bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vascular anatomy of the velopharyngeal muscles and its clinical implications: A fresh cadaveric study based on micro‐computed tomography
Authors: Liu Jing , Wang Yongqian , Li Haidong , Wu Di , Song Tao , Yin Ningbei
Published: January 2022

Poor speech improvement after levator veli palatini (LVP) reconstruction may be related to intraoperative vascular injury. We aimed to examine the vascular anatomy of the velopharyngeal muscles to provide a guide for arterial protection in cleft palate repair. Fresh adult cadaveric heads were injected with gelatin/lead oxide. The velopharyngeal specimens were stained with iodine and scanned using micro‐computed tomography. Three‐dimensional reconstruction models were obtained using a computer‐aided design software. The ascending palatine artery (APaA), especially the posterior branch, is the main artery supplying the velopharyngeal muscles. The posterior branch of the APaA reaches the dorsal part of the musculus uvulae in the posterior one third of the soft palate (SP) and lies 1.75 mm (standard deviation, 0.06) under the nasal mucosa; the anterior branch penetrates the anterolateral side of the LVP to reach the anterior one third of the SP and lies 7.09 mm (0.03) under the oral mucosa. The posterior APaA, anterior ApaA, and ApaA trunk had mean diameters of 0.41 mm (0.04), 0.46 mm (0.06), and 0.65 mm (0.04) at 0.5, 1, and 1.5 cm distance from the palatal midline, respectively. To minimize vascular injury, mobilization of muscles during intravelar veloplasty should be performed within a distance of 1 cm from the palatal midline, and dissection of the oral submucosa should be reduced in the anterior one third of the SP, while wide dissection of the nasal submucosal should be avoided in the posterior one third of the SP.
Polyphenol Contents, Potential Antioxidant, Anticholinergic and Antidiabetic Properties of Mountain Mint (Cyclotrichium leucotrichum)
Authors: Gülçin İlhami , Bingöl Zeynebe , Taslimi Parham , Gören Ahmet C. , Alwasel Saleh H. , Tel Ahmet Zafer
Published: January 2022

In the present work, antioxidant and antidiabetic potentials of mountain mint [Cyclotrichium leu‐cotrichum(Stapf ex Rech. Fil.) Leblebici] was the first time appraised. In this sense, methanol (MECL) and water (WECL) extracts were obtained from aerial parts of mountain mint (Cyclotrichium leucotrichum) and studied for their antioxidant ability by several bioanalytical assays. Also, their inhibition profiles were realized toward several metabolic enzymes connected to some diseases, including butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), α‐glycosidase, acetylcholinesterase (AChE), and α‐amylase enzymes. Additionally, their phenolic contents were determined by putative chromatographic method of LC/MS/MS. Consequently, nineteen phenolic molecules were identified in MECL and fifteen phenolic molecules were found in WECL. Also, antioxidant effects of both extracts were studied using by the methods of 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl‐hydrazyl (DPPH⋅), 2,2'‐azinobis(3‐ethylbenzthiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (ABTS.+) and N,N‐dimethyl‐p‐phenylenediamine (DMPD.+) scavenging activities, ferric (Fe3+) and cupric (Cu2+) ions and Fe3+‐2,4,6‐tri(2‐pyridyl)‐s‐triazine (TPTZ) reducing capacities. MECL and WECL were found as powerful DPPH⋅ (IC50: 23.74 and 28.85 μg/mL), ABTS.+(IC50: 12.53 and 14.05 μg/mL) and DMPD.+scavenging effects (IC50: 43.52 and 54.80 μg/mL). Also, both extracts demonstrated the effective inhibition on AChE (IC50: 69.31 and 115.51 μg/mL), BChE (IC50: 57.75 and 86.62 μg/mL), α‐glycosidase (IC50: 36.47 and 62.94 μg/mL) and α‐amylase (IC50: 1.01 and 3.43 μg/mL). This study will be useful for future studies to determine the antioxidant properties and enzyme inhibition profile of food, medical and industrially important plants.
Required mowing events of transgenic Kentucky bluegrass cultivars compared with conventional turfgrass cultivar blends and species mixtures
Authors: Fidanza Mike , Baldwin Christian , Koch Matthew , Freshour Lucas , Harriman Bob
Published: January 2022

Mowing is a labor‐intensive yet important cultural practice to maximize turfgrass health and performance. Selecting cultivars with a slower vertical growth habit can help reduce mowing frequency and improve turfgrass quality (TQ). New transgenic Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) (KBG) cultivars with a dwarf growth habit have been developed by overexpressing the gibberellin 2‐oxidase pathway. However, the impact of this overexpression on the number of required mowing events and mowing frequency in the field is unknown. Therefore, the primary objective of this research was to quantify the required number of mowing events based on the one‐third rule of four transgenic cultivars (‘ProVista’) (PV) and 16 conventional turfgrass cultivars, blends, and mixtures. Over the 2‐yr research period, four PV cultivars in the top statistical group averaged ≤21 mowing events, whereas all other turfgrasses averaged ≥41 mowing events. For mowing frequency, all PV cultivars required an average mowing frequency of ≥20 d, whereas all other turfgrasses required an average mowing frequency of ≤10 d. Although the PV cultivars required half as many mowing events, two of the PV cultivars were consistently in the top statistical group for TQ. The PV KBG cultivars represent new technology for turfgrass genetics with the novel trait of reduced mowing that can benefit the industry by reducing mower emissions, noise, and use, as well as increased TQ and flexibility for turfgrass practitioners, since mowing frequency can be extended.
Distribution of neurogranin‐like immunoreactivity in the brain and sensory organs of the adult zebrafish
Authors: Alba‐González Anabel , Folgueira Mónica , Castro Antonio , Anadón Ramón , Yáñez Julián
Published: January 2022

