bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Beam splitting characteristics of crystal X-ray Laue diffraction
Authors: Zhao Chang-Zhe , Si Shang-Yu , Zhang Hai-Peng , Xue Lian , Li Zhong-Liang , Xiao Ti-Qiao ,   Shanghai Institute of Applied Physics, China Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201800, China,   University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China,   Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility/Zhangjiang Lab, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China
Published: February 2022

The beam splitter is an optical element that divides a beam of light into two or more subbeams. It is an essential component in many optical experiments. X-ray has the characteristics of short wavelength and strong penetration ability, making it hard to use the optical elements in the visible-light region. Therefore, it is necessary to develop optical elements suitable for X-rays. The atomic layer spacing of the perfect crystal is of the same order of magnitude as the X-ray wavelength, so the crystal diffraction effect can be used to achieve the X-ray modulation. In this paper, the beam splitting characteristics of Laue crystal are analyzed based on X-ray diffraction dynamics and the influences of crystal absorption and incident light angular divergence on the rocking curves of transmission and diffraction are simulated. The modulation of the crystal diffraction in-plane angle and crystal thickness to Laue diffraction beam-splitting ratio is presented quantitatively. The results show that the kinematical theory of X-ray diffraction is not enough to analyze the beam splitting characteristics of the crystal. It is necessary to consider the interaction between the wave fields in the crystal and use the Pendellӧsung effect in the dynamical theory of X-ray diffraction to explain the change of the crystal beam-splitting ratio quantitatively. The influence of angular divergence and crystal absorption are considered in the simulation. The angular divergence broadens the bandwidth of the diffraction, thereby reducing diffraction intensity. The crystal absorption results in asymmetry and peak shift of the transmission curve and affects the intensity of diffraction and the intensity of transmission beam. The experimental results show that the non-dispersive (+n, –n) configuration can effectively eliminate the influence of angle divergence. The beam-splitting ratio can be adjusted in a small range (±2%) by changing the in-plane angle and adjusted in a wide range (±75%) by changing the crystal thickness, thereby realizing the quantitative modulation of the intensity of transmission and diffraction beam.
NMDA receptors in visual cortex are necessary for normal visuomotor integration and skill learning
Authors: Widmer Felix C , O'Toole Sean M , Keller Georg B
Published: February 2022

The experience of coupling between motor output and visual feedback is necessary for the development of visuomotor skills and shapes visuomotor integration in visual cortex. Whether these experience-dependent changes of responses in V1 depend on modifications of the local circuit or are the consequence of circuit changes outside of V1 remains unclear. Here, we probed the role of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-dependent signaling, which is known to be involved in neuronal plasticity, in mouse primary visual cortex (V1) during visuomotor development. We used a local knockout of NMDA receptors and a photoactivatable inhibition of CaMKII in V1 during the first visual experience to probe for changes in neuronal activity in V1 as well as the influence on performance in a visuomotor task. We found that a knockout of NMDA receptors before, but not after, first visuomotor experience reduced responses to unpredictable stimuli, diminished the suppression of predictable feedback in V1, and impaired visuomotor skill learning later in life. Our results demonstrate that NMDA receptor-dependent signaling in V1 is critical during the first visuomotor experience for shaping visuomotor integration and enabling visuomotor skill learning.
Effect of cancer on outcome of COVID-19 patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of unvaccinated patients
Authors: Di Felice Giulia , Visci Giovanni , Teglia Federica , Angelini Marco , Boffetta Paolo
Published: February 2022

Background:

Since the beginning of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, cancer patients affected by COVID-19 have been reported to experience poor prognosis; however, a detailed quantification of the effect of cancer on outcome of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients has not been performed.

Methods:

To carry out a systematic review of the studies comparing the outcome of unvaccinated COVID-19 patients with and without cancer, a search string was devised which was used to identify relevant publications in PubMed up to December 31, 2020. We selected three outcomes: mortality, access to ICU, and COVID-19 severity or hospitalization. We considered results for all cancers combined as well as for specific cancers. We conducted random-effects meta-analyses of the results, overall and after stratification by region. We also performed sensitivity analyses according to quality score and assessed publication bias.

Results:

For all cancer combined, the pooled odds ratio (OR) for mortality was 2.32 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.82–2.94, I2 for heterogeneity 90.1%, 24 studies), that for ICU admission was 2.39 (95% CI 1.90–3.02, I2 0.0%, 5 studies), that for disease severity or hospitalization was 2.08 (95% CI 1.60–2.72, I2 92.1%, 15 studies). The pooled mortality OR for hematologic neoplasms was 2.14 (95% CI 1.87–2.44, I2 20.8%, 8 studies). Data were insufficient to perform a meta-analysis for other cancers. In the mortality meta-analysis for all cancers, the pooled OR was higher for studies conducted in Asia than studies conducted in Europe or North America. There was no evidence of publication bias.

Conclusions:

Our meta-analysis indicates a twofold increased risk of adverse outcomes (mortality, ICU admission, and severity of COVID-19) in unvaccinated COVID-19 patients with cancer compared to COVID-19 patients without cancer. These results should be compared with studies conducted in vaccinated patients; nonetheless, they argue for special effort to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with cancer.

