bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel MARV glycoprotein-specific antibody with potentials of broad-spectrum neutralization to filovirus
Authors: Zhang Yuting , Zhang Min , Wu Haiyan , Wang Xinwei , Zheng Hang , Feng Junjuan , Wang Jing , Luo Longlong , Xiao He , Qiao Chunxia , Li Xinying , Zheng Yuanqiang , Huang Weijin , Wang Youchun , Wang Yi , Shi Yanchun , Feng Jiannan , Chen Guojiang
Published: November 2023

Marburg virus (MARV) is one of the filovirus species that causes a deadly hemorrhagic fever in humans, with mortality rates up to 90%. Neutralizing antibodies represent ideal candidates to prevent or treat virus disease. However, no antibody has been approved for MARV treatment to date. In this study, we identified a novel human antibody named AF-03 that targeted MARV glycoprotein (GP). AF-03 possessed a high binding affinity to MARV GP and showed neutralizing and protective activities against the pseudotyped MARV in vitro and in vivo. Epitope identification, including molecular docking and experiment-based analysis of mutated species, revealed that AF-03 recognized the Niemann-Pick C1 (NPC1) binding domain within GP1. Interestingly, we found the neutralizing activity of AF-03 to pseudotyped Ebola viruses (EBOV, SUDV, and BDBV) harboring cleaved GP instead of full-length GP. Furthermore, NPC2-fused AF-03 exhibited neutralizing activity to several filovirus species and EBOV mutants via binding to CI-MPR. In conclusion, this work demonstrates that AF-03 represents a promising therapeutic cargo for filovirus-caused disease.
Netrin signaling mediates survival of dormant epithelial ovarian cancer cells
Authors: Perampalam Pirunthan , MacDonald James I. , Zakirova Komila , Passos Daniel T. , Ramos-Valdes Yudith , Hervieu Maëva , Mehlen Patrick , Rottapel Rob , Gibert Benjamin , Correa Rohann , Shepherd Trevor G. , Dick Frederick A.
Published: November 2023

Dormancy in cancer is a clinical state in which residual disease remains undetectable for a prolonged duration. At a cellular level, rare cancer cells cease proliferation and survive chemotherapy and disseminate disease. We utilized a suspension culture model of high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC) cell dormancy and devised a novel CRISPR screening approach to identify genetic requirements for cell survival under growth arrested and spheroid culture conditions. In addition, multiple RNA-seq comparisons were used to identify genes whose expression correlates with survival in dormancy. Combined, these approaches discover the Netrin signaling pathway as critical to dormant HGSOC cell survival. We demonstrate that Netrin-1 and -3, UNC5H receptors, DCC and other fibronectin receptors induce low level ERK activation to promote survival in dormant conditions. Furthermore, we determine that Netrin-1 and -3 overexpression is associated with poor prognosis in HGSOC and demonstrate their overexpression elevates cell survival in dormant conditions. Lastly, Netrin-1 or -3 overexpression contributes to greater spread of disease in a xenograft model of abdominal dissemination. This study highlights Netrin signaling as a key mediator HGSOC cancer cell dormancy and metastasis.
Humor och feministisk aktivism i litteratur och andra medier
Authors: Jiresch Ester
Published: November 2023

Bianca Kronlöf debuterade nyligen som författare med ett feministiskt manifest mot mäns våld. Även om hennes verk är ett bidrag till samhällsdebatten, visar det tydligt fram drag av Kronlöfs humor. Liv Strömquist är känd för sin feministiska satir i form av grafiska romaner, i vilka hon sammanställer humor och bitande feministisk kritik med historiska, filosofiska och sociologiska teorier. I min artikel undersöker jag det specifikt feministiska i deras humor och hur de använder sig av den för att främja sina (feministiska) mål. Jag kommer även att besvara frågan om humor är ett adekvat verktyg för feministisk aktivism.
Medan nya studier i feministisk teori uppmärksammar vikten av feministisk humor i skämt, stand-up och i litterära verk, finns det ännu inte många studier av grafiska romaner. Genom att särskilt fokusera på sådana mindre utforskade medier och aktivisters kombination av olika medier, kommer jag att visa hur dessa kulturella praktiker är särskilt lämpliga för mångtydiga artikulationer och mångbottnade uttryck av feministiska idéer.
The many paths for an open, participatory, and inclusive science
Authors: Campos Rita
Published: November 2023

