bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Composition and physicochemical properties of corn wax
Authors: Kang Bao , Liu Yameng , Yang Ruinan , Liang Shaohua
Published: June 2023

Corn wax, as a kind of vegetable wax, is a by‐product of the corn oil industry. In this study, the corn wax was obtained from the corn oil refineries and purified by solvent defatting and bleaching. The composition and physicochemical properties of corn wax were studied to provide theoretical guidance for the production and application of corn wax. The results showed that the purity of corn wax was higher than 95%, and the corn wax ester ranged from C42 to C58, with C46, C44, and C48 being predominant. The carbon number of fatty acids was in the range of 16–30, with a higher proportion of C20, C22, and C24. The fatty alcohols varied from C20 to C32 and were dominated by C22, C24, C30, and C23. The physicochemical properties of corn wax were also determined and compared with other vegetable and animal waxes to get a more comprehensive understanding of corn wax. The results showed that the water content, iodine number, saponification number, and melting point of corn wax were 0.03 ± 0.01%, 6.77 ± 0.85 g/100 g, 74.31 ± 3.49 mg/g and 77.28 ± 7.89°C respectively. Corn wax was a green and healthy natural resource, which has great application potential in food, health care, and medicine.
Self‐healing injectable stimuli responsive polysaccharide hydrogel constructed with dynamic covalent bonds
Authors: Sun Feixue , Yao Qi , Wang Yiting , Lou Jiemin , Li Qiang , Tao Qian , Li Guiying
Published: June 2023

Hydrogels based on dynamic covalent bonds have unique properties and are competent in many biomedical fields. However, critical issues such as biocompatibility, mechanical properties, and stimulus responsiveness are required to be solved. It is also expected to develop a simple preparation method with mild conditions. Based on these objectives, chitosan (CS), sodium alginate (SA) and 2‐formylphenylboronic acid (2‐FPBA) are used to prepare the dynamic covalent bond hydrogels within minutes neither chemical medications nor severe conditions. Benefiting from the imine borate and boronic ester bonds both formed in the hydrogels, the hydrogels are stable, injectable, and of efficient self‐healing properties. The damage‐recovery process can be repeated for more than 6 cycles. The microstructure of the hydrogels recoded by atomic force microscopy (AFM) is consistent with the mechanical properties and both of them could be affected by the concentrations of SA and 2‐FPBA. Moreover, the dynamic hydrogels are responsive to pH values and oxidative environment. When the model drug 5‐fluorouracil (5‐FU) is loaded in the dynamic hydrogels, the release profiles are sustainable and present significant differences with various stimuli. These dynamic covalent bond hydrogels have a promising prospect in tissue engineering and drug delivery.
Trends on Chlamydomonas reinhardtii growth regimes and bioproducts
Authors: Pessoa Jassiara da Silva , de Oliveira Caroline Frere Martiniuc , Mena‐Chalco Jesús Pascual , de Carvalho João Carlos Monteiro , Ferreira‐Camargo Livia Seno
Published: June 2023

The green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model microorganism for several areas of study. Among the different microalgae species, it presents advantageous characteristics, such as genomes completely sequenced and well‐established techniques for genetic transformation. Despite that, C. reinhardtii production is still not easily commercially viable, especially due to the low biomass yield. So far there are no reports of scientometric study focusing only on C. reinhardtii biomass production process. Considering the need for culture optimization, a scientometric research was conducted to analyze the papers that investigated the growth regimes effects in C. reinhardtii cultivation. The search resulted in 130 papers indexed on Web of Science and Scopus platforms from 1969 to December 2022. The quantitative analysis indicated that the photoautotrophic regime was the most employed in the papers. However, when comparing the three growth regimes, the mixotrophic one led to the highest production of biomass, lipids, and heterologous protein. The production of bioproducts was considered the main objective of most of the papers and, among them, biomass was the most frequently investigated. The highest biomass production reported among the papers was 40 g L−1 in the heterotrophic growth of a transgenic strain. Other culture conditions were also crucial for C. reinhardtii growth, for instance, temperature and cultivation process.
Potential of butanol production from Thailand marine macroalgae using Clostridium beijerinckii ATCC 10132‐based ABE fermentation
Authors: Khaonuan Sireethorn , Jariyaboon Rattana , Usmanbaha Nikannapas , Cheirsilp Benjamas , Birkeland Nils‐Kåre , Kongjan Prawit
Published: June 2023

The economical bio‐butanol‐based fermentation process is mainly limited by the high price of first‐generation biomass, which is an intensive cost for the pretreatment of second‐generation biomass. As third‐generation biomass, marine macroalgae could be potentially advantageous for conversion to clean and renewable bio‐butanol through acetone‐butanol‐ethanol (ABE) fermentation. In this study, butanol production from three macroalgae species (Gracilaria tenuistipitata, Ulva intestinalis, and Rhizoclonium sp.) by Clostridium beijerinckii ATCC 10132 was assessed comparatively. The enriched C beijerinckii ATCC 10132 inoculum produced a high butanol concentration of 14.07 g L−1 using 60 g L−1 of glucose. Among the three marine seaweed species, G. tenuistipitata exhibited the highest potential for butanol production (1.38 g L−1). Under the 16 conditions designed using the Taguchi method for low‐temperature hydrothermal pretreatment (HTP) of G. tenuistipitata, the maximum reducing sugar yield rate of 57.6% and ABE yield of 19.87% were achieved at a solid to liquid (S/L) ratio of 120, temperature of 110°C, and holding time of 10 min (Severity factor, R0 1.29). In addition, pretreated G. tenuistipitata could be converted to 3.1 g L−1 of butanol using low‐HTP at an S/L ratio of 50 g L−1, temperature of 80°C (R0 0.11), and holding time of 5 min.
Production of adeno‐associated viral vector serotype 6 by triple transfection of suspension HEK293 cells at higher cell densities
Authors: Moço Pablo D. , Xu Xingge , Silva Cristina A. T. , Kamen Amine A.
Published: June 2023