We studied the expression of neurogranin in the brain and some sensory organs (barbel taste buds, olfactory organs, and retina) of adult zebrafish. Database analysis shows zebrafish has two paralog neurogranin genes (nrgna and nrgnb) that translate into three peptides with a conserved IQ domain, as in mammals. Western blots of zebrafish brain extracts using an anti‐neurogranin antiserum revealed three separate bands, confirming the presence of three neurogranin peptides. Immunohistochemistry shows neurogranin‐like expression in the brain and sensory organs (taste buds, neuromasts and olfactory epithelium), not being able to discern its three different peptides. In the retina, the most conspicuous positive cells were bipolar neurons. In the brain, immunopositive neurons were observed in all major regions (pallium, subpallium, preoptic area, hypothalamus, diencephalon, mesencephalon and rhombencephalon, including the cerebellum), a more extended distribution than in mammals. Interestingly, dendrites, cell bodies and axon terminals of some neurons were immunopositive, thus zebrafish neurogranins may play presynaptic and postsynaptic roles. Most positive neurons were found in primary sensory centers (viscerosensory column and medial octavolateral nucleus) and integrative centers (pallium, subpallium, optic tectum and cerebellum), which have complex synaptic circuitry. However, we also observed expression in areas not related to sensory or integrative functions, such as in cerebrospinal fluid‐contacting cells associated with the hypothalamic recesses, which exhibited high neurogranin‐like immunoreactivity. Together, these results reveal important differences with the patterns reported in mammals, suggesting divergent evolution from the common ancestor.
ProvBench: A performance provenance capturing framework for heterogeneous research computing environments
Authors: Liu Fang (Cherry) , Belgin Mehmet , Zhang Nuyun , Manalo Kevin , Lara Ruben , Stone Christopher P. , Manno Paul
Published: January 2022

This article presents a benchmarking framework, namely “ProvBench,” with a specific focus on provenance of collected data, capable of identifying and measuring the impact of changes to hardware, operating system, software, middleware, and services that constitute a highly complex and heterogeneous research computing environment. The provenance is retained via detailed and automated recording of hardware details, runtime environment, software and libraries used, input data and results, as well as execution logs of the computation. This capability is particularly essential for constant monitoring and fast identification of abnormalities. The framework is compatible across different operating systems and varied software environments that support software modules. Its modular object‐oriented design allows for easy expansions, that is, adding new software and tests is straightforward. ProvBench is being actively used in our center for testing acquired equipment, evaluation of preproduction systems, assessing the impact of system and software changes, finding bad nodes, and other useful purposes with successful results.
Influence of different concentrations of titanium dioxide and copper oxide nanoparticles on water sorption and solubility of heat‐cured PMMA denture base resin
Authors: Giti Rashin , Firouzmandi Maryam , Zare Khafri Neda , Ansarifard Elham
Published: January 2022

Objectives

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of titanium dioxide (TiO2) and copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles on the water sorption and solubility of heat‐cured polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA).

Materials and Methods

Fifty disc‐shaped specimens (10 × 2 mm) of heat‐cured PMMA were prepared and divided into five groups (n = 10) to be modified with 2.5 wt.% or 7.5 wt.% of either TiO2 or CuO nanoparticles. One group was left unmodified, serving as the control group. Water sorption and solubility were measured by weighing the specimens before and after immersion in distilled water and desiccation. The data were analyzed by using one‐way ANOVA and Tukey's post hoc test (α = .05).

Results

The 2.5 wt.% CuO nanoparticles significantly decreased the water sorption (p = .016), but did not change the water solubility (p = .222) compared with the control group. The 7.5 wt.% CuO and both concentration of TiO2 nanoparticles did not change the water sorption, but significantly increased the solubility of heat‐cured PMMA (p ≤ .05).

Conclusion

Adding 2.5 wt.% CuO nanoparticles to heat‐cured PMMA decreases the water sorption; although, it has no significant effect on the solubility. Likewise, 2.5 and 7.5 wt.% TiO2 and 7.5 wt.% CuO do not affect the water sorption, but increase the water solubility of heat‐cured PMMA.