Watch VIDEO.
Societies are facing unprecedented challenges due to human-induced climate change. In order to understand, cope with and halt global warming, we need to understand the science behind its causes and impacts and to identify reliable sources of information. Science and scientists play a crucial role in this process and are called to the forefront of new relational practices for engaging the public and helping citizens develop scientific competences to participate in contemporary societies. Empowering individuals with sustainable-oriented knowledge, skills and values is vital for an active citizenship towards sustainability. Moreover, promoting dialogic channels between science and society encourages a more critical view of current challenges and science-oriented attitudes. Participatory methodologies can play an essential role in this context as they entail the inclusion of citizens in research and/or knowledge production and a closer contact with local and global realities. I will discuss different paths taken in national and international research projects to promote the inclusion of citizens in science. I will focus on two examples. One related to how citizen science can be used in educational contexts to reconfigure schools as collaborative ecosystems, part of a network that connects teachers, students, and scientists, who share the responsibility to identify problems, think about possible solutions, reflect on existing knowledge, collect new evidence, and integrate different perspectives. Results show positive impacts on a personal and academic level, with participants declaring higher self-esteem and a deeper understanding of the scientific process and social and environmental issues. A second example concerns dialogical and arts-based strategies to include academic, political, and activist stakeholders in the public debate on the opportunities and challenges of biotechnology. These strategies are framed within a concept of engaged citizen social science, considering that engagement with science should be bidirectional, where both scientists and the public are committed to establishing an effective dialogue between different forms of knowledge to co-create new meanings and impacts for project outcomes. It is also rooted in interdisciplinary dialogues through interaction between the disciplinary fields of the partners and the individuals involved in the social dialogue to create a shared vocabulary and contribute to a transformative impact of the project on social realities. The planned art-based approaches to science will help facilitate participation through more dynamic, creative, and meaningful engagement and greater understanding of different worldviews, thoughts, and understandings. Preliminary results suggest a greater awareness of the different dimensions related to the development and (unanticipated) impacts of new technology by the scientists and the artists involved in this co-creation process.
Research Assessment – Navigating Pitfalls and Promoting Change
Authors: Flores Bueso Yensi , Dole Hervé , Whitaker Kirstie , Winther Jan-Gunnar , Larssen Tanja
Published: November 2023

Watch VIDEO.
The main theme of the Munin conference is scholarly communication in its myriad of forms. The push for a reform of research assessment argues for precisely the need to recognize and reward a wider set of research activities and competencies. The demand – and initiative – for change will surely impact how and where research is disseminated and communicated. A key question then is how to evaluate research activities and outputs beyond academic publications.
With this panel we welcome a discussion on research assessment that brings together perspectives from all the topics of this year’s Munin conference. We invite you to add your insights and diverse expertise to this panel that will reflect on questions such as: how do we measure the impact of citizen science, or document quality in innovative research practices and scholarly outputs? And how to ensure consensus on assessment methods for a wider and more inclusive range of research activities within a diverse academic landscape?
Democracy’s Destruction? The 2020 Election, Trump’s Insurrection, and the Strength of America’s Political Institutions
Authors: Gibson James
Published: November 2023

In Democracy’s Destruction, James L. Gibson investigates the degree to which the 2020 presidential election and its aftermath did lasting damage to American national political institutions. It focuses on the U.S. Supreme Court, the presidency, and the U.S. Senate—the institutions that most observers feel were put at risk by the election and its attendant events—as well as on the legitimacy of democracy in America itself. Gibson argues that the election and its aftermath undermined confidence and faith in American political institutions—and perhaps in American democracy as well. To assess the impact of the 2020 election on American political institutions, Gibson embeds the inquiry squarely within legitimacy theory writ large and particularly in the studies of institutional legitimacy that have accumulated over the years. Consequently, the book is not just an analysis of the election of 2020 but also a more general treatise that interrogates a variety of hypotheses about levels of legitimacy and how legitimacy changes.
Prediction of Postoperative Pulmonary Complications in Patients Undergoing Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery: A Cohort Study
Authors: Singh Pallavi , Bobde Sarojini , Singh Hemant Kumar , Kalra Varinder
Published: November 2023

Introduction: Considering the pathophysiology of nasal obstruction, changes in certain parameters such as Peripheral Blood Eosinophil Count (PBEC), bedside pulmonary function test, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate (PEFR), and Electrocardiography (ECG) may have some correlation with postoperative pulmonary complications such as upper airway obstruction, loss of pharyngeal muscle tone, and postobstructive pulmonary oedema. Aim: To observe and analyse the changes in PBEC, bedside pulmonary function test, PEFR, and ECG in patients undergoing Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery (FESS). Materials and Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at Bharati Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra, India over a two-year duration from December 2020 to October 2022. A total of 50 patients aged above 18 years undergoing FESS surgery were included in the study. The statistical analysis was performed using the Chi-square test and student’s t-test. After thorough preoperative evaluation, the aforementioned predictors were recorded. General anaesthesia management for FESS surgery was done according to the standard protocol. Vigilant intraoperative monitoring of vital parameters including peak airway pressure and plateau pressure was performed. After shifting the patients to the recovery room, they were observed for: 1) Hypoxia; 2) Hypercarbia; 3) Laryngospasm; 4) Bronchospasm; and 5) Pulmonary oedema. Results: A total of 50 patients aged between 18 years and 65 years with the mean age was 41.7±15.4 years were included in the study, with 32 males and 18 females. Only 24% of the study population showed postoperative hypoxia, while the rest of the complications were not observed in any patient. Changes in eosinophil count, PEFR, and ECG did not have any correlation with postoperative hypoxia and were statistically insignificant. Bedside pulmonary function tests, including the Sabrasez breath-holding test and the Sabrasez single breath count test, showed changes in 30% and 76% of patients, respectively. Forced Expiratory test change was seen in 72% of patients. Among these, 19.4% showed hypoxia. Out of the 12 cases showing postoperative hypoxia, seven had a disease duration of less than six months. Conclusion: The Sabrasez breath-holding test and Sabrasez single breath count are good predictors for postoperative hypoxia in patients undergoing FESS surgery. Shorter duration of nasal obstruction also showed postoperative hypoxia.
Retroperitoneal Desmoid Tumour Masquerading as Malignancy: A Case Report
Authors: Jawalkar Sneha , Pulikkal Archana Perazhi , Arakeri Surekha U
Published: November 2023

