bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Biomimetics of Mg2+-Concentration-Resolved Microenvironment for Bone and Cartilage Repairing Materials Design
Authors: Li Zhengqiang , Zheng Xiaoxue , Wang Yixing , Tao Tianyi , Wang Zilin , Yuan Long , Han Bing
Published: December 2022

With the increase in population aging, the tendency of osteochondral injury will be accelerated, and repairing materials are increasingly needed for the optimization of the regenerative processes in bone and cartilage recovery. The local environment of the injury sites and the deficiency of Mg2+ retards the repairing period via inhibiting the progenitor osteogenesis and chondrogenesis cells’ recruitment, proliferation, and differentiation, which results in the sluggish progress in the osteochondral repairing materials design. In this article, we elucidate the Mg2+-concentration specified effect on the cell proliferation, osteochondral gene expression, and differentiation of modeling chondrocytes (extracted from New Zealand white rabbit) and osteoblasts (MC3T3-E1). The concentration of Mg2+ in the culture medium affects the proliferation, chondrogenesis, and osteogenesis: (i) Appropriate concentrations of Mg2+ promote the proliferation of chondrocytes (1.25–10.0 mM) and MC3T3-E1 cells (2.5–30.0 mM); (ii) the optimal concentration of Mg2+ that promotes the gene expression of noncalcified cartilage is 15 mM, calcified cartilage 10 mM, and subchondral bone 5 mM, respectively; (iii) overdosed Mg2+ leads to the inhibition of cell activity for either chondrocytes (>20 mM) or osteoblasts (>30 mM). The biomimetic elucidation for orchestrating the allocation of gradient concentration of Mg2+ in accordance of the physiological condition is crucial for designing the accurate microenvironment in osteochondral injury defects for optimization of bone and cartilage repairing materials in the future.
Promoting the Electrocatalytic Ethanol Oxidation Activity of Pt by Alloying with Cu
Authors: Liu Di , Huang Hui-Zi , Zhu Zhejiaji , Li Jiani , Chen Li-Wei , Jing Xiao-Ting , Yin An-Xiang
Published: December 2022

The development and commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells requires active and durable electro-catalysts towards the ethanol oxidation reactions (EOR). Rational composition and morphology control of Pt-based alloy nanocrystals can not only enhance their EOR reactivity but also reduce the consumption of precious Pt. Herein, PtCu nanocubes (NCs)/CB enclosed by well-defined (100) facets were prepared by solution synthesis, exhibiting much higher mass activity (4.96 A mgPt−1) than PtCu nanoparticles (NPs)/CB with irregular shapes (3.26 A mgPt−1) and commercial Pt/C (1.67 A mgPt−1). CO stripping and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) experiments indicate that the alloying of Cu enhanced the adsorption of ethanol, accelerated the subsequent oxidation of intermediate species, and increased the resistance to CO poisoning of PtCu NCs/CB, as compared with commercial Pt/C. Therefore, alloying Pt with earth-abundant Cu under rational composition and surface control can optimize its surface and electronic structures and represents a promising strategy to promote the performance of electro-catalysts while reduce the use of precious metals.
Catalytic Wet Peroxide Oxidation of Anionic Pollutants over Fluorinated Fe3O4 Microspheres at Circumneutral pH Values
Authors: Chen Fengxi , Lv Huaixiang , Chen Wu , Chen Rong
Published: December 2022

Fluorinated Fe3O4 microspheres with 7.1 ± 1.4 wt% of fluoride (F-Fe3O4-1) were prepared via glycothermal synthesis. Fluorination significantly enhanced the activity of F-Fe3O4-1 in catalytic wet peroxide oxidation of anionic dyes (including orange G (OG) and congo red) at pH ~7. However, the promotional effect of fluorination became less obvious for amphoteric rhodamine B and was not observed for cationic methylene blue. After reacting with H2O2 (40 mM) for 2 h at pH 6.5 and 40 °C, the decolorization rates of OG (0.1 mM) and the pseudo-first-order rate constant were 96.8% and 0.0284 min−1 over F-Fe3O4-1 versus 17.6% and 0.0011 min−1 over unmodified Fe3O4. The effects of reaction parameters (initial H2O2 concentration and pH value and reaction temperature) on OG decolorization with H2O2 over F-Fe3O4-1 were investigated. The reusability of F-Fe3O4-1 was demonstrated by OG decolorization in eight consecutive runs. Fluorination increased the isoelectric point of F-Fe3O4-1 to 8.7 and facilitated the adsorption and degradation of anionic dyes on the surface of F-Fe3O4-1 at pH ~7. Scavenging tests and EPR spectra supported that hydroxyl radicals were the main reactive species for the OG decolorization over F-Fe3O4-1.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Tetracycline by Supramolecular Materials Constructed with Organic Cations and Silver Iodide
Authors: Zhang Xing-Xing , Wang Xiao-Jia , Niu Yun-Yin
Published: December 2022

