bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Miniaturized Vis–NIR handheld spectrometer for non-invasive pigment quantification in agritech applications
Authors: Dinish U. S. , Teng Mark Teo Ju , Xinhui Valerie Teo , Dev Kapil , Tan Javier Jingheng , Koh Sally Shuxian , Urano Daisuke , Olivo Malini
Published: June 2023

Advanced precision agriculture requires the objective measurement of the structural and functional properties of plants. Biochemical profiles in leaves can differ depending on plant growing conditions. By quantitatively detecting these changes, farm production processes can be optimized to achieve high-yield, high-quality, and nutrient dense agricultural products. To enable the rapid and non-destructive detection on site, this study demonstrates the development of a new custom-designed portable handheld Vis–NIR spectrometer that collects leaf reflectance spectra, wirelessly transfers the spectral data through Bluetooth, and provides both raw spectral data and processed information. The spectrometer has two preprogramed methods: anthocyanin and chlorophyll quantification. Anthocyanin content of red and green lettuce estimated with the new spectrometer showed an excellent correlation coefficient of 0.84 with those determined by a destructive gold standard biochemical method. The differences in chlorophyll content were measured using leaf senescence as a case study. Chlorophyll Index calculated with the handheld spectrometer gradually decreased with leaf age as chlorophyll degrades during the process of senescence. The estimated chlorophyll values were highly correlated with those obtained from a commercial fluorescence-based chlorophyll meter with a correlation coefficient of 0.77. The developed portable handheld Vis–NIR spectrometer could be a simple, cost-effective, and easy to operate tool that can be used to non-invasively monitor plant pigment and nutrient content efficiently.
Gene expression in bumble bee larvae differs qualitatively between high and low concentration imidacloprid exposure levels
Authors: Martín-Blázquez Rubén , Calhoun Austin C. , Sadd Ben M. , Cameron Sydney A.
Published: June 2023

Neonicotinoid pesticides negatively impact bumble bee health, even at sublethal concentrations. Responses to the neonicotinoid imidacloprid have been studied largely at individual adult and colony levels, focusing mostly on behavioral and physiological effects. Data from developing larvae, whose health is critical for colony success, are deficient, particularly at the molecular level where transcriptomes can reveal disruption of fundamental biological pathways. We investigated gene expression of Bombus impatiens larvae exposed through food provisions to two field-realistic imidacloprid concentrations (0.7 and 7.0 ppb). We hypothesized both concentrations would alter gene expression, but the higher concentration would have greater qualitative and quantitative effects. We found 678 genes differentially expressed under both imidacloprid exposures relative to controls, including mitochondrial activity, development, and DNA replication genes. However, more genes were differentially expressed with higher imidacloprid exposure; uniquely differentially expressed genes included starvation response and cuticle genes. The former may partially result from reduced pollen use, monitored to verify food provision use and provide additional context to results. A smaller differentially expressed set only in lower concentration larvae, included neural development and cell growth genes. Our findings show varying molecular consequences under different field-realistic neonicotinoid concentrations, and that even low concentrations may affect fundamental biological processes.
The Caenorhabditis elegans Shugoshin regulates TAC-1 in cilia
Authors: Reed R. , Park K. , Waddell B. , Timbers T. A. , Li C. , Baxi K. , Giacomin R. M. , Leroux M. R. , Carvalho C. E.
Published: June 2023

The conserved Shugoshin (SGO) protein family is essential for mediating proper chromosome segregation from yeast to humans but has also been implicated in diverse roles outside of the nucleus. SGO’s roles include inhibiting incorrect spindle attachment in the kinetochore, regulating the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), and ensuring centriole cohesion in the centrosome, all functions that involve different microtubule scaffolding structures in the cell. In Caenorhabditis elegans, a species with holocentric chromosomes, SGO-1 is not required for cohesin protection or spindle attachment but appears important for licensing meiotic recombination. Here we provide the first functional evidence that in C. elegans, Shugoshin functions in another extranuclear, microtubule-based structure, the primary cilium. We identify the centrosomal and microtubule-regulating transforming acidic coiled-coil protein, TACC/TAC-1, which also localizes to the basal body, as an SGO-1 binding protein. Genetic analyses indicate that TAC-1 activity must be maintained below a threshold at the ciliary base for correct cilia function, and that SGO-1 likely participates in constraining TAC-1 to the basal body by influencing the function of the transition zone ‘ciliary gate’. This research expands our understanding of cellular functions of Shugoshin proteins and contributes to the growing examples of overlap between kinetochore, centrosome and cilia proteomes.
Application of self-supervised approaches to the classification of X-ray diffraction spectra during phase transitions
Authors: Sun Yue , Brockhauser Sandor , Hegedűs Péter , Plückthun Christian , Gelisio Luca , Ferreira de Lima Danilo Enoque
Published: June 2023

Spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction techniques encode ample information on investigated samples. The ability of rapidly and accurately extracting these enhances the means to steer the experiment, as well as the understanding of the underlying processes governing the experiment. It improves the efficiency of the experiment, and maximizes the scientific outcome. To address this, we introduce and validate three frameworks based on self-supervised learning which are capable of classifying 1D spectral curves using data transformations preserving the scientific content and only a small amount of data labeled by domain experts. In particular, in this work we focus on the identification of phase transitions in samples investigated by x-ray powder diffraction. We demonstrate that the three frameworks, based either on relational reasoning, contrastive learning, or a combination of the two, are capable of accurately identifying phase transitions. Furthermore, we discuss in detail the selection of data augmentation techniques, crucial to ensure that scientifically meaningful information is retained.
Asymptomatic viral infection is associated with lower host reproductive output in wild mink populations
Authors: Zalewski Andrzej , Virtanen Jenni M. E. , Zalewska Hanna , Sironen Tarja , Kołodziej-Sobocińska Marta
Published: June 2023

