bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
USE OF KAIZEN PRINCIPLE AND LINE BALANCING TECHNIQUE FOR PROCESS IMPROVEMENT IN THE ASSEMBLY OF AUTOMOTIVE COMPONENTS
Authors: Govender Prenisha , Dewa Mendon
Published: November 2022

Continuous process improvement is critical for organisations to stay in business. An automotive component manufacturer faced productivity challenges after the launch of a new hybrid C-SUV automobile in South Africa. This paper aims to improve the seat cover sewing process line through a line balancing technique. The use of process standard times to balance the production process initially led to bottlenecks, and the cycle time was above the takt time of the assembly line. Through the use of work-study analysis and time studies, the bottleneck processes were identified. Elements were then categorized, and kaizen implementation occurred at the processes. The processes were then rebalanced to meet the calculated cycle time. A root cause analysis was also conducted to investigate the sources of muda and the factors affecting the rate of working. The assembly line was then rebalanced, and the balance delay decreased by 33%. Keywords Bottlenecks; Kaizen principle; Muda
STRATEGY TO IDENTIFY AND MITIGATE HAZARDS IN DEEP-LEVEL MINE VENTILATION SYSTEMS USING A CALIBRATED DIGITAL TWIN
Authors: Jacobs Rudolf , van Laar Jean
Published: November 2022

Deep-level mines have complex and dynamic ventilation systems to ensure that sufficient air is provided to underground workers. Certain changes to the ventilation systems are continually implemented to enable the deepening of these mines. The three main hazards in ventilation systems are high temperatures, dust pick-up, and gas build-up. This means that avoiding hazards in these systems is important for the health and safety of workers. New technologies, such as digital twinning, can be used to simulate and plan the entire deep-level mine ventilation network with ease. In this study, a digital twin is used to identify high-risk areas in a deep-level mine that are susceptible to high temperatures, dust-pick-up, and gas build-up. The identified hazards can now be avoided by implementing various changes to help mitigate the possibility of their occurrence. This enables the mining industry to plan proactively and to manage the ventilation system for the entire life-of-mine (LOM). Keywords Deep-level mine; Digital twin; Ventilation; Hazard identification; Hazard mitigation
STRATEGY AS A KEY DRIVER OF THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION TRANSFORMATION JOURNEY
Authors: Zulu Steven , Pretorius Marthinus , van der Lingen Elma
Published: November 2022

With the advent of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), many industries find themselves having to identify, select, acquire, exploit, and protect their 4IR technologies. However, 4IR technologies are unique when compared with those of the preceding industrial revolutions, in that they are evolving at an exponential rate, and they are complex because they integrate the physical, digital, and biological spheres. Owing to the ‘newfangledness’ of 4IR, limited empirical references, the agility of 4IR technologies’ encroachment, rapid technological changes, high levels of uncertainty, the premise that 4IR induces radical changes to business models, and the realisation that 4IR transformation has long-term consequences for businesses, there is a need for businesses to adopt 4IR transformation using a strategic management approach. The main objective of this paper is to report the findings from an integrative literature review to determine what existing systematic approaches different industries and businesses follow to formulate 4IR technology/transformation strategies. The findings of this study outline some important key principles underlying the formulation of 4IR transformation strategy. Keywords Technology, 4IR (4IR); technology strategy; integrative literature review; 4IR transformation
SYSTEMS THINKING FOR THE DIGITAL ECONOMY: A SOCIOTECHNICAL PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Oosthuizen Rudolph , Manzini Dumisani
Published: November 2022

The digital economy has radically changed the way services and products are developed and deployed. Digital information and communication technology connects increasing numbers of people, organisations, and other systems. The interconnectedness of services and products in an organisation and the outside world drives complexity. These interactions include humans interacting in social networks with one another, the technology, and the environment. Therefore, systems thinking approaches are required to help develop these systems and resolve the complex problems encountered in this space. This paper proposes a systems thinking framework to address the challenges of the digital economy from a sociotechnical perspective, based on an exploratory literature review. This will serve as a guideline for implementing various systems thinking tools to support a successful digital transformation. Keywords digital economy; systems thinking; sociotechnical; transformation
¿Comunicación ofensiva y de odio o desinformación programada? Un análisis de las características y discurso del evento conspiranoico #ExposeBillGates
Authors: Aguerri Jesús C. , Miró-Llinares Fernando
Published: November 2022

Primero algunos procesos electorales y luego la crisis de la COVID-19 han situado en el centro de atención de los eventos de comunicación ofensiva y peligrosa en las redes sociales a la desinformación. La presente investigación analiza un evento de desinformación, el lanzamiento y difusión del hashtag #ExposeBillGates, a través de los 183.016 tuits que utilizaron dicho hashtag durante su periodo de actividad en junio de 2020. Mediante análisis de redes y recurriendo al procesado del contenido de los mensajes se ha podido observar que la dimensión del evento fue altamente dependiente de la participación de un pequeño número de cuentas, así como encontrarse cierta comunicación violenta y de carácter injurioso, pero no discurso de odio. Se discute la necesidad de estudiar más en profundidad la relación entre dos macrofenómenos comunicativos de naturaleza distinta pero más imbricados en su origen «problemático» de lo que puede parecer.
Cellular mechanisms underlying central sensitization in a mouse model of chronic muscle pain
Authors: Lin Yu-Ling , Yang Zhu-Sen , Wong Wai-Yi , Lin Shih-Che , Wang Shuu-Jiun , Chen Shih-Pin , Cheng Jen-Kun , Lu Hui , Lien Cheng-Chang
Published: November 2022

