1) the use of different offloading interventions in Sweden for the healing of diabetes‐related plantar neuropathic forefoot ulcers, (2) factors influencing the offloading intervention choice, and (3) the awareness of current gold standard offloading devices.

Methods

An online questionnaire was distributed via SurveyMonkey to 51 prosthetic and orthotic clinics in Sweden.

Results

Thirty‐five (69%) practitioners responded to the questionnaire. Eighty‐six percent of the practitioners provided modified off‐the‐shelf footwear combined with insoles to treat diabetes‐related plantar neuropathic forefoot ulcers. A total contact cast (TCC) was provided by 20% of the practitioners, and a nonremovable knee‐high walker was provided by 0%. Multiple practitioner‐, patient‐, intervention‐, and wound‐related factors were considered when practitioners provided offloading interventions to patients with this type of ulcer. The majority of the practitioners did not or were unsure whether they considered TCC or a nonremovable knee‐high walker to be the gold standard treatment.

Conclusions

Practitioners mainly provided the offloading intervention that the International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot strongly recommends not be provided, namely, modified off‐the‐shelf footwear with insoles. In contrast, TCC and nonremovable knee‐high walkers, as the gold standards, were vastly underutilised. Therefore, the pattern of providing offloading interventions was almost exactly opposite to the recommendations of evidence‐based guidelines. Different factors were considered when providing offloading interventions to patients with diabetes‐related plantar neuropathic forefoot ulcers. The practitioners' lack of awareness regarding gold standard devices may have contributed to the underutilisation of TCC and nonremovable knee‐high walkers.
Intermittent inotropic support with levosimendan in advanced heart failure as destination therapy: The LEVO‐D registry
Authors: Dobarro David , Donoso‐Trenado Víctor , Solé‐González Eduard , Moliner‐Abós Carlos , Garcia‐Pinilla José Manuel , Lopez‐Fernandez Silvia , Ruiz‐Bustillo Sonia , Diez‐Lopez Carles , Castrodeza Javier , Méndez‐Fernández Ana B. , Vaqueriza‐Cubillo David , Cobo‐Marcos Marta , Tobar Javier , Sagasti‐Aboitiz Igor , Rodriguez Miguel , Escolar Vanessa , Abecia Ana , Codina Pau , Gómez‐Otero Inés , Pastor Francisco , Marzoa‐Rivas Raquel , González‐Babarro Eva , de Juan‐Baguda Javier , Melendo‐Viu María , de Frutos Fernando , Gonzalez‐Costello José
Published: January 2023

Aim

Patients with advanced heart failure (AHF) who are not candidates to advanced therapies have poor prognosis. Some trials have shown that intermittent levosimendan can reduce HF hospitalizations in AHF in the short term. In this real‐life registry, we describe the patterns of use, safety and factors related to the response to intermittent levosimendan infusions in AHF patients not candidates to advanced therapies.

Methods and results

Multicentre retrospective study of patients diagnosed with advanced heart failure, not HT or LVAD candidates. Patients needed to be on the optimal medical therapy according to their treating physician. Patients with de novo heart failure or who underwent any procedure that could improve prognosis were not included in the registry. Four hundred three patients were included; 77.9% needed at least one admission the year before levosimendan was first administered because of heart failure. Death rate at 1 year was 26.8% and median survival was 24.7 [95% CI: 20.4–26.9] months, and 43.7% of patients fulfilled the criteria for being considered a responder lo levosimendan (no death, heart failure admission or unplanned HF visit at 1 year after first levosimendan administration). Compared with the year before there was a significant reduction in HF admissions (38.7% vs. 77.9%; P < 0.0001), unplanned HF visits (22.7% vs. 43.7%; P < 0.0001) or the combined event including deaths (56.3% vs. 81.4%; P < 0.0001) during the year after. We created a score that helps predicting the responder status at 1 year after levosimendan, resulting in a score summatory of five variables: TEER (+2), treatment with beta‐blockers (+1.5), Haemoglobin >12 g/dL (+1.5), amiodarone use (−1.5) HF visit 1 year before levosimendan (−1.5) and heart rate >70 b.p.m. (−2). Patients with a score less than −1 had a very low probability of response (21.5% free of death or HF event at 1 year) meanwhile those with a score over 1.5 had the better chance of response (68.4% free of death or HF event at 1 year). LEVO‐D score performed well in the ROC analysis.

