bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PP155 Should Breast Cancer Patients Avoid Venipuncture In The Ipsilateral Arm? A Rapid Review Of The Evidence
Authors: Pwee Keng Ho
Published: December 2023

Introduction

This rapid review clarified the evidence supporting avoidance of venipuncture on the ipsilateral arm in breast cancer patients who have had sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) or axillary lymph node clearance (ALNC), as a preventive measure against lymphoedema.

Methods

A systematic search was carried out for systematic reviews with the following elements:

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Population – breast cancer patients who had SLNB or ALNC

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Intervention – avoidance of venipuncture in the ipsilateral arm

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Comparator –use of either arm for venipuncture

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Outcomes – risk of lymphoedema in the ipsilateral arm

Databases searched included PubMed (MEDLINE), Epistemonikos and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Included reviews were critically appraised with the AMSTAR2 instrument and the primary studies were extracted and tabulated in a narrative synthesis.

Results

Six reviews were included; none of the reviews self-identified as systematic reviews in their titles/abstracts. Four reviews did report methods, including systematic search strategies and describing studies in adequate detail. However, all reviews did not meet most criteria on the AMSTAR2 checklist. The reviews concluded that the evidence base for avoiding venipuncture was inconsistent. An evidence table was consequently drawn up of the primary studies included in the reviews as a narrative synthesis of the primary evidence base.

The primary evidence base comprised 12 observational studies – six prospective cohort or descriptive studies and 6 retrospective studies. These studies were inconsistent and inconclusive; studies that found an association or reported cases following ipsilateral venipuncture were subject to recall bias or other potential confounders. Guidelines or patient information recommending avoidance of ipsilateral venipuncture do so based on expert opinion rather than consistent findings from empirical studies.

Conclusions

All reviews concluded that the evidence base for avoiding venipuncture was inconsistent. Review authors consistently recognized there was no strong basis for the prevalent recommendations to avoid ipsilateral venipuncture to prevent lymphoedema. Such recommendations lead to unnecessary measures that may be detrimental to patients. Stakeholders should reconsider advice to patients in the light of existing evidence and weigh up the uncertain benefits against potential harm to patients.
PP156 Choice Of Different Implant Combinations of Total Hip Arthroplasty For Patients With Degenerative Joint Disease
Authors: Huang YuHan , Tai Ta-Wei , Wang Jung-Der , Elizabeth Ku Li Jung
Published: December 2023

Introduction

In Taiwan, people with hip osteoarthritis (OA) receive a total hip arthroplasty (THA). They can apply for National Health Insurance (NHI) coverage for metal-on-polyethylene (MoP) implant or USD1,313.2 co-pay for new bearing surface materials. This study aimed to report the number of first primary THAs, and calculate the costs of THA by different choices of prothesis implant.

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of patients aged 50 years or older who had OA (as an indication for THA) from 1 January 2010 through to 31 December 2018 was established from Taiwan’s NHI Claims Data. The cohort was followed-up until 31 December 2019. THA Implant combinations were defined by bearing surface materials e.g., “ceramic-metal” into alumina or composites made from alumina and zirconia, including metal-on-polyethylene (MOP), ceramic-metal composite ceramic-on-polyethylene (c-COP), alumina ceramic-on-ceramic (a-COC), ceramic-metal composite ceramic-on-ceramic (c-COC). Since only MOP was covered by the NHI, patients who chose the COP or COC implant had to pay for additional costs. We used hospital costs comparison data to calculate the average out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for different implant combinations.

Results

This study comprised 23,560 patients with first primary THA over 9 years. The number of patients of first primary THA increased from 1,802 in 2010 to 3,251 in 2018. The mean age of patients at baseline was 68 years, and the majority were women (70.6%). The share of users for each THA implant type were: MOP implant (49.2%), c-COC implant, (20.8%), a-COC implant, (6.5%), and c-COP implant, 5.9%. The average OOP costs of each implant were: USD3,578.60 for c-COC (SD=381.80), USD2,073.00 for a-COC (SD=279.80), and USD2,082.1 for c-COP (SD=334.1).

Conclusions

Although only MOP was fully covered by NHI, only about 50% of the OA patients chose this type of implant, and 26.7 percent chose alumina and zirconia ceramic composite despite this being a much higher OOP cost. Whether choosing more expensive implants would be cost-effective for THA in Taiwan’s healthcare system requires further analysis.
Evading Capture: U.S. Army Engineers and Railroad Policy, 1827–1853
Authors: KAMINSKI ROBERT
Published: December 2023

Until 1838 the U.S. government lent railroads Army engineers to survey routes. Though not strictly regulators, these army engineers would consequently face powerful versions of the incentives that make regulatory capture a pervasive problem—including an intensified “revolving door,” the opportunity for institutional empire building, and a fertile ground for cognitive capture. Nevertheless, engineering officers would push to abolish federal railroad aid, succeeding by 1838. This article argues that they turned against railroad aid when the nation’s growing rail network revitalized long-standing republican hopes of replacing standing armies and fortifications with floating batteries and militias. Though this scheme was strategically quixotic, Jacksonian populism and fiscal retrenchment during the Panic of 1837 combined with the transportation revolution to make it appear a credible threat to the Corps’s institutional raison d’être—building coastal fortifications. Engineers thus turned against railroad aid to protect their core competency, highlighting underappreciated tensions between institutional and industry interests.
Eradicating the exceptional: The role of territory in structuring international legal thought
Authors: Lythgoe Gail
Published: December 2023

