bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Targeting autophagy peptidase ATG4B with a novel natural product inhibitor Azalomycin F4a for advanced gastric cancer
Authors: Zhong Lin , Yang Bin , Zhang Zhenhua , Wang Junfeng , Wang Xiaojuan , Guo Yinfeng , Huang Weifeng , Wang Qianqian , Cai Guodi , Xia Fan , Zhou Shengning , Ma Shuai , Nie Yichu , Lei Jinping , Li Min , Liu Peiqing , Deng Wenbin , Liu Yonghong , Han Fanghai , Wang Junjian
Published: February 2022

Advanced gastric cancer (GCa) remains highly lethal due to the lack of effective therapies. Identifying promising therapeutic targets and developing effective treatment against GCa are urgently needed. Through mRNA and protein analysis of GCa clinical tumor samples, we found that autophagy-related gene 4B (ATG4B) was overexpressed in GCa tumors and that its high expression was associated with patients’ poor prognosis. Knockdown of ATG4B significantly inhibited GCa cell survival and tumor growth. To further probe the role of ATG4B in GCa by pharmacological means, we screened an in-house marine natural compound library against ATG4B and identified Azalomycin F4a (Am-F4a) as a novel and potent ATG4B inhibitor. Am-F4a directly bound to ATG4B with high affinity and effectively suppressed GCa cell autophagy via inhibition of ATG4B both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, Am-F4a or ATG4B knockdown significantly suppressed tumor growth as well as GCa cell migration and invasion. Am-F4a effectively blocked the metastatic progression of primary GCa and sensitized tumors to chemotherapy. Taken together, our findings indicate that ATG4B is a potential therapeutic target against GCa and the natural product Am-F4a is a novel ATG4B inhibitor that can be further developed for the treatment of GCa.
PINK1-parkin-mediated neuronal mitophagy deficiency in prion disease
Authors: Li Jie , Lai Mengyu , Zhang Xixi , Li Zhiping , Yang Dongming , Zhao Mengyang , Wang Dongdong , Sun Zhixin , Ehsan Sharjeel , Li Wen , Gao Hongli , Zhao Deming , Yang Lifeng
Published: February 2022

A persistent accumulation of damaged mitochondria is part of prion disease pathogenesis. Normally, damaged mitochondria are cleared via a major pathway that involves the E3 ubiquitin ligase parkin and PTEN-induced kinase 1 (PINK1) that together initiate mitophagy, recognize and eliminate damaged mitochondria. However, the precise mechanisms underlying mitophagy in prion disease remain largely unknown. Using prion disease cell models, we observed PINK1-parkin-mediated mitophagy deficiency in which parkin depletion aggravated blocked mitochondrial colocalization with LC3-II-labeled autophagosomes, and significantly increased mitochondrial protein levels, which led to inhibited mitophagy. Parkin overexpression directly induced LC3-II colocalization with mitochondria and alleviated defective mitophagy. Moreover, parkin-mediated mitophagy was dependent on PINK1, since PINK1 depletion blocked mitochondrial Parkin recruitment and reduced optineurin and LC3-II proteins levels, thus inhibiting mitophagy. PINK1 overexpression induced parkin recruitment to the mitochondria, which then stimulated mitophagy. In addition, overexpressed parkin and PINK1 also protected neurons from apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that supplementation with two mitophagy-inducing agents, nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) and urolithin A (UA), significantly stimulated PINK1-parkin-mediated mitophagy. However, compared with NMN, UA could not alleviate prion-induced mitochondrial fragmentation and dysfunction, and neuronal apoptosis. These findings show that PINK1-parkin-mediated mitophagy defects lead to an accumulation of damaged mitochondria, thus suggesting that interventions that stimulate mitophagy may be potential therapeutic targets for prion diseases.
Ketamine inhibits TNF-α-induced cecal damage by enhancing RIP1 ubiquitination to attenuate lethal SIRS
Authors: Deng Bin , Yang Daowei , Wu Huanghui , Wang Lu , Wu Rui , Zhu Hongrui , Huang Ailing , Song Jingyi , Cai Tieliang , Liu Shanshan , Wu Jingsi , Zhou Huiying , Li Chunhui
Published: February 2022

Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a sepsis-associated inflammatory state and a self-defense mechanism against specific and nonspecific stimuli. Ketamine influences many key processes that are altered during sepsis. However, the underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. In this study, TNF-α-treated mice, as well as HT-29 and L929 cell models, were applied to characterize TNF-α-induced systemic and local cecal tissue inflammatory responses. Behavioral, biochemical, histological, and molecular biological approaches were applied to illustrate the related processes. Mice with TNF-α-induced SIRS showed systemic and local cecal tissue inflammatory responses, as indicated by increased levels of high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1), chemokines (C-X-C motif) ligand 10 (CXCL10), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-10, as well as high mortality. Ketamine pretreatment alleviated death rates, symptoms, and the production of inflammatory cytokines induced by TNF-α in mice. Moreover, ketamine also protected the mice from TNF-α-induced cecal damage by suppressing the phosphorylation of receptor-interacting serine/threonine-protein kinase 3 (RIP3) and mixed lineage kinase domain-like protein (MLKL). In addition, our results showed that ketamine efficiently inhibited TNF-α-induced necroptosis in HT-29 and L929 cells. Furthermore, we explored the mechanism using different L929 cell lines. The results displayed that ketamine inhibited TNF-α-induced necroptosis by enhancing RIP1 ubiquitination and reducing the RIP1-RIP3 and RIP3-MLKL interactions, as well as the formation of necrosomes. Thus, our study may provide a new theoretical and experimental basis for treating diseases characterized by SIRS-associated inflammatory factor storms. Moreover, our exploration may provide potential molecular mechanisms and targets for therapeutic intervention and clinical application of ketamine.
Microbial communities across activated sludge plants show recurring species-level seasonal patterns
Authors: Peces Miriam , Dottorini Giulia , Nierychlo Marta , Andersen Kasper Skytte , Dueholm Morten Kam Dahl , Nielsen Per Halkjær
Published: February 2022