Many endemic viruses circulate in populations without hosts showing visible signs of disease, while still having the potential to alter host survival or reproduction. Aleutian Mink Disease Virus (AMDV) circulates in many American mink (Neogale vison) populations in its native and introduced ranges. In this study, we analysed how AMDV infection in female American mink affects the reproduction of a feral population. Females infected with AMDV delivered significantly smaller litters (5.8 pups) than uninfected females (6.3 pups), meaning their litter size was reduced by 8%. Larger females and yearling females had larger litters than smaller and older females. There were no significant differences in whole litter survival between infected and uninfected females; however, offspring survival until September or October within litters of infected females was 14% lower than that within those of uninfected females. This negative link between infection and reproductive output means that Aleutian disease could seriously affect the wild mink population. This study increases our understanding of the threats posed by the spread of viruses to wildlife from farm animals or humans, highlighting that viruses circulating in wildlife, even in the absence of clinical manifestation, can be important drivers of population dynamics in wildlife.
Exposure to polystyrene nanoparticles leads to changes in the zeta potential of bacterial cells
Authors: Zając Marcin , Kotyńska Joanna , Zambrowski Grzegorz , Breczko Joanna , Deptuła Piotr , Cieśluk Mateusz , Zambrzycka Monika , Święcicka Izabela , Bucki Robert , Naumowicz Monika
Published: June 2023

Polymer molecules, the main components of plastics, are an emerging pollutants in various environmental compartments (water, air, soil) that may induce several ecotoxicological effects on live organisms. Therefore, understanding how plastic particles interact with bacterial cell membranes is crucial in analysing their associated risks in ecosystems and human microbiota. However, relatively little is known about the interaction between nanoplastics and bacteria. The present work focuses on Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae, representing the Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria respectively, exposed to 100 nm diameter polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs). The nanoparticles attach to the cells’ membranes of both bacteria, changing their electrical charge, but without the effect of killing the cells. PS NPs caused a change in zeta potential values (both species of bacterial strains), dependent on particle concentration, pH, as well as on exposure time of bacteria to them. Through the application of AFM and FTIR techniques, the presence of PS NPs on bacterial surfaces was detected, suggesting the affinity of the particles to bacterial components, but without any changes in the morphology of the tested bacteria. The zeta potential can be more widely used in the study of interactions between nanostructures and cells.
Novel nomogram for predicting pulmonary complications in patients with blunt chest trauma with rib fractures: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Seok Junepill , Yoon Su Young , Lee Jin Young , Kim Seheon , Cho Hyunmin , Kang Wu Seong
Published: June 2023

The direct consequences of chest trauma may cause adverse outcomes. Therefore, the early detection of high-risk patients and appropriate interventions can improve patient outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the risk factor for overall pulmonary complications in patients with blunt traumatic rib fractures. Prospectively recorded data of patients with blunt chest trauma in a level 1 trauma center between January 2019 and October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The primary outcomes were one or more pulmonary complications. To minimize the overfitting of the prediction model, we used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression. We input selected features using LASSO regression into the multivariable logistic regression model (MLR). We also constructed a nomogram to calculate approximate individual probability. Altogether, 542 patients were included. The LASSO regression model identified age, injury severity score (ISS), and flail motion of the chest wall as significant risk factors. In the MLR analysis, age (adjusted OR [aOR] 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–1.08; p < 0.001), ISS (aOR 1.10; 95% CI 1.05–1.16; p < 0.001), and flail motion (aOR 8.82; 95% CI 4.13–18.83; p < 0.001) were significant. An MLR-based nomogram predicted the individual risk, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.826. We suggest a novel nomogram with good performance for predicting adverse pulmonary outcomes. The flail motion of the chest wall may be the most significant risk factor for pulmonary complications.
Accurate, non-destructive, and high-throughput age estimation for Golden perch (Macquaria ambigua spp.) using DNA methylation
Authors: Mayne Benjamin , Espinoza Tom , Crook David A. , Anderson Chloe , Korbie Darren , Marshall Jonathan C. , Kennard Mark J. , Harding Doug J. , Butler Gavin L. , Roberts Brien , Whiley Josh , Marshall Sharon
Published: June 2023

Age structure information of animal populations is fundamental to their conservation and management. In fisheries, age is routinely obtained by counting daily or annual increments in calcified structures (e.g., otoliths) which requires lethal sampling. Recently, DNA methylation has been shown to estimate age using DNA extracted from fin tissue without the need to kill the fish. In this study we used conserved known age-associated sites from the zebrafish (Danio rerio) genome to predict the age of golden perch (Macquaria ambigua), a large-bodied native fish from eastern Australia. Individuals aged using validated otolith techniques from across the species’ distribution were used to calibrate three epigenetic clocks. One clock was calibrated using daily (daily clock) and another with annual (annual clock) otolith increment counts, respectively. A third used both daily and annual increments (universal clock). We found a high correlation between the otolith and epigenetic age (Pearson correlation > 0.94) across all clocks. The median absolute error was 2.4 days in the daily clock, 184.6 days in the annual clock, and 74.5 days in the universal clock. Our study demonstrates the emerging utility of epigenetic clocks as non-lethal and high-throughput tools for obtaining age estimates to support the management of fish populations and fisheries.
Molecular basis for carrier protein-dependent amide bond formation in the biosynthesis of lincosamide antibiotics
Authors: Mori Takahiro , Kadlcik Stanislav , Lyu Shuang , Kamenik Zdenek , Sakurada Kosuke , Mazumdar Aninda , Wang Huibin , Janata Jiri , Abe Ikuro
Published: June 2023

