bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Propiedades ópticas del aerosol urbano y reparto de fuentes para carbono negro en la ciudad de Santiago, Chile
Authors:   , Adasme Brisso Carla Marion
Published: October 2023

La ciudad de Santiago presenta concentraciones de material particulado fino por sobre los líımites saludables establecidos por organismos internacionales y las normas locales. El carbono negro es parte de este MP2.5 y cobra especial importancia en los sectores cordilleranos. El BC, es transportado naturalmente por las condiciones meteorológicas desde la ciudad hasta las altas cumbres de la cordillera de los Andes, donde se encuentran los glaciares. Estos son los principales encargados del suministro de agua para gran parte de la ciudad. Recientemente, se han desarrollado técnicas de medición de BC rápidas y fáciles de implementar como el etalómetro. Sin embargo, el modelo derivado de usar el etalómetro no es lo suficientemente específico para discriminar fuentes locales de las que no. Una manera de obtener esta información es a través de algoritmos de conglomerados difusos para encontrar patrones espaciales y temporales. Para comprobar esta hipótesis, se tomó los resultados obtenidos de las mediciones echas con el microAeth MA200, en el año 2020, y se realizó el reparto de fuentes a través de conglomerados difusos. Entre los resultados se logró identificar y cuantificar fuentes locales, como quema de leña (promedio de 0,68 µg/m3 y maximo de 1 µg/m3) y combustible fósil derivado del tráfico (prom.=1,03 µg/m3 , max.=10,78 µg/m3), y el contaminante transportado desde el centro de la ciudad (prom.=1,05 µg/m3, max.=19,46 µg/m3). A diferencia del modelo del etalómetro, este análisis en conjunto permitió agregar más información a los resultados, complementar las fuentes identificadas y mostrar el aumento que ha tenido este contaminante en comparación con estudios hechos previamente en la zona. No obstante, los datos meteorológicos, medidos en simultáneo en el lugar donde se mide el BC, son necesarios para realizar este tipo de análisis. Esto, limita el lugar y situaciones de monitoreo para replicar este método.
Ischaemic Supraventricular Tachycardia: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Dhandapani VE , Aravindan R , Anjani D , Prasanna S , Abhilasha M
Published: October 2023

The incidence of supraventricular arrhythmias other than Atrial Fibrillation (AF) and atrial flutter in postmyocardial Infarction (MI) patients is usually rare. The incidence of in-hospital AF after MI ranges from 5%-18%. Paroxysmal Supraventricular Tachycardia (PSVT) occurs in less than 10% of patients after an acute MI. Herein, the authors presented a case of a 47-year-old male presented to the Casualty Department with chief complaints of palpitations for the past six hours. The Electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT), and immediate pharmacological cardioversion was performed. Coronary Angiogram (CAG) was conducted, which revealed double vessel disease with critical lesions in the proximal Right Coronary Artery (RCA) and mid Left Circumflex (LCX). Percutaneous coronary intervention was performed for both lesions. The patient was discharged in a stable condition. Prompt and immediate diagnosis of arrhythmias is crucial, especially in patients with MI, to reduce mortality and morbidity.
A DESCRIPTION OF MILITARY THREATS TO POLAND'S AIR SAFETY
Authors: ROSŁAN Grzegorz
Published: October 2023

The events of the past year have made many experts aware that the contemporary international security environment is increasingly uncertain, complex and difficult to predict. It is, therefore, reasonable to present current issues related to air safety, which, in the author’s opinion, are crucial for the functioning of the Polish state in the area of medium- and long-term national and international policy. The aim of this article is to describe the contemporary air safety environment, which is characterized by a dynamic process of transformation of the types of threats; these include the ambitions of some countries to dominate in this dimension.
The study concerns the military dimension of Poland’s air security. The author’s analysis proves that air threats are not a new phenomenon, but currently they have an extremely wide range of application in armed conflict. The research method adopted is qualitative analysis supported by the technique of real-meaning definition.
CHANGES IN THE FINANCIAL SITUATION OF MUNICIPALITIES WITHOUT POVIAT RIGHTS IN POLAND IN THE YEARS 2010-2021
Authors: SOŁTYSIAK Mirosław , ZAJĄC Dariusz
Published: October 2023

The purpose of the paper is to identify and assess changes in the financial situation of municipalities without Polish towns in Poland against the background of the whole country in the years 2010–2021. The empirical material of the paper concerns both the whole country and all municipalities without poviat towns in Poland. The numerical data comes from the Warsaw Central Statistics Office Local Data Bank and cover the years 2010–2021. The collected and ordered empirical material was elaborated in descriptive, tabular, and graphical form, using the method of comparative analysis. Furthermore, a point evaluation of all diagnostic features was made that illustrates the financial situation of municipalities without cities in Poland against the background of the entire country for the years 2010–2021, which constitutes a new approach to the research problem undertaken in the article. The analysis of the statistical data confirmed the research hypothesis assuming that the presence of a city, especially a bigger one, is a significant factor positively and permanently influencing the financial situation of communes without cities with poviat rights in Poland.
AN ASSESSMENT OF INTENTIONS AND ATTITUDES AMONG ENTREPRENEURS OF GENERATION ALPHA
Authors: TSIMAYEU Andrei
Published: October 2023

