bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Length of positive surgical margins after radical prostatectomy: Does size matter? – A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: John Athul , Lim Alicia , Catterwell Rick , Selth Luke , O’Callaghan Michael
Published: March 2023

Objectives

The prognostic capacity of positive surgical margins (PSM) for biochemical recurrence (BCR) is unclear, with inconsistent findings across published studies. We aimed to systematically review and perform a meta-analysis exploring the impact of Positive surgical margin length on biochemical recurrence in men after radical prostatectomy.

Methods

A search was conducted using the MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase and Cochrane databases according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The quality of the studies was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale, and the protocol was registered in advance (PROSPERO: CRD42020195908). This meta-analysis included 16 studies with BCR as the primary outcome measure.

Results

Studies used various dichotomised thresholds for PSM length. A subgroup meta-analysis was performed using the reported multivariable hazard ratio (Continuous, 3, and 1 mm PSM length). PSM length (continuous) was independently associated with an increased risk of BCR (7 studies, HR 1.04 (CI 1.02–1.05), I2 = 8% p < 0.05). PSM length greater than 3 mm conferred a higher risk of BCR compared to less than 3 mm (4 studies, HR 1.99 (1.54–2.58) I2 = 0%, p < 0.05). There was also an increased risk of BCR associated with PSM length of less than 1 mm compared to negative surgical margins (3 studies, HR 1.46 (1.05–2.04), I2 = 0%, P = 0.02).

Conclusion

PSM length is independently prognostic for BCR after radical prostatectomy. Further long-term studies are needed to estimate the impact on systemic progression.
PMN-MDSCs modulated by CCL20 from cancer cells promoted breast cancer cell stemness through CXCL2-CXCR2 pathway
Authors: Zhang Rui , Dong Mengxue , Tu Juchuanli , Li Fengkai , Deng Qiaodan , Xu Jiahui , He Xueyan , Ding Jiajun , Xia Jie , Sheng Dandan , Chang Zhaoxia , Ma Wei , Dong Haonan , Zhang Yi , Zhang Lixing , Zhang Lu , Liu Suling
Published: March 2023

Our previous studies have showed that C-C motif chemokine ligand 20 (CCL20) advanced tumor progression and enhanced the chemoresistance of cancer cells by positively regulating breast cancer stem cell (BCSC) self-renewal. However, it is unclear whether CCL20 affects breast cancer progression by remodeling the tumor microenvironment (TME). Here, we observed that polymorphonuclear myeloid-derived suppressor cells (PMN-MDSCs) were remarkably enriched in TME of CCL20-overexpressing cancer cell orthotopic allograft tumors. Mechanistically, CCL20 activated the differentiation of granulocyte-monocyte progenitors (GMPs) via its receptor C-C motif chemokine receptor 6 (CCR6) leading to the PMN-MDSC expansion. PMN-MDSCs from CCL20-overexpressing cell orthotopic allograft tumors (CCL20-modulated PMN-MDSCs) secreted amounts of C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CXCL2) and increased ALDH+ BCSCs via activating CXCR2/NOTCH1/HEY1 signaling pathway. Furthermore, C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CXCR2) antagonist SB225002 enhanced the docetaxel (DTX) effects on tumor growth by decreasing BCSCs in CCL20high-expressing tumors. These findings elucidated how CCL20 modulated the TME to promote cancer development, indicating a new therapeutic strategy by interfering with the interaction between PMN-MDSCs and BCSCs in breast cancer, especially in CCL20high-expressing breast cancer.
The role of cytoreductive nephrectomy and systemic therapy in the management of tumour thrombus in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Mittal Abhenil , Al-Ezzi Esmail , Li Xuan , Moloney Brian , Wilson Brooke , Spiliopoulou Pavlina , Sridhar Srikala , Fallah-Rad Nazanin , Chung Peter , Hamilton Robert James , O’malley Martin , Hansen Aaron R.
Published: March 2023

Background

Outcomes for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) and tumour thrombus remain poor. Recent data suggest limited role for cytoreductive nephrectomy (CN) and data on thrombus response to systemic therapy (ST) is scarce. Here, we describe response and survival of patients with de novo mRCC and thrombi treated with ST with or without CN.

Methods

Demographics, disease characteristics and survival of patients with de novo mRCC were collected. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in months (m) was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method (log-rank).

Results

Between 2002 and 2019, 226 patients with mRCC were identified, 64 (28.3%) had tumour thrombus out of which 18 (28.1%) received only ST. Among 12 evaluable patients, thrombus response, stability and progression were seen in 3 (25%), 6 (50%) and 3 (25%) patients, respectively. Median OS was similar for patients with and without tumour thrombus treated with systemic therapy alone [OS: 12.1 m (8.8–27.7) vs. 13.9 m (7.9–21.5), p = 0.87]. CN predicted for better OS in patients with tumour thrombus [OS: 29.4 m (17.4–48.9) vs. 12.1 m (8.8–27.7), p = 0.01].

