bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influence of Potassium and Sulphur on Yield, Economics and Quality of Summer Sunflower (Helianthus annuus. L)
Authors: Ramya Tellam , Dawson Joy
Published: March 2023

The experiment was carried out during summer season of 2022 at crop research farm (CRF), Department of Agronomy, SHAUTS, Prayagraj (U.P), to evaluate the influence of potassium and sulphur rates on growth and yield of summer sunflower. The treatments consisted of 3 levels of Potassium (30,40,50 kg/ha) and Sulphur (10,20,30 Kg/ha) and a control. The experiment used a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with ten treatments that were replicated three times. The findings revealed that application of 50 kg potassium with combination of 30 kg sulphur as soil application recorded highest yield attributes namely seeds per capitulum (332.4) Test weight (33.7 g), seed yield (1,463.44 kg/ha), stover yield (3,211.6 kg/ha), harvest index (31.3%) and oil content(41.8 %). Maximum gross returns (98,050.48 (Indian rupee) INR/ha), net returns (64,665.51 (Indian rupee) INR/ha) and highest benefit - cost ratio (1.94) was found in treatment (T9) with the application of 50 kg potassium soil application with combination of 30 kg sulphur as soil application.
Sound Pressure Level and Effects on Health in Professional Futsal
Authors: Buch Paulo Henrique Bressan , Portela Bruno Sergio
Published: March 2023

Aims: It was observed that research on hearing loss by sound pressure levels has been occupying a prominent place in the literature, the present study aims to measure and analyze noise exposure and its symptoms in the hearing health of athletes from Clube Atlético Deportivo -CAD, from the city of Guarapuava-PR.

Methodology: Fourteen athletes were evaluated through an auditory questionnaire, then the noise levels caused during training and official games of the National League and Paranaense Futsal Championship 2017 were collected.

Results: The results showed that the sound pressure levels that the athletes are exposed range from 60 to 71 dB(A) on training days and from 81 to 84 dB(A) on match days, with peaks of variations from 93.9 to 106.6 dB(A) when a team goal is scored.

Conclusion: These levels are above those indicated by the Occupational Hygiene Standard (NHO) of 2001, as a level of acoustic comfort.
Survey on the Performance of Underwater Non-dispersive Concrete
Authors: Hao Du
Published: March 2023

Ordinary concrete in the water is poured by the erosion of water flow when the dispersion resistance is insufficient, easy to make cement and aggregate separation, resulting in concrete compressive strength and work performance greatly reduced, and often must be complemented by cofferdam and other construction methods, high cost. And underwater non-dispersible steel fiber concrete can be poured directly in water, greatly simplifying the construction process, simple and economic. Because of the effect of flocculant, the concrete still has good working and mechanical properties when it is washed by water flow, This paper will discuss the influence of flocculants, water-cement ratio and water-reducing agent, mineral admixtures and nano-materials on the performance of underwater non-dispersible concrete in order to help the research of underwater non-dispersible concrete.
Anti-Inflammatory Activity Evaluation of the Extract and Topical Pre-Formulation of Morus nigra Fruits
Authors: Rojas Isabel Patricia , Coca María Elizabeth Balderrama , Villagra Josefina , Bejarano Gabriela Del Carmen , Vera Nancy Roxana , Reynoso Marcos Adrián
Published: March 2023

Natural products are often a source for bioactive compounds which have great potential for developing novel therapeutic agents. In this sense, the present study aimed to formulate and evaluate a gel containing Morus nigra leaf extract and to evaluate its anti-inflammatory (in-vivo) and antioxidant (in-vitro) activity. The anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using Carrageenan-induced paw oedema. The antioxidant activity is evaluated by the lipid peroxidation inhibition and DPPH radical scavenging method. The results indicated that the extract (oral and topical route) and the blackberry gel (topical route) produced a significant anti-inflammatory activity (p < 0.05) compared to the untreated control, and similar to the reference drugs (ibuprofen and diclofenac). Regarding antioxidant activity, the Morus nigra extract also showed a significant activity in the tested models. Based on the above observations and results, mora gel formulation was found to be a promising anti-inflammatory formulation and further extensive in-vitro and in-vivo studies are warranted to evaluate its safety and biological potency and which may be useful for further clinical applications.
Sorgulamaya ve Argümantasyona Dayalı Eğitimin Argümantasyon, Sorgulama ve Bilimsel Süreç Becerilerine Etkisi
Authors: AKTAMIŞ Hilal , HİĞDE Emrah
Published: March 2023

Bu araştırmada argümantasyon temelli ve sorgulama temelli fen eğitiminin lisans öğrencilerinin argümantasyon becerileri, sorgulama becerileri ve bilimsel süreç becerileri üzerindeki etkisini belirlemek amaçlanmıştır. Çalışmanın amacına yönelik bağımsız değişkenlerin (argümantasyon ve sorgulama temelli etkinlikler), bağımlı değişkenler (argümantasyon becerisi, sorgulama becerisi ve bilimsel süreç becerisi) üzerindeki etkisini incelemek için ön-test son-test kontrol gruplu yarı deneysel desenden yararlanılmıştır. Çalışmaya deney ve kontrol grubundaki öğrenci sayıları eşit olacak şekilde yansız olarak rastgele atanan fen eğitimi laboratuvar uygulamaları dersini alan fen bilgisi öğretmenliği anabilim dalında okuyan 48 öğrenci katılmıştır. Deney ve kontrol grubuna üzerinde etkisi incelenmek istenen argümantasyon ve sorgulama temelli fen eğitimi uygulaması sıralama etkisini kontrol etmek için her iki grup üzerinde de eşit şartlar oluşturabilmek için karşıt dengeleme (counterbalanced design) yapılarak uygulanmıştır. Toplanan verilerin analizi için t-testi ve tek faktörlü ANOVA testinden yararlanılmıştır. Çalışma sonucunda uygulamaların gerçekleştirilme sırasına ve grubuna bakılmaksızın yalnızca argümantasyon etkinliklerinin argümantasyon becerilerini, sorgulama etkinliklerinin de sorgulama becerilerini istatistiksel olarak anlamlı şekilde farklılaştırdığı bulunmuştur. Bilimsel süreç becerilerinin ise uygulama sırasına bakılmaksızın hem argümantasyon hem de sorgulama temelli etkinliklerden sonra istatistiksel olarak arttığı belirlenmiştir.
ABD Üniversitelerinde Lisansüstü Eğitim Gören Türk Öğrencilerin Akademik Uyum Deneyimleri Üzerine Fenomenolojik Bir Çalışma
Authors: TUTAR Huseyin
Published: March 2023

