bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Factor Affecting Purchase of Quality Wood: Understanding Perceptions of Wood Workers Using Logistic Regression Model
Authors: Zubair Muhammad , Abbas Zinnia , Hussain Syed Bilal
Published: December 2022

Woodworkers purchase wood from farmlands as well as from the timber markets, transport them and later convert them into usable products keeping in mind their profitability and customer relationship. Wood with problems not only devoid woodworkers with profit, in turn, affect customers with low quality products. This research is, therefore, formulated to understand factor affecting wood workers ‘choice of quality wood in Multan timber market, Pakistan. A total of 60 respondents were interviewed by administering questionnaire using snow-ball sampling technique. The wealth of information obtained thus analyzed using logistic regression technique to draw meaningful inferences. The results revealed that wood problem related to Insect’s pests and diseases (B= .234, Wald 3.687, sig .05), wood defects (B=-.294, Wald 3.833, Sig -.050) and perception of safe transportation (B= 3.833, Wald= 5.479, sig =.019) positively affect wood workers’ choice of quality wood purchase. The research concluded that woods available in timber markets should be free from insect pests and defects damage to save woodworkers and customers premiums. This might entail trainings organized by government for consumers and wood workers to identify wood problems and purchase quality woods.
Analysis of the Dynamics of Temperature in the Northern Part of Cameroon
Authors: Yaouba Bassirou , Dieudonné Bitondo
Published: December 2022

The northern part of Cameroon is reported to be vulnerable to climate change and heavily dependent on agriculture. However, few studies have considered the evolution of climatic data that influence agriculture. Existing studies are rarely based on field data. The assessment of precipitation has gained more attention than that of temperature. Few publications have addressed temperature dynamics, and this research contributes to closing that gap by studying the dynamics of three temperature parameters, namely, maximum, minimum and mean temperatures. Data from 1973 to 2020 were collected from weather stations located in three major cities in northern Cameroon: Ngaoundere and Garoua, from the weather stations of the Agency for Aerial Navigation Safety in Africa and Madagascar (ASECNA); and Maroua, from the weather station of the Cameroon Civil Aviation Authority (CCAA). The study reveals that in Ngaoundere, the minimum temperature increased by 8.7% between 1987 and 2020 compared to 1973-1986. In Garoua, the mean temperature increased by 2.2% between 2003 and 2020 compared to 1973-2002, the minimum temperature increased by 13.3% between 1985 and 2020 compared to 1973-1984, and the maximum temperature decreased by -8.2%. In Maroua, the mean temperature increased by 3.6% between 2002 and 2020 compared to 1973-2001, and the minimum temperature also increased by 17.8% between 1990 and 2020 compared to 1973-1989; however, the maximum temperature decreased by -6.8% between 1988 and 2020 compared to 1973-1987. The results of this study will be used as the basis for forecasting future agricultural conditions.
Cu-Chitosan Nanoparticles Stimulated Defence Responses against Bacterial Pustule Disease in Soybean Crop
Authors: Swati . , Joshi Arunabh
Published: December 2022

Aim: Assessment of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles on controlling Bacterial disease by enhancing the activity of different antioxidant and defence enzymes in soybean.

Study Design: Randomized block Method

Place and Duration of Study: Department of Molecular biology and Biotechnology (MBBT), RCA, Maharana Pratap University of Agriculture and Technology, Udaipur Sub humid southern plain region of India between 2017-2019.

Methodology: We synthesized, characterized and tested the efficacy of Copper-chitosan Nanoparticles against Bacterial Pustule disease in Soybean. Activity of defence related enzymes [polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL)], and antioxidant [peroxidise (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)] were estimated after treating the plants with various concentrations of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles.

Results: Three treatments of Cu-chitosan treatments (0.02, 0.06 and 0.10%) were found most efficient in disease control in both laboratory and net house condition) experiments. Cu-chitosan Nanoparticles application to soybean plants significantly enhanced the activity of defence enzymes (PAL and PPO) and antioxidant enzymes (SOD and POD) from 1.1 to 2.29 folds.

Conclusion: Cu-chitosan NPs developed in this study were effective in controlling disease by enhancing the activity of different defence related enzymes [polyphenol oxidase (PPO) and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL)], and antioxidant [peroxidise (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD)]. This could be an important nonmaterial research in the field of agriculture due to better compatibility of biodegradable Cu-chitosan nanoparticles with biological control. In this study, the effect of Cu-chitosan nanoparticles to boost defence responses against Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. Glycine  were evaluated.
Awareness of Atal Pension Yojana among College Students
Authors: Balamurugan J.
Published: December 2022

In India, the Government has laid out the Atal Pension Yojana (APY), which will give great benefits, contingent upon the commitment to the scheme, at retirement or reaching 60. The Atal Pension Yojana launched by the Prime Minister of India Mr. Narendra Modi in 2015 to replace and improve upon the previous government's Swavalamban Yojana, which wasn't popular among the targeted population. Atal Pension Yojana (APY), is a guaranteed income as pension scheme for workers employed in mostly unorganized sector and informal sector. The motive of the study is to determine the awareness of Atal Pension Yojana among the college students. The study used a quantitative research approach and a descriptive research design to investigate college students' awareness of the Atal Pension Yojana in Tamil Nadu. A survey was carried out to gather the primary data using a questionnaire and a simple random sample procedure (Google form). The survey's sample size is approximately 300 students from different colleges across Tamil Nadu. The scheme aims to incentivize saving especially within the unorganized workforce so as to make them financially independent at retirement by providing them with a pension based on their contribution to the scheme. The scheme is also intended to act as a gateway to financial inclusion of people who till recently were not a part of the formal banking system. This study intends to bring the insight about Atal Pension Yojana and also further tries to judge the awareness level and attitude towards the scheme among college students.
Encapsulation of Platinum Prodrugs into PC7A Polymeric Nanoparticles Combined with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors for Therapeutically Enhanced Multimodal Chemotherapy and Immunotherapy by Activation of the STING Pathway
Authors: Gao Xiangjie , Lei Guanxiong , Wang Bin , Deng Zhong , Karges Johannes , Xiao Haihua , Tan Donghui
Published: December 2022