Clinical Significance

Reinforcing the heat‐cured PMMA denture base resin materials with the right concentration and type of nanoparticles can decrease the water sorption of resin base materials, and consequently can influence the durability of dentures.
Interaction of dust ion acoustic solitons with cubic nonlinearity in a magnetized dusty plasma with () distributed electrons
Authors: Shohaib Muhammad , Masood Waqas , Jahangir Rabia , Siddiq Mohsin , Rizvi Haider
Published: January 2022

Dust ion acoustic waves (DIAWs) are analysed in multi‐component plasmas via reductive perturbation technique comprising inertial ions, (r, q) distributed electrons, and stationary dust by using fluid theory of plasmas. The modified Kadomtsev‐Petviashvili (MKP) equation is obtained for the critical condition at which the quadratic nonlinearity vanishes. Hirota's bilinear formalism is employed, for the first time, to study the two‐soliton solutions of MKP equation in the context of plasma physics. The effects of flatness at low energy (represented by ) and superthermality at high energy (represented by ) of electrons in phase space are investigated for the linear and nonlinear propagation of DIAWs. It is found that the amplitude of the nonlinear DIAW is highest for the flat‐topped distribution, whereas it is lowest for kappa distribution. Using the plasma parameters of Saturn's B‐ring. The estimates are given of the spatial scales over which the MKP solitons form for flat‐topped, kappa, and Maxwellian distributions, respectively. It is also discussed in detail how the presence of dust and non‐Maxwellian electron distributions affect the interaction of MKP solitons in Saturn's B‐ring. In addition, the interaction of a compressive and rarefactive soliton is studied giving results not achievable for KdV and KP equations.
The new and old: Atopic dermatitis biologics
Authors: Logas Christopher M. , Glick Brad P. , Del Rosso James Q.
Published: January 2022

Severe atopic dermatitis (AD) is difficult to manage with use of topical approaches alone, often requiring use of systemic therapy at some point during the disease. Thus, the development of targeted therapies that effectively and safely reduce the signs and symptoms of AD are very important. As our understanding of the pathophysiology of AD expands based on advances in research, newer therapies are being developed that inhibit specific cytokines, chemokines, and/or receptors. With the effective response many patients have had to Dupilumab, first FDA approved biologic for AD that blocks IL‐4 and IL‐13, it has led to exciting research in inhibition of multiple other cytokines and pathways including IL‐13, IL‐31, OX40/TSLP, GBR 830, IL‐33, and Th22.
Influence of developmental nicotine exposure on serotonergic control of breathing‐related motor output
Authors: Wollman Lila , Hill Andrew , Hasse Brady , Young Christina , Hernandez‐De La Pena Giovanni , Levine Richard B , Fregosi Ralph F.
Published: January 2022

Serotonin plays an important role in the development of brainstem circuits that control breathing. Here, we test the hypothesis that developmental nicotine exposure (DNE) alters the breathing‐related motor response to serotonin (5HT). Pregnant rats were exposed to nicotine or saline, and brainstem–spinal cord preparations from 1‐ to 5‐day‐old pups were studied in a split‐bath configuration, allowing drugs to be applied selectively to the medulla or spinal cord. The activity of the fourth cervical ventral nerve roots (C4VR), which contain axons of phrenic motoneurons, was recorded. We applied 5HT alone or together with antagonists of 5HT1A, 5HT2A, or 5HT7 receptor subtypes. In control preparations, 5HT applied to the medulla consistently reduced C4VR frequency and this reduction could not be blocked by any of the three antagonists. In DNE preparations, medullary 5HT caused a large and sustained frequency increase (10 min), followed by a sustained decrease. Notably, the transient increase in frequency could be blocked by the independent addition of any of the antagonists. Experiments with subtype‐specific agonists suggest that the 5HT7 subtype may contribute to the increased frequency response in the DNE preparations. Changes in C4VR burst amplitude in response to brainstem 5HT were uninfluenced by DNE. Addition of 5HT to the caudal chamber modestly increased phasic and greatly increased tonic C4VR activity, but there were no effects of DNE. The data show that DNE alters serotonergic signaling within brainstem circuits that control respiratory frequency but does not functionally alter serotonin signaling in the phrenic motoneuron pool.
Organophotocatalytic Intramolecular Formal Enyne‐Metathesis – An Alternative to Transition‐Metal Catalysis
Authors: de Souza Wanderson C. , Correia José Tiago M. , Matos Priscilla M. , Kisukuri Camila M. , Carneiro Pablo S. , Paixão Márcio W.
Published: January 2022

A new approach to access 1,3‐diene derived quinolinone compounds has been realized using a mild reaction protocol employing a metal free catalyst (1,2,3,5‐tetrakis(carbazol‐9‐yl)‐4,6‐dicyanobenzene) (4CzIPN), blue LED as activation source, and benefits from a sustainable solvent dimethylcarbonate (DMC). The mechanism is postulated as an amide‐tethered enyne intramolecular [2+2]‐photocatalyzed cycloaddition‐retrocycloaddition sequence, proceeding via a cyclobutene intermediate species. The methodology offers an efficient route towards decorated 1,3‐diene products.
Find balance, foster productivity, and avoid burnout
Authors: McGee Laura G.
Published: January 2022

There are good reasons to manage yourself and your work effectively. If your head is buried in administrivia, you won't have time to develop professional relationships, continue your learning and productivity, and practice self‐care.
Stable copper‐based 2D perovskite (NH3C3H6NH3)CuBr4 thin film processed from green solvent for thermoelectric application
Authors: Kang Zhenjing , Xiong Hao , Wu Bo , Jiang Linqin , Fan Baodian , Yang Aijun , Sa Baisheng , Li Jiansheng , Lin Lingyan , Qiu Yu
Published: January 2022

