bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Toward equitable and inclusive school practices: Expanding approaches to “research with” young people
Authors: Cook‐Sather Alison
Published: October 2022

This commentary links child‐family research to the systematic inquiry approaches under the umbrellas of student voice and youth participatory action research. It reviews the underlying premises of the latter two bodies of work, including recognizing young people as knowers, partners, and change agents through conducting research with rather than on children and youth. It highlights how the articles included in this special issue challenge us to consider literacy not simply as a language competency but also as a life capacity that must be developed in relationship and in real, sometimes devastating, and always complex, human circumstances. The commentary concludes with a call to pursue multiple forms of literacy and linguistic justice through valuing young people's multilingual and multimodal linguistic practices, honoring their diverse forms of perception and expression, and recognizing the rich insights and recommendations for practice they provide to those who work in school contexts.
Oncolytic virus preclinical toxicology studies
Authors: Rasa Agnija , Alberts Pēteris
Published: October 2022

With the ever‐emerging concerns of patient safety during medical care, the search for treatments as safe as possible is a priority, especially when focusing on cancer treatment of which therapies often go hand in hand with severe side effects. Oncolytic virotherapy is an emerging treatment for cancer that is promising in both safety and efficacy. Many currently ongoing clinical trials demonstrate the growing interest in this field. To conduct clinical trials, preclinical studies are mandatory; however, there are not many reviews of toxicology studies on oncolytic virus therapies. This article summarizes the preclinical toxicology studies of the most well studied oncolytic viruses, including Oncorine, Talimogene laherparepvec, Cavatak, ONYX‐015, teserpaturev and Rigvir, a non‐pathogenic ECHO‐7 virus. It is concluded that oncolytic viruses have been shown to have low toxicity and high tolerability in preclinical toxicology studies.
What determines the financial performance micro or macro antecedents: A case of Indian general insurance
Authors: Sasidharan Soumya , Ranjith V.K. , Prabhuram Sunitha
Published: October 2022

The insurance industry is vital to any economy, particularly a country's financial market. The attempt to investigate the economic performance of the insurance firms is due to a lack of empirical research in the general insurance sector in India on the economic performance of insurance organizations concentrating on firm‐specific and external aspects. Therefore, the Insurance companies in India were studied using econometric panel data of 21 firms for ten years, from 2010–2011 to 2019–2020. Firm‐specific factors (firm size, financial leverage, retention ratio, liquidity, premium growth rate, loss ratio, re‐insurance dependence, and macroeconomic factors (market share, GDP per capita, and inflation) are included in the model. Findings revealed that retention ratio, premium growth, and market share significantly positively affect the ROA while, on the other hand, loss ratio, liquidity, and inflation significantly negatively affect the profitability (ROA). Other factors, including size, re‐insurance dependence, leverage ratio, and GDP per capita, have no significant impact on insurance firms’ profitability (ROA). Furthermore, the variables that significantly affect the performance in terms of ROE are financial leverage and market share, holding a positive impact. And firm size shows an inverse relationship with ROE.
Early neurodevelopmental reflex impairments in a rodent model of cerebral palsy
Authors: Ho Dini , Sanches Eduardo F. , Sizonenko Stephane V.
Published: October 2022

Cerebral palsy (CP) causes sensorimotor disabilities due to injury to the developing brain. Experimental models do not always induce the CP phenotype completely. Early neurological assessment predicts future impairments and is valuable during development. Using a rodent model characterized by brain injury caused by maternal inflammation and perinatal anoxia, and sensorimotor restriction (experimental cerebral palsy [ECP]), we describe early neurodevelopmental delays by assessing reflexes in a stage corresponding to the brain development of term infants (Postnatal Day [P] 8 in rats). Pregnant Wistar rats were injected with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 200 μg/kg) (n = 6) or saline (n = 4) on Embryonic Days 18/19. Following delivery, 87 male and female pups were used. At P0, injured animals were exposed to anoxia for 20′. From P2 to P21, ECP rats were subjected to hindlimb movement restriction for 16 h/day. ECP group had impaired righting reflex and negative geotaxis and, interestingly, performed home bedding test better than controls. From P7, ECP animals showed decreased body weight compared with controls. Overall, data provide evidence showing that this CP model based on the association of brain damage followed by sensorimotor restriction mimics CP delays and highlights the valuable information given by early neurological assessment during the establishment of the CP phenotype.
The perfect storm: Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) associated with COVID‐19, a clinical case series and review
Authors: Melissa Neumann , Adit Singhal , Junaid Habibullah , Sean Dhar
Published: October 2022

This is a case series of three patients in our hospital system who developed acquired thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (aTTP) after testing positive for COVID‐19 infection. Two patients had acute COVID‐19 infections, and one had COVID‐19 IgG antibodies consistent with prior COVID‐19 infection. Twelve additional cases of aTTP after COVID‐19 infection were found in the literature. COVID‐19 creates alterations in the vWF‐ADAMTS‐13 axis with reduced ADAMTS‐13 in acute illness that may lead those patients who are predisposed into fulminant aTTP. Further genetic studies are necessary to uncover why some patients with COVID‐19 can have concurrent aTTP. For those with a prior COVID‐19 infection, molecular mimicry with autoantibodies to ADAMTS‐13 is likely the predominant trigger, but having an underlying predisposition (prior episode of TTP, genetic predisposition to autoimmune conditions, or breast cancer history) creates an environment that could be a possible trigger for aTTP.
Transport and Golgi organization 2 deficiency with a prominent elevation of C14:1 during a metabolic crisis: A case report
Authors: Yokoi Katsuyuki , Nakajima Yoko , Takahashi Yoshihisa , Hamajima Takashi , Tajima Go , Saito Kazuyoshi , Miyai Shunsuke , Inagaki Hidehito , Yoshikawa Tetsushi , Kurahashi Hiroki , Ito Tetsuya
Published: October 2022