This article examines the idea of the sui generis in international law and explores how these exceptions structure international legal thought. Exceptions are useful to international law theorizing because they create easy manageable narratives which explain situations not fitting traditional paradigms, yet as a category in their own right – specifically how they are structured and how they operate – they are often undertheorized. The two examples explored in this article are sui generis actors and the concept of extraterritorial jurisdiction. I demonstrate the foundational role played by (state-)territorialized thinking in the creation of oppositional categories: state and non-state, and the non-exceptional and exceptional exercise of jurisdiction. The category of exceptions has significantly expanded from the likes of the Holy See and irregular exercise of extraterritorial jurisdiction to a broad array of actors, such as international organizations and transnational corporations, playing growing and varied roles in contemporary law-making and governance and the regular exercise of extraterritorial jurisdiction by states. Rather than continuing with this overextended category, the article argues it is instead possible, by rethinking international law’s spatial imaginary, to first, better understand the spaces of non-state actors and regularized exercise of extraterritorial jurisdiction and second, eradicate the now overstretched legal category of ‘sui generis’.
How might cancer patients experience existential guilt? A qualitative research
Authors: Arian Moslem , Khanjani Mohammad Saeed , Adams Martin , Ebadi Abbas , Younesi Seyyed Jalal , Azkhosh Manoochehr , Hosseinzadeh Samaneh
Published: December 2023

Objectives

Existential guilt is a deep and multidimensional concept that is correlated with concepts, such as in/authenticity, existential anxiety, decisiveness, and personal and social responsibility. The aim of the present study is to investigate the experience of existential guilt among cancer patients.

Methods

The present research was conducted with a qualitative method with a content analysis design. A purposeful sampling method was used to select the participants and the sampling procedure went on until we reached data saturation. Data were obtained using semi-structured interviews with the participants.

Results

From a total of 18 interviews, 94 codes related to existential guilt were obtained. After the analysis, three main concepts were extracted: (1) incompleteness, (2) passivity, and (3) feelings of harm to self and others. Each of these had a number of subcategories.

Significance of results

The participants of the present research were found to experience existential guilt in different ways. The research showed that it is necessary to find the sources of existential guilt in order that effective therapeutic attention can be given cancer patients.
BEYOND THE BODY AND BACK AGAIN: VISIONS OF OTHERWORLDLY JOURNEYS IN CAROLINGIAN THEOLOGY
Authors: LEJA MEG
Published: December 2023

This essay analyzes the mechanics of temporary journeys to the afterlife in Latin texts from the ninth century, the period typically associated with the birth of a medieval visionary genre. Sometimes framed as near-death experiences, sometimes as simple dreams, journeys to an otherworldly landscape were primarily intended as admonitions to the living, but in crossing the boundary between living and dead, the visionary's own soul and body experienced a problematic disjuncture. In contrast to previous scholarship, which has analyzed early medieval visions primarily as political texts, as contributions to a Christian belief in purgatory, or as forerunners to later medieval classics like Dante's Divine Comedy, this study uses visions as windows onto the theology of the soul-body union. The first part surveys important discussions that preceded and informed Carolingian visions of the afterlife (including Augustine's dialogues on the soul, the famous Merovingian Vision of Barontus, and various Insular texts with otherworldly encounters). The second part shows how, against these earlier models, Carolingian visionary authors broke with conventions in order to safeguard the stability of the soul's containment within its earthly body — the very same doctrinal issue that appears with mounting urgency in treatises on the soul produced in the middle decades of the ninth century. A key intervention of the essay is to argue for greater attention to the connections between Carolingian visionary texts and theological tracts, a point often overlooked in a field that has emphasized the imaginative narratives of visionary literature as fundamentally distinct from the ostensible conservativism of early medieval theology.
ADVICE TO A SISTER: AVITUS ON CHASTITY (DE CONSOLATORIA CASTITATIS LAUDE)
Authors: ROBERTS MICHAEL
Published: December 2023

As a poet, Avitus of Vienne is best known for his biblical epic, De spiritalis historiae gestis, but he also wrote a poem of exhortation addressed to his sister, Fuscina, a dedicated virgin. That poem is given the title De virginitate in the influential MGH edition, following one group of manuscripts, but in a second group it is entitled De consolatoria castitatis laude, a title attested in a dedicatory letter Avitus wrote for the poem and adopted by its most recent editor. The title is problematic, however. Why castitas rather than virginitas, and how is the poem consolatory since it refers to no grief experienced by its addressee? The paper addresses these questions by exploring the language of chastity and consolation. It also analyzes the model of womanly virtue that the poet holds up for his sister: one that, through the biblical and saintly examples of Deborah, Susanna, and Eugenia, proposes a kind of heroism, embodied in mental resolve, strength of character, and the maintenance of moral integrity. In more than one passage Avitus contrasts womanly resolve with male irresolution and weakness. Virtus, despite its etymological associations, lies with the women. By comparison, references to males or the manly (viri, virilis) tend to take on ironic or subversive connotations in such contexts.
Europa's Ocean Translates Interior Tidal Heating Patterns to the Ice‐Ocean Boundary
Authors: Lemasquerier D. G. , Bierson C. J. , Soderlund K. M.
Published: December 2023