Conclusion

In this retrospective series of patients with mRCC and tumour thrombus, addition of CN to ST improved outcomes. Validation of these findings with contemporary regimens is needed.
Alpha-synuclein in Parkinson’s disease and other synucleinopathies: from overt neurodegeneration back to early synaptic dysfunction
Authors: Calabresi Paolo , Mechelli Alessandro , Natale Giuseppina , Volpicelli-Daley Laura , Di Lazzaro Giulia , Ghiglieri Veronica
Published: March 2023

Although the discovery of the critical role of α-synuclein (α-syn) in the pathogenesis of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is now twenty-five years old, it still represents a milestone in PD research. Abnormal forms of α-syn trigger selective and progressive neuronal death through mitochondrial impairment, lysosomal dysfunction, and alteration of calcium homeostasis not only in PD but also in other α-syn-related neurodegenerative disorders such as dementia with Lewy bodies, multiple system atrophy, pure autonomic failure, and REM sleep behavior disorder. Furthermore, α-syn-dependent early synaptic and plastic alterations and the underlying mechanisms preceding overt neurodegeneration have attracted great interest. In particular, the presence of early inflammation in experimental models and PD patients, occurring before deposition and spreading of α-syn, suggests a mechanistic link between inflammation and synaptic dysfunction. The knowledge of these early mechanisms is of seminal importance to support the research on reliable biomarkers to precociously identify the disease and possible disease-modifying therapies targeting α-syn. In this review, we will discuss these critical issues, providing a state of the art of the role of this protein in early PD and other synucleinopathies.
Crocodile defensin (CpoBD13) antifungal activity via pH-dependent phospholipid targeting and membrane disruption
Authors: Williams Scott A. , Lay Fung T. , Bindra Guneet K. , Banjara Suresh , Poon Ivan K. H. , Phan Thanh Kha , Kvansakul Marc , Hulett Mark D.
Published: March 2023

Crocodilians are an order of ancient reptiles that thrive in pathogen-rich environments. The ability to inhabit these harsh environments is indicative of a resilient innate immune system. Defensins, a family of cysteine-rich cationic host defence peptides, are a major component of the innate immune systems of all plant and animal species, however crocodilian defensins are poorly characterised. We now show that the saltwater crocodile defensin CpoBD13 harbors potent antifungal activity that is mediated by a pH-dependent membrane-targeting action. CpoBD13 binds the phospholipid phosphatidic acid (PA) to form a large helical oligomeric complex, with specific histidine residues mediating PA binding. The utilisation of histidine residues for PA engagement allows CpoBD13 to exhibit differential activity at a range of environmental pH values, where CpoBD13 is optimally active in an acidic environment.
Visualizing electroluminescence process in light-emitting electrochemical cells
Authors: Yasuji Kosuke , Sakanoue Tomo , Yonekawa Fumihiro , Kanemoto Katsuichi
Published: March 2023

Electroluminescence occurs via recombination reactions between electrons and holes, but these processes have not been directly evaluated. Here, we explore the operation dynamics of ionic liquid-based light-emitting electrochemical cells (LECs) with stable electroluminescence by multi-timescale spectroscopic measurements synchronized with the device operation. Bias-modulation spectroscopy, measuring spectral responses to modulated biases, reveals the bias-dependent behavior of p-doped layers varying from growth to saturation and to recession. The operation dynamics of the LEC is directly visualized by time-resolved bias-modulation spectra, revealing the following findings. Electron injection occurs more slowly than hole injection, causing delay of electroluminescence with respect to the p-doping. N-doping proceeds as the well-grown p-doped layer recedes, which occur while the electroluminescence intensity remains constant. With the growth of n-doped layer, hole injection is reduced due to charge balance, leading to hole-accumulation on the anode, after which LEC operation reaches equilibrium. These spectroscopic techniques are widely applicable to explore the dynamics of electroluminescence-devices.
Spatially informed clustering, integration, and deconvolution of spatial transcriptomics with GraphST
Authors: Long Yahui , Ang Kok Siong , Li Mengwei , Chong Kian Long Kelvin , Sethi Raman , Zhong Chengwei , Xu Hang , Ong Zhiwei , Sachaphibulkij Karishma , Chen Ao , Zeng Li , Fu Huazhu , Wu Min , Lim Lina Hsiu Kim , Liu Longqi , Chen Jinmiao
Published: March 2023

Spatial transcriptomics technologies generate gene expression profiles with spatial context, requiring spatially informed analysis tools for three key tasks, spatial clustering, multisample integration, and cell-type deconvolution. We present GraphST, a graph self-supervised contrastive learning method that fully exploits spatial transcriptomics data to outperform existing methods. It combines graph neural networks with self-supervised contrastive learning to learn informative and discriminative spot representations by minimizing the embedding distance between spatially adjacent spots and vice versa. We demonstrated GraphST on multiple tissue types and technology platforms. GraphST achieved 10% higher clustering accuracy and better delineated fine-grained tissue structures in brain and embryo tissues. GraphST is also the only method that can jointly analyze multiple tissue slices in vertical or horizontal integration while correcting batch effects. Lastly, GraphST demonstrated superior cell-type deconvolution to capture spatial niches like lymph node germinal centers and exhausted tumor infiltrating T cells in breast tumor tissue.
Linoleic acid improves PIEZO2 dysfunction in a mouse model of Angelman Syndrome
Authors: Romero Luis O. , Caires Rebeca , Kaitlyn Victor A. , Ramirez Juanma , Sierra-Valdez Francisco J. , Walsh Patrick , Truong Vincent , Lee Jungsoo , Mayor Ugo , Reiter Lawrence T. , Vásquez Valeria , Cordero-Morales Julio F.
Published: March 2023

