bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous determination of cis- and trans-palmitoleic acid in rat serum by UPLC–MS/MS
Authors: Huang Wenwen , Zhang Yiping , Zhong Liping , Sun Chunlong , Zhang Zaiwang
Published: October 2022

Palmitoleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid which could affect glucose and lipid metabolism and reduce insulin resistance has two isomers, i.e. cis-palmitoleic acid (cPOA) and trans-palmitoleic acid (tPOA). However, the pharmacokinetic, metabolic transformation and structure–activity relationship of the two isomers have not been reported. A precise and accurate ultra performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectroscopy (UPLC–MS/MS) method was developed to determine cPOA and tPOA simultaneously. Both the cPOA and tPOA were administered i.g. (intragastric gavage) to rats at 75 mg/kg. Serum samples were collected and analyzed for the two isomers by UPLC–MS/MS on a reverse-phase BDS C18 column equilibrated and eluted with water (A) and acetonitrile (B) at a flow rate of 0.3 mL/min. The calibration curves for cPOA and tPOA were linear over the range 0.1–12 μg/mL. Analytes were monitored by selected-reaction monitoring in negative electrospray ionization mode. The Tmax of cPOA was 0.94 ± 0.44 h and the Cmax 8.17 ± 1.97 μg/L, and the Tmax and Cmax of tPOA were 1.50 ± 0.98 h and 14.77 ± 11.91 μg/L, respectively. AUC0–24 h of cPOA and tPOA were 59.45 ± 29.83 and 113.88 ± 72.25 mg/L·h. The method was applied in pharmacokinetic study of cPOA and tPOA in rat serum successfully. Besides, the concentrations of cPOA and tPOA in rat serums were observed fluctuating with a consistent trend, which may be due to reciprocal bio-convert in the body.
Association between class of foundational medication for heart failure and prognosis in heart failure with reduced/mildly reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Ito Miyuki , Maeda Daichi , Matsue Yuya , Shiraishi Yasuyuki , Dotare Taishi , Sunayama Tsutomu , Nogi Kazutaka , Takei Makoto , Ueda Tomoya , Nogi Maki , Ishihara Satomi , Nakada Yasuki , Kawakami Rika , Kagiyama Nobuyuki , Kitai Takeshi , Oishi Shogo , Akiyama Eiichi , Suzuki Satoshi , Yamamoto Masayoshi , Kida Keisuke , Okumura Takahiro , Nagatomo Yuji , Kohno Takashi , Nakano Shintaro , Kohsaka Shun , Yoshikawa Tsutomu , Saito Yoshihiko , Minamino Tohru
Published: October 2022

We clarified the association between changes in the number of foundational medications for heart failure (FMHF) during hospitalization for worsening heart failure (HF) and post-discharge prognosis. We retrospectively analyzed a combined dataset from three large-scale registries of hospitalized patients with HF in Japan (NARA-HF, WET-HF, and REALITY-AHF) and patients diagnosed with HF with reduced or mildly reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFr/mrEF) before admission. Patients were stratified by changes in the number of prescribed FMHF classes from admission to discharge: angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, and mineralocorticoid receptor blockers. Primary endpoint was the combined endpoint of HF rehospitalization and all-cause death within 1 year of discharge. The cohort comprised 1113 patients, and 482 combined endpoints were observed. Overall, FMHF prescriptions increased in 413 (37.1%) patients (increased group), remained unchanged in 607 (54.5%) (unchanged group), and decreased in 93 (8.4%) (decreased group) at discharge compared with that during admission. In the multivariable analysis, the increased group had a significantly lower incidence of the primary endpoint than the unchanged group (hazard ratio 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.45–0.60; P < 0.001). In conclusion, increase in FMHF classes during HF hospitalization is associated with a better prognosis in patients with HFr/mrEF.
High quality monocular depth estimation with parallel decoder
Authors: Liu Jiatao , Zhang Yaping
Published: October 2022

Monocular depth estimation aims to recover the depth information in three-dimensional (3D) space from a single image efficiently, but it is an ill-posed problem. Recently, Transformer-based architectures have achieved excellent accuracy in monocular depth estimation. However, due to the characteristics of Transformer, the model parameters are huge and the inference speed is slow. In traditional convolutional neural network–based architectures, many encoder-decoders perform serial fusion of the multi-scale features of each stage of the encoder and then output predictions. However, in these approaches it may be difficult to recover the spatial information lost by the encoder during pooling and convolution. To enhance this serial structure, we propose a structure from the decoder perspective, which first predicts global and local depth information in parallel and then fuses them. Results show that this structure is an effective improvement over traditional methods and has accuracy comparable with that of state-of-the-art methods in both indoor and outdoor scenes, but with fewer parameters and computations. Moreover, results of ablation studies verify the effectiveness of the proposed decoder.
Effects of tiotropium on the risk of coronary heart disease in patients with COPD: a nationwide cohort study
Authors: Shin Jiyoung , Lee Jin Hwa
Published: October 2022

Inhaled long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA) is recommended for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, there is still concern that LAMA may cause cardiovascular adverse events in COPD patients. Therefore, this study aimed to determine whether the administration of tiotropium, the first commercially available LAMA, could increase the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD) in COPD patients through a nationwide cohort study. We used the Korean National Health Insurance Service-National Sample Cohort (NHIS-NSC) database between 2002 and 2014 for the analysis. We applied a washout period of COPD diagnosis during 2002–2003 and excluded the patients who used an inhaler before the diagnosis of COPD. We also excluded patients who were diagnosed with CHD before inhaler use. Among a total of 5787 COPD patients, 1074 patients were diagnosed with CHD. In the Cox regression models with time-dependent tiotropium usage, we found that tiotropium significantly increased the risk of CHD in a subgroup of age $$\ge \hspace{0.17em}$$

