bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Age- and stage-specific regulation patterns in the hematopoietic stem cell hierarchy
Authors: Geiger Hartmut , True Jarrod M. , de Haan Gerald , Van Zant Gary
Published: July 2002

The molecular mechanisms that regulate self-renewal and differentiation of very primitive hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells in vivo are still poorly understood. Despite the clinical relevance, even less is known about the mechanisms that regulate these cells in old animals. In a forward genetic approach, using quantitative trait linkage analysis in the mouse BXD recombinant inbred set, this study identified loci that regulate the genetic variation in the size of primitive hematopoietic cell compartments of young and old C57BL6 and DBA/2 animals. Linked loci were confirmed through the generation and analysis of congenic animals. In addition, a comparative linkage analysis revealed that the number of primitive hematopoietic cells and hematopoietic stem cells are regulated in a stage-specific and an age-specific manner.
Transendothelial migration of lymphocytes across high endothelial venules into lymph nodes is affected by metalloproteinases
Authors: Faveeuw Christelle , Preece Graham , Ager Ann
Published: July 2002

The migration of lymphocytes from the bloodstream into lymph nodes (LNs) via high endothelial venules (HEVs) is a prerequisite for the detection of processed antigen on mature dendritic cells and the initiation of immune responses. The capture and arrest of lymphocytes from flowing blood is mediated by the multistep adhesion cascade, but the mechanisms that lymphocytes use to penetrate the endothelial lining and the basement membrane of HEVs are poorly understood. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) control the metastatic spread of tumor cells by regulating the penetration blood vessel basement membranes. In this study, synthetic and natural inhibitors were used to determine the role of MMPs and MMP-related enzymes in regulating lymphocyte extravasation in mice. Mice were treated systemically with the hydroxamate-based MMP inhibitor Ro 31-9790 and plasma monitored for effective levels of Ro 31-9790, which block shedding of L-selectin. The total numbers of lymphocytes recruited into LNs were not altered, but L-selectin levels were higher in mice treated with Ro 31-9790. A reduced number of lymphocytes completed diapedesis and there was an increase in the number of lymphocytes in the endothelial cell lining, rather than the lumen or the basement membrane of HEVs. Lymphocyte migration and L-selectin expression in the spleen were not altered by Ro 31-9790 treatment. Two MMP inhibitors, TIMP1 and Ro 32-1541, did not block L-selectin shedding and had no effect on lymphocyte migration across HEVs. These results suggest that metalloproteinase activity is required for lymphocyte transmigration across HEVs into LNs and provide evidence for the concept that metalloproteinases are important players in some forms of transendothelial migration.
Interleukin-7 promotes survival and cell cycle progression of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells by down-regulating the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27kip1
Authors: Barata Joao T. , Cardoso Angelo A. , Nadler Lee M. , Boussiotis Vassiliki A.
Published: July 2002

In normal T-cell development interleukin-7 (IL-7) functions as an antiapoptotic factor by regulating bcl-2 expression in immature thymocytes and mature T cells. Similar to what occurs in normal immature thymocytes, prevention of spontaneous apoptosis by IL-7 in precursor T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) cells correlates with up-regulation of bcl-2. IL-7 is also implicated in leukemogenesis because IL-7 transgenic mice develop lymphoid malignancies, suggesting that IL-7 may regulate the generation and expansion of malignant cells. This study shows that in the presence of IL-7, T-ALL cells not only up-regulated bcl-2 expression and escaped apoptosis but also progressed in the cell cycle, resulting in sequential induction of cyclin D2 and cyclin A. Down-regulation of p27kip1 was mandatory for IL-7–mediated cell cycle progression and temporally coincided with activation of cyclin-dependent kinase (cdk)4 and cdk2 and hyperphosphorylation of Rb. Strikingly, forced expression of p27kip1 in T-ALL cells not only prevented cell cycle progression but also reversed IL-7–mediated up-regulation of bcl-2 and promotion of viability. These results show for the first time that a causative link between IL-7–mediated proliferation and p27kip1 down-regulation exists in malignant T cells. Moreover, these results suggest that p27kip1 may function as a tumor suppressor gene not only because it is a negative regulator of cell cycle progression but also because it is associated with induction of apoptosis of primary malignant cells.
Embryonic and hematopoietic stem cells express a novel SH2–containing inositol 5′-phosphatase isoform that partners with the Grb2 adapter protein
Authors: Tu Zheng , Ninos John M. , Ma Zhengyu , Wang Jia-Wang , Lemos Maria P. , Desponts Caroline , Ghansah Tomar , Howson Julie M. , Kerr William G.
Published: July 2002

SH2–containing inositol 5′-phosphatase (SHIP) modulates the activation of immune cells after recruitment to the membrane by Shc and the cytoplasmic tails of receptors. A novel SHIP isoform of approximately 104 kd expressed in primitive stem cell populations (s-SHIP) is described. It was found that s-SHIP is expressed in totipotent embryonic stem cells to the exclusion of the 145-kd SHIP isoform expressed in differentiated hematopoietic cells. s-SHIP is also expressed in primitive hematopoietic stem cells, but not in lineage-committed hematopoietic cells. In embryonic stem cells, s-SHIP partners with the adapter protein Grb2 without tyrosine phosphorylation and is present constitutively at the cell membrane. It is postulated that s-SHIP modulates the activation threshold of primitive stem cell populations.
Neuropathological Lesions and Cognitive Abilities in Black and White Older Adults in Brazil
Authors: Suemoto Claudia K. , Leite Renata E. P. , Paes Vitor R. , Rodriguez Roberta , Justo Alberto F. O. , Naslavsky Michel S. , Zatz Mayana , Pasqualucci Carlos A. , Nitrini Ricardo , Ferriolli Eduardo , Jacob-Filho Wilson , Grinberg Lea T.
Published: July 2024

Importance

Race differences in dementia prevalence and incidence have previously been reported, with higher dementia burden in Black decedents. However, previous neuropathological studies were conducted mostly in convenience samples with White participants; conducting clinicopathological studies across populations is crucial for understanding the underlying dementia causes in individuals from different racial backgrounds.