Angelman syndrome (AS) is a neurogenetic disorder characterized by intellectual disability and atypical behaviors. AS results from loss of expression of the E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase UBE3A from the maternal allele in neurons. Individuals with AS display impaired coordination, poor balance, and gait ataxia. PIEZO2 is a mechanosensitive ion channel essential for coordination and balance. Here, we report that PIEZO2 activity is reduced in Ube3a deficient male and female mouse sensory neurons, a human Merkel cell carcinoma cell line and female human iPSC-derived sensory neurons with UBE3A knock-down, and de-identified stem cell-derived neurons from individuals with AS. We find that loss of UBE3A decreases actin filaments and reduces PIEZO2 expression and function. A linoleic acid (LA)-enriched diet increases PIEZO2 activity, mechano-excitability, and improves gait in male AS mice. Finally, LA supplementation increases PIEZO2 function in stem cell-derived neurons from individuals with AS. We propose a mechanism whereby loss of UBE3A expression reduces PIEZO2 function and identified a fatty acid that enhances channel activity and ameliorates AS-associated mechano-sensory deficits.
Prediction of transition state structures of gas-phase chemical reactions via machine learning
Authors: Choi Sunghwan
Published: March 2023

The elucidation of transition state (TS) structures is essential for understanding the mechanisms of chemical reactions and exploring reaction networks. Despite significant advances in computational approaches, TS searching remains a challenging problem owing to the difficulty of constructing an initial structure and heavy computational costs. In this paper, a machine learning (ML) model for predicting the TS structures of general organic reactions is proposed. The proposed model derives the interatomic distances of a TS structure from atomic pair features reflecting reactant, product, and linearly interpolated structures. The model exhibits excellent accuracy, particularly for atomic pairs in which bond formation or breakage occurs. The predicted TS structures yield a high success ratio (93.8%) for quantum chemical saddle point optimizations, and 88.8% of the optimization results have energy errors of less than 0.1 kcal mol−1. Additionally, as a proof of concept, the exploration of multiple reaction paths of an organic reaction is demonstrated based on ML inferences. I envision that the proposed approach will aid in the construction of initial geometries for TS optimization and reaction path exploration.
The risk of second primary malignancies in colorectal cancer patients using calcium channel blockers
Authors: Halámková Jana , Bohovicová Lucia , Pehalová Lucie , Kazda Tomáš , Goněc Roman , Staněk Teodor , Mouková Lucie , Adámková Krákorová Dagmar , Kozáková Šárka , Svoboda Marek , Demlová Regina , Gabrielová Lucie , Hernychová Lenka , Kiss Igor
Published: March 2023

Calcium channel blockers are among the most commonly used agents in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. There are several known side-effects associated with their long-term use, whereas other potential adverse effects are yet to be proven. This study aims to evaluate the association between calcium channel blockers exposure and the incidence of second primary malignancy. We established a cohort of 1401 patients with colorectal cancer diagnosed in our institution between January 2003 and December 2016. Patients were followed-up until December 2020. The tumor characteristics and basic clinical data including medication information were obtained from the hospital information system database. Second malignancy was detected in 301 patients (21.5%), and occurred in 27.8% of patients who used calcium channel blockers compared to only 19.9% among non-users. Their use was associated with an increased incidence of bladder cancer in particular. Subanalysis of patients with second malignancy displayed a higher proportion of right-sided colon cancer compared to rectal carcinoma in non-users. Survival analysis revealed significantly better outcomes in early-stage colorectal cancer patients without a history of calcium channel blockers treatment or second primary malignancy.
An illusion of disownership over one’s own limb is associated with pain perception
Authors: Nishiyama Yuta , Yamashita Chihiro , Nomura Shusaku
Published: March 2023

Viewing one’s body and even a fake/virtual body experienced as one’s own has been suggested to modulate pain perception. However, what happens to pain perception when one’s own body part is felt as not belonging to one? We designed a paradigm to induce an illusory feeling of disownership regarding one’s limb, investigating whether the feeling affects pain threshold. Participants observed right-side images of their bodies from a third-person perspective via a head-mounted display in real-time. Following instructions, they moved their left hand while keeping their left elbow behind the upper body, so that the connection of their arm to the torso was not visible (test condition), or in front of it, so they could see the arm being part of them (control condition). Then, pain threshold was tested with a thermal stimulator. We found a significantly higher strength of disownership in the test condition than in the control condition. While there was no pain modulation within and between conditions, disownership ratings negatively correlated with pain-threshold changes, where the participants reporting explicit disownership showed lower pain-threshold changes than the others. The finding suggests that while multisensory disintegration had no modulatory effect, the individual sense of disownership was associated with pain perception.
Biases associated with database structure for COVID-19 detection in X-ray images
Authors: Arias-Garzón Daniel , Tabares-Soto Reinel , Bernal-Salcedo Joshua , Ruz Gonzalo A.
Published: March 2023