Bu çalışmanın amacı, ABD üniversitelerinde burslu statüde lisansüstü eğitim gören Türk öğrencilerin akademik uyum deneyimlerini keşfetmektir. Öğrencilerin deneyimleriyle ilgili derinlemesine bilgi elde etmek için fenomenolojik araştırma metodu kullanılmıştır. Amaçlı örnekleme yöntemi ile 13 katılımcı belirlenmiş ve katılımcılarla derinlemesine mülakatlar yapılmıştır. Yapılan mülakatlar kayıt altına alınmış ve metne aktarılmıştır. Mülakat metinlerinin analiz edilmesi ile temalar belirlenmiştir. Bu temalar, eğitim sistemi (pedagoji) ve akademik personelle ilişkiler olmak üzere iki kategoride tasnif edilmiştir. Eğitim sistemi ile ilgili tecrübe edilen temalar; ders sorumluluklarının (ödevlerin) fazla olması, alan uyuşmazlığı, sınıfiçi katılım sorunu, kritik düşünme, literatür taraması ve öğrenim kaynaklarına (laboratuvar cihazları vs.) uyum olarak tespit edilmiştir. Türk öğrencilerin akademik personelle ilişkilerinin iyi olduğu ancak danışmanlarıyla yaygın sorunlar yaşadıkları anlaşılmaktadır. Öğrencilerin kültürel alışkanlıkları ve burs statülerinden kaynaklı sorunlar ise bu kategoride öne çıkan temalar olarak tespit edilmiştir. Bu çalışma neticesinde 1416 Burs Programı, öğrenciler, danışmanlar ve Türk akademik camia için bazı çıkarımlarda bulunulmuştur.
Multidrug-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa Keratitis Associated With Artificial Tear Use
Authors: Shoji Marissa K. , Gutkind Naomi E. , Meyer Benjamin I. , Yusuf Ramsey , Sengillo Jesse D. , Amescua Guillermo , Miller Darlene
Published: March 2023

This case report describes severe multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa keratitis in a 72-year-old man after EzriCare artificial tear use.
Success Rates in Psychiatry
Authors: Freedland Kenneth E. , Zorumski Charles F.
Published: March 2023

This Viewpoint examines the scarcity of psychiatric success rate trend data and discusses what can be done about it.
Decellularized Liver Nanofibers Enhance and Stabilize the Long‐Term Functions of Primary Human Hepatocytes In Vitro
Authors: Liu Jennifer S. , Madruga Liszt Y. C. , Yuan Yang , Kipper Matt J. , Khetani Salman R.
Published: March 2023

Owing to significant differences across species in liver functions, in vitro human liver models are used for screening the metabolism and toxicity of compounds, modeling diseases, and cell‐based therapies. However, the extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold used for such models often does not mimic either the complex composition or the nanofibrous topography of native liver ECM. Thus, here novel methods are developed to electrospin decellularized porcine liver ECM (PLECM) and collagen I into nano‐ and microfibers (≈200–1000 nm) without synthetic polymer blends. Primary human hepatocytes (PHHs) on nanofibers in monoculture or in coculture with nonparenchymal cells (3T3‐J2 embryonic fibroblasts or primary human liver endothelial cells) display higher albumin secretion, urea synthesis, and cytochrome‐P450 1A2, 2A6, 2C9, and 3A4 enzyme activities than on conventionally adsorbed ECM controls. PHH functions are highest on the collagen/PLECM blended nanofibers (up to 34‐fold higher CYP3A4 activity relative to adsorbed ECM) for nearly 7 weeks in the presence of the fibroblasts. In conclusion, it is shown for the first time that ECM composition and topography synergize to enhance and stabilize PHH functions for several weeks in vitro. The nanofiber platform can prove useful for the above applications and to elucidate cell‐ECM interactions in the human liver.
A Liquid Triboelectric Series
Authors: Yoo Donghyeon , Jang Sunmin , Cho Sumin , Choi Dongwhi , Kim Dong Sung
Published: March 2023