Photocatalytic degradation, as a very significant advanced oxidation technology in the field of environmental purification, has attracted extensive attention in recent years. The design and synthesis of catalysts with high-intensity photocatalytic properties have been the focus of many researchers in recent years. In this contribution, two new supramolecular materials {[(L1)·(Ag4I7)]CH3CN} (1), {[(L2)·(Ag4I7)]CH3CN} (2) were synthesized by solution volatilization reaction of two cationic templates 1,3,5-Tris(4-aminopyridinylmethyl)-2,4,6-Trimethylphenyl bromide (L1) and 1,3,5-Tris(4-methyl pyridinyl methyl)-2,4,6-trimethylphenyl bromide (L2) with metal salt AgI at room temperature, respectively. The degradation effect of 1 and 2 as catalyst on tetracycline (TC) under visible light irradiation was studied. The results showed that the degradation of TC by 1 was better than that by 2 and both of them had good stability and cyclability. The effects of pH value, catalyst dosage, and anion in water on the photocatalytic performance were also investigated. The adsorption kinetics fit the quasi-first-order model best. After 180 min of irradiation with 1, the degradation rate of TC can reach 97.91%. In addition, the trapping experiments showed that ·OH was the main active substance in the photocatalytic degradation of TC compared with ·O2− and h+. Because of its simple synthesis and high removal efficiency, catalyst 1 has potential value for the treatment of wastewater containing organic matter.
Musculoskeletal and Gait Characteristics in Patients with Stickler Syndrome: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Fernández-Pérez Juan José , Mascaraque-Ruiz Paloma , Martín-Gómez Carlos , Martínez-Caballero Ignacio , Otón Teresa , Carmona Loreto , Lerma-Lara Sergio
Published: December 2022

Background: Stickler syndrome (SS) is a connective tissue disorder of fibrillary collagen with very variable clinical manifestations, including premature osteoarthritis and osteopenia. This musculoskeletal alteration may affect gait maturity or produce strength difficulties. Objective: Our aim was to describe the musculoskeletal characteristics, bone stiffness, gait kinematics, and kinetics of SS patients. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study of children and youngsters with SS recruited by telephone calls through the Spanish SS Association. All participants underwent an analysis of musculoskeletal characteristics, including a 3D gait analysis. Results: The sample included 26 SS patients, mainly boys (65.4%) with a median age of 11 (IQR 5–14). The manual muscle testing was normal in 88.5% of patients. The median distance covered in the 6-min walking test was 560.1 ± 113.4 m. Bone stiffness index scores were 70.9 ± 19.7 for children under 10 years and 88.3 ± 17.5 for children older than 10 years. The gait indicators GPS and GDI were: 7.4 ± 1.9 and 95.3 ± 9.7, respectively, for the left side and 6.8 ± 2.0 and 97.7 ± 9.5 for the right side, respectively. Conclusions: In our series of patients with SS, we found muscle-articular involvement does not have a high impact on strength or gait problems. More work is needed to understand the effect of SS on the musculoskeletal system.
The Acute Effects of Cognitively Demanding Physical Activity on Inhibitory and Affective Responses in Children: An Online-Based Mixed Methods Approach
Authors: Martins Ricardo M. G. , Mazzoli Emiliano , Duncan Michael J. , Clark Cain C. T. , Eyre Emma L. J.
Published: December 2022

This online study investigated the acute effects of a cognitively demanding physical activity (CDPA) vs a simple physical activity (SPA) bout on children’s inhibitory and affective responses. Using a counterbalanced within-subjects’ crossover design, thirty-nine participants aged 9–12 years old (29 boys; Mage = 11 ± 1 years) performed a CDPA and a SPA bout online (via ZOOM) for 15 min. Inhibition (Stroop test) was measured at the baseline, 1 and 30 min following the physical activity (PA) bouts, and self-report measures of affect, mental and physical exertion were taken prior, during and post-PA. Additionally, 31 children took part in semi-structured focus groups to explore the factors affecting their enjoyment. The quantitative results suggest no significant differences on inhibitory responses, affect and physical exertion (all p > 0.05). However, the CDPA induced more mental exertion than the SPA did (p < 0.05). In the focus groups, four themes were identified: physical exertion (e.g., tiredness), social (e.g., teams/groups), environment (e.g., outdoors and competition) and emotional (e.g., fun/enjoyment). Some children (n = 18) reported that the CDPA condition confused them, and to make these activities more interesting and enjoyable, they suggested performing the activities outdoors (n = 15) and including other children as part of a group/team (n = 19). The findings suggest no additional benefit of a cognitively enriched physical activity compared to an SPA bout on the inhibitory responses, affect and enjoyment. Using the instructions provided and given the low cost, the easy administration and the minimal amount of equipment and time involved, either of the approaches may be used in a diversity of contexts (i.e., online, schools or outdoors), and it is worth exploring the effects of these conditions on other aspects of executive function.
Inflammation and Infection in Cystic Fibrosis: Update for the Clinician
Authors: Petrocheilou Argyri , Moudaki Aggeliki , Kaditis Athanasios
Published: December 2022

Inflammation and infection play an important role in the pathophysiology of cystic fibrosis, and they are significant causes of morbidity and mortality in CF. The presence of thick mucus in the CF airways predisposes to local hypoxia and promotes infection and inflammation. A vicious cycle of airway obstruction, inflammation, and infection is of critical importance for the progression of the disease, and new data elucidate the different factors that influence it. Recent research has been focused on improving infection and inflammation in addition to correcting the basic gene defect. This review aims to summarize important advances in infection and inflammation as well as the effect of new treatments modulating the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) protein. New approaches to target infection and inflammation are being studied, including gallium, nitric oxide, and phage therapy for infection, along with retinoids and neutrophil elastase inhibitors for inflammation.
Psychological Resilience among Left-Behind Children in a Rural Area of Eastern China
Authors: Wang Binyan , Ye Lihong , Lv Linshuoshuo , Liu Wei , Liu Fenfen , Mao Yingying
Published: December 2022