This article presents the results of an analysis of entrepreneurial intentions and attitudes among children of Generation Alpha (born after 2010). The study is based on a diagnostic survey of 252 primary school students in the West Pomeranian Voivodeship. The results show that even though students, as a rule, have business ideas and positively assess the creation of their own business, they do not often think about creating their own business in the future and are less likely to associate their future with entrepreneurship. The analysis shows that there is a connection between entrepreneurial intentions and attitudes and the socio-demographic profile of respondents. The results can be used to develop new approaches to the organization of entrepreneurial education in primary schools, and to raise children’s awareness of the prospects of running their own businesses.
Fish Sanctuaries as an Ecological Approach to Management for Restoring Fish Biodiversity: A Study on Chikadubi Beel Fish Sanctuary, Bangladesh
Authors: Alam Md. Shahin , Ahamed Saokat , Chowdhury Parvez , Rahman Md. Moshiur , Haque Shahroz Mahean
Published: October 2023

The fish biodiversity of open water is reducing as rice culture has been intensified due to other environmental threats. The establishment of a fish sanctuary is a way to conserve fish for future generation. A study was conducted to know the impact of the sanctuary on fish biodiversity for six months from August to December 2020. Various Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) tools were used such as Questionnaire interviews, focus group discussion (FGD), Catch monitoring and cross-check interviews were carried out. Data were collected from 50 fishermen using a semi-structured questionnaire interview, Group discussion, and gathering secondary information from different sources. According to the findings, 78 fish species were recorded in the study area where 60 fish species were recorded to be found before establishment of the sanctuary. Baseline production of the sanctuary was 0.58 MT/ha in 2015 which increased to 1.12 MT/ha in 2020 after establishment of the sanctuary. The highest total number of fish species were caught in August (68.45%) and lowest (41.55%) in December in the Chikadubi beel. The dominant fish species in Chikadubi beel was Freshwater shark (Wallago attu) followed by Spotted snakehead (Channa punctatus), Indian river shad (Gadusia chapra) and Jatiputi (Puntius sophore) whereas the least available fish species was Koitor poa (Johnius coitor). Among the total catch comprises different family such Cyprinidae 58.33%, Channidae 16.60%, Bagridae 14.58%, Siluridae 6.25% & Schilbeidae 8.33 % respectively. The outcomes suggest that careful planning, management and regular practices, along with active community participation, can have positive impact on fish sanctuary.
Quadruple Arterial Blood Supply to the Liver: A Rare Variation
Authors: Bello S. S.  , Abdulhameed Aliu
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Vascular variations in the liver are significant to surgeons in liver transplantations, radiological procedures, laparoscopy and penetrating abdominal injuries. These variations are important in liver transplantation procedure, in addition to being an ideal opportunity for surgical anatomy study, their detailed identification is crucial to the success of the procedure.

Case Report: During a routine cadaveric dissection of the abdomen for medical students at the department of Anatomy Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto Nigeria. A male adult cadaver with unknown identity and cause of death, was found to have four arterial branches to the liver, one each from the left gastric artery and common hepatic artery, a branch from the gastro-duodenal artery and the hepatic artery.

Conclusion: Detailed knowledge of the variations of hepatic arterial anatomy is of utmost importance to surgeons who perform surgeries in this area, particularly in liver transplantation, since their identification and proper management are critical to the success of the procedure.
Effect of Different Weed Management Practices on Growth Characters of Chickpea in Mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh, India
Authors: Shubham  , Bochalya Ranjeet Singh , Choudhary Kartikeya , Katoch Anmol , Sood Ananya
Published: October 2023

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum) is one of the most important pulse legumes in many parts of the world. India is largest producer of chickpea in the world, sharing 65 and 70 % of the total global area and production, respectively. Different weed control practices use of herbicides were followed for better management. Application of herbicide at critical growth stages followed by one or two hand weeding at proper time or manipulation of row spacing for improving the weed suppressing effect of crops gives marginal improvement in crop yield. A field experiment titled “Effects of Different Weed Management Practices on Growth Characters of Chickpea in Mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh” was conducted during rabi season of 2022 at Chamelti Agriculture Farm, MS Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan. The soil of the experimental field was sandy loam in texture, slightly alkaline in reaction with EC in a safer range, medium in organic carbon, available nitrogen, potassium, and high in available phosphorus. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with three replications comprising ten weed management treatments viz. (T1) One hand weeding at 20 DAS, (T2) Two hand weeding at 20 and 40 DAS, (T3) Pendimethalin 30 EC @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PE), (T4) Imazethapyr 10 SL @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PoE) at 25 DAS, (T5) Pendimethalin 30 EC @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PE) + One hand weeding at 30 DAS, (T6) Imazethapyr 10 SL @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PoE) at 25 DAS + One hand weeding at 40 DAS, (T7) Fenoxaprop-p-ethyl 9.3 EC @ 60 g ha-1 (PoE) at 25 DAS + One hand weeding at 40 DAS, (T8) Pendimethalin 30 EC @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PE) + Imazethapyr 10 SL @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PoE) at 25 DAS, (T9) Weed free and (T10) Weedy Check. The recommended dose of fertilizer (30:60:30 kg ha-1) was applied through Urea, SSP, and MOP at the time of sowing. PBG-7 variety of chickpea was used for sowing. Weed management practices were done as per treatment. Other crop management practices were followed as per the recommendation of the area. Application of (T8) Pendimethalin 30 EC @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PE) + Imazethapyr 10 SL @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PoE) at 25 DAS registered higher growth parameters viz. plant height, number of branches plant-1, dry matter accumulation and crop growth rate. Thus, study suggest that chickpea can successfully grown under Mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh on (T8) Pendimethalin 30 EC @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PE) + Imazethapyr 10 SL @ 1.0 kg ha-1 (PoE) at 25 DAS.
Effect on Physico-chemical Properties of Soil under Various Land Use Planning of Kanpur Nagar, U.P., India
Authors: Kumar Abhishek , Sharma Sanjeev , Soni Arpita , Sachan Ravindra , Kumar Ashutosh
Published: October 2023