Great achievements about lead‐based halide perovskites have been made in the fields of photovoltaic solar cells, light emitting diodes, photodetectors, and thermoelectric devices. However, the toxicity and instability of lead‐based materials hinder their practical application. Herein, we used propane‐1,3‐diammonium cation to construct a copper‐based halide perovskite material (NH3C3H6NH3)CuBr4 with a two‐dimensional layered structure. This material exhibits a suitable bandgap of 1.71 eV for a broad‐band absorption. Dense and flexible (NH3C3H6NH3)CuBr4 thin film can be obtained by simple spin‐coating of the solution using green solvent DMSO. Furthermore, (NH3C3H6NH3)CuBr4 shows excellent stability towards temperature, humidity and UV‐light. Finally, the (NH3C3H6NH3)CuBr4 thin film shows a reasonable Seebeck coefficient of −13.8 μV K−1 and a power factor of 1.70 μW m−1 K−2 at 298 K, demonstrating the great potential for flexible n‐type thermoelectric application.

image
Small artificial impoundments have big implications for hydrology and freshwater biodiversity
Authors: Morden Robert , Horne Avril , Bond Nick R , Nathan Rory , Olden Julian D
Published: January 2022

Headwater streams are critical for freshwater ecosystems. Global and continental studies consistently show major dams as dominant sources of hydrological stress threatening biodiversity in the world’s major rivers, but cumulative impacts from small artificial impoundments (SAIs) concentrated in headwater streams have rarely been acknowledged. Using the Murray Darling River basin (Australia) and the Arkansas River basin (US) as case studies, we examined the hydrological impacts of SAIs. The extent of their influence is considerable, altering hydrology in 280–380% more waterways as compared to major dams. Hydrological impacts are concentrated in smaller streams (catchment area <100 km2), raising concerns that the often diverse and highly endemic biota found in these systems may be under threat. Adjusting existing biodiversity planning and management approaches to address the cumulative effects of many small and widely distributed artificial impoundments presents a rapidly emerging challenge for ecologically sustainable water management.
Location matters: planting urban trees in the right places improves cooling
Authors: Wang Jia , Zhou Weiqi , Jiao Min
Published: January 2022

Available space and other resources associated with urban greening initiatives are limited, yet demand for urban cooling to mitigate high urban temperatures is growing. Consequently, identifying the best locations for urban greening to maximize the cooling effects of the urban tree canopy (UTC) is taking on new urgency. We present a cross‐city comparison and show how cooling efficiency (CE) varies spatially within a city. CE tends to be higher in locations with less UTC due in part to evapotranspiration from non‐uniformly distributed trees, but results from a subtropical city included within our comparison underscore the strong effect of a city’s background climate on CE. Mapping the spatial variation of CE can guide tree planting to enhance the cooling effects of UTC, expand the role trees play in urban adaptation to local warming, and help achieve urban sustainability.
Site fidelity as a maladaptive behavior in the Anthropocene
Authors: Merkle Jerod A , Abrahms Briana , Armstrong Jonathan B , Sawyer Hall , Costa Daniel P , Chalfoun Anna D
Published: January 2022

Site fidelity, or the behavior of returning to previously visited locations, has been observed across taxa and ecosystems. By developing familiarity with a particular location, site fidelity provides a range of benefits and is advantageous in stable or predictable environments. However, the Anthropocene is characterized by rates of environmental change that outpace the evolutionary history of extant taxa, which can result in site fidelity becoming maladaptive. Here we outline the theoretical underpinnings for maladaptive site fidelity and synthesize empirical research supporting its occurrence, and examine it in the context of a related concept, ecological traps, whereby organisms exhibit maladaptive behavior in habitat selection. We then discuss adaptive mechanisms that may enable species with site fidelity to continue to persist in the Anthropocene. With ongoing environmental change, researchers and practitioners should expect fidelity‐induced ecological traps to become more common, and initiate projects to identify and understand their origins. Such knowledge will help conserve the widespread and ecologically important behavior of site fidelity.
Multi‐step reflection principle and barrier options
Authors: Lee Hangsuck , Lee Gaeun , Song Seongjoo
Published: January 2022

This paper examines a class of barrier options, multi‐step barrier options, which can have any finite number of barriers of any level. We obtain a general, explicit expression for option prices of this type under the Black–Scholes model by deriving the multi‐step reflection principle, that is, the multi‐step boundary‐crossing probability of Brownian motion. Multi‐step barrier options are not only useful in that they can handle barriers of different levels and time steps but can also approximate options with arbitrary barriers. Moreover, they can be applied to pricing barrier options under jump‐diffusion models.
Anatomy of the sphenoidal spine and its implications in endoscopic endonasal surgery of the infratemporal fossa
Authors: Li Lifeng , London Nyall R. , Prevedello Daniel M. , Carrau Ricardo L.
Published: January 2022

Background

The sphenoidal spine protrudes from the roof of the infratemporal fossa (ITF). This study aims to assess the anatomic relationships among the sphenoidal spine and other structures within the ITF from the perspective of an endoscopic endonasal access (EEA), and to explore the implications of these relationships.

