bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elucidating the photodissociation fingerprint and quantifying the determination of organic hydroperoxides in gas-phase autoxidation
Authors: Hu Zhihong , Di Qimei , Liu Bingzhi , Li Yanbo , He Yunrui , Zhu Qingbo , Xu Qiang , Dagaut Philippe , Hansen Nils , Sarathy S. Mani , Xing Lili , Truhlar Donald G. , Wang Zhandong
Published: February 2023

Hydroperoxides are formed in the atmospheric oxidation of volatile organic compounds, in the combustion autoxidation of fuel, in the cold environment of the interstellar medium, and also in some catalytic reactions. They play crucial roles in the formation and aging of secondary organic aerosols and in fuel autoignition. However, the concentration of organic hydroperoxides is seldom measured, and typical estimates have large uncertainties. In this work, we developed a mild and environmental-friendly method for the synthesis of alkyl hydroperoxides (ROOH) with various structures, and we systematically measured the absolute photoionization cross-sections (PICSs) of the ROOHs using synchrotron vacuum ultraviolet-photoionization mass spectrometry (SVUV-PIMS). A chemical titration method was combined with an SVUV-PIMS measurement to obtain the PICS of 4-hydroperoxy-2-pentanone, a typical molecule for combustion and atmospheric autoxidation ketohydroperoxides (KHPs). We found that organic hydroperoxide cations are largely dissociated by loss of OOH. This fingerprint was used for the identification and accurate quantification of the organic peroxides, and it can therefore be used to improve models for autoxidation chemistry. The synthesis method and photoionization dataset for organic hydroperoxides are useful for studying the chemistry of hydroperoxides and the reaction kinetics of the hydroperoxy radicals and for developing and evaluating kinetic models for the atmospheric autoxidation and combustion autoxidation of the organic compounds.
Investigation of semiconductor properties of Co/Si(111)-7 × 7 by AFM/KPFS
Authors: Qu Zhang , Sugawara Yasuhiro , Li Yanjun
Published: February 2023

Studies of the physics underlying carrier transport characteristics and band bending of semiconductors are critical for developing new types of devices. In this work, we investigated the physical properties of Co ring-like cluster (RC) reconstruction with a low Co coverage on a Si(111)-7 × 7 surface at atomic resolution by atomic force microscopy/Kelvin probe force microscopy at 78 K. We compared the applied bias dependence of frequency shift between two types of structure: Si(111)-7 × 7 and Co-RC reconstructions. As a result, the accumulation, depletion, and reversion layers were identified in the Co-RC reconstruction by bias spectroscopy. For the first time, we found that Co-RC reconstruction on the Si(111)-7 × 7 surface shows semiconductor properties by Kelvin probe force spectroscopy. The findings of this study are useful for developing new materials for semiconductor devices.
Thickness measurements of graphene oxide flakes using atomic force microscopy: results of an international interlaboratory comparison
Authors: Bu Tianjia , Gao Huifang , Yao Yaxuan , Wang Jianfeng , Pollard Andrew J , Legge Elizabeth J , Clifford Charles A , Delvallée Alexandra , Ducourtieux Sébastien , Lawn Malcolm A , Babic Bakir , Coleman Victoria A , Jämting Åsa , Zou Shan , Chen Maohui , Jakubek Zygmunt J , Iacob Erica , Chanthawong Narin , Mongkolsuttirat KittiSun , Zeng Guanghong , Almeida Clara Muniz , He Bo-Ching , Hyde Lachlan , Ren Lingling
Published: February 2023

Flake thickness is one of the defining properties of graphene-related 2D materials (GR2Ms), and therefore requires reliable, accurate, and reproducible measurements with well-understood uncertainties. This is needed regardless of the production method or manufacturer because it is important for all GR2M products to be globally comparable. An international interlaboratory comparison on thickness measurements of graphene oxide flakes using atomic force microscopy has been completed in technical working area 41 of versailles project on advanced materials and standards. Twelve laboratories participated in the comparison project, led by NIM, China, to improve the equivalence of thickness measurement for two-dimensional flakes. The measurement methods, uncertainty evaluation and a comparison of the results and analysis are reported in this manuscript. The data and results of this project will be directly used to support the development of an ISO standard.
A scanning focus nuclear microscope with multi-pinhole collimation
Authors: Nguyen Minh Phuong , Arif Muhammad , Oostenrijk Bart , Goorden Marlies C , Beekman Freek J
Published: February 2023

Microscopic nuclear imaging down to spatial resolutions of a few hundred microns can already be achieved using low-energy gamma emitters (e.g. 125I, ∼30 keV) and a basic single micro-pinhole gamma camera. This has been applied to in vivo mouse thyroid imaging, for example. For clinically used radionuclides such as 99mTc, this approach fails due to penetration of the higher-energy gamma photons through the pinhole edges. To overcome these resolution degradation effects, we propose a new imaging approach: scanning focus nuclear microscopy (SFNM). We assess SFNM using Monte Carlo simulations for clinically used isotopes. SFNM is based on the use of a 2D scanning stage with a focused multi-pinhole collimator containing 42 pinholes with narrow pinhole aperture opening angles to reduce photon penetration. All projections of different positions are used to iteratively reconstruct a three-dimensional image from which synthetic planar images are generated. SFNM imaging was tested using a digital Derenzo resolution phantom and a mouse ankle joint phantom containing 99mTc (140 keV). The planar images were compared with those obtained using a single-pinhole collimator, either with matched pinhole diameter or with matched sensitivity. The simulation results showed an achievable 99mTc image resolution of 0.04 mm and detailed 99mTc bone images of a mouse ankle with SFNM. SFNM has strong advantages over single-pinhole imaging in terms of spatial resolution.
Experimental investigation of the radially-dependent ignition process in a pulsed capacitively coupled RF discharge: Effects of pressure, voltage and afterglow duration
Authors: Su Zi-Xuan , Zhao Kai , Jiang Ke , Liu Yong-Xin , Gao Fei , Wang You-Nian
Published: February 2023