Desmoid tumour is a rare, benign soft tissue tumour. It is noted to be clinically aggressive but pathologically benign, showing a high local recurrence rate; however, it cannot metastasize. Although it is benign, it can impact functionality. The majority of these cases remain sporadic, and the aetiology is unknown. The retroperitoneum is a rare site, and there are few reports of desmoidtype fibromatosis occurring in this region. It is difficult to distinguish from other tumours and to identify the tumour’s origin. Here, the authors present a case of a 36-year-old female who presented with abdominal pain and a mass in her abdomen. Imaging studies revealed a large retroperitoneal mass extending from the L5 vertebral body up to the inferior endplate of the L1 vertebral body. Exploratory laparotomy was performed, and the retroperitoneal mass was resected. Grossly, it was a capsulated dark brown to grey-coloured mass measuring 15×12×10 cm. The mass was sent for histopathology {Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E)} study and reported as a retroperitoneal desmoid tumour, which was further confirmed on Immunohistochemistry (IHC) by showing immunopositivity for Desmin, Muscle-Specific Actin (MSA), and Beta-catenin. The patient is doing well with no further complaints to date. No disease relapse has occurred. Follow-up has been done every three months till the writing of the present report.
A Comparative Analysis of Entrepreneurship-contributions to Women's Well-being and Sustainability: A Case Study of India and Tunisia
Authors: Panicker Sunita , Othamani Saoussen , Tewari Veena
Published: November 2023

Entrepreneurship is widely recognized as a pivotal force driving profitable growth and sustainability. It serves as a notable avenue for enhancing female participation across various economic strata. In recent years, scholarly attention on women entrepreneurs has burgeoned, challenging the traditionally male-centric discourse within entrepreneurship literature. Female entrepreneurship assumes a crucial role in fostering economic development and sustainability. This study contributes to the expanding body of literature on women's entrepreneurship by providing a theoretical framework elucidating the contemporary status of women entrepreneurs in India and Tunisia.

Employing a cross-sectional research design, the study employed both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, utilizing surveys and focus group discussions to gather data. The sample comprised 160 participants, including 80 women entrepreneurs and 80 non-entrepreneurs from both India and Tunisia. Analysis of the data was conducted using SPSS and MS Excel.

The findings underscore that women entrepreneurs exhibit enhanced well-being compared to their non-entrepreneurial counterparts. This underscores the significance of well-being not only in the development of women entrepreneurs but also in fostering societal sustainability. The implications of the study extend to providing evidence-based recommendations for advancing women's entrepreneurship in India and Tunisia. Key recommendations include governmental involvement in alleviating challenges impeding women in business and facilitating funding opportunities to ensure sustained business growth.
Evaluation of Moisture Content and Sensory Properties of Colored and Non-Colored Fish (Silver Carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) Noodles during Storage
Authors: Shikha Fatema Hoque , Jahan Mst. Prianka , Hossain Md. Ismail , Shema Samsun Nahar , Hasan Muhammad Mehedi , Binti NafisTasneem
Published: November 2023

The study was done to evaluate moisture content and sensory properties of colored and non-colored noodles incorporated with different amount of fish (Silver carp, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) mince during storage at room temperature (30-35○C) in two types of packaging conditions (sealed polyethylene packet  and vacuum sealed packet). In addition, proximate composition, cooking time, and water absorption capacity were also investigated at initial stage. Boiled fish mince was incorporated with wheat flour and spices to prepare eight different samples namely CN (without fish mince, colorless), CC (without fish mince, colored), S1N (25% fish mince, colorless), S1C (25% fish mince, colored) S2N (30% fish mince, colorless), S2C (30% fish mince, colored) and S3N (35% fish mince, colorless) and S3C (35% fish mince, colored). No significant change in the moisture content of colored and non-colored fish noodles was found but moisture, protein, and fat content rose significantly with the increment of added amount of fish mince in the noodles.  A significant decreasing trend was observed in the moisture content of the samples stored in sealed polyethylene packets during the 305 days of storage period whereas the moisture content of all the samples packed in vacuum sealed packets witnessed a non-significant change for the storage of 360 days.  The color, flavor and texture of the products were acceptable up to 305 days in sealed polyethylene packets and 360 days in vacuum sealed packets. Food color had no remarkable effect on proximate composition, cooking time, water absorption capacity, and sensory characteristics of prepared noodles. Colorless noodles containing 35% fish mince was preferred by the panelists. So, both colored and non-colored fish noodles prepared with fish mince (up to 35%) can be stored at room temperature (30-35○C) in both sealed polyethylene packets and vacuum sealed packets for at least 10 months with acceptable moisture content and sensory properties. Vacuum sealed packaging provided the products with better protection against moisture loss throughout the storage period.
Strome, the castle of Loch Carron
Authors: Petre James Scott
Published: November 2023

