bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Senescence, brain inflammation, and oligomeric tau drive cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease: Evidence from clinical and preclinical studies
Authors: Gaikwad Sagar , Senapati Sudipta , Haque Md. Anzarul , Kayed Rakez
Published: October 2023

Aging, tau pathology, and chronic inflammation in the brain play crucial roles in synaptic loss, neurodegeneration, and cognitive decline in tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease. Senescent cells accumulate in the aging brain, accelerate the aging process, and promote tauopathy progression through their abnormal inflammatory secretome known as the senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP). Tau oligomers (TauO)—the most neurotoxic tau species—are known to induce senescence and the SASP, which subsequently promote neuropathology, inflammation, oxidative stress, synaptic dysfunction, neuronal death, and cognitive dysfunction. TauO, brain inflammation, and senescence are associated with heterogeneity in tauopathy progression and cognitive decline. However, the underlying mechanisms driving the disease heterogeneity remain largely unknown, impeding the development of therapies for tauopathies. Based on clinical and preclinical evidence, this review highlights the critical role of TauO and senescence in neurodegeneration. We discuss key knowledge gaps and potential strategies for targeting senescence and TauO to treat tauopathies.

Highlights

Senescence, oligomeric Tau (TauO), and brain inflammation accelerate the aging process and promote the progression of tauopathies, including Alzheimer's disease.

We discuss their role in contributing to heterogeneity in tauopathy and cognitive decline.

We highlight strategies to target senescence and TauO to treat tauopathies while addressing key knowledge gaps.
Eu3+:Y2Ti2O7 nanomaterials as efficient photocatalysts used for hydrogen and biogas production toward a sustainable environment
Authors: Soliman Hanan A. , Ali Laila I. , Khaled Khaled F. , Hafez Hoda , Mbrouk Omar A. , Saif M. , Ibrahim Marwa M.
Published: October 2023

The main focus of this research is on energy production by clean photocatalytic technology. By using the sol–gel process, yttrium titanate nano‐photocatalysts modified with europium (x mol. Eu3+:Y2Ti2O7) have been created and used to produce photocatalytic biogas and hydrogen using acetic acid. X‐ray powder diffraction (XRD) confirms the formation of cubic Y2Ti2O7 phase. Microscopic study has indicated that Eu doping improved the shape, size, and dispersity of Y2Ti2O7 photocatalyst. Different crystal defects, including oxygen vacancies (OVs) and Ti3+ species, are demonstrated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) studies. Compared with pure Y2Ti2O7, 0.03 mol. Eu3+:Y2Ti2O7 has the highest proportion of lattice defects. The band gap energies have increased as a result of doping on Y2Ti2O7 size. Urbach energy calculations confirm that Eu3+:Y2Ti2O7 nano‐photocatalyst has the highest degree of distortion. The photoluminescence (PL) measurements have shown that 0.03 mol. Eu3+ dopant can effectively separate the active charge carriers. Electron spin resonance proved the progressive increase of defect states (OV and Ti3+) by doping, which promoted the photocatalytic activity of the nano‐photocatalyst. These photocatalysts have generated biogas and hydrogen gas via photocatalytic oxidation of acetic acid under inert conditions. The maximum photocatalytic activity for the generation of biogas and hydrogen is found in 0.03 mol. Eu3+:Y2Ti2O7. The maximum photocatalytic activity of 0.03 mol. Eu3+:Y2Ti2O7 is correlated with higher lattice defects (OV, Ti3+) and reduced charge carrier recombination. The proposed photocatalytic mechanism has been discussed. According to the findings, Eu3+:Y2Ti2O7 nano‐photocatalyst is a promising nanomaterial for the generation of energy.
Half‐sandwich Ru (II) complexes: Effect of ligands on aerobic oxidation of benzylamine
Authors: Moždiak Ondřej , Dubey Pooja , Dostál Libor , Růžičková Zdena , Tydlitát Jiří , Jambor Roman
Published: October 2023

In this study, we compared carbene and pyridine substituted ligands {3‐Me‐1‐[2‐(CH2CH2SPh)]‐C7H4N2} (L1) and {2‐[(2,6‐iPr2‐C6H3)N=CH]‐6‐(MeO)C5H3N}(L2) for synthesis of ionic C,S‐ and N,N‐coordinated Ru (II) complexes [(κ2‐L1)RuCl(η6‐p‐cymene)]+Cl− (1), [(κ2‐L1)RuI(η6‐p‐cymene)]+I− (2), and [(κ2‐L2)RuCl(η6‐p‐cymene)]+Cl− (3), respectively. Stannylene ligand [{2,6‐(Me2NCH2)2C6H3}SnCl] (L3), as heavy carbene analog, was also used in this study to prepare neutral Sn‐coordinated Ru (II) complex [(κ1‐L3)RuCl2(η6‐p‐cymene)] (4). Finally, reaction of SnCl2 with 1, 3, and 4 was also studied to yield [(κ2‐L1)RuCl(η6‐p‐cymene)]+[SnCl3]− (5), [(κ2‐L2)RuCl(η6‐p‐cymene)]+[SnCl3]− (6), and [(κ1‐L3)RuCl (SnCl3)(η6‐p‐cymene)] (7). The catalytic activity of 1–7 was tested on aerobic oxidation of benzylamine. The effect of different ligands L1–3 as well as the effect of the SnCl3− moiety is discussed.
Hydrophobic natural deep eutectic solvents for marine lipid extraction
Authors: Topal Taylan , Card Asli , Mackenzie Andrew D. , Lagutin Kirill , Marshall Susan N. , Cumming Adam H. , Killeen Daniel P.
Published: October 2023

