bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
BRIX1 promotes ribosome synthesis and enhances glycolysis by selected translation of GLUT1 in colorectal cancer
Authors: Jiang Chunhui , Sun Longci , Wen Siyuan , Tian Yuan , Xu Chunjie , Xu Qing , Xue Hanbing
Published: January 2024

Background

Ribosome biogenesis protein BRX1 homolog (BRIX1) is critically required for the synthesis of the 60S ribosome subunit. However, the role and mechanism of BRIX1 in colorectal cancer (CRC) remain unclear.

Methods

Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome pathway and Gene Ontology analyses were used for bioinformatics analysis. The rRNA levels were detected in CRC tissues and cells. Nascent RNA synthesis was detected via cellular immunofluorescence. The correlation was analyzed between patient Positron Emission Tomography‐Computed Tomography (PET–CT) values and their BRIX1 expression. The extracellular acidification rate (ECAR) and oxygen consumption rate were determined via live metabolic analyses. Polysome fractions were collected for BRIX1 mRNA used in translation. The orthotopic model and Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK8) assay were used to assess BRIX1 function in CRC.

Results

BRIX1 is a core protein involved in ribosome‐related pathway changes in CRC. Gene Ontology analysis showed that BRIX1 was primarily enriched in ribosome assembly and ribosome biogenesis pathways. In fresh CRC tissue, rRNA levels (5S, 5.8S, 18S and 28S) were higher in the BRIX1 high‐expression group than in the BRIX1 low‐expression group. Similarly, BRIX1 knockdown significantly decreased rRNA levels for 5S, 5.8S, 18S and 28S in CRC cells, whereas overexpression of BRIX1 significantly increased these levels. In addition, BRIX1 knockdown inhibited nascent RNA synthesis in CRC cells. In clinical data analysis, BRIX1 expression was related to the glucose uptake in PET–CT. BRIX1 knockdown significantly decreased the ECAR value, glucose uptake and lactic acid production in CRC cells, whereas BRIX1 overexpression significantly increased these. Furthermore, BRIX1 knockdown significantly decreased the protein expression of GLUT1, whereas BRIX1 overexpression significantly increased this; however, expression of BRIX1 mRNA was unaffected in either case. Blocking glycolysis by si‐GLUT1 or galactose reversed BRIX1 promotion of glycolysis and cell proliferation in CRC cells.
Identification and validation of non‐coding RNA‐mediated high expression of IQGAP3 in poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Su Ziwei , Wang Yang , Cao Jialing , Ma Jie , Wang Guangzhao , Ren Huijuan , Zhang Yihan , Sheng Kangliang , Zhu Xueying , Wang Yongzhong
Published: January 2024

Background

The primary reason for tumor‐related deaths worldwide is lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). The oncogene IQ motif‐containing GTPase activating protein 3 (IQGAP3) is crucial for contributing to tumor initiation and progression. However, the precise function and molecular mechanism of IQGAP3 in LUAD remain unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the expression, prognosis, mechanism and tumor immunity associated with IQGAP3 in LUAD.

Methods

The relationship between IQGAP3 and the poor prognosis of LUAD was analyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. This analysis was further validated on lung cancer tissues and cell lines. The function of IQGAP3 was investigated by silencing it in LUAD cell lines. To predict microRNA (miRNA) and long non‐coding RNA associated with IQGAP3, the starBase database was utilized, and the predictions were verified by enhancing the function of miRNA. Finally, the relationship between IQGAP3 and tumor immunity was evaluated using Spearman's correlation analysis.

Results

TCGA database revealed that higher levels of IQGAP3 were associated with advanced tumor stage, N stage and poor prognosis in LUAD patients. To confirm that, we conducted experiments on lung cancer tissues and cell lines and found that silencing IQGAP3 significantly inhibited tumor cell proliferation and migration. The expression of IQGAP3 showed a negative correlation with has‐miR‐101‐3p and has‐miR‐135a‐5p, whereas it showed a positive correlation with GSEC, AC005034.3 and TYMSOS. Furthermore, the introduction of miRNA‐mimics into lung cancer cell resulted in a significant inhibition of cancer cell growth and migration. Following that, the level of IQGAP3 showed a positive correlation with the infiltration of immune cells in tumors.

Conclusions

These results reveal that IQGAP3 significantly promotes LUAD progression and could serve as a prognostic biomarker for LUAD. Furthermore, IQGAP3 is most likely regulated by the GSEC/TYMSOS‐hsa‐miR‐101‐3p axis and the AC005034.3‐hsa‐miR‐135a‐5p axis in LUAD.
“We're all truly pulling in the exact same direction”: A qualitative study of attending and resident physician impressions of structured bedside interdisciplinary rounds
Authors: Mastalerz Katarzyna A. , Jordan Sarah R. , Townsley Nikki
Published: January 2024

Background

Physicians often hold leadership roles in implementing interdisciplinary rounds (IDR) in clinical settings, thus understanding physician perspectives of bedside IDR is crucial.

Objective

To understand physicians' perspectives of structured bedside IDR.

Design

Qualitative descriptive study.