The circulation in Europa's ocean determines the degree of thermal, mechanical and chemical coupling between the ice shell and the silicate mantle. Using global direct numerical simulations, we investigate the effect of heterogeneous tidal heating in the silicate mantle on rotating thermal convection in the ocean and its consequences on ice shell thickness. Under the assumption of no salinity or ocean‐ice shell feedbacks, we show that convection largely transposes the latitudinal variations of tidal heating from the seafloor to the ice, leading to a higher oceanic heat flux in polar regions. Longitudinal variations are efficiently transferred when boundary‐driven thermal winds develop, but are reduced in the presence of strong zonal flows and may vanish in planetary regimes. If spatially homogeneous radiogenic heating is dominant in the silicate mantle, the ocean's contribution to ice shell thickness variations is negligible compared to tidal heating within the ice. If tidal heating is instead dominant in the mantle, the situation is reversed and the ocean controls the pole‐to‐equator thickness contrast, as well as possible longitudinal variations.
Why (Still) Studying Turbulence in Fluids and Plasmas?
Authors: Alberti Tommaso , Benzi Roberto , Carbone Vincenzo
Published: December 2023

Turbulence, a captivating and intricate phenomenon, continues to attract researchers across diverse scientific disciplines. Despite considerable efforts, turbulence remains a fascinating challenge and stands as one of the unsolved enigmas in classical physics. Researchers strive to unravel the underlying physical mechanisms and refine mathematical models to unlock a comprehensive understanding of this complex phenomenon. This paper delves into the reasons why the study of turbulence still persists for a long time, highlighting its history and fundamentals, wide‐ranging applications, significance in environmental and climate sciences, and outstanding open challenges. Through these endeavors, the quest for unraveling the mysteries of turbulence promises to yield profound scientific insights and practical applications in the years to come.
Shallower Clouds Hang More Often over Lost Forests
Authors: Tjandra Kristel
Published: December 2023

Two decades of satellite data show that deforestation in Southeast Asia has led to widespread low-lying clouds that might affect regional climate.
Public Health Data Applications Using the CDC Tracking Network: Augmenting Environmental Hazard Information With Lower‐Latency NASA Data
Authors: Amos H. M. , Skaff N. K. , Schollaert Uz S. , Policelli F. S. , Slayback D. , Macorps E. , Jo M. J. , Patel K. , Keller C. A. , Abue P. , Buchard V. , Werner A. K.
Published: December 2023

Exposure to environmental hazards is an important determinant of health, and the frequency and severity of exposures is expected to be impacted by climate change. Through a partnership with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network is integrating timely observations and model data of priority environmental hazards into its publicly accessible Data Explorer (https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/DataExplorer/). Newly integrated data sets over the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) include: daily 5‐day forecasts of air quality based on the Goddard Earth Observing System Composition Forecast, daily historical (1980‐present) concentrations of speciated PM2.5 based on the modern era retrospective analysis for research and applications, version 2, and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) daily near real‐time maps of flooding (MCDWD). Data integrated into the CDC Tracking Network are broadly intended to improve community health through action by informing both research and early warning activities, including (a) describing temporal and spatial trends in disease and potential environmental exposures, (b) identifying populations most affected, (c) generating hypotheses about associations between health and environmental exposures, and (d) developing, guiding, and assessing environmental public health policies and interventions aimed at reducing or eliminating health outcomes associated with environmental factors.
Interpreting clinical trial outcomes complicated by placebo response with an assessment of false-negative and true-negative clinical trials in depression using propensity-weighting
Authors: Gomeni Roberto , Hopkins Seth , Bressolle-Gomeni Françoise , Fava Maurizio
Published: December 2023

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performances of the propensity score weighted (PSW) methodology in a post-hoc re-analysis of a failed and a negative RCTs in depressive disorders. The conventional study designs, randomizations, and statistical approaches do not account for the baseline distribution of major non-specific prognostic and confounding factors such as the individual propensity to show a placebo effect (PE). Therefore, the conventional analysis approaches implicitly assume that the baseline PE is the same for all subjects in the trial even if this assumption is not supported by our knowledge on the impact of PE on the estimated treatment effect (TE). The consequence of this assumption is an inflation of false negative results (type II error) in presence of a high proportion of subjects with high PE and an inflation of false positive (type I error) in presence of a high proportion of subjects with low PE value. Differently from conventional approaches, the inverse of the PE probability was used as weight in the mixed-effects analysis to assess TE in the PSW analysis. The results of this analysis indicated an enhanced signal of drug response in a failed trial and confirmed the absence of drug effect in a negative trial. This approach can be considered as a reference prospective or post-hoc analysis approach that minimize the risk of inflating either type I or type II error in contrast to what happens in the analyses of RCT studies conducted with the conventional statistical methodology.
High monoclonal neutralization titers reduced breakthrough HIV-1 viral loads in the Antibody Mediated Prevention trials
Authors: Reeves Daniel B. , Mayer Bryan T. , deCamp Allan C. , Huang Yunda , Zhang Bo , Carpp Lindsay N. , Magaret Craig A. , Juraska Michal , Gilbert Peter B. , Montefiori David C. , Bar Katharine J. , Cardozo-Ojeda E. Fabian , Schiffer Joshua T. , Rossenkhan Raabya , Edlefsen Paul , Morris Lynn , Mkhize Nonhlanhla N. , Williamson Carolyn , Mullins James I. , Seaton Kelly E. , Tomaras Georgia D. , Andrew Philip , Mgodi Nyaradzo , Ledgerwood Julie E. , Cohen Myron S. , Corey Lawrence , Naidoo Logashvari , Orrell Catherine , Goepfert Paul A. , Casapia Martin , Sobieszczyk Magdalena E. , Karuna Shelly T. , Edupuganti Srilatha
Published: December 2023