Mutations in transport and Golgi organization 2 homolog (TANGO2) have recently been described as a cause of an autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by episodes of metabolic crisis associated with rhabdomyolysis, cardiac arrhythmias, and neurodegeneration. Herein, we report a case of a one‐and‐a‐half‐year‐old Japanese girl, born to nonconsanguineous parents, who presented with metabolic crisis characterized by hypoglycemia with hypoketonemia, rhabdomyolysis, lactic acidosis, and prolonged corrected QT interval (QTc) at the age of 6 months. Acylcarnitine analysis during the episode of crisis showed prominent elevation of C14:1, suggesting very‐long‐chain acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase (VLCAD) deficiency. In addition, worsening rhabdomyolysis was observed after intravenous administration of L‐carnitine. VLCAD deficiency was initially suspected; however, the enzyme activity in lymphocytes was only mildly decreased at the gene carrier level, and no mutation in the VLCAD gene (ADADVL) was detected. Subsequently, acylcarnitine analysis was nonspecific at 17‐h fasting and almost normal during the stable phase. Eventually, a trio whole‐exome sequencing revealed a compound heterozygous variant of two novel variants in the TANGO2 gene, a missense variant, and a deletion of exon 7. This is the first case of TANGO2 deficiency in Asians. Our case suggests that elevated C14:1 may be seen in severe metabolic crises and that the use of L‐carnitine should be avoided during metabolic crises.
Reliability of Continuous Shear Wave Elastography in the Pathological Patellar Tendon
Authors: Ito Naoaki , Sigurðsson Haraldur B. , Pohlig Ryan T. , Cortes Daniel H. , Grävare Silbernagel Karin , Sprague Andrew L.
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Patellar tendon injuries occur via various mechanisms such as overuse, or due to surgical graft harvest for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). Quantified patellar tendon stiffness after injury may help guide clinical care. Continuous shear wave elastography (cSWE) allows for the assessment of viscosity and shear modulus in tendons. The reliability of the measure, however, has not been established in the patellar tendon. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interrater reliability, intrarater reliability, and between‐day stability of cSWE in both healthy and pathological patellar tendons.

Methods

Participants with patellar tendinopathy (n = 13), history of ACLR using bone‐patellar tendon‐bone autograft (n = 9), and with no history of patellar tendon injury (n = 13) were recruited. cSWE was performed 4 times by multiple raters over 2 days. Intraclass correlations (ICC) and minimum detectable change (MDC95%) were calculated.

Results

Good to excellent between‐day stability were found for viscosity (ICC = 0.905, MDC95% = 8.3 Pa seconds) and shear modulus (ICC = 0.805, MDC95% = 27.4 kPa). The interrater reliability measures, however, were not as reliable (ICC = 0.591 and 0.532).

Conclusions

cSWE is a reliable assessment tool for quantifying patellar tendon viscoelastic properties over time. It is recommended, however, that a single rater performs the measure as the interrater reliability was less than ideal.
Impact of no‐tillage on soil quality and crop yield in Asia: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Hashimi Rahmatullah , Kaneko Nobuhiro , Komatsuzaki Masakazu
Published: October 2022

No‐tillage (NT) (or zero‐tillage) has been widely used to mitigate the adverse effects caused by intensive tillage. However, the long‐term effectiveness of NT is highly dependent on agriculture field management, soil type, and climatic conditions. NT under different climatic condition fluctuations and soil conditions has not also been considered adequately in Asia. Furthermore, the high demand for food production in Asia requires a deeper understanding of the impact of NT on soil properties and crop production. Therefore, this meta‐analysis was conducted using 64 peer‐reviewed articles to evaluate the effects of NT on soil organic carbon (SOC), soil carbon storage, mean weight diameter (MWD), bulk density, water‐stable aggregates, water content, other soil chemical properties, and yield responses. Our results showed that NT significantly increased SOC content overall than conventional tillage (CT). Likewise, as observed at a 0–10 cm soil depth, SOC content significantly increased by 77.0% in NT compared to CT. Alternatively, although overall, NT favoured the accumulation of soil C by 53.2% than CT, and this difference was even more impressive at the 0–10 cm layer by 77.0% than CT. Moreover, overall NT significantly increased MWD, soil available P, and >2 mm aggregates than CT. In contrast, even though NT did not significantly decrease smaller than the 0.25 mm aggregates than CT in the 0–10 cm layer, NT increased exchangeable K by 81.0% than CT. Results also showed that while NT and CT had no significant effects on crop yield, NT slightly increased soybean and wheat yield, and CT increased rice and maize yield than NT. Based on these results, NT is proposed as a promising practice to enhance soil quality and is plausible to increase crop yield in Asia.
Treated large posterior fossa vestibular schwannoma and meningioma: Hearing outcome and willingness‐to‐accept brain implant for unilateral deafness
Authors: Jiam Nicole T. , Gillard Danielle M. , Morshed Ramin A. , Bhutada Abhishek S. , Crawford Ethan D. , Braunstein Steve W. , Henderson Sabes Jennifer , Theodosopoulos Philip V. , Cheung Steven W.
Published: October 2022

Background/Objective

To compare functional hearing and tinnitus outcomes in treated large (~ 3 cm) vestibular schwannoma (VS) and posterior fossa meningioma cohorts, and construct willingness‐to‐accept profiles for an experimental brain implant to treat unilateral hearing loss.