Setting and Participants

Medical and transitional year resident and hospitalist physicians participating in structured bedside IDR in a community teaching hospital affiliated with a large academic center.

Methods

We conducted semi‐structured interviews and focus groups with study participants about their experiences with participating in structured bedside IDR between July 2017 and April 2018. All interviews were recorded and professionally transcribed. We used thematic analysis to identify key themes.

Results

We interviewed 41 resident physicians and 10 hospitalist physicians and discovered five key themes that highlight physician impressions of bedside IDR. Bedside IDR decreased unnecessary care, screened for risks/errors, created a shared mental model of care, and increased physician empathy for the patient and the interprofessional care team. Physicians felt patients valued the streamlined communication they experienced but questioned the intrusiveness of large healthcare teams. Challenges to bedside IDR included the meaningful engagement of key stakeholders and, particularly for resident physicians, the difficultly of managing unstandardized communication in a standardized time‐sensitive setting.

Conclusions

Structured bedside IDR have the capacity to improve patient care, interprofessional teamwork, and physician empathy for patients and the interprofessional team. However, sustained leadership support and clearly defined rounds goals and objectives are necessary ingredients to maximize the benefits and address the challenges of bedside IDR.
Testing the accuracy of geographical profiling considering the effect of the number of crimes
Authors: Hanayama Aiko , Haginoya Shumpei , Kuraishi Hiroki
Published: January 2024

The present research compared geographic profiling (GP) methods, including spatial distribution strategies (SDS) and probability distance strategies (PDS), to account for the effect of the number of crimes on the accuracy of GP. Comparing the accuracy of GP methods among three burglar groups (a total of 333 offenders) with different sizes of crimes (1–5, 6–15 and 16 or more) committed before arrest showed that the accuracy decreased in a group with a larger size of crime. Comparing the accuracy of GP methods among the number of crimes (3–10) using 150 offenders who committed 10 or more crimes showed a slight improvement in the accuracy with the increasing number of crimes. In addition, the PDS (vs. SDS) showed a higher accuracy with the increasing number of crimes. The findings encourage practitioners to use the PDS and research implications are discussed.
Design and simulation of a germanium source dual‐metal dopingless tunnel FET as a label‐free biosensor
Authors: Dash Sidhartha , Panda Shwetapadma
Published: January 2024

This study presents a new dual‐metal dopingless tunnel field effect transistor with a Germanium source (GeS‐DM‐DLT) for label‐free biomolecule detection. Introducing a Ge source and dual‐metal gate provides improved drain current. We have considered an L‐shaped cavity at the top and bottom source metal region for investigating the sensitivity. The biosensor's sensitivity has been measured using the neutral biomolecules' dielectric constants (varying the k‐values in the cavity). The sensor's DC performance is investigated using transfer characteristics, BTBT rate, energy band, and electric field variation for different k‐values. The sensitivity performance of the proposed biosensor is evaluated in terms of different DC parameters (drain current, surface potential, subthreshold swing, interband tunneling rate, electric field) and RF parameters (parasitic capacitance, transconductance, cut‐off frequency, maximum frequency). The suggested biosensor offers a much‐improved SON of 9.86 × 108 and SRATIO of 1.94 × 104 for a dielectric constant of 22.0 at room temperature. Further research has been done to study the effects of dielectric materials, interface trap carriers (ITC), and temperature on drain current, drain current sensitivity, and other sensitivity parameters. The article also includes investigating the influence of the fill factor on sensitivity performance. The GeS‐DM‐DLT sensor performs best in fully‐filled conditions compared to the partially‐filled condition inside the cavity region.
Tree‐ring‐based reconstruction of the precipitation variability in the middle Taihang Mountains (1608–2021)
Authors: Hou Tiyuan , Zhao Xiaoen , Chen Feng , Chen Qiaomei , Wang Shijie , Hu Mao , Chen Youping , Zhang Heli , Cao Honghua
Published: January 2024

Understanding historical droughts in northern China is challenging due to the limited time records of meteorological stations. In this study, we reconstructed the precipitation variability in the middle Taihang Mountains over 414 years by using the tree‐ring width of Pinus tabulaeformis. Based on our climate response analysis, Pinus tabulaeformis growth at the sampling sites was mainly restricted by the total precipitation from August of the previous year to June of the current year (P8‐C6), which was used as the dependent variable for precipitation reconstruction. Spatial analysis demonstrated that the reconstructed precipitation contained obvious spatial representativeness in the Taihang Mountains. We compared the precipitation sequence with other dryness/wetness sequences around the study area, revealing common drought events in most of northern China. Furthermore, the multi‐taper method (MTM) demonstrated a significant period of 2–4 years of the reconstructed precipitation. The precipitation variability in the Taihang Mountains may be influenced by the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) and has exhibited a negative correlation in recent decades. This study has reconstructed the historical changes in wet and dry conditions to offer a reference for the utilization of modern water resources, especially by linking the decrease in precipitation in the study area with the downfall of the Ming Dynasty.
US federal government contracting for disaster management
Authors: Mena Carlos , Nair Anand
Published: January 2024