Methods

An EEA to the ITF was completed on six cadaveric specimens (12 sides). The anatomical relationships among the sphenoidal spine and adjacent structures were explored and associated distances from each other were measured using a navigation system.

Results

The foramen spinosum is located anterosuperior to the sphenoidal spine, whereas the chorda tympani courses caudal and medial to the sphenoidal spine and the Eustachian tube and parapharyngeal internal carotid artery (pICA) are at its posterior aspect. Two virtual vertical planes, at the anterior and posterior aspects of the sphenoidal spine, respectively, correspond to the posterior trunk of V3 and middle meningeal artery, and the stylopharyngeal aponeurosis. The average length of sphenoidal spine was 8.5 ± 2.43 mm, and the distance from distal apex of the sphenoidal spine to the foramen ovale, foramen spinosum, and pICA were 10.82 ± 0.83 mm, 6.42 ± 0.52 mm, and 5.02 ± 0.54 mm, respectively.

Conclusions

The sphenoidal spine is a meaningful landmark for endonasal approaches to the ITF. Measurements and conceptualization of vertical planes prior and posterior to the sphenoidal spine are beneficial to better appreciate the anatomic relationships in the ITF.
A revised electronic version of RUCAM for the diagnosis of DILI
Authors: Hayashi Paul H. , Lucena M. Isabel , Fontana Robert J. , Bjornsson Einar S. , Aithal Guruprasad P. , Barnhart Huiman , Gonzalez‐Jimenez Andres , Yang Qinghong , Gu Jiezhun , Andrade Raul J. , Hoofnagle Jay H.
Published: January 2022

Background and Aims

Roussel Uclaf Causality Assessment Method (RUCAM) for DILI has been hindered by subjectivity and poor reliability. We sought to improve the RUCAM using data from the Drug‐Induced Liver Injury Network (DILIN) and the Spanish DILI Registry, published literature, and iterative computer modeling.

Approach and Results

RUCAM criteria were updated, clarified, and computerized. We removed criteria 3 (risk factors) for lack of added value and criteria 4 because we felt it more useful to assess each drug separately. Criteria 6 (drug‐specific risk) was anchored to LiverTox likelihood scores. Iterative testing in subsets of 50–100 single‐agent, nonherbal cases from both registries was done to optimize performance. We used classification tree analysis to establish diagnostic cutoffs for this revised electronic causality assessment method (RECAM) and compared RECAM with RUCAM for correlation with expert opinion diagnostic categories in 194 DILI cases (98 DILIN, 96 Spanish DILI). Area under receiver operator curves for identifying at least probable DILI were the same at 0.89 for RECAM and RUCAM. However, RECAM diagnostic categories have better observed overall agreement with expert opinion (0.62 vs. 0.56 weighted kappa, p = 0.14), and had better sensitivity to detect extreme diagnostic categories (73 vs. 54 for highly likely or high probable, p = 0.02; 65 vs. 48 for unlikely/excluded, p = 0.08) than RUCAM diagnostic categories.

Conclusions

RECAM is an evidence‐based update that is at least as capable as RUCAM in diagnosing DILI compared with expert opinion but is better than RUCAM at the diagnostic extremes. RECAM’s increased objectivity and clarity will improve precision, reliability, and standardization of DILI diagnosis, but further refinement and validation in other cohorts are needed.
A sufficient condition for a quandle to be Latin
Authors: Lages António , Lopes Pedro , Vojtěchovský Petr
Published: January 2022

A quandle is an algebraic structure satisfying three axioms: idempotency, right‐invertibility, and right self‐distributivity. In quandles, right translations are permutations. The profile of a quandle is the list of cycle structures, one per right translation in the quandle. In this note we prove that if, for each cycle structure in the profile of a quandle, no two cycle lengths are equal, then the quandle is latin—this is the sufficient condition mentioned in the title.
LINC00152 acts as a competing endogenous RNA of HMGA1 to promote the growth of gastric cancer cells
Authors: Chen Jiayi , Zheng Qingfang , Liu Fang , Jin Han , Wu Xiaoyue , Xi Yang
Published: January 2022

Background

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in almost every stage of cancer development. Given the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) hypothesis for the regulation of gene expression, we investigated the role of LINC00152 as a ceRNA in gastric cancer (GC) cells.

Methods

Gastric cancer cell lines were used in this study. Mimics of miRNAs and siRNA were used to evaluate the interaction between LINC00152 and HMGA1. The quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction was performed for analyzing gene expression at the transcriptional level. Flow cytometry assay of cell cycle and western blot analysis of related protein expression levels were performed. Online databases such as TCGA and TIMER were used to determine the possibility of HMGA1 and LINC00152 as GC markers and their role in immune infiltration.

Results

Treating GC cell lines with LINC00152 siRNAs downregulated the expression of HMGA1. The cell cycle was arrested in the S phase following a reduction in LINC00152 or HMGA1 expression, whereas the expression of the cell cycle inhibitor P27 increased. In this study, we showed that acting as a ceRNA of HMGA1, LINC00152 has the same function as HMGA1, considering that it could control the cell cycle and promote GC cell proliferation. The TCGA database showed that LINC00152 might be used as a diagnostic marker for GC.