In the biosynthesis of the lincosamide antibiotic celesticetin, the condensation enzyme CcbD generates the lincosamide pharmacophore by forming an amide bond between the carrier protein (CP)-tethered proline and ergothioneine-conjugated thiooctose. Although the function of CcbD has been investigated, its substrate specificity, structures and catalytic mechanisms remain unclear. Here we show the structure–function analyses of CcbD. Our biochemical analysis revealed that CcbD exhibits promiscuous substrate specificity towards CP-tethered acyl substrates to generate unnatural lincosamides. Furthermore, structural analyses indicated that CcbD possesses an unusual overall fold, while the N-terminal region shows weak similarity to cysteine proteases. Thus, CcbD, like cysteine proteases, utilizes the Cys-His-Glu catalytic triad to form amide bonds in a CP-dependent manner, which is significantly different from other known amide bond-forming enzymes. Furthermore, the structures of the CcbD/thiooctose complex and the cross-linked CcbD/CcbZ-CP complex, as well as structure-based mutagenesis, revealed the intimate structural details of the CP-dependent amide bond formation reaction.
Natural Dietary Antioxidants and Bone Health
Authors: Misra Snigdha , Shyam Sangeetha , Shin Tan Seok
Published: June 2023

Antioxidants, natural or synthetic, may protect cell damage during oxidative stress. Natural antioxidants in foods are attributed to better health and quality of life. Several natural antioxidants are believed to reduce oxidation in cell or lipid peroxidation. Bone health is important for quality of life across the lifespan. Various factors including genetic abnormalities, nutritional deficiencies, hormonal disorders, sedentary lifestyles, and smoking can affect bone health. Oxidative stress is involved in the development of major bone diseases such as osteoporosis. Therefore, it is intuitive that bone health can be promoted by improving the antioxidant status of individuals/populations. In this chapter, the radiological evidence and potential mechanisms through which natural dietary antioxidants improve bone health are discussed. The experimental evidence of foods and food-derived bioactive compounds with antioxidant properties and the potential molecular mechanisms of action are also presented. It is believed that this broad approach is useful in improving bone health through population-based approaches such as development of dietary guidelines and nutraceutical strategies.
Recent research advances on catalysts for selective hydrogenation of ethyne
Authors: Guo Jiawen , Lei Yiming , Liu Huimin , Li Yuqiao , Li Dezheng , He Dehua
Published: June 2023

In this review, recent advances in catalyst design for selective ethyne hydrogenation to ethylene are summarized, encouraging more in-depth research.
A low-content CeOx dually promoted Ni3Fe@CNT electrocatalyst for overall water splitting
Authors: Sun Mingqi , Zhang Shuai , Li Yaru , Yang Chen , Guo Ying , Yang Lan , Xu Sailong
Published: June 2023

Low-content CeOx (3.74 wt%) is introduced to boost Ni3Fe@CNTs/CeOx with satisfactory electrocatalytic performances for the OER and HER, and as an electrolyzer.
A robust MRI contrast agent for specific display of the interstitial stream
Authors: Zhou Xiaohan , Cheng Junwei , He Fangfei , Ao Zhuo , Zhang Peisen , Wang Jing , Li Qing , Tang Weinan , Zhou Yiyan , Liang Yan , Hou Yi , Liu Wentao , Han Dong
Published: June 2023

PAA is modified by DTPA pre-chelation with Gd-based monomers to generate an MRI CA with a highr1and nanoscale diameter, introducing PAA-Gd, then appliedviainterstitial space injection to show interstitial stream. The path to kidneys is depicted.
Recent advances in transition-metal-catalyzed Büchner reaction of alkynes
Authors: Ma Guang , Wei Kua-Fei , Song Man , Dang Yu-Li , Yue Yang , Han Bing , Su Hui , Shen Wen-Bo
Published: June 2023

This review will focus on the transition-metal-catalyzed Büchner reaction of alkynes as an efficient way of assembling functionalized seven-membered ring products.
A thermally induced fluorescence enhancement strategy for efficient all-inorganic rubidium manganese halide
Authors: Tang Huidong , Xu Yanqiao , Hu Qing , Wang Sanhai , Liang Jian , Wang Lianjun , Jiang Wan
Published: June 2023

Efficient and stable all-inorganic rubidium manganese halides are obtainedviaa new thermally induced fluorescence enhancement strategy, which exhibits red emission at 653 nm with a PLQY of 62.8%.
NiWO4nanoparticles with oxygen vacancies: high-efficiency electrosynthesis of ammonia with selective reduction of nitrite
Authors: Qiu Hang , Chen Qiuyue , Zhang Jing , An Xuguang , Liu Qian , Xie Lisi , Yao Weitang , Sun Xuping , Kong Qingquan
Published: June 2023

Monoclinic NiWO4nanoparticles with oxygen vacancies self-supported on nickel foam act as an efficient electrocatalyst for selective NO2−reduction to NH3, offering an NH3yield of ∼10 974.36 μg h−1cm−2and a faradaic efficiency of ∼97.6%.
Gold nanoparticle-based immunochromatographic assay for the rapid detection of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant
Authors: Ye Liya , Lei Xianlu , Xu Liguang , Kuang Hua , Xu Chuanlai , Xu Xinxin
Published: June 2023