Chronic pain disorders are often associated with negative emotions, including anxiety and depression. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) has emerged as an integrative hub for nociceptive and affective components during central pain development. Prior adverse injuries are precipitating factors thought to transform nociceptors into a primed state for chronic pain. However, the cellular basis underlying the primed state and the subsequent development of chronic pain remains unknown. Here, we investigated the cellular and synaptic alterations of the CeA in a mouse model of chronic muscle pain. In these mice, local infusion of pregabalin, a clinically approved drug for fibromyalgia and other chronic pain disorders, into the CeA or chemogenetic inactivation of the somatostatin-expressing CeA (CeA-SST) neurons during the priming phase prevented the chronification of pain. Further, electrophysiological recording revealed that the CeA-SST neurons had increased excitatory synaptic drive and enhanced neuronal excitability in the chronic pain states. Finally, either chemogenetic inactivation of the CeA-SST neurons or pharmacological suppression of the nociceptive afferents from the brainstem to the CeA-SST neurons alleviated chronic pain and anxio-depressive symptoms. These data raise the possibility of targeting treatments to CeA-SST neurons to prevent central pain sensitization.
Mandrill mothers associate with infants who look like their own offspring using phenotype matching
Authors: Charpentier Marie JE , Poirotte Clémence , Roura-Torres Berta , Amblard-Rambert Paul , Willaume Eric , Kappeler Peter M , Rousset François , Renoult Julien P
Published: November 2022

Behavioral discrimination of kin is a key process structuring social relationships in animals. In this study, we provide evidence for discrimination towards non-kin by third-parties through a mechanism of phenotype matching. In mandrills, we recently demonstrated increased facial resemblance among paternally related juvenile and adult females indicating adaptive opportunities for paternal kin recognition. Here, we hypothesize that mandrill mothers use offspring’s facial resemblance with other infants to guide offspring’s social opportunities towards similar-looking ones. Using deep learning for face recognition in 80 wild mandrill infants, we first show that infants sired by the same father resemble each other the most, independently of their age, sex or maternal origin, extending previous results to the youngest age class. Using long-term behavioral observations on association patterns, and controlling for matrilineal origin, maternal relatedness and infant age and sex, we then show, as predicted, that mothers are spatially closer to infants that resemble their own offspring more, and that this maternal behavior leads to similar-looking infants being spatially associated. We then discuss the different scenarios explaining this result, arguing that an adaptive maternal behavior is a likely explanation. In support of this mechanism and using theoretical modeling, we finally describe a plausible evolutionary process whereby mothers gain fitness benefits by promoting nepotism among paternally related infants. This mechanism, that we call ‘second-order kin selection’, may extend beyond mother-infant interactions and has the potential to explain cooperative behaviors among non-kin in other social species, including humans.
Promoter sequence and architecture determine expression variability and confer robustness to genetic variants
Authors: Einarsson Hjörleifur , Salvatore Marco , Vaagensø Christian , Alcaraz Nicolas , Bornholdt Jette , Rennie Sarah , Andersson Robin
Published: November 2022

Genetic and environmental exposures cause variability in gene expression. Although most genes are affected in a population, their effect sizes vary greatly, indicating the existence of regulatory mechanisms that could amplify or attenuate expression variability. Here, we investigate the relationship between the sequence and transcription start site architectures of promoters and their expression variability across human individuals. We find that expression variability can be largely explained by a promoter’s DNA sequence and its binding sites for specific transcription factors. We show that promoter expression variability reflects the biological process of a gene, demonstrating a selective trade-off between stability for metabolic genes and plasticity for responsive genes and those involved in signaling. Promoters with a rigid transcription start site architecture are more prone to have variable expression and to be associated with genetic variants with large effect sizes, while a flexible usage of transcription start sites within a promoter attenuates expression variability and limits genotypic effects. Our work provides insights into the variable nature of responsive genes and reveals a novel mechanism for supplying transcriptional and mutational robustness to essential genes through multiple transcription start site regions within a promoter.
Taxonium, a web-based tool for exploring large phylogenetic trees
Authors: Sanderson Theo
Published: November 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a step change in the scale of sequencing data, with more genomes of SARS-CoV-2 having been sequenced than any other organism on earth. These sequences reveal key insights when represented as a phylogenetic tree, which captures the evolutionary history of the virus, and allows the identification of transmission events and the emergence of new variants. However, existing web-based tools for exploring phylogenies do not scale to the size of datasets now available for SARS-CoV-2. We have developed Taxonium, a new tool that uses WebGL to allow the exploration of trees with tens of millions of nodes in the browser for the first time. Taxonium links each node to associated metadata and supports mutation-annotated trees, which are able to capture all known genetic variation in a dataset. It can either be run entirely locally in the browser, from a server-based backend, or as a desktop application. We describe insights that analysing a tree of five million sequences can provide into SARS-CoV-2 evolution, and provide a tool at cov2tree.org for exploring a public tree of more than five million SARS-CoV-2 sequences. Taxonium can be applied to any tree, and is available at taxonium.org, with source code at github.com/theosanderson/taxonium.
Conservation implications of herbicides on seagrasses: sublethal glyphosate exposure decreases fitness in the endangered Zostera capensis
Authors: van Wyk Johanna W. , Adams Janine B. , von der Heyden Sophie
Published: November 2022