The effects of the gas pressure, the voltage amplitude and the afterglow duration on the ignition process over 300 mm-diameter in a pulse-modulated capacitively coupled radio-frequency argon discharge are experimentally investigated. A home-made optical probe is used to measure the optical emission intensity (OEI) as a function of time since the beginning of each pulse at various radial positions. A voltage and a current probe are used to measure the voltage and current waveforms at the power feeding point and then the time-dependent power deposition is also obtained. It was found that the radial profile of the OEI exhibits complex evolution when changing these external conditions. At lower pressures, the ignition occurs earlier, and the radial-integral OEI and the power deposition overshoot more slightly during the ignition. By increasing the pressure, these two quantities overshoot more significantly, and the OEI gradually evolves from an edge-peaked radial profile to a center-high radial profile for a given time when the OEI increases rapidly during the ignition. When increasing the voltage amplitude, the ignition tends to occur earlier, featuring a more significant overshoot of the OEI and power deposition at a higher voltage. Compared to that at high voltage, the OEI exhibits a significant center-high radial profile at low voltage amplitude during the ignition. By increasing the afterglow duration, T
off, the ignition is delayed and the overshoot becomes more significant, due to a lower initial electron density when each pulse is turned on. During the phase when the growth rate of the OEI versus time is maximum, the OEI exhibits different radial distributions, i.e., it appears a center-high profile at short T
off, an edge-peaked profile at intermediate T
off, and a center-high profile at relatively long T
off.
Impact of the finite life-time of UHECR sources
Authors: Eichmann B. , Kachelrieß M.
Published: February 2023

The observational data on ultrahigh energy cosmic rays (UHECR), in particular their mass
composition, show strong indications for extremely hard spectra of individual mass groups of CR
nuclei at Earth. In this work, we show that such hard spectra can be the result of the finite
life-time of UHECR sources, if a few individual sources dominate the UHECR flux at the highest
energies. In this case, time delays induced by deflections in the turbulent extragalactic
magnetic field as well as from the diffusive or advective escape from the source environment can
suppress low-energy CRs, leading to a steepening of the observed spectrum. Considering radio
galaxies as the main source of UHECRs, we discuss the necessary conditions that few individual
sources dominate over the total contribution from the bulk of sources that have been active in the
past. We provide two proof-of-principle scenarios showing that for a turbulent extragalactic
magnetic field with a strength B and a coherence length l
coh, the life-time of a source
at a distance d
src should satisfy t
act ∼ (B/1 nG)2 (d
src/10 Mpc)2 (l
coh/1 Mpc) Myr to obtain the necessary hardening of the CR spectrum at Earth.
Preformation probability and kinematics of cluster emission yielding Pb-daughters*
Authors: Majekodunmi Joshua T. , Bhuyan M. , Anwar K. , Abdullah N. , Kumar Raj
Published: February 2023

In the present study, the newly established preformation formula is applied for the first time to study the kinematics of the cluster emission from various radioactive nuclei, especially those that decay to the double shell closure

Pb nucleus and its neighbors as daughters. The recently proposed universal cluster preformation formula has been established based on the concepts that underscore the influence of mass and charge asymmetry (

and

), cluster mass

, and the Q-value, paving the way to quantify the energy contribution during preformation as well as during the tunneling process separately. The cluster-daughter interaction potential is obtained by folding the relativistic mean-field (RMF) densities with the recently developed microscopic R3Y using the NL

and the phenomenological M3Y NN potentials to compare their adaptability. The penetration probabilities are calculated from the WKB approximation. With the inclusion of the new preformation probability

, the predicted half-lives of the R3Y and M3Y interactions are in good agreement with the experimental data. Furthermore, a careful inspection reflects slight differences in the decay half-lives, which arise from their respective barrier properties. The

for systems with double magic shell closure

Pb daughter are found to be an order of

higher than those with neighboring Pb daughter nuclei. By exploring the contributions of the decay energy, the recoil effect of the daughter nucleus is evaluated, in contrast to several other conjectures. Thus, the centrality of the

-value in the decay process is demonstrated and redefined within the preformed cluster-decay model. Additionally, we have introduced a simple and intuitive set of criteria that governs the estimation of recoil energy in the cluster radioactivity.
ELM temperature in JET and COMPASS tokamak divertors
Authors: Horacek J. , Tskhakaya D. , Cavalier J. , Adamek J. , Mana A.C. , Frassinetti L. , Beltrami A. , Lukes S. , Aleiferis S. , Matthews G. , Komm M. , Bilkova P. , Contributors JET
Published: February 2023