‘Type V' natural deep eutectic solvents (TV NADES) are a novel class of solvent media with many potential ‘green chemistry’ applications. Here, we assess the potential of two TV NADES: menthol:carvacrol (M:C) and menthol:thymol (M:T), and a single terpenoid extraction media carvacrol (C), as media from total lipid extraction of three compositionally diverse, freeze‐dried marine tissues: hoki (Macruronus novaezelandaiae), jack mackerel (Trachurus declivis) and green‐lipped mussel (kuku, Perna canaliculus). Room temperature extraction yields into these media were benchmarked relative to lipid yields from chloroform‐methanol‐water extractions. Relative extraction yields using the M:C and M:T media were (both) 87% for jack mackerel, 85%–87% for hoki, and 43%–47% for green‐lipped mussels. Comprehensive chemical analyses of TV NADES lipid extracts suggested that neutral lipids were extracted in greater yield than phospholipids, and that phosphatidylinositol, lysophospholipids and (in the case of mussels) ceramideaminoethylphosphonates were particularly resistant to extraction into C, M:C and M:T. C—a thymol isomer that, unlike menthol and thymol is a liquid at room temperature—appeared to perform (marginally) better than M:C and M:T systems, implying there may be no advantage to using the TV NADES over a single terpenoid with similar chemistry for total lipid extraction.
Process simulation and economic assessments for biodiesel production catalyzed by green Nanocatalysts
Authors: Qian Liow Ke , Huey Sim Jia
Published: October 2023

The biodiesel production catalyzed by naturally derived catalysts such as calcium oxide (CaO) and sulfonated carbon catalysts achieved high biodiesel yield at moderate operating conditions. However, very few studies were conducted to evaluate the economic feasibility of industrial‐scale production of biodiesel catalyzed by both green catalysts of CaO and sulfonated carbon catalysts. The current study aims to assess the technical competency and economic feasibility of industrial‐scale production of biodiesel catalyzed by two processes 1.) CaO catalyst and 2.) sulfonated carbon catalyst. Process simulations via Aspen Hysys were carried out to perform material and energy balances for both process configurations designed earlier with respect to the base catalyst (CaO) and acid catalyst (sulfonated carbon) used. Economic analysis was initiated after the equipment sizing and costing had been carried out. Total capital investment, total manufacturing cost, and key performances of the rate of return, payback time, breakeven point, and net profit after‐tax rate were calculated for each process. Based on the economic analysis, the computed return on investment (ROI) is 105.36%, and it has a low payback period of 0.94 year to offset its original investment. The discounted cumulative profit (NPV) analysis shows that breakeven was achieved in the 3rd year. On the other hand, for the plant that utilizes sulfonated carbon in the transesterification reaction, the computed ROI is 14.02% with a payback period of 7.13 years, and the breakeven was achieved in the 9th year. In conclusion, the manufacturing plant of transesterification reaction catalyzed by CaO catalyst appeared as the most promising pathway either technically or economically.
Highly Efficient Spin Transport in a Paramagnetic Insulator at Room Temperature
Authors: Zhu Zhaozhao , Bai He , Li Zhuolin , Gao Yang , Ke Jintao , Li Guansong , Bi Linzhu , Zhu Tao , Cai Jian‐Wang , Zhang Ying
Published: October 2023

The exploration of new materials exhibiting excellent spin transport properties, particularly those capable of efficiently transmitting pure spin currents at room temperature, is a crucial aspect of spintronics. This work reports the observation of room‐temperature spin transport in a paramagnetic insulator Gd3Ga5O12 (GGG). By measuring the longitudinal spin Seebeck voltage, spin Hall magnetoresistance, and anomalous Hall resistance in a Y3Fe5O12 (YIG)/GGG/Pt heterostructure at room temperature, the spin current is found to propagate in GGG up to a distance of 7 nm through the paramagnons, which are the collective excitations of the local spin within the paramagnet. Remarkably, this spin propagation phenomenon occurs at a small magnetic field and irrespective of whether the spin current injected into GGG is thermally induced from YIG or electrically generated through the spin Hall effect of Pt. Moreover, the inclusion of a thin GGG spacer layer increases the thermal spin current from YIG to Pt by 31%. Calculations based on the diffusive magnon transport model indicate high spin conductance at the GGG/Pt interface. These findings highlight the potential of a wide range of paramagnetic materials in facilitating spin transport and advancing the development of spintronic devices.
Fusion proteins development strategies and their role as cancer therapeutic agents
Authors: Aslam Shakira , Zulfiqar Faisal , Hameed Warda , Qureshi Shahnila , Zaroon  , Bashir Hamid
Published: October 2023