Conclusion

In this large real‐life series of AHF patients treated with levosimendan as destination therapy, we show a significant decrease of heart failure events during the year after the first administration. The simple LEVO‐D Score could be of help when deciding about futile therapy in this population.
Eomesodermin‐expressing type 1 regulatory (EOMES+Tr1)‐like T cells: Basic biology and role in immune‐mediated diseases
Authors: Geginat Jens , Vasco Chiara , Gruarin Paola , Bonnal Raoul , Rossetti Grazisa , Silvestri Ylenia , Carelli Elena , Pulvirenti Nadia , Scantamburlo Morena , Moschetti Giorgia , Clemente Francesca , Grassi Fabio , Monticelli Silvia , Pagani Massimiliano , Abrignani Sergio
Published: January 2023

Type 1 regulatory (Tr1) T cells are currently defined all T cells with regulatory functions that lack FOXP3 expression and produce IL‐10. Tr1 cells are heterogeneous, and the different reported properties of Tr1‐cell populations have caused some confusion in the field. Moreover, understanding the role of Tr1 cells in immune‐mediated diseases has been hampered by the lack of a lineage‐defining transcription factor. Several independent studies indicated recently that the transcription factor Eomesodermin (EOMES) could act as a lineage‐defining transcription factor in a population of IL‐10 and IFN‐γ co‐producing Tr1‐like cells, since EOMES directly induces IFN‐γ and cytotoxicity, enhances IL‐10, and antagonizes alternative T‐cell fates. Here, we review the known properties of EOMES+Tr1‐like cells. They share several key characteristics with other Tr1 cells (i.e., “Tr1‐like”), namely high IL‐10 production, cytotoxicity, and suppressive capabilities. Notably, they also share some features with FOXP3+Tregs, like downregulation of IL‐7R and CD40L. In addition, they possess several unique, EOMES‐dependent features, that is, expression of GzmK and IFN‐γ, and downregulation of type‐17 cytokines. Published evidence indicates that EOMES+Tr1‐like cells play key roles in graft‐versus‐host disease, colitis, systemic autoimmunity and in tumors. Thus, EOMES+Tr1‐like cells are key players of the adaptive immune system that are involved in several different immune‐mediated diseases.
Zinc Promoted Urea Synthesis Using Carbonyldiimidazole as Carbonyl Source and Its Application for the Synthesis of Cariprazine
Authors: Jadhav Krishna A. , Itage Shivanand V. , Bhosle Siddhanath D. , Bhosale Rajesh S. , Yadav Jhillu Singh
Published: January 2023

A convenient method has been developed for symmetrical and un‐symmetrical urea synthesis by using Carbonyldiimidazole (CDI) and recyclable activated zinc metal. This reaction is suitable for all types of amines and gives the desired urea products with good to excellent yield. The developed synthetic approach was employed for the synthesis of the Cariprazine drug.
Automatic segmentation of airport pavement damage by AM‐Mask R‐CNN algorithm
Authors: Zhang Hao , Dong Jiaxiu , Gao Ziqiao
Published: January 2023

