bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
25-hydroxyvitamin D Level in Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Efficacy of Vitamin D Supplementation in Saudi Autistic Children
Authors: Azhari Sheren A.
Published: May 2023

Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a frequent developmental disease characterized by defects in nonverbal and verbal communication, pervasive deficits in social interaction, and stereotyped patterns of activities and interests. Previous researches reported vitamin D deficiency in autistic children; however, there is a deficiency of vitamin D supplementation trials in ASD children. This study aimed to assess vitamin D levels in ASD children and the effects of vitamin D supplementation on behavior and ASD score severity.

Methods: Eleven Saudi autistic children (9 males and 2 females) with ages ranged from 4 to 12 years were included in this prospective study during the period from January to July 2022. Children with ASD obtained from Will Be center for Special Needs and The Leading Academy for Autism. The study was carried out in two stages. In the first stage, 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels and autism severity via Gilliam Autism Rating Scale (GARS) were estimated. Then participants who fulfilled the inclusion criteria (9 out of 11) were included and given vitamin D supplements for three months. During treatment, ASD child behavior was observed. For the second stage, after treatment, changes in vitamin D level and autism score severity were evaluated.

Results: A total of 11 autistic children participated; two of them had vitamin D levels that were > 80 nmol/L excluded. Out of 9 ASD included 5 cases had deficiency and 4 cases had severe deficiency of vitamin D (55.56% and 44.44%). Before treatment, ASD severities were above average (n=1, 11.11%), average (n=6, 66.67%), and low severity (n=3, 33.33%). After 3 months of vitamin D treatment, vitamin D serum levels were sufficient in 2 patients (22.22%) and insufficient in 7 cases (77.78%). Meanwhile, ASD severity had no clear improvement following vitamin D supplementation with 7 (77.78%) cases showed average severity and 2 (22.22%) cases with low severity. Nevertheless, the specialist clarified that there was an enhancement in some behaviors and responses for most patients. After treatment, there was a significance increased in 25-hydroxyvitamin D serum levels and a decrease in ASD severity compared to its level before treatment.

Conclusions: Vitamin D levels are insufficient in 82% of ASD children (9 out of 11). Of 9 ASD patients; vitamin D levels were deficiency and severe deficiency and ASD severities were average and low severity. After treatment, vitamin D level was sufficient only in 2 patients (22.22%) and only one ASD case had improved in ASD score (Average to low). Nevertheless, specialist reported enhancement in some behaviors and responses for most patients. Nutritional interventions with vitamin D make a little difference in autistic children's life by reducing their symptoms.
SARS-CoV-2 Testing and Complications Across 6 Waves of the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Individuals Recently Experiencing Homelessness in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Shariff Salimah Z. , Reid Jennifer N. , Boozary Andrew S. , Booth Richard
Published: May 2023

This cohort study compares the rates of SARS-CoV-2 testing and complications across 6 waves of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario, Canada, between individuals recently experiencing homelessness, low-income residents, and the general population.
A Call to Action to Address Sex Differences in Alzheimer Disease Clinical Trials
Authors: Buckley Rachel F. , Gong Jessica , Woodward Mark
Published: May 2023

This Viewpoint calls for comprehensive investigations into sex differences associated with treatments in existing Alzheimer disease and integration into future Alzheimer disease and related dementia clinical trials.
Focused Nanosecond Pulsed Laser‐Induced Homogeneous Nucleation in Undercooled Oxide Melts
Authors: Zhong Qiu , Li Huidong , Tao Ye , Cao Chengcheng , Yang Liping
Published: May 2023

Induced homogeneous nucleation of undercooling melt is a fundamental challenge with exciting implications for composite ceramic and metal alloy materials. Nucleation can be induced externally, but physical mechanical properties reduce due to the introduction of impurities. Herein, a novel focused nanosecond pulsed laser‐induced nucleation approach is demonstrated for oxide ceramic melts at undercooled state. Using a self‐made aerodynamic levitation setup, the pulsed laser‐induced nucleation is controlled by optimizing the pulse energy density at different undercooled temperatures. Exploiting this approach, nucleation and growth are observed from surface of undercooled alumina (Al2O3) and neodymium yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) melts with high‐speed camera. The undercooling sample experiences a nucleate–solidify–recalescence–remelting–recalescence–solidify process. The correlation between nucleation time and undercooling temperature confirms that the undercooled melt is nucleated homogeneously by the pulsed laser. The special microstructural of samples agrees well with the prediction of two‐step nucleation theory. Therefore, an assumption for the nucleation mechanism with the high‐speed images and the microstructure analysis is proposed. This proposed method may provide a different perspective for the classical nucleation theory of homogeneous nucleation.
Development of Magnetocaloric Microstructures from Equiatomic Iron–Rhodium Nanoparticles through Laser Sintering
Authors: Tahir Shabbir , Landers Joachim , Salamon Soma , Koch David , Doñate‐Buendía Carlos , Ziefuß Anna R. , Wende Heiko , Gökce Bilal
Published: May 2023