Conclusions

These findings provide mechanistic insights into the role of LINC00152 as a ceRNA to regulate HMGA1 expression in GC cells, where it can promote the proliferation of the GC cells by regulating the expression of the P27.
Light‐activated oxidize‐mimicking nanozyme for inhibition of pathogenic Escherichia coli
Authors: Loukanov Alexandre , Kuribara Ayano , Nikolova Svetla , Saito Masakazu
Published: January 2022

Here we demonstrate the nanozyme properties of histidine‐containing carbon nanodots as externally tunable antibacterial agents through irradiation with visible (VIS) light. The correlative (light and electron) microscopic analysis of treated Escherichia coli O157:H7 revealed that the positive charged carbon nanoparticles might readily adsorb at slightly acid pH on the negative charged cellular envelope of bacteria, and thus, inhibit their growth with over 80% efficiency under illumination with VIS light. The reason was that under VIS irradiation in the range 400–500 nm the adsorbed nanoparticles behaved as effective oxidase‐mimicking enzymes and generated reactive oxygen species on the labeled cells. Thus, the light‐activated artificial nanozyme caused serious physical damaging of bacterial envelope, which was leading to irreversible cellular inhibition. The outcomes of this study are likely to broaden the scope of designed photoactive carbon nanozymes as powerful antibacterial agents against the emergence of antibiotic and multidrug‐resistant strains, as well as proposing of new strategies for infection control.
Efficacious bioremediation of heavy metals and radionuclides from wastewater employing aquatic macro‐ and microphytes
Authors: Das Swati , Das Sovik , Ghangrekar Makarand M.
Published: January 2022

Cytotoxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic contaminants, such as heavy metals and radionuclides, have become an alarming environmental concern globally, especially for developed and developing nations. Moreover, inefficient prevalent wastewater treatment technologies combined with increased industrial activity and modernization has led to increase in the concentration of toxic metals and radioactive components in the natural water bodies. However, for the improvement of ecosystem of rivers, lakes, and other water sources different physicochemical methods such as membrane filtration, reverse osmosis, activated carbon adsorption, electrocoagulation, and other electrochemical treatment are employed, which are uneconomical and insufficient for the complete abatement of these emerging pollutants. Therefore, the application of bioremediation employing aquatic macrophytes and microphytes have gained considerable importance owing to the benefits of cost‐effectiveness, eco‐friendly, and higher energy efficiency. Thus, the present review aims to enlighten the readers on the potential application of algae, cyanobacteria, plant, and other aquatic micro‐ and macrophytes for the elimination of carcinogenic metals and radioactive isotopes from wastewater. Additionally, the use of transgenic plants, genetically modified species, algal–bacterial symbiosis for the enhancement of removal efficiency of mutagenic contaminants are also highlighted. Furthermore, species selection based on robustness, mechanism of different pathways for heavy metal and radionuclide detoxification are elucidated in this review article.
Development of core‐satellite‐shell structured MNP@Au@MIL‐100(Fe) substrates for surface‐enhanced Raman spectroscopy and their applications in trace level determination of malachite green in prawn
Authors: Pu Hongbin , Zhu Haofan , Xu Fang , Sun Da‐Wen
Published: January 2022

Malachite green (MG) abuse in aquaculture has caused food safety issues and surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can be utilized to monitor MG residues in aquatic products. However, the sensitivity and accuracy of SERS detection are limited by food matrix interference. Therefore, in this study, SERS active MNP@Au@MIL‐100(Fe) substrates were developed by utilizing magnetic nanoparticle (MNP) as the core, which was evenly decorated with Au nanoparticles (AuNPs), and then coated with metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) shell of MIL‐100(Fe), which acted as a filter to only allow molecules with appropriate sizes to approach the inner AuNPs, thus avoiding food matrix interference and improving the identification ability to analytes. Experiments in detecting MG residues in prawns was realized with the limit of detection (LOD) of 1.32 × 10−10 M, showing great potential for its use as a reliable SERS substrate for monitoring food contaminants.
Qualitative and quantitative analysis of Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to Fourier transform‐ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Yu , Dong Lei , Zhang Qingyu , Han Jing , Sui Wenwen , Wei Ziyun , Zhang Zan , Tong Yichen , Wang Sijie , Han Fei
Published: January 2022

Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus, as a homology of medicine and food, has been widely used in China for thousands of years. However, the existing qualitative and quantitative methods are difficult to evaluate the quality of Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus samples from multiple sources. In this paper, an high‐performance liquid chromatography fingerprint was established for assessing the quality of Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus from different areas. Then, high‐performance liquid chromatography was coupled to Fourier transform‐ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry for characterization of the chemical compositions in Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus. In fingerprint analysis, 54 common peaks were confirmed and six chromatographic peaks of them were identified. The similarity of 14 samples from different areas was between 0.990 and 1.000. Moreover, a total of 30 chemical components were characterized by high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled to Fourier transform‐ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry method, six compounds of which were decisively identified. Finally, the content of nootkatone was determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography. In conclusion, the methods used in this study are efficient for qualitative and quantitative analysis of Alpiniae Oxyphyllae Fructus. Also, these methods can be used to control the quality of other traditional Chinese medicines.
Controllable Design and Preparation of Hydroxyl‐Terminated Solution‐Polymerized Styrene Butadiene for Polyurethane Elastomers with High‐Damping Properties
Authors: Zhao Yongkai , Shou Tao , Fu Siwei , Qin Xuan , Hu Shikai , Zhao Xiuying , Zhang Liqun
Published: January 2022