≥

55 years compared to non-users of tiotropium (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.003–1.54). When analyzed by dividing into tertiles (high/middle/low) according to the cumulative tiotropium exposure, the high tertile exposure group of tiotropium was associated with a higher risk of CHD compared with the low tertile exposure group of tiotropium. Additionally, the risk of CHD was higher in the high tertile exposure group of tiotropium in the age 55 and older group and in the never smoker group. When prescribing tiotropium for COPD patients, particularly those over 55 years of age and never-smokers, it is desirable to evaluate the risk of CHD in advance and closely follow-up for CHD occurrence.
Electrophysiological correlates of masked orthographic and phonological priming in Chinese–English bilinguals
Authors: Zhang Er-Hu , Li Jiaxin , Zhang Xin-Dong , Li Defeng , Cao Hong-Wen
Published: October 2022

Extensive behavioral and electrophysiological evidence has demonstrated that native translations are automatically activated when bilinguals read non-native words. The present study investigated the impact of cross-language orthography and phonology on Chinese–English bilingual lexicons with a masked priming paradigm. The masked primes and targets were either translation equivalents (TE), orthographically related through translation (OR), phonologically related through translation (PR), or unrelated control (UC). Participants retained the targets in memory and decided whether the delayed catch words matched the targets. ERP data showed significant masked translation priming effects, as reflected by decreased ERP amplitudes in the TE condition in the 300–600 ms time window from frontal to parietal electrode clusters. Importantly, compared with the UC condition, the PR rather than OR condition elicited less negative ERP waveforms in the 300–500 ms time window with a frontal distribution. Taken together, these temporal and spatial dynamics suggested an automatic cross-language co-activation at the phonological and semantic levels for different-script bilinguals.
NF-kappa B expression in resected specimen of colonic cancer is higher compared to its expression in inflammatory bowel diseases and polyps
Authors: Berkovich Liron , Gerber Mirit , Katzav Aviva , Kidron Debora , Avital Shmuel
Published: October 2022

NF-Kappa B has a significant role in inflammatory processes as well as in colorectal cancer. The aim of this study was to compare the expression of NF-kappa B in colonic adenocarcinoma specimen, colonic adenomas and inflammatory colonic tissues. Patients with colorectal cancer (CRC), colonic adenomas and inflammatory processes undergoing surgery were recruited. Following a routine pathological evaluation tissue samples were stained using anti NF-κB monoclonal antibodies. Expression of NF-κB was quantified using IMAGEJ program for immunohistochemistry staining. Samples were also stained and quantified for CEA expression. Fifty-six patients were included. 30 cancers, 6 polyps and 20 inflammatory processes. Expression of NF-κB was similar between polypoid and inflammation etiologies. However, it was significantly higher in CRC compared to both (p < 0.05). In cancer patients, NF-κB expression in the resection margins was correlated with positive node status. CEA expression was higher in the cancer group, less in the IBD group and the lowest in the colonic non diseased margins. Our results provide a supportive evidence that NF-κB pathway is strongly involved in colon cancer development and metastasis. Interestingly, expression of NF-κB in benign polypoid lesions was as high as in inflammatory etiologies. This support the role of NF-κB early in the adenoma to carcinoma sequence. Further research is needed to evaluate the exact role of NF-κB in tumor progression in order to look for diagnostic and therapeutic possibilities.
Comprehensive toxicity screening of Pazarsuyu stream water containing heavy metals and protective role of lycopene
Authors: Doğan Mahmut , Çavuşoğlu Kültiğin , Yalçin Emine , Acar Ali
Published: October 2022

In this study, heavy metal pollution in the Pazarsuyu stream of Giresun province and the protective role of lycopene against the toxicity caused by this pollution were investigated using theAlliumtest. Germination percentage, root length and weight gain as physiological markers of toxicity; mitotic index (MI), micronucleus (MN) and chromosomal aberrations (CAs) as genetic markers of toxicity; malondialdehyde (MDA) level, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) activities as biochemical markers of toxicity, and meristematic cell damages were used as anatomical markers. For this aimAllium cepaL. bulbs were divided into six groups and germinated for 72 h with 215 mg/L and 430 mg/L doses of lycopene, tap water and stream water. Heavy metals pollution was analyzed with ICP-MS and Fe > Sr > Ba > Be > Mo > Li were determined according to the rate of presence in the water samples of Pazarsuyu. As a result, germination-related parameters and meristematic cell proliferation of bulbs germinated with Pazarsuyu water samples decreased significantly. Germination percentage, root length and weight gain of the group treated with Pazarsuyu water samples were decreased 50%, 73% and 68%, respectively compared to control. In addition, MN and CAs frequencies, indicating the genotoxic effects, were increased and significant abnormalities were detected in MDA, SOD and CAT levels, which indicate the deterioration of antioxidant/oxidant balance. CA observed with high frequency was also confirmed by DNA fragmentation determined by the Comet test. Stream water application promoted anatomical damages such as epidermis and cortex cell damage, accumulation of some substances in cortex cells, flattened cell nucleus and non-apparent appearance of conduction tissue in root tip meristem cells. All these abnormalities observed inA. ceparoot tip cells were associated with the presence of heavy metals in the water samples. Simultaneous application of lycopene with stream water reduced the effects of heavy metals and resulted in a dose-dependent improvement in all parameters studied. Lycopene application showed a protective role by providing an increase in germination parameters and MI, decrease in MN and CAs frequencies, and improvements in MDA, SOD and CAT activities. As a result, heavy metals detected in the water samples of Pazarsuyu stream caused multiple toxicities in the bio-indicator plant, and lycopene reduced this toxicity and recorded a protective role.
Convolutional neural network-based respiration analysis of electrical activities of the diaphragm
Authors: Lee Hyun-Gyu , Lee Gahee , Lee Juyoung
Published: October 2022