Microbial communities in activated sludge (AS) are the core of sanitation in wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Microbial communities in AS have shown seasonal changes, however, long-term experiments (>2 years) are rarely conducted, limiting our understanding of the true seasonal dynamics in WWTPs. In this study, we resolved the microbial seasonal dynamics at the species level in four municipal full-scale WWTPs, sampled every 7–10 days, during 3–5 consecutive years. By applying a new time-series analysis approach, we revealed that the seasonal pattern was species-specific, where species belonging to the same functional guild or genus may show different seasonal dynamics. Species could be grouped into cohorts according to their seasonal patterns, where seasonal cohorts showed repeatable annual dynamics across years and plants. Species were also grouped according to their net growth rate in the AS (i.e., growing species and disappearing species). Growing species were more prevailing in spring and autumn cohorts, while disappearing species, which were only present due to the continuous immigration from influent wastewater, were mostly associated with winter and spring cohorts. Most known process-critical species, such as nitrifiers, polyphosphate accumulating organisms and filamentous organisms, showed distinct species-specific patterns. Overall, our study showed that overarching seasonal patterns affected microbial species in full-scale AS plants, with similar seasonal patterns across plants for many dominant species. These recurrent seasonal variations should be taken into account in the operation, understanding and management of the WWTPs.
Visible-light-mediated intramolecular radical cyclization of α-brominated amide-tethered alkylidenecyclopropanes
Authors: Mao Ben , Zhang Xiao-Yu , Wei Yin , Shi Min
Published: February 2022

A facile method for the synthesis of benzazepine derivatives via halogen atom transfer-promoted intramolecular cascade cyclization under mild conditions.
Mutual interactions between α-amylase and amyloglucosidase in the digestion of starch with distinct chain-length distributions at a fully gelatinized state
Authors: Zhou Xianglong , Wang Chenrui , Yue Shuke , Zheng Yong , Li Cheng , Yu Wenwen
Published: February 2022

Amyloglucosidase (AMG) and α-amylase (AMY) are both involved in starch digestion in human small intestine, whereas their mutual interactions with starch molecules of distinct structures are still unknown.
Deoxygenative CO2 conversions with triphenylborane and phenylsilane in the presence of secondary amines or nitrogen-containing aromatics
Authors: Murata Takumi , Hiyoshi Mahoko , Maekawa Shinsuke , Saiki Yuta , Ratanasak Manussada , Hasegawa Jun-ya , Ema Tadashi
Published: February 2022

BPh3 catalyzed the N-methylation of secondary amines and the C-methylenation of N,N-dimethylanilines or 1-methylindoles in the presence of CO2 and PhSiH3 without solvent at 30–40 °C, and a cascade reaction from 1-methyl-2-oxindole also proceeded.
Edge-on lamellar crystallization of oligo(3-methoxythiophene) in polyester matrix films and a gold tone development thereof
Authors: Tamura Rihito , Miyamoto Katsuma , Tsukada Satoru , Hoshino Katsuyoshi
Published: February 2022

The oligomers of 3-methoxythiophene (O3MeOT) self-assembled to form edge-on lamellar crystallites even in polyester (PES) matrices, providing blend films with a gold-like luster and a pencil hardness of H.
Enhanced photoluminescence of hollow CaWO4 microspheres: the fast fabrication, structural manipulation, and exploration of the growth mechanism
Authors: Zhu Jiahao , Li Chunsheng , Sun Yan , Yang Chen , Zhao Yijing , Zhu Zhu , Wang Didi , Hu Zhe , Chou Shulei , Li Lin , Zhao Yuzhen , Liu Pengchao , Wang Miaomiao , Li Yuanliang
Published: February 2022

This work advances on the microstructure design and the growth mechanism of porous-shell hollow CaWO4 microspheres with a deep discussion on the origin of enhanced photoluminescence.
Direct transformation of ReO3 nanorods into ReS2 nanosheets on carbon fibres for modulating solid–gas interactions
Authors: Lee Song Hee , Kim Noeul , Jeong Ji Hwan , Kim Bo-Hye , Yu Hak Ki , Kim Myung Hwa
Published: February 2022

The gas adsorption/desorption reaction that occurs on a solid surface forms the basic reaction of various catalysts and sensor devices.
Chiral hexamers of organically modified polyoxometalatesviaionic complexation
Authors: Guan Weiming , Li Bao , Wu Lixin
Published: February 2022

A pair of chiral hexamers comprising of organically modified Anderson–Evans polyoxometalate with a chiral spacer are constructed through co-assembly with sodium cations.
Assembly of metallo-macrocycles through reductive C–C coupling of alkylnitriles by an Mg–Mg-bonded compound
Authors: Xue Yujie , Wang Jijiang , Shi Yalei , Xu Wenhua , Zhao Yanxia , Wu Biao , Yang Xiao-Juan
Published: February 2022