Childhood is an important period for individuals’ psychological development. Due to long-term separation from the parents, left-behind children (LBC) more easily develop deviation in cognition and abnormal personality. In this study, we aimed to explore the status of psychological resilience among LBC in a rural area of eastern China. We carried out a cross-sectional survey including middle and high school students from Qingyuan County of Zhejiang Province. Psychological resilience was measured using a modified scale developed for Chinese children. Data from a total of 1086 participants were collected, and the mean ± standard deviation score of psychological resilience was 4.11 ± 0.42. Multivariable linear regression analyses revealed that being a class leader (p = 0.010) and having high self-evaluation of academic performance (p < 0.001) were related with psychological resilience. Moreover, high contact frequency between parents and children (p = 0.019) was associated with better psychological resilience among LBC. In conclusion, we found that being a class leader and having high self-evaluation of academic performance were associated with better psychological resilience among the children in this rural area and contact between parent and child was an essential factor associated with psychological resilience among LBC.
Social Media Web 2.0 Tools Adoption in Language and Literacy Development in Early Years: A Scoping Review
Authors: Zhao Yiran , Lu Jinjin , Woodcock Stuart , Ren Yuejing
Published: December 2022

Social media tools are increasingly used in child’s language and literacy development in early years. However, few researchers shed light on effectiveness and the practice that the EC professionals and teachers have adopted in ECE settings and other related contexts. This scoping review synthesized and evaluated the literature on social media integration in language and literacy development in ECE in the last decade, to provide a clearer picture on what social media tools were used, how they were used, and whether they were effective. Results showed that a wide-range of social media tools were used in diverse learning activities; however, few studies designed the learning activities with the guidance of an evidence-based teaching method or pedagogical framework.
Hopelessness, Suicidality, and Co-Occurring Substance Use among Adolescent Hallucinogen Users—A National Survey Study
Authors: Desai Saral , Jain Vidisha , Xavier Sona , Du Wei
Published: December 2022

(1) Objectives: Hallucinogens are being explored as a potential treatment of psychiatric disorders. Micro dosing of illicitly purchased hallucinogen drugs is on the rise despite conclusive benefits. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence and odds of hopelessness, suicidality, and co-occurring substance use among adolescent hallucinogen users. (2) Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) 2001–2019 data that nationally represents school-going US adolescents. We identified hallucinogen use based on the survey questions, exploring the use of hallucinogens (LSD, PCP, mescaline, and mushrooms). (3) Results: Out of a total of 125,550 respondents, 8.4% reported using hallucinogens. Overall, the trend of hallucinogen use decreased from 13.3% (2001) to 7.0% (2019) (pTrend < 0.0001). Hallucinogen users were at high odds of feeling sad and hopeless (aOR: 1.40; 95%CI: 1.21–1.61; p < 0.0001), considering suicide (aOR: 1.36; 95%CI: 1.08–1.70; p = 0.009), and planning suicide (aOR: 1.49; 95%CI: 1.19–1.86; p = 0.001). Additionally, adolescent hallucinogen users had a higher prevalence of alcohol, cigarette, e-cigarette, marijuana, synthetic marijuana, inhalants, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and ecstasy use. (4) Conclusions: The overall trend of hallucinogen use decreased among school-going American adolescents. We found a high prevalence of co-occurring substance use among hallucinogen users. We found that hallucinogen users were at high odds of feeling sad, hopeless, and considering and planning suicide. Further research is needed to explore the effects of recreational hallucinogen use among the adolescent population.
The Effects of Co-Culture of Embryonic Stem Cells with Neural Stem Cells on Differentiation
Authors: Kim Ye Rim , Jang Si Won , Han Jae Ho , Na Ga Rim , Jang Hoon , Choi Hyun Woo
Published: December 2022

Researching the technology for in vitro differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) into neural lineages is very important in developmental biology, regenerative medicine, and cell therapy. Thus, studies on in vitro differentiation of ESCs into neural lineages by co-culture are expected to improve our understanding of this process. A co-culture system has long been used to study interactions between cell populations, improve culture efficiency, and establish synthetic interactions between populations. In this study, we investigated the effect of a co-culture of ESCs with neural stem cells (NSCs) in two-dimensional (2D) or three-dimensional (3D) culture conditions. Furthermore, we examined the effect of an NSC-derived conditioned medium (CM) on ESC differentiation. OG2-ESCs lost the specific morphology of colonies and Oct4-GFP when co-cultured with NSC. Additionally, real-time PCR analysis showed that ESCs co-cultured with NSCs expressed higher levels of ectoderm markers Pax6 and Sox1 under both co-culture conditions. However, the differentiation efficiency of CM was lower than that of the non-conditioned medium. Collectively, our results show that co-culture with NSCs promotes the differentiation of ESCs into the ectoderm.
Development and Validation of ScriptTaq COVID PCR: An In-House Multiplex rRT-PCR for Low-Cost Detection
Authors: AbuObead Dana Abdalghani , Alhomsi Tasnim Khalid , Zhra Mahmoud , Alosaimi Bandar , Hamza Muaawia , Awadalla Maaweya , Abdelhadi Osama Ezzeldin , Alsharif Joud Abdullah , Okdah Liliane , AlKattan Khaled , Turki Saeed Al , Fakhoury Hana M. A. , Aljada Ahmad
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated an extensive testing for active SARS-CoV-2 infection. However, securing affordable diagnostic tests is a struggle for low-resource settings. We report herein the development and validation of an in-house multiplex real-time RT-PCR diagnostic test for the detection of active COVID-19 infection (ScriptTaq COVID PCR). Furthermore, we describe two methods for RNA extraction using either an in-house silica column or silica-coated magnetic beads to replace commercial RNA extraction kits. Different buffer formulations for silica column and silica-coated magnetic beads were tested and used for RNA isolation. Taq polymerase enzyme and thermostable reverse transcriptase enzyme were purified from bacterial clones. Primers/probes sequences published by the WHO and CDC were used for the qualitative detection of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and nucleocapsid (N) genes, respectively. ScriptTaq COVID PCR assay was able to detect up to 100 copies per reaction of the viral RdRP and N genes. The test demonstrated an overall agreement of 95.4%, a positive percent agreement (PPA) of 90.2%, and a negative percent agreement (NPA) of 100.0% when compared with two commercially available kits. ScriptTaq COVID PCR diagnostic test is a specific, sensitive, and low-cost alternative for low-resource settings.
Influence of Meteo-Climatic Variables and Fertilizer Use on Crop Yields in the Sahel: A Nonlinear Neural-Network Analysis
Authors: Pasini Antonello , De Felice Proia Giuseppina , Tubiello Francesco N.
Published: December 2022