The electrical activity of the diaphragm (Edi) is considered a new respiratory vital sign for monitoring breathing patterns and efforts during ventilator care. However, the Edi signal contains irregular noise from complex causes, which makes reliable breathing analysis difficult. Deep learning was implemented to accurately detect the Edi signal peaks and analyze actual neural breathing in premature infants. Edi signals were collected from 17 premature infants born before gestational age less than 32 weeks, who received ventilatory support with a non-invasive neurally adjusted ventilatory assist. First, a local maximal detection method that over-detects candidate Edi peaks was used. Subsequently, a convolutional neural network-based deep learning was implemented to classify candidates into final Edi peaks. Our approach showed superior performance in all aspects of respiratory Edi peak detection and neural breathing analysis compared with the currently used recording technique in the ventilator. The method obtained a f1-score of 0.956 for the Edi peak detection performance and$${R}^{2}$$R2value of 0.823 for respiratory rates based on the number of Edi peaks. The proposed technique can achieve a more reliable analysis of Edi signals, including evaluation of the respiration rate in premature infants.
Fracture resistance of bonded ceramic overlay restorations prepared in various designs
Authors: Channarong Wilasinee , Lohawiboonkij Nuttakarn , Jaleyasuthumkul Pitsinee , Ketpan Kittipong , Duangrattanaprathip Nut , Wayakanon Kornchanok
Published: October 2022

This study investigates fracture resistance of adhesive ceramic overlays of various designs. Forty-eight upper premolar teeth were divided into eight groups. The variations were: shoulder margins on the buccal and lingual surfaces with axial wall heights of 1, 2, or 3 mm; one shoulder margin with axial wall height of 1, 2, or 3 mm on the lingual surface and one contrabevel margin on the buccal surface; contrabevel margins on the buccal and lingual surfaces; and a control of sound teeth. Overlays were designed and fabricated with CAD/CAM using zirconia-reinforced lithium disilicate ceramic and bonded with resin cement. Samples underwent thermocycling and dynamic fatigue equivalent to 6 months of use. Compressive loading was applied until fracture, and fracture mode was analyzed. Results showed no statistical difference in fracture resistance between designs, and the fracture pattern of most was involvement of pulp tissue and below the CEJ. Fracture resistance of the restored teeth was also not statistically different from the control. All control fractures were within the dentin and above the CEJ. Overlay restorations were therefore effective in strengthening damaged teeth and imparting fracture resistance equal to sound teeth, and axial wall heights and margin types did not influence this result.
Metalloenzyme signatures in authigenic carbonates from the Chukchi Borderlands in the western Arctic Ocean
Authors: Lee Dong-Hun , Kim Jung-Hyun , Lee Yung Mi , Bayon Germain , Kim Dahae , Joe Young Jin , Wang Xudong , Shin Kyung-Hoon , Jin Young Keun
Published: October 2022

Migration of methane-rich fluids at submarine cold seeps drives intense microbial activity and precipitation of authigenic carbonates. In this study, we analyzed microbially derived authigenic carbonate samples recently recovered from active gas hydrate mounds on the southwestern slope of the Chukchi Borderlands (CB), western Arctic Ocean. Our main aim was to characterize the distribution patterns of trace elements in carbonate-hosted lipid fractions to assess metalloenzyme requirements of microbes involved in anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM). We measured stable isotopes, trace elements, lipid biomarkers, and genomic DNA, and results indicate the dominance of AOM-related lipid biomarkers in studied carbonate samples, as well as a predominant occurrence of the anaerobic methanotrophic archaea (ANME)-1. We also report evidence for significant preferential enrichments of various trace elements (Li, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, and Mo) in the total lipid fractions of CB carbonates, relative to elemental compositions determined for corresponding carbonate fractions, which differ from those previously reported for other seep sites. We hypothesize that trace element enrichments in carbonate-hosted lipid fractions could vary depending on the type of AOM microbial assemblage. Additional work is required to further investigate the mechanisms of lipid-bound trace elements in cold seep carbonates as potential metalloenzymes in AOM.
Vitamin D status of the Russian adult population from 2013 to 2018
Authors: Smirnova Daria V. , Rehm Colin D. , Fritz Ronald D. , Kutepova Inga S. , Soshina Maria S. , Berezhnaya Yulia A.
Published: October 2022