Objective

To compare the frequencies of neuropathological lesions and cognitive abilities between Black and White Brazilian adults in an autopsy study.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study used samples from the Biobank for Aging Studies, a population-based autopsy study conducted in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Participants were older adults whose family members consented to the brain donations; Asian participants and those with missing data were excluded. Samples were collected from 2004 to 2023. Neuropathologists were masked to cognitive outcomes.

Exposure

Race as reported by the deceased’s family member.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The frequencies of neurodegenerative and cerebrovascular lesions were evaluated in 13 selected cerebral areas. Cognitive and functional abilities were examined with the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale.

Results

The mean (SD) age of the 1815 participants was 74.0 (12.5) years, 903 (50%) were women, 617 (34%) were Black, and 637 (35%) had cognitive impairment. Small vessel disease (SVD) and siderocalcinosis were more frequent in Black compared with White participants (SVD: odds ratio [OR], 1.74; 95% CI, 1.29-2.35; P < .001; siderocalcinosis: OR, 1.70; 95% CI, 1.23-2.34; P = .001), while neuritic plaques were more frequent in White compared with Black participants (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.44-0.83; P = .002). Likewise, Alzheimer disease neuropathological diagnosis was more frequent in White participants than Black participants (198 [39%] vs 77 [33%]), while vascular dementia was more common among Black participants than White participants (76 [32%] vs 121 [24%]). Race was not associated with cognitive abilities, nor did it modify the association between neuropathology and cognition.

Conclusions and Relevance

In this cross-sectional study of Brazilian older adults, Alzheimer disease pathology was more frequent in White participants while vascular pathology was more frequent in Black participants. Further neuropathological studies in diverse samples are needed to understand race disparities in dementia burden.
Extremely Large Anomalous Hall Conductivity and Unusual Axial Diamagnetism in a Quasi‐1D Dirac Material La3MgBi5
Authors: Yi Zhe‐Kai , Ouyang Zhen‐Feng , Guo Peng‐Jie , Liang Hui , Li Yi‐Ran , Su Ping , Li Na , Zhou Ying , Wu Dan‐Dan , Sun Yan , Yue Xiao‐Yu , Li Qiu‐Ju , Wang Shou‐Guo , Sun Xue‐Feng , Wang Yi‐Yan
Published: July 2024

Anomalous Hall effect (AHE), one of the most important electronic transport phenomena, generally appears in ferromagnetic materials but is rare in materials without magnetic elements. Here, a study of La3MgBi5 is presented, whose band structure carries multitype Dirac fermions. Although magnetic elements are absent in La3MgBi5, the signals of AHE can be observed. In particular, the anomalous Hall conductivity is extremely large, reaching 42,356 Ω−1 cm−1 with an anomalous Hall angle of 8.8%, the largest one that has been observed in the current AHE systems. The AHE is suggested to originate from the combination of skew scattering and Berry curvature. Another unique property discovered in La3MgBi5 is the axial diamagnetism. The diamagnetism is significantly enhanced and dominates the magnetization in the axial directions, which is the result of the restricted motion of the Dirac fermion at the Fermi level. These findings not only establish La3MgBi5 as a suitable platform to study AHE and quantum transport but also indicate the great potential of 315‐type Bi‐based materials for exploring novel physical properties.
Biocompatible Liquid Embolic for the Treatment of Microvascular Hemorrhage
Authors: Keum Hyeongseop , Kim Jinjoo , Zhang Zefu , Graf Erin , Albadawi Hassan , Oklu Rahmi
Published: July 2024

Persistent or recurrent bleeding from microvessels inaccessible for direct endovascular intervention is a major problem in medicine today. Here, an innovative catheter‐directed liquid embolic (P‐LE) is bioengineered for rapid microvessel embolization to treat small vessel hemorrhage. Tested in rodent, porcine, and canine animal models under normal and coagulopathic conditions, P‐LE outperformed clinically used embolic materials in both survival and non‐survival experiments, effectively occluding vessels as small as 40 microns with no signs of recanalization. P‐LE occlusion is independent of the coagulation cascade, and its resistance to displacement is ≈ 8 times greater than systolic blood pressure. P‐LE is also found to be biocompatible and x‐ray visible and does not require polymerization or a chemical reaction to embolize. To simulate the clinical scenario, acute microvascular hemorrhage is created in the pig kidney, liver, or stomach; these are successfully treated with P‐LE achieving immediate hemostasis. Furthermore, P‐LE is found to be bactericidal to highly resistant patient‐derived bacteria, suggesting that P‐LE may also protect against infectious complications that may occur following embolization procedures. P‐LE is safe, easy to use, and effective in treating ‐microvessel hemorrhage.
Smart‐Adhesive, Breathable and Waterproof Fibrous Electronic Skins
Authors: Tan Di , Guan Xiaoyang , Chung King Yan , Tang Yun , Yang Yujue , Wang Qian , Chen Tiandi , Xu Bingang
Published: July 2024