In recent years, the use of adeno‐associated viruses (AAVs) as vectors for gene and cell therapy has increased, leading to a rise in the amount of AAV vectors required during pre‐clinical and clinical trials. AAV serotype 6 (AAV6) has been found to be efficient in transducing different cell types and has been successfully used in gene and cell therapy protocols. However, the number of vectors required to effectively deliver the transgene to one single cell has been estimated at 106 viral genomes (VG), making large‐scale production of AAV6 necessary. Suspension cell‐based platforms are currently limited to low cell density productions due to the widely reported cell density effect (CDE), which results in diminished production at high cell densities and decreased cell‐specific productivity. This limitation hinders the potential of the suspension cell‐based production process to increase yields. In this study, we investigated the improvement of the production of AAV6 at higher cell densities by transiently transfecting HEK293SF cells. The results showed that when the plasmid DNA was provided on a cell basis, the production could be carried out at medium cell density (MCD, 4 × 106 cells mL−1) resulting in titers above 1010 VG mL−1. No detrimental effects on cell‐specific virus yield or cell‐specific functional titer were observed at MCD production. Furthermore, while medium supplementation alleviated the CDE in terms of VG/cell at high cell density (HCD, 10 × 106 cells mL−1) productions, the cell‐specific functional titer was not maintained, and further studies are necessary to understand the observed limitations for AAV production in HCD processes. The MCD production method reported here lays the foundation for large‐scale process operations, potentially solving the current vector shortage in AAV manufacturing.
Astaxanthin production from the microalga Haematococcus lacustris with a dual substrate mixotrophy strategy
Authors: Khazi Mahammed Ilyas , Liaqat Fakhra , Gu Wenhui , Mohamed Badr , Zhu Daochen , Li Jian
Published: June 2023

This study investigates the development of dual‐substrate mixotrophy strategy to cultivate the microalga Haematococcus lacustris for astaxanthin production. The influence of different concentrations of acetate and pyruvate on biomass productivity was first assessed individually, and then both substrates were used together to improve biomass growth in the green phase and astaxanthin accumulation in red the phase. The results showed that dual‐substrates mixotrophy significantly increased the biomass productivity during green growth phase up to 2‐fold compared to phototrophic controls. Furthermore, supplementation of dual‐substrate to the red phase increased astaxanthin accumulation by 10% in the dual‐substrate group compared to single‐substrate acetate and no substrate. This dual‐substrate mixotrophy approach shows promise for cultivating Haematococcus for commercial production of biological astaxanthin in indoor closed systems.
Quantum dots decorated photoanodes in bioelectrochemical fuel cells: Enhanced electricity generation using green algae
Authors: Cevik Emre , Gondal Mohammed A. , Alqahtani Noha , Hassan M.
Published: June 2023

The power performance of the bio‐electrochemical fuel cells (BEFCs) depends mainly on the energy harvesting ability of the anode material. The anode materials with low bandgap energy and high electrochemical stability are highly desirable in the BEFCs. To address this issue, a novel anode is designed using indium tin oxide (ITO) modified by chromium oxide quantum dots (CQDs). The CQDs were synthesized using facile and advanced pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) technique. The combination of ITO and CQDs improved the optical properties of the photoanode by exhibiting a broad range of absorption in the visible to UV region. A systematic study has been performed to optimize the amount of CQDs and green Algae (Alg) film grown using the drop casting method. Chlorophyll (a, b, and total) content of algal cultures (with different concentrations) were optimized to investigate the power generation performance of each cell. The BEFC cell (ITO/Alg10/Cr3//Carbon) with optimized amounts of Alg and CQDs demonstrated enhanced photocurrent generation of 120 mA cm−2 at a photo‐generated potential of 24.6 V m−2. The same device exhibited a maximum power density of 7 W m−2 under continuous light illumination. The device also maintained 98% of its initial performance after 30 repeated cycles of light on–off measurements.
“Biosynthesis of psilocybin and its nonnatural derivatives by a promiscuous psilocybin synthesis pathway in Escherichia coli”
Authors: Flower Jessica E. , Gibbons William J. , Adams Alexandra M. , Wang Xin , Broude Caroline N. , Jones J. Andrew
Published: June 2023

Traditional psychedelics are undergoing a transformation from recreational drugs, to promising pharmaceutical drug candidates with the potential to provide an alternative treatment option for individuals struggling with mental illness. Sustainable and economic production methods are thus needed to facilitate enhanced study of these drug candidates to support future clinical efforts. Here, we expand upon current bacterial psilocybin biosynthesis by incorporating the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase, PsiH, to enable the de novo production of psilocybin as well as the biosynthesis of 13 psilocybin derivatives. The substrate promiscuity of the psilocybin biosynthesis pathway was comprehensively probed by using a library of 49 single‐substituted indole derivatives, providing biophysical insights to this understudied metabolic pathway and opening the door to the in vivo biological synthesis of a library of previously unstudied pharmaceutical drug candidates.
Buy green only: Interplay between green marketing, corporate social responsibility and green purchase intention; the mediating role of green brand image
Authors: Jabeen Riffut , Khan Kashif Ullah , Zain Fahad , Atlas Fouzia
Published: June 2023