The Antibody Mediated Prevention (AMP) trials (NCT02716675 and NCT02568215) demonstrated that passive administration of the broadly neutralizing monoclonal antibody VRC01 could prevent some HIV-1 acquisition events. Here, we use mathematical modeling in a post hoc analysis to demonstrate that VRC01 influenced viral loads in AMP participants who acquired HIV. Instantaneous inhibitory potential (IIP), which integrates VRC01 serum concentration and VRC01 sensitivity of acquired viruses in terms of both IC50 and IC80, follows a dose-response relationship with first positive viral load (p = 0.03), which is particularly strong above a threshold of IIP = 1.6 (r = -0.6, p = 2e-4). Mathematical modeling reveals that VRC01 activity predicted from in vitro IC80s and serum VRC01 concentrations overestimates in vivo neutralization by 600-fold (95% CI: 300–1200). The trained model projects that even if future therapeutic HIV trials of combination monoclonal antibodies do not always prevent acquisition, reductions in viremia and reservoir size could be expected.
Induced formation of primordial germ cells from zebrafish blastomeres by germplasm factors
Authors: Wang Xiaosi , Zhu Junwen , Wang Houpeng , Deng Wenqi , Jiao Shengbo , Wang Yaqing , He Mudan , Zhang Fenghua , Liu Tao , Hao Yongkang , Ye Ding , Sun Yonghua
Published: December 2023

The combination of genome editing and primordial germ cell (PGC) transplantation has enormous significance in the study of developmental biology and genetic breeding, despite its low efficiency due to limited number of donor PGCs. Here, we employ a combination of germplasm factors to convert blastoderm cells into induced PGCs (iPGCs) in zebrafish and obtain functional gametes either through iPGC transplantation or via the single blastomere overexpression of germplasm factors. Zebrafish-derived germplasm factors convert blastula cells of Gobiocypris rarus into iPGCs, and Gobiocypris rarus spermatozoa can be produced by iPGC-transplanted zebrafish. Moreover, the combination of genome knock-in and iPGC transplantation perfectly resolves the contradiction between high knock-in efficiency and early lethality during embryonic stages and greatly improves the efficiency of genome knock-in. Together, we present an efficient method for generating PGCs in a teleost, a technique that will have a strong impact in basic research and aquaculture.
Photoinduced copper-catalyzed C–N coupling with trifluoromethylated arenes
Authors: Huang Jun , Gao Qi , Zhong Tao , Chen Shuai , Lin Wei , Han Jie , Xie Jin
Published: December 2023

Selective defluorinative functionalization of trifluoromethyl group (–CF3) is an attractive synthetic route to the pharmaceutically privileged fluorine-containing moiety. Herein, we report a strategy based on photoexcited copper catalysis to activate the C–F bond of di- or trifluoromethylated arenes for divergent radical C–N coupling with carbazoles and aromatic amines. The use of different ligands can tune the reaction products diversity. A range of substituted, structurally diverse α,α-difluoromethylamines can be obtained from trifluoromethylated arenes via defluorinative C-N coupling with carbazoles, while an interesting double defluorinative C-N coupling is ready for difluoromethylated arenes. Based on this success, a carbazole-centered PNP ligand is designed to be an optimal ligand, enabling a copper-catalyzed C–N coupling for the construction of imidoyl fluorides from aromatic amines through double C-F bond functionalization. Interestingly, a 1,2-difluoroalkylamination strategy of styrenes is also developed, delivering γ,γ-difluoroalkylamines, a bioisostere to β-aminoketones, in synthetically useful yields. The DFT studies reveal an inner-sphere electron transfer mechanism for Cu-catalyzed selective activation of C(sp3)–F bonds.
Impact of occlusal contact pattern on dental stability and oromandibular system after orthodontic tooth movement in rats
Authors: Wang Menglin , Wang Jing , Jin Xiang , Liu Dedi , Bian Huan , Zhao Yantao , Li Yanfeng
Published: December 2023

How to ensure dental stability in new positions and reduce the likelihood of relapse is a major clinical concern in the orthodontic field. Occlusal contacts between arches may affect the transmission of masticatory forces, thereby influencing the biological response of the periodontal and the oromandibular system. Occlusion factors that may influence the stability after orthodontic tooth movement (OTM) remain largely unknown. Hence, this research was conducted in order to investigate the influence of different occlusal contact patterns on tooth stability and oromandibular system including the masseter muscle and the temporomandibular joint following OTM. By modifying the occlusal surfaces, in vivo animal study models with distinct occlusal patterns corresponding to clinical circumstances were established. The relapse distance of teeth and the level of inflammatory factors in the gingival cervical fluid were analyzed. We also closely observed the histological remodeling of periodontal tissue, masseter tissue, and joint tissue after one week of relapse. Moreover, genes expression in the alveolar bone was analyzed to illustrate the potential biological mechanisms of relapse under the influence of different occlusal contact patterns following OTM. Different occlusal contact patterns after OTM in rats were established. The intercuspation contact between cusp and fossa group exhibited the lowest level of relapse movement, inflammatory factors and osteoclast activity (P < 0.05). On the other hand, groups with interferences or inadequate contacts exhibited more relapse movement, and tend to promote inflammation of periodontal tissue and activate bone resorption (P < 0.05). Adequate occlusal contacts without interference may enhance tooth stability and reduce the likelihood of relapse. After active orthodontic treatment, necessary occlusal adjustment should be made to achieve the desired intercuspation contact relationship and ensure adequate contact between the arches. The elimination of occlusal interferences is crucial to achieving optimal stability and promoting overall healthy condition of the oromandibular system.
Prevalence and genotype distribution of HPV6/11/16/18 infections among 180,276 outpatient females from a Women’s and Children’s Central Hospital, 2015–2021, Chengdu, China
Authors: Wei Xiaoqing , Zhang Junying , Mei Youwen , Dai Qianling , Yang Xiaoli , Wang Xuemei
Published: December 2023