Several artificial intelligence algorithms have been developed for COVID-19-related topics. One that has been common is the COVID-19 diagnosis using chest X-rays, where the eagerness to obtain early results has triggered the construction of a series of datasets where bias management has not been thorough from the point of view of patient information, capture conditions, class imbalance, and careless mixtures of multiple datasets. This paper analyses 19 datasets of COVID-19 chest X-ray images, identifying potential biases. Moreover, computational experiments were conducted using one of the most popular datasets in this domain, which obtains a 96.19% of classification accuracy on the complete dataset. Nevertheless, when evaluated with the
ethical tool Aequitas, it fails on all the metrics. Ethical tools enhanced with some distribution and image quality considerations
are the keys to developing or choosing a dataset with fewer bias issues. We aim to provide broad research on dataset problems,
tools, and suggestions for future dataset developments and COVID-19 applications using chest X-ray images.
Response to antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C and risk of hepatocellular carcinoma occurrence in Japan: a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies
Authors: Yamagiwa Yoko , Tanaka Keitaro , Matsuo Keitaro , Wada Keiko , Lin Yingsong , Sugawara Yumi , Mizoue Tetsuya , Sawada Norie , Takimoto Hidemi , Ito Hidemi , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Sakata Ritsu , Kimura Takashi , Tanaka Shiori , Inoue Manami ,   for the Research Group for the Development and Evaluation of Cancer Prevention Strategies in Japan, Abe Sarah Krull , Nomura Shuhei
Published: March 2023

In Japan, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a leading cause of cancer mortality and hepatitis C virus infection is a major cause of HCC. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies evaluating patient response to antiviral therapy for chronic hepatitis C on the risk of HCC occurrence in Japan. Articles were searched using terms determined a priori through PubMed, screened by title and abstract, and selected by full-text assessment according to criteria determined a priori, including HCC occurrence in response to interferon (IFN)-based or IFN-free therapy, Japanese study, and 2 or more years of follow-up. We excluded studies on HCC recurrence. We calculated the pooled estimate of the crude incidence rate ratio with data from the selected studies using the person-years method with Poisson regression model and pooled estimate of the hazard ratio adjusted for potential confounders reported by the studies using a random effects model. A total of 26 studies were identified, all of which examined only IFN-based therapy as a result of the selection process. The pooled estimate (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 25 studies was 0.37 (0.33–0.43) for sustained virologic response (SVR) and 1.70 (1.61–1.80) for non-SVR for the HCC incidence rate per 100 person-years, and 0.22 (0.19–0.26) for the incidence rate ratio (SVR vs. non-SVR). The pooled estimate of the hazard ratio (95% CI) of HCC incidence adjusted for potential confounders of 8 studies was 0.25 (0.19–0.34). SVR to interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis C reduces the risk of HCC occurrence.
Mass flow and consumption calculations of pharmaceuticals in sewage treatment plant with emphasis on the fate and risk quotient assessment
Authors: Badawy Mohamed I. , El-Gohary Fatma A. , Abdel-Wahed Mahmoud S. , Gad-Allah Tarek A. , Ali Mohamed E. M.
Published: March 2023

In Egypt, pharmaceuticals consumption increased dramatically owing to the population growth and the unrestricted sale manner. Accordingly, the occurrence and fate of nine common pharmaceutical active compounds (PhACs) were scrutinized at a sewage treatment plant (STP) in Giza, Egypt. The levels of these PhACs were assessed in different the wastewater treatment stages and dewatered sludge phase using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode arrays detector. The average concentrations of the total PhACs detected in influent, primary sedimentation effluent (PSE) and final effluent (FE) were 227, 155 and 89 µg L−1, respectively. The overall removal efficiency of the individual PhACs ranged from 18 to 72% removal. The occurrence trend revealed that biodegradation and adsorption are the concurrently removal mechanisms of the studied PhACs. The overall consumption per day in West of Greater Cairo was estimated based on influent concentration of STP. Sulfamethoxazole, paracetamol and diclofenac were detected with the highest levels in the influent of STP, PSE and FE as well as in the dewatered sludge. Furthermore, the high concentrations of these compounds in the sludge confirm the adsorption pathway removal of theses PhACs. The risk quotient (RQ) assessment for the detected PhACs in FE is greatly higher than the predicted non-effect concentration (PNEC). Conclusively, the FE of STP is considered a risky source for PhACs in adjacent surface water.
Bacteriophage-based nano-biosensors for the fast impedimetric determination of pathogens in food samples
Authors: Abdelhamied Nader , Abdelrahman Fatma , El-Shibiny Ayman , Hassan Rabeay Y. A.
Published: March 2023

The early and rapid detection of pathogenic microorganisms is of critical importance in addressing serious public health issues. Here, a new bacteriophage-based nano-biosensor was constructed and the electrochemical impedimetric method was fully optimized and applied for the quantitative detection of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in food samples. The impact of using a nanocomposite consisting of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and tungsten oxide nanostructures (WO3) on the electrochemical performance of disposable screen printed electrodes was identified using the cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The use nanomaterials enabled high capturing sensitivity against the targeting bacterial host cells with the limit of detection of 3.0 CFU/ml. Moreover, selectivity of the covalently immobilized active phage was tested against several non-targeting bacterial strains, where a high specificity was achieved. Thus, the targeting foodborne pathogen was successfully detected in food samples with high specificity, and the sensor provided an excellent recovery rate ranging from 90.0 to 108%. Accordingly, the newly developed phage-biosensor is recommended as a disposable label-free impedimetric biosensor for the quick and real-time monitoring of food quality.
Incidence and predictors of cardiovascular outcomes after acute coronary syndrome in a population-based cohort study
Authors: Ulvenstam Anders , Graipe Anna , Irewall Anna-Lotta , Söderström Lars , Mooe Thomas
Published: March 2023