Pronounced magnetocaloric effects are typically observed in materials that often contain expensive and rare elements and are therefore costly to mass produce. However, they can rather be exploited on a small scale for miniaturized devices such as magnetic micro coolers, thermal sensors, and magnetic micropumps. Herein, a method is developed to generate magnetocaloric microstructures from an equiatomic iron–rhodium (FeRh) bulk target through a stepwise process. First, paramagnetic near‐to‐equiatomic solid‐solution FeRh nanoparticles (NPs) are generated through picosecond (ps)‐pulsed laser ablation in ethanol, which are then transformed into a printable ink and patterned using a continuous wave laser. Laser patterning not only leads to sintering of the NP ink but also triggers the phase transformation of the initial γ‐ to B2‐FeRh. At a laser fluence of 246 J cm−2, a partial (52%) phase transformation from γ‐ to B2‐FeRh is obtained, resulting in a magnetization increase of 35 Am2 kg−1 across the antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic phase transition. This represents a ca. sixfold enhancement compared to previous furnace‐annealed FeRh ink. Finally, herein, the ability is demonstrated to create FeRh 2D structures with different geometries using laser sintering of magnetocaloric inks, which offers advantages such as micrometric spatial resolution, in situ annealing, and structure design flexibility.
A Synthetic Signaling Network Imitating the Action of Immune Cells in Response to Bacterial Metabolism
Authors: Walczak Michal , Mancini Leonardo , Xu Jiayi , Raguseo Federica , Kotar Jurij , Cicuta Pietro , Di Michele Lorenzo
Published: May 2023

State‐of‐the‐art bottom‐up synthetic biology allows to replicate many basic biological functions in artificial‐cell‐like devices. To mimic more complex behaviors, however, artificial cells would need to perform many of these functions in a synergistic and coordinated fashion, which remains elusive. Here, a sophisticated biological response is considered, namely the capture and deactivation of pathogens by neutrophil immune cells, through the process of netosis. A consortium consisting of two synthetic agents is designed—responsive DNA‐based particles and antibiotic‐loaded lipid vesicles—whose coordinated action mimics the sought immune‐like response when triggered by bacterial metabolism. The artificial netosis‐like response emerges from a series of interlinked sensing and communication pathways between the live and synthetic agents, and translates into both physical and chemical antimicrobial actions, namely bacteria immobilization and exposure to antibiotics. The results demonstrate how advanced life‐like responses can be prescribed with a relatively small number of synthetic molecular components, and outlines a new strategy for artificial‐cell‐based antimicrobial solutions.
Acoustofluidics: A Versatile Tool for Micro/Nano Separation at the Cellular, Subcellular, and Biomolecular Levels
Authors: Zhao Zhuyang , Yang Sha , Feng Liu , Zhang Ligai , Wang Jue , Chang Kai , Chen Ming
Published: May 2023

Separation of micro/nanoparticles, such as cellular, subcellular and biomolecular, has attracted increasing attention because of their remarkable potential applications in various fields, including chemistry, physics, medicine, etc. Among different micro/nanoparticle separation methods, acoustofluidics, which combines acoustics and microfluidics, has drawn the interest of researchers due to its biocompatibility, high efficiency and free labeling. In this review, the basic constitutions, mechanisms, and materials of acoustofluidics are described. Subsequently, sorts of delicately designed acoustofluidic devices, including diverse bulk acoustic wave (BAW) microfluidics and surface acoustic wave (SAW) microfluidics, are discussed, covering principles, advantages, limitations and applications in separation. Besides the introduction of advances of micro/nanoparticle separation in the BAW microfluidics, the SAW microfluidics are elaborated in detail with a focus on various configurations of interdigital transducers (IDTs), comprising straight IDT, slanted‐finger IDT, chirped IDT and focused IDT. Microfluidic systems of the acoustofluidics involve the forms of straight channels, serpentine channels, and droplets. Additionally, besides simply structured acoustofluidics, acoustofluidics integrated with other structures are also mentioned. Finally, the prospects and limitations of acoustofluidics in micro/nanoparticle separation are also discussed. The acoustofluidics reviewed here is envisioned as a versatile tool for micro/nanoparticle separation at the cellular, sub‐cellular, and biomolecular levels.
Electrohydrodynamic Printing of Ultrafine and Highly Conductive Ag Electrodes for Various Flexible Electronics
Authors: Ma Jingxuan , Feng Jiayun , Zhang He , Hu Xuanyi , Wen Jiayue , Wang Shang , Tian Yanhong
Published: May 2023

Silver nanoparticle (AgNP) based inks are widely used in printed electronics to form conductive patterns. However, high resolution and high electrical conductivity are still hard to achieve at the same time for the patterning of AgNP‐based electrodes. Herein, Ag patterns with a high resolution of sub‐10 µm and a high conductivity are realized by the electrohydrodynamic (EHD) printing. The parameters including the composition of Ag ink, printing speed, voltage, and working height are carefully controlled to increase the resolution, and the process window of the cone jet mode is established. With the help of the finite element simulation, the generation mechanism of the Taylor cone is clarified. Ag electrodes with various patterns and shapes are easily produced, which exhibited excellent patterning qualities, such as superior uniformity and flatness, narrow spacing, and clear edge definition. Finally, flexible light‐emitting diode (LED) circuits, transparent heaters, and supercapacitors are fabricated by EHD printed Ag grid electrodes. These results indicate that this work provides a simple and scalable strategy for fabricating ordered metal conductive patterns in the emerging printed electronics.
Assessing the impact of COVID‐19 and related interventions on poverty and economic growth in Pakistan: A structural path analysis
Authors: Davies Stephen , Quershi Tehseen , Rana Abdul Wajid , Haider Zeeshan , Raja Sehrish
Published: May 2023