At present, the prevalent Omicron mutant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has the characteristics of high infectivity and strong concealment, leading to more asymptomatic infections.
Ag2NCN anchored on Ti3C2TxMXene as a Schottky heterojunction: enhanced visible light photocatalytic efficiency of rhodamine B degradation
Authors: Yu Haidong , Jiang Haibing , Cao Xuan , Yao Shuhua
Published: June 2023

We prepared Ag2NCN/Ti3C2Txby an electrostatically driven self-assembly process with excellent performance of Rh B degradation. The superior visible light absorption and Schottky junction, are responsible for the improved photocatalytic performance.
Simultaneously enhancing the photovoltaic parameters of ternary organic solar cells by incorporating a fused ring electron acceptor
Authors: Zhang Min , Chen Xiaoyuan , Wang Lei , Deng Xiong , Tan Songting
Published: June 2023

The ternary strategy has been recognized as an effective method to improve the photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs).
Digital light processing 3D printing of dynamic magneto-responsive thiol-acrylate composites
Authors: Cazin Ines , Rossegger Elisabeth , Roppolo Ignazio , Sangermano Marco , Granitzer Petra , Rumpf Klemens , Schlögl Sandra
Published: June 2023

Digital light processing 3D printing of magneto-active photopolymer composites containing dynamic covalent bonds is demonstrated.
Development of fluorous boronic acid catalysts integrated with sulfur for enhanced amidation efficiency
Authors: Fridianto Kevin Timothy , Wen Ya-Ping , Lo Lee-Chiang , Lam Yulin
Published: June 2023

A thermally stable, fluorous sulfur-containing boronic acid catalyst has been developed and was shown to efficiently promote dehydrative condensation between carboxylic acids and amines under environmentally friendly conditions.
Correction: Radical ring-opening polymerization of sustainably-derived thionoisochromanone
Authors: Prebihalo Emily A. , Luke Anna M. , Reddi Yernaidu , LaSalle Christopher J. , Shah Vijay M. , Cramer Christopher J. , Reineke Theresa M.
Published: June 2023

Correction for ‘Radical ring-opening polymerization of sustainably-derived thionoisochromanone’ by Emily A. Prebihalo et al., Chem. Sci., 2023, https://doi.org/10.1039/d2sc06040j.
DNA-templated self-assembly of bradykinin into bioactive nanofibrils
Authors: Lourenço Thiago C. , de Mello Lucas R. , Icimoto Marcelo Y. , Bicev Renata N. , Hamley Ian W. , Castelletto Valeria , Nakaie Clovis R. , da Silva Emerson R.
Published: June 2023

DNA strands are used as a template to guide the self-assembly of bradykinin into nanofibrils that exhibit bioactivity and hold promise for nanotherapeutic development in hypertension and related disorders.
Comparative study of the self-assembly behaviour of 3-chloro-4-hydroxy-phenylazo dyes
Authors: Müller Wenke , Schweins Ralf , Nöcker Bernd , Egold Hans , Huber Klaus
Published: June 2023

Three azo dyes with a congruent structural sub-unit significantly differ in their self-assembly in solution. Assembly structure was elucidated and reasons for differences discussed.
Can mycorrhizal fungi fix farming? Benefits and limitations of applying them to agroecosystems
Authors: Watts Alex , Magkourilou Emily , Howard Nathan , Field Katie
Published: June 2023

The intensification of agriculture over the past decades has helped increase crop yields but has also led to various environmental issues, potentially undermining future productivity. One of the options considered for increasing the sustainability of agriculture is the stimulation or enhancement of microorganisms that associate with plants and help them acquire more nutrients from the soil leading to benefits such as increased growth. One key player considered are arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), a group of below-ground fungi that form symbiotic relationships with the vast majority of land plants. However, evidence from lab and field trials suggests that not all plants respond equally to colonization by these fungi, and research is on-going to better understand the context-dependency of the symbiosis. Moreover, introducing AMF to agricultural fields through the application of commercial inoculants that contain fungal spores and hyphae has been inconsistent in their desired effects of boosting crop yield and quality. Recently, a quality framework has been put forward to try and increase the reliability of these inocula so farmers can make better use of them. Although further research on the fundamental and applied aspects of plant–arbuscular mycorrhizal associations is required, agricultural practices that favour these fungi should be encouraged as they are likely to lead to wider benefits and ultimately contribute to a more sustainable agricultural system.
Near-infrared evolution of the equatorial ring of SN 1987A
Authors: Kangas T. , Ahola A. , Fransson C. , Larsson J. , Lundqvist P. , Mattila S. , Leibundgut B.
Published: June 2023

We used adaptive optics imaging and integral field spectroscopy from the Very Large Telescope, together with images from the Hubble Space Telescope, to study the near-infrared (NIR) evolution of the equatorial ring (ER) of SN 1987A. We studied the NIR flux and morphology over time in order to lay the groundwork for James Webb Space Telescope observations of the system. We also studied the differences in the interacting ring structure and flux between optical, NIR, and other wavelengths, and between line and continuum emission, to constrain the underlying physical processes. For the most part, the evolution is similar in the NIR and optical. The morphology of the ER has been skewed toward the west side (with roughly two-thirds of the NIR emission originating there) since around 2010. A steady decline in the ER flux, broadly similar to the mid-infrared and the optical, has been ongoing since roughly this time as well. The expansion velocity of the ER hotspots in the NIR is fully consistent with the optical. However, continuum emission forms roughly 70% of the NIR luminosity, and has been stronger outside the hotspot-defined extent of the ER (relative to the hotspots themselves) than the optical emission or the NIR line emission since 2012–2013, suggesting a faster-expanding continuum component. We find that this outer NIR emission can have a significant synchrotron contribution. Even if emission from hot dust (~2000 K) is dominant within the ER, the mass of this dust must be vanishingly small (a few times 10−12 M⊙) compared to the total dust mass in the ER (≳10−5 M⊙) to account for the observed HKs flux. The NIR continuum emission, however, expands more slowly than the more diffuse 180-K dust emission that dominates in the MIR, indicating a different source, and the same hot dust component cannot account for the J-band emission.
„Denn zweimal befiel sie denselben nicht …“
Authors: Leven Karl-Heinz
Published: June 2023

