bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sciatic Nerve Traction Injuries in THR after Old Trauma of Neck of Femur Fracture more Than 3 Months
Authors: Dar Usman Zafar , Shahid Mohammad Nauman , Muqaddas Ali , Ahmed Muhammad , Ahmed Sameer , Hussain Naeem
Published: April 2023

Aim: The purpose of this study is to measure the sciatic Nerve injuries in Total Hip Replacement after the old trauma of femur fracture more than 3 months. Materials and Methods. The design of this study was retrospective study design and this study was conducted at DHQ Teaching Hospital Gujranwala. Data was collected of Total 50 patients who underwent Total Hip Replacement following trauma of NECK of femur fracture. All Patients underwent through Total Hip Replacement surgery. Sciatic nerve traction injuries were noted. SPSS – 16 was used for statistical analysis of the data and for the calculation of the mean and SD. Mann-Whitney U test and Student's t- test were also used for the analysis of the mean and SD in consideration with the p-value of (< 0.05). Results: Out of 50 patients, 5 patient developed Sciatic nerve injuries and 1 developed Femoral nerve injury. Out of these 5 Patients, cause of sciatic nerve injury in 3 patients was formation of hematoma and the cause of 2 sciatic nerve injuries and femoral nerve injury was trapping of the nerve due to scarring. However, the outcome of 4 out of 6 (66.66%) patients was Good, 1 (16.66%) had satisfactory result while the one patient (16.66%) with sciatic nerve injury developed total paralysis with poorer prognosis. Practical Implication: Sciatic nerve traction injuries can occur as a complication of total hip replacement (THR) surgery, especially after old trauma such as neck of femur fracture that occurred more than 3 months prior to the surgery. Such injuries can result in significant pain, weakness, and other functional impairments that can affect the patient’s quality of life. Therefore, it is important for surgeons to carefully evaluate the patient’s medical history and perform appropriate diagnostic tests to identify the risk of nerve injury before THR surgery. Furthermore, during surgery, surgeons should use techniques to minimize the risk of nerve injury, such as careful placement of implants and avoiding excessive traction on the sciatic nerve. Early detection and prompt management of sciatic nerve traction injuries can help to optimize patient outcomes and prevent long-term disability Conclusion: Sciatic Nerve injuries are common in THR after trauma to the neck of femur. So, these must be ruled out and proper management should be done. Keywords: Total Hip Replacement, Femur Neck Fracture, Sciatic Nerve Injury, Trauma.
CLOVES Syndrome
Authors: Kanji Alpa , Cobben Jan , Laguda Bisola
Published: April 2023

This case report describes an infant with large capillary malformations on the trunk, edematous left axilla and upper arm with loose skin and subcutaneous soft tissue tumors, and bilateral overgrowth of the feet with syndactyly of toes.
Deploying automated ticket router across the enterprise
Authors: Ackerman Samuel , Alexander Lincoln , Bennett Margaret , Chen Donglin , Farchi Eitan , Houseknecht Autumn , Santhanam Padmanabhan
Published: April 2023

With the recent advances in machine learning, the use of natural language processing (NLP) technology to support various business processes has been increasing. This paper discusses the use of NLP to route more than one million live client tickets annually to the appropriate service personnel in 67 support missions across IBM. Each mission supports a product family with multiple support teams, each requiring different skills for the engineers. We discuss three important aspects of such a large‐scale deployment: (i) The use of a centralized team with a common machine learning infrastructure and practices to support the entire enterprise. (ii) The processes and quality of such a deployment from the perspective of one support mission, namely, IBM's z/OS family. (iii) Careful monitoring of the deployed models to detect drifts in the routing behavior. Despite vast differences in the technical contents of the support missions, it is possible to define common processes and metrics across the enterprise, without requiring a dedicated machine learning team for each mission. In addition, we provide examples of the business policies and metrics from the perspective of the z/OS mission to demonstrate the utility of the approach and the outcome.
Differential Fractal and Circadian Patterns in Motor Activity in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats at the Stage of Prehypertension
Authors: Yilmaz Ajda , Li Peng , Kalsbeek Andries , Buijs Ruud M , Hu Kun
Published: April 2023

One possible pathological mechanism underlying hypertension and its related health consequences is dysfunction of the circadian system—a network of coupled circadian clocks that generates and orchestrates rhythms of ≈24 h in behavior and physiology. To better understand the role of circadian function during the development of hypertension, circadian regulation of motor activity is investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) before the onset of hypertension and in their age‐matched controls—Wistar Kyoto rats (WKYs). Two complementary properties in locomotor activity fluctuations are examined to assessthe multiscale regulatory function of the circadian control network: 1) rhythmicity at ≈24 h and 2) fractal patterns—similar temporal correlation at different time scales (≈0.5–8 h). Compared to WKYs, SHRs have more stable and less fragmented circadian activity rhythms but the changes in the rhythms (e.g., period and amplitude) from constant dark to light conditions are reduced or opposite. SHRs also have altered fractal activity patterns, displaying activity fluctuations with excessive regularity at small timescales that are linked to rigid physiological states. These different rhythmicity/fractal patterns and their different responses to light in SHRs indicate that an altered circadian function may be involved in the development of hypertension.
Preparation and Application of Flexible Ethylene Vinyl Acetate Adhesive Composites by Ultrasonic‐Assisted Forced Infiltration
Authors: Li Chenglin , Du Qingyuan , Liu Changhao , An Yi , Fang Chunping , Wu Daming , Sun Jingyao
Published: April 2023