This study uses social accounting matrix multipliers and structural path analyses to estimate effects of COVID‐19 and related fiscal stimuli on five household groups. The COVID‐19 lockdown increased poverty in Pakistan by 15%, which was addressed using a $1.5 billion, digitally implemented Ehsaas Emergency Cash (EEC) program that reached 14.8 million poor households. The study's models show that the largest multipliers from Ehsaas program finance were in agriculture, as a 1 Rupee shock adds 0.225 Rupee income to households. About 30% of that gain was estimated to go to poor farm families. In contrast, our models find that construction and trade growth added three times as much income to poor nonfarm and urban households as to farm households. However, those sectors added only one third as much total income as agriculture. From the structural path analysis, the importance of capital assets in generating income was seen, as was the possibility of greater poverty reduction from sectors with proportionally fewer intermediate inputs and more value added.
Dynamics of Bloch–Zener Oscillations with Tuning Gap
Authors: Huang Zhongkai , Bo Maolin , Yao Chuang
Published: May 2023

In this study, the transient dynamics of Bloch–Zener oscillations (BZOs) in a 1D qubit chain with a controllable band gap are explored. The chain consists of alternating site energies and is subjected to a constant external field. Several tight‐binding models were analyzed, including Bloch and Landau–Zener models, to understand the  BZOs mechanism. The findings revealed that the band gaps played a crucial role in bridging the intriguing interplay between Bloch oscillations and Landau–Zener transitions. The motion of carriers in real and quasi‐momentum spaces is explored and the time evolution of occupancy in mini‐bands is calculated. A linearly time‐dependent way of tuning the gap is also proposed and non‐periodic motion is observed. When the chain is coupled to dispersionless optical phonons, strong coupling leads to large phonon displacements and localizes the carrier wave packets of the qubit states. The findings provide new insights into the behavior of BZOs in complex systems and suggest avenues for future studies.
Coordination‐Modulated Metal Tetrathiafulvalene Octacarboxylate Frameworks for High‐Performance Lithium‐Ion Battery Anodes
Authors: Yang Zhi‐Mei , Zhao Shu‐Peng , Zhang Meng‐Hang , Zhang Ze‐Dong , Ma Tian‐Rui , Yuan Shuai , Su Jian , Li Cheng‐Hui , Zuo Jing‐Lin
Published: May 2023

Modulation of the ligands and coordination environment of metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has been an effective and relatively unexplored avenue for improving the anode performance of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). In this study, three MOFs are synthesized, namely, M4(o‐TTFOB)(bpm)2(H2O)2 (where M is Mn, Zn, and Cd; o‐H8TTFOB is ortho‐tetrathiafulvalene octabenzoate; and bpm is 2,2′‐bipyrimidine), based on a new ligand o‐H8TTFOB with two adjacent carboxylates on one phenyl, which allows us to establish the impact of metal coordination on the performance of these MOFs as anode materials in LIBs. Mn‐o‐TTFOB and Zn‐o‐TTFOB, with two more uncoordinated oxygen atoms from o‐TTFOB8−, show higher reversible specific capacities of 1249 mAh g−1 and 1288 mAh g−1 under 200 mA g−1 after full activation. In contrast, Cd‐o‐TTFOB shows a reversible capacity of 448 mAh g−1 under the same condition due to the lack of uncoordinated oxygen atoms. Crystal structure analysis, cyclic voltammetry measurements of the half‐cell configurations, and density functional theory calculations have been performed to explain the lithium storage mechanism, diffusion kinetics, and structure‐function relationship. This study demonstrates the advantages of MOFs with high designability in the fabrication of LIBs.
A new concept for the ecotoxicological assessment of plastics under consideration of aging processes
Authors: Lukas Marcus , Kittner Maria , Isernhinke Lisa , Altmann Korinna , Braun Ulrike
Published: May 2023

Microplastics are widely distributed in aquatic and terrestrial environments, but up to now less is known about (eco)toxicological impacts under realistic conditions. Research so far has focused mainly on impacts on organisms by fresh, single‐origin plastic fragments or beads. However, plastics found in the environment are complex in composition, this means different polymer types and sources, with and without additives and in all stages of age, and therefore, in a more or less advanced stage of degradation. For oxidized degradation products that might be released from plastic materials during aging, there is a lack of information on potentially adverse effects on aquatic biota. The latter is of particular interest as oxidized degradation products might become more water soluble due to higher polarity and are more bioavailable, therefore. The present study focused on plastic leachates of polystyrene (PS) and polylactic acid (PLA), which were derived from alternating stress by hydrolysis and ultraviolet (UV) radiation—representing a realistic scenario in the environment. Test specimens of PS, PLA, or a PLA/PS layer (each 50%) were alternately exposed to UV radiation for 5 days followed by hydrolysis for 2 days, for several weeks alternating. Ecotoxicological effects of the storage water (artificial freshwater) of the test specimens and additionally, in a second experimental setup, the effects of five potential polymer degradation products were detected by 72 h algae growth inhibition tests with Desmodesmus subspicatus. Results clearly indicate inhibitory effects on algae growth by contaminants in the storage water of stressed plastics with increasing growth inhibition of proceeding hydrolysis and UV stress times. Different polymers caused variable inhibitions of algae growth with stronger inhibitions by PS and less effects by PLA and the mixed layer of both. Moreover, not microplastic particles but the resulting dissolved degradation products after aging caused the ecotoxicological effects—with strong effects by the oxidized degradation products. The existing data highlight the relevance of plastic aging as a framework for microplastic ecotoxicity evaluation and allow a proof of concept.
Comparing the use of block‐based and robot programming in introductory programming education: Effects on perceptions of programming self‐efficacy
Authors: Coşkunserçe Ozan
Published: May 2023