The triboelectric series is a generally accepted method for describing the triboelectric effect. It provides a way to control the double face of the ubiquitous triboelectric effect: causes of unpredictable accidents and the resultant surface charge as energy sources. However, previous studies have been biased in solids despite being observed in liquids (liquid‐solid contact electrification). Therefore, a liquid triboelectric series is necessary to be established to manipulate the liquid triboelectric effect according to the appropriate goal. In this study, a liquid triboelectric series is first established to describe the triboelectric properties of each liquid when contact electrification occurs with a solid surface. The liquid triboelectric series covers electrolytes, organic solvents, oxidants, and higher sugar alcohols. Common chemical groups can be derived from the liquid triboelectric series that hydroxyl groups enhance, and benzene groups suppress the liquid triboelectric effect. The results are demonstrated by the amplified efficiency of an energy harvester and particle contamination after surface washing. This study will play a pivotal role in understanding the liquid‐solid contact electrification phenomenon and providing new perspectives on the applications of the liquid triboelectric effect.
Go‐along interview assessment of community health priorities for neighborhood renewal
Authors: Berg Kristen A. , DeRenzo Maria , Carpiano Richard M. , Lowenstein Irwin , Perzynski Adam T.
Published: March 2023

Healthcare systems are increasingly investing in approaches to address social determinants of health and health disparities. Such initiatives dovetail with certain approaches to neighborhood development, such as the EcoDistrict standard for community development, that prioritize both ecologically and socially sustainable neighborhoods. However, healthcare system and community development initiatives can be untethered from the preferences and lived realities of residents in the very neighborhoods upon which they focus. Utilizing the go‐along approach to collecting qualitative data in situ, we interviewed 19 adults to delineate residents' community health perspectives and priorities. Findings reveal health priorities distinct from clinical outcomes, with residents emphasizing social connectedness, competing intra‐ and interneighborhood perceptions that potentially thwart social connectedness, and a neighborhood emplacement of agency, dignity, and self‐worth. Priorities of healthcare systems and community members alike must be accounted for to optimize efforts that promote health and social well‐being by being valid and meaningful to the community of focus.
Computational Study on Ni−Al Bimetal‐Catalyzed Twofold C−H Annulation Reaction: Mechanism, Origin of Selectivity, and Role of SPO Ligand
Authors: Liu Guixian , Wang Ling‐Ling , Zhou Yongzhu , Zhou Jianguo , Zhang Lei
Published: March 2023

Density functional theory calculations have been performed to probe the reaction mechanism of the recently reported twofold C−H annulation of arylformamides with alkynes by Ni−Al bimetallic catalysis. The main pathway consisted of the formyl C−H activation, phenyl C−H activation, migratory insertion, and reductive elimination steps in succession. The desired annulation product was found to be the equilibrium‐controlled product, while the minor hydrocarbamoylation product was the kinetics‐controlled product. Calculated free‐energy profiles indicated that the annulation and hydrocarbamoylation pathways could intersect with each other and merge into a mechanism unity, in which the reaction system entered the hydrocarbamoylation pathway in early stage and switched to the annulation pathway afterwards via suitable transition states. The modified mechanism picture demonstrated the phenyl C−H activation step to be the rate‐determining step with a free‐energy barrier of 27.7 kcal/mol. However, this barrier was only 19.4 kcal/mol on the basis of a single annulation pathway, which could not satisfactorily agree with the experimental conditions and kinetic isotope effects. In addition, the crucial role of the bifunctional secondary phosphine oxide ligand in promoting the reactivity and selectivity was elucidated in detail.
Decoupling Redox Hopping and Catalysis in Metal‐Organic Frameworks ‐based Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction
Authors: Li Xinlin , Surendran Rajasree Sreehari , Gude Venkatesh , Maindan Karan , Deria Pravas
Published: March 2023

Traditional MOF e‐CRR, constructed from catalytic linkers, manifest a kinetic bottleneck during their multi‐electron activation. Decoupling catalysis and charge transport can address such issues. Here, we build two MOF/e‐CRR systems, CoPc@NU‐1000 and TPP(Co)@NU‐1000, by installing cobalt metalated phthalocyanine and tetraphenylporphyrin electrocatalysts within the redox active NU‐1000 MOF. For CoPc@NU‐1000, the e‐CRR responsive CoI/0 potential is close to that of NU‐1000 reduction compared to the TPP(Co)@NU‐1000. Efficient charge delivery, defined by a higher diffusion (Dhop=4.1×10−12 cm2 s−1) and low charge‐transport resistance (
=59.5 Ω) in CoPC@NU‐1000 led FECO=80 %. In contrast, TPP(Co)@NU‐1000 fared a poor FECO=24 % (Dhop=1.4×10−12 cm2 s−1 and
=91.4 Ω). For such a decoupling strategy, careful choice of the host framework is critical in pairing up with the underlying electrochemical properties of the catalysts to facilitate the charge delivery for its activation.
Utilizing Nitroarenes and HCHO to Directly Construct Functional N‐Heterocycles by Supported Cobalt/Amino Acid Relay Catalysis
Authors: Sun Jia‐Lu , Ci Chenggang , Jiang Huanfeng , Dixneuf Pierre H. , Zhang Min
Published: March 2023

Due to the generation of multiple intermediates during the nitroarene reduction, precise interception of single one to develop tandem reactions involving both C−C and C−N bond formations still remains a significant challenge. Herein, the relay catalysis of a supported bifunctional cobalt catalyst with l‐proline has been successfully applied to establish a bran‐new reductive annulation reaction of nitroarenes and formaldehyde, which enables direct and diverse construction of both symmetrical and unsymmetrical 1,3‐diaryl imidazolines. It proceeds with operational simplicity, good substrate and functionality compatibility, and excellent step and atom‐efficiency. Mechanistic studies reveal that the Co‐catalyst exhibits a synergistic effect on the formation of key N‐hydroxy imine, and the l‐proline subsequently facilitates the key C−C bond formation. The current work opens a door to develop useful transformations with nitroarenes by reduction‐interrupted strategy.
A Direct Formaldehyde Fuel Cell for CO2‐Emission Free Co‐generation of Electrical Energy and Valuable Chemical/Hydrogen
Authors: Yang Yang , Wu Xuexian , Ahmad Munir , Si Fengzhan , Chen Shujing , Liu Chunhua , Zhang Yan , Wang Lei , Zhang Jiujun , Luo Jing‐Li , Fu Xian‐Zhu
Published: March 2023