For the need of direct contact with the skin, electronic skins (E‐skins) should not only fulfill electric functions, but also ensure comfort during wearing, including permeability, waterproofness, and easy removal. Herein, the study has developed a self‐adhesive, detach‐on‐demand, breathable, and waterproof E‐skin (PDSC) for motion sensing and wearable comfort by electrospinning styrene‐isoprene block copolymer rubber with carbon black nanosheets as the sensing layer and liner copolymers of N, N‐dimethylacrylamide, n‐octadecyl acrylate and lauryl methacrylate as the adhesive layer. The high elasticity and microfiber network structure endow the PDSC with good sensitivity and high linearity for strain sensing. The hydrophobic and crystallizable adhesive layer ensures robust, waterproof, and detaching‐on‐demand skin adhesion. Meanwhile, the fiber structure enables the PDSC good air and water permeability. The integration of electric and wearable functions endows the PDSC with great potential for motion sensing during human activities as both the sensing and wearable performances.
Elucidating the Role of Alkali Metal Carbonates in Impact on Oxygen Vacancies for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Jang Won Jin , Kim Eun Ho , Cho Jin Hyuk , Lee Donghwa , Kim Soo Young
Published: July 2024

Effectively suppressing nonradiative recombination at the SnO2/perovskite interface is imperative for perovskite solar cells. Although the capabilities of alkali salts at the SnO2/perovskite interface have been acknowledged, the effects and optimal selection of alkali metal cations remain poorly understood. Herein, a novel approach for obtaining the optimal alkali metal cation (A‐cation) at the interface is investigated by comparatively analyzing different alkali carbonates (A2CO3; Li2CO3, Na2CO3, K2CO3, Rb2CO3, and Cs2CO3). Theoretical calculations demonstrate that A2CO3 coordinates with undercoordinated Sn and O on the surface, effectively mitigating oxygen vacancy (VO) defects with increasing A‐cation size, whereas Cs2CO3 exhibits diminished preferability owing to enhanced steric hindrance. The experimental results highlight the crucial role of Rb2CO3 in actively passivating VO defects, forming a robust bond with SnO2, and facilitating Rb+ diffusion into the perovskite layer, thereby enhancing charge extraction, alleviating deep‐level trap states and structural distortion in the perovskite film, and significantly suppressing nonradiative recombination. X‐ray absorption spectroscopy analyses further reveal the effect of Rb2CO3 on the local structure of the perovskite film. Consequently, a Rb2CO3‐treated device with aperture area of 0.14 cm2 achieves a notable efficiency of 22.10%, showing improved stability compared to the 20.11% achieved for the control device.
Tracking the migration and distribution of Caspian Kutum (Rutilus kutum, Kamenskii, 1901) along the southern coastline of the Caspian Sea based on stable isotope analysis
Authors: Abbasi Fatemeh , Ghorbani Rasoul , Salmanmahiny Abdol Rassoul , Trueman Clive Nicholas , Jackson Andrew Llyod , Fazel Abdol Azim
Published: July 2024

Animal movements and resource utilization are essential factors for effective environmental management, but they are difficult to quantify in extensive natural ecosystems such as the aquatic environment.

Stable isotope analysis is an ecological tracer technique that reveals information about links between trophic levels, movement patterns of migratory species or geographical variations due to the different aquatic processes that influence them. The Caspian kutum is an important commercial endemic species on the southern coasts of the Caspian Sea and can be used as a proxy to gain information on how different spatiotemporal, environmental and biological—variables can influence ecological tracers such as stable isotopes at the sea basin level. Thus, the main objective of this study is to investigate how spatiotemporal, isotopic baseline and environmental factors influence the distribution of stable isotopes in the Caspian kutum.

The results showed that although there are individual variations, there is an overall increasing trend in δ13C and a decreasing trend in δ15N from the western to the eastern regions. In addition, there is a decreasing trend in δ13C and an increasing trend in δ15N with increasing age. It seems that among other migration routes of this species from the northern part of the southern Caspian Sea to the southern coasts, one of the main migration routes of this fish on the coasts of Iran is west‐east mobility, which may affect the efficiency of sustainable management of the catch in various fishing areas.

This was the first study to establish a migratory pattern of the Caspian kutum based on stable isotopes. We advocate the wider stable isotopes to effectively investigate fish migratory, as the results from this study provided important contributions to the development of valuable insights for the management and sustainability for this threatened and declining species fish populations.
Nomogram for predicting outcomes in elderly women with mucinous breast cancer: A retrospective study combined with external validation in southwest China
Authors: Zhang Zhaoxia , Zhanghuang Chenghao , Cai Qian , Song Guangye , Wang Quan , Tang Yue , Li Hongbo
Published: July 2024

Objective

Mucinous breast cancer (MBC) is a kind of breast cancer (BC), which is rare in clinic, mainly for women, because of the low incidence rate, so there is no unified standard treatment protocol. Elderly patients have a poor prognosis due to their combined comorbidities. This study aims to investigate the effect of surgery and chemoradiotherapy on the prognosis of elderly female MBC patients and construct nomograms for predicting the OS and CSS in elderly female MBC patients.