Consumers around the globe are concerned about the environment and want to purchase from businesses that are more concerned about society and the environment. Therefore, businesses need to develop their image as socially responsible entities and build their green image through green marketing tactics to enhance the green purchase intentions of their consumers. The study is quantitative, and a convenience sampling technique is used to collect primary data through a self‐administered questionnaire comprised of the demographic profile of the respondents and adopted scales of all the constructs of the study. The population of the study is students of different universities in the Punjab province of Pakistan. Statistical tests are performed with the help of SPSS_v.20 and PLS_v.4 (variance based) on 782 useable responses. Green marketing (GM) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) are the independent variables, while green brand image (GBI) is mediating, and green purchase intention (GPI) is the dependent variable of the study. The results indicate that GM and CSR improved the GBI and built GPI. This study contributes to the social and environmental literature. It may help managers to formulate strategies to enhance the Green Purchase Intentions of customers by building a Green Brand Image.
Anatomy of the Ventricular Outflow Tracts: An Electrophysiology Perspective
Authors: Haq Ikram U. , Shabtaie Samuel A. , Tan Nicholas Y. , Lachman Nirusha , Asirvatham Samuel J.
Published: June 2023

Outflow tract ventricular arrhythmias are the most common type of idiopathic ventricular arrhythmia. A systematic understanding of the outflow tract anatomy improves procedural efficacy and enables electrophysiologists to anticipate and prevent complications. This review emphasizes the three‐dimensional spatial relationships between the ventricular outflow tracts using seven anatomical principles. In turn, each principle is elaborated on from a clinical perspective relevant for the practicing electrophysiologist. The developmental anatomy of the outflow tracts is also discussed and reinforced with a clinical case.
Polysaccharides and Bioactive Phenolics from Aconitum septentrionale Roots
Authors: Fu Yu‐Ping , Malterud Karl Egil , Hamre Anne Grethe , Inngjerdingen Kari Tvete , Wangensteen Helle
Published: June 2023

Aconitum septentrionale is known to contain toxic diterpene alkaloids, while other bioactive compounds in the plant remain unclear. The aim of this study was to explore the phenolic compounds and polysaccharides from the water extract of A. septentrionale roots. Fifteen phenolic compounds were isolated and identified by NMR and MS, including fourteen known and one new dianthramide glucoside (2‐[[2‐(β‐D‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐5‐hydroxybenzoyl]amino]‐4,5‐dihydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester, 14). One neutral (complex of glucans with minor amounts of mannans) and two acidic polysaccharide fractions (complexes of pectic polysaccharides and glucans) were also obtained. Hydroxytyrosol (1), hydroxytyrosol‐1‐O‐β‐glucoside (2) and bracteanolide A (7) inhibited the release of nitric oxide by dendritic cells. Magnoflorine (8) and 2‐[[2‐(β‐D‐glucopyranosyloxy)‐5‐hydroxybenzoyl]amino]‐5‐hydroxybenzoic acid methyl ester (12) inhibited 15‐lipoxygenase, and bracteanolide A (7) was a moderate inhibitor of xanthine oxidase. This study is the first to describe the diversity of phenolics and polysaccharides from A. septentrionale and their anti‐inflammatory and anti‐oxidant activities.
Phytoconstituents of Selaginella effusa Alston and Their α‐Glucosidase as well as Urease Inhibitory Activities
Authors: Sun Wentao , Luo Li , Luo Jiazi , Song Xixi , Tang Demin , Song Zishuo , Li Meishan , Wang Hengshan
Published: June 2023

Three new compounds (1–2, 14), as well as 22 known compounds (3–13, 15–25), were extracted for the first time from the Selaginella effusa Alston (S. effusa). For the unknown compounds, the planar configurations were determined via NMR and by high‐resolution mass spectrometry, while their absolute configurations were determined by calculated electronic circular dichroism (ECD), and the configuration of the stereogenic center of biflavones 4–5 were established for the first time. The pure compounds (1–25) were tested in vitro to determine the inhibitory activity of the enzyme‐catalyzed reactions. Compounds 1–9 inhibited α‐glucosidase with IC50 values ranging from 0.30±0.02 to 4.65±0.04 μM and kinetic analysis of enzyme inhibition indicated that biflavones 1–3 were mixed‐type α‐glucosidase inhibitors. Compounds 12–13 showed excellent inhibitory activity against urease, with compound 12 (IC50=4.38±0.31 μM) showing better inhibitory activity than the positive control drug AHA (IC5013.52±0.61 μM). In addition, molecular docking techniques were used to simulate inhibitor‐enzyme binding and to estimate the binding posture of the α‐glucosidase and urease catalytic sites.
Renal clear cancer cells regulate the differentiation of urine‐derived stem cells to carcinoma‐associated fibroblasts via RUNX3/TGF‐β1 signaling axis
Authors: Chen Liang , Luo Shengjun , Gao Xiangna , Wang Delin
Published: June 2023