The Sahel is one of the regions with the highest rates of food insecurity in the world. Understanding the driving factors of agricultural productivity is, therefore, essential for increasing crop yields whilst adapting to a future that will be increasingly dominated by climate change. This paper shows how meteo-climatic variables, combined with fertilizers’ application rates, have affected the productivity of two important crops in the Sahel region, i.e. maize and millet, over the last three decades. To this end, we have applied a specifically designed neural network tool (optimised for analysis of small datasets), endowed with feed-forward networks and backpropagation training rules and characterised by generalised leave-one-out training and multiple runs of neural network models in an ensemble strategy. This tool allowed us to identify and quantify the impacts of single drivers and their linear and nonlinear role. The variables analysed included temperature, precipitation, atmospheric CO2 concentration, chemical and organic fertilizer input. They explained most of the variance in the crop data (R2 = 0.594 for maize and R2 = 0.789 for millet). Our analysis further allowed us to identify critical threshold effects affecting yields in the region, such as the number of hours with temperature higher than 30 °C during the growing season. The results identified heat waves and fertilizer application rates playing a critical role in affecting maize and millet yields in this region, while the role of increasing CO2 was less important. Our findings help identify the modalities of ongoing and future climate change impacts on maize and millet production in the Sahel.
Pulse Electrodeposited Super-Hydrophobic Ni-Co/WS2 Nanocomposite Coatings with Enhanced Corrosion-Resistance
Authors: Wang Meijiao , Xue Zixiao , Yan Shaojiu , He Jin , Shao Qiuyue , Ge Wen , Lu Baodi
Published: December 2022

The hydrophobicity and corrosion resistance of composite coatings can be effectively improved by changing the electrodeposition method and adding inorganic nanoparticles. In this work, the incorporation of WS2 nanoparticles significantly increased the surface roughness of Ni-Co coatings. The best hydrophobicity and corrosion resistance of the Ni-Co/WS2 nanocomposite coatings (water contact angle of 144.7°) were obtained in the direct current electrodeposition mode when the current density was 3 A/dm2 and the electrodeposition time was 50 min. Compared with direct current electrodeposition, the pulsed current electrodeposition method was more conducive to improving the electrodeposition performance of the nanocomposite coatings. Under the conditions of a current density of 3 A/dm2, pulse duty cycle of 70%, and pulse frequency of 1000 Hz, the nanocomposite coatings reached a superhydrophobic state (water contact angle of 153.8°). The nanocomposite coatings had a slower corrosion rate and larger impedance modulus in this state, and thus the corrosion resistance was superior. The wetting state of the Ni-Co/WS2 nanocomposite coating surface was closer to the Cassie–Baxter model. The protective air layer formed by the layered rough microstructures significantly reduced the actual contact area between the liquid and the substrate, achieving excellent hydrophobic and corrosion resistance properties.
Exploration of the Impact of Cybersecurity Awareness on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Wales Using Intelligent Software to Combat Cybercrime
Authors: Rawindaran Nisha , Jayal Ambikesh , Prakash Edmond
Published: December 2022

Intelligent software packages have become fast-growing in popularity for large businesses in both developed and developing countries, due to their higher availability in detecting and preventing cybercrime. However, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are showing prominent gaps in this adoption due to their level of awareness and knowledge towards cyber security and the security mindset. This is due to their priority of running their businesses over requiring using the right technology in protecting their data. This study explored how SMEs in Wales are handling cybercrime and managing their daily online activities the best they can, in keeping their data safe in tackling cyber threats. The sample collected consisted of 122 Welsh SME respondents in a collection of data through a survey questionnaire. The results and findings showed that there were large gaps in the awareness and knowledge of using intelligent software, in particular the uses of machine learning integration within their technology to track and combat complex cybercrime that perhaps would have been missed by standard cyber security software packages. The study’s findings showed that only 30% of the sampled SMEs understood the terminology of cyber security. The awareness of machine learning and its algorithms was also questioned in the implementation of their cyber security software packages. The study further highlighted that Welsh SMEs were unaware of what this software could do to protect their data. The findings in this paper also showed that various elements such as education and the size of SME made an impact on their choices for the right software packages being implemented, compared to elements such as age, gender, role and being a decision maker, having no impact on these choices. The study finally shares the investigations of various SME strategies to help understand the risks, and to be able to plan for future contingencies and preparation in keeping data safe and secure for the future.
Identification of Heart Arrhythmias by Utilizing a Deep Learning Approach of the ECG Signals on Edge Devices
Authors: Seitanidis Panagiotis , Gialelis John , Papaconstantinou Georgia , Moschovas Alexandros
Published: December 2022