Methods

Data for female MBC patients over 65 years are obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) database, patients were divided into two groups: the training set and the validation set. External validation data of the prediction model were provided by Kunming Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. We used Cox regression modeling, which was used to identify independent risk factors affecting patient prognosis. After avoiding confounding bias according to the multifactorial Cox regression model, we used these screened statistically significant results to construct column‐line plots. The performance of the model was tested using the consistency index (c‐index), the calibration curve, and the area under the operating characteristic curve of the receiver (AUC). Subsequently, we used decision curve analysis (DCA) to examine the potential clinical value of our nomograms.

Results

A total of 8103 elderly MBC female patients were extracted from the database SEER and were assigned to the training and validation set, randomly. A total of 83 patients from Kunming Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine were used in the external verification set. After multifactorial Cox regression analysis, we found that age, race, T‐stage, M‐stage, surgical approach, radiotherapy, and tumor size were independent risk factors for OS in elderly MBC patients. Similarly, independent risk factors of CSS included age, marital status, N stage, M stage, surgical approach, chemotherapy, and tumor size. The C‐index for the OS training, validation, and external verification set were 0.731 (95%CI 0.715–0.747), 0.738 (95%CI 0.724–0.752), and 0.809 (95%CI 0.731–0.8874). The C‐index of the training set, the validation set, and external verification set for CSS were 0.786 (95%CI 0.747–0.825), 0.776 (95%CI 0.737–0.815), and 0.84 (95%CI0.754–0.926), respectively. The AUC, calibration curves and DCA also showed good accuracy.

Conclusions

In this study, we construct a new nomogram to predict the prognosis of elderly patients with MBC. The nomograms have undergone internal and external validation and have been confirmed to have good clinical applicability. At the same time, we found that for elderly female MBC patients, surgery and radiotherapy significantly benefit their survival, but chemotherapy is not conducive to patient survival.
Daily energy expenditure and water turnover in female netball players from the Netball Super League: A doubly labeled water observation study
Authors: Costello Nessan , Jones Ben , Roe Stephanie , Blake Cameron , Clark Anthony , Chantler Sarah , Owen Cameron , Wilson Lara , Wilson Oliver , Stavropoulos‐Kalinoglou Antonis , Janse van Rensburg Dina C. , Hambly Catherine , Speakman John R. , Backhouse Susan , Whitehead Sarah
Published: July 2024

To establish the criterion‐assessed energy and fluid requirements of female netball players, 13 adult players from a senior Netball Super League squad were assessed over 14 days in a cross‐sectional design, representing a two‐ and one‐match microcycle, respectively. Total energy expenditure (TEE) and water turnover (WT) were measured by doubly labeled water. Resting and activity energy expenditure were measured by indirect calorimetry and Actiheart, respectively. Mean 14‐day TEE was 13.46 ± 1.20 MJ day−1 (95% CI, 12.63–14.39 MJ day−1). Resting energy expenditure was 6.53 ± 0.60 MJ day−1 (95% CI, 6.17–6.89 MJ day−1). Physical activity level was 2.07 ± 0.19 arbitrary units (AU) (95% CI, 1.95–2.18 AU). Mean WT was 4.1 ± 0.9 L day−1 (95% CI, 3.6–4.7 L day−1). Match days led to significantly greater TEE than training (+2.85 ± 0.70 MJ day−1; 95% CI, +1.00– +4.70 MJ day−1; p = 0.002) and rest (+4.85 ± 0.70 MJ day−1; 95% CI, +3.13–+6.56 MJ day−1; p < 0.001) days. Matches led to significantly greater energy expenditure (+1.85 ± 1.27 MJ; 95% CI, +0.95–+2.76 MJ day−1; p = 0.001) than court‐based training sessions. There was no significant difference in TEE (+0.03 ± 0.35 MJ day−1; 95% CI, −0.74–+0.80 MJ day−1; p = 0.936) across weeks. Calibrated Actiheart 5 monitors underestimated TEE (−1.92 ± 1.21 MJ day−1). Energy and fluid turnover were greatest on match days, followed by training and rest days, with no difference across weeks. This study provides criterion‐assessed energy and fluid requirements to inform dietary guidance for female netball players.
Sobre el género Eremolepis Grisebach (Ereinolepidaceae) en Cuba
Authors: Sánchez Angela T. Lelva
Published: July 2024

Se ofrece una descripción completa, e ilustraciones de la especies Eremolepis wrightii Grisebach, ya que en la diagnosis original sólo se hizo referencia a la flor femenina. Se discuten las implicaciones taxonómicas de los resultados y se ofrecen algunos datos ecológicos.
Vorstellungen zur Evolution und Chorogenese der neotropischen Buxus‐Arten
Authors: Köhler Egon
Published: July 2024

Ausgehend von der rezenten Verbreitung der Gattung Buxus und in Auswertung der Muster der Pollenevolution, der Blattstiel‐ und Achsenvaskularisation und der Blattnervatur werden Überlegungen zur systematischen Stellung und der möglichen Ableitung der Arten der Neuen Welt angestellt.

Ihre nächsten Verwandten kommen gegenwärtig in Ost‐Afrika vor und zeigen damit eine sehr alte Disjunktion, während die wesentlichen Stadien ihrer Pollenevolution bereits im Tertiär Europas nachgewiesen wurden.

Cuba besitzt die höchste Zahl von Arten mit der gröβten morphologischen und phylogenetischen Vielfalt und erweist sich so als Entwicklungszentrum in der Neuen Welt. Auf den anderen Antillen und in Zentral‐ und Süd‐Amerika kommen meist eng verwandte Vertreter von nur ein oder zwei Verwandtschaftsgruppen vor, die sich erst nach der Isolation dieser Gebiete und der Herausbildung ihrer orographischen Gegebenheiten differenziert haben.