Herein, carbon nanotubes (CNTs)–cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs)/ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA) composite are prepared with excellent bonding properties, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity using an ultrasonic‐assisted forced infiltration (UAFI) method. The CNTs–CNCs (10:1)/EVA composite had the highest shear (82.9 N) and strip (12.2 N) forces at the interface when bonding leather to fabric as an interface bonding material (IBM). Different mass ratios of CNTs to CNCs in the composites lead to different electrical and thermal conductivity properties. When the mass ratio of CNTs to CNCs is 10:1, the CNTs–CNCs(10:1)/EVA composites reach an electrical and thermal conductivity of 158.37 S m−1and 6.351 W (m·K)−1, respectively. In addition, the CNTs–CNCs(10:1)/EVA composite shows excellent thermal stability, mechanical properties, thermal performance, and electromagnetic shielding. The prepared EVA composite has a broad application prospect in IBM.
Achieving Good Strength–Plasticity Compatibility in Cu Composites via Carbon Nanotube‐Induced Heterogeneous Bimodal Structure
Authors: Zhou Yifei , Liu Liang , Bao Rui , Yi Jianhong , Tao Jingmei , Li Caiju
Published: April 2023

Traditionally, metal matrix composites reinforced with uniformly dispersed carbon nanotube (CNT) have shown significant enhancement in strength, but always accompanied by the deterioration of uniform elongation (UE). Herein, a novel strategy is proposed to achieve the prominent strength–ductility combination of CNT‐reinforced Cu composites. The strategy makes use of the architecture design via mixing the CNT/Cu composite powders (prepared by the molecular‐level mixing method) with coarse‐grained Cu powders. The bulk composites with a controlled inhomogeneous microstructure are designed and fabricated, in which the reinforcing phase is inhomogeneously distributed at the microscale but homogeneous at the macroscale. The effects of fine and coarse grain proportions on the microstructure evolution and plastic deformation capacity of bimodal‐grained Cu composites are investigated. When the mixed ratio of refined CNT/Cu powder to coarse‐grained Cu is 1:1, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and UE of bimodal‐grained Cu composites are 384 MPa and 26.9%, respectively. Such good strength–plasticity compatibility is attributed to the combined effects of hetero‐deformation‐induced (HDI) stress and CNT strengthening mechanisms. This study provides insights for evading the strength–ductility trade‐off in high‐performance metal matrix composite by architecture design.
Investigation on Improved Hot Processing Map of Cr4Mo4Ni4V Aerospace Bearing Steel Based on Carbide Content
Authors: Yang Wanli , Shao Bin , Zhou Pengwen , Zhang Shuhan , Zong Yingying
Published: April 2023

Cr4Mo4Ni4V steel has excellent fracture toughness and fatigue life, which is one of the main materials for the new generation of aeroengine bearing rings. However, there is still lack of investigation on hot processing of Cr4Mo4Ni4V steel up to now. Herein, the hot processing map is established based on systemic compression tests; then, according to the requirements of Cr4Mo4Ni4V steel for carbide content, improved hot processing map is established based on the carbide content by superimposing the carbide content zoning map. Results reveal that the activation energy is 304.9 kJ mol−1, and power dissipation value increases only within the strain range of 0.2–0.4, while the instability zone always moves toward the direction of high strain rate with the increase of strain. In 900–1150 °C, 0.01–5 s−1, the content of carbide could be divided into three zones: little dissolved zone, mostly dissolved zone, and completely dissolved zone. Improved hot processing map indicates that the ideal processing domain is 950–1050 °C, 0.01–0.3 s−1 etc.
Secondary Structure in Overcoming Photosensitizers’ Aggregation: α‐Helical Polypeptides for Enhanced Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Xu Xiang , Ma Jinjuan , Zheng Yubin , Wang Shaolei , Wang Aiguo , Zheng Nan
Published: April 2023

Aggregation caused quenching (ACQ) effect can severely inhibit the application of hydrophobic photosensitizers (PSs) bearing planar and rigid structures. Most of the reported cases utilized random‐coiled polymers for the in vivo delivery of PSs, which would inevitably aggravate ACQ effect due to the flexible chains. In this work, the role of polymers’ secondary structures (especially α‐helical conformation) in overcoming the PSs’ aggregation is systemically investigated based on the design of α‐helical polypeptides bearing tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) side chains. Atomistic molecular dynamics simulation, fluorescence quantum yield, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation yield are evaluated to demonstrate that α‐helical polypeptide backbones can significantly boost both fluorescence quantum yield and ROS by suppressing the π‐π stacking interaction between TPP units. The enhanced in vitro and in vivo phototoxicity for helical polypeptides also reveal functions of secondary structures in inhibiting ACQ and improving the membrane activity. Successful in vivo photodynamic therapy (PDT) results in mice bearing H22 tumors showed great potentials for further clinical applications.
Bioinspired Drag Reduction of Cavities Induced by Janus Nanostructure Interfaces on Hydrophobic Spheres Plunging into Water with a Low Speed
Authors: Xie Jingjing , Yao Changzhuang , Shi Zhenmin , Wang Jingming , Jiang Lei
Published: April 2023