Tumor immunotherapy has emerged as one of the most promising therapeutic methods to treat cancer. Despite its clinical application, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment compromises the therapeutic efficiency of this technique. To overcome this limitation, many research efforts have been devoted to the development of agents that reprogram the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment through novel mechanisms. Over the last decade, compounds that intervene through the immunogenic stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway have emerged with potential for clinical development. Herein, the encapsulation of chemotherapeutic platinum complexes with a polymer with a cyclic seven‐membered ring (PC7A)‐based polymer into pH‐responsive nanoparticles for multimodal therapeutically enhanced chemotherapy and immunotherapy is presented. This study represents the first nanomaterial with a dual activation mechanism of the STING pathway through DNA fragmentation as well as PC7A binding. The combination of these nanoparticles with immune checkpoint inhibitors demonstrates to nearly fully eradicate a colorectal tumor inside the mouse model by chemotherapy and immunotherapy using the STING pathway.
A new entrant in ketene family: Generation of 2‐(3‐Oxo‐allyl)‐isoindole‐1,3‐dione and their [4+2] Cycloadditions with 1,3‐Diazabuta‐1,3‐dienes
Authors: Naikoo Rayees Ahmad , Sharma Rashmi , Kumar Rupesh , Bhargava Gaurav
Published: December 2022

The manuscript describes a synthetic route for the formation of 5‐(methylisoindole‐1,3‐dione) pyrimidinones by [4+2] cycloaddition reactions of functionalized 1,3‐diazabuta‐1,3‐dienes with 2‐(3‐Oxo‐allyl)‐isoindole‐1,3‐dione generated in situ from phthaloylalanine and tosyl chloride using triethylamine as a base. The functionalized 5‐(methylisoindole‐1,3‐dione) pyrimidinones were further explored in the deprotection of amines to afford a variety of 5‐methylamino pyrimidinones. The synthesis of such functionalized pyrimidinones is significant as they have a wide range of pharmacological profiles and are valuable as organic synthons. Mechanistic insights are also proposed for the given synthetic methodology.
A Melt‐Quenched Luminescent Glass of an Organic–Inorganic Manganese Halide as a Large‐Area Scintillator for Radiation Detection
Authors: Luo Jian‐Bin , Wei Jun‐Hua , Zhang Zhi‐Zhong , He Zi‐Lin , Kuang Dai‐Bin
Published: December 2022

Glass is a group of materials with appealing qualities, including simplicity in fabrication, durability, and high transparency, and they play a crucial role in the optics field. In this paper, a new organic–inorganic metal halide luminescent glass exhibiting >78 % transmittance at 506–800 nm range together with a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 28.5 % is reported through a low‐temperature melt‐quenching approach of pre‐synthesized (HTPP)2MnBr4 (HTPP=hexyltriphenylphosphonium) single crystal. Temperature‐dependent X‐ray diffraction, polarizing microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulations were combined to investigate the glass‐crystal interconversion process, revealing the disordered nature of the glassy state. Benefiting from the transparent nature, (HTPP)2MnBr4 glass yields an outstanding spatial resolution of 10 lp mm−1 for X‐ray imaging. The superb optical properties and facility of large‐scale fabrication distinguish the organic–inorganic metal halide glass as a highly promising class of materials for optical devices.
The continuing evolution of a cancer prevention, screening, and survivorship ECHO: A second year of implementation
Authors: Etling Mary Ann , Vik Terry A. , Janota Andrea D. , Liang Kaley L. , Kryder‐Reid Caroline L. , Robertson Mary , Scanlon Caitlin , Carson Anyé , Agley Jon , Severance Tyler S.
Published: December 2022

Introduction

An estimated 39,010 Indiana residents were diagnosed with cancer in 2021. To address the cancer burden, Project ECHO (Extension Community Healthcare Outcomes) was launched in 2019 in Indiana to build specialty healthcare capacity among non‐specialists. Due to positive outcomes from the pilot year, the Cancer Prevention, Screening, and Survivorship ECHO was implemented for a second year. The purpose of this study was to measure the participation and regional impact of this ECHO.

Methods

ECHO sessions occurred twice monthly from October 2020 to October 2021. Changes were implemented in response to feedback from the pilot year, including making the curriculum more practical for learners and adding accreditation opportunities. Participant information and feedback was extracted from electronic surveys for review.

Results

There were 24 ECHO sessions with 213 unique participants, increased from 140 unique participants in the pilot year. An average of 23.5 individuals attended each session, increased from 15.5 individuals per session. Enrolled participants served in a diverse set of roles and represented 247 zip codes, 30 Indiana counties, and 32 states across the United States, each of which increased from the pilot year.

Discussion

In this second year, this ECHO expanded to reach more participants with increased attendance and a more diverse distribution of roles within healthcare, which may be attributed to feedback‐driven curriculum design. Cancer care is multi‐disciplinary, with health educators, nurses, and administrators, each acting within the cancer care continuum. As a result, this ECHO has been adapted to serve an increasingly broad distribution of professionals.

Conclusion

The second year of the Cancer Prevention, Screening, and Survivorship ECHO displayed increased overall enrollment and participation, greater diversity among participant roles, and a wider reach across Indiana and the United States.
A customized deep learning framework for skin lesion classification using dermoscopic images
Authors: Sahoo Sandhya Rani , Dash Ratnakar , Mohapatra Ramesh Kumar
Published: December 2022

Automated analysis of skin lesions in dermoscopy images has gained much attention due to its medical importance in the early detection of melanoma. Detection of lesions has become a challenge due to the strong visual similarity between benign and malignant skin lesions. In this research, a customized deep convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture has been designed to discriminate between benign and malignant lesions. The model is designed carefully with lesser convolution layers, fewer filters, and parameters to achieve better classification performance compared to pretrained VGG16, ResNet50, InceptionV3 models and, ensures state‐of‐the‐art performance. The proposed model is composed of nine trainable layers: eight convolution layers and one fully connected layer. The suggested framework is extensively evaluated on the benchmark ISIC 2016 challenge dataset. The effect of different input transformations over the dataset has been studied. For fair comparison, standard deep learning models such as VGG16, ResNet50, and InceptionV3 have been used for lesion classification using transfer learning approach. The memory requirement of the proposed model is reduced by 388, 68, and 63 times and FLOPs needed are lowered by 95%, 85%, and 84% compared to VGG16‐TrL, ResNet50‐TrL, and InceptionV3‐TrL, respectively. Results show that class balancing with external images improves classification performance.
Enzyme‐Polymer Conjugates for Tuning, Enhancing, and Expanding Biocatalytic Activity
Authors: Heredero Marcos , Beloqui Ana
Published: December 2022

Combining polymers with functional proteins is an approach that has brought several successful stories in the field of biomedicine with PEGylated therapeutic proteins. The latest advances in polymer chemistry have facilitated the expansion of protein‐polymer hybrids to other research areas such as biocatalysis. Polymers can impart stability and novel functionalities to the enzyme of interest, thereby improving the catalytic performance of a given reaction. In this review, we have revisited the main methodologies currently used for the synthesis of enzyme‐polymer hybrids, unveiling the interplay between the configuration and the composition of the assembled structure and the eventual traits of the hybrid. Finally, the latest advances, such as the assembly of polymer‐based chemoenzymatic nanoreactors and the use of deep learning methodologies to achieve the most suitable polymer compositions for catalysis, are discussed.
Infected nasal gout tophus: A case report
Authors: Verstappen Gill , Michel Olaf , Halewyck Stijn , Topsakal Vedat , Pössneck Antje
Published: December 2022

Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis, characterized by the deposition of monosodium urate crystals. If chronically present and not adequately treated by serum urate reducers, gout tophi can develop at various locations. Here, we report the first infected gout tophus at the septal cartilage and nasal tip.
Counselors’ challenging experience in integrated behavioral healthcare: A qualitative exploration
Authors: Li Chi , Zhu Peitao , Loveless Courtney
Published: December 2022

Using a consensual qualitative research method, we interviewed 16 counselors on the challenges that they experienced when working in integrated behavioral healthcare settings. We identified five domains and 13 core ideas among all domains. We also discussed the implications for future counselor training and research.
Two Rings Around One Ball: Stability and Charge Localization of [1 : 1] and [2 : 1] Complex Ions of [10]CPP and C60/70[*]
Authors: Freiberger Markus , Minameyer Martin B. , Solymosi Iris , Frühwald Stefan , Krug Marcel , Xu Youzhi , Hirsch Andreas , Clark Timothy , Guldi Dirk M. , von Delius Max , Amsharov Konstantin , Görling Andreas , Pérez‐Ojeda M. Eugenia , Drewello Thomas
Published: December 2022

We investigate the gas‐phase chemistry of noncovalent complexes of [10]cycloparaphenylene ([10]CPP) with C60 and C70 by means of atmospheric pressure photoionization and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The literature‐known [1 : 1] complexes, namely [10]CPP⊃C60 and [10]CPP⊃C70, are observed as radical cations and anions. Their stability and charge distribution are studied using energy‐resolved collision‐induced dissociation (ER‐CID). These measurements reveal that complexes with a C70 core exhibit a greater stability and, on the other hand, that the radical cations are more stable than the respective radical anions. Regarding the charge distribution, in anionic complexes charges are exclusively located on C60 or C70, while the charges reside on [10]CPP in the case of cationic complexes. [2 : 1] complexes of the ([10]CPP2⊃C60/70)+⋅/−⋅ type are observed for the first time as isolated solitary gas‐phase species. Here, C60‐based [2 : 1] complexes are less stable than the respective C70 analogues. By virtue of the high stability of cationic [1 : 1] complexes, [2 : 1] complexes show a strongly reduced stability of the radical cations. DFT analyses of the minimum geometries as well as molecular dynamics calculations support the experimental data. Furthermore, our novel gas‐phase [2 : 1] complexes are also found in 1,2‐dichlorobenzene. Insights into the thermodynamic parameters of the binding process as well as the species distribution are derived from isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) measurements.
Impact of S‐1 adjuvant chemotherapy longer than 6 months on survival in patients with resected pancreatic cancer: a nationwide survey by the Japan Pancreas Society based on real‐world data
Authors: Tomimaru Yoshito , Eguchi Hidetoshi , Inoue Yosuke , Nagakawa Yuichi , Ohba Akihiro , Takami Hideki , Unno Michiaki , Yamamoto Tomohisa , Kawakatsu Shoji , Hayashi Tsuyoshi , Higuchi Ryota , Kitagawa Hirohisa , Hattori Satoshi , Fujii Tsutomu , Hirooka Yoshiki , Igarashi Hisato , Kitano Masayuki , Kuroki Tamotsu , Masamune Atsushi , Shimizu Yasuhiro , Tani Masaji , Tanno Satoshi , Tsuji Yoshihisa , Yamaue Hiroki , Satoi Sohei , Takeyama Yoshifumi ,   Committee of Clinical Research, Japan Pancreas Society
Published: December 2022

Background

Based on the Japan Adjuvant Study Group of Pancreatic Cancer 01 study, the standard duration of adjuvant chemotherapy with S‐1 (an oral 5‐fluorouracil prodrug consisting of tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil) in patients with resected pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) was considered to be 6 months, but the impact of increasing its duration on postoperative survival was unknown. Here, the authors investigated this question by reviewing real‐world data from a large cohort of patients with PDAC.

Methods

In total, 3949 patients who underwent surgery for PDAC during the study period followed by S‐1 adjuvant chemotherapy in board‐certified institutions were included. Based on the duration of S‐1 chemotherapy, two subgroups were defined: a standard‐duration group that included patients who were treated for 180 ± 30 days and a longer duration group that included patients who received treatment for >210 days.

Results

The median duration of S‐1 chemotherapy was 167 days, with a mean ± standard deviation of 200 ± 193 days. After excluding patients who had a recurrence within 210 days after the initiation of adjuvant chemotherapy, postoperative recurrence‐free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) in the standard‐duration group (n = 1473) and the longer duration group (n = 975) were compared. RFS and OS did not differ significantly between the standard‐duration and longer duration groups (5‐year RFS: 37.8% vs. 36.2% respectively; p = .6186; 5‐year OS: 52.8% vs. 53.4%, respectively; p = .5850). The insignificant difference was verified by multivariate analysis and propensity‐score matching analysis.

Conclusions

The current findings suggest that extending S‐1 adjuvant chemotherapy beyond 6 months has no significant additional effect on survival in patients with PDAC. This could be useful in determining whether to extend S‐1 chemotherapy in patients who have completed the standard 6‐month treatment.
Cancer‐linked genetic testing: Growing panels and challenges in the United States
Authors: Nelson Bryn , Faquin William
Published: December 2022

This news section is written by a medical journalist and offers Cancer Cytopathology readers timely information on events, issues, and personalities of interest to the subspecialty. In this issue, the first of a two‐part series, genetic testing promises more targeted approaches to prevention and intervention for hereditary cancers, but communication issues and differences even within the United States are creating challenges.
Potential distribution prediction ofAmaranthus palmeriS. Watson in China under current and future climate scenarios
Authors: Zhang Xinyi , Zhao Jian , Wang Miaomiao , Li Zhipeng , Lin Sheng , Chen Hong
Published: December 2022

The vicious invasive alien plantAmaranthus palmeriposes a serious threat to ecological security and food security due to its strong adaptability, competitiveness, and herbicide resistance. Predicting its potential habitats under current and future climate change is critical for monitoring and early warning. In this study, we used two sets of climate data, namely, WorldClim1.4 and RCPs (the historical climate data of WorldClim version 1.4 and future climate data of RCPs), WorldClim2.1 and SSPs (the historical climate data of WorldClim version 2.1 and future climate data of SSPs), to analyze the dominant environmental variables affecting the habitat suitability and predict the potential distribution ofA. palmerito climate change in China based on the MaxEnt model. The results show that (i) Temperature has a greater impact on the distribution ofA. palmeri. The relative contributions of temperature‐related variables count to 70% or more, and the annual mean temperature (bio1) reached more than 40%. (ii) At present, the potentially suitable area is widely distributed in the central‐east and parts of southwest China, and the high suitable area is focused on the North China Plain. The potential suitable area predicted by WorldClim1.4 and WorldClim2.1 both accounts for about 31% of China's total land area. (iii) Future climate change will expand the suitable habitats to high latitudes and altitudes. The overall suitable area maximum increased to 44.93% under SSPs and 38.91% under RCPs. We conclude that climate change would increase the risk ofA. palmeriexpanding to high latitudes and altitudes, the results have practical implications for the effective long‐term management in response to the global warming ofA. palmeri.
A Cobalt(III)−Hydroxo Complex Bearing a Pentadentate Amidate Ligand as an Electrocatalyst for Water Oxidation
Authors: Lepcha Panjo , Biswas Sachidulal , Chowdhury Srijan Narayan , Bose Suranjana , Debgupta Joyashish , Paul Satadal , Biswas Achintesh N.
Published: December 2022

A Co(III)−hydroxo complex, [CoIII(dpaq)OH]ClO4 (1‐OH) bearing a pentadentate ligand, H‐dpaq, (H‐dpaq=(2‐[bis(pyridin‐2‐ylmethyl)]amino‐N‐quinolin‐8‐yl‐acetamidate]) catalyses water oxidation in mildly alkaline medium (pH 8.0) at a potential of 1.4 VNHE with an average Turn‐Over‐Frequency (TOFmax) of 2.8×104 s−1 and faradaic efficiency of 88 %. Post‐electrolysis characterization of the electrode rules out the formation of any heterogeneous electroactive species. Electrochemical results and theoretical calculations confirm the occurrence of both metal and ligand centered PCET processes during anodic scanning. The resulting formally Co(V)−oxo/oxyl intermediate undergoes water nucleophilic attack to install the O−O bond. The role of axial ligand in water oxidation by Co(III)−dpaq system has been examined by comparing the reactivity of the Co‐hydroxide complex (1‐OH) with that of its chloride‐ligated counterpart, [CoIII(dpaq)Cl]Cl (1‐Cl). The results confirm the ability of the Co‐dpaq complexes to bind water/or water derived ligands over chloride or non‐aqueous solvents. The interplay of ligand redox non‐innocence and σ‐donating ability of the N5‐carboxamido ligand helps to store oxidizing equivalents and triggers O−O bond formation.
Halogen‐Modulated Reversible Phase Transition in Organic‐Inorganic Hybrid Perovskites
Authors: Teri Gele , Wang Jun‐Qin , Ni Hao‐Fei , Jia Qiang‐Qiang , Xie Li‐Yan , Fu Da‐Wei , Guo Qiang
Published: December 2022

The tunable structure, abundant raw materials, and ease of preparation have made molecular dielectric crystals popular for use in device design. In spite of this, some known molecular switching materials have a low phase transition temperature and a low dielectric constant, which limit their applications. Therefore, designing and synthesizing molecular‐based phase transition compounds with high phase transition temperature and superior properties is especially important. In this work, we use 3‐chloropropan‐1‐ammonium hydrochloride and SbCl3/SbBr3inorganic salts as building blocks to synthesize compounds (CPA)2(BPA)2Sb2Br10(1) (CPA=3‐chloropropan‐1‐ammonium, BPA=3‐bromopropan‐1‐ammonium) and (CPA)2Sb2Cl8(2). Compound1has a high phase transition temperature (407.45 K). Dielectric measurements and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) confirm the structural phase transition in compound1, and no fatigue decay is observed after several dielectric cycles. In addition, compounds1 and2possess semiconductor properties. The findings of this study provide new directions for the design and application of multifunctional molecular dielectric materials.
Isolation of a potential probiotic strain Bacillus amyloliquefaciensLPB‐18 and identification of antimicrobial compounds responsible for inhibition of food‐borne pathogens
Authors: Lu Hedong , Yang Panping , Zhong Mengyuan , Bilal Muhammad , Xu Hai , Zhang Qihan , Xu Jiangnan , Liang Naiguo , Liu Shuai , Zhao Li , Zhao Yuping , Geng Chengxin
Published: December 2022

This study was carried out to screen a potential probiotic microbe with broad‐spectrum antagonistic activity against food‐borne pathogens and identify the antimicrobial compounds. Based on morphological and molecular analysis, a new Bacillus strain with the ability to produce effective antimicrobial agents was isolated from the breeding soil of earthworms and identified as having a close evolutionary footprint to Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The antimicrobial substances produced by B. amyloliquefaciens show effective inhibition of Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium oxysporum in an agar diffusion assay. Antimicrobial agents were identified as a series of fengycin and its isoforms (fengycin A and fengycin B) after being submitted to RT‐HPLC and MALDI‐TOF MS analyses. To evaluate the probiotic activity of the B. amyloliquefaciens, antibiotic safety and viability of the isolated strain in a simulated gastrointestinal environment were carried out. The safety test result revealed that strain LPB‐18 is susceptible to multiple common antibiotics. Moreover, acidic condition and bile salts assay were carried out, and the results revealed that it couble be a potential probiotic microbe B. amyloliquefaciens LPB‐18 is good choice for biological strains in agricultural commodities and animal feedstuffs.
Expression and distribution of the transient receptor potential cationic channel ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) in the human seminal vesicles
Authors: Rahardjo Harrina E. , Ückert Stefan , Kuczyk Markus A. , Hedlund Petter
Published: December 2022

Background and Aims

The transient receptor potential cationic channel ankyrin 1 (TRPA1), a channel protein permeable to most divalent cations, has been suggested to play a role in mechano‐afferent/efferent signaling (including the release of neurotransmitters) in the human urinary tract (bladder, prostate, and urethra). To date, only a few studies have addressed the expression of this receptor in male and female reproductive tissues. The present study aimed to evaluate human seminal vesicles (SVs)  for the expression and localization of TRPA1.

Methods

SV tissue was obtained from 5 males who had undergone pelvic surgery due to malignancies of the prostate or urinary bladder. The expression of messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) specifically encoding for the TRPA1 protein was elucidated by means of reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). Using immunohistochemical methods, the distribution of TRPA1 was examined in relation to the endothelial and neuronal nitric oxide synthases (eNOS, nNOS) and the neuropeptides calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP).

Results

RT‐PCR revealed signals related to the expected molecular size of 656 bp. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that TRPA1 is located in nerves running through the smooth muscle portion of the SV. Here, the protein is in part co‐localized with nNOS and CGRP, whereas no co‐localization with VIP was registered. Dot‐like signals specific for TRPA1 were observed in the cytoplasm of epithelial cells lining the lumen of glandular spaces. The epithelial layer also presented staining for eNOS. The smooth musculature appeared free of immunosignals for TRPA1.

Conclusion

The results convincingly show the expression of TRPA1 in nerve endings as well as in epithelial cells of the SV. Based on its location in epithelial cells, TRPA1 might be involved in the mechanism of the NO/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP)‐mediated signaling and also the control of secretory function (mediated by cyclic GMP) in the human SV.
Genetic variations in ABC transporter genes as a predictive biomarker for toxicity in North Indian lung cancer patients undergoing platinum‐based doublet chemotherapy
Authors: Sharma Parul , Singh Navneet , Sharma Siddharth
Published: December 2022

ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters are expressed in various human tissues and play a vital role in the efflux of various chemotherapeutic drugs. The current study has assessed genetic variants of ABCB1, ABCC1, ABCC2, and ABCG2 genes in 407 lung cancer patients undergoing platinum‐based doublet chemotherapy. The association of ABCB1 (C1236T, C3435T, and G2677T/A), ABCC1 (G3173A and G2168A),ABCC2 (G4544A), and ABCG2 (C421A) polymorphisms with chemotherapy‐induced adverse events were assessed, and statistical analysis was conducted. Our data showed that patients harboring heterozygous (GA) genotype for ABCC1 G3173A had an increased risk of developing leukopenia (odds ratio [OR] = 1.88, p = 0.04) and anemia (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 2.70, p = 0.03). For ABCC2 G4544A polymorphism, patients harboring one copy of the mutant (GA) allele showed an increased risk of developing anemia (OR = 4.24, p = 0.03). After adjusting with various confounding factors, the heterozygous (GA) genotype showed a 5.63‐fold increased risk of developing anemia (AOR = 5.63, p = 0.03). The ABCB1 G2677A (OR = 0.37, p = 0.008) and ABCC1 G3173A (OR = 0.54, p = 0.04) polymorphism showed a lower incidence of developing nephrotoxicity. In ABCG2 C421A polymorphism, patients harboring heterozygous (CA) genotype had a lower incidence of having diarrhea (OR = 0.25, p = 0.04). An increased risk of having diarrhea was observed in the heterozygous genotype (GA) for ABCC1 G3173A polymorphism (AOR = 2.78, p = 0.04). An increased risk of liver injury was found in the patients carrying heterozygous genotype of the ABCC1 G3173A (OR = 2.06, p = 0.02) and ABCB1 C1236T (OR = 1.85, p = 0.01). This study demonstrates the role of polymorphic variations in ABCB1, ABCC1, ABCC2, and ABCG2 in predicting hematological, nephrotoxicity, gastrointestinal, and hepatotoxicity.
Insights into molecular cluster materials with adamantane‐like core structures by considering dimer interactions
Authors: Schwan Sebastian , Achazi Andreas J. , Ziese Ferdinand , Schreiner Peter R. , Volz Kerstin , Dehnen Stefanie , Sanna Simone , Mollenhauer Doreen
Published: December 2022

A class of adamantane‐like molecular materials attracts attention because they exhibit an extreme non‐linear optical response and emit a broad white‐light spectrum after illumination with a continuous‐wave infrared laser source. According to recent studies, not only the nature of the cluster molecules, but also the macroscopic structure of the materials determines their non‐linear optical properties. Here we present a systematic study of cluster dimers of the compounds AdR4 and [(RT)4S6] (T = Si, Ge, Sn) with R = methyl, phenyl or 1‐naphthyl to gain fundamental knowledge about the interactions in the materials. For all compounds, a similar type of dimer structures with a staggered arrangement of substituents was determined as the energetically most favorable configuration. The binding energy between the dimers, determined by including London dispersion interactions, increases with the size of the core and the substituents. The cluster interactions can be classified as substituent‐substituent‐dominated (small cores, large substituents) or core–core‐dominated (large cores, small substituents). Among various possible dimer conformers, those with small core–core distances are energetically preferred. Trimer and tetramer clusters display similar trends regarding the minimal core–core distances and binding energies. The much lower energy barrier determined for the rotation of substituents as compared to the rotation of the cluster dimers past each other indicates that the rotation of substituents more easily leads to different conformers in the material. Thus, understanding the interaction of the cluster dimers allows an initial assessment of the interactions in the materials.
Melamine‐derived carbon foam‐supported graphene–CoNi nanocomposites as high‐performance OER/HER bifunctional electrocatalysts
Authors: Wei Dan , Chen Lixin , Tian Lidong , Ramakrishna Seeram , Ji Dongxiao
Published: December 2022

Background

Novel electrocatalysts with high‐performance, low‐cost, stability, and multifunctional features have been always of interest, for they can boost water splitting efficiency.

Results

Herein, we have first exploited melamine‐derived carbon foam‐supported graphene–CoNi nanocomposites, labeled as CoNi‐NG/MF. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy images demonstrate that CoNi particles are attached to the surfaces of nitrogen‐doped graphene, and graphene nanosheets either encase the backbones or insert in the cavities of foams. Investigation of hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) indicates that CoNi‐NG/MF can afford optimal overpotentials of 246 and 350 mV at a current density of 10 mA cm−2, and their Tafel slopes are 123 and 59 mV dec−1, respectively. Therefore, CoNi‐NG/MF can serve as promising bifunctional electrocatalysts for HER and OER.

Conclusions

In addition, the influence of each component on the HER and OER electrocatalytic performances for CoNi‐NG/MF has been revealed. The synergetic effect between well‐dispersed CoNi particles and nitrogen‐doped graphene nanosheets can create more active sites and improve electrocatalytic activity. Meanwhile, three‐dimensional carbon frameworks inset with plentiful graphene can construct interconnected conductive networks and hierarchical porous structures, promoting electron‐transfer kinetics and enhancing mass‐transfer efficiency. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Root endophytic bacterial community composition of Aconitum carmichaelii debx. from three main producing areas in China
Authors: Zou Lan , Wang Qian , Wu Rongxing , Zhang Yaopeng , Wu Qingshan , Xiong Wei , Ye Kunhao , Dai Wei , Huang Jing
Published: December 2022

Aconitum carmichaelii Debx. is famous for the bioactive aconitum alkaloids as traditional Chinese medicine. Endophytic bacteria play vital roles in plant growth, health, and the production of secondary metabolites such as alkaloids. In this study, we employed 16 S rRNA amplicon high‐throughput sequencing to determine the root endophytic bacterial community of A. carmichaelii Debx. collected from three main producing areas including the geo‐authentic area in China, high performance liquid chromatography to measure the contents of six bioactive alkaloids and correlation analysis to explore the relationship among environmental factors, alkaloids contents, and endophytic bacterial community. The results indicated that the root core microbiota of A. carmichaelii Debx. was dominated by Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria. Root endophytic bacterial community in the geo‐authentic area was distinct from the other two regions. Soil nitrogen contents, organic matter, and temperature were the main factors contributing to the endophytic bacterial community structure. Significant correlation was found between alkaloids contents and some bacterial genera. Particularly, the abundance of Lactobacillus was positively correlated with the contents of benzoyl‐mesaconitine and benzoyl‐aconine. This study provided the first insight into the root endophytic bacterial community composition of A. carmichaelii Debx., and can direct further isolation of functional bacterial strains.
Adsorption and photocatalytic degradation of tetracycline from water by kappa‐carrageenan and iron oxide nanoparticle‐filled poly (acrylonitrile‐co‐N‐vinyl pyrrolidone) composite gel
Authors: Bhangi Bidyut Kumar , Ray SamitKumar
Published: December 2022

Iron oxide nanoparticles (FeNPs) based magnetic hydrogels were prepared by in‐situ co‐precipitation of ferric/ferrous salts during copolymerization of acrylonitrile (AN) and N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone (NVP) at different molar ratios by emulsion polymerization in the presence of different wt% of kappa‐carrageenan (KC) and N, N′‐methylenebisacrylamide (MBA)crosslinker. The hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, proton and13C‐NMR, XPS, XRD, DTA‐TGA, DLS, VSM, UV–Visible spectroscopy, TEM, EDX, PZC, compressive strength and contact angle measurement. The network parameters of the gel networks were determined from equilibrium swelling using Flory and Rehner model. The nanocomposite gels were used for batch and column adsorption of tetracycline (TC) from water. After repeated adsorptions, the TC‐loaded gels were further used for their photocatalytic degradation for safe removal. The NPs‐loaded nanocomposite prepared with 5:1 AN:NVP molar ratio, 1 wt% initiator, 1 wt% MBA and 2 wt% KC showed a rejection of 90.2% and an equilibrium adsorption capacity of 38.9 mg/g for continuous adsorption of 50 mg/L TCs in water in a fixed bed of height 25 mm for an inflow rate of 20 ml/min and the same TC‐loaded composite showed a photo‐degradation efficiency of 86.1% in 2 h.
Population pharmacokinetics of riociguat in a pediatric population (aged ≥ 6 years) with pulmonary arterial hypertension
Authors: Willmann Stefan , Keller Andrea Kerstin , Meyer Michaela , van der Mey Dorina , Wirsching Gabriela , Zhang Yang , Drenth Henk‐Jan , Keunecke Anne , Vendel Esmée , Saleh Soundos
Published: December 2022

Background

The PATENT‐CHILD study investigated riociguat in children aged ≥ 6 to <18 years with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treated with tablets or an oral pediatric suspension based on bodyweight‐adjusted dosing of up to 2.5 mg three times daily. PATENT‐CHILD demonstrated an acceptable riociguat safety profile and individual plasma concentrations in pediatric patients were consistent with those in adult patients.

Methods

Using the data set from PATENT‐CHILD and building on existing population pharmacokinetic (PK) models for riociguat and its major metabolite (M1) in adults with PAH, a coupled riociguat–M1 PK model was developed. The final model developed incorporated a one‐compartment model for riociguat, coupled to a one‐compartment model for M1, allowing for presystemic formation of M1. It included allometric scaling exponents for bodyweight.

Results

Apparent clearance of riociguat was similar in children and adult patients with PAH (median [interquartile range] 2.20 [1.75–3.44] and 2.08 L/h [1.55–2.97]). Factors contributing to lower PK exposure were lower riociguat maintenance dose in PATENT‐CHILD, and a higher riociguat clearance in some adolescent patients, compared with adult patients. No effects of formulation, sex, or age on riociguat PK were observed. An exploratory PK/pharmacodynamics analysis found the increase in 6‐min walking distance in pediatric patients treated with riociguat was not related to riociguat PK.

Conclusions

Body size is the main determinant of PK in growing children, and the model supports clinical data that, for children weighing < 50 kg, a bodyweight‐adjusted dose of riociguat should be used to achieve a similar exposure to that observed in adults with PAH.
Investigation of The Effect of Acylthiourea Derivatives on Diabetes‐Associated Enzymes
Authors: Ertano Bükre Yaren , Demir Yeliz , Nural Yahya , Erdoğan Orhan
Published: December 2022

One of the most prevalent chronic metabolic disorders, diabetes mellitus, is defined by chronic hyperglycemia and the emergence of microvascular and macrovascular pathology unique to diabetes. Several diabetes problems are primarily caused by persistent hyperglycemia. In this study, aldose reductase (AR) and sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) enzymes were purified using chromatographic techniques from sheep kidneys and α‐glycosidase purchased commercially. The inhibitory effect of seven acylthiourea compounds on the activity of these enzymes associated with diabetes was investigated. As a result of the studies, the acyl thioureas showed an inhibition effect at the micromolar level on the activity of studied enzymes. The most active compound dimethyl 1‐((4‐methoxybenzoyl)carbamothioyl)‐5,5‐diphenylpyrrolidine‐2,4‐dicarboxylate (2 c) had an excellent selectivity on AR with Ki: 0.200±0.024 μM and dimethyl 1‐((2,4‐dichlorobenzoyl)carbamothioyl)‐5,5‐diphenylpyrrolidine‐2,4‐dicarboxylate (2 g) on SDH and α‐glycosidase with Ki: 0.114±0.01 μM and Ki: 055±0.01 μM, respectively. The findings suggest that our study will contribute to the development of innovative and/or alternative treatment strategies in the treatment of diabetes in the future since acylthiourea compounds have an effective inhibition capacity on critical enzymes associated with diabetes.
Hemoglobin Nanocrystals for Drugs Free, Synergistic Theranostics of Colon Tumor
Authors: Zhou Renbin , Xu Hao , Qu Junle , Ohulchanskyy Tymish Y.
Published: December 2022

The conventional approach in cancer nanomedicine involves advanced drug nanocarriers delivering preloaded therapeutics to targeted tumor sites to maximize drug efficiency. However, both cancer drugs and nanocarriers inevitably produce side effects and systemic toxicity. Herein, hemoglobin nanocrystals (HbC) as drug‐free theranostic nanoformulations with the tumor microenvironment (TME) activated diagnostic and therapeutic abilities towards colon tumors are introduced. HbC can release Fe2+ oxidized to Fe3+ in the Fenton reaction with tumor endogenous H2O2, concurrently with the generation of cytotoxic hydroxyl radicals (•OH) that allow for chemodynamic therapy (CDT). Furthermore, in situ‐produced Fe3+ reacts with colon tumor‐abundant H2S, resulting in the production of Fe1−xS, which provides magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast and allows for NIR light‐inducible photothermal therapy (PTT). In vitro and in vivo studies revealed that HbC produced CDT towards 4T1 tumors, and MRI‐guided, synergistically enhanced combination of CDT and PTT against H2S abundant colon tumors (CT26), with negligible toxicity towards normal tissues, enlightening HbC as highly efficient and biocompatible TME activated theranostic nanoplatform specific against colon cancer without any traditional drugs and drug carriers.
Graphene Coated Dielectric Hierarchical Nanostructures for Highly Sensitive Broadband Infrared Sensing
Authors: Xia‐Hou Yu‐Jiao , Yu Yu , Zheng Jun‐Rong , Yi Jun , Zhou Jing , Qin Ting‐Xiao , You En‐Ming , Chen Hai‐Long , Ding Song‐Yuan , Zhang Li , Chang Kai‐Li , Chen Ke , Moskovits Martin , Tian Zhong‐Qun
Published: December 2022

Broadband infrared (IR) absorption is sought after for wide range of applications. Graphene can support IR plasmonic waves tightly bound to its surface, leading to an intensified near‐field. However, the excitation of graphene plasmonic waves usually relies on resonances. Thus, it is still difficult to directly obtain both high near‐field intensity and high absorption rate in ultra‐broad IR band. Herein, a novel method is proposed to directly realize high near‐field intensity in broadband IR band by graphene coated manganous oxide microwires featured hierarchical nanostructures (HNSs‐MnO@Gr MWs) both experimentally and theoretically. Both near‐field intensity and IR absorption of HNSs‐MnO@Gr MWs are enhanced by at least one order of magnitude compared to microwires with smooth surfaces. The results demonstrate that the HNSs‐MnO@Gr MWs support vibrational sensing of small organic molecules, covering the whole fingerprint region and function group region. Compared with the graphene‐flake‐based enhancers, the signal enhancement factors reach a record high of 103. Furthermore, just a single HNSs‐MnO@Gr MW can be constructed to realize sensitively photoresponse with high responsivity (over 3000 V W−1) from near‐IR to mid‐IR. The graphene coated dielectric hierarchical micro/nanoplatform with enhanced near‐field intensity is scalable and can harness for potential applications including spectroscopy, optoelectronics, and sensing.
KREP2Se6 (RE = Sm, Gd, Tb): The First Rare‐Earth Selenophosphates with Remarkable Nonlinear Optical Activities Realized by Synergistic Effect of RE‐ and P‐Based Motifs
Authors: Chen Zi‐Xia , Zhao Chen‐Yi , Li Xiao‐Hui , Yao Wen‐Dong , Liu Wenlong , Guo Sheng‐Ping
Published: December 2022

Rare‐earth (RE) chalcogenides have been extensively studied as infrared nonlinear optical (NLO) materials because of their nice integrated performances; however, very few RE chalcophosphates are involved for this topic. Here, three quaternary RE selenophosphates, KSmP2Se6 (1), KGdP2Se6 (2), and KTbP2Se6 (3), are profoundly studied for their NLO potentials. Their noncentrosymmetric P21 structures feature RESe8‐bicapped trigonal prisms and ethane‐like [P2Se6]4− dimers built {[REP2Se6]−}∞ layers. As the first studied NLO‐active RE selenophosphates, 1–3 exhibit second harmonic generation (SHG)responses ≈0.34–1.08 × AgGaS2 at 2.10 µm and laser‐induced damage thresholds (LIDTs) ≈1.43–4.33 × AgGaS2, and they all show phase‐matchable behaviors, indicating their wonderful balanced NLO properties. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the synergistic effect between RESe8 and P2Se6 units makes the major contribution to the SHG responses.
SeeMe: An intelligent edge server selection method for location‐aware business task computing over IIoT
Authors: Dou Wanchun , Liu Bowen , Duan Jirun , Dai Fei , Qi Lianyong , Xu Xiaolong
Published: December 2022

In the past few years, latency‐sensitive task computing over the industrial internet of things (IIoT) has played a key role in an increasing number of intelligent applications, such as intelligent self‐driving vehicles and unmanned aircraft systems. The edge computing paradigm provides a basic functional infrastructure for across‐domain business task computing on distributed edge servers. With this observation, a trade‐off between the mobile devices and the fixed edge servers is needed to run moving task computing in a low‐latency way. Given this challenge, an intelligent server selection method, named SeeMe, is proposed in this paper. Technically speaking, this method aims at minimizing the communication capacity and the transferring capacity in a multiobjective optimization way to find a low‐latency edge server. The experiments and comparison analysis verify the availability of our method.