Converting carbon‐based molecular fuels into electricity efficiently and cleanly without emitting CO2 remains a challenge. Conventional fuel cells using noble metals as anode catalysts often suffer performance degradation due to CO poisoning and a host of problems associated with CO2 production. This study provides a CO2‐emission‐free direct formaldehyde fuel cell. It enables a flow of electricity while producing H2 and valuable formate. Unlike conventional carbon‐based molecules electrooxidation, formaldehyde 1‐electron oxidation is performed on the Cu anode with high selectivity, thus generating formate and H2 without undergoing CO2 pathway. In addition, the fuel cell produces 0.62 Nm3 H2 and 53 mol formate per 1 kWh of electricity generated, with an open circuit voltage of up to 1 V and a peak power density of 350 mW cm−2. This study puts forward a zero‐carbon solution for the efficient utilization of carbon‐based molecule fuels that generates electricity, hydrogen and valuable chemicals in synchronization.
Improving bioluminescence of a minimal luciferase by adding a charged oligopeptide: picALuc2.0
Authors: Ohmuro‐Matsuyama Yuki , Matsui Hayato , Kanai Masaki , Furuta Tadaomi
Published: March 2023

Luciferases are widely used as reporter proteins in diverse fields from basic biology to medical and environmental researches. Development of luciferase applications for reporter proteins requires small size without target inhibition, appropriate genomic insertion for high expression level, and bright emission for detection sensitivity. We previously developed the minimal luciferase picALuc, but its luminescence was still dim compared to other bright luciferases in terms of expression in Escherichia coli. In this study, diverse additions of oligopeptides with charged residues (eight amino acids in total) to the C‐terminus of picALuc enhanced luminescence by up to approximately 50‐fold, that is, enhanced enzymatic activity. Moreover, these high luminescence activities were achieved in bacterial and mammalian expression, suggesting their further applicability in many expression systems. The finding in this study that the simple addition of oligopeptides with charged residues (or charge engineering of this kind) enhances enzymatic activity may be applied to a wide variety of enzymatic reactions and protein functions.
Synthesis and Antibacterial Activity Evaluation of Imidazole Derivatives Containing 6‐Methylpyridine Moiety
Authors: Xu Wen‐Bo , Meng Yu‐Qing , Sun Jingxin , Yang Yu‐Xuan , Li Wan‐Xin , Wang Man‐Yu , Piao Ming‐Guan , Li Siqi , Quan Jishan , Jin Cheng‐Hua
Published: March 2023

A series of 2‐cyclopropyl‐5‐(5‐(6‐methylpyridin‐2‐yl)‐2‐substituted‐1H‐imidazol‐4‐yl)‐6‐phenylimidazo[2,1‐b][1,3,4]thiadiazoles (15a–t and 16a–f) were synthesized and their antibacterial activities were evaluated. More than half of the compounds showed moderate or strong antibacterial activity. Among them, compounds 15t (MIC=1–2 μg/mL) and 16d (MIC=0.5 μg/mL) showed the strongest antibacterial activities. Notably, compound 16d did not exhibit cytotoxicity in HepG2 cells and did not show hemolysis like the positive control compound Gatifloxacin. The results suggest that compound 16d should be further investigated as a candidate antibacterial agent.
Supraventricular tachycardia and deep vein thrombosis following Moderna vaccination: A case series
Authors: Bhandari Niroj , Chaudhary Aashutosh , Acharya Suyash , Acharya Shiwani Sharma , Paudel Kusum , Karmacharya Robin Man , Vaidya Satish , Kunwar Kajol , Bhatt Swechha
Published: March 2023

There have been reports of deep vein thrombosis and supraventricular tachycardia following the Moderna vaccination. The timing of SVT and DVT just after vaccination in our case series could suggest possible temporal relationships to the vaccination. But further studies are needed to establish such evidence.
Ethanol Dry Reforming over Bimetallic Ni‐Containing Catalysts Based on Ceria‐Zirconia for Hydrogen Production
Authors: Fedorova Valeria , Bespalko Yulia , Arapova Marina , Smal Ekaterina , Valeev Konstantin , Prosvirin Igor , Sadykov Vladislav , Parkhomenko Ksenia , Roger Anne‐Cécile , Simonov Mikhail
Published: March 2023

Mixed Ce−Zr oxides with a fluorite structure were synthesized by the solvothermal method in a supercritical medium of isopropanol. The prepared mixed oxides Ce0.5Zr0.5O2 and Ce0.75Zr0.25O2 were used as supports for 5 wt%Ni and bimetallic 2.5 wt%Ni+2.5 wt%Co catalysts. The catalysts were fully characterized (specific surface area, morphology, particle size, phase composition, surface atomic composition) and tested in ethanol dry reforming.