Methods

A two‐way MANOVA model with two independent variables (tumor type; time from treatment) and three dependent variables (hearing effort of tumor ear; abbreviated Speech, Spatial, and Qualities of Hearing scale (SSQ12); Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI)) was used to analyze data from VS (N = 32) and meningioma (N = 50) patients who were treated at a tertiary care center between 2010 and 2020. A query to probe acceptance of experimental treatment for hearing loss relative to expected benefit was used to construct willingness‐to‐accept profiles.

Results

Tumor type was statistically significant on the combined dependent variables analysis (F[3, 76] = 19.172, p < .0005, Wilks' Λ = 0.569). Meningioma showed better outcome for hearing effort (F[1, 76] = 14.632, p < .0005) and SSQ12 (F[1, 76] = 16.164, p < .0005), but not for TFI (F[1, 76] = 1.247, p = .268) on univariate two‐way ANOVA analyses. Superior hearing effort and SSQ12 indices in the short‐term (< 2 years) persisted in the long‐term (> 2 years) (p ≤ .017). At the 60% speech understanding level, 77% of respondents would accept an experimental brain implant.

Conclusion

Hearing outcome is better for posterior fossa meningioma compared to VS. Most patients with hearing loss in the tumor ear would consider a brain implant if the benefit level would be comparable to a cochlear implant.

Level of Evidence

2
Carbon content, carbon fixation yield and dissolved organic carbon release from diverse marine nitrifiers
Authors: Bayer Barbara , McBeain Kelsey , Carlson Craig A. , Santoro Alyson E.
Published: October 2022

Nitrifying microorganisms, including ammonia‐oxidizing archaea, ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria, and nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria, are the most abundant chemoautotrophs in the ocean and play an important role in the global carbon cycle by fixing dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) into biomass. The release of organic compounds by these microbes is not well quantified, but may represent an as‐yet unaccounted source of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) available to marine food webs. Here, we provide measurements of cellular carbon and nitrogen quotas, DIC fixation yields and DOC release of 10 phylogenetically diverse marine nitrifiers. All investigated strains released DOC during growth, representing on average 5–15% of the fixed DIC. Changes in substrate concentration and temperature did not affect the proportion of fixed DIC released as DOC, but release rates varied between closely related species. Our results also indicate previous studies may have underestimated DIC fixation yields of marine nitrite oxidizers due to partial decoupling of nitrite oxidation from CO2 fixation, and due to lower observed yields in artificial compared to natural seawater medium. The results of this study provide critical values for biogeochemical models of the global carbon cycle, and help to further constrain the implications of nitrification‐fueled chemoautotrophy for marine food‐web functioning and the biological sequestration of carbon in the ocean.
High frame rate deformation analysis of knee cartilage by spiraldualMRIand relaxation mapping
Authors: Lee Woowon , Miller Emily Y. , Zhu Hongtian , Luetkemeyer Callan M. , Schneider Stephanie E. , Neu Corey P.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Daily activities including walking impose high‐frequency cyclic forces on cartilage and repetitive compressive deformation. Analyzing cartilage deformation during walking would provide spatial maps of displacement and strain and enable viscoelastic characterization, which may serve as imaging biomarkers for early cartilage degeneration when the damage is still reversible. However, the time‐dependent biomechanics of cartilage is not well described, and how defects in the joint impact the viscoelastic response is unclear.

Methods

We used spiral acquisition with displacement‐encoding MRI to quantify displacement and strain maps at a high frame rate (25 frames/s) in tibiofemoral joints. We also employed relaxometry methods (T1, T1ρ, T2, T2*) on the cartilage.

Results

Normal and shear strains were concentrated on the bovine tibiofemoral contact area during loading, and the defected joint exhibited larger compressive strains. We also determined a positive correlation between the change of T1ρin cartilage after cyclic loading and increased compressive strain on the defected joint. Viscoelastic behavior was quantified by the time‐dependent displacement, where the damaged joint showed increased creep behavior compared to the intact joint. This technique was also successfully demonstrated on an in vivo human knee showing the gradual change of displacement during varus load.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that spiral scanning with displacement encoding can quantitatively differentiate the damaged from intact joint using the strain and creep response. The viscoelastic response identified with this methodology could serve as biomarkers to detect defects in joints in vivo and facilitate the early diagnosis of joint diseases such as osteoarthritis.
Asynchronous magnetic resonance elastography: Shear wave speed reconstruction using noise correlation of incoherent waves
Authors: Nguyen Khoi D. , Bonner Benjamin P. , Foster Anna N. , Sadighi Mehdi , Nguyen Christopher T.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The noninvasive measurement of biological tissue elasticity is an evolving technology that enables the robust characterization of soft tissue mechanics for a wide array of biomedical engineering and clinical applications. We propose, design, and implement here a new MRI technique termed asynchronous magnetic resonance elastography (aMRE) that pushes the measurement technology toward a driverless implementation. This technique can be added to clinical MRI scanners without any additional specialized hardware.