Few major castles of the western seaboard of the Highlands and Islands have received less attention than Strome on Loch Carron. This essay attempts to rectify this by looking at its history through pursuing certain themes, under subheadings. It begins by examining the castle’s importance, looking at its location and function in which symbolism and, most probably, economics played essential parts. The article then provides a record of who held the castle from 1472, the year it is first mentioned in written sources. It shows that there were times when its traditional owners, the MacDonalds, sometimes had legal title but continued, as far as can be inferred, in occupation, either directly or through constables, during periods when the castle had been sequestrated by the crown or granted to others. This reflects that the crown and its lieutenants saw Strome to be a powerful base which, in recalcitrant hands, had to be neutralised. At the same time, it shows the value placed upon it by the MacDonalds, first of Lochalsh and later of Glengarry. The analysis then moves to the castle’s military role, first by looking at its place in the MacDonalds’ strategy to retain control of their lands in these western areas of the earldom of Ross, then moving on to its more immediate place in warfare when it was attacked. It concludes with the confrontation with the Mackenzies of Kintail, when, despite a tenacious defence, the MacDonalds were compelled to cede the castle at the end of the 16th century. That it was not then simply taken over by the Mackenzies is significant: the castle and MacDonald hegemony of Lochcarron had come to be inseparable. Its destruction was a Mackenzie imperative and so they blew up part of it with gunpowder.

Canmore ID 99579
Survey and excavations investigating shieling and other upland practices in Gleann Leac-na-Muidhe, Glencoe
Authors: Stewart Edward
Published: November 2023

Recent investigations in Gleann Leac-na-Muidhe, Glencoe, have provided an insight into the practising of transhumance and related industries in these uplands in the post-medieval period. Survey has identified a number of new features within this landscape, allowing us to build a nuanced picture of how this landscape was being used and managed for both grazing and fuel. The interaction of the chiefly settlement of Gleann Leac-na-Muidhe with the associated shieling grounds provides an opportunity to explore the expression of power and protection by local elites upon the upland landscape during periods of civil strife. Excavations carried out within the glen provide an insight into some of the practices associated with these structures, from the domestic rituals of daily life to acts of resistance, including illicit whisky stilling, through which the exercise of social and economic control of the uplands can be read.
A curious account of ancient Egyptian Treasure Trove in Scotland
Authors: Goring Elizabeth , Maitland Margaret
Published: November 2023

An ancient Egyptian object buried in the grounds of a historic house near Monimail in Fife was found by chance in 1952 and acquired at the time by the then Royal Scottish Museum (now National Museums Scotland). A second object from the same location appeared by chance in 1966 and was shown to the Museum but not accessioned. The revelation of a third object in 1984 prompted an investigation that produced clear evidence there had once been a larger collection of Egyptian antiquities at Melville House. This paper offers the first published account of how these events unfolded and discusses the possible origins of the collection through a visit to Egypt by members of the Leslie-Melville family in 1856–7. The third object and the finds made in 1984 during the investigation were claimed by the Crown as Treasure Trove and all are now in the collections of National Museums Scotland. They are apparently the only ancient Egyptian items to have been declared as Treasure Trove in Scotland. A catalogue of these objects, along with the original find, is provided. The main text of the paper is by Elizabeth Goring with additional comments by Margaret Maitland; the catalogue is by Margaret Maitland.

Canmore ID 30153
‘Remember the days of old, consider the years of many generations’
Authors: Barrowman Rachel C
Published: November 2023

The study of chapel-sites in any part of north and west Britain and Ireland is not easy. Contemporary documentary references are rare, and archaeological work has traditionally been site-specific, with interpretations often contested. In Lewis, the northernmost island of the Outer Hebrides, or Western Isles, of Scotland, this situation is magnified due to an almost complete lack of any surviving historical documents relating to the island prior to the 17th century, and of any archaeological work other than ad hoc rescue work. As the first extensive survey of chapel-sites to be undertaken in Lewis, the completion and publication of the Lewis Coastal Chapel-sites Survey is therefore a crucially important starting point in the analysis of these understudied sites. The survey identified 37 known chapel-sites on the Lewis mainland and outlying islands, and thus testifies to a vibrant landscape of Christian belief from the early medieval period onwards. Since being published (Barrowman 2020) it has provided a baseline, to which this paper adds an overview and brief discussion of site distribution, building form, landscape setting, potential dating, relation of sites to place-names and local traditions, and the setting of chapel buildings within the local identity and culture of medieval Lewis. In common with the Hebrides as a whole, most chapel buildings in Lewis, where discernible, are single-chambered with a doorway in the south wall and a window in the east gable wall, and most have approximated length–breadth ratios of 1:1.5 or 1:1.6. The exceptions to this are the small chapels on the outlying islands of North Rona and the Flannans, and on one mainland site in Lewis situated on a high headland. Visible from the busy routeways around Lewis, associated with early place-names, it is suggested that these sites, while potentially early, were not secluded and remote from the world. The evidence within the suite of sites for Viking Age or Late Norse chapels is also explored, particularly those bicameral chapels built directly into mounds or areas of earlier material. Finally, the place of chapel-sites in the Lordship and beyond is discussed, with particular emphasis on local identity and tradition in the district of Ness at the north end of Lewis.
Parental Income Level and Risk of Developing Type 2 Diabetes in Youth
Authors: Yen Fu-Shun , Wei James Cheng Chung , Liu Jia-Sin , Hwu Chii-Min , Hsu Chih-Cheng
Published: November 2023

Importance

In recent years, the global incidence of type 2 diabetes in young people has increased, especially among minoritized, Indigenous, or financially disadvantaged populations. However, few studies have examined whether poverty is associated with increased risk of youth-onset type 2 diabetes.