Accurate and timely detection of cardiac arrhythmias is crucial in reducing treatment times and, ultimately, preventing serious life-threatening complications, such as the incidence of a stroke. This becomes of major importance, especially during the diagnostic process, where there is limited access to cardiologists, such as in hospital emergency departments. The proposed lightweight solution uses a novel classifier, consistently designed and implemented, based on a 2D convolutional neural network (CNN) and properly optimized in terms of storage and computational complexity, thus making it suitable for deployment on edge devices capable of operating in hospital emergency departments, providing privacy, portability, and constant operation. The experiments on the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database, show that the proposed 2D-CNN obtains an overall accuracy of 95.3%, mean sensitivity of 95.27%, mean specificity of 98.82%, and a One-vs-Rest ROC-AUC score of 0.9934. Moreover, the results and metrics based on the NVIDIA® Jetson Nano™ platform show that the proposed method achieved excellent performance and speed, and would be particularly useful in the clinical practice for continuous real-time (RT) monitoring scenarios.
Certificateless Searchable Encryption Scheme in Multi-User Environment
Authors: Feng Tao , Si Jiewen
Published: December 2022

Searchable encryption technology enables users to access data that has been made publicly encrypted without divulging the original content. The majority of the currently available multi-user certificateless searchable encryption technologies are based on identity-based public key encryption as well as conventional public key cryptosystems. Thus, they are challenged to adapt to the security needs of today’s large-scale network computing environment. As a result, issues such as excessive overhead, poor security, and the inability to handle large-scale applications are unavoidable. In order to address the aforementioned issues, this paper uses the method of combining public key authentication encryption and searchable encryption to propose a certificateless searchable encryption scheme in multi-user circumstances. The stochastic prediction model demonstrates that the scheme can effectively fend off keyword guessing attacks. The proposed algorithm not only performs well in terms of computation but also significantly reduces the amount of computation in simulations.
Mechanosynthesis of Mesoporous Bi-Doped TiO2: The Effect of Bismuth Doping and Ball Milling on the Crystal Structure, Optical Properties, and Photocatalytic Activity
Authors: Estrada-Flores Sofía , Pérez-Berumen Catalina M. , Flores-Guia Tirso E. , García-Cerda Luis A. , Rodríguez-Hernández Joelis , Esquivel-Castro Tzipatly A. , Martínez-Luévanos Antonia
Published: December 2022

In this work, we reported obtaining mesoporous Bi-doped TiO2 by mechanosynthesis and bismuth loading of 0%, 1%, 3%, 5%, and 10% (milled TiO2, TiO2 Bi 1%, TiO2 Bi 3% TiO2 Bi 5%, and TiO2 Bi 10%, respectively). The effect of bismuth doping and ball milling on the crystal structure, optical properties, and photocatalytic performance of Bi-doped TiO2 mesoporous samples under UV, visible, and sun irradiation was investigated. According to the results of the Rietveld refinement, the estimated chemical formulas for the TiO2 Bi 1%, TiO2 Bi 3%, TiO2 Bi 5%, and TiO2 Bi10% samples were Ti0.99Bi0.01O2, Ti0.97Bi0.03O2, Ti0.96Bi0.04O2, and Ti0.91Bi0.09O2 respectively. The incorporation of Bi into the TiO2 lattice causes the crystallite size to decrease and, consequently, the absorption spectrum of TiO2 to extend into the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum, resulting in a lower band gap (Eg) value. Bi-doped TiO2 mesoporous samples had Eg values of 2.90 eV, 2.83 eV, 2.77 eV, and 2.70 eV for the TiO2 Bi 1%, TiO2 Bi 3%, TiO2 Bi 5%, and TiO2 Bi 10% samples, respectively. Photocatalytic removal of methylene blue (MB) data fit well for second-order kinetics. Photocatalytic activity increase followed the order of TiO2 Bi 5% > TiO2 Bi 10% > TiO2 Bi 3% > TiO2 Bi 1% > pristine TiO2. The TiO2 Bi 5% sample exhibited excellent photocatalytic performance for MB photodegradation under natural sunlight (89.2%).
Thermal Convection in Vesta’s Core from Experimentally-Based Conductive Heat Flow Estimates
Authors: Orole Oluwasanmi A. , Yong Wenjun , Secco Richard A.
Published: December 2022

Electrical resistivity measurements of Fe-5 wt% Ni were made in situ under pressures of 2–5 GPa and temperatures up to 2000 K in a cubic-anvil press. The thermal conductivity was calculated from the measured electrical resistivity data using the Wiedemann–Franz law. Comparison of these data with previous studies on pure Fe and Fe-10 wt% Ni shows that a change in the Ni content within the range 0–10 wt% Ni has no significant effect on electrical resistivity of Fe alloys. Comparing the estimated adiabatic core heat flux of ~331 MW at the top of Vesta’s core to the range of estimated heat flux through the CMB of 1.5–78 GW, we infer that the mechanism stirring Vesta’s liquid outer core to generate its surface magnetic field tens of millions of years ago in its early history was thermal convection.
Bioinspired Strategies for Functionalization of Mg-Based Stents
Authors: Wu Feng , Liu Yixuan , Li Jingan , Zhang Kun , Chong Fali
Published: December 2022