Form drag of the blunt object occurs from the pressure difference due to the physical dimensions of the object obstructing and altering the flow of the fluid. The innovative approach of form drag reduction is realized by changing the shape of the blunt object to a streamlined body by introducing a cavity. The construction of superhydrophobic interfaces is widely considered as the best solution for introducing a cavity, because water is prevented from penetrating the space between the nanoscale structures, leading to a Cassie–Baxter wetting regime and then water splashing outward. Here, by introducing Janus nanostructure coating on hydrophobic spheres, it is found that the position (impacting direction) and coverage ratio (r) of the nanostructures, accurately manipulate the performance of water film on the sphere surface. When the nanostructure faces upward, the detached thin film develops to a splash crown only if r increases to 1/3 or even above. Correspondingly, the remaining open aperture aids in increasing the subsequent air entrainment, and an air‐entrainment cavity is trapped on the sphere surface. However, if the nanostructure faces downward, only a tiny region of the nanostructures (r ≤ 1/8) can help a thin liquid film directly develop into a splash crown and cavity.
Influence of Initial Surface Roughness on LIPSS Formation and Its Consecutive Impact on Cell/Bacteria Attachment for TiAl6V4 Surfaces
Authors: Sotelo Lamborghini , Fontanot Tommaso , Vig Sanjana , Herre Patrick , Yousefi Peyman , Fernandes Maria Helena , Sarau George , Leuchs Gerd , Christiansen Silke
Published: April 2023

The influence of the initial surface roughness of TiAl6V4 samples on the orientation and periodicity of the resulting laser‐induced periodic surface structures (LIPSS), as well as the surface wettability and chemistry is reported here. Before LIPSS fabrication, initial sample surface roughness is adjusted by variations of finial polishing steps with polishing grain sizes of 18.3, 8.4, 5, and 0.5 µm. A 3 ×  3 irradiation matrix was defined and lasered on all samples by changing the laser power and distance between consecutive laser scans. The resulting structures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. As a further step, three representative generated structures were chosen to explore their bone implant viability by resazurin assays, alkaline phosphatase activity, and direct SEM imaging of the induced cells (MG63) and bacteria (Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus). Results show that initial surface roughness has big influence on the wettability of the resulting surface, as well as inducing small variations on the orientation of the generated LIPSS. Structures generated with a higher integrated fluence have also shown to enhance cell differentiation while reducing bacterial activity, making them a great candidate for improved bone implant compatibility and durability.
A Machine‐Braided Flame‐Retardant Triboelectric Yarn/Textile for Fireproof Application
Authors: Cui Xiuju , Li An , Zheng Zongni , Wu Hanguang , Wang Rui
Published: April 2023

With the rapid development of the textile‐based triboelectric nanogenerators (T‐TENGs), it is highly desired to create a simple and cheap fabrication strategy for the T‐TENGs with high flame‐retardant performances (FRT‐TENGs), which can present reliable electrical performance in the fire disaster. In this work, by covering the flame‐retardant polyethylene terephthalate filaments around the conductive fiber, a flame‐retardant triboelectric yarn is successfully developed through a simple and continuous high‐speed braiding process. The obtained composite yarns are further woven into an FRT‐TENG, which presents excellent comprehensive performances, including good energy harvesting ability, long‐term durability and washability, excellent flame retardancy, and high comfortability. The open‐circuit voltage (VOC) and short‐circuit current (ISC) can reach nearly 12 V and 0.36 µA, respectively. The FRT‐TENG shows a high limiting oxygen index value of 31.3% and self‐extinguishing behavior, and still presents high energy output performances after the burning, making it a perfect candidate for intelligent devices with high fireproof ability, such as the smart firefighter uniform and the intelligent carpet for escape direction indication.
Aerosol‐Jet Printed Sensors for Environmental, Safety, and Health Monitoring: A Review
Authors: Fisher Christine , Skolrood Lydia N. , Li Kai , Joshi Pooran C. , Aytug Tolga
Published: April 2023

An emergent direct‐write approach, aerosol‐jet printing (AJP), is gaining attention for the deployment of rapid and affordable microadditively manufactured energy‐efficient sensors and printed electronics. AJP enables a broad range of ink viscosities (0.001–1 Pa s) for printing diverse materials ranging from ceramics and metals to polymers and biological matter. Reproducible, high‐spatial‐resolution features (≈10 µm), and wide standoff distances (1–11 mm) between the nozzle and the substrate facilitate conformal printing of complex geometrical designs on nonplanar—e.g., stepped or curved—surfaces. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive overview of state‐of‐the‐art AJP‐based sensors (e.g., strain and temperature gauges, biosensors, photosensors, humidity and surface acoustic wave sensors, dielectric elastomer actuators, and motion, smoke, and hazardous gas detectors) and to discuss prospective applications. The drive toward cost‐effective devices that are smaller, lighter, and better‐performing remains a frontier challenge in the field of printed electronics. Consequently, as AJP becomes increasingly utilized in the high‐volume manufacturing of miniaturized active and passive sensors, it opens a pathway for facile large‐scale fabrication of devices for a wide range of consumer and industrial applications, including transportation, agriculture, infrastructure, aerospace, national defense, and healthcare.
Liquid Manipulator with Printed Electrode Patterns for Soft Robotic Systems
Authors: Zhu Pingan , Tang Wei , Jiao Zhongdong , Xu Huxiu , Hu Yu , Qu Yang , Yang Huayong , Zou Jun
Published: April 2023