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common pathological subtype of renal cancer, is one of the significant health concerns due to limited clinically effective treatments. Nevertheless, targeting carcinoma‐associated fibroblasts in the tumor microenvironment has emerged as a promising innovative strategy for renal cancer therapy. Thus, this study is aimed to explore the role and molecular mechanism of urine‐derived stem cells (USCs) in the progression and metastasis of ccRCC. Initially, wound‐healing and transwell experiments were used to assess the migration and invasion abilities of the cells. Then, western blot analysis (WB) and quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) analyses were used to demonstrate the relevant protein and messenger RNA expression levels. Finally, hematoxylin–eosin and immunohistochemical stainings were performed to evaluate metastasis and protein expression in lung tumors. The coculture of USCs with the ccRCC cell lines significantly enhanced their migratory and invasive abilities. WB and qRT‐PCR analyses exhibited that ccRCC cell lines significantly increased cell mobility markers transcriptional and protein levels in USCs. Finally, the in vivo investigations in nude mice showed that USCs promoted the proliferation and migration of ccRCC‐based xenograft tumors. In summary, these findings demonstrated that USCs promoted ccRCC tumorigenesis and development in vivo and in vitro by regulating the Runt‐related transcription factor 3/transforming growth factor‐β1 signaling axis.
Low thermal conductivity lanthanum zirconate nanofibrous membranes for thermal insulation
Authors: Wang Hengchang , Xu Jie , Wei Mingyue , Meng Xuanyu , Lin Lang , Feng Xiaoying , Gao Feng
Published: June 2023

Lanthanum zirconate (LZO) has high‐temperature advantages, including a high melting point, low thermal conductivity, and high structure stability, which has the potential to be used in high‐temperature thermal insulation field. However, low mechanical properties of LZO porous ceramics have limited further applications. In this work, LZO nanofibrous membranes were prepared by electrospinning, and the preparation parameters, including PVP content, spinning voltage, feeding rate, received distance, and the heating process, were investigated to optimize the microstructure of the nanofibrous membranes. The LZO nanofibrous membranes with a grain size of 34.5 nm displayed good morphology after calcining at 1000°C. The LZO fibrous membranes had a very low thermal conductivity of 0.0716 W/m·K at room temperature, showing excellent insulating performance. This work indicates that LZO nanofibrous membranes are promising candidate materials for thermal insulation applications.
Structural Expansion of Cyclohepta[def]fluorene towards Azulene‐Embedded Non‐Benzenoid Nanographenes
Authors: Wu Fupeng , Barragán Ana , Gallardo Aurelio , Yang Lin , Biswas Kalyan , Écija David , Mendieta‐Moreno Jesús I. , Urgel José I. , Ma Ji , Feng Xinliang
Published: June 2023

Non‐benzenoid non‐alternant nanographenes (NGs) have attracted increasing attention on account of their distinct electronic and structural features in comparison to their isomeric benzenoid counterparts. In this work, we present a series of unprecedented azulene‐embedded NGs on Au(111) during the attempted synthesis of cyclohepta[def]fluorene‐based high‐spin non‐Kekulé structure. Comprehensive scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and non‐contact atomic force microscopy (nc‐AFM) evidence the structures and conformations of these unexpected products. The dynamics of the precursor bearing 9‐(2,6‐dimethylphenyl)anthracene and dihydro‐dibenzo‐cyclohepta[def]fluorene units and its reaction products on the surface are analyzed by density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our study sheds light on the fundamental understanding of precursor design for the fabrication of π‐extended non‐benzenoid NGs on a metal surface.
A Blueprint for the Stabilization of Sub‐Valent Alkaline Earth Complexes**
Authors: Bowles Alex W. J. , Liu Yu , Stevens Matthew P. , Vitorica‐Yrezabal Iñigo J. , McMullin Claire L. , Ortu Fabrizio
Published: June 2023

The study of sub‐valent Group 2 chemistry is a relatively new research field, being established in 2007 with the report of the first Mg(I) dimers. These species are stabilized by the formation of a Mg−Mg covalent bond; however, the extension of this chemistry to heavier alkaline earth (AE) metals has been frustrated by significant synthetic challenges, primarily associated with the instability of heavy AE−AE interactions. Here we present a new blueprint for the stabilization of heavy AE(I) complexes, based upon the reduction of AE(II) precursors with planar coordination geometries. We report the synthesis and structural characterisation of homoleptic trigonal planar AE(II) complexes of the monodentate amides {N(SiMe3)2}− and {N(Mes)(SiMe3)}−. DFT calculations showed that the LUMOs of these complexes all show some d‐character for AE = Ca−Ba. DFT analysis of the square planar Sr(II) complex [Sr{N(SiMe3)2}(dioxane)2]∞ revealed analogous frontier orbital d‐character. AE(I) complexes that could be accessed by reduction of these AE(II) precursors were modelled computationally, revealing exergonic formation in all cases. Crucially, NBO calculations show that some d‐character is preserved in the SOMO of theoretical AE(I) products upon reduction, showing that d‐orbitals could play a crucial role in achieving stable heavy AE(I) complexes.
Effects of Metal Cations and Counter Anions on the Structural Stability of Isoquinoline‐Based Metallo‐Supramolecular Cages
Authors: Chen Zhi , Xie Yinghao , Wang Heng , Yu Xiujun , Li Xiaopeng
Published: June 2023