Funding:

No external funding was obtained.
A novel mechanism of bulk cytoplasmic transport by cortical dynein in Drosophila ovary
Authors: Lu Wen , Lakonishok Margot , Serpinskaya Anna S , Gelfand Vladimir I
Published: February 2022

Cytoplasmic dynein, a major minus-end directed microtubule motor, plays essential roles in eukaryotic cells. Drosophila oocyte growth is mainly dependent on the contribution of cytoplasmic contents from the interconnected sister cells, nurse cells. We have previously shown that cytoplasmic dynein is required for Drosophila oocyte growth and assumed that it simply transports cargoes along microtubule tracks from nurse cells to the oocyte. Here, we report that instead of transporting individual cargoes along stationary microtubules into the oocyte, cortical dynein actively moves microtubules within nurse cells and from nurse cells to the oocyte via the cytoplasmic bridges, the ring canals. This robust microtubule movement is sufficient to drag even inert cytoplasmic particles through the ring canals to the oocyte. Furthermore, replacing dynein with a minus-end directed plant kinesin linked to the actin cortex is sufficient for transporting organelles and cytoplasm to the oocyte and driving its growth. These experiments show that cortical dynein performs bulk cytoplasmic transport by gliding microtubules along the cell cortex and through the ring canals to the oocyte. We propose that the dynein-driven microtubule flow could serve as a novel mode of fast cytoplasmic transport.
Ultrasound image denoising using generative adversarial networks with residual dense connectivity and weighted joint loss
Authors: Zhang Lun , Zhang Junhua
Published: February 2022

Background

Ultrasound imaging has been recognized as a powerful tool in clinical diagnosis. Nonetheless, the presence of speckle noise degrades the signal-to-noise of ultrasound images. Various denoising algorithms cannot fully reduce speckle noise and retain image features well for ultrasound imaging. The application of deep learning in ultrasound image denoising has attracted more and more attention in recent years.

Methods

In the article, we propose a generative adversarial network with residual dense connectivity and weighted joint loss (GAN-RW) to avoid the limitations of traditional image denoising algorithms and surpass the most advanced performance of ultrasound image denoising. The denoising network is based on U-Net architecture which includes four encoder and four decoder modules. Each of the encoder and decoder modules is replaced with residual dense connectivity and BN to remove speckle noise. The discriminator network applies a series of convolutional layers to identify differences between the translated images and the desired modality. In the training processes, we introduce a joint loss function consisting of a weighted sum of the L1 loss function, binary cross-entropy with a logit loss function and perceptual loss function.

Results

We split the experiments into two parts. First, experiments were performed on Berkeley segmentation (BSD68) datasets corrupted by a simulated speckle. Compared with the eight existing denoising algorithms, the GAN-RW achieved the most advanced despeckling performance in terms of the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity (SSIM), and subjective visual effect. When the noise level was 15, the average value of the GAN-RW increased by approximately 3.58% and 1.23% for PSNR and SSIM, respectively. When the noise level was 25, the average value of the GAN-RW increased by approximately 3.08% and 1.84% for PSNR and SSIM, respectively. When the noise level was 50, the average value of the GAN-RW increased by approximately 1.32% and 1.98% for PSNR and SSIM, respectively. Secondly, experiments were performed on the ultrasound images of lymph nodes, the foetal head, and the brachial plexus. The proposed method shows higher subjective visual effect when verifying on the ultrasound images. In the end, through statistical analysis, the GAN-RW achieved the highest mean rank in the Friedman test.
The impact of COVID-19 and control measures on public health in Thailand, 2020
Authors: Yorsaeng Ritthideach , Suntronwong Nungruthai , Thongpan Ilada , Chuchaona Watchaporn , Lestari Fajar Budi , Pasittungkul Siripat , Puenpa Jiratchaya , Atsawawaranunt Kamolthip , Sharma Chollasap , Sudhinaraset Natthinee , Mungaomklang Anek , Kitphati Rungrueng , Wanlapakorn Nasamon , Poovorawan Yong
Published: February 2022

Background

The COVID-19 virus has been an emerging disease causing global outbreaks for over a year. In Thailand, transmission may be controlled by strict measures that could positively and negatively impact physical health and suicidal behavior.

Methods

The incidence of COVID-19 was retrieved from the Department of Disease Control (DDC). The impact of viral diseases was retrieved from the open-source of the DDC and King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital. The road accidents data were from the Thai Ministry of Transport. The suicidal behavior data were obtained from the Department of Mental Health. We compared data from the year 2019 with the pandemic COVID-19 outbreak period in 2020, before lockdown, during lockdown, easing, and new wave period using unpaired t-test and least-squares linear regression. We compared the impact of the outbreak on various data records in 2020 with corresponding non-outbreak from 2019.

Results

There was a significant decline in cases of influenza (p < 0.001) and norovirus (p = 0.01). However, there was no significant difference in RSV cases (p = 0.17). There was a dramatic increase in attempt to suicides and suicides (p < 0.001). There was no impact on roadside accidents and outpatient department visits.