Soft robots are able to safely operate in a dynamically evolving or highly unstructured environment by virtue of their inherited compliance. Among the available actuation methods for soft robotics, fluid‐driven is frequently preferred due to holistic design considerations that enable multipurpose yet straightforward mechanical solutions to complicated issues. The motion of a soft fluid‐driven robotic system usually relies on the flow of its internal fluid, however, existing fluid pumps only enable a single linear flow, which severely hinders the integrated multifunctional design of soft robots. Herein, a class of liquid manipulator is proposed based on electrohydrodynamic (EHD) effect, which consists of a flexible substrate with a printed planar electrode pattern. By streamlining the electric field distribution via electrode pattern, the liquid manipulator can manipulate the fluid flow, allowing fluid to perform multiple movement behaviors, including tangential, radial, and linear motions. These liquid manipulators are fabricated by printing planar electrode patterns onto flexible substrates using the digital printing method, in which both the printed electrodes and substrate are flexible and bendable. These liquid manipulators are flexible, fast‐response, thin, lightweight, and scalable, which can be easily embedded into soft fluidic systems with insignificant footprint and weight and actuate their rapid movements. Three liquid manipulators are embedded into a continuously rotating motor, focus‐tunable liquid lens, and soft linear actuator to achieve their multiple motions, i.e., continuous rotation, radial motion, and linear motion, illustrating broad potential of liquid manipulators in soft robotic systems.
Mixed Diethanolamine and Polyethyleneimine with Enhanced CO2 Capture Capacity from Air
Authors: Miao Yihe , Wang Yaozu , Ge Bingyao , He Zhijun , Zhu Xuancan , Li Jia , Liu Shanke , Yu Lijun
Published: April 2023

Supported polyethyleneimine (PEI) adsorbent is one of the most promising commercial direct air capture (DAC) adsorbents with a long research history since 2002. Although great efforts have been input, there are still limited improvements for this material in its CO2 capacity and adsorption kinetics under ultradilute conditions. Supported PEI also suffers significantly reduced adsorption capacities when working at sub‐ambient temperatures. This study reports that mixing diethanolamine (DEA) into supported PEI can increase 46% and 176% of pseudoequilibrium CO2 capacities at DAC conditions compared to the supported PEI and DEA, respectively. The mixed DEA/PEI functionalized adsorbents maintain the adsorption capacity at sub‐ambient temperatures of −5 to 25 °C. In comparison, a 55% reduction of CO2 capacity is observed for supported PEI when the operating temperature decreases from 25 to −5 °C. In addition, the supported mixed DEA/PEI with a ratio of 1:1 also shows fast desorption kinetics at temperatures as low as 70 °C, resulting in maintaining high thermal and chemical stability over 50 DAC cycles with a high average CO2 working capacity of 1.29 mmol g−1. These findings suggest that the concept of “mixed amine”, widely studied in the solvent system, is also practical to supported amine for DAC applications.
Expanding the phenotype of Seckel syndrome associated with biallelic loss‐of‐function variants in CEP63
Authors: Pekkola Pacheco Nadja , Pettersson Maria , Lindstrand Anna , Grigelioniene Giedre
Published: April 2023

Seckel syndrome is an ultrarare autosomal recessive genetically heterogenous condition characterized by intrauterine and postnatal growth restriction, proportionate severe short stature, severe microcephaly, intellectual disability, and distinctive facial features including a prominent nose. Up to now, 40 patients with molecularly confirmed Seckel syndrome have been reported with biallelic variants in nine genes: ATR, CENPJ, CEP63, CEP152, DNA2, NIN, NSMCE2, RBBP8, and TRAIP. Homozygosity for nonsense variant (c.129G>A, p.43*) in CEP63 was described in three cousins with microcephaly, short stature, mild to moderate intellectual disability and diagnoses of Seckel syndrome. Here, we report a second family with three siblings who are compound heterozygous for loss‐of‐function variants in CEP63, c.1125T>G, p.(Tyr375*) and c.595del, p.(Glu199Asnfs*11). All siblings present with microcephaly, prominent nose, and intellectual disability but only one has severe short stature. Two siblings have aggressive behavior, a feature previously not reported in Seckel syndrome. This report adds two novel truncating variants in CEP63 and extends the clinical knowledge on CEP63‐related conditions.
Isobaric Stable Isotope N‐Phosphorylation Labeling (iSIPL) for Ultrasensitive Proteome Quantification
Authors: Wang Xiao‐Yu , Chen Chun‐Jing , He Yao‐Hui , Ding Lian‐Shuai , Wu Yi‐Fan , Huang Cheng‐Ting , Wu Jun , Ding Rong , Xue Yu‐Hua , Lin Zhi‐Wei , Xu Peng‐Xiang , Wu Yi‐Le , Liu Wen , Li Ji‐Jun , Chen Si‐Ming , Zhao Yu‐Fen , Dong Ji‐Yang , Zhou Qiang , Gao Xiang
Published: April 2023