Magnesium alloys have attracted considerable interest as prospective biodegradable materials in cardiovascular stents because of their metal mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, fast degradation and slow endothelialization results in the premature disintegration of mechanical integrity and the restenosis of implanted Mg-based stents, which is the primary hurdle limiting their predicted clinical applicability. The development of bioinspired strategies is a burgeoning area in cardiovascular stents’ fields of research. Inspired by the unique features of lotus leaves, pitcher plants, healthy endothelial cells (ECs), marine mussels, and extracellular matrix, various bioinspired strategies have been developed to build innovative artificial materials with tremendous promise for medicinal applications. This perspective focuses on bioinspired strategies to provide innovative ideas for reducing corrosion resistance and accelerating endothelialization. The bioinspired strategies are envisaged to serve as a significant reference for future research on Mg-based medical devices.
Tobacco Smoking Behaviors in Cancer Survivors: The Mediation Effect of Personality and Emotional Intelligence
Authors: Durosini Ilaria , Masiero Marianna , Casini Chiara , Pravettoni Gabriella
Published: December 2022

The smoking behaviour of patients following a cancer diagnosis is a critical risk factor for several physical diseases; it can increase the risk of second primary tumors and lower cancer treatment efficacy. Despite this, a great number of survivors continue to smoke after the diagnosis. This observational, cross-sectional on-line study aimed to assess the relationship between the impact of cancer diagnosis on survivors and their smoking behavior, and whether emotional intelligence and personality might mediate this relationship. Ninety-four Italian survivors completed a set of questionnaires: Big Five Inventory; Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence; Impact of Event Scale; Brief Emotional Intelligence Scale. The results obtained from the mediation analyses highlighted that the indirect effect on the relationship between the psychological impact of the diagnosis and smoking behaviors was partially mediated by neuroticism (Intrusion: 95% CI [0.00; 0.11]; Avoidance: 95% CI [0.00; 0.18]). Additionally, the data suggested that the relationship between the psychological impact of the diagnosis and smoking behaviors was partially mediated by the utilization of emotions dimension of emotional intelligence (Intrusion: 95% CI [0.00; 0.10]; Avoidance: 95% CI [0.00; 0.22]). Overall, this study suggests the importance of designing interventions to support smoking interruption based on the “mapping” of individual needs and emotional regulation strategies.
A Phase I Study of the Non-Receptor Kinase Inhibitor Bosutinib in Combination with Pemetrexed in Patients with Selected Metastatic Solid Tumors
Authors: Karim Nagla Abdel , Ullah Asad , Wang Hongkun , Shoukier Mahran , Pulliam Steven , Khaled Ahmed , Patel Nikhil , Morris John C.
Published: December 2022

Src is overexpressed in various cancers, including 27% of non-small cell lung cancer NSCLC, and is correlated with poor clinical outcomes. We hypothesize that Src kinase inhibitors, including Bosutinib, may exhibit clinical synergy in combination with the antifolate drug pemetrexed. In this Phase I, dose-escalation, safety, and maximum tolerated dose (MTD)-determining study, 14 patients with advanced metastatic solid tumors that had progressed on “standard of care” chemotherapy were enrolled in a 3 + 3 dose escalation study. Oral Bosutinib was administered once daily beginning on day 1, where the first cohort started at an oral dose of 200 mg daily with pemetrexed 500 mg/m2 IV on a three-week schedule. The study’s primary objective was to determine the dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), the MTD of Bosutinib in combination with pemetrexed, and the type and frequency of adverse events associated with this treatment. Twelve patients were evaluable for response, including ten patients with adenocarcinoma of the lung, one patient with metastatic adenocarcinoma of the appendix, and one patient with urothelial carcinoma. The median number of Bosutinib and pemetrexed cycles received was 4 (range, 1–4). The MTD of oral Bosutinib in this combination was 300 mg daily. Two patients (17%) had a partial response (PR), and seven patients (58%) showed stable disease (SD) as the best response after the fourth cycle (end of treatment). One patient had disease progression after the second cycle, while three patients had disease progression after the fourth cycle. The two responders and the two patients with the longest stable disease duration or stabilization of disease following progression on multiple systemic therapies demonstrated Src overexpression on immunohistochemical staining of their tumor. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.89 months (95% CI (3.48, 30.85)), and the median overall survival (OS) was 11.7 months (95% CI (3.87, 30.85)). Despite the limitations of this Phase I study, there appears to be potential efficacy of this combination in previously treated patients.
Comparative Prospective and Longitudinal Analysis on the Platelet-to-Lymphocyte, Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte, and Albumin-to-Globulin Ratio in Patients with Non-Metastatic and Metastatic Prostate Cancer
Authors: Salciccia Stefano , Frisenda Marco , Bevilacqua Giulio , Viscuso Pietro , Casale Paolo , De Berardinis Ettore , Di Pierro Giovanni Battista , Cattarino Susanna , Giorgino Gloria , Rosati Davide , Del Giudice Francesco , Carbone Antonio , Pastore Antonio , Chung Benjamin I. , Eisenberg Michael L. , Autorino Riccardo , Crivellaro Simone , Forte Flavio , Sciarra Alessandro , Mariotti Gianna , Gentilucci Alessandro
Published: December 2022