Despite the importance given to providing students with programming skills, there are significant problems in teaching programming, mainly at the entry level. Various programming education tools and methods have been developed to solve these problems in introductory programming education. For this reason, block‐based and robot programming tools are widely used at various education levels, especially at the novice level. Although the advantages of using block‐based and robot programming over classical or text‐based programming methods in introductory programming education have been demonstrated in various studies, the two methods have not been compared in experimental studies. The main purpose of this study was to compare the effects of using block‐based programming and robot programming methods in introductory programming education on students' perceptions of programming self‐efficacy. The results of the study indicated that the perceptions of programming self‐efficacy of the students who used the robot programming method in programming education were significantly more positive than those of the students who used the block‐based programming method. Moreover, the programming self‐efficacy perceptions of the male students who used robot programming in introductory programming education were significantly more positive than those of the female students. After the robot programming activities, the students had more fun with programming and their self‐confidence increased.
Unfolding under Pressure: An NMR Perspective
Authors: Pastore Annalisa , Temussi Piero Andrea
Published: May 2023

This review aims to analyse the role of solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in pressure‐induced in vitro studies of protein unfolding. Although this transition has been neglected for many years because of technical difficulties, it provides important information about the forces that keep protein structure together. We first analyse what pressure unfolding is, then provide a critical overview of how NMR spectroscopy has contributed to the field and evaluate the observables used in these studies. Finally, we discuss the commonalities and differences between pressure‐, cold‐ and heat‐induced unfolding. We conclude that, despite specific peculiarities, in both cold and pressure denaturation the important contribution of the state of hydration of nonpolar side chains is a major factor that determines the pressure dependence of the conformational stability of proteins.
Structure‐Guided Mutagenesis Reveals the Catalytic Residue that Controls the Regiospecificity of C6‐Indole Prenyltransferases
Authors: Aoun Ahmed R , Mupparapu Nagaraju , Nguyen Diem N , Ho Kim Tae , Nguyen Christopher M. , Pan Zhengfeiyue , Elshahawi Sherif I.
Published: May 2023

Indole is a significant structural moiety and functionalization of the C−H bond in indole‐containing molecules expands their chemical space, and modifies their properties and/or activities. Indole prenyltransferases (IPTs) catalyze the direct regiospecific installation of prenyl moieties on indole‐derived compounds. IPTs have shown relaxed substrate flexibility enabling them to be used as tools for indole functionalization. However, the mechanism by which certain IPTs target a specific carbon position is not fully understood. Herein, we use structure‐guided site‐directed mutagenesis, in vitro enzymatic reactions, kinetics and structural‐elucidation of analogs to verify the key catalytic residues that control the regiospecificity of all characterized regiospecific C6 IPTs. The presented results also demonstrate that substitution of PriB_His312 to Tyr leads to the synthesis of analogs prenylated at different positions than C6. This work contributes to understanding of how certain IPTs can access a challenging position in indole‐derived compounds.
A novel density ratio‐based batch active learning fault diagnosis method integrated with adaptive Laplacian graph trimming
Authors: Jiang Xue , Xu Yuan , Zhu Qun‐Xiong , Zhang Yang , He Yan‐Lin , Zhang Ming‐Qing , Ke Wei
Published: May 2023

In actual industrial processes, although a large number of original data are easy to obtain, only a few samples are effectively labelled, which is insufficient to construct a supervised fault diagnostic model. Facing the industrial demand of fault diagnosis, in this paper, a novel density ratio (DR)‐based batch active learning (BAL) fault diagnosis method integrated with adaptive Laplacian graph trimming (ALGT) method is proposed. First, under the active learning framework, a new index DR‐based on local reachability density (LRD) is proposed to search the low density and high uncertainty samples, in which the local outliers factor (LOF) is used to search the samples in low density region and the ratio of LRD and intra‐class LRD is calculated to search the samples with high uncertainty. Second, the samples are selected and manually labelled in batches according to the proposed index DR, and the labelled data set and the unlabelled data set are updated and reconstructed. Third, based on the reconstructed labelled dataset and remaining unlabelled dataset, a semi‐supervised classifier ALGT is constructed for fault diagnosis. In ALGT, the Laplacian weighted graph is initialized and iteratively optimized by ALGT. Finally, the proposed DR‐based BAL‐ALGT (DRBAL‐ALGT) fault diagnosis method is verified by the Tennessee Eastman process (TEP) and applied to grid‐connected photovoltaic systems (GPVS). The experimental results show that the proposed DRBAL‐ALGT method can achieve higher accuracy for fault diagnosis.
Recent Advance in Low‐Dielectric‐Constant Organosilicon Polymers
Authors: Hou Jiaren , Sun Jing , Fang Qiang
Published: May 2023