Objective

To examine the association of family income level with the risk of youth-onset type 2 diabetes.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This nationwide, population-based retrospective cohort study used data from the 2008 National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan, with follow-up through December 31, 2019. Participants included children and adolescents aged 0 to 19 years. Data analysis was performed from June 9, 2022, to January 16, 2023.

Exposures

Family income, classified as very low, low, middle, and high.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for the risks of youth-onset type 2 diabetes and all-cause mortality for all income groups vs the high-income group.

Results

The cohort included a total of 5 182 893 children and adolescents (mean [SD] age, 11.2 [5.2] years; 2 477 807 girls [48.3%]). The mean (SD) follow-up duration was 9.0 (0.3) years. The incidence rates of youth-onset type 2 diabetes were 0.52 cases per 1000 person-years for the very-low-income group, 0.40 cases per 1000 person-years for the low-income group, 0.35 cases per 1000 person-years for the middle-income group, and 0.28 cases per 1000 person-years for the high-income group. Children and adolescents from very-low-income (aHR, 1.55; 95% CI, 1.41-1.71), low-income (aHR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.27-1.41), and middle-income (aHR, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.20-1.34) families had a significantly higher hazard of youth-onset type 2 diabetes than those from high-income families. Children and adolescents from very-low-income (aHR, 2.18; 95% CI, 1.97-2.41), low-income (aHR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.42-1.60), and middle-income (aHR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.14-1.31) families also had a significantly higher hazard of all-cause mortality than those from high-income families. Children and adolescents who were older, female, and obese and had dyslipidemia, gout, or psychiatric disorders had a significantly higher risk of youth-onset type 2 diabetes than children without those characteristics.

Conclusions and Relevance

This population-based cohort study showed that children and adolescents from very-low-income to middle-income families had a higher hazard of youth-onset type 2 diabetes and mortality than those from high-income families. Further research to reveal the factors underlying this association may improve the accuracy of identifying individuals at greatest risk for developing type 2 diabetes in youth.
Intrinsically Stretchable Light‐Emitting Polymer Semiconductors with High Charge Mobility Through Micro‐Crystalline Aggregation‐Limited Morphology
Authors: Wei Xiaofang , Wen Wei , Shi Wenkang , Liu Yanwei , Sun Jianzhe , Dai Xiaojuan , Guo Yunlong , Liu Yunqi
Published: November 2023

Intrinsically stretchable light‐emitting polymer semiconductors are essential building blocks for bioelectronics and display textiles. Stretchability is challenging for rigid conjugated polymers unless sacrificing charge mobility by introducing amorphous domains. High‐performance light‐emitting properties designed with twisted angle are undesirable for conductive materials. Hence, the concurrent strategies hardly satisfy the balance of stretchability, light‐emitting and mobility. Herein, a morphology engineering is proposed by controlling micro‐crystalline and limiting aggregation, that four intrinsically stretchable emissive polymers with good charge mobility based on indacenodithiophene (IDT) are obtained. Polymers reveal good emission properties with high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY) of about 20%, while stretchable modulus and charge mobility are tunable by backbone and weight. Specifically emphasizing, IDT‐2T‐H retains high performance of charge mobility and PLQY even at 100% strain. Therefore, organic light emitting diodes are fabricated based on it and showing the luminance of 176.2 cd cm−2, which verifies the potential of technique to reconcile integration of stretchability, light‐emitting, and mobility. This is the first attempt to integrate balanced mechanical, optical, and electrical properties through micro‐crystalline aggregation‐limited morphology in one polymer, offering a feasible approach to advanced integrated circuit and multi‐functional electronics in the future.
Unlocking Diabetic Acetone Vapor Detection by A Portable Metal‐Organic Framework‐Based Turn‐On Optical Sensor Device
Authors: Mollick Samraj , Rai Sujeet , Frentzel‐Beyme Louis , Kachwal Vishal , Donà Lorenzo , Schürmann Dagmar , Civalleri Bartolomeo , Henke Sebastian , Tan Jin‐Chong
Published: November 2023

Despite exhaled human breath having enabled noninvasive diabetes diagnosis, selective acetone vapor detection by fluorescence approach in the diabetic range (1.8–3.5 ppm) remains a long‐standing challenge. A set of water‐resistant luminescent metal‐organic framework (MOF)‐based composites have been reported for detecting acetone vapor in the diabetic range with a limit of detection of 200 ppb. The luminescent materials possess the ability to selectively detect acetone vapor from a mixture comprising nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and alcohol vapor, which are prevalent in exhaled breath. It is noteworthy that this is the first luminescent MOF material capable of selectively detecting acetone vapor in the diabetic range via a turn‐on mechanism. The material can be reused within a matter of minutes under ambient conditions. Industrially pertinent electrospun luminescent fibers are likewise fabricated alongside various luminescent films for selective detection of ultratrace quantities of acetone vapor present in the air. Ab initio theoretical calculations combined with in situ synchrotron‐based dosing studies uncovered the material's remarkable hypersensitivity toward acetone vapor. Finally, a freshly designed prototype fluorescence‐based portable optical sensor is utilized as a proof‐of‐concept for the rapid detection of acetone vapor within the diabetic range.
Unveiling a CAAX Protease‐Like Protein Involved in Didemnin Drug Maturation and Secretion
Authors: Zou Xiaolin , Hui Zhen , Shepherd Robert A. , Zhao Shuaiqiang , Wu Yanfei , Shen Zhuanglin , Pang Cuiping , Zhou Shipeng , Yu Zehai , Zhou Jiahai , Moore Bradley S. , Sanchez Laura M. , Tang Xiaoyu
Published: November 2023