A research work conducted during 2020-21 at various land use planning of Kanpur Nagar (U.P.) to evaluate the fertility status of various land use planning on soil physico-chemical characteristics. The 504 representative soil samples with 3 depths viz. 0-15, 15-30 and 30-60 cm soil samples were taken with manually driven post hole auger and processed for soil analysis from different land use planning of Kanpur Nagar. Results revealed that physico-chemical properties viz. Bulk density, pH, Electrical Conductivity (E.C.), organic carbon (O.C.) varied vertically and horizontally in cultivated and fallow lands. The frequency distribution of soil bulk density of entire lands ranged 1.14 – 1.43 Mgm-3 and soil chemical properties, like, pH ranged from 7.1-8.9, the E.C. is found in ranged from 0.33 – 0.97 dS m-1. While organic carbon was ranged from 0.21- 0.68%.
Particle-Picking in Cryo-Electron Microscopy Images with Online Resources
Authors: Proença Maria da Conceição
Published: October 2023

Aims: Use deep learning online resources to identify and pick single particle views in micrographs to enable high quality three-dimensional reconstruction for macromolecular structure determination.
Study Design: Using the keyhole limpet hemocyanin dataset, a public cryo electron microscopy (cryo-EM) dataset containing two dimensional projections of the particles in two views (top and side) in several orientations, and a recent deep learning algorithm made available in a GitHub repository, we design the procedure to pick both views with high degree of confidence, using only online resources and running in a standard laptop.
Methodology: The defocus images are subject to a pre-processing stage to increase its contrast and ameliorate its radiometric range. This is followed by a training stage, that needs a few images annotated with examples of both views of interest – top and side view – identified using user-friendly tools available online. The annotated subset of images is divided for train and validation purposes, and the algorithm runs to produce a set of weights, that can be used for inference in any other similar image, locating all the instances of the particles in both views in seconds.
Results: From the 57 images used to evaluate the performance of the algorithm, 63% had both precision and recall better than 90%. The global precision on the test dataset was 91.6% and recall 98.1%. Considering each view separately, top views detections attain a precision of 91.7%, with 100% for recall; side views recall remains on 96.7%, while precision attain 91.5%.
Conclusion: Deep learning methods are a promising tool for extracting large amounts of single particle views as needed for quality 3D structure reconstruction, as they can be implemented with minimal computer skills and trained to achieve state-of-the-art automatic discrimination, as described in this study.
Could Universal Donor Blood Be Made in the Laboratory?
Authors: Kuehn Bridget M.
Published: October 2023

This Medical News article discusses efforts to expand blood supply by converting type A and B red blood cells into type O.
Redefining Blood Donation—Path to Inclusivity and Safety
Authors: Young Pampee P. , Saa Paula
Published: October 2023

This Viewpoint reviews the vicissitudes of establishing fair and equitable blood donation policies based on research and improved serological testing and promotes expanding the pool of potential donors.
How Much Safety Did the Social Safety Net Provide During the COVID-19 Pandemic?
Authors: Baicker Katherine
Published: October 2023

This JAMA Forum discusses the successes, failures, and lessons learned regarding the performance of US social safety-net programs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Clinical Benefit, Price, and Uptake for Cancer Biosimilars vs Reference Drugs in China
Authors: Luo Xingxian , Du Xin , Li Zhuangqi , Liu Jingwen , Lv Xufeng , Li Haoran , Guo Qixiang , Wang Cen , Xue Xuecai , Le Kaidi , Jiang Xiaomeng , Huang Lin , Yang Yue
Published: October 2023

Importance

The high cost of biologics used to treat cancer has been an increasing burden in the world. In China, the recent approval of cancer biosimilar drugs to resolve this problem is promising, but evidence of clinical benefits, price, and uptake for these drugs is still lacking.

Objectives

To compare characteristics of pivotal clinical trials in China and other countries for biosimilars of bevacizumab, rituximab, and trastuzumab and investigate the efficacy or effectiveness, safety, and immunogenicity outcomes of cancer biosimilars compared with reference drugs by meta-analysis.

Data Sources

For this systematic review and meta-analysis, PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched for published studies from database inception to February 1, 2023, using the search topics (cancers) AND (biosimilars).

Study Selection

Randomized clinical trials and cohort studies that included patients with cancer were included.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Two authors independently extracted the outcome estimates and characteristics for each study. A random-effects meta-analysis was performed to summarize the relative estimates with 95% CIs. This study was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guideline.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Clinical trial characteristics were collected for biosimilars of bevacizumab, rituximab, and trastuzumab. The relative estimates of efficacy or effectiveness (objective response rate, progression-free survival, and overall survival), safety, and immunogenicity outcomes were analyzed for biosimilars vs reference drugs. The weighted average price and uptake rate were evaluated for biosimilars relative to their reference drugs between 2015 and 2022.