The dependences of the conversion of C2H5OH and CO2, the yield of CO and H2, and the H2/CO ratio were estimated. The effect of the supported metals interaction and the effect of Ce/Zr ratio in the support on the catalytic activity were shown. The presence of nickel in the composition of the catalyst is necessary for high catalytic activity. It has been shown that the addition of cobalt cannot contribute to increase the catalytic activity and stability, but helps to decrease the deposition of carbon and significantly reduces the rate of carbon formation during ethanol dry reforming comparing to the monometallic nickel material.
Ru‐Catalyzed Hydrogenolysis of Methanol: A Computational and Kinetics Study
Authors: Sackers Nina M. , Nikodemus Julia , Palkovits Regina , Sautet Philippe , Hausoul Peter J. C.
Published: March 2023

In spite of numerous kinetic studies, the mechanism of the polyol hydrogenolysis on a Ru catalyst surface is still not fully understood. Here, the decomposition of the C1 alcohol methanol can serve as an entry to the clarification of the mechanism. Therefore, kinetic experiments using a Ru/C catalyst and periodic DFT calculations on a Ru(0001) model surface were performed. A modeling of the Ru surface revealed that the surface is most likely covered with hydrogen adsorbates under experimental conditions. On a clean Ru model surface, the overall activation barrier is lower if less dehydrogenation steps occur on the substrate methanol before the C−O bond cleavage. Transferring the results from the clean to the hydrogen‐saturated Ru surface, the pathway via CH2O O−H formation and subsequent C−O cleavage is found to be the most favorable. This study shows that the surface coverage has a significant influence on the activation barrier.
Selective Oxidation of Alkylarene in H2O Catalyzed by the Polyoxometalate Supported Chromium Catalyst
Authors: Zhao Chengchun , Xie Ya , Shi Da , Yu Han
Published: March 2023

The selective oxidation of alkylarene is a quite straightforward and appealing way for production of aromatic aldehydes, ketones and aromatic acid derivatives. We synthesized Cr(III) catalyst, (NH4)3[CrMo6O18(OH)6], with reasonable activity towards selective oxidation of alkylarenes under mild conditions. The catalyst is supported by a central chromium mononucleus and a cyclic inorganic ligand composed of six MoVIO6 octahedra, avoiding the disadvantages of expensive and non‐recyclable organic ligand. It is efficient, green and can be recycled at least six times with high activity. At the same time, a wide range of substituted alkylarenes were found to be compatible, providing the corresponding carbonyl compounds in moderate‐to‐high yield.
Engineered Biocatalysts for Enantioselective Reductive Aminations of Cyclic Secondary Amines
Authors: Burke Ashleigh J. , Lister Thomas M. , Marshall James R. , Brown Murray J. B. , Lloyd Richard , Green Anthony P. , Turner Nicholas J.
Published: March 2023

Reductive aminases (RedAms) have recently emerged as promising biocatalysts for the synthesis of chiral secondary amines by coupling primary amines with aldehydes/ketones. However, access to tertiary amines remains more problematic, particularly when coupling ketones with secondary amines. Here we show that the scope of these enzymes can be extended to allow selective reductive aminations of cyclic secondary amines, such as piperidines and morpholines, with both aldehydes and ketones. These biotransformations provide access to important motifs found in active pharmaceutical ingredients and other bioactive molecules. RedAm‐361, discovered from a metagenomic library, was engineered via directed evolution to allow efficient coupling of cyclic amines with carbonyl partners, including dynamic kinetic resolutions of α‐functionalized aldehydes and enantioselective amination of ketones. These RedAms now serve as valuable scaffolds for the engineering of industrial biocatalysts to produce key pharmaceutical intermediates.
Catalytic Degradation of Aliphatic Ethers using the Lewis Superacidic Bis(perfluoropinacolato)silane
Authors: Tschernuth Florian S. , Bichlmaier Lukas , Inoue Shigeyoshi
Published: March 2023

The exceptional catalytic activity of a neutral Si(IV) Lewis superacid was highlighted on the degradation of oligo‐ and polyethers via ring closing metathesis. Model reaction experiments with diglyme and 1,5‐dimethoxypentane outlined a significantly increased reactivity surpassing comparable Lewis acid catalyst presented in the literature. The high observed activity was explained by the kinetic effect of the bulky perfluorinated substituents, blocking a second coordination site that is responsible for catalyst deactivation by substrate chelation. Further experiments with aliphatic oligoethers outlined a gradual activity loss of the catalyst due to mechanistic disparities favoring side‐reactions when more than one internal product unit is present. The extraordinary affinity for the cleavage of etheric C−O bonds was ultimately demonstrated by the reaction with diethylether, producing a pentavalent silicate species that was fully characterized including SC‐XRD analysis.
Peroxygenase‐Promoted Enzymatic Cascades for the Valorisation of Fatty Acids
Authors: Wu Yinqi , Paul Caroline E. , Hilberath Thomas , Jongkind Ewald P. J. , Zhang Wuyuan , Alcalde Miguel , Hollmann Frank
Published: March 2023

Utilisation of fatty acids generally relies on pre‐existing functional groups such as the carboxylate group or C=C‐double bonds. Addition of new functionalities into the hydrocarbon part opens up new possibilities for fatty acid valorisation. In this contribution we demonstrate the synthetic potential of a peroxygenase mutant AaeUPO−Fett for selective fatty acid oxyfunctionalisation. The ω‐1 hydroxy fatty acid (esters) produced are further transformed into lactones, alcohols, esters and amines via multi‐enzyme cascades thereby paving the way for new fatty acid valorisation pathways.
Searching and Evaluating Publications and Preprints Using Europe PMC
Authors: Rosonovski Summer , Levchenko Maria , Ide‐Smith Michele , Faulk Lynne , Harrison Melissa , McEntyre Johanna
Published: March 2023