Analysis of the divertor edge localized mode (ELM) electron temperature at a uniquely high temporal resolution (10−5 s) was reported at the JET tokamak (Guillemaut et al 2018 Nucl. Fusion
58 066006). By collecting divertor probe data obtained during many dozens of ELMs, the conditional-average (CAV) technique yields surprisingly low peak electron temperatures, far below the pedestal ones (70%–99% reduction!) which we, however, question. This result was interpreted through the collisional free-streaming kinetic model of ELMs, by a transfer of most of the electron energy to ions, implying a high tungsten sputtering for unmitigated ELMs in future fusion devices like ITER. Recently, direct microsecond temperature measurements on the COMPASS tokamak, however, showed that the electron temperature peak of ELM filaments measured in the divertor is reduced by less than a third with respect to the pedestal one. This was further confirmed by a dedicated 1D particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation and tends to prove that the pedestal electrons can transfer only their parallel energy to ions (due to low collisionality), thus less than a third, as is predicted by the collisionless free-streaming model. This finding strongly contradicts the JET observations. We have therefore compared the CAV to the direct (microsecond) ball-pen and Langmuir probes measurements in COMPASS and found very good agreement between them. Revisiting the aforementioned JET CAV analysis indeed shows that the electron temperatures are much higher than previously reported, close to those predicted by the PIC simulation, and thus the ion energy seems to not significantly increase in the scrape-off layer.
Carbon stocks and fluxes in Asia-Pacific mangroves: current knowledge and gaps
Authors: Sharma Sahadev , Ray Raghab , Martius Christopher , Murdiyarso Daniel
Published: February 2023

Mangrove forest plays a key role in regulating climate change, earth carbon cycling and other biogeochemical processes within blue carbon ecosystems. Therefore, mangrove forests should be incorporated into Earth system climate models with the aim of understanding future climate change. Despite multiple carbon stock and flux assessments taking place over the past couple of decades, concrete knowledge of carbon source/sink patterns is largely lacking, particularly in the biodiversity-rich Asia-Pacific (AP) region with its 68 493 km2 of mangrove area. Thus, to understand the gaps in mangrove blue carbon research in the AP region, we summarize a recent decade-long inventory of carbon stock pools (aboveground, belowground and soil) and biogeochemical flux components (burial, export/import, soil-air and water-air CO2 flux) across 25 AP countries to understand the current knowledge and gaps. While carbon stock assessments of individual components are available for all 25 countries, whole ecosystem carbon stocks—including live and standing dead aboveground and belowground, downed woody debris and soil carbon stocks—are often lacking, even in highly researched countries like Indonesia. There is restricted knowledge around biogeochemical carbon fluxes in 55% of the countries, suggesting poor carbon flux research across the region. Focusing on flux components, reports on sediment-to-sea carbon exports are extremely limited (coming from just nine countries in the AP region). There is notable scarcity of data on carbon export fluxes in Indonesian mangroves. Given the key role AP mangroves play in climate change mitigation worldwide, more detailed and methodologically comparable investigation of biogeochemical source/sink processes is required to better understand the role of this large carbon source in global carbon stocks and fluxes, and hence, global climate.
Urban waterlogging mitigation based on the concept of sponge city
Authors: Xi C , Sakai N
Published: February 2023

In recent years, many cities around the world have experienced severe urban waterlogging disasters due to decreasing rainfall infiltration caused by land cover changes with rapid urbanization, and increased frequency of heavy rainfall events, including localized torrential rain. Traditional drainage systems and internal control concepts have failed to meet the requirements of urban safety. To address the challenging problem of urban waterlogging, China proposed the Sponge City in 2014. From the perspective of natural climate and urban construction planning, this paper makes an analysis of the causes of urban waterlogging, points out the limitations of traditional drainage facilities, and discusses the many hazards associated with urban waterlogging. This paper explains the meaning of Sponge City and the basic ideas of Sponge City construction. Based on the discussion of Sponge City development, this paper analyzes the Sponge City construction in Xixian New Area, and explains the significance of Sponge City to solve the problem of urban waterlogging. Through this idea, I would like to explore the common issues in countries suffering from heavy rainfall disasters such as Japan and Malaysia. The study hopes to provide a deeper thinking on ways to use nature to solve the waterlogging.
Anhydrous MgCO3: Controllable synthesis of various morphology based on hydrothermal carbonization
Authors: Lu Yunhua , Bi Qiuyan , Zhang Qingwei , Wan Zhihao
Published: February 2023

A novel, simple and efficient anhydrous MgCO3 (AMC) synthesis method using ascorbic acid (ASA) has been developed based on the hydrothermal carbonization. In this process, ASA acts as both a CO2 source and a crystal modifier to regulate and control the crystallization of AMC. Furan derivatives, aldehydes and ketones from ascorbic acid play an unexpected role as a structure-directing agent. The effect of pH values of ASA, reaction time and the concentrations and types of Mg2+ were systematically investigated. Pure AMC with different morphology were successfully prepared.
Oxide TFTs with S/D-contacts patterned by high-resolution reverse-offset printed resist layers
Authors: Liu Fei , Sneck Asko , Alastalo Ari , Leppäniemi Jaakko
Published: February 2023