The airport is an important infrastructure for air transport and urban traffic. The airport pavement damage seriously affects the safety of aircraft take‐off and landing. Therefore, the regular detection of airport pavement damage is critical for aircraft take‐off and landing safety. However, for small target areas, the existing pavement damage detection methods cannot effectively achieve detection. In addition, the airport pavement detection is carried out under low light conditions at night, and the existing detection methods may not be able to accurately detect the damage boundary. To address the above problems, an automatic detection algorithm of Mask R‐CNN algorithm integrating attention mechanism (AM‐Mask R‐CNN) for airport pavement damage is proposed. First, the AM‐Mask R‐CNN is developed based on an improved Mask R‐CNN modified by the feature pyramid (FPN) and the dual attention mechanism are fused to extract subtle features in images. In addition, feature fusion is used. The macroscopic and microscopic features of airport pavement damage are organically combined to improve the segmentation sensitivity of small target areas and dark lighting. The experimental results show that the average F1‐score of the proposed model is 0.9489. In addition, the mean intersection over union for the model proposed is 0.9388. The average segmentation speed can reach 11.8 FPS. Moreover, compared with the traditional threshold segmentation method Fully Convolutional Networks (FCN) and DeepCrack segmentation method, the effectiveness of the proposed method is further proved.
Graphene: Preparation, tailoring, and modification
Authors: Li Mingyao , Yin Bing , Gao Chunyan , Guo Jie , Zhao Cong , Jia Chuancheng , Guo Xuefeng
Published: January 2023

Graphene is a 2D material with fruitful electrical properties, which can be efficiently prepared, tailored, and modified for a variety of applications, particularly in the field of optoelectronic devices thanks to its planar hexagonal lattice structure. To date, graphene has been prepared using a variety of bottom–up growth and top–down exfoliation techniques. To prepare high‐quality graphene with high yield, a variety of physical exfoliation methods, such as mechanical exfoliation, anode bonding exfoliation, and metal‐assisted exfoliation, have been developed. To adjust the properties of graphene, different tailoring processes have been emerged to precisely pattern graphene, such as gas etching and electron beam lithography. Due to the differences in reactivity and thermal stability of different regions, anisotropic tailoring of graphene can be achieved by using gases as the etchant. To meet practical requirements, further chemical functionalization at the edge and basal plane of graphene has been extensively utilized to modify its properties. The integration and application of graphene devices is facilitated by the combination of graphene preparation, tailoring, and modification. This review focuses on several important strategies for graphene preparation, tailoring, and modification that have recently been developed, providing a foundation for its potential applications.
An unconditionally stable third order scheme for mixed convection flow between parallel plates with oscillatory boundary conditions
Authors: Nawaz Yasir , Arif Muhammad Shoaib , Abodayeh Kamaleldin
Published: January 2023

This work proposes an unconditionally stable third‐order multistep technique for time‐dependent partial differential equations. Its unconditional stability is proved by employing von Neumann stability analysis, and constructed Matlab code is another solid proof of the existence of the such scheme. The scheme is constructed on three consecutive time levels, and a compact fourth‐order scheme is considered for spatial discretization. The convergence conditions are found when applied to the system of parabolic equations. The scheme is tested on two examples of flow between parallel plates. The mathematical model of heat and mass transfer of flow between parallel plates under the effects of viscous dissipation, thermal radiations, and chemical reaction is given and solved by the proposed scheme. The impact of some parameters, including radiation and reaction rate parameters, on velocity, temperature, and concentration profiles is also illustrated by graphs. The proposed scheme is also compared with the existing scheme, providing faster convergence than an existing one. The fundamental benefit of the proposed scheme is that it can give a compact fourth‐order solution to parabolic equations.
Challenges to corporate social responsibility adoption for sustainability: A picture fuzzy approach
Authors: Kasradze Mariam , Kamali Saraji Mahyar , Streimikiene Dalia
Published: January 2023

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become crucial to businesses seeking to adopt sustainable development. However, there are several challenges to CSR adoption for sustainability that the present research aims to identify and evaluate, in addition to assessing the EU's response to these challenges. To this end, a novel picture fuzzy SWARA-TOPSIS method is proposed to rank EU countries after identifying the challenges that they face through a literature review. The results indicate that out of eight identified challenges, “Leadership Mindset and Corporate Commitment” is the most significant issue to CSR adoption for sustainability. Additionally, Italy shows the best performance in adopting CSR for sustainability, while Malta shows the worst. These results are discussed, and policy implications are presented. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:1254–1275. © 2023 SETAC
An optimal diagnosis system for melanoma dermoscopy images based on enhanced design of horse herd optimizer
Authors: Ding Qi , Razmjooy Navid
Published: January 2023