Die in der Antike eher zufällig bemerkte Immunität nach überstandener Krankheit wurde erst in der Frühen Neuzeit medizinisch nutzbar gemacht. Gegen die in dieser Zeit verheerend auftretenden Pocken setzte man seit Beginn des 18. Jahrhunderts zunächst die Variolation ein; seit 1798 wurde mit der von Edward Jenner entwickelten Vakzination eine spezifische, zuverlässige und vergleichsweise harmlose Impfung verfügbar. Die Geburtsstunde der Pockenschutzimpfung war zugleich Ursprung von Impfskepsis und -widerstand. In Deutschland organisierte sich, verstärkt nach der Einführung der gesetzlichen Impfpflicht 1874, eine ideologisch ausgerichtete Bewegung, die über Jahrzehnte wider die Vakzination stritt. In vier aufeinanderfolgenden Staatsformen, vom wilhelminischen Kaiserreich bis zur Bundesrepublik wurde die Impfpflicht gleichwohl pragmatisch gehandhabt und moderat durchgesetzt. Zwangsimpfungen und Strafen gab es nur in wenigen Ausnahmefällen. Die Geschichte der Impfungen lehrt solcherart, dass eine verantwortliche und nüchterne Gesundheitspolitik in Krisenzeiten mehr bewirken kann als eine kurzsichtige, auf Emotionalisierung und Moralisierung setzende Kampagne.
Schwere Komplikationen bei Lebendimpfungen
Authors: Gothe Florian
Published: June 2023

Lebendimpfstoffe erzeugen eine starke, lang-anhaltende Immunität und haben Millionen Menschenleben weltweit gerettet. Sehr selten jedoch können sich angeborene Störungen des Immunsystems nach einer Lebendimpfung manifestieren. Im vorliegenden Beitrag sollen anhand monogenetischer Immundefekte entscheidende Mechanismen der antiviralen Immunität diskutiert werden. Das Verständnis der jeweiligen pathophysiologischen Grundlagen erlaubt Rückschlüsse beispielsweise auf die Impfstoffentwicklung.
Patient*innen-Sicherheit 4.0: „Fehler der Woche“ – Um die Vorbildfunktion geht’s!
Authors: Ulmer Francis , Krings Rabea , Häberli Christoph , Bally Romina , Schuchmann Marcus , Huwendiek Sören , Kabitz Hans-Joachim
Published: June 2023

Hintergrund (Beinahe-)Fehler kommen im komplexen Gesundheitswesen häufig vor. Hierarchisch geprägte Strukturen begünstigen eine Fehlerkultur des „Name – Blame – Shame“ (benenne, klage an, beschäme), (Beinahe-)Fehler werden vertuscht, verharmlost oder totgeschwiegen. Eine der größten Herausforderungen der modernen Medizin ist die Schaffung eines Umfelds, welches durch offene Berichterstattung (Beinahe-)Fehler systematisch analysiert und ermöglicht, daraus etwas zu lernen. Ärzt*innen haben hierbei wegen des ausgeprägten Hierarchiegefüges und des traditionellen Rollenverständnisses eine Schlüsselfunktion.

Methoden Nach entsprechender Literaturanalyse wurde das flächendeckend anzuwendende Modell „Fehler der Woche“ (FdW) entwickelt, welches jedem (ärztlichen) Teammitglied erlaubt, offen über (Beinahe-)Fehler zu berichten. Fünf Fokusgruppen wurden durchgeführt und gemäß qualitativem Forschungsansatz via thematischer Analyse ausgewertet.

Ergebnisse Folgende wesentliche Erfolgsfaktoren für einen angstfreien Umgang mit (Beinahe-)Fehlern (Modell FdW) wurden identifiziert: 1. Vorbildfunktion („Der Chef macht’s vor“), 2. fester Zeitslot/„Fehlerbühne“, 3. sanktionsfreies Berichten eigener Fehler, 4. vertrauensvolles Arbeitsklima. Folgende relevanten Auswirkungen resultierten hieraus: 1. eigene Fehler werden häufiger berichtet, 2. Erleichterung/Entlastung, 3. psychologische Sicherheit, 4. Lerneffekt.

Diskussion Das Modell „Fehler der Woche“ ist in der Lage, einen nachhaltigen Kulturwandel einzuleiten, gemäß dem Motto „ich bin gewiss nicht stolz darauf, dass mir ein (Beinahe-)Fehler unterlaufen ist – jedoch sehr stolz darauf, dass ich im Sinne der Patient*innen-Sicherheit darüber reden kann“.
Update Varizella-Zoster-Impfung
Authors: Prelog Martina
Published: June 2023