Cancer continues to be leading cause of morbidity and mortality despite decades of research and advancement in chemotherapy. Most tumors can be reduced via standard oncology treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical resection, and they frequently recur. Significant progress has been made since targeted cancer therapy inception in creation of medications that exhibit improved tumor‐selective action. Particularly in preclinical and clinical investigations, fusion proteins have shown strong activity and improved treatment outcomes for a number of human cancers. Synergistically combining many proteins into one complex allows the creation of synthetic fusion proteins with enhanced characteristics or new capabilities. Signal transduction pathways are important for onset, development, and spread of cancer. As result, signaling molecules are desirable targets for cancer therapies, and significant effort has been made into developing fusion proteins that would act as inhibitors of these pathways. A wide range of biotechnological and medicinal applications are made possible by fusion of protein domains that improves bioactivities or creates new functional combinations. Such proteins may function as immune effectors cell recruiters to tumors or as decoy receptors for various ligands. In this review article, we have outlined the standard methods for creating fusion proteins and covered the applications of fusion proteins in treatment of cancer. This article also highlights the role of fusion proteins in targeting the signaling pathways involved in cancer for effective treatment.
A metabolism‐based study of the mechanism of action of Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl. on nephrogenic edema
Authors: Dong WanRu , Xing BeiYu , Yu JiaMin , Li Wei , Wang Yu , Zhong LuYang , Liu Ying , Wang Yi , Shu ZunPeng , Liu ShuMin
Published: October 2023

Nephrogenic edema (NE) is a type of edema with hypoproteinemia and water and sodium retention as a result of renal injury. Traditional Chinese medicine has proved that Scrophularia ningpoensis Hemsl. has an effect on NE, but its mechanism is not clear. In this study, the main components and blood components of S. ningpoensis were identified using ultra‐high‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole‐time‐of‐flight‐mass spectrometry (UPLC‐Q‐TOF‐MS). Pathological section and blood biochemical analysis were used to estimate the therapeutic effect of S. ningpoensis on NE. Network pharmacology was used to predict the potential pathways of S. ningpoensis. The metabolomics method was used to study the changes in small‐molecule metabolites in the body. The results showed that S. ningpoensis could relieve NE by regulating relative to renal function and body edema, and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of energy metabolism, recovery of renal injury, and reduction in inflammation. The active component harpagoside may be one of the important compounds of S. ningpoensis in the treatment of NE. We confirmed that S. ningpoensis has a therapeutic effect on NE, which provides a solid scientific research basis for the clinical application of S. ningpoensis.
Investigation of differences in xenophobia, prosociality level, and sociodemographic characteristics in nursing students
Authors: Korkmaz Aslan Tuba , Sönmezer Öcal Hacer
Published: October 2023

Aims

This study aimed to examine differences in xenophobia, prosocial behavior tendency, and sociodemographic characteristics among nursing students.

Materials & Methods

The participants were 227 nursing students (29.1% male, 70.9% female) attending the nursing department in the spring semester of the 2019–2020 academic year. We used a personal identification form, xenophobia scale, and prosocial behavior tendency scale to collect the data.

Results

Among the participants, 24.7% were in first year, 30.4% were in second year, 21.6% were in third year, and 23.3% were in fourth year. Female students had higher prosocial behavior disposition, altruistic, and submissive scores than their male counterparts. The second‐year students’ prosocial behavior scores were higher than those of the third‐year students. The male students’ hatred, humiliation, and xenophobia scores were higher than those of the female students.

Discussion

The xenophobia scores were higher in those with two living parents and lower in those whose mothers had secondary education. We used the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Shapiro–Wilk test, and graphical assessments to test the quantitative data's compliance with normal distribution. We also employed the Student's t‐test and one‐way analysis of variance for data showing a normal distribution and Mann–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests for data showing non‐normal distribution. To evaluate the relationships among variables, we used the Pearson correlation analysis for normally distributed variables and Spearman's correlation analysis for non‐normally distributed variables.

Conclusion

Women's prosocial behavior tendency total score was higher than men's, and men's xenophobia total score was higher than women's. There was a weak negative correlation between the positive behavior tendency and xenophobia total scores.
Association between salivary mature brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and psychological distress in healthcare workers
Authors: Ikenouchi Atsuko , Okamoto Naomichi , Hamada Shinsuke , Chibaatar Enkhmurun , Fujii Rintaro , Konishi Yuki , Igata Ryohei , Tesen Hirofumi , Yoshimura Reiji
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Previous studies have suggested association between brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the stress level of workers. However, no studies have investigated the potential of salivary mature BDNF (mBDNF) level as a noninvasive biomarker for psychological distress. This study aimed to explore the reliability of salivary mBDNF as a biomarker for psychological distress in healthcare workers. Furthermore, we examined the relationship between salivary and plasma mBDNF levels and their correlation with age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and exercise habits.

Methods

Fifty‐one healthy healthcare workers (26 men) from the University of Occupational and Environmental Health, Japan, participated in this study. In this cross‐sectional study, participants provided demographic information. Psychological distress was assessed using the Kessler 6 (K6). Saliva and blood samples were collected, and mBDNF was measured by ELISA. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was performed to analyze the relationship between mBDNF (saliva and plasma) and K6. Statistical analyses were conducted using Stata 17.0, and a significance level of p < .05 was applied.