Die morphologischen und systematischen Befunde werden im Zusammenhang mit neuesten Erkenntnissen über die geologischen, paläogeographisehen und paläoklimatischen Entwieklungen und den Tendenzen der edaphisehen Spezialisierung diskutiert. Die Kombination dieser Befunde trägt dazu bei, die Entwicklungsgeschichte der Gattung Buxus in der Neotropis zu rekonstruieren und gewisse Marken ihrer raumzeitlichen Differenzierung zu setzen.
Nodal anatomy of the seedlings of Family Mimosaceae
Authors: Vaneja T. R. , Thanki Y. J. , Parabia M. H.
Published: July 2024

The nodal anatomy of the seedlings of six Mimosaceae plants viz,; Acacia nilotica L.; Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn.; Acacia farnesiana (L.) Willd. Acacia pinnata (L.) Willd.; Mimosa pudica L. and Neptunia triquetra Bth. has been studied. The cotyledonary vascular supply may be unilacunar with single trace, two traces or three traces. The nodal vasculature of leaves is trilacunar. Thus the cotyledonary node of the taxa under study exhibits variation in the vasculature. Nodal anatomy also suggests that though the first leaf/leaf pair, morphologically appears to be developing from the cotyledonary node, it infact originates from a point little above the cotyledonary node. This indicates the presence of “condensed interned” between the cotyledonary node and leaf node.
Role of orthobiologics in managing patellar tendinopathy: A narrative review
Authors: Banerjee Sumit , Balamarthandapuram Gopalakrishna Ragulajay , Elhence Abhay
Published: July 2024

Patellar tendinopathy is a relatively common cause of anterior knee pain in athletes. It is predominantly seen in sports involving jumping, running, abrupt change in direction like basketball, volleyball, soccer, sprinting and jumping. The main pathophysiology is considered to be repetitive microtrauma at the inferior pole of patella along with a poor healing response. Although eccentric exercises have shown to be beneficial, the improvement is often slow and may result in a less than satisfactory outcome. There is a growing interest of orthobiologics, mainly platelet‐rich plasma (PRP) in multiple chronic musculoskeletal pathologies. This narrative review aimed to analyse the current evidence on the role of orthobiologics in the management of recalcitrant patellar tendinopathy. Multiple studies have shown significant clinical improvement with negligible adverse effects on PRP injection for patellar tendinopathy. Most studies assessed report that the effects of PRP are sustained. However, among all studies evaluated, there is a considerable heterogeneity in terms of PRP composition, number of injections, dosage interval and postinjection rehabilitation protocol, pointing to the need for further research to enable standardisation of PRP therapy. Stem cells too have shown potential to be effective as a treatment modality for chronic patellar tendinopathy, but there is limited data to recommend its use outside of research setting or to enable a meaningful comparison to PRP. There is a promising role of orthobiologics in management of chronic patellar tendinopathy not responding to conventional treatment.

Level of Evidence

Not applicable (narrative review).
Normothermic liver perfusion derived extracellular vesicles have concentration‐dependent immunoregulatory properties
Authors: Jennings Heather , McMorrow Stacey , Chlebeck Peter , Heise Grace , Levitsky Mia , Verhoven Bret , Kink John A. , Weinstein Kristin , Hong Seungpyo , Al‐Adra David P.
Published: July 2024

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are major contributors to immunological responses following solid organ transplantation. Donor derived EVs are best known for their role in transplant rejection through transferring donor major histocompatibility complex proteins to recipient antigen presenting cells, a phenomenon known as ‛cross‐decoration’. In contrast, donor liver‐derived EVs are associated with organ tolerance in small animal models. Therefore, the cellular source of EVs and their cargo could influence their downstream immunological effects. To investigate the immunological effects of EVs released by the liver in a physiological and transplant‐relevant model, we isolated EVs being produced during normothermic ex vivo liver perfusion (NEVLP), a novel method of liver storage prior to transplantation. We found EVs were produced by the liver during NEVLP, and these EVs contained multiple anti‐inflammatory miRNA species. In terms of function, liver‐derived EVs were able to cross‐decorate allogeneic cells and suppress the immune response in allogeneic mixed lymphocyte reactions in a concentration‐dependent fashion. In terms of cytokine response, the addition of 1 × 109 EVs to the mixed lymphocyte reactions significantly decreased the production of the inflammatory cytokines TNF‐α, IL‐10 and IFN‐γ. In conclusion, we determined physiologically produced liver‐derived EVs are immunologically regulatory, which has implications for their role and potential modification in solid organ transplantation.
Baohuoside I chemosensitises breast cancer to paclitaxel by suppressing extracellular vesicle/CXCL1 signal released from apoptotic cells
Authors: Wang Shengqi , Li Jing , Xu Shang , Wang Neng , Pan Bo , Yang Bowen , Zheng Yifeng , Zhang Juping , Peng Fu , Peng Cheng , Wang Zhiyu
Published: July 2024

Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype and chemotherapy is the cornerstone treatment for TNBC. Regrettably, emerging findings suggest that chemotherapy facilitates pro‐metastatic changes in the tumour microenvironment. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have been highly implicated in cancer drug resistance and metastasis. However, the effects of the EVs released from dying cancer cells on TNBC prognosis and corresponding therapeutic strategies have been poorly investigated. This study demonstrated that paclitaxel chemotherapy elicited CXCL1‐enriched EVs from apoptotic TNBC cells (EV‐Apo). EV‐Apo promoted the chemoresistance and invasion of co‐cultured TNBC cells by polarizing M2 macrophages through activating PD‐L1 signalling. However, baohuoside I (BHS) remarkably sensitized the co‐cultured TNBC cells to paclitaxel chemotherapy via modulating EV‐Apo signalling. Mechanistically, BHS remarkably decreased C‐X‐C motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1) cargo within EV‐Apo and therefore attenuated macrophage M2 polarization by suppressing PD‐L1 activation. Additionally, BHS decreased EV‐Apo release by diminishing the biogenesis of intraluminal vesicles (ILVs) within multivesicular bodies (MVBs) of TNBC cells. Furthermore, BHS bound to the LEU104 residue of flotillin 2 (FLOT2) and interrupted its interaction with RAS oncogene family member 31 (RAB31), leading to the blockage of RAB31‐FLOT2 complex‐driven ILV biogenesis. Importantly, BHS remarkably chemosensitised paclitaxel to inhibit TNBC metastasis in vivo by suppressing EV‐ApoCXCL1‐induced PD‐L1 activation and M2 polarization of tumour‐associated macrophages (TAMs). This pioneering study sheds light on EV‐ApoCXCL1 as a novel therapeutic target to chemosensitise TNBC, and presents BHS as a promising chemotherapy adjuvant to improve TNBC chemosensitivity and prognosis by disturbing EV‐ApoCXCL1 biogenesis.
Effect of aging temperature on the microstructure and properties of alloyed high‐manganese steel
Authors: Sun J. , Jiang M. , Dong L. , Ding Z. , Bao Y. , Luo S.
Published: July 2024

This paper describes an aging treatment based on alloying the traditional high‐carbon high‐manganese steel to improve its initial wear resistance (wear resistance after water toughening treatment only). The changes in structure and mechanical properties of alloyed high‐manganese steel after aging treatment at different temperatures were investigated using various experimental methods such as metallographic analysis, mechanical property testing, and fracture morphology observation.

The austenite grain boundary began to have the appearance of grain carbide at 550 °C; a large number of pearlites nucleated at the grain boundary and within grain at 600 °C, most phase transitions occur at 650 °C; and the pearlite and carbide began to revert to a soluble state at 700 °C, leaving only a small amount of pearlite in the austenite grain boundary. The hardness and yield strength of alloyed high‐manganese steel increase and then decrease with the increasing aging temperature, and the high peaks appear in the range of 600 °C–650 °C; while the tensile strength and plasticity decrease and then slightly increase, with the highest and lowest peaks being approximately 550 °C and 650 °C, respectively.

At the aging temperature of 550 °C, the alloy high manganese steel has good comprehensive mechanical and deformation strengthening properties, with yield strength, tensile strength, elongation, and section shrinkage of 536 MPa, 1058 MPa, 51 % and 35 %, respectively. The changes in the properties of alloyed high‐manganese steel are related to the pattern of structural changes that occur during the aging process.
Distortion‐free water‐fat separated diffusion‐weighted imaging using spatiotemporal joint reconstruction
Authors: Zhou Xuetong , Daniel Bruce L. , Hargreaves Brian A. , Lee Philip K.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) suffers from geometric distortion and chemical shift artifacts due to the commonly used Echo Planar Imaging (EPI) trajectory. Even with fat suppression in DWI, severe B0 and B1
variations can result in residual fat, which becomes both a source of image artifacts and a confounding factor in diffusion‐weighted contrast in distinguishing benign and malignant tissues. This work presents a method for acquiring distortion‐free diffusion‐weighted images using spatiotemporal acquisition and joint reconstruction. Water‐fat separation is performed by chemical‐shift encoding.

Methods

Spatiotemporal acquisition is employed to obtain distortion‐free images at a series of echo times. Chemical‐shift encoding is used for water‐fat separation. Reconstruction and separation are performed jointly in the spat‐spectral domain. To address the shot‐to‐shot motion‐induced phase in DWI, an Fast Spin Echo (FSE)‐based phase navigator is incorporated into the sequence to obtain distortion‐free phase information. The proposed method was validated in phantoms and in vivo for the brain, head and neck, and breast.

Results

The proposed method enables the acquisition of distortion‐free diffusion‐weighted images in the presence of B0 field inhomogenieties commonly observed in the body. Water and fat components are separated with no obvious spectral leakage artifacts. The estimated Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC) is comparable to that of multishot DW‐EPI.

Conclusion

Distortion‐free, water‐fat separated diffusion‐weighted images in body can be obtained through the utilization of spatiotemporal acquisition and joint reconstruction methods.
Study on the quality difference between raw and ginger juice processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex by UPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS/MS and GC–MS coupled with color measurement
Authors: Qi Yufang , Zhang Kewei , Ren Yingtong , Fan Xingchen , Wang Jing , Lu Tulin , Mao Chunqin
Published: July 2024

Introduction

Magnoliae officinalis cortex (MOC) has been used for thousands of years as a traditional Chinese herb. In Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 edition), it has two types of decoction pieces, raw Magnoliae officinalis cortex (RMOC) and ginger juice processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex (GMOC). The quality difference between RMOC and GMOC has not been explored systemically.

Objective

This study aimed to discover the quality difference between RMOC and GMOC, and clarify the effect of ginger juice during processing comprehensively.