Theory

Asynchronous MRE is founded on the theory of diffuse wavefields and noise correlation previously developed in ultrasound to reconstruct shear wave speeds using seemingly incoherent wavefields. Unlike conventional elastography methods that solve an inverse problem, aMRE directly reconstructs a pixel‐wise mapping of wave speed using the spatial–temporal statistics of the measured wavefield.

Methods

Incoherent finger tapping served as the wave‐generating source for all aMRE measurements. Asynchronous MRE was performed on a phantom using a Siemens Prismafit as an experimental validation of the theory. It was further performed on thigh muscles as a proof‐of‐concept implementation of in vivo imaging using a Siemens Skyra scanner.

Results

Numerical and phantom experiments show an accurate reconstruction of wave speeds from seemingly noisy wavefields. The proof‐of‐concept thigh experiments also show that the aMRE protocol can reconstruct a pixel‐wise mapping of wave speeds.

Conclusion

Asynchronous MRE is shown to accurately reconstruct shear wave speeds in phantom experiments and remains at the proof‐of‐concept stage for in vivo imaging. After further validation and improvements, it has the potential to lower both the technical and monetary barriers of entry to measuring tissue elasticity.
Preparation and characterization of natural melanin and its nanocomposite formed by copper doping
Authors: Khouqeer Ghada , Alghrably Mawadda , Madkhali Nawal , Dhahri Manel , Jaremko Mariusz , Emwas Abdul‐Hamid
Published: October 2022

Natural Melanins have received great interest due to their structural, thermostability, electrochemical and paramagnetic properties. Pure melanin (Mel) is extracted from Nigella Sativa seeds and doped with Copper (Cu‐Mel) to form nano‐composite melanin using wet chemical methods. Several analytics techniques are utilized to evaluate the effects of cop‐per doping on the characteristics of melanin. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) is employed to measure the thermal stability of Cu‐Mel relative to Mel. The morphological characterization is explored using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) while X‐Ray Diffraction (XRD) is used to probe the samples’ structure. Vibrating Sample Magnetometer (VSM) is employed to study the magnetic properties of the prepared samples at 10 and 300K. Chemical properties are determined by Spectroscopic techniques such as UV–Vis spectroscopy, RAMAN spectroscopy, Fourier‐Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The results show that Mel and Cu‐Mel are non‐crystalline with different structural, optical, and magnetic properties. The EPR analysis provided evidence of copper coordination with herbal Mel and the copper doping improved the magnetic properties of Mel from diamagnetic to paramagnetic at low temperature (10K). Overall, this investigation shows that Mel and Cu‐Mel are non‐crystalline with different structural and magnetic properties.
Finite‐time secure state estimation for a class of switched systems subject to deception attacks
Authors: Song Haiyu , Yao Hongyi , Zhang Zhiqiang , Zheng Zhouqiang , Wu Haiyan
Published: October 2022

This article is concerned with the finite‐time secure state estimation problem for switched systems subject to malicious attacks. The sensor data is considered transmissible via a non‐secure communication network environment, where the communication channel might be subject to deception attacks. By dividing the sensor data that is subject to attacks into two parts, related and unrelated to the original measurements, a switched secure state estimation error system model is established. Moreover, based on the average dwell time method, sufficient conditions are derived for the switched secure state estimation error system to be finite‐time stable, as well as finite‐time boundedness. An existence condition of the finite‐time secure state estimator gains with a desired performance is given. Subsequently, the finite‐time secure state estimator gains' design is transformed to solve a set of linear matrix inequalities. Finally, numerical examples are used in order to show the effectiveness of the proposed finite‐time secure state estimator design method.
ISPD 2022 debate—When offering a first trimester ultrasound at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks, a detailed review of fetal anatomy should be included
Authors: Hui Lisa , Johnson Jo‐Ann , Norton Mary E.
Published: October 2022

Key points

What is already known about this topic?

Through the introduction of the nuchal translucency scan at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks gestation for aneuploidy screening in the 1990s, the role of the first trimester scan has evolved to include an assessment of fetal anatomy.

Advances in ultrasound technology and expertise now mean that many fetal anomalies that were previously detected on the routine second trimester anatomy scan are now detected in the first trimester.

What does this study add?

This report summarizes the oral debate that was presented at the 22nd International Conference on Prenatal Diagnosis and Therapy in Montreal, Canada, on 21 June 2022.