Purpose: To prospectively evaluate the albumin/globulin ratio (AGR), neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet/lymphocyte ratio (PLR) diagnostic and prognostic predictive value in a stratified population of prostate cancer (PC) cases. Methods: Population was divided based on the clinical and histologic diagnosis in: Group A: benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) cases (494 cases); Group B: all PC cases (525 cases); Group B1: clinically significant PC (426 cases); Group B2: non-metastatic PC (416 cases); Group B3: metastatic PC (109 cases). NLR, PLR, and AGR were obtained at the time of the diagnosis, and only in cases with PC considered for radical prostatectomy, determinations were also repeated 90 days after surgery. For each ratio, cut-off values were determined by receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis and fixed at 2.5, 120.0, and 1.4, respectively, for NLR, PLR, and AGR. Results: Accuracy in predictive value for an initial diagnosis of clinically significant PC (csPC) was higher using PLR (0.718) when compared to NLR (0.220) and AGR (0.247), but, despite high sensitivity (0.849), very low specificity (0.256) was present. The risk of csPC significantly increased only according to PLR with an OR = 1.646. The percentage of cases with metastatic PC significantly increased according to high NLR and high PLR. Accuracy was 0.916 and 0.813, respectively, for NLR and PLR cut-off, with higher specificity than sensitivity. The risk of a metastatic disease increased 3.2 times for an NLR > 2.5 and 5.2 times for a PLR > 120 and at the multivariate analysis. Conclusion: PLR and NLR have a significant predictive value towards the development of metastatic disease but not in relation to variations in aggressiveness or T staging inside the non-metastatic PC. Our results suggest an unlikely introduction of these analyses into clinical practice in support of validated PC risk predictors.
Addition of New Androgen Receptor Pathway Inhibitors to Docetaxel and Androgen Deprivation Therapy in Metastatic Hormone-Sensitive Prostate Cancer: A Systematic Review and Metanalysis
Authors: Fiorica Francesco , Buttigliero Consuelo , Grigolato Daniela , Muraro Marco , Turco Fabio , Munoz Fernando , Tucci Marcello
Published: December 2022

In recent years, significant changes have occurred in metastatic hormone-sensitive prostate cancer (mHSPC) management, where docetaxel and new androgen receptor pathway inhibitors (ARPI) have been shown to improve overall survival (OS) compared to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Recent data could once again radically change mHSPC treatment. PEACE-1 and ARASENS trials demonstrated a survival benefit of the addition of ARPI to docetaxel and ADT combination (triplet therapy), compared to docetaxel and ADT. With multiple options to choose from, it is crucial to identify the patients who would benefit most from triplet therapy. In this meta-analysis, we evaluated the activity of the triplet therapy versus docetaxel plus ADT in mHSPC. A systematic review of PubMed/Medline, Embase, and the proceedings of major international meetings was performed. Five RCTs fulfilled the inclusion criteria. PEACE-1 and ARASENS studies reported disease-free survival (DFS) and OS. Post hoc analysis of three other trials evaluated the combination of ARPI, docetaxel and ADT. Globally, 2538 patients were included (1270 triplet therapy; 1268 docetaxel + ADT). Triplet therapy was associated with improved OS (hazard ratio (HR) 0.74; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.66–0.83, p < 0.00001). A statistically significant benefit was shown in high-volume mHSPC patients (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.59–0.97, p = 0.03) and in patients with de novo metastatic disease (HR 0.73; 95% CI, 0.64–0.82, p < 0.00001). The addition of ARPI to standard therapy was associated with DFS improvement (HR 0.41; 95% CI, 0.35–0.49, p < 0.00001). This metanalysis shows a significant OS benefit from concomitant administration of ARPI, docetaxel and ADT in high volume and de novo mHSPC.
Evaluation of Surgical Approaches and Use of Adjuvant Radiotherapy with Respect to Oncologic Outcomes in the Management of Clinically Early-Stage Cervical Carcinoma
Authors: Burgess Laura , AlDuwaisan Wafa , Zhang Tinghua , Lupe Krystine , Fung-Kee-Fung Michael , Faught Wylam , Le Tien , Samant Rajiv
Published: December 2022

The standard of care for early-stage cervix cancer is radical hysterectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy. Adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) or chemoradiotherapy may be administered to reduce the risk of recurrence in patients considered to be at elevated risk based on a combination of pathologic factors. We performed a retrospective review to determine oncologic outcomes in patients treated for early-stage cervix cancer and to determine if surgical approach impacted oncologic outcomes or the decision to use adjuvant therapy. In total, 174 women underwent radical hysterectomy and pelvic lymphadenectomy over the 15-year period. Most of these women (146) had open surgery and 28 had minimally invasive surgery (MIS). In total, 81 had adjuvant pelvic RT; 76 in the open surgery group (52%) and 5 in the MIS group (18%). Five-year PFS and OS, respectively, were 84% and 91%. Five-year PFS was significantly lower in patients who had MIS vs. open surgery, without a difference in 5-year OS, suggesting MIS should be avoided. Five-year PFS was the same with RT or with its omission, despite those treated with RT having higher risk disease. We have demonstrated excellent outcomes in patients with early-stage cervix cancer after primary surgery and selective use of RT, with few recurrences and excellent survival.
Molecular Crosstalk between Chromatin Remodeling and Tumor Microenvironment in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: Chakraborty Chandraditya , Mukherjee Srimoyee
Published: December 2022