The dimagnesium(i) compound readily activates n-alkylnitriles to afford unique trinuclear magnesium macrocyclic complexes, [LMg(μ-{(NC–C(R)C(CH2R)–NH})]3[K3(Solv)6], through a reductive α-H deprotonation, C–C coupling, and 1,3-H shift.
A one-pot strategic construction of functionalized nanomaterial ZIF-90-Rhn for stepwise detection and capturing of Ag+ and formaldehyde from an aqueous solution
Authors: Du Xiaoyu , Li Mengwen , Du Man , Shen Ao , Hao Xiaohui , Yuan Jiaxin , Ma Shufeng , Zhao Yongwei , Hou Lala , Li Ziqi , Yang Yunxu
Published: February 2022

One-pot strategic development of the functionalized nanomaterial ZIF-90-Rhn for the stepwise detection and capturing of Ag+ and formaldehyde from an aqueous solution.
An aerobic copper-mediated domino process for the synthesis of 3-(trifluoromethylseleno)indoles
Authors: Wang Hui , Yao Yunfei , You Yi , Huang Yangjie , Weng Zhiqiang
Published: February 2022

An aerobic copper-mediated domino reaction for the synthesis of 3-(trifluoromethylseleno)indoles by trifluoromethylselenolation of N-Ts 2-alkynylaniline with [(bpy)CuSeCF3]2 is described.
Tellurate polymorphs with high-performance nonlinear optical switch property and wide mid-IR transparency
Authors: Wang Dan , Zhang Yunxi , Shi Qi , Liu Qian , Yang Daqing , Zhang Bingbing , Wang Ying
Published: February 2022

Li2HfTeO6 has been identified to function as a mid-IR transparent NLO switch with high figures of merit.
Visible-light-mediated regioselective ring-opening hydrogenolysis of donor–acceptor cyclopropanes with DIPEA and H2O
Authors: Liu Zhen , Wei Yin , Shi Min
Published: February 2022

A visible-light-mediated regioselective ring-opening hydrogenolysis of donor–acceptor cyclopropanes has been developed for the rapid construction of alkylated aryl ketones in good yields with excellent functional group compatibility.
Palladium-catalyzed reductive desulfonative aminocarbonylation of benzylsulfonyl chlorides with nitroarenes towards arylacetamides
Authors: Liu Yongzhu , Bao Zhi-Peng , Qi Xinxin , Wu Xiao-Feng
Published: February 2022

A new process for the synthesis of arylacetamides has been explored through a palladium-catalyzed reductive desulfonative aminocarbonylation reaction of benzylsulfonyl chlorides with nitroarenes.
Distributed model predictive control for multi‐robot systems with conflicting signal temporal logic tasks
Authors: Zhou Xiaoyi , Zou Yuanyuan , Li Shaoyuan , Li Xianwei , Fang Hao
Published: February 2022

In this paper, the control problem of multi‐robot systems under temporal logic tasks with limited time and logic constraints is studied, where each robot is required to reach the specified region in a given time and avoid collision all the time. Since the cooperative collision avoidance task of one robot depends on other robots' behaviors, the satisfaction of all the tasks may be conflicting. In this work, a distributed model predictive control (DMPC) strategy is proposed for conflicting temporal logic tasks. First, signal temporal logic (STL) is adopted to formally describe the temporal logic tasks. Based on robust semantics of STL formulas, a reference trajectory for the satisfaction degree of the task is designed to determine the short‐term task in the optimization horizon. In the DMPC optimization problem, the compatibility constraints are introduced to redesign the collision avoidance constraints, such that the collision avoidance tasks can be fulfilled using neighbouring robots' predicted information of the last time instant. Then, the terminal constraint is designed by the short‐term motion task which enforces each robot to move towards the goal region within the specified time interval. For conflicting tasks, a slack parameter is introduced in the terminal set to relax the motion task of each robot. The recursive feasibility of the DMPC algorithm is guaranteed, and the relaxed temporal logic tasks are fulfilled. In the proposed method, the discrete events including limited time and logic requirements are incorporated into the DMPC optimization problem, such that the motion task can be satisfied as much as possible and safety requirements are fulfilled. The effectiveness of the algorithm is illustrated by simulation and experiment results.
On recognition of multiple power quality disturbance events in electricity networks
Authors: Le Vinh Hao , Ma Hui , Ekanayake Chandima , Saha Tapan
Published: February 2022

Effective power quality disturbance (PQD) events recognition is important for electricity network operation. This paper proposes an improved methodology for detecting and classifying multiple PQD events, which may simultaneously occur in the electricity network. It employs an adaptive dual resolution Stockwell‐transform for signal processing and a short‐term Renyi entropy estimation for feature extraction. Also, a multi‐class support vector machine is employed to classify the types of PQD events. A variety of power quality disturbance signals are synthesized to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method. These signals include both single fault/abnormal event and mixed events (e.g. a mixture of several PQD events occurring simultaneously). Real‐life disturbance recordings from a transmission network service provider are also collected and used to verify the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method can achieve high classification accuracy at noisy environment. Especially, it is capable of identifying the disturbance signals comprising both harmonics with low total harmonic distortion levels and transients. Moreover, the algorithms developed in this paper can achieve a high computational efficiency.
Optimal design of electrical power distribution grid spacers using finite element method
Authors: Stefenon Stéfano Frizzo , Seman Laio Oriel , Pavan Bruno Antonio , Ovejero Raúl García , Leithardt Valderi Reis Quietinho
Published: February 2022