Methods

Ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS/MS) and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) were applied to study the non‐volatile and volatile components of RMOC and GMOC; electronic eye was applied for color measurement. Meanwhile, water processed Magnoliae officinalis cortex (WMOC) was studied as the blank sample.

Results

There were 155 non‐volatile and 72 volatile substances identified. Between RMOC and GMOC, 29 distinctive non‐volatile and 34 distinctive volatile compounds were detected, among which 23 new compounds appeared and five compounds disappeared due to the addition of ginger juice during processing. The intensities of 12 common non‐volatile compounds and the relative percentage contents of four common volatile compounds showed significant differences between RMOC and GMOC. In color measurement of RMOC, GMOC, and WMOC, 14 common compounds with significant differences were discovered related to their color values, and their mathematical prediction functions were built.

Conclusion

There were significant differences between RMOC and GMOC; the processing mechanism of GMOC would be carried out based on the differential compounds in further investigation.
Rényi Holographic Dark Energy
Authors: Nakarachinda Ratchaphat , Pongkitivanichkul Chakrit , Samart Daris , Tannukij Lunchakorn , Wongjun Pitayuth
Published: July 2024

In this work, the holographic dark energy model is constructed by using the non‐extensive nature of the Schwarzschild black hole via the Rényi entropy. Due to the non‐extensivity, the black hole can be stable under the process of fixing the non‐extensive parameter. A change undergoing such a process would then motivate us to define the energy density of the Rényi holographic dark energy (RHDE). As a result, the RHDE with choosing the characteristic length scale as the Hubble radius provides the late‐time expansion without the issue of causality. Remarkably, the proposed dark energy model contains the non‐extensive length scale parameter additional to the standard model. The cosmic evolution can be characterized by comparing the size of the Universe to this length scale. Moreover, the preferable value of the non‐extensive length scale is determined by fitting the model to recent observations. The results of this work would shed light on the interplay between the thermodynamic description of the black hole with non‐extensivity and the classical gravity description of the evolution of the Universe.
Dynamic‐surface‐based adaptive predefined‐time control for nonlinear non‐affine switched systems with sensor fault
Authors: Xu Ke , Wang Huanqing , Liu Peter Xiaoping
Published: July 2024

The adaptive neural tracking fault‐tolerant control problem is considered for nonlinear non‐affine switched systems with sensor faults via dynamic surface control (DSC) technique under arbitrary switchings within predefined‐time interval. During the controller design process, the non‐affine formation strictly processed so that the implicit control signals can be transformed into explicit ones. The introduction of hyperbolic tangent function to design the control signal eliminates the singularity at the same time, but also avoids the tedious discussion of the segmentation function to solve the singularity. Considering Lyapunov stability theorem, an adaptive fault tolerant control approach is presented, which means that the settling‐time can be programmed by the user practical specification under arbitrary switching, the predefined time boundedness of all closed‐loop signals can be ensured, and the influence of sensor faults can be compensated. The effectiveness of the presented method is verified via simulation results.
Exploring Advanced CRISPR Delivery Technologies for Therapeutic Genome Editing
Authors: Rostami Neda , Gomari Mohammad Mahmoudi , Choupani Edris , Abkhiz Shadi , Fadaie Mahmood , Eslami Seyed Sadegh , Mahmoudi Zahra , Zhang Yapei , Puri Madhu , Monfared Fatemeh Nafe , Demireva Elena , Uversky Vladimir N. , Smith Bryan Ronain , Bencherif Sidi A.
Published: July 2024

The genetic material within cells plays a pivotal role in shaping the structure and function of living organisms. Manipulating an organism's genome to correct inherited abnormalities or introduce new traits holds great promise. Genetic engineering techniques offers promising pathways for precisely altering cellular genetics. Among these methodologies, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR), honored with the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, has garnered significant attention for its precision in editing genomes. However, the CRISPR system faces challenges when applied in vivo, including low delivery efficiency, off‐target effects, and instability. To address these challenges, innovative technologies for targeted and precise delivery of CRISPR have emerged. Engineered carrier platforms represent a substantial advancement, improving stability, precision, and reducing the side effects associated with genome editing. These platforms facilitate efficient local and systemic genome engineering of various tissues and cells, including immune cells. This review explores recent advances, benefits, and challenges of CRISPR‐based genome editing delivery. It examines various carriers including nanocarriers (polymeric, lipid‐derived, metallic, and bionanoparticles), viral particles, virus‐like particles, and exosomes, providing insights into their clinical utility and future prospects.
Conclusion: Feminist Foreign Policy and Digital Diplomacy in a Turbulent World
Authors: Aggestam Karin , Rosamond Annika Bergman , Hedling Elsa
Published: July 2024

This concluding chapter highlights the key findings of the book and explores the trajectory of the politics of feminist foreign policy and digital diplomacy amidst evolving and changing geopolitical dynamics. With the abandonment of feminist foreign policy by the new Swedish Conservative-led government in 2022, we unpack the ramifications and opportunities for pursuing a feminist foreign policy and digital diplomacy in a turbulent world. Highlighting the geopolitical significance of gender as a divisive force within the digital sphere, we advance new theoretical knowledge garnered from the case studies examined in this book. By way of conclusion, we showcase prospective avenues for the potential transformative forces of feminist foreign policy and digital diplomacy.
A Vicious Cycle? Group-Level Analysis of Intra-Individual Dynamics in Mental Health Variables
Authors: Bommer Jana , Schwartz Brian , Klein Christine , Rupp Jan , Katalinic Alexander , Assmann Nele , Borsche Max , Balck Alexander , Föh Bandik , Lutz Wolfgang , Klein Jan P.
Published: July 2024

Background

The network theory of mental disorders asserts the pivotal role of feedback loops in psychopathology. We investigated intra-individual dynamics and potential feedback loops in psychological networks and their association with long-term outcomes.