Discussion

The extensive intervention measures during lockdown during the first wave positively impacted total cases for each period for acute respiratory and gastrointestinal tract diseases, car accidents, and injuries and negatively impacted indicators of suicidal behavior. The data support government policies that would be effective against the next outbreak by promoting the “new normal” lifestyle.
In vivo evaluation of the protective effects of arjunolic acid against lipopolysaccharide-induced septic myocardial injury
Authors: Elsawy Hany , Almalki Mohammed , Elmenshawy Omar , Abdel-Moneim Ashraf
Published: February 2022

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is a glycolipid component of the cell wall of Gram-negative bacteria, which induces multiple organ dysfunctions, eventually leading to septic shock and death. Arjunolic acid (AA) has been shown to have therapeutic benefits against various organ pathophysiologies, although its role in sepsis remains unclear. Here, we evaluated the effects of AA on LPS-induced free radical production and cardiotoxicity. Male albino mice were allocated to four groups: normal, 1.5 µg/30 g b.w. of LPS (LPS), 20 mg/kg b.w. AA with LPS (AA+LPS) and 20 mg/kg b.w. of AA (AA). Subsequently, blood and heart samples were harvested for biochemical and histopathological examinations. Pretreatment with AA attenuated LPS-induced increased serum levels of cardiac troponin I, lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase. In the meantime, AA pretreatment before LPS resulted in a significant increase in endogenous antioxidants (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase and reduced glutathione) and a significant decrease in the level of lipid peroxidation product (malondialdehyde) in the heart as compared to the LPS group, while cardiac cytochrome c activity were significantly increased. In addition, in the AA-pretreated mice, C-reactive protein and proinflammatory cytokines (interlukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha) were significantly reduced, and anti-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-4 and -10) were significantly increased in cardiac tissues as compared to the LPS-treated animals. Furthermore, prior administration of AA to LPS exposed mice led to a significant a significant decrease in heart caspase-3, -8, and -9 as compared to the LPS group. Interestingly, AA was also able to improve LPS-induced histopathological changes in the cardiomyocytes. In conclusion, these in vivo findings indicate that AA may be a promising cardioprotective agent against LPS-stimulated cardiotoxicity, at least in part, through upregulation of cardiac antioxidants, reduction of lipid peroxidation, and inhibition of inflammation and cardiac cell death.
Variation in the Distribution of Nerves in the Front of Arm- A Cadaveric Study from South India
Authors: Devi A Vijaya Lakshmi , Rao P Sushma , Jakka Lakshmi Durga , Chandrika Pitta Venkata , Latha D Asha
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Brachial plexus are the main nerve supply to the muscles of upper limb and the muscles of the flexor compartment arm are supplied by Musculocutaneous Nerve (McN). Any variations in the nerve innervation of the flexor muscles of arm should be documented as they have clinical implications. Aim: To observe and document the variations in the innervation of muscles of the front of arm and discuss its clinical implications with the help of available literature. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was done in the Department of Anatomy, Siddhartha Medical College for a period of three years that is from October 2017 to October 2020 on 50 upper limbs, from 25 cadavers. The upper limbs were dissected to observe the innervations of muscles of front of arm. Contents of front of arm were observed. Incidence and percentage of variation in the population was tabulated. Results: Variations in the nerve supply of muscles of front of arm were noticed in 6% of the cases. In two cadavers (4%), all the muscles of right arm except coracobrachialis were innervated by a trifurcated branch from Median Nerve (MN) and the latter was supplied by a separate branch from lateral cord. In another left upper limb two separate branches innervated from lateral cord and supplied all the muscles of arm. In the present study, observed variations were more common on right side than on the left side. Conclusion: Knowledge of such variations are important for the surgeons during surgical exploration of axilla, nerve block in supraclavicular, infraclavicular or axillary region and also during nerve grafting. Also, the study highlights the incidence of variations in a particular region.
Role of Laparoscopic Fundoplication in the Management of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease- A Retrospective Study
Authors: Nagula Bhanu Prasad , Vodnala Abhishek
Published: February 2022

Introduction: Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is a common gastrointestinal disease affecting 3-7% of Asians and becoming a major health care burden in elderly population. Surgical intervention with laparoscopic fundoplication is the effective tool in the management of GERD. Aim: To evaluate the role and advantages of laparoscopic fundoplication in the management of cases with GERD and to compare the laparoscopic Nissen’s fundoplication and laparoscopic toupet’s fundoplication in management of GERD. Materials and Methods: The present retrospective and prospective study was conducted in the Department of General surgery at Government Medical College, Nizamabad from August 2019 to July 2021. A total of 36 cases of both sexes, clinically diagnosed as chronic GERD undergone laparoscopic Nissen’s fundoplication and laparoscopic toupet’s fundoplication surgery were recruited. Preoperative and postoperative assessment of disease status was done at the end of third month and sixth month. Collected data was analysed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 16.0. The chi- square test was used to test the significance of qualitative data. The p<0.005 was considered as statistically significant. Results: In total data collected for 36 cases, majority cases were between 31-40 years (n=13) and 41-50 years (n=11). Total of 19 patients had undergone Laparoscopic Nissen's Fundoplication while 17 patients were of Laparoscopic Toupet's Fundoplication surgery. The mean difference of age was statistically not significant (p>0.05). Postsurgical significant improvement was observed in cases of grade 3 (n=7), grade 4 (n=19) and grade 5 (n=10) oesophagitis. The mean duration to start oral liquids was 1.29 days and 1.08 days, mean duration of surgery was 3.62 hours and 3.19 hours, mean duration of hospital stay was 4.12 and 3.67 days and the average ambulatory period was 1.46 and 1.62 days in laparoscopic nissen’s group and laparoscopic toupet’s group, respectively. Conclusion: The laparoscopic toupet’s fundoplication and laparoscopic nissen’s fundoplication were comparable in the management of postoperative Complications. The incidence of postoperative dysphagia was comparatively more in laparoscopic Nissen’s group than laparoscopic toupet’s group. However, the incidence was diminished within six months of postoperative follow-up.
Energy Use Efficiency of Sugar Cane Production in the Central Clay Plain of Kenana Area
Authors: Hassan Dahab Mohamed , Kheiry Abdalla N. O. , Abdalla Omer Ahmed
Published: February 2022