Comprehensive Summary

Metallo‐supramolecular architectures that are constructed by coordination‐driven self‐assembly have received tremendous attention on account of their diverse yet molecular‐level precise structures and broad applications. Of particular, metal cations and counter anions are fundamentally important in terms of self‐assembly, characterization and property; however, their effects on the structural stabilities of metallo‐supramolecular architectures have seldom been investigated. To address this issue, herein, a series of octahedral metallo‐cages that are capable of tolerating with five metal cations (Pd2+, Cu2+, Ni2+, Co2+ and Zn2+), and five counter anions (ClO4–, OTf–, BF4–, NTf2– and NO3–) are constructed by the coordination‐driven self‐assembly of a well‐designed tritopic isoquinoline‐based ligand with corresponding metal salts. Structural stability studies show that metal cations and counter anions play a critical role in the stability of the resulting cages depending on their coordination abilities and stacking manners. This work provides deep insights in the ever‐diversifying field of metallo‐supramolecular chemistry, and will enable us to design more sophisticated assembled structure with desired function.
Binary Co‐Crystals of Quercetin: Synthesis, Structure, and Spectroscopic Characterization
Authors: Maciołek Urszula , Mendyk Ewaryst , Kuśmierz Marcin , Kozioł Anna E.
Published: June 2023

A mechanochemical method was used to obtain four new quercetin (QUE) co‐crystals. Three co‐formers have the systems of the heterocyclic rings with the oxygen and nitrogen atoms and they form co‐crystals at the stoichiometric ratio of 1 : 2. In contrast, the QUE : o‐dianisidine co‐crystal represents the 1 : 1 stoichiometry and the former molecule is the aniline derivative. The X‐ray crystallography and FT‐IR and FT‐Raman spectra revealed formation of the intermolecular O−H…N or N−H…O hydrogen bonds. The dynamics of the hydrogen bonds was investigated using the XPS method. The N 1s XPS spectra showed no proton transfer in the QUE : FEN and QUE : O‐DIA co‐crystal systems. The QUE : BZFP and QUE : EBZFP show the two‐site static disorder across the proton transfer pathway to the pyridine ring, with the occupancies (C=N : C=NH+) of 72 : 28 and 77 : 23, respectively.
Skin Whole‐Mount Immunofluorescent Staining Protocol, 3D Visualization, and Spatial Image Analysis
Authors: Schmidt Alfonso J. , Wright Graham D. , Ronchese Franca , Price Kylie M.
Published: June 2023

The use of polychromatic immunofluorescent staining on whole‐mount skin enables cell type characterization and aids in the delineation of the physiological and immunological strategies used by the skin to combat pathogens. Using whole‐mount skin for polychromatic immunofluorescent staining removes the need for histological sectioning and enables the visualization of anatomical structures and immune cell types in three dimensions. Here we present a detailed protocol for immunostaining with fluorescence‐conjugated primary antibodies in whole‐mount skin to reveal structural landmarks and specific immune cell types using confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) (Basic Protocol 1). The optimized staining panel reveals structural features such as blood vessels (CD31 antibody) and the lymphatic network (LYVE‐1 antibody), in combination with MHCII antibodies for antigen‐presenting cells (APCs), CD64 for macrophages and monocytes, CD103 for dendritic epidermal T cells (DETC), and CD326 for Langerhans cells (LC). Basic Protocol 2 describes image visualization pipelines using open‐source software (ImageJ/FIJI), enabling four visualization options (z‐projections, orthogonal views, 3D visualization, and animation). Basic Protocol 3 describes a quantitative analysis pipeline using CellProfiler to characterize the spatial relationship between cell types using mathematical indices such as Spatial Distribution Index (SDI), Neighborhood Frequency (NF), and Normalized Median Evenness (NME). These protocols will enable researchers to stain, record, analyze, and interpret data from whole‐mount skin using commercially available reagents in a CLSM‐equipped laboratory and freely available analysis software. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Immunofluorescent staining and imaging for whole‐mount mouse skin

Basic Protocol 2: File rendering and visualization using FIJI

Basic Protocol 3: Spatial image analysis using CellProfiler
High‐Performance CO2 Capture from Air by Harnessing the Power of CaO‐ and Superbase‐Ionic‐Liquid‐Engineered Sorbents
Authors: Moitra Debabrata , Mokhtari‐Nori Narges , Siniard Kevin M. , Qiu Liqi , Fan Juntian , Dong Zhun , Hu Wenda , Liu Hongjun , Jiang De‐en , Lin Hongfei , Hu Jianzhi , Li Meijia , Yang Zhenzhen , Dai Sheng
Published: June 2023

Direct air capture (DAC) of CO2 by solid porous materials represents an attractive “negative emission” technology. However, state‐of‐the‐art sorbents based on supported amines still suffer from unsolved high energy consumption and stability issues. Herein, taking clues from the CO2 interaction with superbase‐derived ionic liquids (SILs), high‐performance and tunable sorbents in DAC of CO2 was developed by harnessing the power of CaO‐ and SIL‐engineered sorbents. Deploying mesoporous silica as the substrate, a thin CaO layer was first introduced to consume the surface‐OH groups, and then active sites with different basicities (e. g., triazolate and imidazolate) were introduced as a uniformly distributed thin layer. The as‐obtained sorbents displayed high CO2 uptake capacity via volumetric (at 0.4 mbar) and breakthrough test (400 ppm CO2 source), rapid interaction kinetics, facile CO2 releasing, and stable sorption/desorption cycles. Operando diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transformation spectroscopy (DRIFTS) analysis under simulated air atmosphere and solid‐state NMR under 13CO2 atmosphere demonstrated the critical roles of the SIL species in low‐concentration CO2 capture. The fundamental insights obtained in this work provide guidance on the development of high‐performance sorbents in DAC of CO2 by leveraging the combined advantages of porous solid scaffolds and the unique features of CO2‐philic ionic liquids.
Design and analysis of reconfigurable sensorless brushless DC motor drive for regenerative braking and battery charging in electric vehicle
Authors: M U Deepa , G R Bindu
Published: June 2023