Results

A total of 39 RCTs (involving 18 791 patients) and 10 cohort studies (involving 1998 patients) were included. The biosimilars of bevacizumab (16 RCTs; risk ratio [RR], 0.97; 95% CI, 0.93-1.01; P = .17), rituximab (12 RCTs; RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.98-1.08; P = .70), and trastuzumab (9 RCTs: RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.97-1.12; P = .29) met equivalence with reference biologics in regard to the objective response rate. The results summarized from cohort studies were consistent with those from RCTs. In 2022, cancer biosimilars were priced at 69% to 90% of the costs for the reference drugs, and their uptake reached 54% to 83% in China.

Conclusions and Relevance

This systematic review and meta-analysis indicated that cancer biosimilars provided comparable clinical benefits at lower prices compared with reference drugs. These findings suggest the potential feasibility of expediting the transition from reference drugs to biosimilars to benefit more patients with cancer.
Slow-Growing Left Scalp Mass
Authors: Tulenko Kassandra G. , Dowling Eric , Mukherjee Sugoto
Published: October 2023

A 27-year-old woman had primary complaints of headaches and visual-spatial difficulties when driving at night. She also had a progressively enlarging lesion on her left scalp. What is your diagnosis?
Expanding impact of mobile health programs: SAHELI for maternal and child care
Authors: Verma Shresth , Singh Gargi , Mate Aditya , Verma Paritosh , Gorantla Sruthi , Madhiwalla Neha , Hegde Aparna , Thakkar Divy , Jain Manish , Tambe Milind , Taneja Aparna
Published: October 2023

Underserved communities face critical health challenges due to lack of access to timely and reliable information. Nongovernmental organizations are leveraging the widespread use of cellphones to combat these healthcare challenges and spread preventative awareness. The health workers at these organizations reach out individually to beneficiaries; however, such programs still suffer from declining engagement. We have deployed Saheli, a system to efficiently utilize the limited availability of health workers for improving maternal and child health in India. Saheli uses the Restless Multi‐armed Bandit (RMAB) framework to identify beneficiaries for outreach. It is the first deployed application for RMABs in public health, and is already in continuous use by our partner NGO, ARMMAN. We have already reached ∼130K beneficiaries with Saheli, and are on track to serve one million beneficiaries by the end of 2023. This scale and impact has been achieved through multiple innovations in the RMAB model and its development, in preparation of real world data, and in deployment practices; and through careful consideration of responsible AI practices. Specifically, in this paper, we describe our approach to learn from past data to improve the performance of Saheli's RMAB model, the real‐world challenges faced during deployment and adoption of Saheli, and the end‐to‐end pipeline.
Is it necessary to perform measurement‐based patient‐specific quality assurance for online adaptive radiotherapy with Elekta Unity MR‐Linac?
Authors: Xu Yuan , Xia Wenlong , Ren Wenting , Ma Min , Men Kuo , Dai Jianrong
Published: October 2023

This study aimed to investigate the necessity of measurement‐based patient‐specific quality assurance (PSQA) for online adaptive radiotherapy by analyzing measurement‐based PSQA results and calculation‐based 3D independent dose verification results with Elekta Unity MR‐Linac.

There are two workflows for Elekta Unity enabled in the treatment planning system: adapt to position (ATP) and adapt to shape (ATS). ATP plans are those which have relatively slighter shifts from reference plans by adjusting beam shapes or weights, whereas ATS plans are the new plans optimized from the beginning with probable re‐contouring targets and organs‐at‐risk. PSQA gamma passing rates were measured using an MR‐compatible ArcCHECK diode array for 78 reference plans and corresponding 208 adaptive plans (129 ATP plans and 79 ATS plans) of Elekta Unity. Subsequently, the relationships between ATP, or ATS plans and reference plans were evaluated separately. The Pearson's r correlation coefficients between ATP or ATS adaptive plans and corresponding reference plans were also characterized using regression analysis. Moreover, the Bland–Altman plot method was used to describe the agreement of PSQA results between ATP or ATS adaptive plans and reference plans. Additionally, Monte Carlo‐based independent dose verification software ArcherQA was used to perform secondary dose check for adaptive plans.

For ArcCHECK measurements, the average gamma passing rates (ArcCHECK vs. TPS) of PSQA (3%/2 mm criterion) were 99.51% ± 0.88% and 99.43% ± 0.54% for ATP and ATS plans, respectively, which were higher than the corresponding reference plans 99.34% ± 1.04% (p < 0.05) and 99.20% ± 0.71% (p < 0.05), respectively. The Pearson's r correlation coefficients were 0.720 between ATP and reference plans and 0.300 between ATS and reference plans with ArcCHECK, respectively. Furthermore, >95% of data points of differences between both ATP and ATS plans and reference plans were within ±2σ (standard deviation) of the mean difference between adaptive and reference plans with ArcCHECK measurements. With ArcherQA calculation, the average gamma passing rates (ArcherQA vs. TPS) were 98.23% ± 1.64% and 98.15% ± 1.07% for ATP and ATS adaptive plans, separately.