Stable isotope chemical labeling methods have been widely used for high‐throughput mass spectrometry (MS)‐based quantitative proteomics in biological and clinical applications. However, the existing methods are far from meeting the requirements for high sensitivity detection. In the present study, a novel isobaric stable isotope N‐phosphorylation labeling (iSIPL) strategy was developed for quantitative proteome analysis. The tryptic peptides were selectively labeled with iSIPL tag to generate the novel reporter ions containing phosphoramidate P−N bond with high intensities under lower collision energies. iSIPL strategy are suitable for peptide sequencing and quantitative analysis with high sensitivity and accuracy even for samples of limited quantity. Furthermore, iSIPL coupled with affinity purification and mass spectrometry was applied to measure the dynamics of cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) interactomes during transactivation of the HIV‐1 provirus. The interaction of CDK9 with PARP13 was found to significantly decrease during Tat‐induced activation of HIV‐1 gene transcription, suggesting the effectiveness of iSIPL strategy in dynamic analysis of protein‐protein interaction in vivo. More than that, the proposed iSIPL strategy would facilitate large‐scale accurate quantitative proteomics by increasing multiplexing capability.
Endocranial anatomy of the early prozostrodonts (Eucynodontia: Probainognathia) and the neurosensory evolution in mammal forerunners
Authors: Kerber Leonardo , Roese‐Miron Lívia , Bubadué Jamile M. , Martinelli Agustín G.
Published: April 2023

Prozostrodon brasiliensis and Therioherpeton cargnini are non‐mammaliaform cynodonts that lived ~233 million years ago (late Carnian, Late Triassic) in western Gondwana. They represent some of the earliest divergent members of the clade Prozostrodontia, which includes “tritheledontids”, tritylodontids, “brasilodontids”, and mammaliaforms (including Mammalia as crown group). Here, we studied the endocranial anatomy (cranial endocast, nerves, vessels, ducts, ear region, and nasal cavity) of these two species. Our findings suggest that during the Carnian, early prozostrodonts had a brain with well‐developed olfactory bulbs, expanded cerebral hemispheres divided by the interhemispheric sulcus, and absence of an unossified zone and pineal body. The morphology of the maxillary canal represents the necessary condition for the presence of facial vibrissae. A slight decrease in encephalization is observed at the origin of the clade Prozostrodontia. This new anatomical information provides evidence for the evolution of endocranial traits of the first prozotrodonts, a Late Triassic lineage that culminated in the origin of mammals.
The Conservation Potential of Smart Irrigation Controllers for Over‐Irrigators
Authors: Taylor Nicholas , Atkinson Connor , Price Kaitlin Robb , Johnson Parker , Spatz Bradley
Published: April 2023

Key Takeaways

With water demand projected to rise substantially in Florida, strategically designed and targeted conservation programs are important for reducing overall water use.

According to a Florida study, over‐irrigators could cut their monthly water bills by more than $35 by using a smart irrigation controller.

Utilities stand to benefit from establishing effective conservation programs; in the case of this study, water demand could drop by 1.62 mgd if smart irrigation controller rebates are targeted to over‐irrigators.
How to improve nonprofit worker wellbeing and mental health
Authors: LaRock Dan
Published: April 2023

Years of health‐ and economic‐related disruption have left nonprofit workers straining under the pressure of supporting a struggling population. Executive directors and their boards can help prevent burnout and turnover by offering benefits that promote staff wellbeing without breaking the bank. Here's how.
Ribosomal protein L32 enhances hepatocellular carcinoma progression
Authors: Hou Guoxin , Lu Zhimin , Jiang Jialu , Yang Xinmei
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The underlying mechanisms of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) have not been fully investigated, and effective biomarkers for HCC are still needed to be explored. Therefore, our study sought to thoroughly examine the clinical significance and biological functions of the ribosomal protein L32 (RPL32) in HCC by coupling bioinformatic methods with experimental analysis.

Methods

To determine the clinical significance of RPL32, bioinformatic analyses were performed to examine RPL32 expression in HCC patient samples and to correlate RPL32 expression and HCC patient survival rates, genetic alterations, and immune cell infiltration. Cell counting kit‐8 assays, colony formation, flow cytometry, and transwell assays were performed to examine the effects of RPL32 on HCC cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in HCC cell lines (SMMC‐7721 and SK‐HEP‐1) where RPL32 was silenced using small interfering ribonucleic acid.

Results

In the current study, we show that RPL32 was highly expressed in HCC samples. Moreover, high levels of RPL32 were associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with HCC. Promoter methylation and copy number variation of RPL32 were associated with RPL32 mRNA expression. Results from the RPL32 silencing experiments indicated that the proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of SMMC‐7721 and SK‐HEP‐1 cells were attenuated upon RPL32 depletion.

Conclusion

RPL32 correlates with a favorable prognosis in patients with HCC and promotes the survival, migration, and invasion of HCC cells.
Comparative analysis of adjuvant therapy for stage III BRAF‐mut melanoma: A real‐world retrospective study from single center in China
Authors: Zhong Jingqin , Sun Wei , Hu Tu , Wang Chunmeng , Yan Wangjun , Luo Zhiguo , Liu Xin , Xu Yu , Chen Yong
Published: April 2023

Background

BRAF V600 mutation is the most common oncogenic alternation in melanoma and is visible in around 50% of cutaneous and 10%–15% of acral or mucosal subtypes. Currently, immunotherapy with anti‐PD‐1 blockade and dual‐targeted therapy with Dabrafenib plus trametinib (D + T) target therapy have been approved as adjuvant therapies for Stage III melanoma with BRAF V600 mutation. According to their phase III clinical trials, 3‐year recurrence‐free survival (RFS) is around 60% for both types of treatment. However, early disease control was slightly more effective with targeted therapy than immunotherapy. With different drug approval deadlines in China, anti‐PD1 monotherapy, D + T combination, and Vemurafenib (V) monotherapy have all been used in real clinical practice as adjuvant settings for stage III BRAF‐mut melanoma in recent years. We conducted this retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy of different treatments in the Chinese melanoma population.