The assembly line biosynthesis of the powerful anticancer‐antiviral didemnin cyclic peptides is proposed to follow a prodrug release mechanism in Tristella bacteria. This strategy commences with the formation of N‐terminal prodrug scaffolds and culminates in their cleavage during the cellular export of the mature products. In this study, a comprehensive exploration of the genetic and biochemical aspects of the enzymes responsible for both the assembly and cleavage of the acylated peptide prodrug scaffolds is provided. This process involves the assembly of N‐acyl‐polyglutamine moieties orchestrated by the nonribosomal peptide synthetase DidA and the cleavage of these components at the post‐assembly stage by DidK, a transmembrane CAAX hydrolase homolog. The findings not only shed light on the complex prodrug mechanism that underlies the synthesis and secretion of didemnin compounds but also offer novel insights into the expanded role of CAAX hydrolases in microbes. Furthermore, this knowledge can be leveraged for the strategic design of genome mining approaches aimed at discovering new bioactive natural products that employ similar prodrug biochemical strategies.
Engineering Electronic Structure of Nitrogen‐Carbon Sites by sp3‐Hybridized Carbon and Incorporating Chlorine to Boost Oxygen Reduction Activity
Authors: Feng Xueting , Chen Guanzhen , Cui Zhibo , Qin Rong , Jiao Wensheng , Huang Zeyi , Shang Ziang , Ma Chao , Zheng Xusheng , Han Yunhu , Huang Wei
Published: November 2023

Development of efficient and easy‐to‐prepare low‐cost oxygen reaction electrocatalysts is essential for widespread application of rechargeable Zn‐air batteries (ZABs). Herein, we mixed NaCl and ZIF‐8 by simple physical milling and pyrolysis to obtain a metal‐free porous electrocatalyst doped with Cl (mf‐pClNC). The mf‐pClNC electrocatalyst exhibits a good oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity (E1/2=0.91 V vs. RHE) and high stability in alkaline electrolyte, exceeding most of the reported transition metal carbon‐based electrocatalysts and being comparable to commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts. Likewise, the mf‐pClNC electrocatalyst also shows state‐of‐the‐art ORR activity and stability in acidic electrolyte. From experimental and theoretical calculations, the better ORR activity is most likely originated from the fact that the introduced Cl promotes the increase of sp3‐hybridized carbon, while the sp3‐hybridized carbon and Cl together modify the electronic structure of the N‐adjacent carbons, as the active sites, while NaCl molten‐salt etching provides abundant paths for the transport of electrons/protons. Furthermore, the liquid rechargeable ZAB using the mf‐pClNC electrocatalyst as the cathode shows a fulfilling performance with a peak power density of 276.88 mW cm−2. Flexible quasi‐solid‐state rechargeable ZAB constructed with the mf‐pClNC electrocatalyst as the cathode exhibits an exciting performance both at low, high and room temperatures.
A second dimension of somatosensory system injury? Thalamic volume loss and neuropathic pain in adults with cerebral palsy and periventricular white matter injury
Authors: Chin Eric M. , Gorny Nicole , Pekar James J. , Campbell Claudia M. , Lindquist Martin , Lenz Colleen , Hoon Alexander H. , Jantzie Lauren L. , Robinson Shenandoah
Published: November 2023

Objectives

Lemniscal (motor‐related) and spinothalamic (neuropathic pain‐related) somatosensory abnormalities affect different subsets of adults with cerebral palsy (CP). Lemniscal/motor abnormalities are associated with posterior thalamic radiation white matter disruption in individuals with CP and white matter injury. We tested the hypothesis that neuropathic pain symptoms in this population are rather associated with injury of the somatosensory (posterior group nuclei) thalamus.

Methods

In this cross‐sectional study, communicative adults with CP and bilateral white matter injury and neurotypical control participants volunteered to self‐report pain symptoms and undergo research MRI. Posterior group thalamic nuclei volume was computed and correlated against neuropathic pain scores.

Results

Participants with CP (n = 6) had, on average, 24% smaller posterior group thalamic volumes (95% CI: [10%–39%]; corrected p = 0.01) than control participants. More severe volume loss was correlated with more severe neuropathic pain scores (ρ = −0.87 [−0.99, −0.20]; p = 0.02).

Interpretation

Association with thalamic volume loss suggests that neuropathic pain in adults with CP may frequently be central neuropathic pain. Complementing assessments of white matter microstructure, regional brain volumes hold promise as diagnostic biomarkers for central neuropathic pain in individuals with structural brain disorders.
Acyl ghrelin increases cardiac output while preserving right ventricular‐pulmonary arterial coupling in heart failure
Authors: Erhardsson Mikael , Faxén Ulrika L. , Venkateshvaran Ashwin , Hage Camilla , Pironti Gianluigi , Thorvaldsen Tonje , Webb Dominic‐Luc , Hellström Per M. , Andersson Daniel C. , Ståhlberg Marcus , Lund Lars H.
Published: November 2023

Aim

Acyl ghrelin increases cardiac output (CO) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). This could impair the right ventricular‐pulmonary arterial coupling (RVPAC), both through an increased venous return and right ventricular afterload. We aim to investigate if acyl ghrelin increases CO with or without worsening the right‐sided haemodynamics in HFrEF assessed by RVPAC.