Our maternal–fetal medicine experts argue for and against the proposition that a detailed review of fetal anatomy should be included in all scans performed at 11 + 0 to 13 + 6 weeks gestation.
Vulcanization kinetics of acrylonitrile‐butadiene rubber reinforced with graphene oxide and reduced graphene oxide in the absence of co‐cure accelerator
Authors: Mensah Bismark , Bensah Yaw Delali , Nbelayim Pascal Sugri Fuseini , Oduro Emmanuel
Published: October 2022

The market demand for elastomeric‐graphene/derivatives nanosheets (GDS) materials is high nowadays, due to their excellent physico‐mechanical properties over traditional composites. However, the curing behavior of elastomeric‐GDS which influences the overall properties and also determines the cost of related products has not been well investigated. Previously, the curing properties of NBR‐graphene oxide (GO) and NBR‐reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was studied and the curatives (accelerator and activators) were suspected to have influence on their curing behavior. This study explores the curing behavior of NBR‐GO and NBR‐rGO in the absence of tetramethylthiuram disulfide (TMTD) accelerator. The virgin NBR exhibited shorter curing periods with higher curing rates (CRI) than the composites. The measured CRI showed close correlation with the activation energyEa, deduced from Ozawa and Kissinger kinetics models. The NBR‐rGO composites showed shorter scorch time and loweredEaat higher temperatures, with increased tensile properties than NB‐GO composites. Despite the delay, the composites exhibited high strength over the virgin NBR, due to tighter networks introduced by rGO and GO sheets within NBR. Therefore, future design of elastomer‐GDS‐based composites must involve a careful control of the amounts of the accelerator‐/co‐accelerator‐like TMTD in the mixtures for improved physico‐mechanical properties of the final product.
Description of U6719‐004 wheat germplasm with YrAS2388R stripe rust resistance introgression from Aegilops tauschii
Authors: Lopez Selena R. , Wiersma Andrew T. , Strauss Nikayla M. , Watkins Tara , Baik Byung‐Kee , Zhang Guorong , Sehgal Sunish K. , Kolb Frederic L. , Poland Jesse A. , Mason R. Esten , Carter Arron H. , Olson Eric L.
Published: October 2022

In recent years, stripe rust has become an increasingly problematic disease affecting wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Although stripe rust resistance genes Yr28 and YrAS2388R have been successfully transferred from Aegilops tauschii Coss. to hexaploid wheat, these genes have not been widely used for stripe rust resistance breeding largely due to a lack of publicly available and well‐adapted germplasm. Here we describe U6719‐004 (Entry 538 of D‐genome nested association mapping population, Reg. No. MP‐14, NSL 536301 MAP), a hexaploid wheat germplasm carrying YrAS2388R stripe rust resistance derived from Ae. tauschii accession TA1718 that is well adapted to U.S. wheat production environments. U6719‐004 (KS05HW14‐3/3/KS05HW14‐3/TA1718//KS05HW14‐3) was developed using a combination of direct hybridization of TA1718 with the hard white winter wheat line KS05HW14‐3 followed by two rounds of backcrossing and three generations of single seed descent. U6719‐004 stripe rust resistance was characterized under controlled and natural conditions. Using gene‐based markers, TA1718 and U6719‐004 were confirmed to be YrAS2388R carriers. Grain yield for U6719‐004 was evaluated in 11 year‐by‐location environments across the United States. Grain quality parameters were measured in four year‐by‐location environments. Compared with the recurrent wheat parent KS05HW14‐3 and locally adapted check cultivars, the Ae. tauschii introgression had little to no impact on U6719‐004 grain yield or quality. The availability of U6719‐004 will enable the use of YrAS2388R for stripe rust resistance breeding efforts.
Ion mobility‐resolved phosphoproteomics with dia‐PASEF and short gradients
Authors: Oliinyk Denys , Meier Florian
Published: October 2022

Mass spectrometry‐based phosphoproteomics has identified >150,000 post‐translational phosphorylation sites in the human proteome. To disentangle their functional relevance, complex experimental designs that require increased throughput are now coming into focus. Here, we apply dia‐PASEF on a trapped ion mobility (TIMS) mass spectrometer to analyze the phosphoproteome of a human cancer cell line in short liquid chromatography gradients. At low sample amounts equivalent to ∼20 ug protein digest per analysis, we quantified over 13,000 phosphopeptides including ∼8700 class I phosphosites in 1 h without a spectral library. Decreasing the gradient time to 15 min yielded virtually identical coverage of the phosphoproteome, and with 7 min gradients we still quantified about 80% of the class I sites with a median coefficient of variation <10% in quadruplicates. We attribute this in part to the increased peak capacity, which effectively compensates for the higher peptide density per time unit in shorter gradients. Our data show a five‐fold reduction in the number of co‐isolated peptides with TIMS. In the most extreme case, these were positional isomers of nearby phosphosites that remained unresolved with fast liquid chromatography. In summary, our study demonstrates how key features of dia‐PASEF translate to phosphoproteomics.
Understanding the origin of reactivity, mechanism and regioselectivity of the [3+2] cycloaddition reaction between nitrile imine and pyrrolopyrazine
Authors: Hamdaoui Houda , Khorief Nacereddine Abdelmalek , Djerourou Abdelhafid
Published: October 2022