Methods

Patients who underwent radical surgery and were diagnosed as Stage III melanoma harboring BRAF V600 mutation by pathological report were retrospectively identified at Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center from January 2017 to December 2021. Patients with mucosal melanoma, or with follow‐up of <6 months, or receiving other adjuvant treatment were excluded. Pearson's chi‐squared test or Fisher's exact test was performed for univariable analysis of the different adjuvant groups. Log‐rank analysis was used to identify prognostic factors for relapse‐free survival (RFS).

Results

Ninety‐three patients with resected stage III melanoma with BRAF V600E mutation were identified in our study, including 25 patients receiving adjuvant anti‐PD‐1 immunotherapy (PD‐1), 25 receiving adjuvant D + T, 23 receiving V, and 20 patients with observation‐only (OBS). There were no statistical differences between treatment groups in baseline characteristics including age, gender, subtypes, primary thickness, ulceration, and nodal involvement. Median relapse‐free survival (RFS) time was not reached in the D + T group, 15 months in the V group, 15 months in the PD‐1 group, and 10 months in the OBS group, respectively. Compared to OBS, all three other groups showed a tendency to benefit from RFS, while only D + T achieved a statistical difference (p = 0.002). However, compared to D + T, anti‐PD‐1 monotherapy also showed significantly worse relapse control (p = 0.032).

Conclusions

For Chinese stage III melanoma with BRAF mutation, both novel targeted therapy and immunotherapy showed potential benefits in relapse‐free survival compared to observation only. Dual‐targeted D + T therapy may still be the best choice for adjuvant therapy because anti‐PD‐1 monotherapy has failed to report equivalent efficacy in real‐world practice.
The impact of psychological distress and university counselling on academic outcomes: Analysis of a routine practice‐based dataset
Authors: Scruggs Robert , Broglia Emma , Barkham Michael , Duncan Charlie
Published: April 2023

Whole university approaches to student mental health and well‐being increasingly involve university counselling and mental health services (UCMHSs) as key stakeholders in higher education and the fulfilment of good academic outcomes. However, previous research using routine outcome measures has focussed on psychological distress only. Research is needed to demonstrate the value of university counselling on academic outcomes. This study aimed at profiling the psychological distress of a student sample according to the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation—Outcome Measure (CORE‐OM); measuring the change in perceived impact of problems on academic outcomes, and measuring the perceived impact of counselling on academic outcomes. Students from two UK university counselling services completed the CORE‐OM and the Counselling Impact on Academic Outcomes (CIAO) questionnaire as part of routine practice. After counselling, 67.4% (n = 323) of students with planned endings to counselling showed at least reliable improvement on the CORE‐OM. Significant reductions in the perceived impact of problems on all academic outcomes were also found. On average, 83% (n = 398) of students found counselling helpful for academic outcomes to at least a limited extent. University counselling was found to reduce psychological distress and the impact of problems on academic outcomes. Psychometric examination of the CIAO tool is warranted to strengthen its use. The need for robust data across UCMHSs is demonstrated by both the strengths and limitations of this study.
Recent Progress on Cyclic Peptides’ Assembly and Biomedical Applications
Authors: Wu Chongyang , Wang Huaimin
Published: April 2023

Cyclic peptides are important building blocks for forming functional structures and have been applied in various fields. Considering the significant structural and functional roles of cyclic peptides in materials science and the attributed biophysical advantages, we provide an overview of cyclic peptide types that can self‐assemble to form nanotubes, recent progress in stimuli‐triggered cyclic peptide assembly, and methods to construct peptide and polymer conjugates based on cyclic peptides with alternative chirality. Specifically, we highlight the roles that stimuli‐triggered cyclic peptides and their conjugates play in biomedical applications. Recent progress in other cyclic peptides acting as gelators in drug delivery and biomedicine are also summarized. These cyclic peptides with self‐assembly properties are expected to act as adaptive systems for drug delivery and selective disease targeting.
Biophysical and Computational Approaches to Study Ternary Complexes: A ‘Cooperative Relationship’ to Rationalize Targeted Protein Degradation
Authors: Ward Jake A. , Perez‐Lopez Carles , Mayor‐Ruiz Cristina
Published: April 2023

Degraders have illustrated that compound‐induced proximity to E3 ubiquitin ligases can prompt the ubiquitination and degradation of disease‐relevant proteins. Hence, this pharmacology is becoming a promising alternative and complement to available therapeutic interventions (e. g., inhibitors). Degraders rely on protein binding instead of inhibition and, hence, they hold the promise to broaden the druggable proteome. Biophysical and structural biology approaches have been the cornerstone of understanding and rationalizing degrader‐induced ternary complex formation. Computational models have now started to harness the experimental data from these approaches with the aim to identify and rationally help design new degraders. This review outlines the current experimental and computational strategies used to study ternary complex formation and degradation and highlights the importance of effective crosstalk between these approaches in the advancement of the targeted protein degradation (TPD) field. As our understanding of the molecular features that govern drug‐induced interactions grows, faster optimizations and superior therapeutic innovations for TPD and other proximity‐inducing modalities are sure to follow.
NASEM on long‐term effects of COVID‐19 on children and families
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: April 2023