Besides the metal oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) in flat-panel displays that are fabricated using vacuum-processes, there is a growing interest in the fabrication of metal oxide TFTs by means of scalable, low-cost solution and printing processes for applications such as flexible displays and biosensors. Although devices with printed semiconductor and gate insulator can exhibit good electrical performance, source/drain-contacts (S/D) printed from silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NPs) typically suffer from deteriorated electrical characteristics and stability problems. On the other hand, metals providing good contacts, such as aluminum (Al), titanium (Ti) and molybdenum (Mo), cannot be formed as air-stable NPs. To overcome these issues, we have developed a patterning method based on high-resolution reverse-offset printing (ROP) of a sacrificial polymer resist layer. ROP delivers patterns with micrometer-level resolution and steep sidewalls, which are ideal for patterning vacuum-deposited metal contacts at high resolution via lift-off process. Solution-processed indium oxide (In2O3) TFTs were successfully fabricated by using ROP lift-off process for patterning of gate and S/D-electrodes using Al. The fabricated In2O3-based TFTs with Al S/D-contacts exhibit good uniformity, constant mobility (μ
sat) ∼ 2 cm2 (V s)−1 over a wide range of width/length-ratios (W/L) and almost zero turn-on voltage (V
on) ∼ −0.2 V. TFTs down to 5 µm channel lengths were successfully patterned. Further development of the fabrication process could lead to flexible fully-print-patterned high-resolution TFT backplanes for flexible displays, biosensors, photosensors and x-ray detectors.
Strength prediction of a bottle-shaped strut for evaluating the shear capacity of reinforced concrete deep beam
Authors: Kumar Avinash , Jangid R S
Published: February 2023

For the analysis and design of reinforced concrete (RC) deep beams, the strut-and-tie model is typically employed to simulate the flow of stresses. A bottle-shaped strut develops between the loading point and support, in which compressive stress spreads laterally and induces tensile strain in the transverse direction, which reduces the compressive strength of the strut significantly. Web reinforcements are provided in deep RC beams to prevent splitting of the diagonal strut due to the presence of these transverse strains. In this article, a simplified design procedure based on the strut-and-tie model (STM) is proposed for the evaluation of the shear capacity of deep beams with web reinforcement. The suggested model is based on modified compression field theory and considers the impact of shear reinforcement ratio, transverse tensile strain, post-cracking strength of concrete, and the actual dispersion of compressive stress based on strut geometry (aspect ratio) for strength prediction of bottle-shaped struts. The experimental results of RC panels and deep RC beams reported in the literature are used to validate the results of the suggested model. The findings demonstrate that the proposed STM evaluates the shear capacity of deep RC beams more precisely than capacities estimated by ACI 318-19, AASHTO LRDF, and Eurocode 2 (EC2). In addition, a comprehensive parametric study has been carried out to investigate the effect of various design parameters on the shear capacity of deep RC beams.
Tool wear condition monitoring based on multi-sensor integration and deep residual convolution network
Authors: Zhu Zhiying , Liu Riliang , Zeng Yunfei
Published: February 2023

In order to guarantee machining quality and production efficiency and as well as to reduce downtime and cost, it is essential to receive information about the cutting tool condition and change it in time if necessary. To this end, tool condition monitoring systems are of great significance. Based on the data fusion technology of multi-sensor integration and the learning ability of deep residual network, a tool wear monitoring system is proposed in this paper. For data acquisition, multiple sensors are used to collect vibration, noise and acoustic emission signals in the machining process. For signal processing, the data fusion method of angular summation of matrices is used, so that the multi-source data are fused into two-dimensional pictures. Then, the feature extraction module of the proposed system uses the pictures as input and takes advantage of the deep residual convolutional network in extracting the deep features from the pictures, and finally the identification module completes the recognition of the tool wear type. To verify its feasibility, a testing bed is built on a CNC milling machine, and multi-sensor data are collected during the machining process of a simple workpiece with one of the two selected cutting tools each time. The proposed system is trained using the collected data and then is used to monitor the wear condition of a new cutting tool by collecting real-time data under similar condition. The results show that the accuracy of wear state recognition is as high as 90%, which verifies the feasibility of the proposed tool wear monitoring system.
Preprint Highlight: A synthetic signaling network imitating the action of immune cells in response to bacterial metabolism
Authors: De Lora Jacqueline A.
Published: February 2023

Synthetic cells, built using approaches from bottom-up synthetic biology, aim to mimic biological functions of their natural counterparts. However, engineering multilevel coordination of signaling networks remains challenging. This study demonstrates a minimalist synthetic signaling network mimicking netosis, an innate immune system response that traps and elicits an antimicrobial response against pathogens. Modular DNA particles were activated by the pH shift induced by E. coli metabolism, generating a sticky DNA-cholesterol network that evolved over time to trap the bacteria. Then, giant unilamellar vesicles containing an antibiotic were permeabilized by the DNA particles, reducing the growth of E. coli. The development of this synthetic signaling cascade has implications for artificial cells in therapeutics, biofilm research, biomaterials, and bioremediation.

This preprint has been assigned the following badges: New Materials, New Methods.