Spacers in the compact power distribution network are essential components for the support, organization, and spacing of conductors. To improve the reliability of these components and have an optimized network design, it is necessary to evaluate the performance of the variation of their geometric parameters. The analysis of these components is fundamental, considering that there are several models available that are validated by the electric power utilities. Due to the various possible design shapes, it is necessary to use an optimized model to reduce the electric potential located in specific sites, improving the reliability in the component, as the higher electrical potential results in a greater chance of failure to occur. The finite element method (FEM) stands out for evaluating the distribution of electrical potential. In this paper, an FEM is used to evaluate variations in vertical and horizontal dimensions in spacers used in the 13.8 kV power grid. The models are analyzed in relation to their behavior regarding the potential distribution on their surface. From the results of these variations, the model is optimized by means of a mixed‐integer linear problem (MILP), replacing the FEM output with a ReLU network substitute model, to obtain a spacer with more efficiency to be used in semi‐insulated distribution networks.
Three‐phase overvoltage at lightning strike point due to direct triggered lightning to the phase wire of 10 kV power distribution line
Authors: Wang Jianguo , Zhao Yating , Cai Li , Fang Yuqian , Li Quanxin , Su Rui , Wang Shoupeng , Zhou Mi
Published: February 2022

This paper reports the observation results of three‐phase overvoltage at the lightning strike point of a 1.5 km, 10 kV power distribution line that was struck directly by rocket triggered lightning to its phase wire C. The arrester of the direct struck phase at the lightning strike point operated in all return strokes corresponding to return stroke current from −3.3 kA to −32.9 kA. The waveform of direct struck phase includes an initial spike before negative peak, operation area of metal oxide varistor, and the final attenuation with oscillation. The overvoltage waveforms of the indirect struck phase at the lightning strike point show a small initial negative peak, rapid transition to a large positive peak, and the final negative attenuation with oscillation. The negative peak value of the indirect struck phase at lightning strike point ranged from −4.1 kV to −25.2 kV and that of the direct struck phase was between −78.1 kV and −167.8 kV. The positive peak value of indirect struck phase was between 0.2 kV and 49.8 kV. The negative peak value, zero‐crossing time and the peak‐to‐peak value of voltage all have a good linear relation with the peak value of lightning return stroke current.
A dynamic object filtering approach based on object detection and geometric constraint between frames
Authors: Wei Jiansheng , Pan Shuguo , Gao Wang , Zhao Tao
Published: February 2022

In order to eliminate the influence of moving targets in visual positioning, a dynamic object filtering approach based on object detection and inter‐frame geometric constraints is proposed to filter the dynamic objects in monocular images. The object detection algorithm is firstly used to identify and locate objects in the single‐frame image, and the object matching between frames is performed. Then, the depth estimation network and pose recovery network are trained jointly to output estimated depth along with transformation matrix of object centroids between frames respectively. Finally, the mapping centroid is obtained from the estimated depth and inter‐frame transformation matrix. The joint constraint function is performed to complete the detection and filtering of dynamic objects. The experimental results show that the proposed dynamic object filtering approach not only can filter moving objects in sequence images accurately but also allows to reserve the dynamic objects that are temporarily in the stop state. The generalization ability of this approach is also verified in a real urban road scene and meets the requirements of follow‐up research in visual positioning.
HessHist: A Hessian‐matrix weighted histogram for image contrast enhancement
Authors: Fan Junchao , Zong Xuyang , Tang Han , Bi Xiuli , Xiao Bin , Li Weisheng
Published: February 2022

For image contrast enhancement operation, it is a keypoint to obtain more natural enhanced results and keep more details without distortion. In this paper, a novel image Hessian‐matrix weighted histogram for image contrast enhancement is proposed, which can improve the contrast of smooth regions and simultaneously restrain the contrast of texture regions. In the proposed method, the multi‐scale fractional‐order Hessian‐matrix is firstly utilized to detect and quantify the texture information of the input image, which explores the regions that should be contrasted or should be restrained. Then, the strong texture regions are suppressed by a designed suppress function. Finally, the information on unsuppressed regions and suppressed texture regions will be count by a histogram, which is termed as Hessian‐matrix weighted Histogram (HessHist) in this paper. According to HessHist, the corresponding cumulative distribution function will realize the contrast enhancement operation on the input image. For real‐time application, the integral images are introduced for fast computation of the HessHist. Experimental results show that the proposed HessHist‐based image enhancement algorithm preserves more details of input image without distortion, and is competitive with state‐of‐the‐art image enhancement algorithms in both subjective visual perception and objective evaluation metrics.
Prediction using long short‐term memory networks in the service of designing a novel pricing policy for smart grid
Authors: Mousavi Ziabari Zahra , Pasdar Abbas
Published: February 2022

Dynamic pricing is one of the most effective solutions for controlling and managing power consumption in the electricity markets. Two challenging issues to achieve this goal are to design a comprehensive policy, which can determine optimal prices for every party, and define an accurate simulator of the real environment, which can express the complexity of the satisfaction. To overcome these problems, we innovatively design an applicable and reliable policy that can determine the optimal price from every electricity market parties' point of view. Moreover, in this policy, satisfaction and profit coefficients are defined for the retailer and the customer, and then a step‐by‐step simulation is presented based on them. The proposed algorithm simulates interactions between the customer and retailer to reach an optimal point with improved performance. Furthermore, to increase flexibility and accuracy of the results, which make the system commercially operational, two long short‐term memory networks predict wholesale price and power demand will be utilised by the pricing section. For efficiency evaluation, the proposed method is compared with similar work to prove better precision and performance.
High-redshift cosmography: Application and comparison with different methods
Authors: Hu J. P. , Wang F. Y.
Published: February 2022