Disasters affect hundreds of millions of people every year and the response of governments is crucial in alleviating the suffering of those affected. Despite the importance of contracting in response to disasters, research on this topic is conspicuous by its absence. This paper begins to address this gap by investigating the choice of procurement contract type by US federal agencies during disaster management operations. The research relies on 47,560 contracts issued by the US federal government in response to 14 major disasters between 2005 and 2016. We build on agency theory to investigate the choice of the contract type made by federal agencies at the different stages of a relief operation. This research provides empirical evidence of the key factors underpinning the choice of contract in the context of disaster management, namely the amount of spend per contract and the type of acquisition (product or service), and reveals the moderating role of the stage of the relief operation.
Opportunities, challenges and implications of medical tourism development in Hong Kong
Authors: Zhong Xiangqiong , Chan Chung‐Shing
Published: January 2024

This study revealed two different sets of push and pull factors affecting the medical travel decision process of two groups of mainland Chinese to Hong Kong, including potential and experienced medical tourists. The relations between identified factors and their willingness of personal visit and recommendation were also investigated. Regarding the recommendation intention, interpersonal acquisition and personal needs satisfaction are mostly considered by travelers in psychological level while recognized high medical reception capacity and quality are also prioritized in the pull aspect. However, local medical service constraints, perceived quality of medical experience shaped by healthcare suppliers, and destination attributes determine the two groups' responses to personal visit intention. Besides, the advantages of developing medical tourism in Hong Kong are implicated as can‐be‐perceived unique cultural attribute, mass tourism fame as medical tourism development basis, and reputation for high‐quality care formed with unintentional or deliberate promotion from third parties and various marketing channels.
Evidence of 13C‐lactate oxidation in the human brain from hyperpolarized 13C‐MRI
Authors: Uthayakumar Biranavan , Soliman Hany , Chen Albert P. , Bragagnolo Nadia , Cappelletto Nicole I.C. , Endre Ruby , Perks William J. , Ma Nathan , Heyn Chris , Keshari Kayvan R. , Cunningham Charles H.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To test the hypothesis that lactate oxidation contributes to the C‐bicarbonate signal observed in the awake human brain using hyperpolarized C MRI.

Methods

Healthy human volunteers (N = 6) were scanned twice using hyperpolarized C‐MRI, with increased radiofrequency saturation of C‐lactate on one set of scans. C‐lactate, C‐bicarbonate, and C‐pyruvate signals for 132 brain regions across each set of scans were compared using a clustered Wilcoxon signed‐rank test.

Results

Increased C‐lactate radiofrequency saturation resulted in a significantly lower C‐bicarbonate signal (p = 0.04). These changes were observed across the majority of brain regions.

Conclusion

Radiofrequency saturation of C‐lactate leads to a decrease in C‐bicarbonate signal, demonstrating that the C‐lactate generated from the injected C‐pyruvate is being converted back to C‐pyruvate and oxidized throughout the human brain.
Phantom evaluation of electrical conductivity mapping by MRI: Comparison to vector network analyzer measurements and spatial resolution assessment
Authors: He Zhongzheng , Lefebvre Pauline M. , Soullié Paul , Doguet Martin , Ambarki Khalid , Chen Bailiang , Odille Freddy
Published: January 2024

Purpose

To evaluate the performance of various MR electrical properties tomography (MR‐EPT) methods at 3 T in terms of absolute quantification and spatial resolution limit for electrical conductivity.

Methods

Absolute quantification as well as spatial resolution performance were evaluated on homogeneous phantoms and a phantom with holes of different sizes, respectively. Ground‐truth conductivities were measured with an open‐ended coaxial probe connected to a vector network analyzer (VNA). Four widely used MR‐EPT reconstruction methods were investigated: phase‐based Helmholtz (PB), phase‐based convection‐reaction (PB‐cr), image‐based (IB), and generalized‐image‐based (GIB). These methods were compared using the same complex images from a 1 mm‐isotropic UTE sequence. Alternative transceive phase acquisition sequences were also compared in PB and PB‐cr.

Results

In large homogeneous phantoms, all methods showed a strong correlation with ground truth conductivities (r > 0.99); however, GIB was the best in terms of accuracy, spatial uniformity, and robustness to boundary artifacts. In the resolution phantom, the normalized root‐mean‐squared error of all methods grew rapidly (>0.40) when the hole size was below 10 mm, with simplified methods (PB and IB), or below 5 mm, with generalized methods (PB‐cr and GIB).

Conclusion

VNA measurements are essential to assess the accuracy of MR‐EPT. In this study, all tested MR‐EPT methods correlated strongly with the VNA measurements. The UTE sequence is recommended for MR‐EPT, with the GIB method providing good accuracy for structures down to 5 mm. Structures below 5 mm may still be detected in the conductivity maps, but with significantly lower accuracy.
Anatomical location and number of injection sites of intravesical OnabotulinumtoxinA for females with refractory idiopathic overactive bladder: A scoping review
Authors: Kelsey Ellen , Wynn Jessica , Holmes Angela , McLeod Kathryn
Published: January 2024