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread globally, however available data for the Russian adult population is fragmented. This cross-sectional study used secondary data for individuals undergoing testing for vitamin D concentrations from 2013 to 2018 by InVitro laboratory. 25(OH)D serum concentration was determined using chemiluminescent microparticle immunoassay. The mean, median, and proportion with severe, deficient, insufficient and sufficient 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations were estimated. Splines examined the effect of latitude on 25(OH)D concentrations. Data were available for 30,040 subjects age ≥ 18 years. 24.2% of the sampled population had sufficient (30–< 150 25(OH)D ng/mL), 34% deficient (10–19.9 ng/mL) and 5.6% severely deficient (< 10 ng/mL) status. Average 25(OH)D concentrations were highest among 30–44 years and lowest amongst older adults; females had modestly higher values. Concentrations were 15% higher in fall/summer vs. winter/spring. A non-linear relationship was observed by latitude; the highest 25(OH)D concentrations were observed near 54°N, decreasing at more southern latitudes for women and more northern latitudes for both sexes. These results are comparable to other Northern European publications and limited Russian samples demonstrating low concentrations. Acknowledging that nationally-representative and randomly sampled data are needed, the present data suggest the burden may be high and identifies some population sub-groups and geographic areas with a higher potential deficiency of vitamin D.
Congenital adiponectin deficiency mitigates high-fat-diet-induced obesity in gonadally intact male and female, but not in ovariectomized mice
Authors: Unger Christian A. , Aladhami Ahmed K. , Hope Marion C. , Pourhoseini Sahar , Nagarkatti Mitzi , McGuinness Owen P. , Murphy E. Angela , Velázquez Kandy T. , Enos Reilly T.
Published: October 2022

Epidemiological literature indicates that women are less susceptible to type II diabetes (T2D) than males. The general consensus is that estrogen is protective, whereas its deficiency in post-menopause is associated with adiposity and impaired insulin sensitivity. However, epidemiological data suggests that males are more prone to developing T2D, and at a lower BMI, compared to females during post-menopausal years; suggesting that another factor, other than estrogen, protects females. We proposed to determine if adiponectin (APN) serves as this protective factor. An initial experiment was performed in which gonadally intact male and female mice were fed either a purified low-fat diet (LFD) or high-fat diet (HFD) (40% kcals from fat) for 16 weeks. An additional group of HFD ovariectomy (OVX) mice were included to assess estrogen deficiency’s impact on obesity. Body composition, adipose tissue inflammation, ectopic lipid accumulation as well as glucose metabolism and insulin resistance were assessed. In corroboration with previous data, estrogen deficiency (OVX) exacerbated HFD-induced obesity in female mice. However, despite a higher body fat percentage and a similar degree of hepatic and skeletal muscle lipid accumulation, female OVX HFD-fed mice exhibited enhanced insulin sensitivity relative to HFD-fed males. Therefore, a subsequent HFD experiment was performed utilizing male and female (both gonadally intact and OVX) APN deficient mice (APN−/−) and wildtype littermates to determine if APN is the factor which protects OVX females from the similar degree of metabolic dysfunction as males in the setting of obesity. Indirect calorimetry was used to determine observed phenotype differences. APN deficiency limited adiposity and mitigated HFD-induced insulin resistance and adipose tissue inflammation in gonadally intact male and female, but not in OVX mice. Using indirect calorimetry, we uncovered that slight, but non-statistically significant differences in food intake and energy expenditure leading to a net difference in energy balance likely explain the reduced body weight exhibited by male APN-deficient mice. In conclusion, congenital APN deficiency is protective against obesity development in gonadally intact mice, however, in the setting of estrogen deficiency (OVX) this is not true. These findings suggest that gonadal status dictates the protective effects of congenital APN deficiency in the setting of HFD-induced obesity.
Functional expression of the nitrogenase Fe protein in transgenic rice
Authors: Baysal Can , Burén Stefan , He Wenshu , Jiang Xi , Capell Teresa , Rubio Luis M. , Christou Paul
Published: October 2022

Engineering cereals to express functional nitrogenase is a long-term goal of plant biotechnology and would permit partial or total replacement of synthetic N fertilizers by metabolization of atmospheric N2. Developing this technology is hindered by the genetic and biochemical complexity of nitrogenase biosynthesis. Nitrogenase and many of the accessory proteins involved in its assembly and function are O2 sensitive and only sparingly soluble in non-native hosts. We generated transgenic rice plants expressing the nitrogenase structural component, Fe protein (NifH), which carries a [4Fe-4S] cluster in its active form. NifH from Hydrogenobacter thermophilus was targeted to mitochondria together with the putative peptidyl prolyl cis‐trans isomerase NifM from Azotobacter vinelandii to assist in NifH polypeptide folding. The isolated NifH was partially active in electron transfer to the MoFe protein nitrogenase component (NifDK) and in the biosynthesis of the nitrogenase iron-molybdenum cofactor (FeMo-co), two fundamental roles for NifH in N2 fixation. NifH functionality was, however, limited by poor [4Fe-4S] cluster occupancy, highlighting the importance of in vivo [Fe-S] cluster insertion and stability to achieve biological N2 fixation in planta. Nevertheless, the expression and activity of a nitrogenase component in rice plants represents the first major step to engineer functional nitrogenase in cereal crops.
Cephalosporin translocation across enterobacterial OmpF and OmpC channels, a filter across the outer membrane
Authors: Masi Muriel , Vergalli Julia , Ghai Ishan , Barba-Bon Andrea , Schembri Thérèse , Nau Werner M. , Lafitte Daniel , Winterhalter Mathias , Pagès Jean-Marie
Published: October 2022