There is limited data on long-term outcomes after hospitalization for ACS. We aimed to estimate the rate of recurrent cardiovascular events in the long-term, in a population-based, unselected cohort of ACS patients. We included 1379 patients with ACS hospitalized at Östersund hospital 2010–2014 and followed them from the day after discharge to 31 December 2017. The primary endpoint was the unadjusted rate of the composite of CV death, AMI and ischemic stroke. Risk factors for the primary endpoint were assessed in a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model. During a median follow-up of 4.7 years, the unadjusted rate of the primary endpoint was 10.3% at 1 year and 28.6% at the end of follow-up. Predictors of increased risk for subsequent events were congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, angina pectoris, prior revascularization with PCI or CABG and treatment with diuretics at discharge. Lipid-lowering therapy at discharge and revascularization with PCI or CABG were associated with a lower risk of recurrent events. The risk of recurrent cardiovascular was high at 1 year and continued to be so during the following almost 3 years of median follow-up. Established predictors of cardiovascular risk were confirmed.
Exogenous Hemin alleviates NaCl stress by promoting photosynthesis and carbon metabolism in rice seedlings
Authors: Meng Fengyan , Feng Naijie , Zheng Dianfeng , Liu Meiling , Zhang Rongjun , Huang Xixin , Huang Anqi , Chen Ziming
Published: March 2023

It is widely known that salt stress restricts rice growth and productivity severely. However, little information is available regarding the stage of rice seedlings subjected to the Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) inducer, Hemin. This study aimed to investigate the effects of salt stress on two rice varieties (Huanghuazhan and Xiangliangyou 900) and the effect of Hemin in promoting photosynthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, and key enzymes under salt-stress conditions. At the stage of three leaves and one heart, Huanghuazhan (HHZ) and Xiangliangyou 900 (XLY900) were sprayed with 5 μmol·L−1 Hemin and then subjected to 50 mM NaCl stress. The results showed that NaCl stress decreased the contents of chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids. Furthermore, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) decreased remarkably and the starch content was also lowered. However, NaCl treatment enhanced the concentration of sucrose and soluble sugar, simultaneously enhancing the sucrose metabolism. Nevertheless, the foliar spraying of exogenous Hemin mediated the increase in fructose and starch content, along with the activities of key enzymes’ soluble acid invertase (SAInv), basic/neutral invertase (A/N-Inv), and sucrose synthase (SS) in rice leaves under NaCl stress. The sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) in leaves decreased significantly, and the fructose accumulation in leaves increased. Hemin also mediated the increase of starch content and the α-amylase, total amylase, and starch phosphorylase (SP) activities under NaCl stress. Under stress conditions, the application of the Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) inhibitor, ZnPP failed to alleviate the damage to rice seedlings by NaCl stress. The ZnPP treatment showed similar tendency to the NaCl treatment on pigment content, gas exchange parameters and carbon metabolism related products and enzymes. However, ZnPP decreased carotenoids, fructose, starch content and enzyme activities related to starch metabolism. The regulation effect of Hemin on HuangHuaZhan was better than XiangLiangYou 900. These results indicate that Hemin improved the effects of salt stress on the photosynthesis and physiological characteristics of rice leaves as a result of enhanced carbohydrate metabolism. Thus, Hemin could alleviate the damage caused by salt stress to a certain extent.
Rescuing Botany: using citizen-science and mobile apps in the classroom and beyond
Authors: Chozas Sergio , Nunes Alice , Serrano Helena C. , Ascensão Fernando , Tapia Susana , Máguas Cristina , Branquinho Cristina
Published: March 2023

Biodiversity is declining due to the impact of human activities. However, public awareness of the biodiversity crisis is low, particularly for plants, creating a barrier to engage with conservation programs. In this perspective, we show how citizen science and mobile apps can be used as educational tools to raise awareness about plant biodiversity among students and the general public. We examine the outcomes of three Bachelor of Science activities as well as two informal education initiatives. We discuss the potential of these approaches as educational and outreach tools. Our results show that citizen science and mobile apps are excellent tools for engaging society in biodiversity conservation and environmental issues.
Complete reconstruction of NiMoO4/NiFe LDH for enhanced oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Zhang Shuya , Cen Mingjun , Wang Qianqiao , Luo Xinyu , Peng Wenchao , Li Yang , Zhang Fengbao , Fan Xiaobin
Published: March 2023

The novel NiMoO4/NiFe LDH pre-catalyst can completely reconstruct into well-defined MoFe-Ni(oxy)hydroxide. The dopant of Mo and Fe can effectively strengthen the adsorption of oxygen-containing intermediates and enhance the OER activity.
Recent advances in hierarchical MoS2/graphene-based materials for supercapacitor applications
Authors: Ma Ying , Liu Jinchuan , Lin Yinhe , Jia Yulong
Published: March 2023

This review demonstrates the recent progress and future research prospect of hierarchical MoS2/graphene-based nanostructures for electrochemical energy storage.
Realization of quasi-1D topological magnetism at the V-alloyed MoS2 zigzag edge
Authors: Bao Kejie , Zhu Junyi
Published: March 2023

Topological magnetism in quasi-1D systems can be interesting because of the significant quantum confinement.
Developing a transition-metal-free green protocol for the electrophilic hydrazination of silyl enol ethers using diazo electrophiles with EtOH–H2O as a safe solvent
Authors: Polimera Subba Rao , Ilangovan Andivelu , Subbaiah Murugaiah A. M.
Published: March 2023