Die attenuierte Lebendimpfung gegen Varizellen (Windpocken) hat sich in den letzten 2 Jahrzehnten als effektiv und sicher herausgestellt. Der Schutz vor Erkrankung kann durch die zweite Varizellen-(VZV)-Impfung auf über 95 % mit einer langanhaltenden Wirksamkeit angehoben werden. Gerade immunsupprimierte oder -defiziente Patienten profitieren von den individualisierten Impfempfehlungen in Abhängigkeit von der immunologischen Dysregulation und der pharmakologisch relevanten Immunsuppression. Zur Postexpositionsprophylaxe steht eine passive Immunisierung mit VZV-Hyperimmunglobulin zur Verfügung. Ein adjuvantierter rekombinanter Zoster-Impfstoff boostert die VZV-spezifische T-Zell-Immunantwort bei Erwachsenen und ist allen Erwachsenen mit erhöhtem Zoster-Risiko empfohlen. Obwohl ursprünglich Skepsis bestand gegen die generelle VZV-Impfempfehlung, zeigen sich nun in der Zusammenschau der mittlerweile generierten Evidenz eine signifikante Abnahme der Varizellen-Inzidenzen und ein sehr gutes Sicherheitsprofil hinsichtlich Transmission des Impfstammes, Durchbruchsinfektionen und Zoster-Reaktivierung.
Unsere bevorzugten Zugänge zum distalen
Radius
Authors: Prommersberger Karl-Josef , Dimitrova Polina , Mühldorfer-Fodor Marion
Published: June 2023

Die vorliegende Arbeit beschreibt unsere bevorzugten Zugänge für
Plattenosteosynthesen am distalen Radius für die Frakturbehandlung und
Korrekturosteotomie.
Ni- and Pd-Catalyzed Enantioselective 1,2-Dicarbofunctionalization of Alkenes
Authors: Kang Taeho , Apolinar Omar , Engle Keary M.
Published: June 2023

Catalytic enantioselective 1,2-dicarbofunctionalization (1,2-DCF) of alkenes is a powerful transformation of growing importance in organic synthesis for constructing chiral building blocks, bioactive molecules, and agrochemicals. Both in a two- and three-component context, this family of reactions generates densely functionalized, structurally complex products in a single step. Across several distinct mechanistic pathways at play in these transformations with nickel or palladium catalysts, stereocontrol can be obtained through tailored chiral ligands. In this Review we discuss the various strategies, mechanisms, and catalysts that have been applied to achieve enantioinduction in alkene 1,2-DCF.

1 Introduction

2 Two-Component Enantioselective 1,2-DCF via Migratory Insertion

3 Two-Component Enantioselective 1,2-DCF via Radical Capture

4 Three-Component Enantioselective 1,2-DCF via Radical Capture

5 Three-Component Enantioselective 1,2-DCF via Migratory Insertion

6 Miscellaneous Mechanisms

7 Conclusion
N-Functionalization of 1,2-Azaborines
Authors: Liu Shih-Yuan , Lee Hyelee , Alvarado Marisol , Ingram Sarah , Li Bo
Published: June 2023

General protocols for the N-functionalization of 1,2-azaborines with C(sp3), C(sp2), or C(sp) electrophiles are described. The syntheses of a new parental BN isostere of trans-stilbene and a BN isostere of a lisdexamfetamine derivative were accomplished with the developed methodology.
Dual Responses of Fluorescence and Circular Dichroism for Antibiotics by a Cationic Cage in Water
Authors: Dong Yunhong , Cheng Lin , Cao Liping , Duan Yanjuan , Xu Huiru , Dong Ruonan , Guo Baolin
Published: June 2023

A tetraphenylethene (TPE)-based cationic cage (1) can form a 1:2 host–guest complex with antibiotics in water and imparts dual responses of fluorescence and circular dichroism (CD) to antibiotics based on the fluorescence and adaptive chiral conformation of the TPE units. Moreover, the host–guest complexes 1⊃(antibiotic)2 exhibited good antibacterial activity.
Lymphocytic Host Response and other Prognostic Factors in Early Stage Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Tongue: Retrospective Analysis from a Tertiary Cancer Center
Authors: Nagarajan Aswin Anapathoor , Rajaraman Swaminathan , Sundersingh Shirley , Thangarajan Rajkumar
Published: June 2023

Introduction The tongue is the most common site of malignancy in the oral cavity, and squamous cell carcinoma is the commonest histology. The prognosis remains unfavorable despite treatment, resulting in higher mortality rates. Early stage carcinoma of the tongue is a distinct entity and is primarily treated with either surgery or radiotherapy. Various factors have been implicated in the prognosis of early stage tongue carcinomas. The main objective of this study is to access whether the lymphocytic host response (LHR) and other prognostic factors influence the survival.

Patients and Methods The data of 129 patients with Stage I and Stage II (T1-2, N0) tongue cancer treated in our institute from January 2012 to December 2016 were retrospectively abstracted from the hospital case records. The various clinical and pathological factors were recorded. The Kaplan–Meier model was used for survival analysis. The disease-free survival (DFS) and the overall survival (OS) with respect to stage and LHR were calculated.

Results On multivariate analysis, site of lesion, comorbidities, habits, grade of the tumor, perineural infiltration (PNI) did not influence the survival. The main factor which was found to be significant in DFS was LHR. The DFS was better for the patients who had lymphocytic infiltration of ≥ 70% (strong LHR) when compared with <70%(weak LHR) (p = 0.037). The OS with respect to stage (p = 0.608) and LHR (p = 0.164) was not found to be statistically significant.