Gram-negative porins are the main entry for small hydrophilic molecules. We studied translocation of structurally related cephalosporins, ceftazidime (CAZ), cefotaxime (CTX) and cefepime (FEP). CAZ is highly active on E. coli producing OmpF (Outer membrane protein F) but less efficient on cells expressing OmpC (Outer membrane protein C), whereas FEP and CTX kill bacteria regardless of the porin expressed. This matches with the different capacity of CAZ and FEP to accumulate into bacterial cells as quantified by LC-MS/MS (Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry). Furthermore, porin reconstitution into planar lipid bilayer and zero current assays suggest permeation of ≈1,000 molecules of CAZ per sec and per channel through OmpF versus ≈500 through OmpC. Here, the instant killing is directly correlated to internal drug concentration. We propose that the net negative charge of CAZ represents a key advantage for permeation through OmpF porins that are less cation-selective than OmpC. These data could explain the decreased susceptibility to some cephalosporins of enterobacteria that exclusively express OmpC porins.
Quantitative profiling of PTM stoichiometry by resolvable mass tags
Authors: Chen Ying , Quan Baiyi , Li Yuanpei , Liu Yuan , Qin Wei , Wang Chu
Published: October 2022

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) play important roles in modulating the biological functions of proteins.
A long-wavelength xanthene dye for photoacoustic imaging
Authors: Zhou Xinqi , Fang Yuan , Wimalasiri Viranga , Stains Cliff I. , Miller Evan W.
Published: October 2022

Xanthene dyes are repurposed for photoacoustic (PA) imaging by the introduction of an sp2 hybridized ketone group. The new dyes exhibit remarkable PA signal at 860 nm and can be multiplexed with indocyanine green (ICG) in blood.
Correction: Nickel-catalyzed 1,4-aryl rearrangement of aryl N-benzylimidates via C–O and C–H bond cleavage
Authors: Ogawa Satoshi , Tobisu Mamoru
Published: October 2022

Correction for ‘Nickel-catalyzed 1,4-aryl rearrangement of aryl N-benzylimidates via C–O and C–H bond cleavage’ by Satoshi Ogawa et al., Chem. Commun., 2022, 58, 7909–7911, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2CC02355E.
In vitro crystallization of calcium carbonate mediated by proteins extracted from P. placenta shells
Authors: Song Ningjing , Li Jiangfeng , Li Baosheng , Pan Ercai , Gao Juan , Ma Yurong
Published: October 2022

The ASM extracted from the shells of P. placenta can stabilize ACC and inhibit secondary nucleation for 10 hours, and an explosive secondary nucleation and quick crystal growth from 50 nm to 10 μm can be finished on the shell surface in one hour.
Mo3(C6O6)2 monolayer as a promising electrocatalyst for the CO2 reduction reaction: a first-principles study
Authors: Geng Weixiang , Li Tianchun , Zhu Xiaorong , Jing Yu
Published: October 2022

Mo3(C6O6)2 monolayers are potential electrocatalysts for CO2 reduction reaction (CRR). The electrochemical performances can be further improved by coordinating with hydroxyl groups, which show improved performance for the production of methane.
Observation of surface species in plasma-catalytic dry reforming of methane in a novel atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier dischargein situIR cell
Authors: Van Turnhout Joran , Aceto Domenico , Travert Arnaud , Bazin Philippe , Thibault-Starzyk Frédéric , Bogaerts Annemie , Azzolina-Jury Federico
Published: October 2022

Ourin situ operandoIR DBD cell makes it possible to study the surface species formed in a plasma-catalytic system.
Epigallocatechin-gallate tailors the cell adhesivity of fibronectin coatings in oxidation and concentration-dependent manner
Authors: Peter Beatrix , Kanyo Nicolett , Szekacs Inna , Csampai Antal , Bosze Szilvia , Horvath Robert
Published: October 2022

The interaction between fibronectin and EGCG and its oxidized form was monitored with the subsequent cell adhesion by biosensor. Quantum-chemical modelling was used to reveal the molecular scale active mechanism and explain the recorded kinetics.
A wireless “Janus” soft gripper with multiple tactile sensors
Authors: Han Lei , Wang Rui , Dong Yupeng , Zhang Xun , Wu Chenggen , Zhao Xiaoguang
Published: October 2022

We propose a fully flexible gripper integrated with pressure and material sensors. The sensing information can be wirelessly transmitted to the processor for analysis to acquire tactile information.
Carbon bridged biphenolate ligands in rare earth chemistry
Authors: Shephard Angus C. G. , Ali Safaa H. , Deacon Glen B. , Junk Peter C.
Published: October 2022

This review highlights rare earth biphenolates as they offer a diversity over simpler aryloxides, as well as their efficacy as catalysts and initiators in organic transformations and polymerisations.
Fe-catalyzed denitrative cyanoalkylation of nitroalkenes with cycloketone oxime esters via reductive C–C bond formation
Authors: Wu Zefeng , Li Xiangxiang , Li Tao , Xiao Tiebo , Jiang Yubo , Qin Guiping
Published: October 2022

An iron catalyzed reductive denitrative cyanoalkylation of nitroalkenes with cycloketone oxime esters using Zn as the reductant has been successfully established in which the NO2 of nitroalkenes eventually acts as a leaving group.
Rational construction of yolk–shell CoP/N,P co-doped mesoporous carbon nanowires as anodes for ultralong cycle life sodium-ion batteries
Authors: Lin Zhiya , Tan Xueqing , Lin Yanping , Lin Jianping , Yang Wenyu , Huang Zhiqiang , Ying Shaoming , Huang Xiaohui
Published: October 2022

Owing to the natural abundance and low-cost of sodium, sodium-ion batteries offer advantages for next-generation portable electronic devices and smart grids.
Study of the ordered assembly morphologies of diblock copolymers on the same substrate
Authors: Zhang Baolin , Meng Lingkuan , Li Zili
Published: October 2022