Methods and results

The Karolinska Acyl ghrelin Trial was a randomized double‐blind placebo‐controlled trial of acyl ghrelin versus placebo (120‐min intravenous infusion) in HFrEF. RVPAC was assessed echocardiographically at baseline and 120 min. ANOVA was used for difference in change between acyl ghrelin versus placebo, adjusted for baseline values. Of the 30 randomized patients, 22 had available RVPAC (acyl ghrelin n = 12, placebo n = 10). Despite a 15% increase in CO in the acyl ghrelin group (from 4.0 (3.5–4.6) to 4.6 (3.9–6.1) L/min, P = 0.003), RVPAC remained unchanged; 5.9 (5.3–7.6) to 6.3 (4.8–7.5) mm·(m/s)−1, P = 0.372, while RVPAC was reduced in the placebo group, 5.2 (4.3–6.4) to 4.8 (4.2–5.8) mm·(m/s)−1, P = 0.035. Comparing change between groups, CO increased in the acyl ghrelin group versus placebo (P = 0.036) while RVPAC and the right ventricular pressure gradient remained unchanged.

Conclusion

Treatment with acyl ghrelin increases CO while preserving or even improving RVPAC in HFrEF, possibly due to increased contractility, reduced PVR and/or reduced left sided filling pressures. These potential effects strengthen the role of acyl ghrelin therapy in HFrEF with right ventricular failure.
Stauntonia chinensis injection relieves neuropathic pain by increasing the expression of PSD‐95 and reducing the proliferation of phagocytic microglia
Authors: Deng Wenwen , Zou Helin , Qian Li , de Souza Senio Campos , Chen Qian , Cao Song
Published: November 2023

Neuroinflammation induced by engulfment of synapses by phagocytic microglia plays a crucial role in neuropathic pain. Stauntonia chinensis is extracted from Stauntonia chinensis DC, which has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine to control trigeminal neuralgia or sciatica. However, the specific anti‐neuralgia mechanism of Stauntonia chinensis is unknown. In this study, the analgesic effect of Stauntonia chinensis injection (SCI) in mice with neuropathic pain and the possible mechanisms are explored. We find that a local injection of 0.1 mL Stauntonia chinensis for 14 days can considerably relieve mechanical hyperalgesia and thermal hyperalgesia in mice with sciatic chronic constriction injury (CCI). Immunofluorescence staining shows that SCI reduces neuroinflammation in the spinal cord of CCI mice. RNA sequencing reveals that the expression of postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD‐95), a postsynaptic scaffold protein, is downregulated in the spinal cord of CCI mice, but upregulated after SCI administration. Immunofluorescence experiments also demonstrate that SCI administration reverses microglia proliferation and PSD‐95 downregulation in CCI mice. These data suggest that SCI relieves neuropathic pain by increasing the expression of PSD‐95 and reducing the proliferation of phagocytic microglia.
Inhibitive impact of Terfeziaceae plant extract on nitric acid decomposition of copper
Authors: Abdel Haleem Eslam , Eissa Mohamed E. , Fouda Abd El‐Aziz S.
Published: November 2023

Different electrochemical techniques, such as electrochemical “impedance spectroscopy (EIS), electrochemical frequency modulation (EFM), and potentiodynamic polarization (PDP), and mass reduction at various temeratures were used to evaluate the inhibitory potential of Terfeziaceae extract as a corrosion inhibitor for Cu in HNO3 corrosive arrangements. The adsorption was analyzed utilizing Temkin adsorption isotherm, and the adsorption factors were considered. The detections illustrated that the Terfeziaceae extract shown maximum inhibition capacity (% IE) reached to 98.1% at concentration of 300 ppm, 25°C. “x‐ray electron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) surface study techniques have all supported the existence of a protective layer on the Cu surface. This extract operates as a mixed‐type inhibitor, according to PDP data.” The current research presents highly significant findings in the preparation and design of original, environmentally friendly, sustainable inhibitors with high inhibitory power.
Impact of an enhanced focused cardiac ultrasound on treatment changes in a population of internal medicine patients
Authors: Flamanc Thomas , de Carvalho Hugo , Le Bastard Quentin , Javaudin François , Pes Philippe , Montassier Emmanuel , Le Conte Philippe
Published: November 2023

Background

Hospitalized patients with acute shortness of breath (SOB) could benefit from an enhanced focused cardiac ultrasound (eFoCUS) with Doppler measurements to reassess treatment and diagnosis.

Methods

This was a retrospective observational study performed in a medical ward. Included patients were those hospitalized for acute SOB. The objectives were to assess therapeutic and diagnosis changes associated with eFoCUS. The primary endpoint of the analysis was a composite of introduction or discontinuation of diuretics, antibiotics or anticoagulation following eFoCUS.

Results

Between January 2018 and July 2021, 119 patients were included, 67 women and 52 men, mean age 84 ± 11 years old. The eFoCUS was performed within a median time of 55 h (1st–3rd IQ: 21–107) following hospital admission. Overall, eFoCUS was associated with a change in diagnostic in 40 patients (34% [CI 95%: 25%–43%], p < 10−4) and a change in treatment in 53 patients (45% [CI 95%: 35%–54%], p < 10−4). Diuretics were prescribed in 94 patients before eFoCUS and in 56 after (p = 10−4), antibiotics in 34 before and 27 after and anticoagulation in 30 before and 40 after.