The aims of this study on human papilloma virus (HPV) 6/11/16/18 infection among females in Chengdu were to provide more targeted strategies for the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer and genital warts. In this study, the infection status of 20 genotypes was analysed by gene chip technology. The prevalence rates of HPV-6, -11, -16, and -18 infection among 180,276 cases were 0.94%, 0.57%, 3.22%, and 1.28%, respectively. The prevalence of HPV 6/11/16/18 showed a bimodal U-shaped curve with age; the first and second peak occurred among females < 20 and ≥ 60 years old, respectively. As the multiplicity of infections involving HPV6/11/16/18 increases, the infection rate decreases. The ratios of HPV16 single infection showed a yearly increase. The top five genotypes with HPV-16, -18, -6, and -11 in coinfection were HPV52/58/53/51/33, HPV 52/16/53/58/51, HPV52/16/58/51/53 and HPV16/52/58/59/18, respectively, HPV16/18/6/11 were mainly coinfected with HR-HPV. In sum, among the five vaccines available, nonavalent vaccine is more suitable for Chengdu females. For young females prioritizing vaccination is essential in the current context, while HPV screening remains an effective approach for older females. Additionally, in patients with genital warts, it is necessary to assess the presence of high-risk HPV infection and manage it appropriately in patients with genital warts.
The dose–response effect of time between emergency admission and inpatient care on mortality
Authors: Castaño-Pérez S. , Medina García J. A. , Cabrera de León A.
Published: December 2023

To analyse mortality associated to emergency admissions on weekends, differentiating whether the patients were admitted to the Internal Medicine department or to the hospital as a whole. Retrospective follow-up study of patients discharged between 2015 and 2019 in: (a) the Internal Medicine department (n = 7656) and (b) the hospital as a whole (n = 83,146). Logistic regression models were fitted to analyse the risk of death, adjusting for age, sex, severity, Charlson index, sepsis, pneumonia, heart failure and day of admission. Cox models were also adjusted for the time from admission until normal inpatient care. There was a significant increase in mortality for patients admitted in weekends with short stays in Internal Medicine (48, 72 and 96 h: OR = 2.50, 1.89 and 1.62, respectively), and hospital-wide (OR = 2.02, 1.41 and 1.13, respectively). The highest risk in weekends occurred on Fridays (stays ≤ 48 h: OR = 3.92 [95% CI 2.06–7.48]), being no significative on Sundays. The risk increased with the time elapsed from admission until the inpatient department took over care (OR = 5.51 [95% CI 1.42–21.40] when this time reached 4 days). In Cox models patients reached HR = 2.74 (1.00–7.54) when the delay was 4 days. Whether it was Internal Medicine or hospital-wide patients, the risk of death associated with emergency admission in WE increased with the time between admission and transfer of care to the inpatient department; consequently, Friday was the day with the highest risk while Sunday lacked a weekend effect. Healthcare systems should correct this serious problem.
Global gene regulatory network underlying miR165a in Arabidopsis shoot apical meristem
Authors: Sinha Sonali , Sahadevan Sudeep , Ohno Carolyn , Ram Hasthi , Heisler Marcus G.
Published: December 2023

Arabidopsis microRNA165a (miR165a) targets Class III Homeodomain Leucine-Zipper (HD-ZIPIII) transcription factors to regulate various aspects of plant development and stress response. Over-expression of miR165a mimics the loss-of-function phenotype of HD-ZIPIII genes and leading to ectopic organ formation, shoot apical meristem (SAM) termination, loss of leaf polarity, and defective vasculature development. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these phenotypes remain unresolved. Here, we over-expressed miR165a in a dexamethasone inducible manner and identified differentially expressed genes in the SAM through RNA-Seq. Simultaneously, using multi-channel FACS combined with RNA-Seq approach, we characterized global transcriptome patterns in miR165a expressing cell-types compared to HD-ZIPIII expressing cell-types and other cell-types in SAM. By integrating our results we identified sets of genes which are up-regulated by miR165a as well have enriched expression in miR165a cell-types, and vice-versa. Known plant development related genes such as HD-ZIPIII and their targets LITTLE ZIPPERs, Like AUXIN RESISTANT 2, BEL1-like homeodomain 6, ROTUNDIFOLIA like 16 were found to be down-regulated. Among the up-regulated genes, GIBBERELLIN 2-OXIDASEs, various elemental transporters (YSL3, ZIFL1, SULTR), and other transporter genes were prominent. Thus, the genes identified in this study help to unravel the molecular mechanism of miR165a and HD-ZIPIII regulated plant development and stress response.
Nanofibers based on zein protein loaded with tungsten oxide for cancer therapy: fabrication, characterization and in vitro evaluation
Authors: El Fawal Gomaa , Omar Ashraf M. , Abu-Serie Marwa M.
Published: December 2023