In this work, we have performed a computational study on the [3+2] cycloaddition (32CA) reaction between nitrile imine and pyrrolopyrazine within molecular electron density theory (MEDT) using B3LYP and M06‐2X DFT functionnals together with 6‐31G(d,p) basis set. This study shows that the popular B3LYP is the appropriate functional for performing this study. The analysis of energy profiles indicates that this 32CA reaction favours kinetically the formation of a single product as observed experimentally. The favour cycloadduct (P1) is formed through a moderate polar stepwise mechanism, in which the first step is the determining one that is characterised by a moderate polarity and the second step by a highly polar character, while the unfavoured one is formed via a nonpolar one‐step asynchronous mechanism. Solvent effects do not change the regioselectivity, but it increases the activation energies. Thermodynamic parameters analysis indicates that this 32CA reaction is characterised by an exothermic and endergonic characters favouring the formation of cycloadduct (P1), as observed experimentally. Conceptual DFT (CDFT) reactivity indices analysis shows that pyrrolopyrazine 2 reacts as a nucleophile, while nitrile imine 3 as an electrophile. Local reactivity descriptors, such as Parr functions and dual descriptors, show that this 32CA reaction is regioselective leading to the formation of P1. Analysis of ELF electron density demonstrated that the interaction between the high electron density reactive centre with that of low electron density leads to the formation of P1 cycloadduct. The obtained results using MEDT method are in great agreement with what observed in the experimental data.
Depression in Ugandan caregivers of cancer patients: The role of coping strategies and social support
Authors: Nuwamanya Simpson , Nkola Rahel , Najjuka Sarah Maria , Nabulo Harriet , Al‐Mamun Firoj , Mamun Mohammed A. , Kaggwa Mark Mohan
Published: October 2022

Background

Palliative care services involve the psychological care of the caregivers of cancer patients. Psychological conditions, especially depression among caregivers, distort caregiving roles; thus, it can increase a patient's psychological suffering.

Objective

To determine the prevalence of depression and associated coping strategies among caregivers of cancer patients at a rural cancer care facility.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study was among 366 caregivers of cancer patients. The data was collected using a pretested questionnaire, where the symptoms of depression were assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire‐9 at a cutoff of 10 out of 27. The coping strategies were assessed based on the Brief‐coping orientation to problems experienced Inventory. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with depression.

Results

The mean age of the participants was 39.01 (±11.50) years; most were females (60.38%). The prevalence of depression was 8.2%. The identified factors associated with increased likelihood of depression were coping strategies: active coping (aOR = 1.55, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.05–2.28, p = 0.026), denial (aOR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.20–2.19, p = 0.001), and humor (aOR = 1.43, 95% CI = 1.11–1.84, p = 0.005). However, coping with positive reframing reduced the likelihood of depression (aOR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.52–0.94, p = 0.019). There was no significant association between depression and social support.

Conclusion

The lower prevalence of depression reported in this study than in the prior Ugandan studies reflects that depression severity among caregivers in rural settings is less prevalent because of the fewer care‐associated burdens they experience. Therefore, establishing palliative care near the patients can be a protective factor for caregivers' depression. In addition, the role of social support and coping strategies in depression might be helpful in mental health strategies.
Investigation of Isolation Approaches and the Stoichiometry of SiNxPassivation Layers in “Buffer‐Free” AlGaN/GaN Metal–Insulator–Semiconductor High‐Electron‐Mobility Transistors
Authors: Hult Björn , Thorsell Mattias , Chen Jr-Tai , Rorsman Niklas
Published: October 2022

Critical process modules for the fabrication of metal–insulator–semiconductor high‐electron‐mobility transistors (MISHEMTs) based on a novel ‘buffer‐free’ AlGaN/GaN heterostructure grown with metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) are presented. The methods of isolation and passivation for this type of heterostructure are investigated. Utilizing nitrogen implantation, it is possible to achieve off‐state destructive breakdown voltages (BVs) of 2496 V for gate–drain distances up to 25 μm, whereas mesa isolation techniques limit the BV below 1284 V. The stoichiometry of the SiNxpassivation layer displays a small impact on the static and dynamic on‐resistance. However, MISHEMTs with Si‐rich passivation show off‐state gate currents in the range of 1–100 μA mm−1at voltages above 1000 V, which is reduced below 10 nA mm−1using a stoichiometric SiNxpassivation layer. Destructive BVs of 1532 and 1742 V can be achieved using gate‐integrated and source‐connected field plates for MIHEMTs with stoichiometric and Si–rich passivation layers, respectively. By decreasing the field plate lengths, it is possible to achieve BVs of 2200 V. This demonstrates the implementation of MISHEMTs with high‐voltage operation and low leakage currents on a novel “buffer‐free” heterostructure by optimizing the SiNxstoichiometry.
Vacuum Ultraviolet Photodetector with Low Dark Current and Fast Response Speed Based on Polycrystalline AlN Thin Film
Authors: Zhang Peixuan , Liu Kewei , Zhu Yongxue , Ai Qiu , Yang Jialin , Chen Xing , Cheng Zhen , Li Binghui , Liu Lei , Shen Dezhen
Published: October 2022

A metal–semiconductor–metal (MSM) vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photodetector is realized on polycrystalline AlN film grown by molecular beam epitaxy. At a bias of 10 V, the dark current of the device is less than 120 fA and the VUV (185 nm) to Ultraviolet‐C (255 nm) rejection ratio is more than 103. More interestingly, the polycrystalline AlN photodetector shows an ultra‐fast response speed with a 90%–10% decay time of ≈50 ns, which is much quicker than any other previously reported AlN VUV photodetectors. Furthermore, the device still maintains stability and repeatability at 473 K. This research shows that polycrystalline AlN photodetector has good photodetection performance, which will help advance the design and preparation of AlN‐based VUV photodetectors.
Prospects for monitoring bird migration along the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway using weather radar
Authors: Shi Xu , Hu Cheng , Soderholm Joshua , Chapman Jason , Mao Huafeng , Cui Kai , Ma Zhijun , Wu Dongli , Fuller Richard A.
Published: October 2022