Skin cells grow in an orderly and controlled manner, in which old cells are pushed to the skin surface by healthy new cells, wherein they finally perish. However, when several cells damage DNA, new ones may start growing disorderly and can finally create cancer cells mass. Different types of skin cancer have been observed by experts. Although, melanoma, as one of the rarely happened cancers, is the most threatening type. Therefore, early detection of this type of cancer can be so useful for avoiding melanoma dangers and even helps to treat this type of cancer. The present paper proposes a new hierarchical procedure for the optimum diagnosis of melanoma cancer from dermoscopy images. Here, after image preprocessing, image segmentation is applied for the segmentation of the ROI. Then, the selection of features from the segmented images is performed and injected to a radial basis function‐based classifier to provide the final diagnosis of cancer. To deliver efficient results, the feature selection and the classifier have been optimized by a new design of Horse herd optimization algorithm (HHOA). The method is then implemented on the Society for Imaging Informatics in Medicine‐The International Skin Imaging Collaboration (SIIM‐ISIC) Melanoma dataset to validate its effectiveness and its achievements and also put in comparison with several different latest techniques. The results show that the proposed method with 95.46% precision provides the maximum performance among the others.
Requirements for human mesenchymal stem cell‐derived small extracellular vesicles
Authors: Li Qing , Li Bo , Ye Teng , Xu Wenrong , Yin Hang , Deng Zhifeng , Li Haiyan , Yan Xiaomei , Hao Xiaoke , Li Li , Tao Zhihua , Liu Bicheng , Chen Zhengsheng , Luo Lei , Qian Hui , Fu Qing‐Ling , Wang Qian , Zheng Lei , Wang Yang
Published: January 2023

“Requirements for human mesenchymal stem cell‐derived small extracellular vesicles” is the first set of guidelines on human mesenchymal stem cell‐derived small extracellular vesicles (hMSC‐sEVs) in China, jointly drafted and agreed upon by experts from the Chinese Society for Extracellular Vesicles. It was released by the Chinese Research Hospital Association on 28 December 2021 and came into effect on 1 January 2022. This standard specifies the technical requirements, test methods and regulations, packaging, instructions for use, labeling, storage, transportation, and waste handling for hMSC‐sEVs, which apply to the production and quality control of hMSC‐sEVs. We hope that the publication of these guidelines will promote consensus on the research and application of human mesenchymal stem cell‐derived small extracellular vesicles and accelerate its international standardization.
Contributions of Clinical and Technical Factors to Longitudinal Change in Trabecular Bone Score and Bone Density: A Registry-Based Individual-Level Analysis
Authors: Leslie William D , Goel Heenam , Binkley Neil , McCloskey Eugene V , Hans Didier
Published: January 2023

Lumbar spine trabecular bone score (TBS), a gray-level texture measure derived from spine dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) images, is a bone mineral density (BMD)-independent risk factor for fracture. An unresolved question is whether TBS is sufficiently responsive to change over time or in response to widely used osteoporosis therapy at the individual level to serve as a useful biomarker. Using the Manitoba DXA Registry, we identified 11,643 individuals age 40 years and older with two fan-beam DXA scans performed on the same instrument within 5 years (mean interval 3.2 years), of whom 6985 (60.0%) received antiresorptive osteoporosis medication (majority oral bisphosphonate) between the scans. We examined factors that were associated with a change in lumbar spine TBS, lumbar spine BMD, and total hip BMD exceeding the 95% least significant change (LSC). Change exceeding the LSC was identified in 23.0% (9.3% increase, 13.8% decrease) of lumbar spine TBS, 38.2% (22.1% increase, 16.1% decrease) lumbar spine BMD, and 42.5% (17.6% increase, 24.9% decrease) total hip BMD measurement pairs. From regression models, the variables most strongly associated with significant change in TBS (decreasing order) were tissue thickness change, acquisition mode change, weight change, and spine percent fat change. Consistent with the insensitivity of TBS to oral antiresorptive therapies, use of these agents showed very little effect on TBS change. In contrast, for both spine BMD change and total hip BMD change, osteoporosis medication use was the most significant variable, whereas tissue thickness change, acquisition mode change, and weight change had relatively weak effects. In summary, change in spine TBS using the present algorithm appears to be strongly affected by technical factors. This suggests a limited role, if any, for using TBS change in untreated individuals or for monitoring response to antiresorptive treatment in routine clinical practice with the current version of the TBS algorithm. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
MiR‐526b targets lncRNA SLC16A1‐AS1 to suppress cell proliferation in triple‐negative breast cancer
Authors: Zhao Xingjuan , Fu Lei , Zhai Liqin , Yang Xuan , Gao Runfang
Published: January 2023

The present study investigated the potential interaction between miR‐526b and lncRNA SLC16A1‐AS1 in triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC). Expression of miR‐526b and SLC16A1‐AS1 in TNBC tumor tissues and paired nontumor tissues from 60 TNBC patients was detected by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐qPCR). The interaction between miR‐526b and SLC16A1‐AS1 was evaluated with overexpression experiments, followed by RT‐qPCR. The proliferation and migration of cells were detected with cell counting kit‐8 assay and Transwell assay, respectively. Apoptosis of cells was assessed by cell apoptosis assay. The expression of apoptosis‐related proteins was quantified by Western blot analysis. MiR‐526b was predicted to bind with SLC16A1‐AS1. Overexpression of miR‐526b in TNBC cells decreased the expression levels of SLC16A1‐AS1, while overexpression of SLC16A1‐AS1 did not affect the expression of miR‐526b. In TNBC tissues, miR‐526b was downregulated in TNBC tissues, while SLC16A1‐AS1 was upregulated in TNBC tissues compared to that in nontumor tissues. The expression of SLC16A1‐AS1 and miR‐526b were inversely correlated. In vitro experiments showed that overexpression of SLC16A1‐AS1 promoted cell proliferation and invasion but suppressed cell apoptosis. MiR‐526b played an opposite role and suppressed the function of SLC16A1‐AS1. MiR‐526b is downregulated in TNBC and it targets SLC16A1‐AS1 to regulate proliferation, apoptosis, and invasion of TNBC cells.
Characteristics of CO2 adsorption and desorption on activated carbon in comparison with zeolite 13X and carbon molecular sieve and applications in biogas upgrading using vacuum pressure swing adsorption
Authors: Punpee Sirawich , Tongpadungrod Pensiri , Suttikul Thitiporn , Phalakornkule Chantaraporn
Published: January 2023

BACKGROUND

Biogas upgrading is the process that increases the fraction of methane (CH4) in biogas, making the biogas suitable for use as vehicle fuel or as fuel with high and stable heating values for combustion engines. The advantages and disadvantages of activated carbon (AC) in CO2/CH4 adsorptive separation should be well understood before application for biogas upgrading. In the first part of this study, characteristics of CO2 adsorption and desorption on AC were investigated using Aspen Adsorption. In the second part, vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA) was modeled, and the performances of the VPSA process using zeolite 13X, carbon molecular sieve (CMS) and AC were compared.

RESULTS

The simulations showed that the advantages of AC for CO2 adsorption include relatively high dynamic adsorption capacity and high mass transfer coefficient of CO2 (KLDF,CO2) in AC and consequently relatively high CO2 desorption rates. However, due to the relatively high mass transfer coefficient of CH4 (KLDF,CH4) in AC, the molecular sieving characteristics for CO2 that were estimated from the ratio between KLDF,CO2 and KLDF,CH4 of AC were not significantly higher than that of zeolite 13X and significantly lower than that of CMS (9.85, 8.41 and 20.92 for AC, zeolite 13X and CMS, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

The modeling results predicted that the VPSA process using zeolite, CMS and AC adsorbents gives a biomethane product of around 98%, 97% and 93% CH4, respectively. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Visual impairment in mucopolysaccharidosis VI
Authors: Magalhães Augusto Monteiro , Moleiro Ana Filipa , Rodrigues Esmeralda , Castro Sérgio , Fonseca José , Leão‐Teles Elisa
Published: January 2023

Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) VI is a rare genetic disease characterized by deficient activity of N‐acetylgalactosamine 4‐sulfatase, leading to the systemic deposition of glycosaminoglycans. Ocular involvement is classically characterized by progressive corneal clouding, ocular hypertension (OHT), and optic neuropathy. Although corneal clouding can be solved with penetrating keratoplasty (PK), visual impairment usually remains, being frequently attributed to glaucoma. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively describe a series of MPS VI patients with optic neuropathy in order to deepen the knowledge regarding the causes of severe visual impairment among these patients. We present five genetically confirmed clinical cases of MPS VI, treated with enzymatic replacement therapy, and with regular systemic and ophthalmologic follow‐up. Corneal clouding was a common early presenting feature, leading to PK in four patients. During their follow‐up, all patients developed very low visual acuities regardless of corneal grafts outcomes and controlled intraocular pressure (IOP). Furthermore, all patients exhibited optic atrophy and imagiological evidence of significant subarachnoid space enlargement and consequent optic nerve thickness reduction, suggesting compression of the optic nerve in a retro‐ocular location as the cause of optic neuropathy. Although optic neuropathy in MPS VI is commonly attributed to glaucoma due to OHT, by describing a series of five MPS VI patients, we provided evidence that, differently from glaucoma, compression of optic nerve in a retro‐ocular location is crucial for the development of optic neuropathy, at least in some cases. We propose the denomination of posterior glaucoma and suggest it as an important cause of optic neuropathy, leading to severe visual impairment and blindness among these patients.
Inhibition of influenza A virus replication by a marine derived quinolone alkaloid targeting virus nucleoprotein
Authors: Zhang Yang , Xu Wei‐Feng , Yu Yunjia , Zhang Qun , Huang Lianghao , Hao Cui , Shao Chang‐Lun , Wang Wei
Published: January 2023

Owing to the emergence of drug resistance and high morbidity and mortality, the need for novel anti‐influenza A virus (IAV) drugs with divergent targets is highly sought after. Herein, a novel quinolone alkaloid (QLA) derived from marine fungus was discovered with broad‐spectrum anti‐IAV activities with low toxicity. Distinct from current anti‐IAV drugs, QLA may block virus replication and viral RNA (vRNA) export from the nucleus by targeting virus nucleoprotein (NP). QLA can block the binding of chromosome region maintenance 1 to nuclear export signal 3 of NP to inhibit the nuclear export of NP and vRNP. QLA may also affect vRNP assembly by interfering with the binding of NP to RNA rather than NP oligomerization. Arg305 and Phe488‐Gly490 may be required for the interaction between QLA and NP, and the binding pocket around these amino acids may be a promising target for anti‐IAV drugs. Importantly, oral administration of QLA can protect the mice against IAV‐induced death and weight loss, superior to the effects of the clinical drug oseltamivir. In summary, the marine derived compound QLA has the potential to be developed into a novel anti‐IAV agent targeting virus NP protein in the future.
Impact of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease status change on antiviral efficacy of nucleos(t)ide analogues in HBeAg‐positive chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Tang Yanhua , Fan Rong , Lan Zhixian , Xie Qing , Zhang Jiping , Liang Xieer , Wang Hao , Tan Deming , Cheng Jun , Chen Shijun , Ning Qin , Bai Xuefan , Xu Min , Chen Xinyue , Niu Junqi , Shi Junping , Ren Hong , Gao Zhiliang , Wang Maorong , Dou Xiaoguang , Hou Jinlin , Sun Jian
Published: January 2023

Data on the dynamic changes in chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) during antiviral therapy are scarce. We aimed to investigate the evolution of NAFLD status change in CHB patients treated with nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs) and its influence on therapeutic outcomes. This retrospective study included 164 HBeAg‐positive CHB patients from a randomized controlled trial who were treated with NAs for 104 weeks and underwent paired liver biopsies. Histological evaluation was performed at baseline and Week 104. The patients were divided into four groups according to NAFLD status changes. From baseline to Week 104, the overall percentage of CHB patients with concurrent NAFLD increased from 17.1% to 26.2% (p = 0.044). Among them, 7 of 28 patients (25.0%) with NAFLD at baseline showed NAFLD remission at week 104, while 22 of 136 patients (16.2%) without NAFLD at baseline developed new‐onset NAFLD. In subgroup analyses, the new‐onset and sustained NAFLD groups showed significantly lower rates of biochemical response at week 104 as compared to the sustained non‐NAFLD group (77.3% and 57.1% vs. 93.9%, respectively; all p < 0.05), as well as fibrosis improvement (31.8% and 42.9% vs. 69.3%, respectively; all p < 0.05). NAFLD status changes did not influence the virological response, HBeAg seroconversion, and necroinflammation improvement (all p > 0.05). In HBeAg‐positive CHB patients receiving NAs therapy, new‐onset and sustained NAFLD may counteract the benefits of antiviral therapy, reducing the rate of biochemical response and fibrosis improvement.
Immune‐dysregulation in subacute sclerosing panencephalitis: An exploratory case–control study
Authors: Vijayavarman Vijayaragavan , Malhotra Hardeep S. , Rizvi Imran , Kumar Neeraj , Pandey Shweta , Jain Mili , Ali Wahid , Suresh Vinay , Garg Ravindra K. , Jain Amita , Verma Rajesh , Sharma Praveen , Uniyal Ravi
Published: January 2023

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a chronic progressive neurological condition caused by a defective measles virus. It is postulated that immune‐dysregulation might result in persistent infection (immune evasion) as well as initiation of autoimmune phenomenon (via natural killer cells) leading to panencephalitis. The primary objective of this case‐control study was to analyse the pattern of immune dysregulation in cases with SSPE. The secondary objective was to assess the correlation between the measured immunological variables and disability/death at 6 months. This was an exploratory case–control study conducted at a tertiary‐care referral‐facility from January 2020 to September 2021. Thirty consecutive patients fulfilling the Dyken's criteria for SSPE and 30 age‐and‐sex‐matched healthy controls were enrolled. Immunological profile constituted by lymphocyte subset analysis, immunoglobulin levels and complement levels were done in all cases and controls. Cases were staged as per Jabbour's system; disability was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Patients with SSPE had a mean age of 14.76 years (±6.9 years). There were 25 males and 5 females; 6.7% cases belonged to Jabbour's first stage, 40% to second stage and 53.3% to third stage. At least 1/4th had evidence of measles vaccination. Levels of absolute lymphocyte count, B‐cells, T cells, helper T‐cells, and cytotoxic T‐cells were significantly higher in cases. IgG, IgM, and IgE levels were significantly higher while IgD levels were significantly lower in cases. At baseline, 13.3% of cases had a mRS score of 0–2 and 86.7% had a score of 3–6; at 6 months 10% had a mRS score 0–2 (favorable outcome) while 90% had a mRS score 3–6 (poor outcome). Higher IgE levels were found to correlate significantly with favorable outcome. Immune‐dysregulation may play a significant role in shaping one's response to measles infection as well as in determining vaccine‐efficacy.