Plant proteins have become attractive for biomedical applications such as wound dressing and drug delivery. In this research, nanofibers from pristine zein (plant protein) and zein loaded with tungsten oxide (WO3) were prepared (WO3@zein) using less toxic solvents (ethanol and acetic acid). Morphological and biological properties of the zein nanofiber were determined. Prepared nanofibers were defined by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray diffraction (X-RD), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and scanning electron microscopy. The average fiber diameter was unchanged with an increase in WO3 concentration from 0.001 to 0.008%. FT-IR spectroscopy and X-RD indicated the presence of WO3 in WO3@zein nanofibers. In comparison to WO3-free, WO3@zein nanofibers showed higher safety and preserved the anticancer effect of WO3 against human melanoma cell line (A375) melanoma cells compared to WO3-free. Moreover, both WO3-free and WO3@zein caused a fourfold increase in the cellular proliferation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the treated A375 cells compared to untreated cells. ROS elevation led to apoptosis-dependent cell death of A375 cells as evidenced by up-regulating the expression of p53-downstream genes (p21 and Bax) (tumor-suppressor gene) while down-regulating the expression of key oncogenes (BCL2 and cyclin D). In conclusion, the prepared nanofiber represents a promising and safe candidate for anticancer applications.
Hybrid time series models with exogenous variable for improved yield forecasting of major Rabi crops in India
Authors: Pandit Pramit , Sagar Atish , Ghose Bikramjeet , Dey Prithwiraj , Paul Moumita , Alqadhi Saeed , Mallick Javed , Almohamad Hussein , Abdo Hazem Ghassan
Published: December 2023

Accurate and in-time prediction of crop yield plays a crucial role in the planning, management, and decision-making processes within the agricultural sector. In this investigation, utilizing area under irrigation (%) as an exogenous variable, we have made an exertion to assess the suitability of different hybrid models such as ARIMAX (Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average with eXogenous Regressor)–TDNN (Time-Delay Neural Network), ARIMAX–NLSVR (Non-Linear Support Vector Regression), ARIMAX–WNN (Wavelet Neural Network), ARIMAX–CNN (Convolutional Neural Network), ARIMAX–RNN (Recurrent Neural Network) and ARIMAX–LSTM (Long Short Term Memory) as compared to their individual counterparts for yield forecasting of major Rabi crops in India. The accuracy of the ARIMA model has also been considered as a benchmark. Empirical outcomes reveal that the ARIMAX–LSTM hybrid modeling combination outperforms all other time series models in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) values. For these models, an average improvement of RMSE and MAPE values has been observed to be 10.41% and 12.28%, respectively over all other competing models and 15.83% and 18.42%, respectively over the benchmark ARIMA model. The incorporation of the area under irrigation (%) as an exogenous variable in the ARIMAX framework and the inbuilt capability of the LSTM model to process complex non-linear patterns have been observed to significantly enhance the accuracy of forecasting. The performance supremacy of other hybrid models over their individual counterparts has also been evident. The results also suggest avoiding any performance generalization of individual models for their hybrid structures.
De novo aging-related NADPH diaphorase positive megaloneurites in the sacral spinal cord of aged dogs
Authors: Li Yinhua , Jia Yunge , Hou Wei , Wei Zichun , Wen Xiaoxin , Tian Yu , Bai Lu , Wang Xinghang , Zhang Tianyi , Guo Anchen , Du Guanghui , Ma Zhuang , Tan Huibing
Published: December 2023

We investigated aging-related changes in nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) in the spinal cord of aged dogs. At all levels of the spinal cord examined, NADPH-d activities were observed in neurons and fibers in the superficial dorsal horn (DH), dorsal gray commissure (DGC) and around the central canal (CC). A significant number of NADPH-d positive macro-diameter fibers, termed megaloneurites, were discovered in the sacral spinal cord (S1–S3) segments of aged dogs. The distribution of megaloneurites was characterized from the dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) into the superficial dorsal horn, along the lateral collateral pathway (LCP) to the region of sacral parasympathetic nucleus (SPN), DGC and around the CC, but not in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar segments. Double staining of NADPH-d histochemistry and immunofluorescence showed that NADPH-d positive megaloneurites co-localized with vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) immunoreactivity. We believed that megaloneurites may in part represent visceral afferent projections to the SPN and/or DGC. The NADPH-d megaloneurites in the aged sacral spinal cord indicated some anomalous changes in the neurites, which might account for a disturbance in the aging pathway of the autonomic and sensory nerve in the pelvic visceral organs.
Influence of ultrasound transmit frequency on measurement of global longitudinal strain on 2D speckle tracking echocardiography
Authors: Iwakura Katsuomi , Onishi Toshinari , Koyama Yasushi , Iwamoto Mutsumi , Watanabe Satoshi , Tanaka Koji , Hirao Yuko , Tanaka Nobuaki , Sumiyoshi Akinori , Okada Masato , Tanaka Kota , Harada Shinichi , Watanabe Heitaro , Okamura Atsunori
Published: December 2023