Results

The median K6 score was 1 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0–3). The median (IQR) salivary mBDNF was 1.36 (1.12–1.96) pg/mL, whereas the mean (standard deviation) plasma mBDNF was 1261.11 (242.98) pg/mL. No correlation was observed between salivary and plasma mBDNF concentrations or with the K6 score. Additionally, there were no associations between salivary or plasma mBDNF concentrations and age, sex, or exercise habits. Finally, an association between plasma mBDNF concentration and BMI was found only in univariate analysis.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that salivary mBDNF can be accurately measured noninvasively in healthcare workers. Within our study sample, salivary mBDNF did not demonstrate any correlation with K6 and plasma mBDNF. Future studies with a larger study sample and a diverse study population consisting of healthy participants and patients with psychiatric disorders are warranted.
Toward low‐carbon sustainable development: Exploring the impact of digital economy development and industrial restructuring
Authors: Tan Lisi , Yang Zhuodong , Irfan Muhammad , Ding Chante Jian , Hu Mingjun , Hu Jin
Published: October 2023

Low‐carbon sustainable development is considered an essential strategy for achieving economic growth and environmental protection, requiring a fundamental transformation of the industrial structure, including developing clean technologies, promoting energy efficiency, and adopting sustainable production and consumption patterns. Simultaneously, the evolving digital economy is acknowledged as an essential driver in optimizing the industrial structure. Therefore, can digital economy development reshape the industrial structure and lead to low‐carbon sustainable development? The main purpose of this paper is to examine the mediating role of industrial structure upgrading in the relationship between the digital economy and low‐carbon development. Its ultimate purpose is to explore more possible paths to achieve low‐carbon development. This paper builds a regression model based on the data of cities. We found that digital economic development can directly promote low‐carbon sustainable development, a conclusion that still holds after endogeneity discussion and robustness testing. Additionally, digital economy development can promote industrial structure upgrading and thus promote low‐carbon sustainable development, meaning that industrial structure upgrading is an effective mechanism for digital economy development to promote low‐carbon sustainable development. This paper provides empirical evidence for the positive environmental externalities of digital economic development and establishes a basic research framework of “digital economic development → industrial structure upgrading → low‐carbon sustainable development.”
A prognostic nomogram that includes MPV in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: He Qiao , Luo Zhenglian , Zou Haiming , Ye Bo , Wu Lichun , Deng Yao , Yang Mu , Wang Dongsheng , Wang Qifeng , Zhang Kaijiong
Published: October 2023

Background

Mean platelet volume (MPV), as a marker of platelet activity, has been shown to be an efficient prognostic biomarker in several types of cancer. Using MPV, this study aimed to create and validate a prognostic nomogram to the overall survival in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) patients.

Methods

The nomogram was constructed and tested using data from a retrospective study of 1893 patients who were randomly assigned to the training and testing cohorts with a 7:3 randomization. In order to screen out the optimal predictors for overall survival (OS), we conducted the LASSO‐cox regression, univariate, and multivariate cox regression analyses. Subsequently, the predictive accuracy of the nomogram was validated in both the training and the testing cohorts. Finally, decision curve analysis (DCA) was used to confirm clinical validity.

Results

Age, MPV, nerve invasion, T stage, and N stage were found as independent prognostic variables for OS and were further developed into a nomogram. The nomogram's prediction accuracy for 1‐, 3‐, and 5‐year OS was 0.736, 0.749, 0.774, and 0.724, 0.719, 0.704 in the training and testing cohorts, respectively. Furthermore, DCA results indicated that nomograms outperformed the AJCC 8th and conventional T, N staging systems in both the training and testing cohorts.

Conclusions

The nomogram, in conjunction with MPV and standard clinicopathological markers, could improve the accuracy of prediction of OS in ESCC patients.
Have I purchased the right product? Consumer behavior under corporate greenwash behavior
Authors: Hung Cheng‐Ze , Chang Tai‐Wei
Published: October 2023

Extensive research on corporate greenwash behavior has been conducted within sustainable consumption, yet aware of green product information asymmetry remains largely unexplored. Drawn upon value‐attitude‐behavior hierarchy, this study investigates the impact of corporate greenwash behavior on green purchase behavior among customers in Taiwan, with a particular focus on the mediating role of green trust and environmental attitudes and on the moderating role of green product information asymmetry. Customers purchasing green products in northern Taiwan were surveyed using an online questionnaire. Data were gathered on two distinct occasions via a survey, yielding responses from 390 consumers in Taiwan. Our findings reveal that green trust mediates the relationship between corporate greenwash behavior and environmental attitudes and environmental attitudes mediates the relationship between green trust and green purchase behavior. Interestingly, while an green product information asymmetry weakens the negative relationship between corporate greenwash behavior and green trust, and strengthens the positive relationship between environmental attitudes and green purchase behavior. Our study contributes new insights into the relationship between corporate greenwash behavior on green purchase behavior within the unique context SDG 12 for responsible consumption and production goals, highlighting the complex interplay of green product information asymmetry to green trust and green purchase behavior.
Environmental values and sustainability: Mediating role of nature connectedness, and love for nature toward vegan food consumption
Authors: Kautish Pradeep , Thaichon Park , Soni Pavleen
Published: October 2023