With the development of frontier technology in emerging semiconductor processes, directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymer has attracted great attention from scientific researchers and become promising candidate for advanced photolithography.
Three-dimensional Ni4O4-cubane metal–organic framework as a high-performance electrocatalyst for urea oxidation
Authors: Batool Mariam , Waseem Amir , Nadeem Muhammad Arif
Published: October 2022

The phenomenally low potential required by MOF 1 for the UOR can be an efficient replacement for the sluggish OER.
Synergistic effects of Ni–Fe alloy catalysts on dry reforming of methane at low temperatures in an electric field
Authors: Motomura Ayaka , Nakaya Yuki , Sampson Clarence , Higo Takuma , Torimoto Maki , Tsuneki Hideaki , Furukawa Shinya , Sekine Yasushi
Published: October 2022

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) is a promising reaction able to convert greenhouse gases (CO2 and CH4) into syngas: an important chemical feedstock.
Correction: Structural, magnetic and hyperthermia properties and their correlation in cobalt-doped magnetite nanoparticles
Authors: Phong L. T. H. , Manh D. H. , Nam P. H. , Lam V. D. , Khuyen B. X. , Tung B. S. , Bach T. N. , Tung D. K. , Phuc N. X. , Hung T. V. , Mai Thi Ly , Phan The-Long , Phan Manh Huong
Published: October 2022

Correction for ‘Structural, magnetic and hyperthermia properties and their correlation in cobalt-doped magnetite nanoparticles’ by L. T. H. Phong et al., RSC Adv., 2022, 12, 698–707, https://doi.org/10.1039/d1ra07407e.
Open a new window in the world of circulating microRNAs by merging ChemiRNA Tech with a Luminex platform
Authors: Marín-Romero Antonio , Tabraue-Chávez Mavys , Dear James W. , Díaz-Mochón Juan José , Pernagallo Salvatore
Published: October 2022

miRNA analysis simplified using multi-ChemiRNA Tech.
New mechanisms for bacterial degradation of sulfoquinovose
Authors: Wei Yifeng , Tong Yang , Zhang Yan
Published: October 2022

Sulfoquinovose (SQ, 6-deoxy-6-sulfo-D-glucose) is a sulfo-sugar with a ubiquitous distribution in the environment due to its production by plants and other photosynthetic organisms. Bacteria play an important role in degradation of SQ and recycling of its constituent sulfur and carbon. Since its discovery in 1963, SQ was noted to have a structural resemblance to glucose-6-phosphate and proposed to be degraded through a pathway analogous to glycolysis, termed sulfoglycolysis. Studies in recent years have uncovered an unexpectedly diverse array of sulfoglycolytic pathways in different bacteria, including one analogous to the Embden–Meyerhof–Parnas pathway (sulfo-EMP), one analogous to the Entner–Doudoroff pathway (sulfo-ED), and two involving sulfo-sugar cleavage by a transaldolase (sulfo-TAL) and transketolase (sulfo-TK), respectively, analogous to reactions in the pentose phosphate (PP) pathway. In addition, a non-sulfoglycolytic SQ degradation pathway was also reported, involving oxygenolytic C-S cleavage catalyzed by a homolog of alkanesulfonate monooxygenase (sulfo-ASMO). Here, we review the discovery of these new mechanisms of SQ degradation and lessons learnt in the study of new catabolic enzymes and pathways in bacteria.
Striving for sustainable biosynthesis: discovery, diversification, and production of antimicrobial drugs in Escherichia coli
Authors: Iacovelli Riccardo , Sokolova Nika , Haslinger Kristina
Published: October 2022

New antimicrobials need to be discovered to fight the advance of multidrug-resistant pathogens. A promising approach is the screening for antimicrobial agents naturally produced by living organisms. As an alternative to studying the native producer, it is possible to use genetically tractable microbes as heterologous hosts to aid the discovery process, facilitate product diversification through genetic engineering, and ultimately enable environmentally friendly production. In this mini-review, we summarize the literature from 2017 to 2022 on the application of Escherichia coli and E. coli-based platforms as versatile and powerful systems for the discovery, characterization, and sustainable production of antimicrobials. We highlight recent developments in high-throughput screening methods and genetic engineering approaches that build on the strengths of E. coli as an expression host and that led to the production of antimicrobial compounds. In the last section, we briefly discuss new techniques that have not been applied to discover or engineer antimicrobials yet, but that may be useful for this application in the future.
Parent Satisfaction With Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology Telepractice Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Early Look
Authors: Passalacqua Nicole Gabrielle , Perlmutter Amanda
Published: October 2022

Purpose:

The aim of this study was to evaluate parent/guardian satisfaction with speech-language pathology telepractice services provided at a New York–based pediatric health care facility during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, satisfaction with appointment maintenance, progress, acquisition of goals, and parent education was measured.

Method:

Researchers identified patients from 0 to 21 years of age who received at least one speech-language pathology telepractice service from May 1 to May 29, 2020, for study inclusion. One hundred seven patients met the inclusion criteria. A qualitative survey with four Likert scale questions was e-mailed to a parent/guardian of these patients. Questions assessed interest in maintaining telepractice services following the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to rating satisfaction with appointment maintenance, parent/caregiver education, and patient progress. Thirty participants completed the survey, reflecting 28% completion rate.