Conclusion

eFoCUS was associated with both therapeutic and diagnostic changes in patients with SOB. Such results should be confirmed in multicentric prospective studies.
Exploring the peer effect of green innovation within manufacturing enterprises
Authors: Liu Fang , Liang Chen
Published: November 2023

This study investigates the influence of peer firms on green technology innovation (GTI) practices within companies operating in analogous markets, with a particular focus on publicly listed manufacturing entities. We ascertain the magnitude of the peer effect (PE) on GTI through empirical analysis. Our results confirm the presence of a significant PE, highlighting that peer dynamics shape GTI levels. Furthermore, we delve into the decision‐making mechanisms underpinning this PE and uncover that internal and organizational environments mediate the relationship between peers and firms. Specifically, the mechanisms of industry performance, intellectual property protection, and environmental regulation emerge as salient factors that modulate the PE in GTI. These findings shed light on the determinants guiding enterprise GTI, offering recommendations for refining innovation processes, and shaping effective environmental governance policies.
Analytik: Gerüche sind subjektiv ‐ oder nicht?
Authors: Jessl Alina , Wutz Klaus
Published: November 2023

Wenn Menschen sensorische Eigenschaften bewerten, kann das nicht objektiv sein. Nun unterstützt ein Echtzeitsensor die Analyse flüchtiger organischer Verbindungen, etwa von Kirscharomen.
Symposium zu Dream Reactions in Münster
Authors: Lückemeier Lukas , Heusler Arne
Published: November 2023

Auf dem Weg in eine nachhaltige Zukunft – beim ersten Dream‐Reactions‐Symposium in Münster trafen sich am 24. August mehr als 200 Forschende und Studierende aus Israel, den USA, Japan, Schweden, Dänemark, den Niederlanden und Deutschland, um sich über grüne Chemie unter dem diesjährigen Schwerpunktthema Wasserstoff auszutauschen. Sieben führende Professoren aus verschiedenen Forschungsbereichen gaben Einblicke in gesellschaftlich relevante Themen von der Wasserstoffspeicherung über den Abbau von Kunststoffen bis hin zur Nutzung gut verfügbarer Rohstoffe. Organisiert wurde die Veranstaltung von Frank Glorius an der Universität Münster.
Assessment of Artificial Intelligence Performance on the Otolaryngology Residency In‐Service Exam
Authors: Mahajan Arushi P. , Shabet Christina L. , Smith Joshua , Rudy Shannon F. , Kupfer Robbi A. , Bohm Lauren A.
Published: November 2023

Objectives

This study seeks to determine the potential use and reliability of a large language learning model for answering questions in a sub‐specialized area of medicine, specifically practice exam questions in otolaryngology–head and neck surgery and assess its current efficacy for surgical trainees and learners.

Study Design and Setting

All available questions from a public, paid‐access question bank were manually input through ChatGPT.

Methods

Outputs from ChatGPT were compared against the benchmark of the answers and explanations from the question bank. Questions were assessed in 2 domains: accuracy and comprehensiveness of explanations.

Results

Overall, our study demonstrates a ChatGPT correct answer rate of 53% and a correct explanation rate of 54%. We find that with increasing difficulty of questions there is a decreasing rate of answer and explanation accuracy.

Conclusion

Currently, artificial intelligence‐driven learning platforms are not robust enough to be reliable medical education resources to assist learners in sub‐specialty specific patient decision making scenarios.
An Interdependent Approach: Manifestations in Cultural Practices
Authors: Uchida Yukiko , Rappleye Jeremy
Published: November 2023

In the previous chapter, we elaborated on the interdependent mode of happiness. We sought to provide conceptual constructs, theoretical exploration, and empirical support. In this chapter, we extend that discussion to the larger puzzle of culture. In doing so, we return to questions raised in Chap. 2: the relationship between ‘micro’ self-construal and ‘macro’ contexts. How does an interdependent mode manifest in the larger cultural patterns? What sorts of alternative cultural practices does an interdependent approach give rise to? How do cultural practices help reinforce or, in some cases, challenge dominant patterns? In line with the discussions thus far, we focus on three specific cultural domains: measurement, education, and social capital. In doing so, we link cultural psychology’s focus on modes of self-construal with larger patterns of social-construal, traditionally the domain of social sciences disciplines like sociology. This further extends the interdisciplinarity of the last chapter, showing how psychology, philosophy, and social science—or at least the culturally aware communities within these broad academic fields—come to be mutually reinforcing. This combined micro and macro approach is a crucial synthetic perspective necessary for understanding the future of happiness and well-being.
Beyond Objectivity? Storytelling and Reflexivity as Expert Work
Authors: Grek Sotiria
Published: November 2023

This chapter focuses on an analysis of the role of storytelling and reflexivity in further strengthening and legitimising quantification in global education governance. It examines two specific empirical examples that show, first, how data visualisations in education and sustainable development are changing in order to accommodate the construction of a more democratic and inclusive governing space; and second, how policy and expert actors themselves use reflexivity as a way not only to understand and think about their daily policy work, but also to create spaces of alignment and consensus. In that way, both storytelling and reflexivity can be seen as working instrumentally, enhancing and further embedding the work of ‘governing by numbers’, rather than displacing it.