Aims

The negative impact on quality of life and the economic‐related burden to the patient and the health care system associated with idiopathic overactive bladder (iOAB) is well‐documented. Intradetrusor OnabotulinumtoxinA (BTN/A) injections are a well‐used treatment modality for the management of overactive detrusor refractory to medical management, with well‐documented efficacy and safety profiles. There is currently no best practice guideline for the administration of BTN/A for this procedure and historically the trigone of the bladder has been excluded from the injection paradigm given the risk of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

Methods

A scoping review methodology was employed to assess available literature to evaluate current techniques used. There is emerging literature that the inclusion of the trigone may increase the efficacy of the procedure, while maintaining a similar adverse effect profile. Similar results could also be obtained by decreasing the number of injection sites. A scoping review was completed with systematic methodology using the Preferred Systematic Reviews and Meta Analyses extension for Scoping Review checklist. The search strategy looked to evaluate BTN/A and number of injection sites and the inclusion of the trigone in female patients with iOAB. Studies with male or neurogenic bladder only were excluded. Mixed studies were included. A specialist research librarian was engaged, with supervision from a functional urologist using a combination of MeSH and natural language terms. Two investigators independently reviewed the titles and abstracts.

Results

Twelve articles were included and were published between 2005 and 2021. There was no evidence of VUR in any of the results. All but one study reported similar if not improved efficacy of trigone‐inclusion. Lower number of injection sites had similar efficacy profiles to higher numbers of intradetrusor injections.

Conclusions

Further high‐quality randomized control trials of trigone inclusion and reduction of injection sites are required. It is hoped that with further exploration of intraoperative methods for BTN/A injections, the development of universally accepted guidelines may optimize management and experiences for patients with iOAB.
A stable, highly concentrated fluorous nanoemulsion formulation for in vivo cancer imaging via 19F‐MRI
Authors: Heaton Alexa R. , Lechuga Lawrence M. , Tangsangasaksri Montira , Ludwig Kai D. , Fain Sean B. , Mecozzi Sandro
Published: January 2024

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a routine diagnostic modality in oncology that produces excellent imaging resolution and tumor contrast without the use of ionizing radiation. However, improved contrast agents are still needed to further increase detection sensitivity and avoid toxicity/allergic reactions associated with paramagnetic metal contrast agents, which may be seen in a small percentage of the human population. Fluorine‐19 (19F)‐MRI is at the forefront of the developing MRI methodologies due to near‐zero background signal, high natural abundance of 100%, and unambiguous signal specificity. In this study, we have developed a colloidal nanoemulsion (NE) formulation that can encapsulate high volumes of the fluorous MRI tracer, perfluoro‐[15‐crown‐5]‐ether (PFCE) (35% v/v). These nanoparticles exhibit long‐term (at least 100 days) stability and high PFCE loading capacity in formulation with our semifluorinated triblock copolymer, M2F8H18. With sizes of approximately 200 nm, these NEs enable in vivo delivery and passive targeting to tumors. Our diagnostic formulation, M2F8H18/PFCE NE, yielded in vivo 19F‐MR images with a high signal‐to‐noise ratio up to 100 in a tumor‐bearing mouse model at clinically relevant scan times. M2F8H18/PFCE NE circulated stably in the vasculature, accumulated in high concentration of an estimated 4–9 × 1017 19F spins/voxel at the tumor site, and cleared from most organs over the span of 2 weeks. Uptake by the mononuclear phagocyte system to the liver and spleen was also observed, most likely due to particle size. These promising results suggest that M2F8H18/PFCE NE is a favorable 19F‐MR diagnostic tracer for further development in oncological studies and potential clinical translation.
On the complexity of the upgrading version of the maximal covering location problem
Authors: Baldomero‐Naranjo Marta , Kalcsics Jörg , Rodríguez‐Chía Antonio M.
Published: January 2024

In this article, we study the complexity of the upgrading version of the maximal covering location problem with edge length modifications on networks. This problem is NP‐hard on general networks. However, in some particular cases, we prove that this problem is solvable in polynomial time. The cases of star and path networks combined with different assumptions for the model parameters are analysed. In particular, we obtain that the problem on star networks is solvable in time for uniform weights and NP‐hard for non‐uniform weights. On paths, the single facility problem is solvable in time, while the ‐facility problem is NP‐hard even with uniform costs and upper bounds (maximal upgrading per edge), as well as, integer parameter values. Furthermore, a pseudo‐polynomial algorithm is developed for the single facility problem on trees with integer parameters.
Sustainable Water in Mining? The Importance of Traditional Owner Involvement in Commercial Water Use and Management in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia
Authors: Garlett Emma , Holcombe Sarah
Published: January 2024