Sugarcane is one of the strategic cash crops in Sudan for production of sugar and other products for local consumption and export. The objective of this research study was to investigate and calculate the amounts of energy used in sugarcane production, to evaluate the energy use efficiency at Kenana Sugarcane Company. Data were collected from this company and literature to compute the required energy parameters. The results indicated that total energy input was 85496.6 MJha-1 and total energy output was 112812 MJha-1 and urea fertilizer energy used in sugarcane production systems had the highest share with 37.0 percent, followed by electricity for irrigation pumps, diesel fuel and seed cuttings used, as 17.1, 15.5 and 13.4 percent energy respectively. The energy use efficiency, energy productivity, specific energy, renewable energy and non-renewable energy of sugarcane production were 1.31, 1.10 KgMJ-1, 0.91 MJkg-1, 19989.2 MJha-1, 65507.4 MJha-1 and 26980 MJha-1 respectively. The energy use efficiency of sugarcane production shows value higher than one, so the system earned energy for sugarcane production in Kenana-Sudan.
Metallodrugs: an approach against invasion and metastasis in cancer treatment
Authors: González‐Ballesteros Mauricio M. , Mejía Carmen , Ruiz‐Azuara Lena
Published: February 2022

Cancer is a heterogeneous and multifactorial disease that causes high mortality throughout the world; therefore, finding the most effective therapies is a major research challenge. Currently, most anticancer drugs present a limited number of well‐established targets, such as cell proliferation or death; however, it is important to consider that the worse progression of cancer toward pathological stages implies invasion and metastasis processes. Medicinal Inorganic Chemistry (MIC) is a young area that deals with the design, synthesis, characterization, preclinical evaluation, and mechanism of action of new inorganic compounds, called metallodrugs. The properties of metallic ions allow enriching of strategies for the design of new drugs, enabling the adjustment of physicochemical and stereochemical properties. Metallodrugs can adopt geometries, such as tetrahedral, octahedral, square planar, and square planar pyramid, which adjusts their arrangement and facilitates binding with a wide variety of targets. The redox properties of some metal ions can be modulated by the presence of the bound ligands to adjust their interaction, thereby opening a range of mechanisms of action. In this regard, the mechanisms of action that trigger the biological activity of metallodrugs have been generally identified by: (a) coordination of the metal to biomolecules (for instance, cisplatin binds to the N7 in DNA guanine, as Pt‐N via coordination of the inhibition of enzymes); (b) redox‐active; and (c) ROS production. For this reason, a series of metallodrugs can interact with several specific targets in the anti‐invasive processes of cancer and can prevent metastasis. The structural base of several metal compounds shows great anticancer potential by inhibiting the signaling pathways related to cancer progression. In this minireview, we present the advances in the field of antimetastatic effects of metallodrugs.
Quantitative Determination of Native Point‐Defect Concentrations at the ppm Level in Un‐Doped BaSnO3 Thin Films
Authors: Belthle Kendra S. , Gries Ute N. , Mueller Michael P. , Kemp Dennis , Prakash Abhinav , Rose Marc‐André , Börgers Jacqueline M. , Jalan Bharat , Gunkel Felix , De Souza Roger A.
Published: February 2022

The high‐mobility, wide‐bandgap perovskite oxide BaSnO3 is taken as a model system to demonstrate that the native point defects present in un‐doped, epitaxial thin films grown by hybrid molecular beam epitaxy can be identified and their concentrations at the ppm level determined quantitatively. An elevated‐temperature, multi‐faceted approach is shown to be necessary: oxygen tracer diffusion experiments with secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis; molecular dynamics simulations of oxygen‐vacancy diffusion; electronic conductivity studies as a function of oxygen activity and temperature; and Hall‐effect measurements. The results indicate that the oxygen‐vacancy concentration cannot be lowered below 1017.3 cm−3 because of a background level of barium vacancies (of this concentration), introduced during film growth. The multi‐faceted approach also yields the electron mobility over a wide temperature range, coefficients of oxygen surface exchange and oxygen‐vacancy diffusion, and the reduction enthalpy. The consequences of the results for the lowest electron concentration achievable in BaSnO3 samples, for the ease of oxide reduction and for the stability of reduced films with respect to oxidation, are discussed.
Ultrafast Sub‐100 fs All‐Optical Modulation and Efficient Third‐Harmonic Generation in Weyl Semimetal Niobium Phosphide Thin Films
Authors: Tilmann Benjamin , Pandeya Avanindra Kumar , Grinblat Gustavo , Menezes Leonardo de S. , Li Yi , Shekhar Chandra , Felser Claudia , Parkin Stuart S. P. , Bedoya‐Pinto Amilcar , Maier Stefan A.
Published: February 2022