Worldwide seagrass populations are in decline, calling for urgent measures in their conservation. Glyphosate is the most widely used herbicide globally, leading to increasing concern about its ecological impact, yet little is known about the prevalence or impact of glyphosate on seagrasses. In this study, we investigated the effect of sublethal glyphosate exposure on the endangered seagrass, Zostera capensis, to identify effects on growth, photosynthetic pigments and leaf morphology as measures of seagrass fitness. Seagrasses were exposed to a single dose of a commercial glyphosate formulation—ranging between 250 to 2,200 µg/L. After three weeks, the median leaf area decreased by up to 27%, with reductions of up to 31% in above ground biomass (p < 0.05). Photosynthetic pigment concentration showed no significant difference between groups. The observed effects on biomass and leaf area were seen at glyphosate levels below the regulatory limits set for surface water by several countries and may negatively affect the long-term resilience of this ecosystem engineer to additional stressors, such as those associated with climate change and anthropogenic pollution. As such, glyphosates and other herbicides that are washed into estuarine and marine ecosystems, pose a significant threat to the persistence of seagrasses and are important factors to consider in seagrass conservation, management and restoration efforts.
New specimens of Baurutitan britoi and a taxonomic reassessment of the titanosaur dinosaur fauna (Sauropoda) from the Serra da Galga Formation (Late Cretaceous) of Brazil
Authors: Silva Junior Julian C. G. , Martinelli Agustín G. , Marinho Thiago S. , da Silva João Ismael , Langer Max C.
Published: November 2022

The description of new titanosaur specimens unearthed from deposits of the Serra da Galga Formation (Bauru Group, Late Cretaceous) at the BR-262 site, near Peirópolis (Uberaba, Minas Gerais State, Brazil), sheds light on the taxonomy of two taxa previously known from the same area and geological unit: Baurutitan britoi and Trigonosaurus pricei. A comparative revision indicates that T. pricei represents a junior synonym of Ba. britoi, and that the BR-262 specimens belong to that latter species. The information provided by the new specimens also revealed that the paratype of T. pricei (MCT 1719-R), a caudal vertebral series, actually represents a new taxon, named here as Caieiria allocaudata gen. et sp. nov.
Recurrence risk prediction of acute coronary syndrome per patient as a personalized ACS recurrence risk: a retrospective study
Authors: Kong Vungsovanreach , Somakhamixay Oui , Cho Wan-Sup , Kang Gilwon , Won Heesun , Rah HyungChul , Bang Heui Je
Published: November 2022

Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has been one of the most important issues in global public health. The high recurrence risk of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) has led to the importance of post-discharge care and secondary prevention of CHD. Previous studies provided binary results of ACS recurrence risk; however, studies providing the recurrence risk of an individual patient are rare. In this study, we conducted a model which provides the recurrence risk probability for each patient, along with the binary result, with two datasets from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service and Chungbuk National University Hospital. The total data of 6,535 patients who had been diagnosed with ACS were used to build a machine learning model by using logistic regression. Data including age, gender, procedure codes, procedure reason, prescription drug codes, and condition codes were used as the model predictors. The model performance showed 0.893, 0.894, 0.851, 0.869, and 0.921 for accuracy, precision, recall, F1-score, and AUC, respectively. Our model provides the ACS recurrence probability of each patient as a personalized ACS recurrence risk, which may help motivate the patient to reduce their own ACS recurrence risk. The model also shows that acute transmural myocardial infarction of an unspecified site, and other sites and acute transmural myocardial infarction of an unspecified site contributed most significantly to ACS recurrence with an odds ratio of 97.908 as a procedure reason code and with an odds ratio of 58.215 as a condition code, respectively.
Prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis and diagnostic validity of a prediction score, in patients visiting orthropedic clinics in the Madinah region of Saudi Arabia: a retrospective cross-sectional study
Authors: Mir Shabir Ahmad , Noor Mamdooh , Manzar Md Dilshad , Alshehri Bader , Alaidarous Mohammed , Dukhyil Abdul Aziz Bin , Banawas Saeed , Madkhali Yahya , Jahan Sadaf , Kashoo Faizan Z. , Iqbal Danish , Zia Qamar , Alsagaby Suliman A. , ALDosari Sahar
Published: November 2022

Introduction

In Saudi Arabia, the epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is not well studied and is marked by inconsistencies in clinical diagnosis. Therefore, in this study, we explored the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and diagnostic validity of a prediction score based upon disease markers in orthropedic clinics’ patients in the Madinah region of Saudi Arabia.

Method

The clinical data for this retrospective cross-sectional study were retrieved from the database registry of orthopedic clinics in selected hospitals of the Medinah province of Saudi Arabia. Sociodemographic features, disease markers and the clinical characteristics were collected for a period of 6 months, from December 1, 2020, to May 31, 2021. The prediction score was generated from the sum of disease markers, coded as dichotomous variables.