We report a metal catalyst-free, HF-free and open-flask green protocol for the electrophilic hydrazination of enoxy silanes at an energy-efficient room temperature, taking advantage of the eco-safe EtOH–H2O solvent.
Development of synthetic, self-adjuvanting, and self-assembling anticancer vaccines based on a minimal saponin adjuvant and the tumor-associated MUC1 antigen
Authors: Pifferi Carlo , Aguinagalde Leire , Ruiz-de-Angulo Ane , Sacristán Nagore , Baschirotto Priscila Tonon , Poveda Ana , Jiménez-Barbero Jesús , Anguita Juan , Fernández-Tejada Alberto
Published: March 2023

Synthesis, immuno-evaluation in mice, and NMR studies of new, self-adjuvanting, and self-assembling tri-component vaccines based on a synthetic saponin adjuvant chemically conjugated to TA-MUC1 (glyco)peptide antigens and a helper T-cell epitope.
Construction of ZnII/CdII-CPs and their fluorescent detection for Fe3+, Cr2O72− and TNP in water via luminescence quenching
Authors: Li Chaoxiong , Sun Xuancheng , Meng Xianggao , Wang Dunjia , Zheng Chunyang
Published: March 2023

Two novel fluorescent coordination polymers with TiSc topology (CP 1) and a five-fold interpenetration framework (CP 3) exhibit a fluorescent turn-off sensing behavior for Fe3+, Cr2O72− and TNP in aqueous solution with high selectivity and sensitivity.
Synthesis of thiocyanato-containing phenanthrenes and dihydronaphthalenesviaLewis acid-activated tandem electrophilic thiocyanation/carbocyclization of alkynes
Authors: Gao Yong , Hua Ruirui , Yin Hongquan , Chen Fu-Xue
Published: March 2023

A tandem electrophilic thiocyanation/carbocyclization of alkynes has been developed, affording thiocyanato-substituted phenanthrenes, dihydronaphthalenes, 2H-chromenes and dihydroquinolines in moderate to excellent yields.
Rh(iii)-catalyzed (5 + 2)-cycloaddition reactions of ortho-hydroxyethyl phenols with internal alkynes: efficient synthesis of benzoxepines
Authors: Bhorali Pratiksha , Phukon Jyotshna , Gogoi Sanjib
Published: March 2023

The Rh(iii)-catalyzed annulation reaction of ortho-hydroxyethyl phenols and internal alkynes provides benzoxepine derivatives.
Speech and Language Therapy for Acquired Central Dysgraphia in Neurological Patients: A Systematic Review to Describe and Identify Trainings for Clinical Practice
Authors: Biddau Federica , Brisotto Camilla , Innocenti Tiziano , Ranaldi Sara , Meneghello Francesca , D'Imperio Daniela , Nordio Sara
Published: March 2023

Purpose:

Acquired central dysgraphia is a heterogeneous neurological disorder that usually co-occurs with other language disorders. Written language training is relevant to improve everyday skills and as a compensatory strategy to support limited oral communication. A systematic evaluation of existing writing treatments is thus needed.

Method:

We performed a systematic review of speech and language therapies for acquired dysgraphia in studies of neurological diseases (PROSPERO: CRD42018084221), following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) checklist with a search on several databases for articles written in English and published until August 31, 2021. Only methodological well-designed studies were included. Further assessment of methodological quality was conducted by means of a modified version of the Downs and Black checklist.

Results:

Eleven studies of 43 patients in total were included. For each study, we collected data on type of population, type of impairment, experimental design, type of treatment, and measured outcomes. The studies had a medium level of assessed methodological quality. An informative description of treatments and linkages to deficits is reported.

Conclusions:

Although there is a need for further experimental evidence, most treatments showed good applicability and improvement of written skills in patients with dysgraphia. Lexical treatments appear to be more frequently adopted and more flexible in improving dysgraphia and communication, especially when a multimodal approach is used. Finally, the reported description of treatment modalities for dysgraphia in relation to patients' deficits may be important for providing tailored therapies in clinical management.
A deep Koopman operator‐based modelling approach for long‐term prediction of dynamics with pixel‐level measurements
Authors: Xiao Yongqian , Tang Zixin , Xu Xin , Zhang Xinglong , Shi Yifei
Published: March 2023

Although previous studies have made some clear leap in learning latent dynamics from high‐dimensional representations, the performances in terms of accuracy and inference time of long‐term model prediction still need to be improved. In this study, a deep convolutional network based on the Koopman operator (CKNet) is proposed to model non‐linear systems with pixel‐level measurements for long‐term prediction. CKNet adopts an autoencoder network architecture, consisting of an encoder to generate latent states and a linear dynamical model (i.e., the Koopman operator) which evolves in the latent state space spanned by the encoder. The decoder is used to recover images from latent states. According to a multi‐step ahead prediction loss function, the system matrices for approximating the Koopman operator are trained synchronously with the autoencoder in a mini‐batch manner. In this manner, gradients can be synchronously transmitted to both the system matrices and the autoencoder to help the encoder self‐adaptively tune the latent state space in the training process, and the resulting model is time‐invariant in the latent space. Therefore, the proposed CKNet has the advantages of less inference time and high accuracy for long‐term prediction. Experiments are performed on OpenAI Gym and Mujoco environments, including two and four non‐linear forced dynamical systems with continuous action spaces. The experimental results show that CKNet has strong long‐term prediction capabilities with sufficient precision.
Fast list decoders for polarization‐adjusted convolutional (PAC) codes
Authors: Zhu Hongfei , Cao Zhiwei , Zhao Yuping , Li Dou , Yang Yanjun
Published: March 2023