Since their experimental discovery in 2015, Weyl semimetals have generated a large amount of attention due their intriguing physical properties that arise from their linear electron dispersion relation and topological surface states. In particular, in the field of nonlinear (NL) optics and light harvesting, Weyl semimetals have shown outstanding performances and achieved record NL conversion coefficients. In this context, the first steps toward Weyl semimetal nanophotonics are performed here by thoroughly characterizing the linear and NL optical behavior of epitaxially grown niobium phosphide (NbP) thin films, covering the visible to the near‐infrared regime of the electromagnetic spectrum. Despite the measured high linear absorption, third‐harmonic generation studies demonstrate high conversion efficiencies up to 10−4% that can be attributed to the topological electron states at the surface of the material. Furthermore, nondegenerate pump–probe measurements with sub‐10 fs pulses reveal a maximum modulation depth of ≈1%, completely decaying within 100 fs and therefore suggesting the possibility of developing all‐optical switching devices based on NbP. Altogether, this work reveals the promising NL optical properties of Weyl semimetal thin films, which outperform bulk crystals of the same material, laying the grounds for nanoscale applications, enabled by top‐down nanostructuring, such as light‐harvesting, on‐chip frequency conversion, and all‐optical processing.
Ti3C2Tx/PANI/Liquid Metal Composite Microspheres with 3D Nanoflower Structure: Preparation, Characterization, and Applications in EMI Shielding
Authors: Li Jing , Li Yingxue , Yang Liying , Yin Shougen
Published: February 2022

Conductive fabrics are promising candidates for developing flexible, lightweight, and high conductivity electromagnetic (EM) shielding materials to meet the requirements of next‐generation flexible and wearable electronics. Herein, an effective strategy to construct a conductive titanium carbide (Ti3C2Tx)/Polyaniline (PANI) composite with 3D nanoflower structure by deposition of PANI on the surface of single‐layer Ti3C2Tx nanosheets through in situ and oxidant‐free polymerization of aniline monomer to avoid the restacking/aggregation and easy oxidation of Ti3C2Tx MXene is developed. In addition, GaIn liquid metal (LM) nanoparticles are also incorporated into the Ti3C2Tx/PANI microsphere to increase conductivity and stability. This method solves the existing problems of poor connectivity between LM nanoparticles and discontinuity of the Ti3C2Tx MXene nanosheets. Eventually, by using carbon fabrics (CF) as the substrate, a flexible, stable, and efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding conductive composite fabric with an optimal EMI shielding efficiency (EMI SE) value of 52.0 dB in the range of 8.2–12.4 GHz at a thickness of 0.27 mm is developed. Meanwhile, the as‐prepared fabrics demonstrate superior Joule heating property, high mechanical flexibility, and excellent bending‐release stability. The study provides a simple and efficient method to fabricate multifunctional conductive textiles to meet the need for practical application in EMI shielding area.
Biodegradable Nanoprobe for NIR‐II Fluorescence Image‐Guided Surgery and Enhanced Breast Cancer Radiotherapy Efficacy
Authors: Yang Rui‐Qin , Wang Pei‐Yuan , Lou Kang‐Liang , Dang Yong‐Ying , Tian Hai‐Na , Li Yang , Gao Yi‐Yang , Huang Wen‐He , Zhang Yong‐Qu , Liu Xiao‐Long , Zhang Guo‐Jun
Published: February 2022

Positive resection margin frequently exists in breast‐conserving treatment (BCT) of early‐stage breast cancer, and insufficient therapeutic efficacy is common during radiotherapy (RT) in advanced breast cancer patients. Moreover, a multimodal nanotherapy platform is urgently required for precision cancer medicine. Therefore, a biodegradable cyclic RGD pentapeptide/hollow virus‐like gadolinium (Gd)‐based indocyanine green (R&HV‐Gd@ICG) nanoprobe is developed to improve fluorescence image‐guided surgery and breast cancer RT efficacy. R&HV‐Gd exhibits remarkably improved aqueous stability, tumor retention, and target specificity of ICG, and achieves outstanding magnetic resonance/second near‐infrared (NIR‐II) window multimodal imaging in vivo. The nanoprobe‐based NIR‐II fluorescence image guidance facilitates complete tumor resection, improves the overall mouse survival rate, and effectively discriminates between benign and malignant breast tissues in spontaneous breast cancer transgenic mice (area under the curve = 0.978; 95% confidence interval: 0.952, 1.0). Moreover, introducing the nanoprobe to tumors generated more reactive oxygen species under X‐ray irradiation, improved RT sensitivity, and reduced mouse tumor progression. Notably, the nanoprobe is biodegradable in vivo and exhibits accelerated bodily clearance, which is expected to reduce the potential long‐term inorganic nanoparticle toxicity. Overall, the nanoprobe provides a basis for developing precision breast cancer treatment strategies.
Chidamide plus prednisone, etoposide, and thalidomide for untreated angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma in a Chinese population: A multicenter phase II trial
Authors: Wang Yawen , Zhang Mingzhi , Song Wei , Cai Qingqing , Zhang Liling , Sun Xiuhua , Zou Liqun , Zhang Huilai , Wang Lili , Xue Hongwei
Published: February 2022

Angioimmunoblastic T‐cell lymphoma (AITL) is a common type of peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL) with a poor prognosis, and an effective first‐line therapy is lacking. Chidamide is a selective histone deacetylase inhibitor and has been approved by the China Food and Drug Administration for relapsed or refractory PTCL. We conducted a multicenter phase II clinical trial combining chidamide with prednisone, etoposide, and thalidomide (CPET regimen) for a total of eight cycles in untreated AITL patients in China. The primary objectives were the overall response rate (ORR) and complete remission (CR) rate after eight cycles of the CPET regimen. The secondary endpoints were progression‐free survival (PFS) and safety. Of the 71 enrolled patients, 51 completed the eight cycles of the CPET regimen. The ORR and CR of the 51 patients were 90.2 and 54.9%, respectively. After a median follow‐up of 11.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 9.9–17.0), the median PFS of the 51 patients was 42.6 months (95% CI, 27.7—not reached) and the median overall survival (OS) was not reached. The 2‐year PFS rate and OS rate were 66.5 and 82.2%, respectively. Sixty‐eight patients received at least one cycle of CPET regimen and were included as the safety assessment population. The most common grade 3/4 adverse event was neutropenia (n = 22, 32.3%). Twelve patients showed treatment‐related infections and recovered from antibiotic therapy; the other adverse events were mostly mild and reversible. The oral CPET regimen is an effective, tolerable, and economical choice for untreated AITL in a Chinese population. This trial was registered in www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03273452.
Selective Electrooxidation of Biomass‐Derived Alcohols to Aldehydes in a Neutral Medium: Promoted Water Dissociation over a Nickel‐Oxide‐Supported Ruthenium Single‐Atom Catalyst
Authors: Ge Ruixiang , Wang Ye , Li Zezhou , Xu Ming , Xu Si‐Min , Zhou Hua , Ji Kaiyue , Chen Fengen , Zhou Jihan , Duan Haohong
Published: February 2022

The biomass‐derived alcohol oxidation reaction (BDAOR) holds great promise for sustainable production of chemicals. However, selective electrooxidation of alcohols to value‐added aldehyde compounds is still challenging. Herein, we report the electrocatalytic BDAORs to selectively produce aldehydes using single‐atom ruthenium on nickel oxide (Ru1‐NiO) as a catalyst in the neutral medium. For electrooxidation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), Ru1‐NiO exhibits a low potential of 1.283 V at 10 mA cm−2, and an optimal 2,5‐diformylfuran (DFF) selectivity of 90 %. Experimental studies reveal that the neutral electrolyte plays a critical role in achieving a high aldehyde selectivity, and the single‐atom Ru boosts HMF oxidation in the neutral medium by promoting water dissociation to afford OH*. Furthermore, Ru1‐NiO can be extended to selective electrooxidation of a series of biomass‐derived alcohols to corresponding aldehydes, which are conventionally difficult to obtain in the alkaline medium.
Complete versus culprit‐only strategy in older MI patients with multivessel disease
Authors: Biscaglia Simone , Erriquez Andrea , Serenelli Matteo , D'Ascenzo Fabrizio , De Ferrari Gaetano , Ariza Sole Albert , Sanchis Juan , Giannini Francesco , Gallo Francesco , Scala Antonella , Menozzi Alberto , Pighi Michele , Moreno Raul , Iannopollo Gianmarco , Menozzi Mila , Guiducci Vincenzo , Tebaldi Matteo , Campo Gianluca
Published: February 2022

Aims

The revascularization strategy to pursue in older myocardial infarction (MI) patients with multivessel disease (MVD) is currently unknown. For this reason, while waiting for the results of dedicated trials, we sought to compare a complete versus a culprit‐only strategy in older MI patients by merging data from four registries.

Methods and results

The inclusion criteria for the target population of the present study were (i) age ≥ 75 years; (ii) MI (STE or NSTE); (iii) MVD; (iv) successful treatment of culprit lesion. Propensity scores (PS) were derived using logistic regression (backward stepwise selection, p < 0.2). The primary outcome was all‐cause mortality. Secondary outcomes were cardiovascular (CV) death, MI, and major bleeding. Multivariable adjustment included the PS and inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW). The Kaplan–Meier plots were weighted for IPT. Among 2087 patients included, 1362 (65%) received culprit‐only treatment whereas 725 (35%) complete revascularization. The mean age was 81.5 years, while the mean follow‐up was 419 ± 284 days. Seventy‐four patients (10%) died in the complete group and 223 in the culprit‐only one (16%). The adjusted cumulative 1‐year mortality was 9.7% in the complete and 12.9% in the culprit‐only group (adjusted HR: 0.67, 95% CI: 0.50–0.89). Complete revascularization was associated with lower incidence of CV death (adjusted HR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.48–0.95) and MI (adjusted HR 0.67, 95% CI: 0.48–0.95).

Conclusions

Culprit‐only is the default strategy in older MI patients with MVD. In our analysis, complete revascularization was associated with lower all‐cause and CV mortality and with a lower MI rate.
Thrombi straddling patent foramen ovale: A case series with various management strategies
Authors: Gill Deanna , Jaber Wissam A. , Keeling William B. , Thames Marc D.
Published: February 2022

This case series explores four cases of thrombi straddling patent foramen ovale (TSFO), an exceedingly rare event. The cases are compared regarding their presentations, evaluations, and management strategies including the first documented uses of percutaneous thromboembolectomy for the removal of a TSFO.
Carotid web stent for the prevention of recurrent stroke: Case report and literature review
Authors: Alnajjar Mohammed , Imam Yahia Z. , Akhtar Naveed , Habas Elmukhtar , Zakaria Ayman
Published: February 2022

Carotid web has been identified as one of the missed causes of recurrent stroke. The diagnosis and management of such cases impose a challenge to medical practitioners. This etiology should be kept in mind, especially in case of recurrence of stroke in a similar cerebral territory.
Monitoring of Anaerobic Degradation in Batch Assays Using Fiber Bags
Authors: Ward Alastair James , Weisbjerg Martin Riis , Lund Peter , Hutchings Nicholas John
Published: February 2022

The anaerobic batch digestion of freeze‐dried and ground (< 1.5 mm) maize silage, wheat straw, cattle manure, pig manure, and cellulose filter paper was investigated with substrates placed in polyester filter bags. Gas production dynamics of bagged and non‐bagged substrates were compared. By using batch bottles running in parallel with those used for gas measurement, substrates could be sampled over time and various parameters measured for both substrate and bulk liquid. The bags allowed an immediate mass loss into the bulk liquid with some substrates and a generally lower rate of gas production. This method requires refinement but has potential for the study of the dynamics of substrate degradation during anaerobic digestion.
From Nickel Foam to Highly Active NiFe‐based Oxygen Evolution Catalysts
Authors: Peugeot Adèle , Creissen Charles E. , Schreiber Moritz W. , Fontecave Marc
Published: February 2022

A key challenge for the large‐scale application of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is the synthesis of active, cheap and robust catalysts. Here, a straightforward procedure to form novel porous and highly active multimetallic oxygen evolution catalysts was reported. They were derived from an original dendritic nickel foam (NiNF) using two strategies: i) Fe‐doping; and ii) Fe/Cr‐doping. A bimetallic NiFe catalyst, formed through controlled acid treatment followed by a simple galvanic exchange procedure proved remarkably active in 1 m KOH with a very low overpotential value of η200=276 mV at 200 mA cm−2 and a very low Tafel slope of 25 mV dec−1. A trimetallic FeNiCr catalyst, containing 11 % Cr, was also synthesised through electrodeposition and partial Cr leaching, to form a stable OER catalyst displaying a very low overpotential value of η200=279 mV at 200 mA cm−2 and a Tafel slope of 29 mV dec−1. These two novel catalysts are among the best performing OER catalysts reported so far.
Sigma/pi Bonding Preferences of Solvated Alkali‐Metal Cations to Ditopic Arylmethyl Anions
Authors: Rae Annabel , Byrne Keelan M. , Brown Scott A. , Kennedy Alan R. , Krämer Tobias , Mulvey Robert E. , Robertson Stuart D.
Published: February 2022

Arylmethyl anions allow alkali‐metals to bind in a σ‐fashion to the lateral carbanionic centre or a π‐fashion to the aryl ring or in between these extremities, with the trend towards π bonding increasing on descending group 1. Here we review known alkali metal structures of diphenylmethane, fluorene, 2‐benzylpyridine and 4‐benzylpyridine. Next, we synthesise Li, Na, K monomers of these diarylmethyls using polydentate donors PMDETA or Me6TREN to remove competing oligomerizing interactions, studying the effect that two aromatic rings has on negative charge (de)localisation via NMR, X‐ray crystallographic and DFT studies. Diphenylmethyl and fluorenyl anions maintain C(H)−M interactions regardless of alkali‐metal, although the adjacent arene carbons engage in interactions with larger alkali‐metals. Introducing a nitrogen atom into the ring (at the 2‐ or 4‐position) encourages relocalisation of negative charge away from the deprotonated carbon and onto nitrogen. Phenyl(2‐pyridyl)methyl moves from an enamide formation at one extremity (lithium) to an aza‐allyl formation at the other extremity (potassium), whileC‐ orN‐coordination modes become energetically viable for Na and K phenyl(4‐pyridyl)methyl complexes.
Changes in Soils and Crops along a Transformational Journey
Authors: Hatfield Jerry L. , Fredericks Wayne L.
Published: February 2022

Some questions most often asked by producers are, “What is changing in my soil when I adopt a management practice? How can I detect that change? and What does it mean for my yields?” These questions reveal our uncertainty in how we quantify changes in the soil and how we view the soil. More importantly, they give insight into what is important to producers for their operations. The current attention on soil health has revealed that we don’t completely understand how soil changes and what is required to determine what is changed in our soils. The focus of this article will be on what actually happens in the soil along the journey of change in corn and soybean systems in the upper Midwest. Earn 1.5 CEUs in Soil & Water Management by taking the quiz for the article at https://bit.ly/3rjoV5C. View all CEUs at https://web.sciencesocieties.org/Learning‐Center/Courses.
Comparative analysis of differential gene expression indicates divergence in ontogenetic strategies of leaves in two conifer genera
Authors: Webster Cynthia , Figueroa‐Corona Laura , Méndez‐González Iván David , Álvarez‐Soto Lluvia , Neale David B. , Jaramillo‐Correa Juan Pablo , Wegrzyn Jill L. , Vázquez‐Lobo Alejandra
Published: February 2022

In land plants, heteroblasty broadly refers to a drastic change in morphology during growth through ontogeny. Juniperus flaccida and Pinus cembroides are conifers of independent lineages known to exhibit leaf heteroblasty between the juvenile and adult life stage of development. Juvenile leaves of P. cembroides develop spirally on the main stem and appear decurrent, flattened, and needle‐like; whereas adult photosynthetic leaves are triangular or semi‐circular needle‐like, and grow in whorls on secondary or tertiary compact dwarf shoots. By comparison, J. flaccida juvenile leaves are decurrent and needle‐like, and adult leaves are compact, short, and scale‐like. Comparative analyses were performed to evaluate differences in anatomy and gene expression patterns between developmental phases in both species. RNA from 12 samples was sequenced and analyzed with available software. They were assembled de novo from the RNA‐Seq reads. Following assembly, 63,741 high‐quality transcripts were functionally annotated in P. cembroides and 69,448 in J. flaccida. Evaluation of the orthologous groups yielded 4140 shared gene families among the four references (adult and juvenile from each species). Activities related to cell division and development were more abundant in juveniles than adults in P. cembroides, and more abundant in adults than juveniles in J. flaccida. Overall, there were 509 up‐regulated and 81 down‐regulated genes in the juvenile condition of P. cembroides and 14 up‐regulated and 22 down‐regulated genes in J. flaccida. Gene interaction network analysis showed evidence of co‐expression and co‐localization of up‐regulated genes involved in cell wall and cuticle formation, development, and phenylpropanoid pathway, in juvenile P. cembroides leaves. Whereas in J. flaccida, differential expression and gene interaction patterns were detected in genes involved in photosynthesis and chloroplast biogenesis. Although J. flaccida and P. cembroides both exhibit leaf heteroblastic development, little overlap was detected, and unique genes and pathways were highlighted in this study.
The phylogeographic history of Megistostegium (Malvaceae) in the dry, spiny thickets of southwestern Madagascar using RAD‐seq data and ecological niche modeling
Authors: Hanes Margaret M. , Shell Susan , Shimu Tahsina , Crist Clarissa , Machkour‐M’Rabet Salima
Published: February 2022

The spiny thicket of southwestern Madagascar represents an extreme and ancient landscape with extraordinary levels of biodiversity and endemism. Few hypotheses exist for explaining speciation in the region and few plant studies have explored hypotheses for species diversification. Here, we investigate three species in the endemic genus Megistostegium (Malvaceae) to evaluate phylogeographic structure and explore the roles of climate, soil, and paleoclimate oscillations on population divergence and speciation throughout the region. We combine phylogenetic and phylogeographic inference of RADseq data with ecological niche modeling across space and time. Population structure is concurrent with major rivers in the region and we identify a new, potentially important biogeographic break coincident with several landscape features. Our data further suggests that niches occupied by species and populations differ substantially across their distribution. Paleodistribution modeling provide evidence that past climatic change could be responsible for the current distribution, population structure, and maintenance of species in Megistostegium.
The complete chloroplast genomes of three Hamamelidaceae species: Comparative and phylogenetic analyses
Authors: Wang NingJie , Chen ShuiFei , Xie Lei , Wang Lu , Feng YueYao , Lv Ting , Fang YanMing , Ding Hui
Published: February 2022

Hamamelidaceae is an important group that represents the origin and early evolution of angiosperms. Its plants have many uses, such as timber, medical, spice, and ornamental uses. In this study, the complete chloroplast genomes of Loropetalum chinense (R. Br.) Oliver, Corylopsis glandulifera Hemsl., and Corylopsis velutina Hand.‐Mazz. were sequenced using the Illumina NovaSeq 6000 platform. The sizes of the three chloroplast genomes were 159,402 bp (C. glandulifera), 159,414 bp (C. velutina), and 159,444 bp (L. chinense), respectively. These chloroplast genomes contained typical quadripartite structures with a pair of inverted repeat (IR) regions (26,283, 26,283, and 26,257 bp), a large single‐copy (LSC) region (88,134, 88,146, and 88,160 bp), and a small single‐copy (SSC) region (18,702, 18,702, and 18,770 bp). The chloroplast genomes encoded 132–133 genes, including 85–87 protein‐coding genes, 37–38 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The coding regions were composed of 26,797, 26,574, and 26,415 codons, respectively, most of which ended in A/U. A total of 37–43 long repeats and 175–178 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified, and the SSRs contained a higher number of A + T than G + C bases. The genome comparison showed that the IR regions were more conserved than the LSC or SSC regions, while the noncoding regions contained higher variability than the gene coding regions. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that species in the same genus tended to cluster together. Chunia Hung T. Chang, Mytilaria Lecomte, and Disanthus Maxim. may have diverged early and Corylopsis Siebold & Zucc. was closely related to Loropetalum R. Br. This study provides valuable information for further species identification, evolution, and phylogenetic studies of Hamamelidaceae plants.
Hierarchical hardware trojan for LUT‐based AI devices and its evaluation
Authors: Nozaki Yusuke , Takemoto Shu , Ikezaki Yoshiya , Yoshikawa Masaya
Published: February 2022

To realize Society 5.0, edge AI techniques have attracted attention. On the other hand, security issues of edge AI have been reported. In addition, in the field of hardware security, the threat of hardware Trojan (HT) is emphasized. To defend the AI device from malicious attacks, it is important to check the vulnerability against various attacks. Therefore, this study proposes a new HT for AI inference devices. The proposed HT falsifies the inference result with respect to an arbitrary trigger input. The proposed HT concentrates on the Lookup Table (LUT) structure, and can be achieved by rewriting the LUT table information. As a result, the proposed HT does not need additional trojan trigger and payload circuits, that is, it can be implemented without the circuit overhead. Experiments by field programable gate array show the validity of the proposed HT.