In the field of life sciences there is a growing need for literature analysis tools that help scientists tackle information overload. Europe PubMed Central (Europe PMC), a partner of PubMed Central (PMC; National Library of Medicine, 2022), is an open access database of over 41 million life science publications and preprints, enriched with supporting data, reviews, protocols, and other relevant resources. Europe PMC is a trusted repository of choice for many life science funders (Europe PMC, 2022a), offering a suite of innovative search tools that allow users to search and evaluate the literature, including finding highly cited articles, preprints with community peer reviews, or papers referencing a proteomics dataset in the figure legend. In addition, Europe PMC utilizes text‐mining to help researchers identify key terms and find data and evidence in the literature. First‐time users often do not utilize the wealth of tools Europe PMC offers and can feel overwhelmed about how to perform the most effective search. This protocol, describing how to search and evaluate publications and preprints using Europe PMC, demonstrates how to carry out more efficient and effective literature searches using the tools provided by Europe PMC. This includes discovering the latest findings on a research topic, following research from a specific author, journal, or preprint server, exploring literature on a new method, expanding your reading list with relevant articles, as well as accessing and evaluating publications and preprints of interest. © 2023 EMBL‐EBI. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Finding articles and preprints on a topic of interest

Basic Protocol 2: Accessing an article

Basic Protocol 3: Browsing the article

Basic Protocol 4: Evaluating the article

Basic Protocol 5: Refining search results

Basic Protocol 6: Finding research by author

Basic Protocol 7: Finding a specific article

Basic Protocol 8: Finding information about a methodology

Basic Protocol 9: Finding evidence of biological interactions, relations, and modifications

Basic Protocol 10: Finding data behind a publication

Basic Protocol 11: Expanding a reading list and building a bibliography

Basic Protocol 12: Staying on top of the current literature
Smar2C2: A Simple and Efficient Protocol for the Identification of Transcription Start Sites
Authors: Murray Andrew , Vollmers Christopher , Schmitz Robert J.
Published: March 2023

Promoters and the noncoding sequences that drive their function are fundamental aspects of genes that are critical to their regulation. The transcription preinitiation complex binds and assembles on promoters where it facilitates transcription. The transcription start site (TSS) is located downstream of the promoter sequence and is defined as the location in the genome where polymerase begins transcribing DNA into RNA. Knowing the location of TSSs is useful for annotation of genes, identification of non‐coding sequences important to gene regulation, detection of alternative TSSs, and understanding of 5′ UTR content. Several existing techniques make it possible to accurately identify TSSs, but are often difficult to perform experimentally, require large amounts of input RNA, or are unable to identify a large number of TSSs from a single sample. Many of these protocols take advantage of template switching reverse transcriptases (TSRTs), which reliably place an adaptor at the 5′ end of a first strand synthesis of cDNA. Here, we introduce a protocol that exploits TSRT activity combined with rolling circle amplification to identify TSSs with several unique advantages over existing methods. Sequence adaptors are placed on the 5′ and 3′ end of the full‐length cDNA copy of a transcript. A splint compatible with those adaptors is then used to circularize the full‐length cDNA. Linear DNA containing concatemers of the cDNA are generated using rolling circle amplification, and a sequencing library is formed by fragmenting the concatemers. This protocol is straightforward to execute, requiring limited bench time with relatively stable reagents. Using extremely low amounts of RNA input, this protocol produces large numbers of accurate, deduplicated TSSs genome wide. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Splint generation

Basic Protocol 2: RNA extraction

Basic Protocol 3: cDNA synthesis

Basic Protocol 4: cDNA circularization and amplification

Basic Protocol 5: Library generation
A Guide to Flow Cytometry: Components, Basic Principles, Experimental Design, and Cancer Research Applications
Authors: El‐Hajjar Layal , Ali Ahmad Fatima , Nasr Rihab
Published: March 2023

Flow cytometry (FCM) is a state‐of‐the‐art technique for the qualitative and quantitative assessment of cells and other particles’ physical and biological properties. These cells are suspended within a high‐velocity fluid stream and pass through a laser beam in single file. The main principle of the FCM instrument is the light scattering and fluorescence emission upon the interaction of the fluorescent particle with the laser beam. It also allows for the physical sorting of particles depending on different parameters. A flow cytometer comprises different components, including fluidic, optics, and electronics systems. This article briefly explains the mechanism of all components of a flow cytometer to clarify the FCM technique's general principles, provides some useful guidelines for the proper design of FCM panels, and highlights some general applications and important applications in cancer research. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Phenotypic divergence of traits that mediate antagonistic and mutualistic interactions between island and continental populations of the tropical plant, Tribulus cistoides (Zygophyllaceae)
Authors: Reyes‐Corral Winer Daniel , Carvajal‐Endara Sofia , Hetherington‐Rauth Molly , Chaves Jaime A. , Grant Peter R. , Grant B. Rosemary , Hendry Andrew P. , Johnson Marc T. J.
Published: March 2023

Island systems have long served as a model for evolutionary processes due to their unique species interactions. Many studies of the evolution of species interactions on islands have focused on endemic taxa. Fewer studies have focused on how antagonistic and mutualistic interactions shape the phenotypic divergence of widespread nonendemic species living on islands. We used the widespread plant Tribulus cistoides (Zygophyllaceae) to study phenotypic divergence in traits that mediate antagonistic interactions with vertebrate granivores (birds) and mutualistic interactions with pollinators, including how this is explained by bioclimatic variables. We used both herbarium specimens and field‐collected samples to compare phenotypic divergence between continental and island populations. Fruits from island populations were larger than on continents, but the presence of lower spines on mericarps was less frequent on islands. The presence of spines was largely explained by environmental variation among islands. Petal length was on average 9% smaller on island than continental populations, an effect that was especially accentuated on the Galápagos Islands. Our results show that Tribulus cistoides exhibits phenotypic divergence between island and continental habitats for antagonistic traits (seed defense) and mutualistic traits (floral traits). Furthermore, the evolution of phenotypic traits that mediate antagonistic and mutualistic interactions partially depended on the abiotic characteristics of specific islands. This study shows the potential of using a combination of herbarium and field samples for comparative studies on a globally distributed species to study phenotypic divergence on island habitats.
Features of floral odor and nectar in the distylous Luculia pinceana (Rubiaceae) promote compatible pollination by hawkmoths
Authors: Wang Xiaoyue , Chen Yan , Yi Yin
Published: March 2023