The study aims to ascertain the mediating influence of nature connectedness and love for nature in the association of terminal and instrumental values with stated buying behavior in the vegan food context. Drawing theoretical underpinning from Value‐Belief‐Norm (VBN) in terms of value dichotomy and the Biophilia Hypothesis for sustainable consumption, the research hypotheses were tested using covariance‐driven structural equation modeling. Cross‐sectional data of 524 participants was collected through an online agency from an emerging market (India). Although the results suggest that improved terminal and instrumental values contribute to stated buying behavior, this effect transpires only through the love for nature. Furthermore, the role of love for nature as a mediating construct in the relationship between the terminal and instrumental values and the corresponding influence on stated buying behavior has been confirmed. Thus, the present study empirically corroborates the rationality of Value‐Belief‐Norm as well as the Biophilia Hypothesis as its novel theoretical contributions. Marketers of vegan food products should formulate terminal and instrumental value‐oriented strategies that reinforce nature connectedness and love for nature, which are anticipated to exert a significant stated buying behavior‐enhancing influence.
Kinetic Modeling to Explain the Release of Medicine from Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Askarizadeh Mahshid , Esfandiari Nadia , Honarvar Bizhan , Sajadian Seyed Ali , Azdarpour Amin
Published: October 2023

Proper medication dissolution must be ensured when developing or manufacturing a new solid dosage form. Quantitative analyses performed in dissolution or release tests become simpler when applying mathematical formulae which represent dissolution outcomes as a function of several dosage form properties. Methodologies utilized to examine the kinetics of drug release from controlled‐release formulations are reviewed. The analysis of variance was conducted using statistical, model‐independent, and ‐dependent techniques for the dissolution profile comparison and fitting, respectively. Model equations, including zero‐ and first‐order, Hixson‐Crowell, Weibull, Higuchi, Korsmeyer‐Peppas, Baker‐Lonsdale, Hopfenberg, etc., were employed to match the experimental data. Additional release parameters were taken to illustrate the drug release patterns. Using correlation factors and the Akaike information criterion (AIC), the best‐fitting model was discovered, as were the transport phenomena affecting the behavior of the recognized formulations.
Wraparound services: Urban and rural college promise case studies
Authors: Bray Nathaniel J.
Published: October 2023

The chapter considers the importance of wraparound services for college students, and their use with College Promise programs in particular. Beginning with how the student debt crisis arose, the chapter explains various College Promise models and funding structures and how they link to and work with Pell grants. First‐dollar, last‐dollar, and middle‐ or last‐dollar‐plus programs are explained. The chapter then addresses what constitutes wraparound services, and why they are critical for students in College Promise programs or receiving Pell grant funding. The chapter then provides some specific examples from both rural (for example Kalamazoo) and urban (such as Baltimore) settings to highlight key elements of College Promise goals, structures, and outcomes.
A case report of left atrial myxoma presenting as embolic stroke
Authors: Sharma Prachi , Kumble Yusuf A. , Shrestha Abhigan Babu , Jaiswal Vikash
Published: October 2023

Key Clinical Message

Embolic stroke may rarely be the first presenting symptom of atrial myxoma. Multiple infarcts should be evaluated for embolic causes. Correct etiological diagnosis in cardio‐embolic stroke guides proper management strategy. It reinforces on the importance of early echocardiogram in the initial evaluation of patients presenting with ischemic stroke.

Atrial myxoma is a benign cardiac tumor found most commonly in the left atrium in 80% of the cases. Almost 1 in 10 myxomas are familial and are most common in women. Cardiac myxoma mostly present with dyspnea, fatigue, or palpitations. Previously undiagnosed left atrial myxoma (LA) presenting as stroke is extremely rare. Authors describe the case of a middle‐aged man with LA myxoma presenting with acute ischemic embolic stroke that was surgically excised. This case report emphasizes on the rare presentation as embolic stroke and the role of cardiac imaging in patients presenting with ischemic stroke. Early and coordinated teamwork among the neurologist, cardiologist, and cardiothoracic surgeon help establish the etiology and provide appropriate treatment.
Effective treatment of gallbladder neuroendocrine carcinoma with nivolumab
Authors: Kanda Shinichiro , Hiyama Kazuhiro , Kirino Izumi , Fukui Yasuo , Terashima Hideo
Published: October 2023

Key clinical message

An 89‐year‐old patient with gallbladder neuroendocrine neoplasms (GB‐NENs) and lung cancer metastasis underwent nivolumab monotherapy, resulting in tumor shrinkage. Surgery and adjuvant nivolumab showed efficiency despite low expression of PD‐L1.
Identifying primary tumor site of origin for liver metastases via a combination of handcrafted and deep learning features
Authors: Chen Chuheng , Lu Cheng , Viswanathan Vidya , Maveal Brandon , Maheshwari Bhunesh , Willis Joseph , Madabhushi Anant
Published: October 2023