Vibration and noise are ubiquitous in social life, which severely damage machinery and adversely affect human health. Thus, the development of materials with high‐damping performance is of great importance. Rubbers are typically used as damping materials because of their unique viscoelasticity. However, they do not satisfy the requirements of different applications with various working conditions. In this study, the advantages of the high loss factor of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) are combined with the strong designability of polyurethane. Hydroxyl‐terminated solution‐polymerized styrene butadiene rubbers (HTSSBRs) with different structures are prepared using anionic polymerization. HTSSBRs are then used as the soft segment during the synthesis of temperature‐tunable high‐damping performance polyurethanes (HTSSBR‐polyurethanes (PUs)). The prepared HTSSBR‐PUs with different structures exhibit excellent loss performance, a maximum loss factor (tanδmax) of above 1.60, and an effective damping performance over a wide temperature range compared to traditional SBR and polyurethane. Therefore, this work offers an effective method for the design of damping materials with adjustable properties.
Pricing leadership decisions of competing firms with consumer learning
Authors: Hou Rui , Cui Zibin , Zhao You
Published: January 2022

We consider two competing firms that sell two quality‐differentiated products over two periods, in which the high‐ or low‐quality firms have the option to act as a pricing leader or follower in the first or second periods. Two groups of consumers make their purchase decisions in the first or second periods, with the former consumers using the experience available to the latter from online communities (e.g., TikTok). Our analysis indicates that competition intensity and consumers' reviews are two interacting forces that steer the equilibrium decisions of the two competing firms.
Institutional constraints and exporting of emerging‐market firms: The moderating role of innovation capabilities and digital transformation
Authors: Su Huiwen , Cai Feiying , Huang Yunting
Published: January 2022

Drawing from institutional arbitrage perspective and the view of organizational capability, we develop arguments showing how emerging‐market firms' (EMFs) innovation capabilities and digital transformation facilitate or constrain the importance of domestic institutional quality in their export activities. We use the data of Chinese firms collected from World Bank's Enterprise Survey database to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that home country institutional constraints relate positively to export intensity. Moreover, this relationship is weakened by innovative capabilities but strengthened by digital transformation. We discuss the implications for theory and practice.
Antibacterial Activity Prediction of Plant Secondary Metabolites Based on a Combined Approach of Graph Clustering and Deep Neural Network
Authors: Karim Mohammad Bozlul , Kanaya Shigehiko , Altaf‐Ul‐Amin Md.
Published: January 2022

The plants produce numerous types of secondary metabolites which have pharmacological importance in drug development for different diseases. Computational methods widely use the fingerprints of the metabolites to understand different properties and similarities among metabolites and for the prediction of chemical reactions etc. In this work, we developed three different deep neural network models (DNN) to predict the antibacterial property of plant metabolites. We developed the first DNN model using the fingerprint set of metabolites as features. In the second DNN model, we searched the similarities among fingerprints using correlation and used one representative feature from each group of highly correlated fingerprints. In the third model, the fingerprints of metabolites were used to find structurally similar chemical compound clusters. Form each cluster a representative metabolite is selected and made part of the training dataset. The second model reduced the number of features where the third model achieved better classification results for test data. In both cases, we applied the simple graph clustering method to cluster the corresponding network. The correlation‐based DNN model reduced some features while retaining an almost similar performance compared to the first DNN model. The third model improves classification results for test data by capturing wider variance within training data using graph clustering method. This third model is somewhat novel approach and can be applied to build DNN models for other purposes.
Small Fiber Neuropathy and SARS‐CoV‐2 Infection. Another piece in the long COVID puzzle?
Authors: Gemignani Franco
Published: January 2022

see article on pages 440‐443 in this issue
Promoting urinary continence in people suffering a stroke: Effectiveness of a complex intervention—An intervention study
Authors: Kohler Myrta , Ott Stefan , Mullis Jeanette , Mayer Hanna , Kesselring Jürg , Saxer Susi
Published: January 2022

Aim

The study aimed to implement and measure effectiveness of a systematic continence management intervention in people suffering a stroke in undertaking rehabilitation.

Design

An intervention study was conducted.

Methods

In the first part of the study, patients were included in the control group and observed. After the training of the nursing staff, participants were assigned to the intervention group. The intervention consisted of screening, assessment, treatment, communication and evaluation.