Comprehensive Summary

Low dielectric (low‐k) organosilicon polymers have received extensive interests from industry and academia due to good electrical insulation, high temperature resistance, flame retardancy and hydrophobicity. These attractive properties enable them to be utilized as low‐k materials in fabrication of electronic devices in high‐frequency communication technology. This review summarizes recent progress in developing low‐k organosilicon polymers, including the synthetic methods and properties of different organosilicon polymers classified according to the chemical structures. It may provide some inspiration to design new low‐k organosilicon polymers for application in the future.
Genome‐wide Association Studies Categorized by Class of Antihypertensive Drugs Reveal Complex Pathogenesis of Hypertension with Drug Resistance
Authors: Yamazaki Keiko , Terao Chikashi , Takahashi Atsushi , Kamatani Yoichiro , Matsuda Koichi , Asai Satoshi , Takahashi Yasuo
Published: May 2023

Resistant hypertension is defined as uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) despite the use of three or more antihypertensive drugs of different classes. Although genetic factors may greatly contribute to hypertension with resistance to multiple drug classes, more than for general hypertension, its pathogenesis remains unknown. To reveal the genetic background of resistant hypertension, we categorized 32,239 patients whose data were obtained from the BioBank Japan Project, by prescription of 7 classes of antihypertensive drugs and performed genome‐wide association studies (GWAS). Our GWAS identified four loci with significant association (P < 5 × 10−8): rs6445583 in CACNA1D and rs12308051 in the intergenic region on chromosome 12 for angiotensin II receptor blockers, rs35497065 in FOXA3 for calcium channel blockers, and rs11066280 in HECTD4 for αβ‐blockers. Because these loci are known to be susceptibility loci for hypertension and/or BP, our results indicate that resistant hypertension is caused by a combination of excessive BP and drug resistance to each antihypertensive pharmacological class. Furthermore, to investigate the genetic difference between BP traits and the treatment effectiveness of antihypertensive drugs, we performed gene‐set analysis and calculated the genetic correlation continuously. Most of the genetic factors were in common between BP traits and antihypertensive effectiveness, but it seems that the genetic architecture of the drug response to antihypertensive treatment is more complicated than BP traits. This corresponds to the well‐known mosaic theory of hypertension. Our findings reveal the complex pathogenesis of hypertension with resistance to multiple classes of antihypertensive drugs.
Review of Cholorosilicates as Phosphor Hosts
Authors: Sharma Khushbu , Moharil S.V.
Published: May 2023

Silicates and halides have been known to be good luminescent materials for long. These two types of hosts have some positive aspects and certain drawbacks, for example, though silicates are stable, they require relatively higher synthesis temperatures. Halide lattices are better suited for several applications like optically stimulated luminescence, thermoluminescence, scintillation, etc. and defects/color center/exciton formation is important. Halides have lower melting points as well. On the other hand, except for fluorides, other halides are quite hygroscopic. Stability in the ambient can pose some problems in applications and some measures for protection have to be taken. To enjoy the benefits of both silicates and halides, chlorosilicate lattices can be suitable. Chlorosilicates can be synthesized at significantly lower temperatures as compared to silicates. They are also less hygroscopic than the constituent chlorides. Research work on chlorosilicates is not as extensive as that on silicates and halides. These are promising luminescent materials whose potential remains still unexploited. A review of various chlorosilicate phases, i.e., of the studies on synthesis, crystal structures, luminescence etc. already carried out, is presented here with the objective of providing impetus to research work on chlorosilicates.
Phase diagram of strongly coupled fine particle (dusty) plasmas with limited Spacial extents: Theory and simulation
Authors: Totsuji Hiroo
Published: May 2023

Phase separations in strongly coupled fine particle (dusty, complex) plasmas are discussed and phase diagrams are expressed in the ‐‐plane or in terms of strengths of the Coulomb coupling between fine particles and the screening by the ambient electron‐ion plasma. Two possibilities, separations into phases with different electrons, ion, and fine particle densities and ones into phases with a common electron density, are analyzed and it is shown that, when the spacial extent is limited as in usual experiments, only the latter is realized. Based on a model of fine particle plasma as a Yukawa system with non‐uniformity taken into account, molecular dynamics simulations are performed with constant electron density. Fine particles are moved as particles while position‐dependent local averages of ion and fine particle distributions are treated as continuum. Though the critical point is located at a smaller coupling by about a factor of two compared with the theoretical prediction, the results of simulations confirm the existence of such phase separations with a common electron density.
Copper‐Catalyzed Acceptorless Dehydrogenative Coupling of 2‐Aminoaryl Methanols with Nitriles for Accessing Quinazolines and Quinolines
Authors: Chetia Swadhin , Sarmah Samprity , Dutta Apurba , Sarma Diganta
Published: May 2023