The reproducibility of longitudinal strain measured by 2D speckle tracking echocardiography (2DSTE) may be affected by ultrasound settings. This study investigated the effect of transmit ultrasound frequency on global longitudinal strain (GLS) by 2DSTE. Apical, 2- and 4-chamber, and long-axis views were obtained in consecutive 162 patients using Philips ultrasound devices. Three different frequency presets were used sequentially: high resolution (HRES, 1.9 to 2.1 MHz), general (HGEN, 1.6 to 1.8 MHz), and penetration mode (HPEN, 1.3 to 1.6 MHz). GLS values were determined for each preset using the Philips Q-station software, resulting in GLS-HRES, GLS-HGEN, and GLS-HPEN. Among the 151 patients with successfully measured GLS, a significant difference in GLS was observed among the three presets (p < 0.0001). GLS-HRES (− 17.9 ± 4.4%) showed a slightly smaller magnitude compared to GLS-HGEN (− 18.8 ± 4.5%, p < 0.0001) and GLS-HPEN (− 18.8 ± 4.5%, p < 0.0001), with absolute differences of 1.1 ± 1.0% and 1.1 ± 1.2%, respectively. This variation in GLS with frequency was evident in patients with both optimal (n = 104) and suboptimal (n = 47) image quality and remained consistent regardless of ultrasound devices, ischemic etiology, or ejection fraction. In conclusion, ultrasound frequency had only a modest effect on GLS measurements. GLS may be reliably assessed in most cases regardless of the ultrasound frequency used.
Unraveling the influence of TiO2 nanoparticles on growth, physiological and phytochemical characteristics of Mentha piperita L. in cadmium-contaminated soil
Authors: Mohammadi Hamid , Kazemi Zahra , Aghaee Ahmad , Hazrati Saeid , Golzari Dehno Rosa , Ghorbanpour Mansour
Published: December 2023

Among the metals contaminants, cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic elements in cultivated soils, causing loss of yield and productivity in plants. Recently, nanomaterials have been shown to mitigate the negative consequences of environmental stresses in different plants. However, little is known about foliar application of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) to alleviate Cd stress in medicinal plants, and their dual interactions on essential oil production. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of foliar-applied TiO2 NPs on growth, Cd uptake, chlorophyll fluorescence, photosynthetic pigments, malondialdehyde (MDA) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents, total phenols, anthocyanins, flavonoids, antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT and POD) activity and essential oil content of Mentha piperita L. (peppermint) under Cd stress. For this purpose, plants were grown in Cd-contaminated (0, 20, 40, and 60 mg L−1) soil, and different concentrations of TiO2 NPs (0, 75, and 150 mg L−1) were foliar sprayed at three times after full establishment until the beginning of flowering. Exposure to TiO2 NPs significantly (P < 0.01) increased shoot dry weight (37.8%) and the number of lateral branches (59.4%) and decreased Cd uptake in plant tissues as compared to the control. Application of TiO2 NPs increased the content of plastid pigments, and the ratio Fv/Fm (13.4%) as compared to the control. Additionally, TiO2 NPs reduced the stress markers, MDA and H2O2 contents and enhanced the activity of the phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL) enzyme (60.5%), total phenols (56.1%), anthocyanins (42.6%), flavonoids (25.5%), and essential oil content (52.3%) in Cd-stressed peppermint compared to the control. The results also demonstrated that foliar spray of TiO2 NPs effectively improved the growth and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and reduced Cd accumulation in peppermint, which was mainly attributed to the reduction of oxidative burst and enhancement of the enzymatic (SOD, CAT, and POD) antioxidant defense system due to the uptake of NPs. The findings provide insights into the regulatory mechanism of TiO2 NPs on peppermint plants growth, physiology and secondary metabolites production in Cd-contaminated soil.
Association of high LDL concentrations with erectile dysfunction from a Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhu Quan , Tan Yao , Zou Xuyan , Lu Liqing
Published: December 2023

Lipid metabolism plays a key role in erectile dysfunction. Our purpose was to evaluate the influence of lipid-lowering drugs on erectile dysfunction employing a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) study. Genetic instruments were employed to represent the exposure of lipid-lowering drugs. Inverse variance-weighted MR (IVWMR) was employed to calculate the estimation of effects. IVW-MR analysis showed that the positive relationship between the expression of HMGCR and the risk of erectile dysfunction (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.57; p = 0.028). No significant relationship was detected between NPC1L1, PSK9 expression and erectile dysfunction. This MR study suggested that HMGCR inhibitors are a more desirable treatment modality for patients with ED.
Effect of C content on the microstructure and properties of in-situ synthesized TiC particles reinforced Ti composites
Authors: Wang Ning , Choi Yongbum , Matsugi Kazuhiro
Published: December 2023

Titanium matrix composites (TMCs) have garnered substantial attention from researchers owing to their outstanding properties. Nonetheless, the strength and ductility of TMCs hardly co-exist and often show a trade-off between each other. In this study, we employ an ultra-thin graphite powder sheet as the carbon source and employ Ti/C composites with varying carbon contents, prepared via a layer-stacked laminated sintering method, to ensure a comprehensive in-situ reaction and uniform reinforcement distribution. With increasing carbon content, noticeable alterations occur in the size, concentration, and morphology of the titanium carbide (TiC) particles. The increase of TiC particle content is found to boost the ultimate tensile strength of the composite. However, this improvement comes at the expense of reduced elongation. Notably, as the carbon content reaches 1.81 wt%, the yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the composites soar to 354.4 MPa and 575.4 MPa, respectively. These values represent a remarkable increase of 75.4% and 65.0% compared to pure titanium, while maintaining an acceptable elongation of 6.45%. This study unveils a promising approach for significantly enhancing the mechanical properties of titanium alloys.
The effect of MgO in Pd/Al2O3–MgO catalyst on a selective hydrogenation reaction
Authors: Yang Zhou , Wang Ru , Liu Hongji , Chen Zhou , Hu Xiaoli , Sun Limin , Lai Weikun , Dong Yunyun , Fang Weiping , Yi Xiaodong
Published: December 2023