Liver is one of the most common sites for metastases, which can occur on account of primary tumors from multiple sites of origin. Identifying the primary site of origin (PSO) of a metastasis can help in guiding therapeutic options for liver metastases. In this pilot study, we hypothesized that computer extracted handcrafted (HC) histomorphometric features can be utilized to identify the PSO of liver metastases. Cellular features, including tumor nuclei morphological and graph features as well as cytoplasm texture features, were extracted by computer algorithms from 175 slides (114 patients). The study comprised three experiments: (1) comparing and (2) fusing a machine learning (ML) model trained with HC pathomic features and deep learning (DL)‐based classifiers to predict site of origin; (3) identifying the section of the primary tumor from which metastases were derived. For experiment 1, we divided the cohort into training sets composed of primary and matched liver metastases [60 patients, 121 whole slide images (WSIs)], and a hold‐out validation set (54 patients, 54 WSIs) composed solely of liver metastases of known site of origin. Using the extracted HC features of the training set, a combination of supervised machine classifiers and unsupervised clustering was applied to identify the PSO. A random forest classifier achieved areas under the curve (AUCs) of 0.83, 0.64, 0.82, and 0.64 in classifying the metastatic tumor from colon, esophagus, breast, and pancreas on the validation set. The top features related to nuclear and peri‐nuclear shape and textural attributes. We also trained a DL network to serve as a direct comparison to our method. The DL model achieved AUCs for colon: 0.94, esophagus: 0.66, breast: 0.79, and pancreas: 0.67 in identifying PSO. A decision fusion‐based strategy was deployed to fuse the trained ML and DL classifiers and achieved slightly better results than ML or DL classifier alone (colon: 0.93, esophagus: 0.68, breast: 0.81, and pancreas: 0.69). For the third experiment, WSI‐level attention maps were also generated using a trained DL network to generate a composite feature similarity heat map between paired primaries and their associated metastases. Our experiments revealed that epithelium‐rich and moderately differentiated tumor regions of primary tumors were quantitatively similar to paired metastatic tumors. Our findings suggest that a combination of HC and DL features could potentially help identify the PSO for liver metastases while at the same time also potentially identify the spatial sites of origin for the metastases within primary tumors.
The fidgetin family: Shaking things up among the microtubule‐severing enzymes
Authors: Smart Karishma , Sharp David J.
Published: October 2023

The microtubule cytoskeleton is required for several crucial cellular processes, including chromosome segregation, cell polarity and orientation, and intracellular transport. These functions rely on microtubule stability and dynamics, which are regulated by microtubule‐binding proteins (MTBPs). One such type of regulator is the microtubule‐severing enzymes (MSEs), which are ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activities (AAA+ ATPases). The most recently identified family are the fidgetins, which contain three members: fidgetin, fidgetin‐like 1 (FL1), and fidgetin‐like 2 (FL2). Of the three known MSE families, the fidgetins have the most diverse range of functions in the cell, spanning mitosis/meiosis, development, cell migration, DNA repair, and neuronal function. Furthermore, they offer intriguing novel therapeutic targets for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and wound healing. In the two decades since their first report, there has been great progress in our understanding of the fidgetins; however, there is still much left unknown about this unusual family. This review aims to consolidate the present body of knowledge of the fidgetin family of MSEs and to inspire deeper exploration into the fidgetins and the MSEs as a whole.
Methodologies for Spontaneous Preparation of Chemosensors and Their Arrays Using Off‐the‐Shelf Reagents
Authors: Sasaki Yui , Minami Tsuyoshi
Published: October 2023

Chemosensors offer promising candidates for visualizing molecular recognition information through colorimetric or fluorescence responses. When designing chemosensors, the following requirements should be considered: 1) molecular geometries of the analytes, 2) mechanisms that cause optical changes upon analyte capture, and 3) solubility for sensing applications. However, the designs and realization of chemosensors that meet these requirements remains a cutting‐edge challenge. Conventional strategies mainly consider the molecular geometries of the receptors and analytes. However, this approach presents the issues related to the extensive synthetic efforts required to obtain elaborate chemosensor designs, leading to decreased water solubility in chemosensors derived from complicated and aromatic molecular structures. This review summarizes the methodologies for self‐assembled chemosensors that use only off‐the‐shelf reagents, to easily obtain various chemosensors without organic synthesis. The self‐assembled chemosensors, comprising off‐the‐shelf reagents with water solubility, facilitates both easy tuning of optical sensing properties and chemical sensing in real samples. The usability of off‐the‐shelf reagents in analytical chemistry will be clarified through comprehensive sensing applications involving simple self‐assembled chemosensors and their arrays.
Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR)−Triggered Polarization of BaTiO3 Surface on Ag Nanocubes Improves Photocatalysis
Authors: Ma Yanying , Liu Xiaoyun , Xu Yujiao , Alves Tiago V. , Li Mai , Wang Chunrui , Camargo Pedro H. C. , Wang Jiale
Published: October 2023