It might be unnecessary to perform measurement‐based PSQA for both ATP and ATS adaptive plans for Unity if the gamma passing rates of both measurements of corresponding reference plans and independent dose verification of adaptive plans have high gamma passing rates. Periodic machine QA and verification of adaptive plans were recommended to ensure treatment safety.
Optimized parametrization of adaptive controllers for enhanced current regulation in grid‐tied converters
Authors: Hollweg Guilherme Vieira , Evald Paulo Jefferson Dias de Oliveira , Mattos Everson , Borin Lucas Cielo , Tambara Rodrigo Varella , Montagner Vinicius Foletto
Published: October 2023

Grid‐connected converters play a significant role in renewable energy systems, acting as a crucial interface between the inverter and the electrical grid, often incorporating LCL filters. One of the primary challenges in controlling grid‐injected current is the grid uncertainty, which can have a direct impact on the resonance frequency of the LCL filter. Adaptive controllers are feasible to deal with this kind of situation. However, the setup of these controllers requires an experienced designer. This work proposes a novel approach for parametrization of adaptive controllers, as well as their gain initialization, using particle swarm optimization, considering performance indexes and stability constraints. The proposed approach improves the current tracking performance and avoids relevant overshoots during transient regimes. The experimental results of current regulation in a grid‐tied voltage source inverter with an LCL filter provide compelling evidence for the effectiveness of this method. The optimized control structure exhibits significantly lower regulation errors and demonstrates improved tracking dynamics when compared to non‐optimized control structures.
The Role of Hypoxia and Hypoxia Signaling in Skeletal Muscle Physiology
Authors: Endo Yori , Zhu Christina , Giunta Elena , Guo Cynthia , Koh Daniel J. , Sinha Indranil
Published: October 2023

Hypoxia and hypoxia signaling play an integral role in regulating skeletal muscle physiology. Environmental hypoxia and tissue hypoxia in muscles cue for their appropriate physiological response and adaptation, and cause an array of cellular and metabolic changes. In addition, muscle stem cells (satellite cells), exist in a hypoxic state, and this intrinsic hypoxic state correlates with their quiescence and stemness. The mechanisms of hypoxia‐mediated regulation of satellite cells and myogenesis are yet to be characterized, and their seemingly contradicting effects reported leave their exact roles somewhat perplexing. This review summarizes the recent findings on the effect of hypoxia and hypoxia signaling on the key aspects of muscle physiology, namely, stem cell maintenance and myogenesis with a particular attention given to distinguish the intrinsic versus local hypoxia in an attempt to better understand their respective regulatory roles and how their relationship affects the overall response. This review further describes their mechanistic links and their possible implications on the relevant pathologies and therapeutics.
Considerations from an International Regulatory and Pharmaceutical Industry (IQ MPS Affiliate) Workshop on the Standardization of Complex In Vitro Models in Drug Development
Authors: Tomlinson Lindsay , Ramsden Diane , Leite Sofia Batista , Beken Sonja , Bonzo Jessica A. , Brown Paul , Candarlioglu Pelin L. , Chan Tom S. , Chen Eugene , Choi Colin K. , David Rhiannon , Delrue Nathalie , Devine Patrick J. , Ford Kevin , Garcia Martha Iveth , Gosset James R. , Hewitt Philip , Homan Kimberly , Irrechukwu Onyi , Kopec Anna K. , Liras Jennifer L. , Mandlekar Sandhya , Raczynski Arek , Sadrieh Nakissa , Sakatis Melanie Z. , Siegel Jeffrey , Sung Kyung , Sunyovszki Ilona , Van Vleet Terry R. , Ekert Jason E. , Hardwick Rhiannon N.
Published: October 2023

In May 2022, there is an International Regulatory and Pharmaceutical Industry (Innovation and Quality [IQ] Microphysiological Systems [MPS] Affiliate) Workshop on the standardization of complex in vitro models (CIVMs) in drug development. This manuscript summarizes the discussions and conclusions of this joint workshop organized and executed by the IQ MPS Affiliate and the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A key objective of the workshop is to facilitate discussions around opportunities and/or needs for standardization of MPS and chart potential pathways to increase model utilization in the context of regulatory decision making. Participation in the workshop included 200 attendees from the FDA, IQ MPS Affiliate, and 26 global regulatory organizations and affiliated parties representing Europe, Japan, and Canada. It is agreed that understanding global perspectives regarding the readiness of CIVM/MPS models for regulatory decision making and potential pathways to gaining acceptance is useful to align on globally. The obstacles are currently too great to develop standards for every context of use (COU). Instead, it is suggested that a more tractable approach may be to think of broadly applicable standards that can be applied regardless of COU and/or organ system. Considerations and next steps for this effort are described.
Dynamic Transformation of Functionalized Bismuth to Catalytically Active Surfaces for CO2 Reduction to Formate at High Current Densities
Authors: Mahbub Muhammad Adib Abdillah , Junqueira João R. C. , Wang Xin , Zhang Jian , Dieckhöfer Stefan , Seisel Sabine , Das Debanjan , Schuhmann Wolfgang
Published: October 2023

A facile strategy to boost the activity and preserve the selectivity of CO2 reduction to formate using organic‐functionalized metal catalysts, specifically 2‐methyl‐imidazole coordinated to Bi, Bi[2‐MeIm], is reported, and the active surfaces are investigated during structural transformation under the applied cathodic potential necessary for CO2 reduction. Operando Raman spectroscopy unveils the structure evolution during the reaction and post‐electrolysis analysis shows the formation of three phases of bismuth‐based active surfaces. As a result, Bi[2‐MeIm] achieves an excellent CO2 reduction performance with an average formate selectivity of ≈90% Faradaic efficiency and high activity reaching a current density of up to −1 A cm−2 in a narrow window of cathodic potentials from −0.46 to −0.78 V versus RHE.
Lightweight Soft Conductive Composites Embedded with Liquid Metal Fiber Networks
Authors: Ma Jiexian , Liu Zihan , Nguyen Quang‐Kha , Zhang Pu
Published: October 2023