It is hypothesized that in heterostylous plant species, standardization of signals of floral attraction between different morphs is advantageous, encouraging flower visitors to switch between morphs. It remains unclear whether signals of floral attraction (floral odor and properties of nectar) are similar between morphs in distylous species pollinated by hawkmoths, and how these relate to hawkmoth behavior. We observed the behavior of visitors to distylous Luculia pinceana (Rubiaceae), collected and analyzed floral odor, and examined properties of nectar (volume, sugar concentration, and composition) of long‐styled and short‐styled morphs during the day and night. Pollinator responses to the floral scent were tested with a Y‐tube olfactometer. We conducted diurnal and nocturnal pollination treatments and six other pollination treatments to test the importance of nocturnal pollinators and to examine the self‐incompatibility system. A species of hawkmoth, Cechenena lineosa, was the effective pollinator. The floral odor was rich in methyl benzoate, and sucrose was dominant in the nectar. There were no significant differences between the two morphs in the methyl benzoate content or the properties of nectar. Flowers released more methyl benzoate and secreted larger volumes of nectar with lower sugar concentration at night than during the day. The hawkmoth had a significant preference for methyl benzoate. Luculia pinceana was partially self‐incompatible and relied on nocturnal pollinators for reproductive success. This study verifies that floral attraction signals are consistent between different morphs in this distylous species, promoting compatible pollination, and the features and the diel pattern of these signals between day and night are adapted to hawkmoth behavior.
Long‐term seed bank persistence in a stochastic desert environment
Authors: de Queiroz Tara , Meyer Susan E.
Published: March 2023

Seed banks, the collection of viable seeds in the soil, are particularly important determinants of population survival in highly variable environments. Predictions of increased stochasticity in the amount and timing of precipitation in desert environments raise the question of how seed banks of desert species will respond to climate change, and ultimately, whether these species will persist. Here, we present data from our long‐term studies of germination requirements and seed bank dynamics in a rare desert gypsophile perennial, Arctomecon californica (Las Vegas bearpoppy). Arctomecon californica is a relatively short‐lived plant that recruits from seed in sequences of unusually favorable years. We used germination experiments, an in situ seed bank study, and a 15‐year field seed retrieval study to examine factors affecting seed bank persistence. In the germination study, a majority of seeds remained dormant, despite a wide variety of treatments, suggesting that a large proportion of the seed dispersed each year has cue‐nonresponsive dormancy. Our in situ seed bank study showed that seed density varied widely between sites, among transects, and among samples within a transect. The patchiness of seeds in the soil highlights the importance of protecting large areas where A. californica populations are known to have existed in the past. The seed retrieval study provided strong evidence that this species has a long‐lived seed bank in which only a small fraction of seeds (roughly 5%) become nondormant each year, allowing seed banks of this species to last up to 20 years without a seed production event. Whether this impressive life‐history strategy can maintain the species in the face of climate change depends on the future frequency of the well‐timed precipitation that allows for the establishment of new cohorts of adult plants.
Spatial Bayesian models project shifts in suitable habitat for Pacific Northwest tree species under climate change
Authors: Kralicek Karin , Ver Hoef Jay M. , Barrett Tara M. , Temesgen Hailemariam
Published: March 2023

We developed spatial Bayesian hierarchical models to assess potential climate change impacts on suitable habitat for five important tree species in the Pacific northwestern United States (California, Oregon, and Washington). Individual‐species models were fit with presence–absence data from forest inventory field plots and spatial relationships were specified through a conditional autoregressive model. This modeling approach allowed us to visualize uncertainty in response curves, map current and future prediction uncertainty, and provide interval estimates for change. Upward elevational or northward latitudinal shifts in climatically suitable habitat were projected for all species. Climate change impacts were the most damaging for noble fir (Abies procera), for which 79%–100% of the current range was projected to become climatically unsuitable by the 2080s. Although coastal Douglas‐fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) has been projected by others to gain habitat in Canada, within our study area we projected a net loss of climatically suitable habitat (ca. 8000–31,400 km2) under three of four future climate scenarios. A net loss in habitat was also projected for Oregon white oak (Quercus garryana) under three of four scenarios, with 40%–60% of the current range becoming unsuitable. Although there was no net loss of habitat for forest land blue oak under any scenario, other factors like competition may inhibit blue oak (Quercus douglasii) and white oak from occupying areas projected to increase in climatic suitability. Additionally, between 13% and 32% of blue oak's current range was projected to become unsuitable; some of these areas aligned with dieback following the 2012–2015 California drought, which our data set predates. Unlike the other four species, we projected a 17%–25% increase in climatically suitable habitat for California black oak (Quercus kelloggii), although 1%–20% of the current range was still projected to become unsuitable. Our findings indicate that, although some species will face more pressure in tracking climatically suitable habitat than others, climate change will impact the location of suitable habitat for many species.
Health‐related quality of life among transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy patients
Authors: Eldhagen Per , Lehtonen Jukka , Gude Einar , Gustafsson Finn , Bagger‐Bahnsen Anne , Vakevainen Merja , Pilgaard Trine , Wedell‐Wedellsborg Dorte , Poulsen Steen Hvitfeldt ,   Nordic PROACT study group
Published: March 2023

Aims

Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy (ATTR CM) is a progressive and severe heart disease with physical and psychological implications. The Nordic PROACT study was conducted to investigate the health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in ATTR CM patients.