The mining industry is a significant water user, an issue that gains a particular prominence in arid zone mining regions, such as the Pilbara region in Western Australia (WA). Mining companies extract vast amounts of water from the groundwater aquifers to access orebodies and to dewater the mine pits. Much of this water is dumped in creeks, injected back into the aquifer downstream or used in mining processing. There is increased awareness from community members for sustainable water use in mining beyond life of mine, and the emergence of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) principles in the mining and metals sector signals a shift towards recognizing the importance of water stewardship. Much of the land subject to dewatering in the Pilbara is also subject to native title determinations. For Traditional Owners, important cultural values are associated with water. However, water is not adequately covered in native title, especially in relation to commercial use. We argue that Traditional Owner involvement in design and management of the use of excess water from a mining proponent's water licence (dewatering) can assist in sustainable use of groundwater, as well as provide opportunities in social and economic enterprises. As a provocation style piece, this paper is based on secondary literature, rather than ethnographic data. It explores the political and regulatory landscape of mine dewatering and outlines the limitations that have existed historically and currently and which inhibit Traditional Owners to participate in water management or commercial water interests. We also provide a high‐level analysis of several mining proponents' public policy commitments to water stewardship to assess the sustainable use of water which involves stakeholders such as Traditional Owners in water decision‐making. Finally, we identify possible opportunities and provide some recommendations, for water futures in this dry region where iron ore mining and gas extraction, already massive, are expanding further.
Biosynthesis of ZnO, Bi2O3 and ZnO−Bi2O3 bimetallic nanoparticles and their cytotoxic and antibacterial effects
Authors: Sarani Mina , Darroudi Majid , Naderifar Mahin , Akbarizadeh Majid Reza , Nobre Marcos A. L. , Kruppke Benjamin , Khonakdar Hossein Ali , Jazi Mehdi Erfani
Published: January 2024

This work introduces an easy method for producing Bi2O3, ZnO, ZnO‐Bi2O3 nanoparticles (NPs) by Biebersteinia Multifida extract. Our products have been characterized through the outcomes which recorded with using powder X‐ray diffractometry (PXRD), Raman, energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX), field emission‐scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), and Fourier‐transform infrared (FT‐IR) techniques. The finding of SEM presented porous structure and spherical morphology for Bi2O3 and ZnO NPs, respectively. While FE‐SEM image of bimetallic nanoparticles showed both porous and spherical morphologies for them; so that spherical particles of ZnO have sat on the porous structure of Bi2O3 NPs. According to the PXRD results, the crystallite sizes of Bi2O3, ZnO and ZnO−Bi2O3 NPs have been obtained 57.69, 21.93, and 43.42 nm, respectively. Antibacterial performance of NPs has been studied on Staphylococcus epidermidis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, to distinguish the minimum microbial inhibitory concentration (MIC). Antimicrobial outcomes have showed a better effect for ZnO‐Bi2O3 NPs. Besides, wondering about the cytotoxic action against cancer cell lines, the MTT results have verified the intense cytotoxic function versus breast cancer cells (MCF‐7). According to these observations, obtained products can prosper medical and biological applications.
Does aversion to insects affect insecticide use? An elusive answer calls for improved methods in biophobia research
Authors: Gish Moshe , Hisano Masumi , Soga Masashi
Published: January 2024

Insecticides are commonly used to control insects and other arthropods in homes (hereafter collectively referred to as ‘insects’). Although aversion to insects might encourage the use of insecticides, it is unclear whether such feelings truly influence the decision to use insecticides.

We investigated the connection between feelings of disgust towards insects and the use of household insecticides. Our aim was to uncover the unexplored emotional drivers of insecticide use, in order to provide insights that might help develop new programmes to reduce exposure to household insecticides.

We conducted an online survey (n = 2500) that focussed on insecticide use and disgust feelings towards six species commonly found in homes (cockroaches, ants, spiders, mosquitoes, flies and centipedes). Respondents rated their level of disgust towards these species and reported various beliefs and practices related to household insects and insect control.

Approximately 70% of respondents expressed strong disgust towards these species (ratings of 6 or 7 on a scale of 1–7). More than half (53.3%) reported using aerosol insecticides in their homes in the 6 months prior to the survey.

Path analyses highlighted several factors that influenced insecticide use, including infestation level, disgust intensity, lack of knowledge about arthropods and aversion to chemicals. However, the observed effect sizes were modest, particularly regarding the influence of disgust on insecticide use, which somewhat constrains our study's contribution to the understanding of the motivators driving household insecticide use.

We explain how our findings potentially reflect a critical methodological limitation in the standard methods commonly used for measuring aversion in biophobia (fear of nature) research. This limitation originates from the fact that highly aversive animals often provoke extreme reactions from most participants, resulting in a very low data variation that hinders data analysis. We address this concern in the context of our findings and propose potential solutions that could pave the way for future research on how attitudes towards highly aversive animals affect individuals, society, and the relationships between people and nature.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Therapeutic potential of stilbenes in neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders: A comprehensive review of preclinical and clinical evidence
Authors: Socała Katarzyna , Żmudzka Elżbieta , Lustyk Klaudia , Zagaja Mirosław , Brighenti Virginia , Costa Anna Maria , Andres‐Mach Marta , Pytka Karolina , Martinelli Ilaria , Mandrioli Jessica , Pellati Federica , Biagini Giuseppe , Wlaź Piotr
Published: January 2024