In this work, we modified the electronic structure of Pd by coating with MgO on the surface of Al2O3. Through in-depth research, we revealed the mechanism of MgO modification on the dispersion and stability of Pd active centers.
A fluorinated greenhouse gas sensor based on N-doped tin oxide materials
Authors: Meng Hu , Liu Zhiwen , Wang Xiaoxin , Feng Liang
Published: December 2023

A novel N-doped tin oxide semiconductor metal oxide sensor has been successfully fabricated for fluorinated greenhouse gas sensing.
Water vapor assisted aramid nanofiber reinforcement for strong, tough and ionically conductive organohydrogels as high-performance strain sensors
Authors: Wu Yongchuan , Zhang Ya , Liao Zimin , Wen Jing , Zhang Hechuan , Wu Haidi , Liu Zhanqi , Shi Yongqian , Song Pingan , Tang Longcheng , Xue Huaiguo , Gao Jiefeng
Published: December 2023

A new “water vapor assisted aramid nanofiber (ANF) reinforcement” strategy is proposed to prepare mechanically robust and ionically conductive organohydrogels.
An atomistic scale simulation study of structural properties in the silk–fibrohexamerin complex
Authors: Park Wooboum , Yoon Taeyoung , Chang Hyunjoon , You Juneseok , Na Sungsoo
Published: December 2023

This study analyzed the interfacial/mechanical properties of N-glycan engineered P25-Silkworm silk. The results confirmed that N-glycan in orders of the mannose molecules increased the hydrogen bonding of the amorphous domain.
Olefination of aldehydes with alpha-halo redox-active esters
Authors: Liu Zhengqiang , Liu Wenbo H.
Published: December 2023

A simple and practical decarboxylative carbonyl olefination is described. This procedure explores the application of α-halo NHPI redox-active esters in organic chemistry.
Photoredox Suzuki coupling using alkyl boronic acids and esters
Authors: Das Kanak Kanti , Mahato Somenath , Ghorai Debraj , Dey Sutapa , Panda Santanu
Published: December 2023

Herein, we report a novel methodology for the one-step synthesis of olefins via a transition metal-free pathway.
Study on the efficiency and recyclability of Fenton-MnFe2O4 for the degumming of hemp fibers
Authors: Yu Chunyu , Zheng Yongjie , Sun Ying , Wang Jiayi
Published: December 2023

The Fenton-MnFe2O4 degumming process.
What is the nature of the uranium(iii)–arene bond?
Authors: Chowdhury Sabyasachi Roy , Goodwin Conrad A. P. , Vlaisavljevich Bess
Published: December 2023

Complexes of the form [U(η6-arene)(BH4)3] where arene = C6H6; C6H5Me; C6H3-1,3,5-R3 (R = Et, iPr, tBu, Ph); C6Me6; and triphenylene (C6H4)3 were investigated towards an understanding of the nature of the uranium–arene interaction.
Engineering of cell-surface receptors for analysis of receptor internalization and detection of receptor-specific glycosylation
Authors: Lee Chang-Hee , Park Sookil , Kim Sanggil , Hyun Ji Young , Lee Hyun Soo , Shin Injae
Published: December 2023

The genetic code expansion technique was employed to understand functions of the cell-surface receptor.
Insights into extended coupled polymethines through the investigation of dual UV-to-NIR acidochromic switches based on heptamethine–oxonol dyes
Authors: Mourot Benjamin , Mazan Valérie , Elhabiri Mourad , Sarkar Rudraditya , Jacquemin Denis , Siri Olivier , Pascal Simon
Published: December 2023

A series of heptamethine–oxonol dyes featuring different heterocyclic end groups were designed with the aim to explore structure–property relationships in π-extended coupled polymethines.
A four-component reaction to access 3,3-disubstituted indolines via the palladium–norbornene-catalyzed ortho amination/ipso conjunctive coupling
Authors: Rago Alexander J. , Ye Rong , Liu Xin , Dong Guangbin
Published: December 2023

The development of a palladium/norbornene-catalyzed four-component reaction, involving ortho C–H amination/ipso conjunctive coupling with an alkene and an external nucleophile, is reported.
Copper management strategies in obligate bacterial symbionts: balancing cost and benefit
Authors: Rivera-Millot Alex , Harrison Luke B. , Veyrier Frédéric J.
Published: December 2023

Bacteria employ diverse mechanisms to manage toxic copper in their environments, and these evolutionary strategies can be divided into two main categories: accumulation and rationalization of metabolic pathways. The strategies employed depend on the bacteria's lifestyle and environmental context, optimizing the metabolic cost-benefit ratio. Environmental and opportunistically pathogenic bacteria often possess an extensive range of copper regulation systems in order to respond to variations in copper concentrations and environmental conditions, investing in diversity and/or redundancy as a safeguard against uncertainty. In contrast, obligate symbiotic bacteria, such as Neisseria gonorrhoeae and Bordetella pertussis, tend to have specialized and more parsimonious copper regulation systems designed to function in the relatively stable host environment. These evolutionary strategies maintain copper homeostasis even in challenging conditions like encounters within phagocytic cells. These examples highlight the adaptability of bacterial copper management systems, tailored to their specific lifestyles and environmental requirements, in the context of an evolutionary the trade-off between benefits and energy costs.