Methods and results

The Nordic PROACT study was a cross‐sectional non‐interventional study conducted in 12 cardiology hospital clinics across Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark. Men and women aged ≥18 years diagnosed with symptomatic ATTR CM were included. The investigator provided information on medical history, biomarkers, current treatment, co‐morbidities and disease severity according to the New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and the National Amyloidosis Centre (NAC) staging. Patients completed the HRQoL questionnaires in the form of the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ), the EQ‐5D‐5L index with Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and the Major Depression Inventory (MDI). A total of 169 patients (mean ± SD age 77.7 ± 6.2 years) were included. Ninety‐two per cent were men. Seventy‐six per cent had wildtype ATTR CM (ATTRwt CM) and 15% had a hereditary form of ATTR CM (ATTRv CM) while 9% were genetically unclassified. Most patients were in NYHA class II (54%) and NAC stage 1 (53%). Participation in randomized clinical trials (RCT) was noted in 58% of the patients. The 169 ATTR CM patients had a mean ± SD KCCQ score of 64.3 ± 23.1 for total symptom score, 64.8 ± 20.9 for overall summary score (OSS) and 65.1 ± 21.5 for clinical summary score. The EQ‐5D‐5L total utility score was 0.8 ± 0.2 and the EQ‐5D‐5L VAS score was 62.9 ± 20.6. The vast majority (89%) did not report any signs of depression. Patients with ATTRv CM had a higher KCCQ OSS as compared with ATTRwt CM, while EQ‐5D‐5L utility score, EQ‐5D‐5L VAS and MDI were similar. Non‐RCT participants had a poorer HRQoL as compared with RCT participants as reflected in lower KCCQ OSS and EQ‐5D‐5L VAS scores and a higher MDI score. Patients with higher NYHA classes and NAC disease stages had a poorer HRQoL as demonstrated by lower KCCQ and EQ‐5D‐5L scores and higher MDI scores. Correlation between KCCQ, EQ‐5D‐5L and MDI and the covariate NYHA class remained significant (P < 0.05) after adjusting for multiple testing.

Conclusions

KCCQ scores were lower than previously reported for patients with other heart diseases of non‐ATTR CM origin. The HRQoL measures correlated well to NYHA class and NAC disease stage. The prevalence of depression appeared to be low.
Discovery of Elaphuri Davidiani Cornu–specific peptide biomarkers by peptidomics analysis–based method
Authors: Liu Rui , Wang Qian , Xiao Dong , Zhu Yue , Yang Bin , Ding Yuhua , Bai Jiade , Wen Huajun , Wu Hairong , Duan Jin‐Ao , Zhao Ming
Published: March 2023

Elaphuri Davidiani Cornu (EDC) is the antler of the male Père David's deer, which has been reported to have multiple biological activities, and its use as a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China has been known for thousands of years. However, EDC is difficult to distinguish from other related species–derived antlers in powder or extract form in TCM clinic use, such as Cervus elaphus Cornu (CEC) and Cervus nippon Cornu (CNC), both derived from Cervidae and easily confused with EDC. In this study, a strategy using peptidomics combined with mathematics set analysis was used to identify EDC‐specific peptide biomarkers, and four specific peptide biomarkers (Pep‐E1–E4) were identified and validated. Pep‐E1, Pep‐E3, and Pep‐E4 could be exclusively detected in EDC samples, with relative peak areas of 0.298 ± 0.060, 0.039 ± 0.015, and 0.037 ± 0.008, whereas Pep‐E2 showed relative peak area of 0.516 ± 0.101 in EDC, 0.132 ± 0.026 in CEC, and 0.136 ± 0.047 in CNC samples, respectively. These four peptides are applicable to distinguish EDC from CEC and CNC, which is of great significance for the quality control of EDC.
Suppression of Mid‐Gap Trap State in CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals with Br‐Passivation for Self‐Powered Photodetector
Authors: Saleem Muhammad Imran , Sulaman Muhammad , Batool Attia , Bukhtiar Arfan , Khalid Syed
Published: March 2023

All‐inorganic halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted great attention, prized for their excellent photophysical properties. However, the insulating nature of alkylamine ligands impede the electrical performance of optoelectronic devices. The control content of passivating ligands and suppression of mid‐gap trap state from perovskite NCs is an essential step to boost the device performance. Therefore, in this report a facile one step ligand‐exchange procedure is employed by rinsing the perovskite film into excess of bromide content to passivate surface trap state along with the suppression of native alkylamine ligands. Remarkably, owing to the vacancies filling potential of cesium bromide, hysteresis behavior in the treated perovskite film was significantly suppressed. More importantly, the absorption and photoluminescence intensities as well as photoluminescence quantum yield of bromide passivated films were improved. The heterojunction photodetector based on the configuration of indium tin oxide (ITO)/ZnO/CsPbBr3‐CsBr/Au revealed a higher responsivity of 6.38 A W−1, fast response time of 270/277 ms and a higher value of specific detectivity 2.6 × 1013 Jones. This work provide a facile and effective approach to effectively passivate the surface trap states from perovskite NCs with control value of native alkylamine ligands. The simple device architecture further provides a promising approach to fabricate high performance self‐powered photodetectors.