Each year, billions of birds migrate across the globe, and interpretation of weather radar signals is increasingly being used to document the spatial and temporal migration patterns in Europe and America. Such approaches are yet to be applied in the East Asian‐Australasian Flyway (EAAF), one of the most species‐rich and threatened flyways in the world. Logistical challenges limit direct on‐ground monitoring of migratory birds in many parts of the EAAF, resulting in knowledge gaps on population status and site use that limit evidence‐based conservation planning. Weather radar data have great potential for achieving comprehensive migratory bird monitoring along the EAAF. In this study, we discuss the feasibility and challenges of using weather radar to complement on‐ground bird migration surveys in the flyway. We summarize the location, capacity and data availability of weather radars across EAAF countries, as well as the spatial coverage of the radars with respect to migrants' geographic distribution and migration hotspots along the flyway, with an exemplar analysis of biological movement patterns extracted from Chinese weather radars. There are more than 430 weather radars in EAAF countries, covering on average half of bird species' passage and non‐breeding distributions, as well as 70% of internationally important sites for migratory shorebirds. We conclude that the weather radar network could be a powerful resource for monitoring bird movements over the full annual cycle throughout much of the EAAF, providing estimates of migration traffic rates, site use, and long‐term population trends, especially in remote and less‐surveyed regions. Analyses of weather radar data would complement existing ornithological surveys and help understand the past and present status of the avian community in a highly threatened flyway.
Three Birds with One Stone: Acceptor Engineering of Hemicyanine Dye with NIR‐II Emission for Synergistic Photodynamic and Photothermal Anticancer Therapy
Authors: Cao Wenwen , Zhu Yu , Wu Fapu , Tian Yang , Chen Zhaoming , Xu Weijia , Liu Senyao , Liu Tingting , Xiong Hu
Published: October 2022

It is challenging to develop a near‐infrared (NIR) small molecular photosensitizer for synergistic phototherapy in deep tissues. Herein, first, a heavy‐atom‐free NIR hemicyanine photosensitizer (BHcy) for 808 nm light‐mediated synergistic photodynamic therapy/photothermal therapy (PDT/PTT) anticancer therapy by leveraging the acceptor engineering strategy is reported. This strategy endows BHcy with a more planar and larger π‐conjugated structure, resulting in long NIR absorption/emission at 770/915–1200 nm as well as enhanced singlet oxygen (1O2) generation ability and photothermal effect, which is ascribed to the reduced energy levels of excited singlet/triplet states and the promoted intersystem crossing process. Notably, BHcy‐based nanoparticles (BHcy‐NPs) exhibit efficient 1O2 yield (12.9%) and high photothermal conversion efficiency (55.1%). More importantly, BHcy‐NPs are able to significantly kill cancer cells by destroying main organelles and inhibit tumor growth in vivo after a single irradiation. Overall, this study provides a strategy to design new heavy‐atom‐free PDT/PTT agents for potential clinical applications.
Chelate Coordination Strengthens Surface Termination to Attain High‐Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Liu Jiali , Yang Tengteng , Xu Zhuo , Zhao Wangen , Yang Yan , Fang Yuankun , Zhang Lu , Zhang Jingru , Yuan Ningyi , Ding Jianning , Liu Shengzhong (Frank)
Published: October 2022

Solar cell efficiency and stability are two key metrics to determine whether a photovoltaic device is viable for commercial applications. The surface termination of the perovskite layer plays a pivotal role in not only the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) but also the stability of assembled perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Herein, a strong chelate coordination bond is designed to terminate the surface of the perovskite absorber layer. On the one hand, the ligand anions bind with Pb cations via a bidentate chelating bond to restrict the ion migration, and the chelate surface termination changes the surface from hydrophilic to hydrophobic. Both are beneficial to improving the long‐term stability. On the other hand, the formation of the chelating bonding effectively eliminates the deep‐level defects including PbI and Pb clusters on the Pb‐I and FA‐I terminations, respectively, as confirmed by theoretical simulation and experimental results. Consequently, the PCE is increased to 24.52%, open circuit voltage to 1.19 V, and fill factor to 81.53%; all three are among the highest for hybrid perovskite cells. The present strategy provides a straightforward means to enhance both the PCE and long‐term stability of PSCs.
Synergetic Effects of Random Copolymerization/Backbone Fluorination and Heterojunction of Terpolymer/g‐C3N4 Enhance Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Jiao Zhengxu , Wang Jintao , Li Zhanfeng , Tian Yue , Liu Baoyou , Yue Gang
Published: October 2022

In the field of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, most polymer heterojunctions (PHJs) exhibit an unsatisfactory hydrogen evolution rate due to the decay of undissociated excitons, charge recombination, and weak light capture capacity. Herein, the design and synthesis of a series of D–A1–D–A2‐type random conjugated terpolymers (DIn, n = 1, 2, 3) are reported by copolymerizing fluorinated 2,2′‐bithiophene with different proportions of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) and isoindigo (IID) for efficient vis‐light‐driven hydrogen evolution. Notably, the ternary copolymerization and fluorination strategy in the polymer backbone would enhance the intramolecular interactions and rebuild the extended π‐network over the polymeric heterojunction, which achieve broad and strong absorption ranging from 350 to 900 nm and a better effective photoexcitation separation, thus leading to a significantly increased hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) of 16.01 mmol h−1 g−1, via simply tuning the composition of DPP and IID units in the backbone of random terpolymers. The HER performance is almost 20 times higher than that of the typical g‐C3N4. This work offers a new strategy to develop efficient visible‐light‐driven photocatalysts via ternary copolymerization and backbone fluorination strategy of terpolymer/g‐C3N4 PHJs for broadband solar photon harvesting.
High‐Nitrogen Nickel‐Free Stainless Steel: An Attractive Material with Potential for Biomedical Application
Authors: Chen Shanshan , Wang Qingchuan , Yang Hui , Yang Ke
Published: October 2022