Cosmography is used in cosmological data processing in order to constrain the kinematics of the universe in a model-independent way. In this paper, we first investigate the effect of the ultraviolet (UV) and X-ray relation of a quasar on cosmological constraints. By fitting the quasar relation and cosmographic parameters simultaneously, we find that the 4σ deviation from the cosmological constant Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) model disappears. Next, utilizing the Pantheon sample and 31 long gamma-ray bursts, we make a comparison among the different cosmographic expansions (z-redshift, y-redshift, E(y), log(1 + z), log(1 + z)+kij, and Padé approximations) with the third-order and fourth-order expansions. The expansion order can significantly affect the results, especially for the y-redshift method. Through analysis from the same sample, the lower-order expansion is preferable, except the y-redshift and E(y) methods. For the y-redshift and E(y) methods, despite adopting the same parameterization of y = z/(1 + z), the performance of the latter is better than that of the former. Logarithmic polynomials, log(1 + z) and log(1 + z)+kij, perform significantly better than z-redshift, y-redshift, and E(y) methods, but worse than Padé approximations. Finally, we comprehensively analyze the results obtained from different samples. We find that the Padé(2,1) method is suitable for both low and high redshift cases. The Padé(2,2) method performs well in a high-redshift situation. For the y-redshift and E(y) methods, the only constraint on the first two parameters (q0 and j0) is reliable.
Detecting undocumented trends in solar irradiance observations
Authors: Dudok de Wit Thierry
Published: February 2022

Quantifying the long-term stability of solar irradiance observations is crucial for determining how the Sun varies in time and detecting decadal climate change signals. The stability of irradiance observations is challenged by the degradation of instrumental sensitivity in space and by the post-launch corrections needed to mitigate this degradation. We propose a new framework for detecting instrumental trends based on the existing idea of comparing the solar irradiance at pairs of dates for which a proxy quantity reaches the same level. Using a parametric model, we then reconstruct the trend and its confidence interval at all times. While this method cannot formally prove the instrumental origin of the trends, the observation of similar trends with different proxies provides strong evidence for a non-solar origin. We illustrate the method with spectral irradiance observations from the Solar Radiation and Climate Experiment (SORCE) mission, using various solar proxies such as sunspot number, MgII index, F10.7 index. The results support the existence of non-solar trends that exceed the level of solar cycle variability. After correcting the spectral irradiance for these trends, we find the difference between the levels observed at solar maximum and at solar minimum to be in good agreement with irradiance models.
Digitale 3-D-Monitor-„Heads-up“-Kataraktchirurgie: Sicherheitsprofil und Vergleich zum konventionellen Mikroskopsystem
Authors: Bedar Mohammad Seleman , Kellner Ulrich
Published: February 2022

Fragestellung Ziel der Studie ist ein Vergleich hinsichtlich der Komplikationsraten von Kataraktoperationen zwischen einem digitalen 3-D-Monitor-„Heads-up“-System und einem
konventionellen binokularen Mikroskopsystem in einer großen Serie von Kataraktoperationen, durchgeführt von einem Operateur.

Methodik Die retrospektive Analyse umfasst eine konsekutive Serie von 2000 Augen, die wegen einer Katarakt operiert wurden, davon n = 1000 (3-D-Gruppe) unmittelbar nach Einführung
eines 3-D-Systems (Alcon Ngenuity) und n = 1000 als letzte Gruppe vor dessen Einführung mit einem konventionellen binokularen Operationsmikroskop (BM-Gruppe). Dabei wurde das 3-D-System auf
das vorhandene Mikroskop angepasst, sodass die Mikroskopoptik unverändert blieb. In beiden Gruppen wurde entweder eine Femtosekundenlaser-Kataraktoperation (Femto-Cat) oder eine
traditionelle Phakoemulsifikation durchgeführt. Es wurden retrospektiv Komplikationen erfasst und analysiert.

Ergebnisse Der Anteil von Femto-Cat betrug in der 3-D-Gruppe 19,8% und in der BM-Gruppe 18,6%. Eine Kapselruptur trat bei 10 Augen auf (3-D: n = 4 Augen [0,4%], vordere Vitrektomie:
n = 2, Pars-plana-Vitrektomie: n = 1; BM: n = 6 [0,6%], vordere Vitrektomie: n = 4, Pars-plana-Vitrektomie: n = 1). Ein vorübergehender Irisprolaps trat bei 3 Augen auf (3-D: n = 2, BM:
n = 1). In 2 Augen kam es zu einer Zonulolyse (3-D: n = 1, BM: n = 1). Insgesamt zeigte sich kein statistisch signifikanter Unterschied zwischen den beiden Gruppen (p > 0,5). Die OP-Zeit
verlängerte sich mit dem 3-D-System nicht signifikant.

Schlussfolgerung In einer großen Serie von 2000 Augen zeigte sich hinsichtlich des Sicherheitsprofils bei Kataraktoperationen kein signifikanter Unterschied zwischen der 3-D- und der
BM-Chirurgie. Die 3-D-Chirurgie ist für die Katarakt-OP ohne zusätzliches Risiko einsetzbar.
Comparison of Outcomes of External Dacryocystorhinostomy and Transcanalicular Laser-Assisted Dacryocystorhinostomy in Patients with Primary Acquired Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction
Authors: Mutlu Demet , Bayram Nurettin , Arici Mustafa Kemal , Ozec Ayse Vural , Erdogan Haydar , Toker Mustafa Ilker
Published: February 2022

Purpose This study aimed to compare anatomical and functional outcomes of external dacryocystorhinostomy (EX-DCR) and transcanalicular multidiode laser dacryocystorhinostomy (TDL-DCR) in patients with primary acquired nasolacrimal duct obstruction (PANDO).