A latest coding scheme named polarization‐adjusted convolutional (PAC) codes is shown to approach the dispersion bound for the code (128,64) under list decoding. However, to achieve the near‐bound performance, the list size of list decoding needs to be excessively large, which leads to insufferable time complexity. In this paper, to improve the speed of list decoding, fast list decoders for PAC codes are proposed. Four types of constituent nodes are defined and fast list decoding algorithms are provided for each of them. Simulation results present that fast list decoding with three types of constituent nodes can yield exactly the same error‐correction performance as list decoding, and reduce more than 50% time steps for the code (128,64). Moreover, fast list decoding with four types of constituent nodes can further reduce decoding complexity with negligible performance degradation.
Probability density function based data augmentation for deep neural network automatic modulation classification with limited training data
Authors: Hao Chongzheng , Dang Xiaoyu , Yu Xiangbin , Li Sai , Wang Chenghua
Published: March 2023

Deep neural networks (DNN) based automatic modulation classification (AMC) has achieved high accuracy performance. However, DNNs are data‐hungry models, and training such a model requires a large volume of data. Insufficient training data will cause DNN models to experience overfitting and severe performance degradation. In practical AMC tasks, training the deep model with sufficient data is challenging due to the costly data collection. To this end, a novel probability density function (PDF) based data augmentation scheme and a method to determine the required minimum sampling size for data enlargement is proposed. Compared with the known image‐based augmentation scheme, the proposed waveform‐based PDF technique has low complexity and is easy to implement. Experimental results show that the required size of the training dataset is one order of magnitude smaller than the sufficient dataset in the additive white Gaussian noise channel, and effective recognition can be achieved using around 60% of the total examples under the Rayleigh channel. Moreover, the presented scheme can expand training data under frequency and phase offsets.
Proactive integrated traffic control to mitigate congestion at toll plazas
Authors: Zhou Tong , Sun Yingchao , Wang Xu , Dai Rongjian , Cao Rong , Wu Xiaopei
Published: March 2023

Toll plazas on expressways often experience congestion owing to the imbalance between traffic demand and supply. To address this issue, this paper designs a proactive traffic control method to relieve congestion at toll plazas based on the model predictive control (MPC) that integrates the dynamic lane configuration, that is, the numbers of electronic toll collection (ETC) and manual toll collection (MTC) lanes, and the variable speed limit (VSL). The proposed method first forecasts short‐term traffic demand in toll plazas based on the long short‐term memory neural network. Then the cell transmission model (CTM) is applied to predict the traffic evolutions in the toll plaza area. At last, the MPC‐based control framework is used to optimize the numbers of ETC and MTC lanes and the variable speed limit to minimize the total vehicle travel time in a rolling horizon. Micro‐simulation tests are carried out in VISSIM to verify the effectiveness of the proposed control method. The simulation results show that the proposed control method can significantly improve the traffic performances at the toll plazas. The findings in this study can lead to field implementation of proactive control at toll plazas.
Semi‐hot redundant control method for modular multilevel converter‐based high‐voltage direct current systems under submodules fault
Authors: Yang Lixia , Jia Lixin , Zou Yabin , Zhang Mingcan , Yang Haoxiang
Published: March 2023

A modular multilevel converter‐based high voltage direct current (MMC‐HVDC) system involves a large number of cascading submodules (SMs). The failure of SMs may critically degrade the system performance. Therefore, several redundant SMs can be incorporated and reasonably controlled to ensure the system reliable and continuous operation even if certain SMs fail. This paper proposes a semi‐hot redundant method for MMC‐HVDC systems. In the proposed strategy, when the system operates normally, the redundant SMs are controlled in a lower voltage range. These SMs do not require frequent charging and discharging, which decreases the switching loss. When ordinary SMs fail, the faulty SMs are bypassed and the corresponding number of redundant SMs can be promptly recharged to the rated voltage to replace the faulty SMs. The semi‐hot reserved SMs can shorten the transient process of faulty SMs replacement, and in this process, the absence of faulty SMs does not considerably influence the system. Thus, the original control and modulation strategies of the system do not need to be modified when several SMs fail. The performance of the proposed method is compared with those of the existing methods, and its validity is demonstrated through a small‐scale experimental prototype.
Down‐regulation and clinical significance of Sorbin and SH3 domain‐containing protein 1 in bladder cancer tissues
Authors: Li Sheng‐Hua , Zhai Gao‐Qiang , He Rong‐Quan , Chen Gang , Wang Shi‐Shuo , Liu Jia‐Lin , Cheng Ji‐Wen , Yan Hai‐Biao , Huang Zhi‐Guang
Published: March 2023