Conclusion The patients with weak LHR had less DFS when compared with patients with strong LHR. Larger studies are needed to evaluate whether adding adjuvant therapy may benefit the patients with weak LHR in early stage tongue cancer.
Tumor-Induced Osteomalacia: A Case Report of Rare Disease and Literature review
Authors: Bansal Shivam , Maheshwari Vikas , Niraula Bishwa Bandhu , Regmi Anil , Sridharan Kalyani , Dhingra Mohit
Published: June 2023

Background Oncogenic osteomalacia term used for tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is a paraneoplastic syndrome of abnormal phosphate metabolism secondary to ectopic endocrine tumors. The diagnosis often becomes difficult due to rarity of occurrence and deficient literature. The reconstruction following resection has its own technical difficulties, which are addressed in this article.

Presentation of Case A 39-year-old female presented with pain in bilateral lower limbs and difficulty in mobilizing. The patient had unexplained hypophosphatemia which was diagnosed due to tumor (arising ectopically in greater trochanter), inducing osteomalacia. She was managed successfully with excision of tumor and reconstruction. The biochemical parameters improved drastically within 5 days and fracture healed in 6 weeks' time.

Conclusion TIO is a debilitating disease with significant morbidity due to prolonged onset to diagnosis interval and difficulty in localizing the causative tumor. So thorough clinico-radiological and laboratory parameter correlation is a necessity. A rapid diagnosis followed by complete surgical excision, which remains the gold standard treatment modality that confers favorable prognosis in most patients, with strict vigilance for recurrence is required.
Being human as praxis: for people with learning disabilities
Authors: Goodley Dan
Published: June 2023

The paper posits that being human as praxis—in relation to the lives of People with Learning Disabilities—offers a significant and original insight into critical and social theory across the social sciences and humanities. Drawing on postcolonial and critical disability theory I suggest that being human as praxis of People with Learning Disabilities is sophisticated and generative but is always enacted in a deeply disablist and ableist world. I explore being human as praxis in (i) a culture of disposability; (ii) the midst of absolute otherness and (iii) the confines of a neoliberal-ableist society. For each theme I start with a provocation, follow up with an exploration and end with a celebration (with the latter referencing the activism of people with learning disabilities). I conclude with some thoughts on simultaneously decolonising and depathologising knowledge production, the importance of recognition and writing for rather than with People with Learning Disabilities.
Techniques for overcoming difficult interdisciplinary dialogue in expert panels: lessons for interactional expertise
Authors: Caby Vincent
Published: June 2023

Which techniques and skills can be used to overcome the obstacle of dialogue between scientists in different disciplines? Drawing on Gorman’s book on trading zones and Collins and Evans’ thinking on interactional expertise, this article analyses the work by individuals to manage five interdisciplinary panels commissioned by French ministries. It observes that these panel managers have different techniques to open, construct and close the debate. These techniques, which condition the submission of the final report, call for skills that managers acquire over the course of their experiences in trading zones. Implications of findings for the formation and management of interdisciplinary expert groups and for the concept of interactional expertise are discussed.
Nonlinear emission in CsPbBr3 decorated metasurfaces
Authors: Roini Giammarco , Calusi Gabriele , Ferroni Matteo , Granchi Nicoletta , Alessandri Ivano , Vinattieri Anna
Published: June 2023

Halide perovskites are extremely interesting semiconductors for innovation in optoelectronics and photovoltaics. In particular, they are efficient emitters of both incoherent and coherent light and, therefore, of interest as active materials in lasers, light amplification systems (resonators and waveguides), and other photonic devices. Here, we present a set of experimental results concerning nonlinear effects in the radiative emission of CsPbBr3 films deposited by spin-coating on a silicon substrate and on metasurfaces realized by microspheres having a core of SiO2 and a shell of TiO2 (T-Rex). We evidence the presence of amplified spontaneous emission which, depending on the sample structure, shows different behavior as a function of the excitation power. In particular, we distinguish between two processes: light amplification by randomly arranged emitters and amplification by a quite ordered distribution of nanocrystals around a resonator.
Markov modeling of phase singularity interaction effects in human atrial and ventricular fibrillation
Authors: Jenkins Evan V. , Dharmaprani Dhani , Schopp Madeline , Quah Jing Xian , Tiver Kathryn , Mitchell Lewis , Nash Martyn P. , Clayton Richard H. , Pope Kenneth , Ganesan Anand N.
Published: June 2023

Atrial and ventricular fibrillation (AF/VF) are characterized by the repetitive regeneration of topological defects known as phase singularities (PSs). The effect of PS interactions has not been previously studied in human AF and VF. We hypothesized that PS population size would influence the rate of PS formation and destruction in human AF and VF, due to increased inter-defect interaction. PS population statistics were studied in computational simulations (Aliev–Panfilov), human AF and human VF. The influence of inter-PS interactions was evaluated by comparison between directly modeled discrete-time Markov chain (DTMC) transition matrices of the PS population changes, and M/M/∞ birth-death transition matrices of PS dynamics, which assumes that PS formations and destructions are effectively statistically independent events. Across all systems examined, PS population changes differed from those expected with M/M/∞. In human AF and VF, the formation rates decreased slightly with PS population when modeled with the DTMC, compared with the static formation rate expected through M/M/∞, suggesting new formations were being inhibited. In human AF and VF, the destruction rates increased with PS population for both models, with the DTMC rate increase exceeding the M/M/∞ estimates, indicating that PS were being destroyed faster as the PS population grew. In human AF and VF, the change in PS formation and destruction rates as the population increased differed between the two models. This indicates that the presence of additional PS influenced the likelihood of new PS formation and destruction, consistent with the notion of self-inhibitory inter-PS interactions.
Excitonic processes and lasing in ZnO thin films and micro/nanostructures
Authors: Tashiro Aika , Adachi Yutaka , Uchino Takashi
Published: June 2023