Methods This study was conducted on 60 eyes of 60 patients with PANDO. The study subjects were randomly divided into two groups. Group 1 included 30 patients who underwent EX-DCR, and group 2 included 30 patients who underwent TDL-DCR. Surgery success rates were determined by patency of the neo-ostium, with free saline flow on irrigation and the absence of epiphora.

Results There were 23 women (76.7%) and 7 men (23.3%) with a mean age of 47.33 ± 12.44 years in group 1, and 18 women (60%) and 12 men (40%) with a mean age of 46.2 ± 19.4 years in group 2. There was no significant difference between groups 1 and 2 with respect to age or gender (p = 0.801, p = 0.267, respectively). The mean duration of symptoms was 3.2 years, ranging from 1.5 to 5 years. The mean postoperative follow-up was 12.3 ± 2.44 months. At the end of the follow-up period, the surgery success rates were 96.7% (29/30 eyes) in group 1, and 90% (27/30 eyes) in group 2. There was no statistical difference in the surgery success rates between groups (p = 0.612).

Conclusion TDL-DCR is a minimally invasive and safe procedure. The lack of bleeding and incision scar and shorter operation time suggest that TDL-DCR can be a good alternative in PANDO patients.
Screening of Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oils against Bovine Respiratory Pathogens – Focusing on Pasteurella multocida
Authors: Bismarck Doris , Becker Jens , Müller Elisabeth , Becher Vera , Nau Lisa , Mayer Philipp
Published: February 2022

Administration of essential oils as natural plant products with antimicrobial activity might be an alternative to antibiotic treatment of bovine respiratory disease. The aim of this study
was to analyse the in vitro antimicrobial activity of 11 essential oils against Pasteurella multocida isolated from the respiratory tract of calves using microdilution with
determination of minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentration as well as agar disc diffusion. Additionally, antimicrobial activity against Mannheimia haemolytica and bacteria in
the Mannheimia clade was assessed by agar disc diffusion. Seven essential oil mixtures were also tested against all bacterial isolates. P. multocida was strongly inhibited by
cinnamon cassia and lemongrass oil followed by coriander, winter savory, thyme, clove, and peppermint oil in the microdilution assays. Eucalyptus, wintergreen, spruce, and star anise oil
showed lower activity. Comparison of both methods revealed an underestimation of cinnamon cassia oil activity by agar disc diffusion and conflicting results for wintergreen oil in
microdilution, which precipitated in broth. Cinnamon cassia, thyme, wintergreen, lemongrass, and winter savory oil all showed strong antimicrobial activity against M. haemolytica.
Bacteria in the Mannheimia clade were mostly inhibited by cinnamon cassia and thyme oil. Pasteurella isolates were more susceptible to inhibition by essential oils than
Mannheimia isolates. Essential oil mixtures did not show stronger antibacterial activity than single essential oils. In conclusion, cinnamon cassia and lemongrass as well as
coriander, winter savory, and thyme oil are promising candidates for treatment of P. multocida-associated bovine respiratory infections.
Stationäre Behandlung exklusiv zur Raucherentwöhnung – Konzept einer intensivierten verhaltenstherapeutischen Gruppentherapie
Authors: Dickreuter Jonas , Jähne Andreas , Leifert Jens A.
Published: February 2022

Zielsetzung Angesichts hoher Morbidität und Mortalität durch Tabakabhängigkeit besteht ein dringender Bedarf an effektiven Angeboten zur Raucherentwöhnung. Die leitliniengemäß durchgeführten ambulanten Therapien sind in ihrer langfristigen Wirksamkeit jedoch limitiert. Im Folgenden wird ein erstmalig in Deutschland entwickeltes wissenschaftliches stationäres Therapiekonzept ausschließlich zur stationären Raucherentwöhnung beschrieben und die Evidenz für die langfristige Effektivität dieser intensivierten Therapieform zur Raucherentwöhnung diskutiert.

Methodik Es handelt es sich um ein multimodales neuntägiges verhaltenstherapeutisches Therapiekonzept für den stationären Einsatz. Die Entwöhnung wird als Gruppentherapie leitliniengemäß von einem mobil einsetzbaren Team geschulter Raucherentwöhner:innen durchgeführt, ergänzt durch Angebote zur Förderung der Gruppenkohäsion, Tagesstrukturierung, zum Bewegungstraining, Ernährungsmanagement, Ressourcenaufbau, Expositionstraining rückfallkritischer Situationen und zur achtsamkeitsbasierten Stressbewältigung.

Schlussfolgerungen Eine stationäre Raucherentwöhnungstherapie ist als vielversprechende Ergänzung bzw. Alternative zur ambulanten Entwöhnung umsetzbar. Die intrinsische Abstinenzmotivation soll in einem geschützten Rahmen bei professioneller Betreuung und Unterstützung in der Gruppe gestärkt werden mit Fokus auf den Transfer der Kompetenzen in den Alltag. Erste Studienergebnisse weisen auf eine hohe langfristige Entwöhnungsquote hin. Eine wissenschaftliche Überprüfung der (Kosten-)Effektivität anhand randomisiert-kontrollierter Studien steht noch aus.
Early Initiation and Long-Term Use of Vaginal Progesterone may Cause
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Oztekin Deniz , Senkaya Ayse Rabia , Gunes Mehmet Emin , Keskin Omur , Dogdu Irmak Atci
Published: February 2022

Background Preterm birth (PTB) is an important cause of neonatal mortality
and morbidity. Spontaneous PTB (sPTB) is the most common cause of PTB. In
patients with a singleton pregnancy, progesterone treatment appears to reduce
the rate of spontaneous preterm birth in those with a previous history of
spontaneous preterm labor and/or cervical shortening in the current
pregnancy. Progesterone therapies used for the prevention of sPTB may increase
the risk of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) towards the end of pregnancy
owing to their effects on carbohydrate metabolism.