Probably the most devastating loss to a child is the death of a parent. This happened to more than 265,000 children in the United States due to COVID‐19. But there are other losses too, which have also been devastating – when a parent loses a job, which happened often during the pandemic, and in fact, that is still occurring. And there are many other long‐term effects of COVID‐19, some of which were alleviated by extra money from the federal government. That is now drying up as the federal emergency ends.
Get involved in your community: Preventing substance use in youth
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: April 2023

The Drug‐Free Communities Program is the nation's leading effort to support communities working to prevent youth substance use. Whether you're a parent or not, you can get involved.
Toward Rational Design of Carbon Nanodots with High Photothermal Efficiency for Tumor Photothermal Therapy†
Authors: Liu Enshan , Wu Jun , Liang Tao , Zhang Bohan , Tang Zikang , Qu Songnan
Published: April 2023

Comprehensive Summary

Carbon nanodots (CDs) with high photothermal performance are ideal candidates for tumor photothermal therapy (PTT). Herein, we investigated the photothermal performance of CDs synthesized from urea and citric acid via solvothermal method in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) at different temperatures. Photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) of up to 61.3% was obtained in the CDs synthesized at 150 °C (150‐CDs), which is much better than the CDs synthesized at 180 °C (180‐CDs). By analyzing the morphologies, chemical structures, and absorption spectra of these CDs, we found that the photothermal effect of the CDs was due to the lattice vibration of their carbonized cores, in which moderate carbonization with high content of surface carbonyl group (C=O) contributed for enhanced absorption band in deep red region with improved photothermal performance. Moreover, we also demonstrated that 150‐CDs with moderate carbonized cores exhibit much better tumor PTT performance in vivo than 180‐CDs with higher carbonized cores.
Neurochemical diversity in the central olfactory pathway of the crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis (Amphipoda): evolutionary implications
Authors: Kümmerlen Katja , Raspe Sophie , Harzsch Steffen
Published: April 2023

In mandibulate arthropods, the primary olfactory centers, termed olfactory lobes in crustaceans, are typically organized in distinct fields of dense synaptic neuropils called olfactory glomeruli. In addition to olfactory sensory neuron terminals and their postsynaptic efferents, the glomeruli are innervated by diverse neurochemically distinctive interneurons. The functional morphology of the olfactory glomeruli is understudied in crustaceans compared with insects and even less well understood and described in a particular crustacean subgroup, the Peracarida, which embrace, for example, Amphipoda and Isopoda. Using immunohistochemistry combined with confocal laser scanning microscopy, we analyzed the neurochemistry of the olfactory pathway in the amphipod Parhyale hawaiensis. We localized the biogenic amines serotonin and histamine as well as the neuropeptides RFamide, allatostatin, orcokinin, and SIFamide. As for other classical neurotransmitters, we stained for γ‐aminobutyric acid and glutamate decarboxylase and used choline acetyltransferase as indicator for acetylcholine. Our study is another step in understanding principles of olfactory processing in crustaceans and can serve as a basis for understanding evolutionary transformations of crustacean olfactory systems.
Improved aquila optimization‐based parameter evaluation framework and meta‐heuristic algorithm in radio‐over‐fiber SpatialMux multi‐input multi‐output long‐term evolution system
Authors: Rather Irfan Ahmad , Kumar Gulshan , Saha Rahul
Published: April 2023

In heterogeneous access network, Multiple‐Input Multiple‐Output (MIMO) radio‐over‐fiber (RoF) system is an efficient approach for multiple signal transmission with low cost and complexity. The performance of RoF fronthaul system in MIMO system will be varied with different nonlinear effects. By adjusting various transmission parameters, such as the input signal power or the laser bias current, the nonlinear impacts produced by the RoF system can be reduced. In this paper, a novel algorithm Improved Aquila Optimization (IAO) is proposed to optimize transmission circumstances of MIMO RoF system. It determines the appropriate bias current for both lasers and Radio Frequency (RF) signal power in a short period. The input signals are wavelength multiplexed with Intensity Modulation and Direct Detection (IM/DD) applied. The carrier as well as transmission frequency is governed by the MIMO‐Long‐Term Evolution (LTE) standard. The proposed system is implemented in MATLAB, and the performance is evaluated. The experimental results show that fast convergence and trade‐off between noise and nonlinearity are obtained with varying bandwidth. In the experimental scenario, the maximum Error Vector Magnitude (EVM) of 1.88, 3.14, and signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR) of 3.204, and 2.698 was attained for both quadrature phase shift keying (QPSK) and quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulation. [Correction added on 24 April 2023, after first online publication: the SNR values were corrected in the preceding sentence.] For 100 iterations, the processing time was reduced to 0.137 s. When compared with the conventional state‐of‐the‐art approaches, the accuracy and computational complexity of the proposed approach are improved.
Study on nutritional components evaluation and origin differences of Agrocybe cylindracea from different regions
Authors: Chen Lisha , Chen Yu , Wang Jiang , Wang Zhiqiang , Huang Xiaojun
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study is to investigate the nutrients of Agrocybe cylindracea from different regions and discover the law of its nutritional value. In this study, 43 A. cylindracea samples were collected from 13 provinces in China. The differences in nutritional components of this A. cylindracea were explored. The main nutritional components, including protein, dietary fiber, amino acids, fat, ash, and moisture, were evaluated. Further factor and cluster analysis were applied to analyze these nutrients. The results showed A. cylindracea had high protein (14.09–27.24 g/100 g dw) and insoluble dietary fiber (25.27–34.17 g/100 g dw), but low soluble dietary fiber (0.49–3.19 g/100 g dw) and fat (1.69–3.45 g/100 g dw). Seventeen amino acids were detected from these mushrooms, of which glutamic (18.24–46.78 g/100 g dw) was the most abundant. Based on Eta analysis, factor analysis, and cluster analysis, it was found that the comprehensive nutritional value of A. cylindracea was related to the factors of both the geographical origin and maturity stage. In addition, geographical origin had a greater influence on the nutritional value of A. cylindracea than the maturity stage. This study will serve as a useful reference for the selection of the consumption and further processing directions of A. cylindracea.
Carbofluorination of π‐Bonds and Related Reactions Involving Tandem C−C/C−F Bond Formation
Authors: McKnight E. Ali , Cadwallader Dusty , Le Christine M.
Published: April 2023