A copper acetate monohydrate catalyzed simple, effective and economic protocol has been developed for the construction of quinazoline derivatives via acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of easily available 2‐aminoaryl methanols and nitriles. The methodology was also highly effective for the synthesis of medicinally important quinolines analogues. The reactions proceeded in presence of KOtBu in toluene at 110 °C for 5 h without the requirement of inert condition, external additives and ligands.
Study on sealing integrity of cement sheath in ultra deep well reservoir reconstruction
Authors: Wang Jingpeng , Zhang Wei , Song Lin , Wu Jiwei , Wu Yanxian
Published: May 2023

This article mainly studies the influence of high temperature, high pressure, and ultra‐deep well reservoir renovation construction on wellbore barriers, and explores the impact of reservoir renovation on cement sheath under high temperature and high‐pressure conditions. Combining the coupling effect of casing, cement, and formation rock, a three‐dimensional numerical model is established to analyze the stress changes and distribution of the cement sheath during the volume fracturing process. By establishing a numerical model for the analysis of the integrity of the wellbore during the fracturing process of the ultra‐deep well vertical section, the stress changes and distribution of the cement sheath during the fracturing process are analyzed. A numerical calculation model for crack propagation during perforation and cement sheath reservoir renovation is constructed, and the model results are verified through laboratory experiments and computed tomography scans. The shear failure of the cement sheath interface under different conditions such as different casing pressure, cement sheath thickness, elastic modulus, and Poisson's ratio is analyzed during the fracturing process. The research results can provide technical support for the integrity of the wellbore and the design of the well structure in similar ultra‐deep well development processes.
Detrital zirconU–Pbages and Hf isotope analyses of modern and Quaternary sediments in China: A new dataset with preliminary analysis
Authors: Chen Xiyun , Wang Ping , Xie Hongsen , Zhu Longchen , Liao Xia , Kong Xinggong
Published: May 2023

Developments of detrital zircon geochronology have resulted in an explosion of publications that report or discuss detrital zircon data. Combined detrital zircon U–Pb ages with Hf isotope analyses from modern and Quaternary sediments have been widely carried out with the aim of characterizing continental crustal evolution and tracing sediment provenance. Although several detrital zircon databases have compiled U–Pb and Hf data on global scale, the dataset of detrital zircon with a special focus on modern sediment has rarely been compiled. Here, we publish a new detrital zircon dataset of modern and Quaternary sediments in China with 59,535 U–Pb ages and 4,971 Hf isotope data, with detailed information of isotope ratios, ages, Th/U, etc. Four types of sediments have been classified according to sedimentary environments, including fluvial, marine, aeolian and alluvial sediments. Preliminary analysis is carried out on these compiled data to provide new insights into sedimentary provenance and crustal evolution in China. Eight age populations are identified corresponding to tectonic–thermal or magmatic events, including 2,300–2,700 Ma, 1,800–2,000 Ma, 700–1,000 Ma, 400–500 Ma, 200–300 Ma, 120–200 Ma, 80–120 Ma and < 60 Ma. Accompanying with quantitative comparison between sediments from various sedimentary environments, these U–Pb age distributions reveal the provenance link between “source” and “sink” in both exorheic and endorheic drainages. The compiled εHf(t) data reflect that the crustal history of China is apparently episodic, whose pattern is similar to that of global record. Further work will be implemented for database construction, including the integration of latest literatures, AI‐based data extraction and data aggregation.
Alisol A 24‐acetate ameliorates osteoarthritis progression by inhibiting reactive oxygen species and inflammatory response through the AMPK/mTOR pathway
Authors: Xu Guosong , He Zhensen , Liu Yinping
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Osteoarthritis is a degenerative knee joint disease featured with articular cartilage degeneration and inflammation. Alisol A 24‐acetate (ALA‐24A) is an active triterpene that has antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory pharmacological properties. However, its effect and molecular mechanism on osteoarthritis progression have not been reported.

Methods

IL‐1β‐induced chondrocyte injury model and monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)‐induced rat osteoarthritis model were used. The protective effects of ALA‐24A on osteoarthritis were evaluated by determining cell viability, extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation, inflammatory response and oxidative stress using CCK‐8 assay, Western blot, ELISA, and DCFH‐DA fluorescent probe. The severity and matrix degradation of articular cartilage were assessed by histopathological and immunohistochemical examination.

Results

We found that ALA‐24A attenuated IL‐1β‐induced cell viability inhibition Moreover, ALA‐24A suppressed expression levels of ECM degradation‐related genes ADAMTS5 and MMP13, and promoted expression levels of ECM synthesis‐related genes Aggrecan and Collagen II. In addition, ALA‐24A treatment decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and increased antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and GSH‐px) activities, while increased MDA levels. The inflammatory levels of NO, PGE2, TNF‐α, and IL‐6 were also reduced following treatment with ALA‐24A. Our data also revealed that ALA‐24A treatment triggered p‐AMPK upregulation and p‐mTOR downregulation. In rat osteoarthritis model, ALA‐24A treatment significantly alleviated the severity and matrix degradation of articular cartilage comparted with model group.