Aim We aimed to show the effects of vaginal progesterone use, starting
time, and duration of treatment on GDM.

Methods A retrospective cohort study was carried out in pregnant women 18
to 39 years old who came to our hospital between January 1, 2021, and August 31,
2021, and who had a 2-hour 75-g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at 24 to 28
weeks of gestation. In a total of 540 patients, 68 were diagnosed with GDM based
on at least one abnormal plasma glucose value at screening. The remaining 472
patients with normal plasma glucose levels were considered as the control group.
The groups were compared in terms of age, parity, pre-pregnancy body mass index
(BMI), smoking, gestational age, and vaginal progesterone use. Patients using
vaginal progesterone with and without GDM were then compared again in terms of
indications for vaginal progesterone use, initiation time of progesterone
therapy, duration of progesterone use, and cervical length.

Results The incidence of GDM in our study group was 12.5%. Despite
the use of vaginal progesterone at a higher rate in the GDM group than in the
control group (23.5 vs. 13.9%; p=0.07), it was not statistically
significant. When we examined patients using progesterone as a subgroup
analysis, the mean time to start vaginal progesterone treatment was
19.8±2.6 (14–24), and it was significantly earlier in the GDM
group (18.1±2.0 vs. 20.2±2.6; p=0.007). Initiation of
vaginal progesterone before 20 weeks of gestation was statistically
significantly more frequent in the GDM group than the control group (68.8 vs.
39.4%; p=0.050 OR :3.3, 95%CI: 1.0–10.8). The
mean duration of vaginal progesterone use was 50.0±15.6 days
(28–90) and it was longer in the GDM group (57.8±13.4 vs.
48.1±15.6; p=0.027).

Conclusion Since the duration of vaginal progesterone use will be
prolonged, there may be a risk of GDM, especially in patients who started
vaginal progesterone before the 20th week of pregnancy. Even if the OGTT test
performed between 24–28 weeks is normal, it should be kept in mind that
these patients may have GDM in the later weeks of pregnancy, and repeating the
OGTT test should be considered if necessary.
COVID-19 Lockdown Periods in 2020: Good Maintenance of Metabolic
Control in Adults with Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Hartmann B , Tittel S R , Femerling M , Pfeifer M. , Meyhöfer S. , Lange K , Milek S , Stemler L , Best F , Holl R W
Published: February 2022

During the COVID-19 pandemic, there were increased concerns about glycemic
control in patients with diabetes. Therefore, we aimed to assess changes in
diabetes management during the COVID-19 lockdown for patients with type 1 or
type 2 diabetes mellitus (T1DM, T2DM) in Germany. We included data from 24,623
patients (age>18 years) with T1DM (N=6,975) or T2DM
(N=17,648) with documented data in 2019 and 2020 from the multicenter
Diabetes-Prospective Follow-up registry (DPV). We conducted a groupwise
comparison of identical patients in 2019 and 2020 for different time periods of
pandemia. Pairwise differences of continuous parameters of treatment modalities
and metabolic outcome between 2019 and 2020 were adjusted for seasonality, age,
and diabetes duration. We presented these outcomes as adjusted medians with
95% confidence intervals. Rates were compared using negative-binomial
models, dichotomous outcomes were compared using logistic models. Models were
additionally adjusted for age and diabetes duration. These outcomes were
presented as least-square means with 95% confidence intervals, p-values
of<.05 were considered significant.

In participants with T1DM, CGI (combined glucose indicator) increased only by
0.11–0.12% in all time periods of 2020 compared to 2019 (all
p<0.001) while BMI decreased slightly by −(0.09–0.10)
kg/m² (p<0.0001). In participants with T2DM, HbA1c
increased by 0.12%, while BMI decreased slightly by
−(0.05–0.06) kg/m² (p<0.0001).

During the COVID-19 lockdown period, patients with T1DM and T2DM experienced only
clinically insignificant changes in glucose control or body weight. Despite
lockdown restrictions, patients were able to maintain metabolic control.
Impact of transmural plastic stent on recurrence of pancreatic fluid collection after metal stent removal in disconnected pancreatic duct: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Chavan Radhika , Nabi Zaheer , Lakhtakia Sundeep , Gupta Rajesh , Jahangeer Basha , Talukdar Rupjyoti , Singh Aniruddha Pratap , Karyampudi Arun , Yarlagadda Raghavendra , Ramchandani Mohan , Kalapala Rakesh , Jagtap Nitin , Reddy Manohar , Tandan Manu , Rao Guduru Venkat , Reddy Nageshwar D.
Published: February 2022

Background Disconnected pancreatic duct (DPD) after development of walled-off necrosis (WON) predisposes to recurrent (peri)pancreatic fluid collection (PFC). In this randomized controlled trial, we compared plastic stents with no plastic stent after removal of a large-caliber metal stent (LCMS) on incidence of recurrent PFCs in DPD.

Methods Consecutive patients with WON who underwent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided drainage with LCMS between September 2017 and March 2020 were screened for eligibility. At LCMS removal (4 weeks after drainage), patients with DPD were randomized to plastic stent or no stent groups. The primary outcome was incidence of recurrent PFC at 3 months. Secondary outcomes were technical success of plastic stent deployment, adverse events, stent migration, and recurrence of PFC at 6 and 12 months.