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a complex disease driven by numerous genetic and epigenetic alterations that are acquired over time. Despite recent progress in the understanding of MM pathobiology and the availability of innovative drugs, which have pronounced clinical outcome, this malignancy eventually progresses to a drug-resistant lethal stage and, thus, novel therapeutic drugs/models always play an important role in effective management of MM. Modulation of tumor microenvironment is one of the hallmarks of cancer biology, including MM, which affects the myeloma genomic architecture and disease progression subtly through chromatin modifications. The bone marrow niche has a prime role in progression, survival, and drug resistance of multiple myeloma cells. Therefore, it is important to develop means for targeting the ecosystem between multiple myeloma bone marrow microenvironment and chromatin remodeling. Extensive gene expression profile analysis has indeed provided the framework for new risk stratification of MM patients and identifying novel molecular targets and therapeutics. However, key tumor microenvironment factors/immune cells and their interactions with chromatin remodeling complex proteins that drive MM cell growth and progression remain grossly undefined.
Larva, Pupa or Adult? The Female of Platerodrilus Case (Coleoptera: Lycidae)
Authors: Makarov Kirill Vladimirovich , Kazantsev Sergey Vasilievich
Published: December 2022

The anatomy and genitalia of a larviform female were studied for the first time in the family Lycidae. The structure of the exo- and endoskeleton of a Platerodrilus female was found to be not much different from that of its larva, with external genital appendages barely differentiated. The reproductive system was found to include an unpaired spermatheca, and paired oviducts and ovaries. The structure of the integument was found to also be peculiar, with two layers of cuticle differing in structure. On the other hand, the labrum and mandibles were found to be quite unlike the larval ones: the labrum was undivided and the mandibles fully metamorphosed. This odd combination of morphological characters may be interpreted in two ways. First, it may be hypothesized that this is a pupa. However, its genital appendages are simpler than those of “normal” Lycidae pupae; wings or their rudiments are completely absent; there are very few features of imaginal morphology in the external structure. Therefore, we propose another hypothesis—this is the stage preceding the pupa, which Hinton (1946) designates as ‘prepupa’.
‘One Step at a Time, One Day at a Time’: Life Profiles of Individuals with Disabilities across the First Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Mamman Rinni , Mohammadi Somayyeh , Rash Isabelle , Esfandiari Elham , Miller William C. , Mortenson William Ben , Schmidt Julia
Published: December 2022

Individuals with disabilities underwent substantial changes in life due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, little is known about the experiences of this population during the first year of the pandemic. Hence, drawing on data from a longitudinal mixed-methods study, this study aimed to identify different COVID-19 life profiles among people with disabilities. Sixty-one participants were interviewed at four timepoints, which paralleled restriction changes in British Columbia, Canada. These data were analyzed to identify different life profiles over the course of the first year of the pandemic. The analysis identified three interlinked profiles: (1) ‘being in a straitjacket’ examines the increasing restriction-related frustrations experienced by participants; (2) ‘seizing the reins’ explores the positive routines that participants established by filling the gaps with meaningful activities; and (3) ‘staying content during COVID’ describes a ‘keep calm, carry on’ attitude, where minimal impact of the pandemic was observed by participants. The three COVID-19 life profiles provide insight to the challenges encountered, resources used, and the varying experiences of individuals with disabilities as they adjusted to a different way of living. These findings can facilitate future research that could develop interventions and services for individuals with disabilities in subsequent pandemics or disasters.
Gadofosveset-Trinatrium-Enhanced MR Angiography and MR Venography in the Diagnosis of Venous Thromboembolic Disease: A Single-Center Cohort Study
Authors: Aschauer Manuela A. , Keeling Ingeborg M. , Salvan-Schaschl Carmen V. , Knez Igor , Binder Barbara , Raggam Reinhard B. , Trantina-Yates Ameli E.
Published: December 2022

Background: The aim of this single-center combined prospective/retrospective cohort study was to analyze Gadolinium (Gd)-enhanced MRA (magnetic resonance angiography) and MRV (MR venography) for the diagnosis of pulmonary artery embolism and deep venous thrombosis. The gold standard methods result in major exposure to radiation and a high amount of nephrotoxic iodinated contrast media. This is the first larger contrast-enhanced MR imaging study of acute and chronic venous thromboembolic disease of various stages. Methods: We prospectively examined 88 patients presenting clinical signs of deep vein thrombosis and/or pulmonary artery embolism. A single-session, one-stop shop Gd-enhanced MRA/MRV at 1.5 Tesla, using gradient echo sequences with very short repetition and echo times as well as low flip angles with subtraction and three-dimensional reconstruction, was performed. A diagnosis was made with the consensus of two experienced radiologists. Results: We observed excellent MRA image quality in 87% and even higher diagnostic image quality of MRV in 90% of our examinations. Pulmonary artery embolism occurred with deep vein thrombosis in 22%. Conclusions: Gd-enhanced MRA/MRV provided excellent image quality for the diagnosis of venous thromboembolic disease in the majority of cases. It may be particularly useful to plan and follow-up filter implantation and retrieval in the inferior caval vein.