Results

The total sample size of our study was 401. The prevalence of RA in the study subjects (n = 401) was 14.46% (n = 58). Among RA patients, the majority were females (60.3%). Painful joints (69%) and swollen joints (51.7%) were the most common clinical complaints among RA patients. RA patients suffered from arthritis (51.7%) and experienced fatigue (46.6%), weight loss (44.8%), and loss of appetite (41.4%). Diabetes (55.2%) was the most common comorbidity in the RA patients. The sensitivity and specificity of the prediction score at the criterion score of 2.5 were 67.3% and 63.0%, respectively. The area under the curve was 0.69 (95% CI [0.62–0.76]).

Conclusion

There was a moderately high prevalence of RA in patients visiting the orthropedic clinics of the selected hospitals of Madinah region of Saudi Arabia. The diagnostic validity of the prediction score, though promising, was slightly lower than the acceptable range.
Zero Till Water Use Efficient Rabi Sorghum (Sorghum bicolour L. Moench), an Effective Alternative to Water Guzzling Summer Rice (Oryza sativa), under Changing Climatic Scenario
Authors: Ghorai Asesh Kumar
Published: November 2022

As temperature rises, the yields of food and cash crops in South Asia are expected to decline, putting pressure on food security in the region. India, home to 1.4 billion people, is ranked 101 out of 116 countries in the Global Hunger Index, indicating a serious problem. Scientists and researchers project that a 2.5 to 4.90C increase in temperature across the country could lead to a decrease of 41%-52% in the wheat yield, and 32%-40% in rice. Under changing climate conditions, hybrid sorghum is an effective solution for food security, which can withstand high temperatures and grow with less water over water guzzling summer rice. It has versatile utility as food grains, feed, fodder, and an important feedstock for first-generation biofuel or bioethanol production. Zero till hybrid sorghum cultivars CSH 14, CSH 16, and CSH 23 were sown after Kharif rice in jute-rice-Rabi sorghum sequence, in winter, on 1st January 2010. The crop matured with 52.5 cm irrigation water at 120 days (30th April) and consumed 7 irrigations, 7.5 cm each. The highest sorghum grain yield was obtained from cv. CSH 14 i.e., 6.5 tonnes/ha. Its water productivity was high, 808 litre water/kg grain whereas for summer rice with the same productivity (6.5t/ha) the water productivity was low, 2308 litre water/kg rice grain (irrigation requirement 150 cm). Thus, with the same water, the area under sorghum will be thrice over summer rice. Gross return from hybrid sorghum was Rs.193050/ha over Rs. 132600/ha from summer rice. Rabi sorghum saved 65% (97.5 cm/ha) of irrigation water which is drawn from groundwater only. From 6.5 tons of sorghum grain, approximately 2470 litre of ethanol can be produced/ha which is used as biofuel. Replacement of summer rice by profitable drought-resistant Rabi sorghum will ensure food security under changing climatic scenarios and maintain a sustainable groundwater position in traditional rice growing belts.
Impact of NICRA on Cropping Pattern and Extent of Adoption of Climate Resilient Practices on Farmers
Authors: Phanisri P. S. M. , Kumar J. Hemantha , Kumar K. Ravi , Chaitanya V. , Suneetha W. Jessie , Srinivas D. , Nagaraju D. , Reddy R. Uma , Prasad J. V.
Published: November 2022

Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change and short duration and higher temperatures eventually reduced yields of crops white encouraging weed and pest proliferation. the changes in precipitation patterns increase the likelihood of short- run crop failure and long run production decline Climate resilient technologies are promising tool to guard a farming system from climatic variations. National Initiative on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) has demonstrated, and promoted application of climate resilient technologies in most vulnerable 100 districts. Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Wyra received NICRA project in the year 2010- 2011 to 2110 - 2011. Many climate resilient technologies were briefed to the farmers in the selected villages.  The farmers distinguished the demonstrated technologies to the farmers were adopted with ease. Majority of the NICRA beneficiaries have high adoption to the climate resilient technologies while few of non beneficiaries adopted the technologies.
Influence of Planting Time on Yield and Quality of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea) Varieties
Authors: Kaur Sandeep , Rattan Puja , Reddy A. H. , Pathania Anju
Published: November 2022

The present investigation was conducted during rabi season of 2020 at Experimental Farm of Vegetable Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, DAV University, Jalandhar to study the effect of different dates of sowing viz., 9 October, 24 October and 8 November and three cultivars, Supriya, All Green, Punjab Green on growth, yield and quality of spinach. The experiment was conducted in a Factorial Randomized Block Design with three replications. Observations were recorded on days to emergence, days to complete germination, plant height (cm), number of leaves per plant, leaf area (cm2), fresh yield per plot, total fresh yield per hectare, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, total chlorophyll, days to 50% bolting, number of branches, days to harvesting, seed yield per plot and yield per hectare. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed significant differences among date of sowings, cultivars and interaction effect of dates of sowing and cultivars for all characters under study. It was observed that plants sown on 9 October resulted in superior performance for most of the traits studied. Among cultivars, desirable results were observed in All Green. Considering the interaction of date of sowing and cultivars it was concluded that All Green sown on 9 October can result in superior performance with respect to growth, yield and quality parameters of spinach.
Emotional ties that bind
Authors: Morris Judith
Published: November 2022

The paper presents therapeutic work with a child, directed towards repairing his capacity to form secure attachments, and demonstrating the use of symbolism woven into play therapy sessions. Attachment theory is used as the framework for analysing the process of therapy, the interface between the therapy and the day-to-day care of the child, and the overall decision- making context when the child is in the care of the state (Department of Child, Youth and Family). The weaving together of these strands aims to create a healing tapestry for the child to attain secure attachments to the emotionally significant adults in his life and to reach his potential in other aspects of his development.
Primary Care Physician Supply by County-Level Characteristics, 2010-2019
Authors: Liu Michael , Wadhera Rishi K.
Published: November 2022

This study evaluates and compares US trends between 2010 and 2019 in per-capita primary care physician supply by county-level racial and ethnic minority concentration, poverty, rurality, and region.
An Enhanced Strategy for Daily Disinfection in Acute Care Hospital Rooms
Authors: Warren Bobby G. , Barrett Aaron , Graves Amanda , King Carly , Turner Nicholas A. , Anderson Deverick J.
Published: November 2022

Importance

Environmental contamination is a source of transmission between patients, health care practitioners, and other stakeholders in the acute care setting.

Objective

To compare the efficacy of an enhanced daily disinfection strategy vs standard disinfection in acute care hospital rooms.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted in acute care hospital rooms at Duke University Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, from November 2021 to March 2022. Rooms were occupied by patients with contact precautions. Room surfaces (bed rails, overbed table, and in-room sink) were divided into 2 sides (right vs left), allowing each room to serve as its own control. Each side was randomized 1:1 to the intervention group or control group.

Interventions

The intervention was a quaternary ammonium, salt-based, 24-hour continuously active germicidal wipe. It was applied in addition to routine disinfection for the intervention group. The control group received no intervention beyond routine disinfection.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the total contamination, measured in colony-forming units (CFUs) on the bed rails, overbed table, and sink on study day 1. The secondary outcomes were the proportion of sample areas with positive test results for clinically important pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, and carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae; the similarity in baseline contamination between sample area sides on study day 0 before application of the intervention, and the proportion of sample areas with removed UV luminescent gel on study day 1.

Results

A total of 50 study rooms occupied by 50 unique patients (median [IQR] age, 61 [45-69] years; 26 men [52%]) with contact precautions were enrolled. Of these patients, 41 (82%) were actively receiving antibiotics, 39 (78%) were bedridden, and 28 (56%) had active infections with study-defined clinically important pathogens. On study day 1, the median (IQR) total CFUs for the intervention group was lower than that for the control group (3561 [1292-7602] CFUs vs 5219 [1540-12 364] CFUs; P = .002). On study day 1, the intervention side was less frequently contaminated with patient-associated clinically important pathogens compared with the control side of the room (4 [14%] vs 11 [39%]; P = .04).

Conclusions and Relevance

Results of this RCT demonstrated that a quaternary ammonium, salt-based, 24-hour continuously active germicidal wipe decreased the environmental bioburden in acute care hospital rooms compared with routine disinfection. The findings warrant large-scale RCTs to determine whether enhanced daily disinfection strategies can decrease patient acquisition and adverse patient outcomes.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05560321
Recent Advances in Calcium‐Based Anticancer Nanomaterials Exploiting Calcium Overload to Trigger Cell Apoptosis
Authors: Xiao Yupeng , Li Zhao , Bianco Alberto , Ma Baojin
Published: November 2022

Calcium ion is vital for the regulation of many cellular functions and serves as a second messenger in the signal transduction pathways. Once the intracellular Ca2+ level exceeds the tolerance of cells (called Ca2+ overload), oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, and cell/mitochondria apoptosis happen. Therefore, Ca2+ overload has started to be deeply exploited as a new strategy for cancer therapy due to its high efficiency and satisfactory safety. This review aims to highlight the recent development of Ca2+‐based nanomaterials (such as Ca3(PO4)2, CaCO3, CaO2, CaH2, CaS, and others) able to trigger intracellular Ca2+ overload and apoptosis in cancer therapy. The intracellular mechanisms of varied Ca2+‐based nanomaterials and the different types of strategies to enhance Ca2+ overload are discussed in detail. Moreover, the design of more efficient Ca2+ overload‐mediated cancer therapies is prospected mainly based on 1) the enhanced cellular uptake by surface modification and morphology optimization of nanomaterials, 2) the accelerated Ca2+ release from nanomaterials by increasing the intracellular H+ level and by photothermal effect, and 3) the overload maintenance by Ca2+ efflux inhibition, Ca2+ influx promotion, or promoting Ca2+ release from the endoplasmic reticulum.
Lipoplex‐Functionalized Thin‐Film Surface Coating Based on Extracellular Matrix Components as Local Gene Delivery System to Control Osteogenic Stem Cell Differentiation
Authors: Husteden Catharina , Brito Barrera Yazmin A. , Tegtmeyer Sophia , Borges João , Giselbrecht Julia , Menzel Matthias , Langner Andreas , Mano João F. , Schmelzer Christian E. H. , Wölk Christian , Groth Thomas
Published: November 2022

A gene‐activated surface coating is presented as a strategy to design smart biomaterials for bone tissue engineering. The thin‐film coating is based on polyelectrolyte multilayers composed of collagen I and chondroitin sulfate, two main biopolymers of the bone extracellular matrix, which are fabricated by layer‐by‐layer assembly. For further functionalization, DNA/lipid‐nanoparticles (lipoplexes) are incorporated into the multilayers. The polyelectrolyte multilayer fabrication and lipoplex deposition are analyzed by surface sensitive analytical methods that demonstrate successful thin‐film formation, fibrillar structuring of collagen, and homogenous embedding of lipoplexes. Culture of mesenchymal stem cells on the lipoplex functionalized multilayer results in excellent attachment and growth of them, and also, their ability to take up cargo like fluorescence‐labelled DNA from lipoplexes. The functionalization of the multilayer with lipoplexes encapsulating DNA encoding for transient expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2 induces osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells, which is shown by mRNA quantification for osteogenic genes and histochemical staining. In summary, the novel gene‐functionalized and extracellular matrix mimicking multilayer composed of collagen I, chondroitin sulfate, and lipoplexes, represents a smart surface functionalization that holds great promise for tissue engineering constructs and implant coatings to promote regeneration of bone and other tissues.
A Review of Recent Progress on Collagen‐Based Biomaterials
Authors: Zheng Manhui , Wang Xuechuan , Chen Yining , Yue Ouyang , Bai Zhongxue , Cui Boqiang , Jiang Huie , Liu Xinhua
Published: November 2022

Since the 2010s, the demand for healthcare models has exceeded the prevailing resources available due to the rapid increase in the aging population in China. However, a significant gap in development of biomedical materials remains, especially between China and the western developed countries. Collagen is the major protein of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and has been extensively applied in medical fields. Collagen‐based biomaterials (CBBs) are used to prepare dressings and dermal substitutes, surgical sutures, plasma substitutes, tissue‐engineered scaffolds, and drug delivery systems; this is attributed to their exceptional biocompatibility, biodegradability, hypoimmunogenicity, and coordination between collagen hosts and tissues. This review provides thorough strides in CBB structures, crosslinking and forming technologies, and real‐world applications. First, the natural origin and specific structures of animal‐derived collagen and non‐animal‐derived collagen are introduced and compared. Second, crosslinking methods and forming technologies of CBBs across the board are discussed. Third, several examples are considered to demonstrate the practical biomedical use of CBBs and highlight cautionary notes. Finally, the underlying development directions of CBBs from an interdisciplinary perspective are outlined. This review aims to provide comprehensive mechanisms by which collagen can be uniquely and practically used as advanced biomaterial, hence providing options for augmenting its development in China.
Memristive Field‐Programmable Analog Arrays for Analog Computing
Authors: Li Yunning , Song Wenhao , Wang Zhongrui , Jiang Hao , Yan Peng , Lin Peng , Li Can , Rao Mingyi , Barnell Mark , Wu Qing , Ganguli Sabyasachi , Roy Ajit K. , Xia Qiangfei , Yang J. Joshua
Published: November 2022

The increasing interests in analog computing nowadays call for multipurpose analog computing platforms with reconfigurability. The advancement of analog computing, enabled by novel electronic elements like memristors, has shown its potential to sustain the exponential growth of computing demand in the new era of analog data deluge. Here, a platform of a memristive field‐programmable analog array (memFPAA) is experimentally demonstrated with memristive devices serving as a variety of core analog elements and CMOS components as peripheral circuits. The memFPAA is reconfigured to implement a first‐order band pass filter, an audio equalizer, and an acoustic mixed frequency classifier, as application examples. The memFPAA, featured with programmable analog memristors, memristive routing networks, and memristive vector‐matrix multipliers, opens opportunities for fast prototyping analog designs as well as efficient analog applications in signal processing and neuromorphic computing.
3D Printed Thick Reduced Graphene Oxide: Manganese Oxide/Carbon Nanotube Hybrid Electrode with Highly Ordered Microstructures for Supercapacitors
Authors: Gao Yuqi , Ding Junjun
Published: November 2022

High capacitance and good rate performance supercapacitors are needed to power sensors and miniaturized electrical devices. Thick electrodes are promising to increase the mass loading of active materials in supercapacitors, but the 3D geometries and microstructures in thick electrodes still hinder the development with high electron and ion exchange rate and accessible active sites. The scaffold 3D electrodes of reduced graphene oxide:manganese oxide/carbon nanotube (rGO:MnOx/CNT) are manufactured by material extrusion 3D printing (ME3DP), where the mass ratio of rGO to MnOx/CNT composites, thickness, and mass loading per unit area are controllable. The increasing amount of MnOx/CNT composites boosts the areal capacitance. Although the rate capability decays fast with the increasing of MnOx/CNT, it remains stable at different thicknesses (1.2, 1.6, and 2 mm). 2 mm thick rGO:MnOx/CNT (weight ratio 5:3) electrode exhibits an area capacitance of 302.13 mF cm−2 at a current density of 0.5 mA cm−2, due to the highly ordered rGO networks. Compared to the casted electrodes, the microstructures in the 3D printed electrode contribute to lower resistances for the charge and ion transportation.
A Dual‐Kinetic Control Strategy for Designing Nano‐Metamaterials: Novel Class of Metamaterials with Both Characteristic and Whole Sizes of Nanoscale
Authors: Xu Guanhua , Li Mengmeng , Wang Qiyue , Feng Feng , Lou Qi , Hou Yi , Hui Junfeng , Zhang Peisen , Wang Li , Yao Li , Qin Shijie , Ouyang Xiaoping , Wu Dazhuan , Ling Daishun , Wang Xiuyu
Published: November 2022

Increasingly intricate in their multilevel multiscale microarchitecture, metamaterials with unique physical properties are challenging the inherent constraints of natural materials. Their applicability in the nanomedicine field still suffers because nanomedicine requires a maximum size of tens to hundreds of nanometers; however, this size scale has not been achieved in metamaterials. Therefore, “nano‐metamaterials,” a novel class of metamaterials, are introduced, which are rationally designed materials with multilevel microarchitectures and both characteristic sizes and whole sizes at the nanoscale, investing in themselves remarkably unique and significantly enhanced material properties as compared with conventional nanomaterials. Microarchitectural regulation through conventional thermodynamic strategy is limited since the thermodynamic process relies on the frequency‐dependent effective temperature, Teff(ω), which limits the architectural regulation freedom degree. Here, a novel dual‐kinetic control strategy is designed to fabricate nano‐metamaterials by freezing a high‐free energy state in a Teff(ω)‐constant system, where two independent dynamic processes, non‐solvent induced block copolymer (BCP) self‐assembly and osmotically driven self‐emulsification, are regulated simultaneously. Fe3+‐“onion‐like core@porous corona” (Fe3+‐OCPCs) nanoparticles (the products) have not only architectural complexity, porous corona and an onion‐like core but also compositional complexity, Fe3+ chelating BCP assemblies. Furthermore, by using Fe3+‐OCPCs as a model material, a microstructure‐biological performance relationship is manifested in nano‐metamaterials.
Validation of the Black Community Activism Orientation Scale with racially and ethnically diverse college students
Authors: Hope Elan C. , Kornbluh Mariah , Hagan Melissa , Davis Amanda L. , Alexander Anitra
Published: November 2022

This study fills a methodological gap in racial justice research by assessing the utility and validity of the Black Community Activism Orientation Scale (BCAOS) in a racially and ethnically diverse sample of college‐going young adults (N = 624, M = 19.4 years, SD = 1.89) from 10 colleges in the United States. Confirmatory factor analysis was conducted to estimate the goodness of fit of the proposed three‐factor model and assess the validity of the BCAOS. Findings from the confirmatory factor analysis provide statistical support for use of the BCAOS as a measure of racial justice activism in support of Black communities among racially and ethnically diverse college‐going young adults. Findings from the study also suggest that White college students and men are less oriented toward racial justice activism than women and racially marginalized students. Convergent and discriminant validity were established through bivariate correlations of the BCAOS factors with other civic development measures. As more and more young people consider the importance of standing against racial oppression, the BCAOS has utility as an assessment instrument in future racial justice research, education, intervention, and youth programming efforts.
A highly loaded, excellent recyclable nanosheet catalyst Au@mesoporous SiO2
Authors: Zhang Qun , Xu Hongbo , Pan Lei , Kuchmizhak Aleksandr , Wang Lei
Published: November 2022

Gold@mesoporous silica nanosheet (Au@MSNS) catalyst was synthesized by one‐pot reduction of HAuCl4 with formaldehyde. Subsequent SiO2 recoating procedure was shown to reduce the average size of the loading Au nanoparticles, resulting in significantly improved catalytic activity of the modified Au@MSNSs against reduction of 4‐nitrophenol. Moreover, this procedure improves mechanical properties and reusability of the catalyst demonstrating superior turnover frequency of 91.954 × 10−3 mol g−1 h−1 in cyclic reaction.
Fabrication of Ru/Ir doped TiO2 electrode for electrocatalytic degradation of phenol
Authors: Ren Qiaolin , Yang Ruirui , Li Junying , Yan Wenjun , Wang Zhongde , Wu Ailian
Published: November 2022

Electrocatalytic oxidation technology has been proved as an efficient method for degradation in organic wastewater. The service lifetime and degradation efficiency of the electrode, one crucial struggle, limits the broad application of electrocatalytic oxidation technology. Herein, a Ru/Ir doped TiO2 electrode with a long service lifetime was developed. Accelerated life experiment showed that the service life of an electrode was 33 h when the concentration of sulfuric acid was 1 M and the current density was 2000 mA·cm−2. The influence on the phenol degradation was evaluated by researching the operating parameters. In particular, the possible mechanism of phenol removal at different pH is elucidated. It is found that acidic environment is favorable for chemical oxygen demand (COD) and phenol removal at a current density of 20 mA·cm−2, pH 3 at 800 ppm NaCl, which can make the removal rates of phenol and COD with Ru/Ir doped TiO2 anode up to 97.21% and 100%. In addition, it was demonstrated that the hydroxyl radicals play a foremost role in the degradation of phenol. Given the well stability and high service life, the Ru/Ir doped TiO2 electrode holds promise for further industrial application in wastewater treatment.
Capture‐bonding Super Assembly of Nanoscale Dispersed Bimetal on Uniform CeO2 Nanorod for the Toluene Oxidation
Authors: Zeng Zheng , Guan Ma Juan , Chen Hongyu , Xu Xiang , Zou Ma Jianwu , Zhang Ma Chongjie , Du Yankun , Li Liqing
Published: November 2022

Elimination of VOCs by catalytic oxidation is an important technology. Here, a general synergistic capture‐bonding superassembly strategy was proposed to obtain the nanoscale dispersed 5.8% PtFe3−CeO2 catalyst, which showed a high toluene oxidation activity (T100=226 °C), excellent catalytic stability (125 h, >99.5%) and a good water resistance ability (70 h, >99.5%). Through the detailed XPS analysis, oxygen cycle experiment, hydrogen reduction experiment, and in‐situ DRIFT experiment, we could deduce that PtFe3−CeO2 had two reaction pathways. The surface adsorbed oxygen resulting from PtFe3 nanoparticles played a dominant role, due to the fast cycling between the surface adsorbed oxygen and oxygen vacancy. In contrast, the lattice oxygen resulting from CeO2 nanorods played an important role due to the relationship between the toluene oxidation activity and the metal‐oxygen bonding energy. Furthermore, DFT simulation verified Pt sites were the dominant reaction active sites during this reaction.
CuCl2‐Catalyzed α‐Chloroketonation of Aromatic Alkenes via Visible‐Light‐Induced LMCT
Authors: He Xing‐Xian , Chang Huan‐Huan , Zhao Ying‐Xue , Li Xiang‐Jie , Liu Sheng‐An , Zang Zhong‐Lin , Zhou Cheng‐He , Cai Gui‐Xin
Published: November 2022

Here we report a copper‐catalyzed protocol for the synthesis of α‐chloroketones from aromatic alkenes including electron‐deficient olefins under visible‐light irradiation. Preliminary mechanistic studies show that the peroxo Cu(II) species is the key intermediate and hydroperoxyl (HOO⋅) and chlorine (Cl⋅) radicals can be generated by ligand‐to‐metal charge transfer (LMCT).
Cascade cycloadditions of N‐aromatic zwitterions and allylic sulfonium ylides: Dual roles of the allylic sulfonium ylide in the cascade reaction
Authors: Jen Hyundug , Yoo Eun Jeong
Published: November 2022

Dearomative cycloadditions of N‐aromatic zwitterions have been performed to synthesize diverse N‐containing cyclic compounds. However, few practical syntheses of polycyclic molecules are reported, and thus, a novel methodology is necessary. We describe cascade reactions of N‐aromatic zwitterions and allylic sulfonium ylides to furnish fused N‐heterocyclic compounds. Unprecedentedly, molecules of the allylic sulfonium ylide react with the corresponding zwitterion as C1 and C3 synthons in the same reaction.
Use of practice tests with immediate feedback in an undergraduate molecular biology course
Authors: Plasencia Javier
Published: November 2022

Multiple studies have shown that testing contributes to learning at all educational levels. In this observational classroom study, we report the use of a learning tool developed for a Genetics and Molecular Biology course at the college level. An interactive set of practice exams that included 136 multiple choice questions (MCQ) or matching queries was developed in the open‐source Moodle platform. All MCQ questions contained four answer choices and configured for immediate feedback upon answering. Feedback consisted of providing the right answer and a short explanation of the learning objective examined. The interactive material was tested and refined for several semesters. Usefulness of this tool was assessed in two distinct settings: (1) during a face‐to‐face semester (Fall 2019) by comparing the grades in a final departmental exam between students who used the tool and those who did not, and (2) during an online semester (Fall 2020) by analyzing the grades in the first and last attempts on study sessions and students' performance in monthly exams. We found that when solving practice tests, students obtained a significantly higher scores in the last attempt compared with their first attempt, and that students who used the material performed better than those who did not. In all cases, answering the practice exams was optional, but students made full use of them preferentially during the online semester. This classroom research exemplifies the documented effectiveness of practice tests enhanced with feedback in biological sciences education through an open‐source learning platform.
Management of a patient with a severely infraoccluded primary molar and hypodontia
Authors: Ng Alaina , Ong Desmond , Goh Phillip
Published: November 2022

Infraocclusion of a primary molar is a relatively common occurrence which seldom leads to serious complications, particularly when the succedaneous permanent tooth is present. Despite the relative infrequency of unfavorable outcomes, an infraoccluded primary molar may be associated with other dental anomalies, including hypodontia. If diagnosis is delayed, infraocclusion of a primary molar can become severe, with associated negative effects on the adjacent teeth and alveolar bone. This emphasizes the need for routine and periodic orthodontic assessment of growing patients. Any deviation from the normal eruption sequence of teeth should be diagnosed and managed in a timely manner, to preserve dental arch integrity and reduce the potential for undesirable outcomes. This case report demonstrates how comprehensive assessment of the dentition, logical treatment planning and careful management of challenging orthodontic tooth movements can combine to provide a pleasing treatment outcome.
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis following intracerebral hemorrhage after COVID‐19 AstraZeneca vaccination: A case report
Authors: Haj Mohamad Ebrahim Ketabforoush Arsh , Molaverdi Ghazale , Nirouei Matineh , Abbasi Khoshsirat Nahid
Published: November 2022

The patient was a 55‐year‐old female patient who presented with sudden onset of left hemiplegia, facial hemiparesis, and hypoesthesia. She has received her first dose of the AstraZeneca COVID‐19 vaccine. This case indicates that vaccination may raise the hypercoagulable state even in a condition of post‐ICH and anticoagulant prophylaxis.