Results 236 patients with WON underwent EUS-guided drainage using LCMS, and 104 (males 94, median age 34 years (interquartile range [IQR] 26–44.7) with DPD were randomized into stenting (n = 52) and no-stenting (n = 52) groups. Plastic stent deployment was successful in 88.5 %. Migration occurred in 19.2 % at median follow-up of 8 months (IQR 2.5–12). Recurrent PFCs occurred in six patients at 3 months (stent n = 3, no stent n = 3). There was no significant difference in PFC recurrence between the two groups at 3, 6, and 12 months. Reintervention was required in seven patients with recurrent PFCs, with no significant difference between the two groups.

Conclusion In patients with WON and DPD, deployment of plastic stents after LCMS removal did not reduce recurrence of PFC.
Serum Vasostatin-1 Level is Increased in Women with
Preeclampsia
Authors: Tüten Abdullah , Tüten Nevin , Gök Koray , Hamzaoglu Kubra , Bulut Huri , Malik Eduard , Guralp Onur
Published: February 2022

Objective To evaluate the serum vasostatin-1 levels in preeclamptic and
non-preeclamptic pregnant women.

Materials and methods Thirty consecutive women with mild preeclampsia and
sixty consecutive women with severe preeclampsia were compared with ninety
gestational age-matched (±1 week) non-preeclamptic pregnant women with
an appropriate-for-gestational-age (AGA) fetus.

Results Mean serum vasostatin-1 was significantly higher in women with
preeclampsia than gestational age-matched controls. Mean serum vasostatin-1 was
significantly higher in the mild preeclampsia group compared to its gestational
age-matched control group, and in the severe preeclampsia group compared to its
gestational age-matched control group. There was no significant difference in
mean serum vasostatin-1 levels between the mild and severe preeclampsia groups,
and in severe early- and severe late-onset preeclampsia groups. Serum
vasostatin-1 had positive correlations with systolic and diastolic blood
pressure.

Conclusion Serum vasostatin-1 was significantly higher in women with
preeclampsia compared to those of the gestational age-matched controls. There
was no significant difference in mean serum vasostatin-1 levels between the mild
and severe preeclampsia groups and severe early- and severe late-onset
preeclampsia groups.
Complementary Photocatalytic Toolbox: Control of Intramolecular endo- versus exo-trig Cyclizations of α-Phenyl Olefins to Oxaheterocyclic Products
Authors: Wagenknecht Hans-Achim , Weick Fabian , Steuernagel Desirée , Belov Arina
Published: February 2022

The regioselectivity of the intramolecular cyclization of bifunctional α-phenyl alkenes can be controlled simply by the choice of the organic chromophore as the photocatalyst. The central photoredox catalytic reaction in both cases is a nucleophilic addition of the hydroxy function to the olefin function of the substrates. N,N-(4-Diisobutylaminophenyl)phenothiazine catalyzes exo-trig cyclizations, whereas 1,7-dicyanoperylene-3,4,9,10-tetracarboxylic acid bisimides catalyze endo-trig additions to products with anti-Markovnikov regioselectivity. We preliminarily report the photoredox catalytic conversions of 11 representative substrates into 20 oxaheterocycles in order to demonstrate the similarity, but also the complementarity, of these two variants in this photoredox catalytic toolbox.
Effectiveness of a Uniquely Designed Oral Appliance on Obstructive Sleep Apnea Control: A Pilot Study
Authors: Barbosa Denise Fernandes , Meira e Cruz Miguel , Alves Marcelo Corrêa , Zancanella Edilson , Berzin Fausto , Júnior Almiro José Machado
Published: February 2022

Objectives Obstructive sleep apnea is an inflammatory, chronic, and evolutive disease often needing adequate treatment and follow-up. The oral appliance (OA) is an accepted alternative therapy for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) control. Due to greater adherence, OA with mandibular advancement (OAm) is being recommended treatment for patients who refuse or do not tolerate continuous positive airway pressure. The mode of action of OAm is to promote the advancement of the mandible or tongue with a subsequent increase in the tone of the pharyngeal muscles and the permeability of the upper airway, but most OAm use conventional models as reference, analogic, or digital, dissociating dental arches of the skull structures.

Materials and Methods A retrospective longitudinal study of 33 OSA patient treated with a different OAm, that use Camper plane as reference with skull structures for dental arches disocclusion, where polysomnographic, cephalometric measures, and subjective data from questionnaires pre- and post-treatment were assessed and correlated. Descriptive analysis, correlated Chi-square tests, and basic statistics were used. Generalized linear mixed model for repeated measure and post hoc Tukey–Kramer test compares the variables pre- and post-treatment. Shapiro–Wilk test and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used. All statistical tests were set in 5% level of significance.

Results Regarding polysomnography data, there was a significant association between apnea hypopnea index (AHI) with oxygen saturation, arousal index (AI) and the maximum heartbeats, and sleep improvement and health risk reduction. Additionally, from cephalometric data, it was found a significant association between the tongue posture with the soft palate, hioyd-C3 and, lower and posterior airway. When both parameters are correlated, there are a significant dependent association with hyoid bone position with AHI and AI. The limitation of this study was the two-dimensional image used without provide volumetric measurements, but this limitation was reduced with the follow-up polysomnography parameters.

Conclusion In this pilot study, DIORS OAm as an uniquely designed device using Camper plane as a reference for disocclusion was effective in the control of OSA.