Read the preprint on bioRxiv ( Walczak et al., 2023 ): https://doi.org/10.1101/2023.02.02.526524 .
Functionally redundant multimodal predator cues elicit changes in prey foraging behavior
Authors: Shogren Fiona G , Hebets Eileen A , DeLong John P
Published: February 2023

Many prey species can assess the risk of predation from information acquired through different sensory systems. For many animals, this information is detected with sensory organs specialized for visual (sight) or chemical (smell or taste) stimuli. It is unclear; however, whether information acquired through multiple sensory systems is functionally redundant or interchangeable, especially if the message is the same. Here, we assess prey response to unimodal visual and chemical cues as well as multimodal (visual + chemical) cues. We specifically test if a foraging individual shows a stronger behavioral response to risk when they can perceive that risk through multimodal versus unimodal cues. To do this, we measured the functional response (prey abundance–foraging rate relationship) of Tibellus oblongus spiders foraging on midges while exposing them to visual stimuli, chemical stimuli, or a combination of both visual and chemical stimuli from potential predators. We then determined if the spider’s functional response for the multimodal treatment differed more strongly from a control treatment than from either unimodal treatment. We found that under any simulated predation risk (multimodal and both unimodal), T. oblongus spiders showed longer handling times than in control groups without risk. However, we saw no elevated anti-predator response in the multimodal treatment, suggesting that information from visual and chemical modalities is interchangeable and sufficient to indicate reliably predation risk.
Relatedness modulates reproductive competition among queens in ant societies with multiple queens
Authors: Helanterä Heikki , Ozan Martina , Sundström Liselotte
Published: February 2023

Reproductive sharing in animal groups with multiple breeders, insects and vertebrates alike, contains elements of both conflict and cooperation, and depends on both relatedness between co-breeders, as well as their internal and external conditions. We studied how queens of the ant Formica fusca adjust their reproductive efforts in response to experimental manipulations of the kin competition regime in their nest. Queens respond to the presence of competitors by increasing their egg laying efforts, but only if the competitors are highly fecund and distantly related. Such a mechanism is likely to decrease harmful competition among close relatives. We demonstrate that queens of Formica fusca fine-tune their cooperative breeding behaviors in response to kinship and fecundity of others in a remarkably precise and flexible manner.
Experimentally advancing morning emergence time does not increase extra-pair siring success in blue tit males
Authors: Santema Peter , Kempenaers Bart
Published: February 2023

Extra-pair paternity occurs frequently in socially monogamous birds, but there is substantial variation in extra-pair siring success among males. Several studies have shown that siring success relates to the timing of morning activity, with the earliest active males being more successful, suggesting that early activity is important for acquiring extra-pair copulations. However, these studies are correlational, and it, therefore, remains unclear whether the relationship between timing and extra-pair siring success is causal. An alternative explanation is that successful extra-pair sires tend to be active earlier (e.g., because they are of high quality or in good condition), but that early activity in itself does not increase siring success. We experimentally advanced the emergence time of male blue tits by exposing them to light about half an hour before their natural emergence time. Although males that were exposed to the light treatment emerged from their roost substantially earlier than males that were exposed to a control treatment, light-treated males were not more likely to sire extra-pair offspring. Furthermore, whereas control males showed the expected relation between emergence time and siring success (although not statistically significant), there was no relation between emergence time and extra-pair siring success among light-treated males. Our results suggest that the timing of emergence from the roost is not an important factor underlying extra-pair siring success.
The HPV16 E6, E7/miR-23b-3p/ICAT signaling axis promotes proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of cervical cancer cells
Authors: Hu Jing , Liao Deyu , Sun Zijiu , Ren Wei , Zhao Ling , Fang Yuting , Hu Kai , Yu Huomei , Liu Shiyan , Zhou Lan , He Tongchuan , Zhang Yan
Published: February 2023

Cervical cancer (CC) remains one of the most common female malignancies, with higher incidence and mortality rates. more than 99% of CCs are associated with persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus. In view of the growing evidence that HPV 16 E6 and E7, two key oncoproteins encoded by HPV 16, regulate the expression of many other multifunctional genes and downstream effectors that contribute to the development of CC. Herein, we undertook a comprehensive effort into how HPV16 E6, E7 oncogenes affect the progression of CC cells. Previous studies have shown that ICAT expression was significantly increased in CC and had a pro-cancer effect. We observed that knockdown of HPV16 E6, E7 expression in SiHa and CasKi cells resulted in significant inhibition of ICAT expression and upregulation of miR-23b-3p expression. Besides, dual luciferase assays confirmed that ICAT was a target gene of miR-23b-3p, and negatively modulated by miR-23b-3p. Functional experiments showed that the overexpression of miR-23b-3p suppressed malignant behaviors of CC cells, such as migration, invasion and EMT. The overexpression of ICAT counteracted the suppressive effect of miR-23b-3p on HPV16-positive CC cells. Furthermore, after the knockdown of HPV16 E6 and E7, the inhibition of miR-23b-3p could increase the ICAT expression and rescue the siRNA HPV16 E6, E7-mediated suppressive impact on the aggressiveness of SiHa and CaSki cells. Collectively, our findings uncover that HPV16 E6, E7/miR-23b-3p/ ICAT axis plays an important role in HPV16-positive CC pathogenesis, which may serve as a promising therapeutic target for HPV16-associated CC.
Mercaptopurine for the Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: A Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Löwenberg Mark , Volkers Adriaan , van Gennep Sara , Mookhoek Aart , Montazeri Nahid , Clasquin Esmé , Duijvestein Marjolijn , van Bodegraven Adriaan , Rietdijk Svend , Jansen Jeroen , van Asseldonk Dirk , van der Zanden Esmerij , Dijkgraaf Marcel , West Rachel , de Boer Nanne , D’Haens Geert
Published: February 2023

Background and Aims

Scepticism about the efficacy of thiopurines for ulcerative colitis [UC] is rising. This study aimed to evaluate mercaptopurine treatment for UC.