Due to the unique properties of C−F bonds, organofluorine compounds occupy a privileged space in the pharmaceutical, agrochemical, and polymer industries. Carbofluorination reactions involve the formation of a C−C and a C−F bond, typically across a π‐bond or another unsaturated functionality that is revealed upon in situ activation. The design of tailored substrates and new catalyst systems has enabled carbofluorination chemistry to emerge as a promising manifold for the synthesis of unique fluorinated scaffolds. This review covers the application of nucleophilic and electrophilic fluorinating reagents in this chemistry, in addition to recently developed atom‐economical carbofluorination reactions using organofluorine compounds as dual reagents.
Simulation‐based methodology to identify damage indicators and safety thresholds for post‐earthquake evaluation of structures
Authors: Galvis Francisco A. , Hulsey Anne M. , Baker Jack W. , Deierlein Gregory G.
Published: April 2023

After a strong earthquake, criteria are needed to determine whether buildings are safe to reoccupy based on observable damage. This paper presents a simulation‐based methodology to identify relevant damage indicators and safety thresholds for building structures. Prior knowledge of the most relevant damage indicators and their thresholds can increase the accuracy and confidence of post‐earthquake evaluations. Current practice to translate observable damage into a tagging decision relies on qualitative guidelines based on past earthquake experience and judgment, which may be susceptible to speculation and interpretation. In addition, past experience may not be relevant to newer structural systems and to large or complex (e.g., high‐rise) buildings. To augment past observations and data from structural component tests, nonlinear dynamic analyses can be used to estimate the collapse safety of structures with simulated damage. Technologies to execute these simulations have matured over the years, although to date they have not been systematically applied to evaluate the destabilizing effects of simulated damage on collapse safety. In this paper, a methodology is presented to use numerical simulations of damage to identify and evaluate relevant damage indicators that can be quantitatively related to safety thresholds. Damage indicators are selected based on their reliability in estimating the structural safety and their sensitivity to modeling uncertainty, that is, where the preferred indicators are insensitive to variability in the structural materials and model parameters. The safety threshold for each damage indicator is selected to maximize accuracy in post‐earthquake building assessments. The methodology is demonstrated through an application study of ductile reinforced concrete frame buildings. Results show that aggregated indices of structural component damage (e.g., aggregated over the floor of a building) outperform other damage indicators based on peak or residual drifts or simpler percentages of damaged components. Subject to agreement of a number underlying assumptions, this methodology can be applied to a wider variety of structures to improve post‐earthquake evaluation guidelines.
Investigation of buried karst sinkholes under a bog using ground penetrating radar (GPR) and electrical resistivity tomography (ERT)
Authors: Džeriņš Peteris , Karušs Jānis , Lamsters Kristaps , Ješkins Jurijs , Ķelpe Artūrs
Published: April 2023

Active evaporite karst processes in the Baltic states are associated with a few relatively small regions where gypsum rocks can be found close to the Earth's surface. One of these areas lies in the vicinity of the Pandu bog. However, such a possibly active karst region, which is covered by peat and in which the mapping of karst formations is complex, has not been previously investigated. In this study, we present a buried and peat‐filled karst cover‐collapse sinkhole mapping approach that involves a combination of ground‐penetrating radar (GPR), electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and conventional boreholes. A detailed map of the bog's substratum topography was constructed from a geophysical surveying dataset. It reveals 15 distinctly expressed sinkholes with diameters of several tens of metres. Overall, 140 potential sinkholes were also mapped using remote sensing data in the vicinity of the bog. Higher electrical resistivity anomalies were identified inside the peat; they coincide with scatter‐free zones in GPR data and water layers in boreholes. Highly disturbed internal peat layering was also detected in these sinkholes. It is suggested that these water layers and disturbed peat layering may have formed due to the subsidence of the lower peat layers, and thus they represent relatively younger sinkholes. This is also supported by evidence from orthophoto maps, which showed the formation and disappearance of surficial lakes and depressions on the bog surface. Our results revealed the presence of active and widespread karst processes under the bog that have not been previously noticed despite the fact that they have implications for the assessment of geohazards in this area.