Low dimensional ZnO-based materials have drawn much attention for the past few decades due to their unique electronic and optical properties and potential applications in optoelectronic devices. In this Tutorial, we will cover the past and the latest developments in ZnO thin films and micro/nanostructures in terms of excitonic and related lasing processes. First, we give a brief overview of structural and band properties of ZnO along with the linear optical and excitonic properties. Second, we introduce a feedback mechanism for lasing in various forms of ZnO, ranging from nanoparticles to nanowires, nanodisks, and thin films. As for the feedback mechanism, detailed descriptions are given to random lasing, Fabry–Pérot lasing, and whispering gallery mode lasing. Third, we discuss possible gain mechanisms, i.e., excitonic gain and electron–hole plasma (EHP) gain, in ZnO. A special interest is also devoted to the Mott carrier density, which is a crucial parameter to distinguish between excitonic and EHP contributions to lasing. Lastly, recent developments on exciton–polariton lasers based on ZnO microcavities are introduced.
The influence of Ti ultrathin insertion layer on the effective magnetic damping and effective spin Hall angle
Authors: Xu Zhan , Wong Grayson Dao Hwee , Tang Jiaxuan , Liu Er , Coester Birte , Xu Feng , Bian Leixiang , Lew Wen Siang
Published: June 2023

We report the influence of ultrathin Ti insertion layer on the effective magnetic damping and effective spin Hall angle in Co/[Pt/Ti]n/Pt structures via spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance measurements. The effective magnetic damping shows a non-monotonic variation as a function of insertion layers number n, reaching a minimum at n = 5. Our analysis shows that when n is less than 5, the damping is mainly related to the thickness of the bottom Pt layer, and when it is greater than 5, the attenuation of the spin currents leads to increased damping. The effective magnetic damping first decreases as the number of layers n increases, reaching a minimum at n=5, and then increases with further increases in n. The observation can be ascribed to a competition between the increased longitudinal resistivity, which is due to the strong interfacial scattering, and the reduced effective spin Hall conductivity that originates from the shortening of the carrier lifetime. Additionally, the extracted interfacial spin transparency is found to be improved with the effect of the insertion layer.
Coherent manipulation of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond via frequency multiplication
Authors: Yu Pin , Zhang Rujian , Zheng Renfei , Lin Hui , Zhang Ting , Fan Jingwei , Chen Bing
Published: June 2023

Nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond as ideally individual spin quantum systems can be coherently manipulated by microwave fields. Compared to the traditional method using the IQ (In-phase/Quadrature) mixer with a local oscillator and intermediate-frequency (IF) signals, we report an effective and technically simple method to generate the required microwave field by frequency multiplication and realize coherent manipulation of the NV center’s electron spin. After frequency multiplication, the IF signal can be directly converted to the high-frequency microwave field with adjustable pulse width, frequency, phase, and amplitude. A series of spin dynamics applications such as Rabi oscillation, free induction decay, and spin-locking are executed, which verified its performance and feasibility. Frequency multiplication can overcome the problem of clock synchronization between the local oscillator and IF signal and greatly reduce the complexity of the experimental system. The method can be easily used to realize a more complex quantum control sequence such as dynamic decoupling and extended to a wide range of spin-based quantum information applications in the future.
Magnetic properties of Nd6Fe13Cu single crystals
Authors: Liu Jianing , Xie Ruiwen , Aubert Alex , Schäfer Lukas , Zhang Hongbin , Gutfleisch Oliver , Skokov Konstantin
Published: June 2023

The understanding of a coercivity mechanism in high performance Nd–Fe–B permanent magnets relies on the analysis of magnetic properties of all phases present in magnets. By adding Cu in such compounds, a new Nd6Fe13Cu grain boundary phase is formed; however, the magnetic properties of this phase and its role in the magnetic decoupling of matrix Nd2Fe14B grains are still insufficiently studied. In this work, we have grown Nd6Fe13Cu single crystals by the reactive flux method and studied their magnetic properties in detail. It is observed that below the Néel temperature (TN = 410 K), Nd6Fe13Cu is antiferromagnetic in zero magnetic field; whereas when a magnetic field is applied along the a-axis, a spin-flop transition occurs at approximately 6 T, indicating a strong competition between antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic interactions in two Nd layers below and above the Cu layers. Our atomistic spin dynamics simulation confirms that an increase in the temperature and/or magnetic field can significantly change the antiferromagnetic coupling between the two Nd layers below and above the Cu layers, which, in turn, is the reason for the observed spin-flop transition. These results suggest that the role of an antiferromagnetic Nd6Fe13Cu grain boundary phase in the coercivity enhancement of Nd–Fe–B–Cu magnets is more complex than previously thought, mainly due to the competition between its antiferro- and ferromagnetic exchange interactions.
The thickness effect on the compensation temperature of rare-earth garnet thin films
Authors: Liang Jing Ming , Zhao Xu Wen , Liu Yu Kuai , Li Pei Gen , Ng Sheung Mei , Wong Hon Fai , Cheng Wang Fai , Zhou Yan , Dai Ji Yan , Mak Chee Leung , Leung Chi Wah
Published: June 2023

The anomalous Hall effect measurements are used to probe the magnetization reversal of terbium iron garnet (TbIG) thin films at different temperatures. The compensation temperature (Tcomp) of TbIG thin films is revealed, and the film thickness effect on the Tcomp is studied. The results indicate a rise of Tcomp along with decreasing film thickness. We postulate two possible origins for the observed behavior, namely interfacial element diffusion and strain effects between TbIG films and Gd3Ga5O12 substrates. The results have implications for the study of spintronic devices based on ultrathin rare-earth iron garnet thin films.