The surface plasmon resonance (SPR)‐generated electric field (E‐field) intensities around a Ag nanocube (NC) before and after it is covered by a BaTiO3 (BTO) layer (BTO@Ag NC) were calculated. It was observed that the theoretical E‐field intensities were reduced on BTO@Ag NCs, thus suggesting inferior catalytic activities under visible light illumination. However, BTO@Ag NCs experimentally displayed better photocatalytic performance than that of Ag NCs under illumination at 633 nm, both in ambient argon (Ar) and in ambient air, where p‐aminothiophenol (PATP) molecules were used to probe the conversion. The mechanism can be attributed to the surface polarization of the BTO layer trigged by a SPR effect of the Ag core. The oscillation of free electrons in the Ag core aroused appearance of surface polarization charge on the ferroelectric (FE) BTO surface, which resulted in the enhanced catalytic properties of BTO@Ag NCs. Therefore, our finding may provide a novel method to enhance visible‐light responsive photocatalytic activity of wide bandgap FE materials by depositing them on plasmonic metal nanostructures.
The Thermal Field Design of a 150 mm Sic Crystal Growth System by Numerical Simulation
Authors: Chen Yunfeng , Chen Sheanjen , Yang Bingchwen
Published: October 2023

Numerical simulation analysis, enabled by the physical vapor transport (PVT) technique, has been widely adopted to study the growth process of silicon carbide (SiC). In this study, a 2D axisymmetric model employed the finite volume method (FVM) is adopted to simulate the thermal fields and mass transfer of SiC powders with different particle sizes, thicknesses of the top thermal insulation, side wall thicknesses of the lid, and distances between the lid center and the top thermal insulation in a SiC crystal growth system. The simulation results revealed that the reduction in particle size increased the radial and axial temperature gradients in the powder region. Meanwhile, when the thickness of the top thermal insulation decreased, the axial temperature gradient inside the crucible increased significantly. Furthermore, the change in the side wall thickness of the lid significantly affected the thermal field distribution on the crystal surface and consequently affected the crystal growth shape. Finally, the variation in the distance between the lid center and the top thermal insulation has a significant influence on the axial and radial temperature gradients. Overall, these results indicate that the quality of SiC crystal growth may be improved by adjusting particle size, thermal insulation and crucible design.
Photovoltaic and Optical Characterization of Organic Heterocyclic 6,6′‐Dibromoindigotin Crystal Under Changing Solvent Polarity by DFT Analysis
Authors: Hassan Abrar U. , Sumrra Sajjad H. , Li Yuchuan
Published: October 2023

The photovoltaic and optical properties of 6,6′‐dibromoindigotin (DBI) crystal under changing solvent polarity are investigated through DFT analysis. It includes geometry optimization, global reactivity, UV–vis analysis, open circuit voltage (Voc), FMOs, and NBO analysis. The highest HOMO‐LUMO gap (Egap) value is found for the gaseous phase (1.82 eV), while the lowest Egap is found for dichloro methane (1.64 eV), and intermediate values with the other solvents. The molecule has a high IP of 2.48 eV, low EA of 0.74 eV, moderate polarity, and hardness (η). The maximum absorption wavelengths (λmax) of the compound in different solvents are dichloromethane and DMSO (373 nm), chloroform (372 nm), methanol and water (371 nm), toluene (367 nm), and gaseous (356 nm). Their Voc range is 0.2–0.28 eV. Among all, chloroform demonstrates the highest performance with a fill factor (FF) of 0.8630, normalized open circuit (Nor. Voc) of 31.69 eV, and Jsc of 26.47 mA cm−2. Toluene also shows promising results with an FF of 0.8060, Nor. Voc of 19.71 eV, and Jsc of 21.19 mA cm−2. Water, although not as effective as other solvents, still exhibits respectable values with an FF of 0.8315, Nor. Voc of 23.96 eV, and Jsc of 24.63 mA cm−2.
Genetic variability for susceptibility to seed coat mechanical damage and relationship to end‐use quality in kidney beans
Authors: Wang Weijia , Cichy Karen A.
Published: October 2023

Kidney beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) have strict market specifications for seed and end‐use quality. One major quality concern is the appearance of cracks, also termed checks in the seed coat caused by mechanical damage occurring during harvest and postharvest handling. Genetic variability for seed coat checks (SCCs) has not been well characterized in kidney beans. The objectives of this study were (1) to test an existing screening method for easy assessment of seed coat mechanical damage, (2) to explore the genetic variability for mechanically induced seed coat damage in kidney bean and its relationship to seed coat thickness, (3) to characterize the relationship of SCC to end‐use quality, and (4) to identify potential germplasm resources for genetic improvement. A collection of dark red, light red, and white kidney beans were grown over 2 years and harvested with two threshing methods to mimic mild and severe treatments of mechanical damage. Belt threshing produced mild damage, and combine threshing produced severe damage. Seed coat thickness was not correlated with SCC of the combine‐threshed beans but was negatively correlated with the belt‐threshed beans at r = –0.33. Seed moisture content played an important role in SCC. Higher SCC severity scores resulted in lower canning quality appearance scores (r = –0.51). The SCC severity score of combine‐threshed seeds can be used as a selection factor in variety improvement for resilience to mechanical damage. Genotypes with low SCC severity score were identified for breeding initiatives.
Genotype–environment interaction and yield stability analysis of Colombian yellow diploid potato cultivars using mixed linear models and environmental covariates
Authors: Silva‐Herrera Harverth , Rodriguez‐Molano Luis E. , Cotes‐Torres Jose M.
Published: October 2023