The expected depletion of fossil fuels has brought in an increased demand for electric vehicles with better performance in terms of easiness of control and reliability of operation and hence is a fertile area of research. In the present scenario, motoring, regenerative braking, and charging operations are performed in electric vehicles by separate converters. In this paper, an integrated scheme is developed, wherein the same voltage source inverter is employed to obtain all the three modes of operation, which in turn reduces the number of switching devices. Further, a sensorless control used in the proposed scheme improves the operational reliability. This novel approach adopts a simple switching scheme for voltage source inverter to operate as a dual‐boost DC‐DC converter during the regenerative braking period. This switching scheme enables reconfiguring voltage source inverter to a dual‐boost rectifier in conjunction with a LLC resonant converter in the charging mode. A comparison is also provided between the performance of single switch boost and dual‐boost converters used for braking operation. The performance of a prototype brushless DC (BLDC) motor drive with Li‐ion battery pack is evaluated in motoring, regenerative braking, and battery charging modes. This paper presents a detailed design of the scheme, the simulation of which is done on a MATLAB/SIMULINK platform and validated experimentally.
Successful endoscopic sclerotherapy for anastomotic tumor hemorrhage: A case report
Authors: Ren Jinfeng , Liu Tianyu , Zhang Yunzhi , Bi Ying , Yang Zhengying , Yuan Xihui
Published: June 2023

A 71‐year‐old male developed anastomotic tumor bleeding after subtotal gastrectomy (Billroth II), and the surgery was refused due to coronary atherosclerotic heart disease. Endoscopic sclerotherapy (ES) in the treatment of esophagogastric variceal bleeding has been commonly reported, but few in non‐variceal upper gastrointestinal bleeding. As far as we know, endoscopic sclerotherapy for malignant tumor hemorrhage has not been reported. Here a valuable case is presented: endoscopic sclerotherapy was performed on the anastomotic tumor bleeding, which is an effective try in a particular period.
Effects of human and nonhuman predation risk on antipredator movement behaviors of an upland game bird
Authors: Wightman Patrick H. , Martin James A. , Kohl Michel T. , Collier Bret A. , Chamberlain Michael J.
Published: June 2023

Predators elicit antipredator behaviors such as proactive and reactive movements in prey, but both are rarely investigated simultaneously. Impacts of human predation risk on antipredator behaviors can be greater than those of nonhuman predators, resulting in increased effects on populations and community structure. We compared the influence of human and nonhuman predation risk on proactive and reactive antipredator movement behaviors of male Eastern wild turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo, hereafter turkey). We used simultaneously collected GPS locations from 31 turkeys and 36 coyotes (Canis latrans) to investigate the antipredator behavior of turkeys to coyotes. To assess antipredator behaviors of turkeys to hunters, we used 1661 hunting tracks collected while monitoring 109 turkeys. For proactive movements, we quantified how predation risk influenced resource selection. To investigate reactive movements, we quantified changes in movement behavior of turkeys after encountering hunters and coyotes. Coyote and turkey home range overlap was high, but lack of core area overlap, encounters, and similar resource selection suggested the use of different areas on the landscape. Turkeys selected areas associated with decreased coyote risk and closer to hardwoods. Coyotes preferred shrubs and open areas, suggesting turkeys avoided coyote risk and the habitats coyotes preferred. We detected 17 coyote and turkey contacts, and the probability of contact decreased by 16.6% for every 100 m farther from a forest edge. Turkeys did not display reactive movement behaviors after a direct encounter with coyotes, as step lengths were similar prior to and after encounters, which did not differ from random step lengths. After hunting, turkeys selected areas farther from public access points and closer to private property, suggesting proactive avoidance of hunter risk. We detected 31 hunter and turkey contacts; increased step lengths after hunter contacts suggested fleeing behavior. The probability of a hunter–turkey contact decreased by 5.5% for every 100 m farther from a secondary road. Antipredator movement behaviors by turkeys suggest coyote risk to be low over a broad temporal window, while hunter risk is high for a narrow temporal window. We provide insight into how human‐induced fear can cause antipredator behavioral responses greater than nonhuman fear, potentially causing changes in species distribution and community structure.
Synergetic Control of Li+ Transport Ability and Solid Electrolyte Interphase by Boron‐Rich Hexagonal Skeleton Structured All‐Solid‐State Polymer Electrolyte
Authors: Li Yanan , Ma Shunchao , Zhao Yuehua , Chen Silin , Xiao Tingting , Yin Hongxing , Song Huiyu , Pan Xiumei , Cong Lina , Xie Haiming
Published: June 2023

High Li+ transference number electrolytes have long been understood to provide attractive candidates for realizing uniform deposition of Li+. However, such electrolytes with immobilized anions would result in incomplete solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation on the Li anode because it suffers from the absence of appropriate inorganic components entirely derived from anions decomposition. Herein, a boron‐rich hexagonal polymer structured all‐solid‐state polymer electrolyte (BSPE+10% LiBOB) with regulated intermolecular interaction is proposed to trade off a high Li+ transference number against stable SEI properties. The Li+ transference number of the as‐prepared electrolyte is increased from 0.23 to 0.83 owing to the boron‐rich cross‐linker (BC) addition. More intriguingly, for the first time, the experiments combined with theoretical calculation results reveal that BOB− anions have stronger interaction with B atoms in polymer chain than TFSI−, which significantly induce the TFSI− decomposition and consequently increase the amount of LiF and Li3N in the SEI layer. Eventually, a LiFePO4|BSPE+10% LiBOB|Li cell retains 96.7% after 400 cycles while the cell without BC‐resisted electrolyte only retains 40.8%. BSPE+10% LiBOB also facilitates stable electrochemical cycling of solid‐state Li‐S cells. This study blazes a new trail in controlling the Li+ transport ability and SEI properties, synergistically.
Synthesis and Properties of Backbone Silylated Imidazol‐2‐thiones
Authors: Grogger Christa , Flock Michaela , Heurix Madeleine , Torvisco Ana , Kyri Andreas W. , Stueger Harald
Published: June 2023