Liquid metal composites are promising soft conductors for applications in soft electronics, sensors, and soft robotics. Existing liquid metal composites usually have a high‐volume fraction of liquid metal, which not only increases the density but also the material cost. Future applications in soft electronics and robotics highly demand liquid metal composites with low density and high conductivity for large‐scale, low‐cost, lightweight, and more sustainable applications. In this work, lightweight and highly conductive composites embedded with liquid metal fiber networks are synthesized. This new paradigm of liquid metal composites consists of an interconnected liquid metal fiber network embedded in a compliant rubber matrix. The liquid metal fiber network serves as an ultra‐lightweight conductive pathway for electrons. Experiments indicate that this soft conductive composite also possesses nearly strain‐insensitive conductance and superior cyclic stability. Potential applications of the composite films as stretchable interconnects, electrodes, and sensors are demonstrated.
Unveiling the Impact of Organic Spacer Cations on Auger Recombination in Layered Halide Perovskites
Authors: Furuhashi Tomoki , Kanwat Anil , Ramesh Sankaran , Mathews Nripan , Sum Tze Chien
Published: October 2023

A library of large organic cation spacers is available for engineering the performance of layered two‐dimensional (2D) halide perovskite devices. Despite extensive photophysics studies, there remains a research gap over the structure‐function relations in 2D perovskites, especially the underlying factors influencing the Auger recombination (AR) process. Herein, the contributions of exciton binding energy, exciton‐phonon coupling, and defects/film morphology to the AR process in 2D perovskites are examined. Phenyl‐alkyl‐ammonium cations with different lengths of attached alkyl groups, commonly used in blue light‐emitting diodes, are investigated. The findings reveal an order of magnitude higher threshold carrier density for the AR onset as well as a reduced AR in cations with longer alkyl chain length. Although possessing similar exciton binding energies, the exciton‐phonon coupling strength is found to play a major role in reducing the AR rate, with a smaller contribution from the defect states/film morphology. The findings can help provide further guidance on organic spacer cation engineering for highly efficient 2D perovskite light emitters.
Excitonic Degradation Mechanisms in Phosphorescent and Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Jiang Jixin , Jang Ho Jin , Lee Kyung Hyung , Lim Junseop , Kim Jae‐Min , Zhao Suling , Lee Jun Yeob
Published: October 2023

In this study, the degradation mechanisms of triplet exciton harvesting organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs), namely, phosphorescent OLEDs and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) OLEDs, are investigated. Two common green emitters, fac‐tris(2‐phenylpyridine) iridium (III) (Ir(ppy)3) and 1,2,3,5‐tetrakis(carbazol‐9‐yl)‐4,6‐dicyanobenzene (4CzIPN), are doped in an exciplex‐forming cohost, and their degradation processes are comprehensively evaluated using various analytical approaches. Triplet–triplet‐annihilation induces the formation of defects, such as charge traps and exciton quenchers, triggering luminance loss during the device aging process of Ir(ppy)3‐based phosphorescent OLEDs. Electron trapping‐induced triplet‐polaron annihilation and narrow emission zone severely impair the device stability of 4CzIPN‐based TADF OLEDs, despite limited material degradation and charge trap formation.
Improving Nitrogen Retention in Algal Biochar Pyrolysis by Co‐Pyrolysis with Glucose
Authors: Vercruysse Willem , Pappa Michaela , Mangione Gianfabio , Desta Derese , Hardy An , Boyen Hans‐Gerd , Van Bael Marlies K. , Marchal Wouter , Vandamme Dries
Published: October 2023

Algal biomass is a promising pyrolysis feedstock, however, large amounts of nitrogen‐containing compounds (NH3, HCN,…) are emitted during its conversion. These emissions can be decreased by incorporating nitrogen in the biochar's carbon matrix via co‐pyrolysis. This study investigates whether adding glucose (GL) to the microalgae, Arthrospira sp. (SP), increases the nitrogen fixation in the solid biochar. Moreover, scalable (co‐) pyrolysis experiments are linked with micro‐scale pyrolysis. Using hyphenated pyrolysis (Py–GC–MS, TG‐IR) and characterization (CHNS, XPS, and Raman) techniques the phenomena associated with the incorporation of nitrogen in the biochars are unraveled. Co‐pyrolyzing SP and GL increased biochar yields and nitrogen retention, which is attributed to Maillard reactions occurring in the initial pyrolysis stages. In conclusion, this study provides evidence that co‐pyrolysis of microalgae and reducing sugars is a more sustainable strategy to produce algae‐based biochar.
Prediction of The Binding Mode of NP‐G2‐044 Targeting Fascin and Its Drug Resistance Mutations
Authors: Pan Jinmei , Wang Liangdong , Xu Li‐Yan , Li En‐Min , Dong Geng
Published: October 2023