Several statistical methods have been developed to decompose the phenotypic response based mainly on the general means, the effect of the genotype, and its interaction with the environment, treating the environmental variance as a confounding factor. However, the estimation of the environmental effect from the traits evaluated would establish a dependency on the genotype, resulting in a lower fit and predictive potential of the model. The integration of environmental covariates into the models that associate edaphoclimatic characteristics with the traits of interest has been proposed, with the purpose of increasing the predictive potential and the variance contained by the models. The aim of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity of the traits of interest in yellow diploid potato (Solanum tuberosum L. Group: Phureja) crops to environmental covariates, selecting the most relevant covariates as parameters in empirical multiple regression models based on environmental variance. The results showed high yield variability due to covariates of the water component, while the quality traits were mainly affected by traits of the energetic and physicochemical components of the soil. The adjusted models explained the variance intrinsically due to the environment, reaching adjustments greater than 20%. Therefore, it is concluded that the traits have a high phenotypic sensitivity, and the incorporation of environmental covariates into the genotype‐by‐environment interaction analysis models could improve the understanding of the stability and adaptability of cultivars from the data obtained in multi‐environment trials.
Design strategies of ruthenium‐based materials toward alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Hou Liqiang , Jang Haeseong , Gu Xiumin , Cui Xuemei , Tang Jiachen , Cho Jaephil , Liu Xien
Published: October 2023

Hydrogen produced from electrocatalytic water splitting means is deemed to be a promising route to construct a low‐carbon, eco‐friendly, and high‐efficiency modern energy system. The design and construction of highly active catalysts with affordable prices toward alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are effective in accelerating the overall water‐splitting process. So far, ruthenium (Ru) based catalysts deliver comparable or even superior catalytic performance relative to the platinum (Pt)/C benchmark. Combined with their price advantage, Ru‐based catalysts are undoubtedly considered as one of the perfect alternatives of Pt toward the alkaline HER. Extensive efforts have been made to reasonably synthesize Ru‐related materials, but a careful insight into material engineering strategies and induced effects remain in its infancy. In this review, recent progress on the material engineering strategies for improving the catalytic activity of Ru‐related catalysts, including electronic regulation, geometric modulation, local structure alteration, self‐optimization strategies, and the induced structure–activity relationship are comprehensively summarized. Furthermore, the challenges and perspectives on future studies of Ru‐related electrocatalysts for the alkaline HER are also proposed.
Rural selection drives the evolution of an urban–rural cline in coat color in gray squirrels
Authors: Cosentino Bradley J. , Vanek John P. , Gibbs James P.
Published: October 2023

Phenotypic differences between urban and rural populations are well‐documented, but the evolutionary processes driving trait variation along urbanization gradients are often unclear. We combined spatial data on abundance, trait variation, and measurements of fitness to understand cline structure and test for natural selection on heritable coat color morphs (melanic, gray) of eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis) along an urbanization gradient. Population surveys using remote cameras and visual counts at 76 sites along the urbanization gradient revealed a significant cline in melanism, decreasing from 48% in the city center to <5% in rural woodlands. Among 76 squirrels translocated to test for phenotypic selection, survival was lower for the melanic than gray morph in rural woodlands, whereas there was no difference in survival between color morphs in the city. These results suggest the urban–rural cline in melanism is explained by natural selection favoring the gray morph in rural woodlands combined with relaxed selection in the city. Our study illustrates how trait variation between urban and rural populations can emerge from selection primarily in rural populations rather than adaptation to novel features of the urban environment.
The role of seasonality in shaping the interactions of honeybees with other taxa
Authors: Wirta Helena , Jones Mirkka , Peña‐Aguilera Pablo , Chacón‐Duque Camilo , Vesterinen Eero , Ovaskainen Otso , Abrego Nerea , Roslin Tomas
Published: October 2023

The Eltonian niche of a species is defined as its set of interactions with other taxa. How this set varies with biotic, abiotic and human influences is a core question of modern ecology. In seasonal environments, the realized Eltonian niche is likely to vary due to periodic changes in the occurrence and abundance of interaction partners and changes in species behavior and preferences. Also, human management decisions may leave strong imprints on species interactions. To compare the impact of seasonality to that of management effects, honeybees provide an excellent model system. Based on DNA traces of interaction partners archived in honey, we can infer honeybee interactions with floral resources and microbes in the surrounding habitats, their hives, and themselves. Here, we resolved seasonal and management‐based impacts on honeybee interactions by sampling beehives repeatedly during the honey‐storing period of honeybees in Finland. We then use a genome‐skimming approach to identify the taxonomic contents of the DNA in the samples. To compare the effects of the season to the effects of location, management, and the colony itself in shaping honeybee interactions, we used joint species distribution modeling. We found that honeybee interactions with other taxa varied greatly among taxonomic and functional groups. Against a backdrop of wide variation in the interactions documented in the DNA content of honey from bees from different hives, regions, and beekeepers, the imprint of the season remained relatively small. Overall, a honey‐based approach offers unique insights into seasonal variation in the identity and abundance of interaction partners among honeybees. During the summer, the availability and use of different interaction partners changed substantially, but hive‐ and taxon‐specific patterns were largely idiosyncratic as modified by hive management. Thus, the beekeeper and colony identity are as important determinants of the honeybee's realized Eltonian niche as is seasonality.