Imidazole‐2‐thiones have attracted considerable interest in the past as materials for potential applications in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries. Herein, the synthesis of a series of backbone silylated 1,3‐dialkylimidazol‐2‐thiones is reported. The developed synthesis protocol involves the silylation of N,N‐dimethylimidazol‐2‐thione 1 followed by the addition of organochlorosilanes RnSiCl4–n (R=Me, Ph; n=0–4) and enabled the synthesis of the C‐silylated derivatives with monocyclic, silyl‐bridged or fused tricyclic structures. Reactivity studies performed with N,N‐dimethyl‐4,5‐bistrimethylsilylimidazole‐2‐thione as a model substance showed surprisingly stable silicon‐vinyl bonds and reactivity patterns closely related to those observed for the unsilylated species 1. Combined UV‐spectroscopic and computational studies revealed only minor impact of the silyl substituents on the electronic structure of the imidazol‐2‐thione ring.
Pd‐Catalyzed Arylation and Benzylation of Tyrosine at the δ−C(sp2)−H and C(2) Positions: Expanding the Library of Unnatural Tyrosines
Authors: Singh Prabhakar , Babu Srinivasarao Arulananda
Published: June 2023

This paper describes Pd(II)‐catalyzed picolinamide‐directed intermolecular arylation and benzylation of remote δ−C(sp2)−H bond (C(2) position) of the aryl ring in tyrosine derivatives and expansion of the library of unnatural tyrosine. Various racemic and enantiopure bis C(2) (ortho C−H) arylated and benzylated tyrosine derivatives were assembled in good yields. Removal of the picolinoyl moiety after the C(2)−H arylation and assembling of tyrosine‐based peptides using C(2)−H arylated tyrosines were shown. Tyrosine derivatives and biaryl amino acids are vital scaffolds in medicinal chemistry. Correspondingly, this work is a contribution towards the expansion of the unnatural tyrosine library with biaryl‐ or terphenyl and diarylmethane‐based tyrosine scaffolds.
CO2 Hydroboration: Impact of the Boryl Moieties on the Reactivity of Four Bis(boryl)acetal Compounds toward 2,6‐Diisopropylaniline
Authors: Desmons Sarah , Zhou Yu , Zhang Dan , Jarava‐Barrera Carlos , Coffinet Anaïs , Simonneau Antoine , Vendier Laure , Luo Gen , Bontemps Sébastien
Published: June 2023

The hydroboration of CO2 into bis(boryl)acetal (BBA) compounds is an important transformation, since it enabled to selectively reduce CO2 by 4e‐ and to subsequently use the BBA compounds as C1 and Cn sources. However, the influence of the nature of the boryl moieties on the reactivity of BBA compounds has not been evaluated so far. In the present study, four BBA compounds – including two new ones – were reacted with 2,6‐diisopropylaniline to afford the expected imine. Significant differences in the rate of the reaction from minutes to weeks have been observed depending on the BBA used, showing the importance of the nature of the boryl moieties. Theoretical investigations enabled to propose a mechanism involving the addition of the aniline to the BBA as the rate‐determining step and to determine that the steric hindrance of the BBA compounds is the main factor driving the rate of this condensation reaction.
Photoelectrochemical biosensing platform for the SARS‐CoV‐2 spike and nucleocapsid proteins
Authors: Nascimento Botelho Chirlene , Silva de Menezes Alan , Moraes Silva Saimon , Tatsuo Kubota Lauro , Santos Damos Flávio , de Cássia Silva Luz Rita
Published: June 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic is still a continuing worldwide challenge for public health systems. Early and ultrasensitive identification of the infection is essential for preventing the spread of COVID‐19 by pre‐symptomatic or asymptomatic individuals, particularly in the community and in‐home settings. This work presents a versatile photoelectrochemical (PEC) immunosensor for SARS‐CoV‐2 detection based on a composite material formed by bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) and strontium titanate (SrTiO3). The PEC platform was denoted as BiVO4/SrTiO3/FTO, and it can be tuned for the detection of either Spike (S) or Nucleocapsid (N) protein by simply altering the antibody immobilized on the platform's surface. Chemical, morphological, and electrochemical characterizations were performed by X‐Ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron microscopy, Energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, and Amperometry. With a simple sensing architecture of the PEC platform, it was possible to achieve a linear response range of 0.1 pg mL−1 to 1000 ng mL−1 for S protein and 0.01 pg mL−1 to 1000 ng mL−1 for N protein. The PEC immunosensors presented recovery values for the two SARS‐CoV‐2 proteins in artificial saliva samples between 97 % and 107.20 % suggesting a good accuracy for the proposed immunosensors.
Sensitive determination of diuron on zinc oxide nanoparticles modified carbon paste electrode in soil and water samples
Authors: Ouedraogo Bibata , Tall Amidou , Bako Yibor Fabrice Roland , Tapsoba Issa
Published: June 2023