Fascin is a major actin‐binding protein (ABP) in filopodia and is highly expressed in metastatic tumors. To inhibit its function, a potent inhibitor called NP‐G2‐044 is currently in phase II clinical trials. However, the binding mode of this inhibitor remains unclear. In this study, the binding mode of NP‐G2‐044 in fascin and predicted drug resistance mutations is investigated. The rough binding position and pose can be deduce based on information from its derivant NP‐G2‐029, whose crystal structure with fascin has been solved. Molecular docking, free energy perturbation (FEP) simulation and metadynamics simulation are performed to confirm the binding pose. Based on the molecular docking results, two binding modes of NP‐G2‐044, pose A and B, are obtained, with pose A being more favorable. For pose A, the planar indazole moiety has the same orientation as NP‐G2‐029 in the complex with fascin, while for pose B, it rotates ≈90°. FEP and metadynamics simulations indicate that both binding poses are possible. Relative binding free energies for mutation effects calculated by FEP predict E215A and R217A are drug resistance mutations. These findings are important for further drug development targeting fascin.
2D Light‐Weight Transition Metal Disulfide as Model Cathode for Alkali‐Ion Batteries and Beyond
Authors: Chakraborty Dwaipayan , Pandey Madhu , Johari Priya
Published: October 2023

The capacity of rechargeable battery is mainly controlled by two factors: maximum number of ions that can be held by an electrode material and its weight. In general, the weight and hence the specific capacity of a battery is mainly affected by the cathode material. In this context, Sc, the lightest transition metal, could prove helpful in achieving the goal of high theoretical capacity. Therefore, here the performance of two‐dimensional (2D) ScS2 nanosheets (both hexagonal‐H and trigonal‐T) as cathode materials for alkali‐ion batteries (Li, Na, and K) and other multivalent metal‐ion batteries (Mg and Al) is studied. The first‐principles calculations show that 2D H and T─ScS2 nanosheets deliver large theoretical capacity of 491.36 mA h g−1 for alkali ions and 324.29 m'A h g−1 for Mg and Al ions while maintaining good average open‐circuit voltages. Results also suggest low diffusion barriers for all metal ions except Al, with T─ScS2 exhibiting ultra‐low barriers for alkali atoms. Overall, this study provides a fundamental and a comprehensive view on the potential capabilities of both H─ScS2 and T─ScS2 by defining the underlying mechanism from the perspective of a cathode material which may prove helpful in designing light‐weight and high‐capacity transition metal sulfide‐based metal‐ion batteries in the future.
First‐Principles Study of the C‐ and Si‐Doped Buckled Honeycomb PN Monolayer
Authors: Van On Vo , Ha Chu Viet , Guerrero‐Sanchez J. , Hoat D. M.
Published: October 2023

In this work, the effects of doping with carbon (C) and silicon (Si) on the electronic and magnetic properties of phosphorus nitride (PN) monolayer are investigated. PN monolayer is stable, exhibiting the semiconductor nature with indirect band gap of 1.81(2.89) eV calculated by standard Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (hybrid HSE06) functional. C and Si impurities prefer doping at N and P sublattices, respectively. PN monolayer is slightly magnetized by doping with 25% of C with total magnetic moment of 0.20 . The magnetization is stronger in the remaining cases with total magnetic moments of 1.00 . Magnetic properties are produced mainly by C and Si impurities. In addition, C and Si codoping is also investigated, in which the magnetization depends strongly on the interatomic distance between impurities. Specifically, the inter‐dopant interactions preserve the non‐magnetic nature of PN monolayer, but significantly reduce the energy gap. However, further separating these dopants leads to the emergence of magnetism with total magnetic moment of up to 1.97 . Results may introduce doping‐based effective method to induce feature‐rich electronic and magnetic properties in buckled honeycomb PN monolayer. Such that, the C‐ and Si‐doped PN sheets are recommended for spintronic applications considering their magnetic semiconductor nature.
Landauer‐QFLPS Model for Mixed Schottky‐Ohmic Contact Two‐Dimensional Transistors
Authors: Yan Zhao‐Yi , Hou Zhan , Xue Kan‐Hao , Tian He , Lu Tian , Xue Junying , Wu Fan , Zhao Ruiting , Shao Minghao , Yan Jianlan , Yan Anzhi , Wang Zhenze , Shen Penghui , Zhao Mingyue , Miao Xiangshui , Lin Zhaoyang , Liu Houfang , Yang Yi , Ren Tian‐Ling
Published: October 2023

Two‐dimensional material‐based field‐effect transistors (2DM‐FETs) are playing a revolutionary role in electronic devices. However, before electronic design automation (EDA) for 2DM‐FETs can be achieved, it remains necessary to determine how to incorporate contact transports into model. Reported methods compromise between physical intelligibility and model compactness due to the heterojunction nature. To address this, quasi‐Fermi‐level phase space theory (QFLPS) is generalized to incorporate contact transports using the Landauer formula. It turns out that the Landauer‐QFLPS model effectively overcomes the issue of concern. The proposed new formula can describe 2DM‐FETs with Schottky or Ohmic contacts with superior accuracy and efficiency over previous methods, especially when describing non‐monotonic drain conductance characteristics. A three‐bit threshold inverter quantizer (TIQ) circuit is fabricated using ambipolar black phosphorus and it is demonstrated that the model accurately predicts circuit performance. The model could be very effective and valuable in the development of 2DM‐FET‐based integrated circuits.
Lignin Functionalized with Catechol for Large‐Scale Organic Electrodes in Bio‐Based Batteries
Authors: Ail Ujwala , Backe Jakob , Berggren Magnus , Crispin Xavier , Phopase Jaywant
Published: October 2023