Results:

Parents/guardians indicated overall satisfaction with pediatric speech-language pathology telepractice services. Qualitative analyses revealed subthemes for advantages and disadvantages of the telepractice platform. Advantages included convenient scheduling and session maintenance, improved safety in the setting of COVID-19, opportunities for visual models that were not possible while masked, and increased opportunities for parent education and training in the child's natural environment. High-level clinician engagement, continuity of care, creativity, and a well-established clinical rapport improved the efficacy of telepractice sessions. Reported disadvantages included distractibility, patient age contingencies, technological difficulties, restricted treatment modalities, and virtual session structure. Results implied a preference for in-person speech-language pathology sessions versus telepractice at this facility.

Conclusions:

The results of this survey study indicated parent satisfaction with speech-language pathology services via telepractice. Patients' return to in-person speech-language pathology sessions when available in subsequent months does imply a preference for in-person care. However, the notable advantages and disadvantages of telepractice expressed by parents/guardians at the researchers' facility during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic offer valuable insights for current and future speech-language pathology telepractice providers.
Integrating Mild Cognitive Impairment Screening Tools in Audiologic Care: A Review
Authors: Washnik Nilesh , Anjum Javad
Published: October 2022

Purpose:

The main purpose of this clinical focus article is to highlight the potential role of audiologists in screening for mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The secondary purpose is to review public health implications of integrating MCI screening procedures in audiologic care for older adults experiencing the dual burden of age-related hearing loss (HL) and cognitive decline. The tertiary purpose is to provide current evidence-based literature regarding cognitive screening tools available for detection of MCI in audiologic practice.

Method:

This clinical focus article is broadly organized into three sections: (a) public health burden of MCI and the role of audiologists in screening for MCI among older adults seeking audiologic care, (b) potential cognitive screening tools amenable for integration into audiologic practice, and (c) recommendations grounded in a public health audiology framework of
assessment, policy,
and
assurance
aimed at improving the audiologic outcomes for older adults experiencing the dual effects of age-related HL and MCI and reducing the overall public health burden of MCI.

Conclusions:

MCI presents an important public health concern for audiologists, as cognitive decline and age-related HL often co-occur. Given the projected increase in the number of older adults in the next 40 years, audiologists will cater to an increasing number of older adults seeking hearing care, who might also have concomitant MCI. Considering cognitive screening procedures in audiologic practice is a key step toward addressing this challenge. It will also be important to integrate cognitive screening procedures and interprofessional management of MCI into the training of future audiologists.
Connected eco‐driving for electric buses along signalized arterials with bus stops
Authors: Shan Xiaonian , Wan Changxin , Hao Peng , Wu Guoyuan , Zhang Xiang
Published: October 2022

With the rapid development of the cooperative vehicle infrastructure system, eco‐approach and departure has been attracting increasing attention for mitigating the impact of signalized intersections, which helps improve the energy efficiency of equipped vehicles. However, existing studies have rarely considered the balance of electric bus energy consumption and traveling time. Meanwhile, the joint effect of bus stops and signalized intersections, and their interactions were not discussed widely with connected and automated electric buses (CAEBs). In this study, an integrated CAEB trajectory planning methodology with the balance of traveling time and energy consumption is proposed. A bi‐level programming model is developed to obtain the optimal trajectories of CAEBs. Numerical experiments are conducted to analyse and compare the model with two baseline models. The results demonstrate the optimal performance of the derived scheme in terms of bus energy consumption, with approximately 30–50% energy savings. Furthermore, model sensitivity analysis is conducted to quantify the impacts of the related system parameters. The findings also reveal that the entry time, conversion coefficient, and final speed have significant impacts on electric bus energy consumption along signalized arterials with bus stops.
Maximum power point tracking in partially shaded photovoltaic systems using grasshopper optimization algorithm
Authors: Mahmoodi Tabar Sadegh , Shahnazari Mostafa , Heshmati Kamila
Published: October 2022

The P–V curve of photovoltaic (PV) arrays has several peaks under partial shading conditions (PSCs). Therefore, to extract maximum power, it is necessary to detect its global maximum power point (GMPP). The conventional maximum power point tracking (MPPT) algorithms are trapped in local maximum power point (LMPP) under PSCs. In this paper, a MPPT method based on grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA) has been presented. A PV system has been implemented in Matlab/Simulink and different operating conditions have been investigated to compare the performance of the proposed method with two well‐known grey wolf optimization (GWO) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithms. Furthermore, an experimental setup has been developed to verify the efficiency of the proposed MPPT method. The simulation and experimental results confirmed the speed and accuracy of convergence compared to GWO and PSO algorithms.
Lower-than-expected flare temperatures for TRAPPIST-1
Authors: Maas A. J. , Ilin E. , Oshagh M. , Pallé E. , Parviainen H. , Molaverdikhani K. , Quirrenbach A. , Esparza-Borges E. , Murgas F. , Béjar V. J. S. , Narita N. , Fukui A. , Lin C.-L. , Mori M. , Klagyivik P.
Published: October 2022

Aims. Stellar flares emit thermal and nonthermal radiation in the X-ray and ultraviolet (UV) regime. Although high energetic radiation from flares is a potential threat to exoplanet atmospheres and may lead to surface sterilization, it might also provide the extra energy for low-mass stars needed to trigger and sustain prebiotic chemistry. Despite the UV continuum emission being constrained partly by the flare temperature, few efforts have been made to determine the flare temperature for ultra-cool M-dwarfs. We investigate two flares on TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf star that hosts seven exoplanets of which three lie within its habitable zone. The flares are detected in all four passbands of the MuSCAT2 instrument allowing a determination of their temperatures and bolometric energies.