Neuropsychiatric disorders are anticipated to be a leading health concern in the near future, emphasizing an outstanding need for the development of new effective therapeutics to treat them. Stilbenes, with resveratrol attracting the most attention, are an example of multi‐target compounds with promising therapeutic potential for a broad array of neuropsychiatric and neurological conditions. This review is a comprehensive summary of the current state of research on stilbenes in several neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders such as depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorders, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and neurodegenerative disorders. We describe and discuss the results of both in vitro and in vivo studies. The majority of studies concentrate on resveratrol, with limited findings exploring other stilbenes such as pterostilbene, piceatannol, polydatin, tetrahydroxystilbene glucoside, or synthetic resveratrol derivatives. Overall, although extensive preclinical studies show the potential benefits of stilbenes in various central nervous system disorders, clinical evidence on their therapeutic efficacy is largely missing.
Chemical analysis of additives included in fully formulated oils using high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Basham Vincent , Hancock Tom , McKendrick John , Tessarolo Nathalia , Wicking Chrissie
Published: January 2024

Rationale

Fully formulated oils (FFOs) are chemically complex petrochemical products composed of base oil and additive mixtures that are employed in automotive engines to provide lubrication. In particular, the additive portion of FFOs is often precisely controlled to tailor the resultant formulation to a specific role. Analysis of the additive composition of both used and unused FFOs is therefore of great importance within the petroleum, automotive, and wider engineering industries.

Methods

A simple and rapid reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method is reported herein for the analysis of a range of additives commonly encountered in FFO samples. Mass spectrometry was performed using an LTQ Orbitrap XL instrument using both positive‐ and negative‐ion electrospray ionization. Tandem mass spectra were acquired in the data‐dependent mode. FFO samples were analysed with minimal sample preparation, limited in this case to simple dilution steps.

Results

The reported method permits analysis of a range of antioxidant, detergent, and antiwear chemistries from various FFO samples in under 10 min. Additionally, it is demonstrated that additive confirmation can be performed and some structural information obtained using the data‐dependent tandem mass spectrometry method. Furthermore, analysis of additives and corresponding degradation products within a used FFO is reported.

Conclusions

The results obtained using the reported methodology are of demonstrable use in numerous industries and applications, and readily return an abundance of information on the additive composition of a range of FFO samples. Anticipated applications of the methodology include but are not limited to quality control, suspected counterfeit analysis, and FFO degradation analysis.
Ethanolysis of nitrogen mustards: A novel strategy for nitrogen mustard identification in environmental matrices by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Belay Chen , Shifrovitch Avital , Prihed Hagit , Madmon Moran , Blanca Merav , Shamai Yamin Tamar , Weissberg Avi
Published: January 2024

Rationale

Nitrogen mustards (NMs) are blistering chemical warfare agents. The ability to detect NMs in environmental samples is very important for obtaining forensic evidence. The most common analytical techniques for NM detection are gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, which detects NMs in their intact form but is disadvantaged by high limits of detection (LODs), and liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI‐MS/MS) of their hydrolysis products, which do not provide robust evidence to support NM use.

Methods

We developed a novel approach to detect and identify NMs using LC/ESI‐MS/MS after chemical derivatization. The method is based on ethoxide‐promoted ethanolysis prior to analysis. The effects of reaction time, temperature, ethoxide concentration and chromatography behavior were studied and optimized. In the developed procedure, 0.1% (v/v) sodium ethoxide solution is added to the NMs in ethanol and agitated for 2 h at 50°C, followed by LC/ESI‐MS/MS, without any other pretreatment.

Results

The ethanolysis reaction efficiencies were evaluated in ethanolic extracts from soil, asphalt, and ethanol contaminated with 0.5% (v/v) diesel fortified with NMs at a five‐point calibration curve. The calibration curves showed good linearity in the range of 0.05–1 ng/mL, with an R2 value of 0.99, and were similar to those of LC/MS‐grade ethanol, with almost no observable matrix effects. The derivatization products were stable at room temperature, with LODs of 10 pg/mL, in all investigated extracts.

Conclusions

Through this newly developed strategy, the derivatization of active NMs by ethanolysis was achieved for the first time, and these derivatization products can serve as specific indicators for the use and presence of NMs. The methodology can also verify trace levels of NM chemical warfare agents collected in war or terror scenarios in forensic investigations.
Outer Membrane Vesicles Released from Garlic Exosome‐like Nanoparticles (GaELNs) Train Gut Bacteria that Reverses Type 2 Diabetes via the Gut‐Brain Axis
Authors: Sundaram Kumaran , Teng Yun , Mu Jingyao , Xu Qingbo , Xu Fangyi , Sriwastva Mukesh K. , Zhang Lifeng , Park Juw Won , Zhang Xiang , Yan Jun , Zhang Shuang Qin , Merchant Michael L. , Chen Shao‐yu , McClain Craig J , Dryden Gerald W , Zhang Huang‐Ge
Published: January 2024