An electrochemical sensor based on Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) modified carbon paste electrode was designed for the toxic diuron pesticide detection. The ZnONPs were synthesized through the hydrothermal route and their structural properties were investigated via scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X‐ray diffraction powder (XRD). The designed ZnONPs‐modified carbon paste electrode (ZnONPs‐CPE) was characterized using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The sensor showed significantly enhanced sensitivity on the diuron oxidation peak current, compared to the bare carbon paste electrode. Qualitative and quantitative analysis were performed using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). Experimental parameters such as pH, amount of ZnONPs and frequency were evaluated and the optimized conditions were obtained with 0.1 M phosphate buffer solution at pH=8, a frequency of 50 Hz and a quantity of 5 mg of ZnONPs. Under these conditions, linear responses ranging from 1.3 to 7.7 μM and 8.6 to 30 μM of diuron were obtained, with correlation coefficients of R2=0.994 and 0.996 respectively. Detection and quantification limits of 0.22 μM and 0.84 μM (S/N=3) were respectively achieved based on the 3σ method. The interference of some ions on the oxidation peak of diuron on ZnONPs‐CPE was also evaluated and no interference was observed, therefore demonstrating the selectivity of the sensor. The proposed sensor, designed with ecofriendly materials, is sensitive, selective and was effectively used for diuron determination in soils and water samples with recoveries ranging from 98 % to 101.5 %.
Waldeyer ring microbiome in relation to chemoradiation‐induced oral mucositis in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Chung Allan , Chung Yu‐Ting , Liang Yo‐Wen , Chung Yih‐Lin
Published: June 2023

Background

Waldeyer lymphatic ring surrounds the nasopharynx and oropharynx, and no study to date has correlated its microbiome with the severity of oral mucositis (OM) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) receiving chemoradiotherapy.

Methods

We performed 16S rRNA sequencing to characterize bacterial microbiome in tumor‐affected nasopharynx and the surrounding normal oropharynx. We plotted the abundance and diversity of bacterial taxa and their phylogenetic distance and networks to visualize and compare the differences in pretreatment overall bacterial communities between the nasopharynx and oropharynx in patients with NPC with varying degrees of chemoradiotherapy‐induced OM and quality of life.

Results

We found microbial signatures in nasopharynx around NPC were not only dissimilar to those in the surrounding oropharynx but were almost unique to each patient. The genetic distance metrics further showed that different tumor microbiota distributions in the nasopharynx among patients with NPC were well‐correlated with OM severity and quality of life during chemoradiotherapy.

Conclusions

At Waldeyer ring, the tumor‐associated microbiome risk profiles of the respiratory region of nasopharynx, but not commensal microbiota of the alimentary region of oropharynx, could be noninvasive biomarkers for OM susceptibility and might include drug targets for the prevention of chemoradiation‐induced OM in patients with Waldeyer ring‐derived NPC.
Targeted sequencing of cancer‐related genes reveals a recurrent TOP2A variant which affects DNA binding and coincides with global transcriptional changes in glioblastoma
Authors: Gielniewski Bartlomiej , Poleszak Katarzyna , Roura Adria‐Jaume , Szadkowska Paulina , Jacek Karol , Krol Sylwia K. , Guzik Rafal , Wiechecka Paulina , Maleszewska Marta , Kaza Beata , Marchel Andrzej , Czernicki Tomasz , Koziarski Andrzej , Zielinski Grzegorz , Styk Andrzej , Kawecki Maciej , Szczylik Cezary , Czepko Ryszard , Banach Mariusz , Kaspera Wojciech , Szopa Wojciech , Bujko Mateusz , Czapski Bartosz , Zabek Miroslaw , Iżycka‐Świeszewska Ewa , Kloc Wojciech , Nauman Pawel , Cieslewicz Joanna , Grajkowska Wieslawa , Morosini Natalia , Noushmehr Houtan , Wojtas Bartosz , Kaminska Bozena
Published: June 2023

High‐grade gliomas are aggressive, deadly primary brain tumors. Median survival of patients with glioblastoma (GBM, WHO grade 4) is 14 months and <10% of patients survive 2 years. Despite improved surgical strategies and forceful radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the prognosis of GBM patients is poor and did not improve over decades. We performed targeted next‐generation sequencing with a custom panel of 664 cancer‐ and epigenetics‐related genes, and searched for somatic and germline variants in 180 gliomas of different WHO grades. Herein, we focus on 135 GBM IDH‐wild type samples. In parallel, mRNA sequencing was accomplished to detect transcriptomic abnormalities. We present the genomic alterations in high‐grade gliomas and the associated transcriptomic patterns. Computational analyses and biochemical assays showed the influence of TOP2A variants on enzyme activities. In 4/135 IDH‐wild type GBMs we found a novel, recurrent mutation in the TOP2A gene encoding topoisomerase 2A (allele frequency [AF] = 0.03, 4/135 samples). Biochemical assays with recombinant, wild type (WT) and variant proteins demonstrated stronger DNA binding and relaxation activity of the variant protein. GBM patients carrying the altered TOP2A had shorter overall survival (median OS 150 vs 500 days, P = .0018). In the GBMs with the TOP2A variant we found transcriptomic alterations consistent with splicing dysregulation. luA novel, recurrent TOP2A mutation, which was found exclusively in four GBMs, results in the TOP2A E948Q variant with altered DNA binding and relaxation activities. The deleterious TOP2A mutation resulting in transcription deregulation in GBMs may contribute to disease pathology.