Conclusions

Our findings suggested a protective role of ALA‐24A against osteoarthritis by inhibiting ROS and inflammatory response. Furthermore, ALA‐24A might be a promising therapeutic option for osteoarthritis treatment.
Analysis of cytokine levels, cytological findings, and MP‐DNA level in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia
Authors: Deng Fang , Cao Huiling , Liang Xiaohua , Li Qubei , Yang Yang , Zhao Zhihua , Tan Junjie , Fu Guo , Shu Chang
Published: May 2023

Background

The present study was conducted to determine the inflammatory response in the lungs of children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia (MPP).

Methods

This study retrospectively analyzed cytokine levels, cytological findings, and M. pneumoniae (MP)‐DNA level in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of 96 children with MPP. The study utilized Spearman's correlation method to evaluate the contribution of BALF and blood parameters in MPP children.

Results

(1) A total of 96 MPP children were classified into the Low MP‐DNA MPP group (BALF MP‐DNA ≤ 105 copies/mL) and the High MP‐DNA MPP group (BALF MP‐DNA > 105copies/mL); the Non‐fever MPP group (no fever during the entire course of pneumonia) and the Fever MPP group; the Defervescence MPP group (fever had subsided at the time of bronchoscopy) and the Fervescence MPP group; and the Mild MPP group and the Severe MPP group. (2) The High MP‐DNA MPP, Fever MPP, Fervescence MPP, and Severe MPP groups had higher levels of interleukin (IL)‐6, IL‐10, and tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) in their BALF (all p < .05). (3) The proportions of neutrophils and macrophages in the BALF of the High MP‐DNA MPP and Fever MPP groups increased and decreased, respectively (all p < .05). (4) In the BALF of MPP children, MP‐DNA, IL‐6, IL‐10, TNF‐α, and interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) levels positively correlated with neutrophil proportion while negatively correlated with macrophage proportion (all p < .05). (5) The MP‐DNA, IL‐6, IL‐10, TNF‐α, and IFN‐γ levels in the BALF of MPP children were positively correlated with the levels of C‐reactive protein, procalcitonin, lactic dehydrogenase, fibrinogen, and d‐dimer, while they were negatively correlated with the albumin level (all p < .05).

Conclusions

In children with MPP, the pulmonary inflammatory immune response was stronger in the High MP‐DNA MPP, Fever MPP, Fervescence MPP, and Severe MPP groups. The relationship between pulmonary cytokine levels, MP‐DNA load, and serum inflammatory parameters were found to be weak.
Corporate strategy, board composition, and firm value
Authors: Al‐Shaer Habiba , Kuzey Cemil , Uyar Ali , Karaman Abdullah S.
Published: May 2023

This study addressed a gap in the literature by investigating the link between corporate strategy and board composition and how it connects to firm value. Most studies have explored whether board structure predicts firm outcomes rather than the other way around even though firm strategy plays a significant role in structuring the board. The sample covered the period between 2013 and 2018 and included 20,677 firm‐year observations, on which we executed country‐industry‐year fixed‐effects regression analysis. We found that, first, cost leadership strategy was positively associated with board size, board independence, board gender diversity, and board tenure, whereas it was negatively associated with board skills. Second, differentiation strategy was positively associated with board size and board gender diversity. Third, the moderating effects revealed that while board size and board tenure negatively moderated between cost leadership and firm value, board skills positively moderated between cost leadership and firm value. On the other hand, while board size, board gender diversity, and board tenure positively moderated between differentiation and firm value, board skills negatively moderated between differentiation and firm value. The results were robust to an alternative firm value proxy and endogeneity concerns. These findings provide firms with the opportunity to better shape their board structure in line with their corporate strategies and shareholder expectations.
LncRNA TSIX aggravates spinal cord injury by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway via the miR‐532‐3p/DDOST axis
Authors: Dong Jiachun , Wei Zijian , Zhu Zezhang
Published: May 2023

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)‐X‐inactive‐specific transcript (TSIX) expression is upregulated in spinal cord tissues following spinal cord injury (SCI). However, the role of lncRNA‐TSIX in SCI remains elusive. SCI animal model was established using C57BL/6 mice. LncRNA TSIX and miR‐532‐3p expression were determined using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR). Apoptosis, cell proliferation, and migration were evaluated by transferase dUTP nick end labeling staining, CCK‐8, and Transwell assays, respectively. The interaction of miR‐532‐3p with lncRNA TSIX and DDOST was explored via a dual‐luciferase reporter system. Hematoxylin‐eosin staining and the Basso, Beattie, and Bresnahan locomotor rating (BBB) scale were performed to investigate SCI progression. The expression of the lncRNA TSIX was found to be significantly upregulated in the serum of SCI patients and spinal cord tissues of SCI mice. The overexpression of lncRNA TSIX enhanced spinal cord neural stem cell (SC‐NSC) proliferation and migration in vitro while inhibiting apoptosis and inflammatory cell infiltration in vivo. Moreover, lncRNA TSIX acted as a molecular sponge for miR‐532‐3p, and the knockdown of miR‐532‐3p promoted proliferation and migration and inhibited apoptosis of SC‐NSCs. Moreover, DDOST was found to be the downstream target of miR‐532‐3p, and DDOST overexpression showed a similar effect as miR‐532‐3p silencing on the proliferation, migration, and apoptosis of SC‐NSCs. Furthermore, we found that lncRNA TSIX overexpression promoted the activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. LncRNA TSIX aggravates SCI by regulating the PI3K/AKT pathway via the miR‐532‐3p/DDOST axis, indicating potential applications for targeted therapy of SCI regeneration.
Measuring what matters: Why and how to include patient reported outcomes in clinical care and research on inborn errors of metabolism
Authors: Huemer Martina , Bösch Florin
Published: May 2023