Results

Forty‐six patients took part in the study, of which 35 were in the control and 11 in the intervention groups. Within the two groups, significant improvements in outcomes were mostly seen during the study. For the Incontinence Quality of Life Social Embarrassment scale, a significantly higher increase was observed for the intervention group. The improvement between admission and discharge in the intervention group was notably larger for the outcome's incontinence and quality of life.
High efficient degradation of organic dyes by polypyrrole‐multiwall carbon nanotubes nanocomposites
Authors: Pang Ai Ling , Arsad Agus , Ahmadipour Mohsen , Azlan Hamzah Azrul , Ahmad Zaini Muhammad Abbas , Mohsin Rahmat
Published: January 2022

Over the years, there has been an emphasis on the improvement of novel materials for photocatalytic processes for practical application in treating wastewater. In this sense, the ultrasonic‐assisted in‐situ chemical polymerization route was used to synthesize polypyrrole‐multiwall carbon nanotubes (PPy‐MWCNTs) nanocomposites. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet visible (UV–vis) analysis were employed to study the impact of MWCNTs on the properties of PPy. TEM showed that the PPy‐MWCNTs nanocomposites consist of spherical PPy with 80 nm particle size, while the MWCNTs showed inner and outer diameters of 7 nm and 13 nm, respectively. XRD analysis showed that the crystallinity of the PPy increased with MWCNTs loading. The potential of PPy‐MWCNTs nanocomposites as photocatalysts was evaluated via the photodegradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and methylene blue (MB) dyes. The photodegradation efficiency was found to have improved with increasing MWCNTs loading. Almost 99.36% and 78.30% of RhB and MB dye degradation were achieved after 35 min of reaction for the highest loading of MWCNTs. The remarkable nanocomposite photocatalytic activity was attributed to the optical bandgap energy (Eg) reduction with the addition of MWCNTs. These results foreshadow the potential use of the PPy‐MWCNTs nanocomposites for water purification.
Long‐read nanopore DNA sequencing can resolve complex intragenic duplication/deletion variants, providing information to enable preimplantation genetic diagnosis
Authors: Watson Christopher M. , Holliday Deborah L. , Crinnion Laura A. , Bonthron David T.
Published: January 2022

Background

The adoption of massively parallel short‐read DNA sequencing methods has greatly expanded the scope and availability of genetic testing for inherited diseases. Indeed, the power of these methods has encouraged the integration of whole genome sequencing, the most comprehensive single approach to genomic analysis, into clinical practice. Despite these advances, diagnostic techniques that incompletely resolve the precise molecular boundaries of pathogenic sequence variants continue to be routinely deployed. This can present a barrier for certain prenatal diagnostic approaches. For example, the pre‐referral workup for couples seeking preimplantation genetic diagnosis requires intragenic dosage variants to be characterised at nucleotide resolution.

Objective

We sought to assess the use of long‐read nanopore sequencing to rapidly characterise an apparent heterozygous RB1 exon 23 deletion that was initially identified by multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification (MLPA), in a patient with bilateral retinoblastoma.

Methods

Target enrichment was performed by long‐range polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification prior to Flongle sequencing on a MinION long‐read sequencer.

Results

Characterisation of the deletion breakpoint included an unexpected 85‐bp insertion which duplicated RB1 exon 24 (and was undetected by MLPA). The long‐read sequence permitted design of a multiplex PCR assay, which confirmed that the mutation arose de novo.

Conclusion

Our experience demonstrates the diagnostic utility of long‐read technology for the precise characterisation of structural variants, and highlights how this technology can be efficiently deployed to enable onward referral to reproductive medicine services.
A process model of the public sphere: A case of municipal policy debates on Sina Weibo
Authors: Chen Qinying , Jacobson Tom
Published: January 2022

Social media have become a major venue where citizens discuss matters of public concern, prompting some scholars to apply theory of the public sphere to analyze online discussion. However, the public sphere is often viewed as a static space; little attention is given to the complex processes through which topics are raised, debated, and refined by the public through this discussion. This study conceptualizes the public sphere as a problematization process and proposes a novel framework combining a four‐phase process analysis together with content analysis to analyze public deliberation process on social media. A case study is conducted of public discussion on Sina Weibo about municipal policy in Hangzhou, China. Data generated using the framework illustrate how social media function as a filtering mechanism, channeling salient public opinions from civil society to decision‐making bodies in the center of the politico‐legal system, where these opinions play a role in policy decision‐making. This paper provides analytic leverage for understanding the relevance of public sphere theory to policymaking processes.
Sequence preference and scaffolding requirement for the inhibition of human neutrophil elastase by ecotin peptide
Authors: Bagga Tanaya , Loh Su Ning , Sivaraman J , Shankar Srihari
Published: January 2022

Human neutrophil elastase (hNE) is an abundant serine protease that is a major constituent of lung elastolytic activity. However, when secreted in excess, if not properly attenuated by selective inhibitor proteins, it can have detrimental effects on host tissues, leading to chronic lung inflammation and non‐small cell lung cancer. To improve upon the design of inhibitors against hNE for therapeutic applications, here, we report the crystal structure of hNE in complex with an ecotin (ET)‐derived peptide inhibitor. We show that the peptide binds in the nonprime substrate binding site. Unexpectedly, compared with full‐length (FL) ET, we find that our short linear peptides and circular amide backbone–linked peptides of ET are incapable of efficient hNE inhibition. Our structural insights point to a preferred amino acid sequence and the potential benefit of a scaffold for optimal binding and function of the peptide inhibitor, both of which are retained in the FL ET protein. These findings will aid in the development of effective peptide‐based inhibitors against hNE for targeted therapy.