Methods

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, data from a population-based cohort (N = 2029) were collected every three days for six months on well-being, worries, fatigue, sleep quality, social integration, and activity. Subgrouping—Group Iterative Multiple Model Estimation -was used to estimate networks of time-series data on the individual, subgroup, and group levels. Subgroup networks were compared and associations of subgroup membership with sociodemographic and health status variables at baseline and outcomes at follow-up were examined.

Results

Despite the large heterogeneity between individuals, a potential feedback loop involving sleep quality, fatigue and well-being was identified. Furthermore, two subgroups were identified, whereby the edges of the potential feedback loop were more present in Subgroup 1 than in Subgroup 2. Membership to Subgroup 1 was associated with lower education and fewer people aged over 60 in their household at baseline as well as poorer well-being, more worries, and more frequent and earlier COVID-19 diagnoses at follow-up.

Conclusions

The identified feedback loop might indeed represent a vicious cycle and thus contribute to the development of psychopathology. However, limitations such as the limited measurement density made it difficult to find temporal associations and call for a cautious interpretation of results.
The Disappearing Agent and the Phenomenology of Agency
Authors: Hu Jingbo
Published: July 2024

The causal theory of action is thought to be plagued by the problem of the disappearing agent. However, philosophers have reached no consensus on the nature of this problem, let alone on whether it is solvable. In this article, I interpret the problem as a phenomenological challenge: the causal theory of action employs an event-causal framework, with which certain aspects of the phenomenology of agency seem incompatible. I examine two areas in which the phenomenology appears to speak against an event-causal framework: (1) the phenomenology of acting and (2) the phenomenology of making choices. Specifically, some philosophers have asserted that the phenomenology of acting involves content that action is caused by the agent themselves rather than by their mental states. Some philosophers have argued that the phenomenology of making choices involves content that the agent stands apart from their mental states in a way that allows them to reflect on, evaluate, or even manipulate their mental states. I argue that in neither case does the phenomenology pose a real challenge to the causal theory of action.
Multi-method distribution modelling of an invasive crayfish (Pontastacus leptodactylus) at Eurasian scale
Authors: Hodson J. , South J. , Cancellario T. , Guareschi S.
Published: July 2024

Globally, human activities profoundly influence biodiversity, frequently favouring biological invasions. Crayfish, prominent invaders on multiple continents, pose significant varied threats. Using species distribution models (SDMs), this study explores the current and future potential distribution of Pontastacus leptodactylus, a widely introduced but under-studied crayfish, at Eurasian scale. Climate is crucial for most species’ distributions and historically SDMs focused primarily on these variables, while overlooking other environmental factors influencing species occurrence. This research employed 2 approaches: one climatic and one broader environmental model encompassing soil pH and elevation data. Both methods revealed high suitability for the species, particularly currently in Central-Europe. Future climate scenarios for 2050 do not seem to favour the species in terms of intermediate-high suitability regions, with contractions also in the native regions with both approaches. However, remarkable discrepancies were observed in some North-European regions; with the climatic approach predicting high suitability where the environmental approach did not. This study identifies P. leptodactylus as a widespread successful species outside its native range with potential for expansion under current conditions. The synthesised continental overview and projected distribution maps aid in prioritising monitoring and prevention efforts while underlining the importance for using environmental as well as climatic variables in SDMs.
Direct determination of the 237Np/238U ratio in nuclear fuel samples by multicollection inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS)
Authors: Mialle S. , Nonell A. , Cruchet C. , Caussignac C. , Marie M. , Rincel A. , Isnard H.
Published: July 2024

A new method for the direct measurement of 237Np/238U ratio in irradiated UO2 pellets by multicollection inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (MC-ICP-MS) is proposed. It allows the determination of ratios down to 10 × 10–6 mol·mol−1 using ion counter and Faraday cup. This approach was validated by intercomparison with the usual two-step-method (Quadrupole ICP-MS for 237Np determination and isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS) for 238U). For ratios between 10 × 10–6 and 100 × 10–6 mol·mol−1, expanded uncertainties (k = 2) varied from 2.75% to 0.81%, twice lower than the uncertainties determined by the usual method.
Cardiovascular Considerations in Patients Undergoing Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation
Authors: Hundal Jasmin , Curley Thomas , Hamilton Betty K.
Published: July 2024

Opinion Statement

Cardiac dysfunction is a serious adverse effect of cancer therapies that can interfere with quality of life and impact long-term survival in patients with cancer. Hematopoietic cell transplantation is a potentially curative therapy for many advanced hematologic malignancies and bone marrow failure syndromes, however is associated with several short- and long-term adverse effects, including importantly, cardiovascular toxicities. The goal of this review article is to describe the cardiovascular events that may develop before, during, and after hematopoietic cell transplantation, review risk factors for short- and long-term cardiovascular toxicities, discuss approaches to cardiovascular risk stratification and evaluation, and highlight the research gaps in the consideration of cardiovascular disease in patients undergoing hematopoietic cell transplantation. Further understanding of cardiovascular events and the factors associated with cardiovascular disease will hopefully lead to novel interventions in managing and mitigating the significant long-term burden of late cardiovascular effects in transplant survivors.