Bladder cancer (BC) is a common cancer worldwide with a high prevalence. This study was conducted to elucidate the expression and clinical significance of Sorbin and SH3 domain‐containing protein 1 (SORBS1) in BC as well as to explore its molecular mechanism in BC tumourigenesis. RNA‐sequencing data, microarray, and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) were applied to elucidated the SORBS1 expression at multiple levels. After that, the relationship between tumour‐immune infiltration and SORBS1 was also explored. Finally, SORBS1‐related genes in BC were identified to perform functional enrichment analyses. The expression integration revealed that the comprehensive expression of SORBS1 at the mRNA level was −1.02 and that at the protein level was −3.73, based on 12 platforms, including 1221 BC and 187 non‐BC samples. SORBS1 was negatively correlated with tumour purity (correlation = −0.342, p < 0.001) and positively correlated with macrophage (correlation = 0.358, p < 0.001). The results of enrichment analyses revealed that the most significant biological pathways of SORBS1‐related genes were epithelial‐mesenchymal transition. SORBS1 was significantly down‐regulated in BC and may play a role as tumour suppressor. This study provides new directions and biomarkers for future BC diagnosis.
In silico analysis of the association between long non‐coding RNA family with sequence similarity 99 member A (FAM99A) and hepatic cancer
Authors: Sun Manyi , Lv Shuhua , Zhong Jin
Published: March 2023

The link between family with sequence similarity 99 member A (FAM99A), a type of long non‐coding RNA, and tumourigenesis remains ambiguous. Therefore, in this study, the authors conducted an expression profile analysis of FAM99A based on 33 types of cancer within The Cancer Genome Atlas project. The expression profile data revealed low expression levels of FAM99A in hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma, and testicular germ cell tumour tissues than in the normal control tissues. Survival analysis indicated a correlation between low FAM99A expression and worse survival outcome in patients with hepatic cancer. Further investigation revealed the possible implication of DNA methylation, but not copy number variation, in FAM99A‐associated hepatic tumourigenesis. The authors also identified a set of differentially expressed genes between patients with hepatic cancer and negative controls, which were found to be related to biochemical metabolism or the cell cycle. Additionally, FAM99A expression may be associated with the infiltration status of several immune cells, such as dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and neutrophils. Overall, FAM99A may function as a prognostic marker that is potentially associated with DNA methylation, immune cell infiltration, and biochemical metabolism in hepatic cancer.
A mini-chemical scheme with net reactions for 3D general circulation models
Authors: Lee Elspeth K. H. , Tsai Shang-Min , Hammond Mark , Tan Xianyu
Published: March 2023

Context. The chemical inventory of hot Jupiter (HJ) exoplanet atmospheres continues to be observed by various ground- and space-based instruments in increasing detail and precision. It is expected for some HJs to exhibit strong non-equilibrium chemistry characteristics in their atmospheres, which might be inferred from spectral observations.

Aims. We aim to model the 3D thermochemical non-equilibrium chemistry in the atmospheres of the HJs WASP-39b and HD 189733b.

Methods. We coupled a lightweight, reduced chemical network ‘mini-chem’ that utilises net reaction rate tables to the Exo-FMS general circulation model (GCM). We performed GCM models of the exoplanets WASP-39b and HD 189733b as case studies of the coupled mini-chem scheme. The GCM results were then post-processed using the 3D radiative-transfer model gCMCRT to produce transmission and emission spectra to assess the impact of non-equilibrium chemistry on their observable properties.

Results. Both simulations show significant departures from chemical equilibrium (CE) due to the dynamical motions of the atmosphere. The spacial distribution of species generally closely follows the dynamical features of the atmosphere rather than the temperature field. Each molecular species exhibits a different quench level in the simulations, which is also dependent on the latitude of the planet. Major differences are seen in the transmission and emission spectral features between the CE and kinetic models.

Conclusions. Our simulations indicate that considering the 3D kinetic chemical structures of HJ atmospheres has an important impact on the physical interpretation of observational data. Drawing bulk atmospheric parameters from fitting feature strengths may lead to an inaccurate interpretation of chemical conditions in the atmosphere of HJs. Our open source mini-chem module is simple to couple with contemporary HJ GCM models without substantially increasing required computational resources.
Collectivity in ultra-peripheral heavy-ion collisions
Authors: Shen Chun , Zhao Wenbin , Schenke Björn
Published: March 2023

We present full (3+1 )D dynamical simulations to study collective behavior in ultra-peripheral nucleus-nucleus collisions (UPC) at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) with the 3DGlauber+MUSIC+UrQMD framework [1, 2]. By extrapolating from asymmetric p+Pb collisions, we simulate a quasi-real photon γ* interacting with the Pb nucleus in an ultra-peripheral collision at the LHC, assuming strong final-state effects. We study the elliptic flow hierarchy between p+Pb and γ*+Pb collisions, which is dominated by the difference in longitudinal flow decorrelations. Our theoretical framework provides a quantitative tool to study collectivity in small asymmetric collision systems at current and future collider experiments.
Light Nuclei and Hyper Nuclei Collectivity Measurements at High Baryon Density Region
Authors: He Xionghong
Published: March 2023

High energy heavy-ion collisions produce large amounts of light nuclei and hype nuclei, especially at high baryon density around collision energy of several GeV. These light nuclei and hyper nuclei carry the information of nucleon-nucleon and hyperon-nucleon interactions and affect the chemical composition and properties of the collision system. This proceeding is a brief review for the recent measurements on light nuclei collective flow, including directed flow v1, elliptic flow v2, and high order flow coefficients, at finite and high baryon densities from different experiments. The light nuclei production mechanism is discussed based on comparisons of the measurements and model calculations. The first measurement for hyper nuclei v1 at 3 GeV by STAR is also reported, which may imply the hyper nuclei are formed via the coalescence of nucleons and hyperon.