Gut microbiota function has numerous effects on humans and the diet humans consume has emerged as a pivotal determinant of gut microbiota function. Here, a new concept that gut microbiota can be trained by diet‐derived exosome‐like nanoparticles (ELNs) to release healthy outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) is introduced. Specifically, OMVs released from garlic ELN (GaELNs) trained human gut Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muciniphila) can reverse high‐fat diet‐induced type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in mice. Oral administration of OMVs released from GaELNs trained A. muciniphila can traffick to the brain where they are taken up by microglial cells, resulting in inhibition of high‐fat diet‐induced brain inflammation. GaELNs treatment increases the levels of OMV Amuc‐1100, P9, and phosphatidylcholines. Increasing the levels of Amuc‐1100 and P9 leads to increasing the GLP‐1 plasma level. Increasing the levels of phosphatidylcholines is required for inhibition of cGas and STING‐mediated inflammation and GLP‐1R crosstalk with the insulin pathway that leads to increasing expression of Insulin Receptor Substrate (IRS1 and IRS2) on OMV targeted cells. These findings reveal a molecular mechanism whereby OMVs from plant nanoparticle‐trained gut bacteria regulate genes expressed in the brain, and have implications for the treatment of brain dysfunction caused by a metabolic syndrome.
Synergistic Effects of PtRhNiFeCu High Entropy Alloy Nanocatalyst for Hydrogen Evolution and Oxygen Reduction Reactions
Authors: Hu Zhiwei , Chen Kuangyin , Zhu Yihua , Liu Bin , Shen Jianhua
Published: January 2024

The unique properties of high entropy alloy (HEA) catalysts, particularly their severe lattice distortion and the synergistic effect of multiple components, endow them with exceptional multifunctional catalytic performance. Herein, it is revealed for the first time, that the ultrasmall PtRhNiFeCu HEA nanoparticles catalyst shows outstanding catalytic activity for both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The catalyst exhibits an impressively low overpotential of 13 mV at 10 mA cm−2, a Tafel slope of 29.6 mV dec−1, and high mass activity of 7.6 A mgPt−1 at −50 mV in alkaline media, and long‐term stability of at least 20 h. Moreover, the catalyst also demonstrates effective catalytic activity for acidic ORR with a commendable performance of 1.23 A mgPt−1, much exceeding the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations unveil that the efficient electrocatalytic performance for HER and ORR can be primarily attributed to the synergistic effect between components tailors and optimizes the electronic structure of PtRhNiFeCu/C HEA, which not only enhances the HER activity through increasing water capture capability, decreasing energetic barrier for water dissociation, and optimizing hydrogen absorption but also initiates non‐platinum active sites with high ORR activity, achieving the improved ORR performance.
Modeling, applications and challenges of inner ear organoid
Authors: Qi Jieyu , Zhang Liyan , Wang Xiaohan , Chen Xin , Li Yiyuan , Wang Tian , Wu Peina , Chai Renjie
Published: January 2024

More than 6% of the world's population is suffering from hearing loss and balance disorders. The inner ear is the organ that senses sound and balance. Although inner ear disorders are common, there are limited ways to intervene and restore its sensory and balance functions. The development and establishment of biologically therapeutic interventions for auditory disorders require clarification of the basics of signaling pathways that control inner ear development and the establishment of endogenous or exogenous cell‐based therapeutic methods. In vitro models of the inner ear, such as organoid systems, can help identify new protective or regenerative drugs, develop new gene therapies, and be considered as potential tools for future clinical applications. Advances in stem cell technology and organoid culture offer unique opportunities for modeling inner ear diseases and developing personalized therapies for hearing loss. Here, we review and discuss the mechanisms for the establishment and the potential applications of inner ear organoids.
COVID‐19 and 2020 presidential election speeches: A content analysis of pandemic campaign rhetoric
Authors: Hatcher William , Ginn Martha H.
Published: January 2024

This study examines how public health issues were communicated during the 2020 US presidential campaign, particularly those concerning the global COVID‐19 pandemic. Using content analysis, we examined the available campaign speeches of the two major candidates, Donald Trump and Joseph R. Biden. We examined how the candidates discussed the COVID‐19 pandemic and vital areas of public health in those speeches. Analysis of these speeches found little discussion on healthcare in general and little to no discussion on the vital areas of public health. We also found that COVID‐19 statements were not as prevalent as we anticipated, given the unprecedented scope of the pandemic. Even during a pandemic, public health matters received very little attention during a Presidential campaign. Public health topics accounted for less than 1% of the content in candidates' official speeches. Given that elites help increase knowledge of public health concerns and influence policy, the lack of attention given to the pandemic in the 2020 general election cycle is surprising, if not alarming.
The influence of landscape composition and configuration on breeding waterfowl pair abundance in Wisconsin
Authors: Fowler Drew N. , Winiarski Jason M. , Pollentier Christopher D. , Gatti Ronald C.
Published: January 2024