Patient reported outcomes (PROs) are generally defined as ‘any report of the status of a patient's health condition that comes directly from the patient, without interpretation of the patient's response by a clinician or anyone else’. A broader definition of PRO also includes ‘any information on the outcomes of health care obtained directly from patients without modification by clinicians or other health care professionals’. Following this approach, PROs encompass subjective perceptions of patients on how they function or feel not only in relation to a health condition but also to its treatment as well as concepts such as health‐related quality of life (HrQoL), information on the functional status of a patient, signs and symptoms and symptom burden. PRO measurement instruments (PROMs) are mostly questionnaires and inform about what patients can do and how they feel. PROs and PROMs have not yet found unconditional acceptance and wide use in the field of inborn errors of metabolism. This review summarises the importance and usefulness of PROs in research, drug legislation and clinical care and informs about quality standards, development, and potential methodological shortfalls of PROMs. Inclusion of PROs measured with high‐quality, well‐selected PROMs into clinical care, drug legislation, and research helps to identify unmet needs, improve quality of care, and define outcomes that are meaningful to patients. The field of IEM should open to new methodological approaches such as the definition of core sets of variables including PROs to be systematically assessed in specific metabolic conditions and new collaborations with PRO experts, such as psychologists to facilitate the systematic collection of meaningful data.
Imaging Assessment of the Efficacy of Chemotherapy in Primary Malignant Bone Tumors: Recent Advances in Qualitative and Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Radiomics
Authors: Liu Xiaoge , Duan Zhiqing , Fang Shaobo , Wang Shaowu
Published: May 2023

Recent studies have shown that MRI demonstrates promising results for evaluating the chemotherapy efficacy in bone sarcomas. This article reviews current methods for evaluating the efficacy of malignant bone tumors and the application of MRI in this area, and emphasizes the advantages and limitations of each modality.

Level of Evidence

5

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
A systematic study of rare‐earth ions size‐dependent structural phase transition from monazite to zircon‐type in rare earth chromates using Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Ughade Supriya , Poddar Pankaj
Published: May 2023

Rare earth chromates (RCrO4) undergo monazite to zircon‐type structural phase transition due to a decreased rare‐earth ion size. They also exhibit an intermediate mixed phase. However, there is no systematic study on the influence of structural distortion on their phononic behavior, which is quite sensitive to subtle environmental variations. A change in the room temperature phononic spectrum was studied in the family of RCrO4 compounds, where R was varied from La to Yb using Raman modes. With an increase in the atomic number from Nd to Yb for zircon‐type phases, the external translational and rotational modes were observed to shift towards lower and higher wavenumbers, respectively. At the same time, all internal vibrational modes shifted towards higher phonon energies. A comparison between Raman modes for monazite, intermediate, and zircon‐type RCrO4 phases showed a gradual shift in the internal modes towards a higher wavenumber. The confirmation of the change in Raman modes with the decreasing radius was found by comparing the rare‐earth elements in DyCrO4 and LaCrO4 with non‐rare‐earth elements in YCrO4.
Hot‐Pressing/Salt‐Leaching Method Assisted by Boronic Ester Dynamic Bond to Prepare Vitrimer Foams with Ultra‐Low Relative Permittivity and Superhydrophobic Performance
Authors: Xiong Yang , Liu Lili , Hu Chengyao , Yang Junxiao , Huang Yawen
Published: May 2023

Ultra‐low dielectric foams (ULDFs) have found important use in antennas and wave transparent devices. However, the controlled preparation of ULDFs is still a big challenge. In this work, a boronic ester bond‐assisted hot‐pressing/salt‐leaching (BHS) method is proposed to generate interconnected pore structure with tunable porosity and performance. In detail, styrene resin vitrimer is prepared with boronic ester cross‐linked network (BESR) which possessed low dielectric constant of 2.70, high modulus of 385 MPa, and reprocessability. BESR vitrimer exhibited drastically enhanced processability at the temperature >Tv(160 °C). Thanks to this unique feature, BESR vitrimer foams can be fabricated by hot‐pressing with salt particles followed by salt leaching. Such vitrimer foams exhibited advantageous pore‐forming processability, fabrication efficiency, and pore stability over conventional polymeric foams. The low extreme of dielectric constant can reach 1.60. Furthermore, owing to interconnected pore structure, superhydrophobic foam (water contact angel (CA) ≈ 154°) is facilely fabricated on the basis of BESR to afford anti‐icing performance. The BESR foam can maintain its superhydrophobicity underwater flow impacting at 10 kPa pressure, showing advantageous high durability. BESR foams also have good recyclability and would be potentially applied in recyclable antennas.