Methods

In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, patients with active UC, despite treatment with 5-aminosalicylates [5-ASA], were randomized for therapeutic drug monitoring [TDM]-guided mercaptopurine treatment or placebo for 52 weeks. Corticosteroids were given in the first 8 weeks and 5-ASA was continued. Proactive metabolite-based mercaptopurine and placebo dose adjustments were applied from week 6 onwards by unblinded clinicians. The primary endpoint was corticosteroid-free clinical remission and endoscopic improvement [total Mayo score ≤2 points and no item >1] at week 52 in an intention-to-treat analysis.

Results

Between December 2016 and April 2021, 70 patients were screened and 59 were randomized at six centres. In the mercaptopurine group, 16/29 [55.2%] patients completed the 52-week study, compared to 13/30 [43.3%] on placebo. The primary endpoint was achieved by 14/29 [48.3%] patients on mercaptopurine and 3/30 [10%] receiving placebo (Δ = 38.3%, 95% confidence interval [CI] 17.1–59.4, p = 0.002). Adverse events occurred more frequently with mercaptopurine [808.8 per 100 patient-years] compared to placebo [501.4 per 100 patient-years]. Five serious adverse events occurred, four on mercaptopurine and one on placebo. TDM-based dose adjustments were executed in 22/29 [75.9%] patients, leading to lower mercaptopurine doses at week 52 compared to baseline.

Conclusions

Optimized mercaptopurine treatment was superior to placebo in achieving clinical, endoscopic and histological outcomes at 1 year following corticosteroid induction treatment in UC patients. More adverse events occurred in the mercaptopurine group.
Universal probe with oriented antibody to improve the immunochromatographic assay of lead ions inProcambarus clarkii
Authors: Li Yangyang , Zhu Zhengwei , Qu Wenli , Yang Qing , Liu Yan , Wang Qiao , Duan Shuo , Wu Jine , Gong Zhiyong , Xu Lin
Published: February 2023

Objectives

Based on the information from the random inspection of foods by the China Food and Drug Administration in 2022, the contamination levels of lead ions are high in many edible products. Traditional methods of detecting lead ions cannot meet the requirements of on-site analysis of food due to the need for large equipment. The immunochromatographic assay (ICA) is an effective, rapid, on-site analytical technique for determining lead ions in foods. However, the performance of ICA based on the traditional probe (AuNP-mAb) is limited by ignoring the influence of the antibody orientation.

Materials and Methods

In this study, we developed an efficient technology for constructing a universal probe (AuNP-PrA-mAb) based on the oriented immobilization of antibody. The performance of ICA was largely improved due to specific binding of the Fc region of the antibody with recombinant protein A (PrA) on the surface of a gold nanoparticle (AuNP). The ICA based on a universal probe was applied for the qualitative and quantitative detection of lead ions in Procambarus clarkii within 30 min. Meanwhile, a simple and fast pretreatment method based on dilute acid extraction was developed for pretreating the P. clarkii containing lead ions.

Results

The visual limit of detection and the scanning limit of quantization of the developed ICA strip for lead ions were 0.5 ng/mL and 0.28 ng/mL, respectively. The sensitivity of ICA based on universal probe was 10-fold higher than that of the ICA using traditional probe. Furthermore, the detection results had no obvious difference between the ICA and ICP-MS with t-test statistical method.

Conclusions

The developed ICA based on a universal probe presented broad application prospects in detecting contaminants in foods.
Refinement of an Emergency Department-Based, Advance Care Planning Intervention for Patients With Cognitive Impairment and Their Caregivers
Authors: Ouchi Kei , Joshi Christopher , Kaithamattam Jenson , Gale Seth A , Marshall Gad A , Pietras Alison , Wang Wei , Boyer Edward W , Tulsky James A , Block Susan D , Rentz Dorene , Schonberg Mara A
Published: February 2023

Background and Objectives

Advance care planning (ACP) conversations are important to provide goal-concordant care (i.e., the care that matches the patient’s previously stated goals) near end of life. While 31% of older adults presenting to the emergency department (ED) have dementia, only 39% have previously had ACP conversations. We refined and piloted an ED-based, motivational interview designed to stimulate ACP conversations (ED GOAL) for patients living with cognitive impairment and their caregivers.

Research Design and Methods

We systematically refined ED GOAL and then conducted an acceptability study in an urban, academic medical center. We prospectively enrolled adults aged 50+ with cognitive impairment and their caregivers. Trained clinicians conducted the intervention. We measured acceptability after the intervention and participants’ ACP engagement at baseline and 1-month follow-up.