Habitat loss and fragmentation have negatively impacted breeding birds across the world. Across guilds, grassland‐dependent birds have experienced the largest proportional loss of their breeding population while wetland‐dependent birds have realized overall net gains in part due to focused conservation efforts. However, some species within the wetland‐dependent guild have a strong dependence on non‐wetland land cover types during the annual cycle and therefore may be equally sensitive to reductions in the composition and altered configuration of upland landcover, such as grasslands. We explored the influence of landcover composition and configuration on the number of breeding pairs of a breeding habitat generalist, the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), and a grassland‐dependent breeding species, the blue‐winged teal (Spatula discors), in agriculturally‐intensive landscapes of Wisconsin, USA. Because of the extensive landscape alteration and habitat fragmentation that has occurred, we expected mallards to have a more utilitarian response to varying landscape composition compared to a grassland nesting obligate like blue‐winged teal. We used helicopter surveys conducted across 8 years (2001–2003, 2006–2009, and 2012) and remotely‐sensed land cover data to investigate the influence of habitat associations on relative abundance of breeding pairs. Model selection indicated that landscape composition models outperformed landscape configuration and null models for both species. Consistent with our predictions, we found that mallard pair counts were positively influenced by a greater number of land cover covariates compared to blue‐winged teal. Both blue‐winged teal and mallard breeding pairs were positively related to increased composition of emergent and scrub‐shrub wetlands as well as upland grassland. Additionally, we found that mallard pairs were positively related to forested, cattail (Typha sp.), and open water wetland types, whereas predicted blue‐winged teal pair abundance was negatively related to forested wetlands and had a nonlinear relationship and declined when surveyed land sections were comprised of more than 30% cattail‐dominated wetlands and 20% open‐water wetlands. Increased quantities of cattail‐dominated and open‐water wetland cover types comparatively provide less habitat for blue‐winged teal and may reflect broader shifts in habitat composition that have likely resulted from agricultural intensification and stabilized hydrology. Conservation activities that preserve existing nesting land cover types or restore hydrologically‐dynamic emergent wetlands in proximity to upland grassland cover could mutually benefit both species.
Mixed convection hybrid nanofluid flow over a stationary permeable vertical cone with thermal radiation and convective boundary condition
Authors: Yahaya Rusya Iryanti , Mustafa Mohd Shafie , Arifin Norihan Md , Pop Ioan , Wahid Nur Syahirah , Ali Fadzilah Md , Mohamed Isa Siti Suzilliana Putri
Published: January 2024

Many real‐world devices, such as heat exchangers, geothermal reservoirs, and cooling systems, utilize the concept of boundary layer flow across a cone geometry. The current study presents and analyses the mathematical formulation for the mixed convection flow of a hybrid nanofluid over a permeable stationary cone. The heat transfer analysis considers the effects of thermal radiation and convective boundary condition. Numerical and statistical analyses of this flow problem yield new, physically significant results. The numerical analysis is carried out using the bvp4c solver in Matlab. Similarity transformations are performed to obtain a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations from the governing partial differential equations and boundary conditions. In both assisting and opposing flows, spherical‐ and platelet‐shaped nanoparticles are observed to produce the lowest and highest local skin friction coefficient, respectively. The spherical‐ and blade‐shaped nanoparticles also offer the highest and lowest local Nusselt number, respectively, with a difference of 6.4% (assisting) and 6.03% (opposing). Meanwhile, the increase in the mixed convection parameter raised the velocity profile but diminished the temperature profile of the hybrid nanofluid. Then, the relationship of the Biot number , suction , and thermal radiation ) parameters with the local Nusselt number is investigated through the response surface methodology (RSM). The local Nusselt number for the current flow problem is estimated to be maximized at 0.814323 (assisting) and 0.814629 (opposing) when these parameters are at the highest range of , , and . Several researchers had presented experimental studies conducted at different temperatures (15, 25, 35°C), mass flow rates (ranging from 0.00076 to 0.041 kg/s), and nanoparticle concentrations (0.387, 0.992, 3.12, 4.71 mass%).
Identifying Neotectonic Motions in Germany Using Discontinuity-corrected GNSS Data
Authors: Le Nhung , Männel Benjamin , Bui Luyen K. , Schuh Harald
Published: January 2024

The crustal motions throughout Germany have not yet been fully understood because the research scope of previous studies often focuses only on some active grabens. Thus, we investigate it in detail to identify the neotectonic motion characteristics and specific deformation-ongoing regions. High accuracy for monitoring and data analyses is required because the expected crustal deformation in Germany is small. For this reason, we use high-precision GNSS time series processing techniques and interdisciplinary data to reflect actual motions and determine the causes of deformation. Also, an advanced technique of discontinuity correction is introduced to unify the fragments of the GNSS coordinate time series for better velocity field reliability. Our findings show that the crustal motions in Germany tend to increase at a maximum speed of +1.0 mm/year. Meanwhile, local subsidence of around $$-$$
-
0.8 mm/year is concentrated in the river basins (e.g., the Rhine, Ems, Elbe, Northern Oder, and Danube) and extensive mining regions. The Earth’s crust here also behaves with noticeable compressions. The intra-plate motion in Germany is $$\sim $$
∼
0.8 mm/year. A special region with an extension rate of +4.3 nstrain/year is observed along the North–South trending Regensburg-Leipzig-Rostock shear zone. Machine Learning clusters the 3D plate velocity field in Germany into three distinct regions with increasing speeds: Northwest, East, and Southwest. Significant surface deformations are detected mainly in the Upper Rhine graben, Eifel volcanic field, and Thuringian-Vogtland slate mountains. The harmonic motions of the Earth’s crust in Germany have an amplitude of $$\sim $$
∼
4.7 mm, in which the surface loads contribute half to this type of motion. The findings will contribute to the overall picture of neotectonics here.