Methods. We analyzed the light curves of the MuSCATl (multicolor simultaneous camera for studying atmospheres of transiting exoplanets) and MuSCAT2 instruments obtained between 2016 and 2021 in g, r, i, zs-filters. We conducted an automated flare search and visually confirmed possible flare events. The black body temperatures were inferred directly from the spectral energy distribution (SED) by extrapolating the filter-specific flux. We studied the temperature evolution, the global temperature, and the peak temperature of both flares.

Results. White-light M-dwarf flares are frequently described in the literature by a black body with a temperature of 9000–10 000 K. For the first time we infer effective black body temperatures of flares that occurred on TRAPPIST-1. The black body temperatures for the two TRAPPIST-1 flares derived from the SED are consistent with TSED = 7940−390+430 K and TSED = 6030−270+300 K. The flare black body temperatures at the peak are also calculated from the peak SED yielding TSEDp = 13 620−1220+1520 K and TSEDp = 8290−550+660 K. We update the flare frequency distribution of TRAPPIST-1 and discuss the impacts of lower black body temperatures on exoplanet habitability.

Conclusions. We show that for the ultra-cool M-dwarf TRAPPIST-1 the flare black body temperatures associated with the total continuum emission are lower and not consistent with the usually adopted assumption of 9000–10 000 K in the context of exoplanet research. For the peak emission, both flares seem to be consistent with the typical range from 9000 to 14 000 K, respectively. This could imply different and faster cooling mechanisms. Further multi-color observations are needed to investigate whether or not our observations are a general characteristic of ultra-cool M-dwarfs. This would have significant implications for the habitability of exoplanets around these stars because the UV surface flux is likely to be overestimated by the models with higher flare temperatures.
SEPIA345: A 345 GHz dual polarization heterodyne receiver channel for SEPIA at the APEX telescope
Authors: Meledin D. , Lapkin I. , Fredrixon M. , Sundin E. , Ferm S.-E. , Pavolotsky A. , Strandberg M. , Desmaris V. , López C. , Bergman P. , Olberg M. , Conway J. , Torstensson K. , Durán C. , Montenegro-Montes F. M. , De Breuck C. , Belitsky V.
Published: October 2022

Context. We describe the new SEPIA345 heterodyne receiver channel installed at the Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment (APEX) telescope, including details of its configuration, characteristics, and test results on sky. SEPIA345 is designed and built to be a part of the Swedish ESO PI Instrument for the APEX telescope (SEPIA). This new receiver channel is suitable for very high-resolution spectroscopy and covers the frequency range 272–376 GHz. It utilizes a dual polarization sideband separating (2SB) receiver architecture, employing superconductor-isolator-superconductor mixers (SIS), and provides an intermediate frequency (IF) band of 4–12 GHz for each sideband and polarization, thus covering a total instantaneous IF bandwidth of 4 × 8 = 32 GHz.

Aims. This paper provides a description of the new receiver in terms of its hardware design, performance, and commissioning results.

Methods. The methods of design, construction, and testing of the new receiver are presented.

Results. The achieved receiver performance in terms of noise temperature, sideband rejection, stability, and other parameters are described.

Conclusions. SEPIA345 is a commissioned APEX facility instrument with state-of-the-art wideband IF performance. It has been available on the APEX telescope for science observations since July 2021.
Discovery of 24 radio-bright quasars at 4.9 ≤z≤ 6.6 using low-frequency radio observations
Authors: Gloudemans A. J. , Duncan K. J. , Saxena A. , Harikane Y. , Hill G. J. , Zeimann G. R. , Röttgering H. J. A. , Yang D. , Best P. N. , Bañados E. , Drabent A. , Hardcastle M. J. , Hennawi J. F. , Lansbury G. , Magliocchetti M. , Miley G. K. , Nanni R. , Shimwell T. W. , Smith D. J. B. , Venemans B. P. , Wagenveld J. D.
Published: October 2022

High-redshift quasars (z >  5) that also shine brightly at radio wavelengths are unique signposts of supermassive black hole activity in the early universe. However, bright radio sources atz ≥ 5 are extremely rare and therefore we have started a campaign to search for new high-zquasars by combining an optical dropout selection driven by theg,r, andzbands from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) Legacy Imaging Surveys with low-frequency radio observations from the LOFAR Two-metre Sky Survey (LoTSS). Currently, LoTSS covers a large fraction of the northern sky (∼5720 deg2) to such a depth (median noise level ∼83 μJy beam−1) that about 30% of the general quasar population is detected − which is a factor of 5–10 more than previous large sky radio surveys such as NVSS and FIRST, respectively. In this paper, we present the discovery of 20 new quasars (and the independent confirmation of four) between 4.9 ≤ z ≤ 6.6. Out of the 24 quasars, 21 satisfy the traditional radio-loudness criterion ofR = f5 GHz/f4400 Å >  10, with the full sample spanningR ∼ 6–1000, thereby more than doubling the sample of known radio-loud quasars atz ≥ 5. Our radio detection requirement strongly decreases the contamination of stellar sources and allows one to select these quasars in a broad redshift range. Despite selecting our quasar candidates using fewer and less conservative colour restrictions, both the optical and near-infrared colours, Lyαemission line properties, and dust reddening,E(B − V), measurements of our quasar sample do not deviate from the known radio-quiet quasar population, suggesting similar optical quasar properties of the radio-loud and radio-quiet quasar population at high-z. Our campaign demonstrates the potential for discovering new high-zquasar populations through next generation radio continuum surveys.