Results

Specific statements to address both the patient and caregiver were added to the ED GOAL script. Of 60 eligible patient/caregiver dyads approached, 26 participated, and 20 (77%) completed follow-up assessments. Patient mean age was 79 years (SD 8.5); 65% were female, 92.3% were White, 96.2% were non-Hispanic, and 69% had moderate dementia. Most patients/caregivers reported feeling completely heard and understood by the study clinician about their future medical care preferences (58%, 15/26). They also reported that the study clinician was very respectful (96%, 25/26) when eliciting those preferences.

Discussion and Implications

Patients living with cognitive impairment and their caregivers found our refined ED GOAL acceptable and respectful. Future studies need to examine the effect of ED GOAL on ACP engagement among these dyads in the ED.
Pharmacodynamic and immunological interactions of amphotericin B formulations and voriconazole with human neutrophils against matureScedosporium apiospermumandFusariumspp. biofilms
Authors: Vikelouda Katerina , Simitsopoulou Maria , Antachopoulos Charalampos , Skoura Lemonia , Roilides Emmanuel
Published: February 2023

Background

Mould infections caused by Scedosporium apiospermum and Fusarium solani species complex (FSSC) biofilms are rising among immunocompromised and immunocompetent patients. Little is known about the immunomodulatory effects of antifungal agents against these moulds. We examined the effects of deoxycholate and liposomal amphotericin B (DAmB, LAmB) and voriconazole on antifungal activities and immune responses of neutrophils (PMNs) against mature biofilms compared with their planktonic counterparts.

Methods

Antifungal activity of human PMNs exposed to mature biofilms and planktonic cells for 24 h was determined at effector-to-target ratios of 2:1 and 5:1, alone or combined with DAmB, LAmB and voriconazole, assessed as fungal damage by XTT assay. Cytokine production was evaluated by multiplex ELISA, following PMN stimulation with biofilms in the presence/absence of each drug.

Results

All drugs showed additive or synergistic effects with PMNs against S. apiospermum at 0.03–32 mg/L. They showed antagonism primarily against FSSC at 0.06–64 mg/L. Increased IL-8 was produced by PMNs exposed to S. apiospermum biofilms plus DAmB or voriconazole compared with PMNs exposed to biofilms alone (P < 0.01). During combined exposure, IL-1β was increased, an effect only counteracted by increased levels of IL-10 caused by DAmB (P < 0.01). LAmB and voriconazole caused similar IL-10 levels with those released by biofilm-exposed PMNs.

Conclusions

The synergistic, additive or antagonistic effects of DAmB, LAmB or voriconazole on biofilm-exposed PMNs are organism-specific, with FSSC exhibiting greater resilience than S. apiospermum to antifungals. Biofilms of both moulds caused dampened immune responses. The drug-mediated immunomodulating effect on PMNs, evidenced by IL-1β, enhanced host protective functions.
Extended Detection Window for Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate in the Urine of an Elderly Woman
Authors: Berg J A , Rajendiran R , Serkland T T , Methlie C B , Hallin E I , Stokes C L
Published: February 2023

Gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) is a central nervous system depressant that has gained popularity as an illicit recreational drug. We describe a case of an elderly woman who was found unconscious in her home. The paramedics initially suspected an intracranial incident. A head computed tomography was negative, as was the initial urinary drug screening. The diagnosis of GHB intoxication was made with the detection of GHB in a urine sample obtained 28–29 hours after the assumed time of intake. Our case underscores the importance of considering drug testing in a broad range of patients and shows that elderly patients may have an extended detection window of GHB.
Italian Supreme Court provides guidance on parody exception under copyright and trade mark law
Authors: Manstretta Federico
Published: February 2023

In a decision related to the non-authorized use of the character of Zorro, the Italian Supreme Court analysed the protectability of fictional characters and the parody exception under copyright and trade mark law.
Knowledge of and willingness for dispensing oral anticancer drug therapy among community pharmacists: a cross-sectional study from Jordan
Authors: Ayoub Nehad M , Alhamdan Yazan R , Jaradat Sara K , Jibreel Malak
Published: February 2023

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the knowledge of and willingness for dispensing oral anticancer drugs (OADs) among community pharmacists in Jordan.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among pharmacists in community pharmacies.

Key findings

Five hundred pharmacists completed the questionnaire. The mean age of respondents was 30.4 ± 6.2 years (range 21–61). Most pharmacists had a bachelor’s degree in pharmacy (80.8%) and were staff pharmacists (61.6%). Two hundred and ten (42.0%) pharmacists indicated not receiving adequate education on OADs at the undergraduate level. The majority of respondents (79.8%) did not attend continuing education events in oncology in the past 2 years. Further, 44.6% of pharmacists never dispensed OADs in their pharmacies. The mean score of knowledge of OADs was 1.7 ± 1.9 out of 12 points (range 0–9). The vast majority of pharmacists surveyed (97.6%) had poor knowledge of OADs. Almost half of the pharmacists (49.8%) agreed or strongly agreed to be comfortable answering questions regarding cancer treatments. More than half of respondents (52.2%) feel comfortable providing patient education on OADs. Half of the respondents (49.6%) disagreed that their current pharmacy settings are equipped with the necessary tools to handle OADs.