Metal materials such as stainless steel, cobalt‐based alloy, and NiTi alloy used in clinic contain a certain amount of nickel (Ni) for the structure stability. Nickel ions can gradually dissolve into the human body even with much slow corrosion rate, causing allergic, inflammation, local tissue proliferation, and other adverse reactions to some people. To avoid these adverse effects of nickel, a new high‐nitrogen nickel‐free stainless steel (HNNFSS) using nitrogen and manganese instead of nickel to stabilize the austenite structure is developed, which exhibits much better mechanical properties, good corrosion resistance, and biocompatibility. Compared with the conventional orthopedic metal implants, the adhesion strength of HNNFSS implant with the surrounding tissue in animal is found to be stronger with new bone formation, promoted by both alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteocalcin (OCN) expressions. The vascular stent made of HNNFSS shows lower restenosis rate compared with the traditional 316L stainless steel stent, which is attributed to the promotion of endothelial cell and inhibition of smooth muscle cells, and superior blood compatibility. In conclusion, results from large number of studies show that high‐nitrogen nickel‐free stainless steel as a new kind of high‐performance biomedical metallic material possesses great application potential.
Porphyrin‐Based Metal–Organic Frameworks for Neuromorphic Electronics
Authors: Ding Guanglong , Han Su-Ting , Kuo Chi-Ching , Roy Vellaisamy A. L. , Zhou Ye
Published: October 2022

Porphyrin‐based metal–organic frameworks (PP‐MOFs) have some special features beyond ordinary MOFs, including superior optoelectronic characteristics, the ability to form 2D layered structure, and customizability, which prompt the increasing attention of PP‐MOFs in the field of neuromorphic electronics. The related application research is in the initial stage, and a timely summary and guidance are necessary. The PP‐MOFs fabrication should be shifted from powder synthesis in a chemistry laboratory to high‐quality film preparation under a clean environment to ensure device performance. This article highlights the PP‐MOFs film preparation methods and the application advances in neuromorphic electronics, performs comparative analysis in detail, and puts forward the challenges and future research directions, with the aim to attract the attention of experts in various areas (e.g., chemists, materials scientists, and engineers) and promote the application of PP‐MOFs in neuromorphic electronics.
The WRITE Principles for Developing a Research‐to‐Practice Cycle Professional Development
Authors: Hodges Tracey S.
Published: October 2022

Writing can be challenging to implement in upper elementary classrooms because teachers report needing additional support and students may struggle to meet the academic and developmental demands of emerging adolescence. This was true of one diverse, high‐need, under‐resourced school that had ambitious writing instruction goals. To meet these goals, the school and I partnered to develop and implement the WRITE principles, a model of professional development based on a research‐to‐practice cycle. The specific procedures for ongoing professional development, principles that guided and informed decision‐making within the model, and experiences of the learning leader and teachers are detailed so that others can apply similar processes that meet their school‐wide needs. The WRITE principles focus on (W) writing instruction, strategies, standards, and assessment; (R) resources; (I) identity; (T) trust; and (E) efficacy and were applied within a multi‐year research‐to‐practice partnership cycle.
Nanotherapy based on magneto‐mechanochemical modulation of tumor redox state
Authors: Orel Valerii B. , Papazoglou Αndreas S. , Tsagkaris Christos , Moysidis Dimitrios V. , Papadakos Stavros , Galkin Olexander Yu. , Orel Valerii E. , Syvak Liubov A.
Published: October 2022

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNs) are typically used as contrast agents for magnetic resonance imaging or as drug carriers with a remotely controlled delivery to the tumor. However, they can also potentiate the action of anticancer drugs under the influence of applied constant magnetic (CMFs) and electromagnetic fields (EMFs). This review demonstrates the role of magneto‐mechanochemical effects produced by MNs alone and loaded with anticancer agents (MNCs) in response to CMFs and EMFs for modulation of tumor redox state. The combined treatment is suggested to act by two mechanisms: spin‐dependent electron transport propagates free radical chain reactions, while magnetomechanical interactions cause conformational changes in drug molecules loaded onto MNs and generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). By adjusting the parameters of CMFs and EMFs during the magneto‐mechanochemical synthesis and subsequent treatment, it is possible to modulate ROS production and switch redox signaling involved in ERK1/2 and NF‐κB pathways from initiation of tumor growth to inhibition. Observations of tumor volume in different animal models and treatment combinations reported a 6%–70% reduction as compared with conventional drugs. Despite these results, there is a general lack of research in magnetic nanotheranostics that link redox changes across multiple levels of organization in the tumor‐bearing host. Further multidisciplinary studies with more focus on the relationship between the electron transport processes in biomolecules and their effects on the tumor‐host interaction should accelerate the clinical translation of magnetic nanotheranostics.

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Oncologic Disease

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies

Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology