bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Necrotizing pneumonia requiring prolonged extracorporeal membrane oxygenation: Pushing the boundaries in pediatric ECMO
Authors: R. R. Pravin , Chandran Suresh , Tan Yi Hua , Thomas Biju , Lee Jan Hau , Menon Anuradha P. , Ong Kim Kiat , Kumar Pugalenthi Arun
Published: July 2022

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is a life‐saving rescue therapy used in acute respiratory failure refractory to invasive mechanical ventilation. Recent studies on positive outcomes of extended ECMO therapy are promising. We describe a case of a 2‐year 8‐month‐old female child with necrotizing pneumonia secondary to Streptococcus pneumoniae, Influenza A, and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, who survived with intact neurological function and no long‐term adverse outcomes after a prolonged ECMO run of 86 days. To the best of our knowledge, this is one of the longer durations of ECMO with transplant‐free survival in a pediatric patient requiring respiratory support with good recovery and a good functional outcome. Allowing time for native lung recovery is pivotal for optimal recovery, despite significant lung injury due to the underlying disease process. With evolving ECMO experience, clinicians may need to re‐consider the conventional maximum duration of ECMO in children with severe respiratory failure on a case‐by‐case basis.
Atypical parkinsonism can be a presenting feature of late‐onset Huntington's disease
Authors: Salari Mehri , Beladi Moghadam Nahid , Soleimani Sevim , Etemadifar Masoud
Published: July 2022

Huntington's disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that typically manifests with Choreic movements, psychological disorders, and cognitive decline. Some patients can initially present atypical movements other than the usual symptoms, such as parkinsonism, ataxia, and dystonia. In this report, we present an HD patient who presented with atypical parkinsonism.
Pseudoaneurysm of the proximal superficial femoral artery following blunt trauma in a footballer: A rare case report
Authors: Shrestha Krishna Gopal , Pokhrel Amrit , Kshetri Bikash Jang , Bastakoti Sanjiv , Pandey Govinda Raj
Published: July 2022

Pseudoaneurysm of superficial femoral artery without any femoral fracture following blunt trauma is a rare clinical entity. Most cases of pseudoaneurysm of superficial femoral artery present to the hospital following penetrating injury, femoral fracture, and surgical procedures. Failure of management of pain despite taking analgesics should lead to suspicion of pseudoaneurysm.
Case report of a Japanese patient with chronic renal failure who developed SARS‐CoV‐2 in a hospital cluster during treatment for acute respiratory failure: An autopsy report
Authors: Amari Yoshifumi , Morimoto Satoshi , Teranishi Takashi , Ohata Mai , Takeshita Atsushi , Hirano Hiroshi , Kobayashi Hitoshi
Published: July 2022

This article reports a clinical and histopathological perspective which noted not only COVID‐19 pneumonia but also exacerbation of chronic renal failure potentially caused by thrombus in the kidney, possibly COVID‐19‐related lesions. The accumulation of autopsy cases will elucidate the pathogenesis of COVID‐19 and aid in the development of effective therapeutics.
Pulmonary actinomycosis as a cause of chronic productive cough in a heavy smoker male with poor dental hygiene: A case report
Authors: Alsamawi Musaed , Al‐Mashdali Abdulrahman F. , Eldeeb Yasser
Published: July 2022

Pulmonary actinomycosis is a rare chronic granulomatous bacterial disease caused by Actinomyces species. Given its nonspecific clinical and radiological manifestations, the diagnosis might be delayed or even missed. Pulmonary actinomycosis mimics tuberculosis, aspergillosis, or malignancy both clinically and radiographically, and it should be considered in patients with chronic lung diseases.
Once was not enough: A case report of the concomitant intoxication of amlodipine (calcium channel blocker) and clonazepam (benzodiazepine)
Authors: Gautam Swotantra , Chamlagain Mandita , Yadav Gopal Kumar , Acharya Santosh
Published: July 2022

We report a case of concurrent ingestion of Clonazepam and Amlodipine in a 25‐year‐old man, in a second attempt to take his life, which resulted in unconsciousness, hypotension, and hypokalemia. The clinical and/or biochemical presentation varied from the individual pattern when ingested. In the scarcity of consensus recommendations, supportive treatment helped.
Flow Channel Architecture and Diffusion Characteristics of Nonenzymatic Electrochemical Glucose Fuel Cells with Proton Exchange Membrane
Authors: Cha Hyeonjin , Kwon Obeen , Choi Heesoo , Yoo Hongnyoung , Kim Jaeyeon , Jeong Seokhun , Park Taehyun
Published: July 2022

A nonenzymatic glucose fuel cell directly oxidizes glucose to gluconic acid as a Pt‐based abiotic catalyst in a proton exchange membrane environment and has various advantages (e. g., biocompatibility, chemical stability, high ionic conductivity). We report the permeability of a less hydrophobic diffusion layer for three flow‐field designs (serpentine, interdigitated, and parallel). In all cases, as the channel width of the flow path increases, the power density increases and the Ohmic resistance decreases. The serpentine shape (channel and rib widths: 1.5 and 0.5 mm, respectively) exhibits remarkable maximum power and current densities (cell voltage: 60 mV) of 103.4 μW cm−2 and 1,273 μA cm−2 compared to those of the parallel (46.5 μW cm−2 at 683 μA cm−2) and interdigitated (74.0 μW cm−2 at 878 μA cm−2) shapes, respectively. Furthermore, permeability and performance analyses according to the single‐cell temperature, glucose concentration, and flow rate changes provide various perspectives on glucose fuel cells.
Fostering scientific reasoning with inquiry problem‐solving experiments in an organic chemistry lab course
Authors: Bicak Besim Enes , Borchert Cornelia , Höner Kerstin
Published: July 2022

Chemischen Laborpraktika in der universitären Lehre mangelt es i. d. R. an Lerngelegenheiten zur naturwissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisgewinnung. An der Technischen Universität Braunschweig wurden deshalb in einem organisch‐chemischen Grundpraktikum für Lehramtsstudierende acht von 25 Versuchen zu geöffneten Experimenten umgestaltet und unter Einsatz von Scaffolding‐Maßnahmen implementiert. Im Artikel werden Leitlinien für die Öffnung präsentiert, die bei der erkenntnisgewinnungsorientierten Umgestaltung von Versuchen für naturwissenschaftliche Praktika genutzt werden können. Exemplarisch werden die Leitlinien anhand der Gegenüberstellung einer kochrezeptartigen Vorschrift und ihrer geöffneten Alternative aufgezeigt. Erste Ergebnisse der Pilotierung des Praktikums zeigen, dass mit den geöffneten Vorschriften Erkenntnisgewinnungskompetenzen der Studierenden gefördert werden können.
Follow that cell: Leukocyte migration in L‐plastin mutant zebrafish
Authors: Linehan John B. , Lucas Zepeda Jose , Mitchell Taylor A. , LeClair Elizabeth E.
Published: July 2022

Actin assemblies are important in motile cells such as leukocytes, which form dynamic plasma membrane extensions or podia. L‐plastin (LCP1) is a leukocyte‐specific calcium‐dependent actin‐bundling protein that, in mammals, is known to affect immune cell migration. Previously, we generated CRISPR/Cas9 engineered zebrafish lacking L‐plastin (lcp1−/−) and reported that they had reduced survival to adulthood, suggesting that lack of this actin‐bundler might negatively affect the immune system. To test this hypothesis, we examined the distribution and migration of neutrophils and macrophages in the transparent tail of early zebrafish larvae using cell‐specific markers and an established wound‐migration assay. Knockout larvae were similar to their heterozygous siblings in having equal body sizes and comparable numbers of neutrophils in caudal hematopoietic tissue at 2 days postfertilization, indicating no gross defect in neutrophil production or developmental migration. When stimulated by a tail wound, all genotypes of neutrophils were equally migratory in a two‐hour window. However, for macrophages we observed both migration defects and morphological differences. L‐plastin knockout macrophages (lcp1−/−) still homed to wounds but were slower, less directional and had a star‐like morphology with many leading and trailing projections. In contrast, heterozygous macrophageslcp1(+/−) were faster, more directional, and had a streamlined, slug‐like morphology. Overall, these findings show that in larval zebrafish L‐plastin knockout primarily affects the macrophage response with possible consequences for organismal immunity. Consistent with our observations, we propose a model in which cytoplasmic L‐plastin negatively regulates macrophage integrin adhesion by holding these transmembrane heterodimers in a “clasped,” inactive form and is a necessary part of establishing macrophage polarity during chemokine‐induced motility.
Uncoupling axon guidance and neuronal migration in Robo3‐deficient inferior olivary neurons
Authors: Moreno‐Bravo Juan Antonio , Rappeneau Quentin , Roig‐Puiggros Sergi , Sotelo Constantino , Chédotal Alain
Published: July 2022

Inferior olivary (IO) neurons are born in the dorsal hindbrain and migrate tangentially toward the ventral midline. During their dorsoventral migration, IO neurons extend long leading processes that cross the midline, transform into axons, and project into the contralateral cerebellum. In absence of the axon guidance receptor Robo3, IO axons fail to cross the midline and project to the ipsilateral cerebellum. Remarkably, the IO cell bodies still reach the midline where they form a nucleus of abnormal cytoarchitecture. The mechanisms underlying the migration of Robo3‐deficient IO neurons are unknown. Here, we used three‐dimensional imaging and transgenic mice to label subsets of IO neurons and study their migratory behavior in Robo3 knockout. We show that IO migration is delayed in absence of Robo3. Strikingly, Robo3‐deficient IO neurons progress toward the midline in a direction opposite to their axons. This occurs through a change of polarity and the generation of a second leading process at the rear of the cell. These results suggest that Robo3 receptor controls the establishment of neuronal polarity and the coupling of axonogenesis and cell body migration in IO neurons.
Isolation and characterization of a new imidazolinone‐tolerant mutant in cotton
Authors: Tcach Mauricio Alfredo , Landau Alejandra Mabel , Montenegro Alex , Díaz Daniel , Acuña Carlos , Prina Alberto Raúl
Published: July 2022

Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars resistant to different herbicides have generated important advances in crop management. There is a wide range of cotton resistance to herbicides, however, commercial imidazolinone (IMI)‐tolerant cultivars are not available. In this research, a new mutation that confers tolerance to IMI in cotton was isolated in the M2 generation after seed mutagenic treatments with sodium azide water solutions. The mode of inheritance of the trait was evaluated in the F2 generation by the application of imazethapyr. The inheritance corresponds to a semidominant type with a 1:2:1 distribution of tolerant/intermediate tolerance/not tolerant, in agreement with that observed in most IMI‐tolerant crops. The IMI‐tolerant line behavior was evaluated in the field nursery after the application of the herbicide in the form of foliar and pre‐emergence sprays. The tolerance level was high in pre‐emergence applications and intermediate in foliar applications compared with the nontolerant genotype, which showed a decrease in fiber yield and quality with both methods of application. After sequencing the acetohydroxyacid synthase (AHAS) gene, a point mutation corresponding to Ala205Val in the AHAS enzyme was found, which suggests it could be responsible for the increased IMI tolerance observed in cotton line SP 4172‐32. Based on results from field assays, it can be concluded that this mutant is a promising experimental line that can be used in obtaining IMI‐ tolerant commercial cotton cultivars.
Vertical distribution of bacterial community diversity in the Greater Khingan Mountain permafrost region
Authors: Li Xin , Cui Yuanquan , Ma Dalong , Song Dandan , Liu Lin
Published: July 2022

Soil microorganisms are crucial contributors to the function of permafrost ecosystems, as well as the regulation of biogeochemical cycles. However, little is known about the distribution patterns and drivers of high‐latitude permafrost microbial communities subject to climate change and human activities. In this study, the vertical distribution patterns of soil bacterial communities in the Greater Khingan Mountain permafrost region were systematically analyzed via Illumina Miseq high‐throughput sequencing. Bacterial diversity in the active layer was significantly higher than in the permafrost layer. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) indicated that the bacterial community structure in the active layer and the permafrost layer was completely separated. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) detected statistically significant differentiation across the different depths. The relative abundance of the dominant phyla Chloroflexi (17.92%–52.79%) and Actinobacteria (6.34%–34.52%) was significantly higher in the permafrost layer than in the active layer, whereas that of Acidobacteria (4.98%–38.82%) exhibited the opposite trend, and the abundance of Proteobacteria (2.49%–22.51%) generally decreased with depth. More importantly, the abundance of bacteria linked to human infectious diseases was significantly higher in the permafrost layer according to Tax4Fun prediction analysis. Redundancy analysis (RDA) showed that ammonium nitrogen (NH4+‐N), total organic carbon (TOC), and total phosphorus (TP) were major factors affecting the bacterial community composition. Collectively, our findings provide insights into the soil bacterial vertical distribution patterns and major environmental drivers in high‐latitude permafrost regions, which is key to grasping the response of cold region ecosystem processes to global climate changes.
Co‐benefits and conflicts in alternative stormwater planning: Blue versus green infrastructure?
Authors: Kvamsås Hanna
Published: July 2022

Blue–green infrastructure (BGI) is often promoted for its co‐benefits and multifunctionality. However, this infrastructure is repeatedly planned, implemented and researched almost entirely based on the goals of stormwater management. Thus, more knowledge is required about how co‐benefits are perceived and actioned by planning actors. By investigating co‐benefits from a value perspective, this paper will contribute to the ongoing debate on how stormwater planning actors address the potential co‐benefits and conflicts in the planning and implementation of BGI. The data are derived from policy document analyses and interviews with municipal and private planning actors in Bergen and Tromsø, Norway. The paper argues that municipal water actors are motivated to implement BGI beyond stormwater management goals and approach co‐benefits and holistic stormwater management as an ideal in stormwater planning. However, the tensions and conflicts between the co‐benefits become more evident in the actual implementation of BGI. The paper finds that when holistic BGI implementation is initiated by the municipal water actors, the stormwater management aspects dominate the BGI implementation. Finally, the paper concludes that even though blue and green values and interests are often conflicted in the implementation of BGI, urban stormwater planning is in the process of developing a blue–green value set based on the potential synergies of co‐benefits. The paper therefore empirically illustrates how collective values and interests can develop and unfold across sectors and professional disciplines in BGI planning.
Dendritic cells Trigger IFN‐γ secretion by NK cells independent of IL‐12 and IL‐18
Authors: Abdi Kaveh , Laky Karen , Abshari Mehrnoosh , Hill Elizabeth M. , Lantz Larry , Singh Nevil J. , Long Eric O.
Published: July 2022

It is commonly believed that IL‐12 produced by DCs in response to pathogens is the first signal that stimulates the production of IFN‐γ by NK cells. However, IL‐12 production by DCs in response to bacterial LPS depends on either engagement of CD40 by CD40L on activated T cells or IFN‐γ from NK cells. This suggests that during the primary immune response, NK cells produce IFN‐γ before IL‐12 production by DCs. Here, using single‐cell measurements, cell sorting and mouse lines deficient in IL‐12, IL‐23, type I IFN receptor and the IL‐18 receptor, we show that a subset of BM‐derived DCs characterized by low expression of MHC class II (MHCIIlow) stimulates IFN‐γ production by NK cells. The expression of Toll‐like Receptor (TLR) 4 on DCs but not NK cells was required for such NK‐derived IFN‐γ. In addition, soluble factor(s) produced by LPS‐activated MHCIIlow DCs were sufficient to induce IFN‐γ production by NK cells independent of IL‐12, IL‐23, and IL‐18. This response was enhanced in the presence of a low dose of IL‐2. These results delineate a previously unknown pathway of DC‐mediated IFN‐γ production by NK cells, which is independent of commonly known cytokines.
Iron–Copper Dual Catalysis Enabling C−C and C−X (X=N, B, P, S, Sn) Bond Formation
Authors: Huo Lu‐Qiong , Shi Li‐Li , Fu Jun‐Kai
Published: July 2022

The dual‐catalysis tactics where two types of catalysts are connected in one single reaction operation are highly prized in the novel bond constructions that are difficult or unattainable to be achieved with current mono‐catalysis. In recent years, increased emphasis on sustainable catalytic methods on more economic and eco‐friendly processes has shifted the focus to catalysis with earth‐abundant transition metals, such as iron, copper, and so on. As two of the most inexpensive and environmentally friendly metals on earth, the research and development based on either iron or copper catalysis are flourishing, and iron‐copper dual‐catalyzed reactions appeal more and more attention. In this review, we mainly cover the construction of C−C, C−N, C−B, C−P, C−S and C−Sn bonds enabled by iron‐copper dual‐catalysis published in the literature from 2011.
Transformations of 5‐Hydroxy‐1‐pyrrolines in Strong Brønsted Acids: Experimental and Theoretical Study of Intermediate Cationic Species
Authors: Borisova Marina A. , Ryabukhin Dmitry S. , Yu. Ivanov Alexander , Boyarskaya Irina A. , Shabalin Dmitrii A. , Zelenkov Lev E. , Yu. Schmidt Elena , Trofimov Boris A. , Vasilyev Aleksander V.
Published: July 2022

The reaction of 5‐hydroxy‐1‐pyrrolines with arenes in TfOH at room temperature for 1 h afford 5‐aryl‐1‐pyrrolines in 55–98 % yields. 5‐Hydroxy‐1‐pyrrolines in TfOH or H2SO4 at room temperature for 0.5–1 h undergo dehydration with the formation of N‐protonated forms of 3H‐pyrroles, which were characterized by NMR. Upon hydrolysis, the N‐protonated species give quantitatively the corresponding 3H‐pyrroles. The intermediate cationic species derived from the protonation of 5‐hydroxy‐1‐pyrrolines in Brønsted acids have been studied by means of NMR and DFT calculations. Plausible reaction mechanisms are discussed.
Experimental study on the effect of injection pressure ratio on the propagation characteristics of hydrogen rotating detonation waves
Authors: Wu Minxuan , Bai Qiaodong , Han Jiaxiang , Zhang Shijian , Cui Shengnan , Chen Hao , Weng Chunsheng
Published: July 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the ratio of air injection pressure to hydrogen injection pressure (pR = pA/pH) on the propagation characteristics of rotating detonation waves (RDWs) and the working range of continuous rotating detonation engines (CRDEs). To this end, experiments were conducted under different injection pressure ratios and air mass flow rates with hydrogen as the fuel and air as the oxidant. The results reveal that RDWs can propagate in a stable manner when the injection pressure ratio is 0.67–1.7; however, RDW propagation is unstable when the injection pressure ratio is 0.51–0.67 and 1.7–2.03. The formation of unstable detonation waves may be attributed to the long response times at low pressures and the poor mixing effect of hydrogen and air. Furthermore, under an injection pressure ratio of 2.08–3.09, CRDE initiation failed. As the air mass flow rate increased, the range of the injection pressure ratio increased and the CRDE operated in a stable manner. In addition, the RDW velocity first increased and then decreased as the injection pressure ratio increased. Notably, under an air injection pressure of 3.6 bar, the rotation direction of the RDW changed during propagation.
How much energy is needed to keep the stored cellular mass and energy free of errors: Case studies
Authors: Semerciöz Ayşe Selcen , Özilgen Mustafa
Published: July 2022

Nobel‐winning scientist Erwin Schrödinger in his study “What is life?” (1934) hypothesized that organisms import energy and export entropy to survive. Since the publication of this study, our knowledge about “how entropy is generated within the body and exported” has increased tremendously. In the 1970s and 1980s, “maintenance energy” was used extensively in microbiological analyses, merely as a proportionality constant relating cellular proliferation to energy utilization. In 2015, Aziz Sancar, Tomas Lindahl, and Paul L. Modrich shared the Nobel prize for their studies regarding DNA repair. In these research works, scientists tried to explain how organisms were trying to reduce the entropy accumulated within their structures. This study assesses different cases of energy utilization by the cellular systems to maintain their reserves error free in the light of the recent findings. In every case, assessed huge energy requirements were found.
Biofibrous nanomaterials for extracting strategic metal ions from water
Authors: Zhang Weihua , Che Xinpeng , Pei Danfeng , Zhang Xiaofang , Chen Yijun , Li Mingjie , Li Chaoxu
Published: July 2022

Strategic metals play an indispensable role in the related industries. Their extraction and recovery from water are of great significance due to both their rapid consumption and environmental concern. Biofibrous nanomaterials have shown great advantages in capturing metal ions from water. Recent progress in extraction of typical strategic metal ions such as noble metal ions, nuclear metal ions, and Li‐battery related metal ions is reviewed here using typical biological nanofibrils like cellulose nanofibrils, chitin nanofibrils, and protein nanofibrils, as well as their assembly forms like fibers, aerogels/hydrogels, and membranes. An overview of advances in material design and preparation, extraction mechanism, dynamics/thermodynamics, and performance improvement in the last decade is provided. And at last, we propose the current challenges and future perspectives for promoting biological nanofibrous materials toward extracting strategic metal ions in practical conditions of natural seawater, brine, and wastewater.
Loss of SLC46A1 decreases tumor iron content in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wang Dongyao , Wu Huiwen , Yang Jianxin , Li Min , Ling Changquan , Gao Zelong , Lu Hongtao , Shen Hui , Tang Yuxiao
Published: July 2022

It is interesting that high iron is an independent inducer or cofactor of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) while the amount of iron is decreased in the liver tumor tissues. Due to the previous findings that iron deficiency promoted HCC metastasis, it is of significance to identify the underlying mechanism of iron deficiency in HCC. The tumor iron content and expressions of iron‐metabolic molecules were observed in the primary liver cancers of rats and mice. The molecules that changed independently of iron were identified by comparing the expression profiles in the human HCC tissues and iron‐deprived HCC cells. The downstream effects of these molecules on regulating intracellular iron content were investigated in vitro and further validated in vivo. Both in primary liver cancers of rats and mice, we confirmed the decreased iron content in tumor tissues and the altered expressions of iron‐metabolic molecules, including transferrin receptor 1 (TfR1), six‐transmembrane epithelial antigen of prostate 3 (STEAP3), divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), SLC46A1, ferroportin, hepcidin, and ferritin. Among these, STEAP3, DMT1, and SLC46A1 were altered free of iron deficiency. However, only silence or overexpression of SLC46A1 controlled the intracellular iron content of HCC cells. The interventions of STEAP3 or DMT1 could not change the intracellular iron content. Lentivirus‐mediated regain of SLC46A1 expression restored the iron content in orthotopically implanted tumors, with correspondingly changes in the iron‐metabolic molecules as iron increasing. Conclusion: Taken together, these results suggest that the loss of SLC46A1 expression leads to iron deficiency in liver tumor tissues, which would be an effective target to manage iron homeostasis in HCC.
Directly integrated mixed‐dimensional van der Waals graphene/perovskite heterojunction for fast photodetection
Authors: Geng Xiangshun , Zhang Peigen , Ren Jun , Dun Guan‐Hua , Li Yuanyuan , Jin Jialun , Wang Chaolun , Wu Xing , Xie Dan , Tian He , Yang Yi , Ren Tian‐Ling
Published: July 2022

Mixed‐dimensional (2D/3D) van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures made with complementary materials hold a lot of promise in the field of optoelectronic devices. Beyond simple mechanical stacking, directly growing the single‐crystal perovskite on 2D materials to construct a high‐quality vdW heterojunction can better promote carrier transport. In this work, a monolithic integrated graphene/perovskite heterojunction device is fabricated by directly growing a single‐crystal hybrid perovskite on monolayer graphene. Due to the strong interface coupling, the hybrid device achieves self‐powering behavior and exhibits prominent photoresponse properties with a fast response speed of up to 2.05 μs. Moreover, the responsivity and detectivity can be boosted to up to 10.41 A W−1 and 4.65 × 1012 Jones under the actuation of −3 V bias. This technique not only improves the device performance, but also provides an effective guideline for the development of next‐generation directly integrated vdW optoelectronic devices.

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Development of branched polyphenolic poly(beta amino esters) to facilitate post‐synthesis processing
Authors: Wiegman Kelley , Briot Nicolas J. , Hilt J. Zach , Huckaba Aron J. , Dziubla Thomas D.
Published: July 2022

Given their versatility and formability, polymers have proven to be a viable platform facilitating a controlled and tuned release for a variety of therapeutic agents. One growing area of polymer drug delivery is polymeric prodrugs, which covalently link active pharmaceutical ingredients to a polymeric form to enhance stability, delivery, and pharmacology. One such class of polymeric prodrugs, poly(beta amino esters) (PβAEs) can be synthesized into crosslinked, or “thermoset,” networks which greatly limits their processability. An antioxidant‐PβAE polymer prodrug that is soluble in organic solutions would permit enhanced processability, increasing their utility and manufacturability. Curcumin PβAEs were synthesized to be soluble in organic solvents while retaining the release and activity properties. To demonstrate the polymer processability, curcumin PβAEs were further synthesized into nanoparticles and thin films. Control over nanoparticle size and film thickness was established through variance of dope solution concentration and withdrawal speed, respectively. Layering of polymeric films was demonstrated through inkjet printing of thin films. Polymer function was characterized through curcumin release and antioxidant activity. The processing of the polymer had a drastic impact on the curcumin release profiles indicating the polymer degradation was influenced by surface area and porosity of the final product. Previously, release was controlled primarily through the hydrophobicity of the polymer. Here, we demonstrate a novel method for further tuning the degradation by processing the polymer.
Bergapten mediated inflammatory and apoptosis through AMPK/eNOS/AKT signaling pathway of isoproterenol‐induced myocardial infarction in Wistar rats
Authors: Yang Yanni , Han Juanping , Lilly Renju G. , Yang Qin , Guo Yanjie
Published: July 2022

Bergapten (BeG) is explored for its anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Myocardial infarction (MI) is reported to be one of the leading cardiovascular diseases characterized by mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. The main purpose of this study is to assess the cardiopreventive effects of BeG (50 mg/kg) in isoproterenol (ISO)‐induced MI in Wistar rats. The increased infarct size after ISO induction was reduced simultaneously on treatment with BeG. Similarly, augmented levels of cardiac biomarkers, namely cardiac troponin T, creatine kinase (CK), cardiac troponin I, and CK‐MB were also suppressed by BeG. The increased rate of lipid hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances owing to the oxidative stress caused by free radical generation in ISO‐induced rats were also inhibited by BeG. Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress by scavenging free radicals. ISO induction reduces these antioxidant enzymes glutathione peroxidase, catalase, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione, and levels causing oxidative cardiac damage to the heart tissue. BeG supplementation improved these enzymes synthesis preventing potential damage to the myocardium. Inflammation caused by ISO pretreatment increased the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in ISO‐induced rats. Pretreatment with BeG suppressed these inflammatory cytokines to a normal level in ISO + BeG‐treated rats. The histopathological examination of the morphological characteristics showed that the intensity of cardiac damage caused by ISO induction was less in BeG pretreated rats with less inflammatory cells and no necrosis. BeG also showed promising results in the molecular alteration of AMP‐activated protein kinase/endothelial nitric oxide synthase/protein kinase B signaling molecules. These observations emphasize the cardioprotective effects of BeG and its potential use as a drug in the near future.
Enantioselective Michael addition using 4(3H)‐pyrimidinone
Authors: Chen Yong‐Sin , Huang Ming‐Hsuan , Cheng Yan‐Peng , Hou Duen‐Ren
Published: July 2022

The framework of 4‐pyrimidinones is prevalent in biologically and medicinally important molecules. Here we report that chiral N‐substituted 4‐pyrimidinones were prepared by an enantioselective, organocatalytic aza‐Michael addition of 4(3H)‐pyrimidinone (4‐hydroxypyrimidine) to α,β‐unsaturated 1,4‐dicarbonyl compounds for the first time. The reactions were optimized by the choice of solvents, screening Cinchona alkaloid‐based bifunctional catalysts, and Michael acceptors to achieve good yields and enantioselectivities.
Long non‐coding RNA SNHG1 activates glycolysis to promote hepatocellular cancer progression through the miR‐326/PKM2 axis
Authors: Wang Yue , Yang Fan , Peng Qi , Mei Ke , He Haitao , Yang Qing
Published: July 2022

Background

Hepatocellular cancer (HCC) is a lethal malignancy with extremely poor prognosis. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of SNHG1 in HCC progression.

Methods

Combined with bioinformatics and experimental validation, we explored the clinical significance of SNHG1 in HCC. A Cell Counting Kit‐8 assay, cell colony formation assay, and subcutaneous tumorigenesis experiments of nude mice were conducted to evaluate the pro‐proliferative capacity of SNHG1. Glucose consumption and lactate production were measured to explore the regulatory role of SNHG1 in glycolysis. Nuclear‐cytoplasmic separation, quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot assays, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were performed to investigate the molecular mechanisms of SNHG1 in HCC.

Results

SNHG1 expression was dramatically increased in HCC and positively correlated with poor prognosis. E2F1 bound to the SNHG1 promoter region to activate SNHG1 transcription. Furthermore, SNHG1 served as a molecular sponge for miR‐326 to sequester the interaction of miR‐326 and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), facilitating the expression of PKM2. Activating PKM2 expression was revealed to be one of mechanisms of SNHG1 with respect to promoting glycolysis and the proliferation of HCC cells.

Conclusions

E2F1‐activated SNHG1 modulates the miR‐326/PKM2 axis to facilitate glycolysis and the proliferation of HCC cells. Targeting SNHG1 could be a promising therapeutic option for HCC.
Clinical spectrum of early onset “Mediterranean” (homozygous p.P131L mutation) mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy
Authors: Kalkan Uçar Sema , Yazıcı Havva , Canda Ebru , Er Esra , Bulut Fatma Derya , Eraslan Cenk , Onay Hüseyin , Bax Bridget Elizabeth , Çoker Mahmut
Published: July 2022

Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE) is an autosomal recessive mitochondrial disorder characterized by cumulative and progressive gastrointestinal and neurological findings. This retrospective observational study, aimed to explore the time of presentation, diagnosis and clinical follow‐up of 13 patients with a confirmed MNGIE disease of Mediterranean origin. The mean age of symptom onset was 7 years (6 months−21 years) and the average diagnosis age was 15.4 years ±8.4. Four of 13 patients (30%) died before 30 years at the mean age of 19.7 years ±6.8. Cachexia and gastrointestinal symptoms were observed in all patients (100%). The mean body mass index standard deviation score at diagnosis was 4.8 ± 2.8. At least three subocclusive episodes were presented in patients who died in last year of their life. The main neurological symptom found in most patients was peripheral neuropathy (92%). Ten patients (77%) had leukoencephalopathy and the remaining three patients without were under 10 years of age. The new homozygous “Mediterranean” TYMP mutation, p.P131L (c.392 C > T) was associated with an early presentation and poor prognosis in nine patients (69%) from five separates families. Based on the observations from this Mediterranean MNGIE cohort, we propose that the unexplained abdominal pain combined with cachexia is an indicator of MNGIE. High‐platelet counts and nerve conduction studies may be supportive laboratory findings and the frequent subocclusive episodes could be a negative prognostic factor for mortality. Finally, the homozygous p.P131L (c.392 C > T) mutation could be associated with rapid progressive disease with poor prognosis.
Breast Amide Proton Transfer Imaging at 3 T: Diagnostic Performance and Association With Pathologic Characteristics
Authors: Liu Zhou , Wen Jie , Wang Meng , Ren Ya , Yang Qian , Qian Long , Luo Honghong , Feng Sha , He Cuiju , Liu Xin , Wu Yin , Luo Dehong
Published: July 2022

Background

Amide proton transfer (APT) imaging has been increasingly applied in tumor characterization. However, its value in evaluating breast cancer remains undetermined.

Purpose

To assess the diagnostic performance of APT imaging in breast cancer and its association with prognostic histopathologic characteristics.

Study Type

Prospective.

Subjects

Eighty‐four patients with breast lesions.

Field Strength/Sequence

A 3.0 T/single‐shot fast spin echo APT imaging.

Assessment

APTw signal in breast lesion was quantified. Lesion malignancy, T stage, grades, Ki‐67 index, molecular biomarkers (estrogen receptor [ER] expression, progesterone receptor [PR] expression, human epidermal growth factor receptor [HER‐2] expression), molecular subtypes (luminal A, luminal B, triple negative, and HER‐2 enriched) were determined.

Statistical Tests

Student t‐test, one‐way analysis of variance, receiver operating characteristic analysis, and Pearson's correlation with P < 0.05 as statistical significance.

Results

APTw signal was significantly higher in malignant lesions (1.55% ± 1.24%) than in benign lesions (0.54% ± 1.13%), and in grade III lesions than in grade II lesions (1.65% ± 0.84% vs. 0.96% ± 0.96%), and in T2‐ (1.57% ± 0.64%) and T3‐stage lesions (1.54% ± 0.63%) than in T1‐stage lesions (0.81% ± 0.64%) for invasive breast carcinoma of no special type. APTw signal significantly correlated with Ki‐67 index (r = 0.364) but showed no significant difference in groups of ER (P = 0.069), PR (P = 0.069), HER‐2 (P = 0.961), and among molecular subtypes (P = 0.073).

Data Conclusion

APT imaging shows potential in differentiating breast lesion malignancy and associates with prognosis‐related tumor grade, T stage, and proliferative activity.

Evidence Level

2

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
Coherent changes in wood charcoals, site occupation and lithic technology across the MIS 4/3 transition at Klein Kliphuis rock shelter, South Africa
Authors: Mackay Alex , Cartwright Caroline R.
Published: July 2022

We explore the correspondence between changing palaeoenvironments, patterns of site use, and lithic technology at the rock shelter site Klein Kliphuis (South Africa) across the interval 65–55 000 years before present. This period coincides with the termination of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4, and the disappearance of an iconic late Pleistocene archaeological unit known as the Howiesons Poort. Wood charcoals indicate sufficient soil moisture around Klein Kliphuis throughout the Howiesons Poort to support diverse tree species at a time when site occupation was relatively intense. At least some fuelwood‐gathering in this period may have been undertaken to support heat treatment of silcrete, which was the dominant lithology in tool production. A coherent set of changes occurs across the MIS 4/3 transition: occupational intensity declines, tracked by declining diversity of fuelwood species, an increase in the proportion of charcoals from shrubs and small flowering plants, lower prevalence of silcrete, and less heat treatment. While declining soil moisture is implied, there appears to be a significant change in behaviour relating to site usage, whereby foraging for dense fuelwoods was replaced by the construction of ‘fast fires’ that may reflect briefer visits and increased forager mobility in early MIS 3.
Dilation, Steroid Injection, and Cough Exercise for Correction of Posterior Glottic Stenosis
Authors: Shoffel‐Havakuk Hagit , Lahav Yonatan , Shopen Yoni , Reuven Yonatan , Bachar Gideon , Hamzany Yaniv
Published: July 2022

Objective

To describe the DISCO protocol (Dilation, Steroid injection, and post‐operative Cough Exercise); a novel treatment for posterior glottic stenosis (PGS). Restoring glottic mobility in PGS is a major challenge. In orthopedic and plastic surgery, post‐operative physical therapy is associated with improved motion range and flexibility; yet, this principle was never applied to laryngeal surgery.

Methods

A retrospective cohort of PGS adult patients, treated by the DISCO protocol during 2018–2020. DISCO involves the following: scar release, glottic dilation, and steroid injection, followed by post‐operative cough as glottic physical therapy. Maximal glottic opening angle (MGOA), relative glottic opening area (RGOA), and relative glottic insufficiency area (RGIA) were calculated before and post‐operatively.

Results

Seventeen patients were included; PGS etiology was post‐intubation (n = 10), post‐irradiation (n = 3), both (n = 1) and joint sclerosis (n = 3). Six patients also had additional airway disorders. Sixteen patients were tracheostomy‐dependent. 2 (12%), 8 (47%) and 7 (41%) patients had type II, III and IV stenosis, respectively. Surgery included scar release, dilation and steroid injection alone in 7 patients; and additional unilateral sub‐mucosal arytenoidectomy in 10. The mean follow‐up was 17.5 months. There were no major complications. Successful outcomes (e.g., decannulation or permanent capping) were achieved in 14 (82%) patients with some restoration of joint movement. None had a persistent voice or swallowing complaints. Both MGOA and RGOA increased in all patients (p < 0.001). RGIA remained unchanged (p = 0.878).

Conclusions

The DISCO protocol is a novel, effective and safe approach for PGS correction that can be easily applied. It can restore vocal fold mobility and may expand the glottic airway without causing glottic insufficiency.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 133:883–889, 2023
Life on the edge: Hawaiian model for coral evolution
Authors: Bhattacharya Debashish , Stephens Timothy G. , Tinoco Amanda I. , Richmond Robert H. , Cleves Phillip A.
Published: July 2022

Degradation and loss of coral reefs due to climate change and other anthropogenic stressors has fueled genomics, proteomics, and genetics research to investigate coral stress response pathways and to identify resilient species, genotypes, and populations to restore these biodiverse ecosystems. Much of the research and conservation effort has understandably focused on the most taxonomically rich regions, such as the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and the Coral Triangle in the western Pacific. These ecosystems are analogous to tropical rainforests that also house enormous biodiversity and complex biotic interactions among different trophic levels. An alternative model ecosystem for studying coral reef biology is the relatively species poor but abundant coral reefs in the Hawaiian Archipelago that exist at the northern edge of the Indo‐Pacific coral distribution. The Hawaiian Islands are the world's most isolated archipelago, geographically isolated from other Pacific reef systems. This region houses about 80 species of scleractinian corals in three dominant genera (Porites, Montipora, and Pocillopora). Here we briefly review knowledge about the Hawaiian coral fauna with a focus on our model species, the rice coral Montipora capitata. We suggest that this simpler, relatively isolated reef system provides an ideal platform for advancing coral biology and conservation using multi‐omics and genetic tools.
Poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐trifluoroethylene) Thin Films after Dip‐ and Spin‐Coating
Authors: Apelt Sabine , Höhne Susanne , Mehner Erik , Böhm Carolin , Malanin Mikhail , Eichhorn Klaus‐Jochen , Jehnichen Dieter , Uhlmann Petra , Bergmann Ute
Published: July 2022

The ferro‐, pyro‐ and piezoelectric properties of poly(vinylidene fluoride‐co‐trifluoroethylene) P(VDF‐TrFE) have created interest with regard to its application in aqueous and ambient surroundings for sensors, functional coatings, and in the field of life sciences. P(VDF‐TrFE) thin films are usually applied via spin‐coating, but dip‐coating will be advantageous especially for irregularly shaped substrates. The morphology of dip‐ and spin‐coated semi‐crystalline thin films is studied as a function of both the film thickness and the annealing temperature. The characterization of the films is carried out by grazing incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (GIWAXS), X‐ray reflectometry (XRR), and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). Atomic force microscopy measurements (AFM) are used to examine the resulting topography. It is found that both spin‐ and dip‐coated thin films crystallize in the desired edge‐on orientation, but the overall crystallinity after dip‐coating is decreased compared to the spin‐coated films of comparable thickness and the resulting roughness is increased. The higher roughness is most probably caused by the slower evaporation of the solvents and a secondary crystallization process at the air‐polymer interface.
Ten‐year follow‐up of Nicolaides–Baraitser syndrome with a de novo mutation and analysis of 58 gene loci of SMARCA2‐associated NCBRS
Authors: Zhang Xilian , Chen Hanjiang , Song Ying , Chen Zhaoyuan , Liu Xuan , Rong Ping , Ma Rong
Published: July 2022

As a clinical subtype of SWI/SNF‐related intellectual disability syndromes, Nicolaides–Baraitser syndrome (NCBRS, OMIM601358) has a unique genotype–phenotype. Due to the scarcity of the number of cases reported and the limitations of diagnosis methods, so far only more than 80 cases have been reported worldwide. In this article, a new patient with a de novo mutation was followed up for 10 years; it includes the epilepsy treatment process, the characteristics of NBCRS with seizures, typical faces, sparse hair, prominent interphalangeal joints, and intellectual disability, and we also summarized the genotype–phenotype of the 80 reported cases for comparison. Due to insufficient studies and lack of attention paid to the syndrome, it is believed that the actual number of cases should be far more than the reported number. The syndrome is phased and progressive. The genotype–phenotype correlation of the disease is related to the location of the gene locus, especially closely related to the SNF2 ATPase domain.

Conclusions

The understanding of NCBRS is lagging, we need to strengthen the screening process of the phenotypic disease with intellectual disability, and perfecting multiple types of diagnostic techniques will help the discovery of the disease; its clinical features are staged and are slowly progressive, and long‐term prognosis must be taken precautious with long‐term follow‐up required.
One‐stage reconstruction of the complex defects of the Achilles tendon and the adjoining calcaneus using the chimeric superolateral thigh flap: A case report
Authors: Imaizumi Atsushi , Toyota Yoshie
Published: July 2022

Reconstruction of the composite defects of the Achilles tendon and the overlying skin is a great challenge. Should the tendon insertion and adjoining calcaneal defects coexist, such reconstruction becomes far more complicated. A chimeric superolateral thigh flap based on the ascending branch of the lateral circumflex femoral artery provides all the components for this complex defect. We aim to illustrate a case underwent one‐stage reconstruction of such defects with this chimeric flap. A 55‐year‐old man presented with composite defects of Achilles tendon (11 cm), adjoining calcaneus (2 × 2 × 3 cm), and the overlying skin (15 × 3.5 cm) due to unsuccessful repair for his right chronic Achilles tendon rupture, which was complicated by infection. This complex defect was reconstructed using a chimeric superolateral thigh flap consisting of the superolateral thigh skin (8.5 × 17.5 cm), full‐thickness iliac bone (4 × 3 cm), and the intervening iliotibial tract preserving the fascia‐bone junction, which substituted for the lost insertion of the Achilles tendon. Bone union and full weight bearing were achieved by 11 and 24 weeks, respectively, after surgery. Two debulking procedures were performed. Isometric plantar flexion muscle strength was comparable to the healthy side, but isotonic strength was somewhat reduced at 18 months after reconstruction. This chimeric flap provided all the possible components necessary for the complex Achilles tendon defect, and led functional outcomes.