Conclusions

A large number of community pharmacists in Jordan lack the foundational knowledge regarding OADs. A substantial proportion of pharmacists never dispensed OADs and were not satisfied with the level of undergraduate education received regarding oncology and oral cancer therapies. Nevertheless, most pharmacists were willing to handle OADs and were positive about receiving further training/education on dispensing OADs. Collectively, efforts are needed to improve pharmacy education on oral chemotherapy and cancer care along with continuous training for pharmacists in their community settings.
Arcuate line hernia: a case report
Authors: Cohen Koral , Kolwitz Christine , Petrone Patrizio , Halpern David
Published: February 2023

Arcuate line hernias are a rare type of hernia with limited publications regarding their successful repair. The arcuate line is the inferior limit of the posterior leaf of the rectus sheath. An arcuate line hernia is a type of intraparietal hernia, meaning it is not a truly complete fascial defect of the abdominal and, therefore, may present with atypical symptoms. Although published data on arcuate line hernia repairs are limited to a handful of case reports and one literature review, reports regarding robotic repair are exceptionally rare. This case report is the second documented robotic approach to arcuate line hernias known to these authors.
Nitrogen supply alleviates cold stress by increasing photosynthesis and nitrogen assimilation in maize seedlings
Authors: Soualiou Soualihou , Duan Fengying , Li Xia , Zhou Wenbin
Published: February 2023

Cold stress inhibits the early growth of maize, leading to reduced productivity. Nitrogen (N) is an essential nutrient that stimulates maize growth and productivity, but the relationship between N availability and cold tolerance is poorly characterized. Therefore, we studied the acclimation of maize under combined cold stress and N treatments. Exposure to cold stress caused a decline in growth and N assimilation, but increased abscisic acid (ABA) and carbohydrate accumulation. The application of different N concentrations from the priming stage to the recovery period resulted in the following observations: (i) high N supply alleviated cold stress-dependent growth inhibition, as shown by increased biomass, chlorophyll and Rubisco content and PSII efficiency; (ii) cold stress-induced ABA accumulation was repressed under high N, presumably due to enhanced stomatal conductance; (iii) the mitigating effects of high N on cold stress could be due to the increased activities of N assimilation enzymes and improved redox homeostasis. After cold stress, the ability of maize seedlings to recover increased under high N treatment, indicating the potential role of high N in the cold stress tolerance of maize seedlings.
A Deeper Dive Into Combat Medic Training
Authors: Suresh Mithun R , Staudt Amanda M , Trevino Jennifer D , Papalski Wayne N , Greydanus Dominique J , Valdez-Delgado Krystal K , Mann-Salinas Elizabeth A , VanFosson Christopher A
Published: February 2023

The recent article by Knisely et al. provides a comprehensive review and summary of recent literature describing simulation techniques, training strategies, and technologies to teach medics combat casualty care skills. Some of the results reported by Knisely et al. align with the findings of our team’s work, and these findings may be helpful to military leadership with their ongoing efforts to maintain medical readiness. Accordingly, we provide some additional contextual understanding to the results of Knisely et al. in this commentary. Our team recently published two papers describing the results of a large survey that examined Army medic pre-deployment training. Combining the findings of Knisely et al. along with some of the contextual information from our work, we provide some recommendations for improving and optimizing the pre-deployment training paradigm for medics.
The Thousand-Pulsar-Array programme on MeerKAT – XI. Application of the rotating vector model
Authors: Johnston S , Kramer M , Karastergiou A , Keith M J , Oswald L S , Parthasarathy A , Weltevrede P
Published: February 2023

In spite of the rich phenomenology of the polarization properties of radio pulsars, the rotating vector model (RVM) created 50 years ago remains the best method to determine the beam geometry of a pulsar. We apply the RVM to a sample of 854 radio pulsars observed with the MeerKAT telescope in order to draw conclusions about the population of pulsars as a whole. The main results are that (i) the geometrical interpretation of the position angle (PA) traverse is valid in the majority of the population, (ii) the pulsars for which the RVM fails tend to have a high fraction of circular polarization compared to linear polarization, (iii) emission heights obtained through both geometrical and relativistic methods show that the majority of pulsars must have emission heights less than 1000 km independent of the spin period, (iv) orthogonal mode jumps are seen in the PA traverse in about one third of the population. All these results are weakly dependent on the pulsar spin-down energy.
Extensive deep vein thrombosis in a young girl with absent inferior vena cava and iliac veins: a case report
Authors: Algaly Gufran , Alsuyihili Ali , Parveen Ayesha
Published: February 2023

Congenital absence of inferior vena cava (IVC) and iliac veins is a rare anomaly that can predispose young patients to develop deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This case report highlights the importance of considering this anatomical abnormality in young patients with unprovoked DVT. We present the case of a 17-year-old girl who visited the emergency department (ED) complaining of right leg pain and swelling for 8 days. An ED ultrasound revealed extensive DVT in the right leg veins, and further investigation with abdominal computed tomography revealed that the patient’s IVC and iliac veins were absent and showed the presence of thrombosis. The patient underwent thrombectomy and angioplasty by interventional radiology and was given a lifetime prescription for oral anticoagulation. When treating young, otherwise healthy individuals with unprovoked DVT, Clinicians should include absent IVC in their differential when treating young, otherwise healthy patients with unprovoked DVT.