Lignin, obtained as a waste product in huge quantities from the large‐scale cellulose processing industries, holds a great potential to be used as sustainable electrode material for large‐scale electroactive energy storage systems. The fixed number of redox‐active phenolic groups present within the lignin structure limits the electrochemical performance and the total energy storage capacity of the lignin‐based electrodes. Herein, the way to enhance the charge storage capacity of lignin by incorporating additional small catechol molecules into the lignin structure is demonstrated. The catechol derivatives are covalently attached to the lignin via aromatic electrophilic substitution reaction. The increased phenolic groups in all functionalized lignin derivatives notably increase the values of capacitance compared to pristine lignin. Further, solvent fractionation of lignin followed by functionalization using catechol boosts three times the charge capacity of lignin electrode.
Impact of a robotic system on intra‐abdominal infectious complications after minimally invasive gastrectomy in patients with gastric cancer: A propensity score matching analysis regarding visceral obesity
Authors: Kubo Naoshi , Sakurai Katsunobu , Hasegawa Tsuyoshi , Tamamori Yutaka , Iseki Yasuhito , Nishii Takafumi , Shimizu Sadatoshi , Inue Toru , Nishiguchi Yukio , Maeda Kiyoshi
Published: October 2023

Background

The efficacy of robotic gastrectomy (RG) on postoperative complications in patients with gastric cancer (GC) is unclear in terms of the volume of intra‐abdominal fat tissue.

Patients and Methods

We enrolled 403 patients with GC who had minimally invasive surgery between January 2015 and July 2022. During this time, 197 RG and 206 laparoscopic gastrectomies (LG) were performed on the study participants. According to the computed tomography scan, patients were defined as having or not having visceral obesity based on the visceral fatty area (VFA). In each high and low VFA group, we compared short‐term outcomes between the RG group and LG group.

Results

After PS matching for patients with high VFA, the two groups were well matched, with 71 cases in both the RG and LG groups. The median surgical time in the RG group was significantly longer (420 vs. 365 min, p < 0.001). However, the RG group had a significantly lower rate of severe intra‐abdominal infectious complications (IAIC), such as anastomotic leakage, pancreatic fistula, and intra‐abdominal abscess (1.4% vs. 15.4%, p = 0.004). However, among the 77 patients with low VFA values, we found no significant difference in the rate of severe IAIC between the two groups (1.1% in the RG group vs. 2.6% in the LG group, p = 1.00).

Conclusion

RG may be a viable alternative to LG because of the lower postoperative IAIC for patients with visceral obesity and GC. However, RG may not benefit non‐obese patients.
Selenium‐Catalyzed Electrophilic Cascade Reactions of Vinylarenes with N‐Fluorobenzenesulfonimide: A Novel Strategy for the Synthesis of β‐Keto Sulfones
Authors: Bao Fengyu
Published: October 2023

A selenium‐catalyzed electrophilic cascade reaction of vinylarenes with N‐fluorobenzenesulfonimide for the efficient synthesis of important β‐keto sulfones via a single operation is developed. The reactions of vinylarenes bearing electron‐withdrawing groups and electron‐donating groups proceeded smoothly in the air and gave products in up to 94 % yield. Mechanistic studies suggest that vinyl amines generated by oxidative amination of vinylarenes are the intermediates, the cleavage of N−S bond and the recombination of sulfonyl radical lead to 1,3‐migration of sulfonyl, and hydrolysis affords the products β‐keto sulfones.
Development of Mitochondria‐Targeting Photosensitizers via Topoisomerase I Inhibition
Authors: Lim Bumhee , Lee Yeongcheol , In Kwon Dah , Kim Seoyoung , Oh Dong‐Chan , Kim Ikyon , Lee Jeeyeon
Published: October 2023

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an important oncologic intervention option for combating drug resistance of current chemotherapy in cancer. To improve spatiotemporal control, the development of subcellular organelle‐targeting photosensitizers is critical due to the diffusion limits of short‐lived ROS. Mitochondrial topoisomerase 1 (TOP1MT), exclusively localized in mitochondria, is emerging as a promising target for anticancer treatment. In this work, we designed and synthesized mitochondria‐targeting photosensitizers via Top1 inhibition activity of IQ6 and visualized the covalent adducts between the engaged proteins and the synthesized photoaffinity labeling probes (IQ‐Ps). Positively charged derivatives (IQ‐Ss) were also synthesized and their photo‐induced cytotoxicity was assessed to select IQ‐S1. Based on the cellular accumulation of IQ‐S1 in mitochondria and the enhanced PDT activity, we demonstrated that IQ‐S1 functions as a photosensitizer with sequential targeting of mitochondria and nucleus depending on irradiation times. Our findings suggest that the translocation of IQ‐S1 is related to the damage to mitochondrial Top1. The synthesized IQ‐S1 may contribute to the identification and tracking of cellular target proteins along with the PDT progression.
Acoustic resonance therapy is safe and effective for the treatment of nasal congestion in rhinitis: A randomized sham‐controlled trial
Authors: Luong Amber U. , Yong Michael , Hwang Peter H. , Lin Bryant Y. , Gopi Paramesh , Mohan Vivek , Ma Yifei , Johnson Jacob , Yen David M. , DeMera Richard S. , Bleier Benjamin S.
Published: October 2023

Background

Acoustic resonance therapy (ART) is a novel vibrational treatment that delivers patient‐specific resonant frequency acoustic energy to the sinonasal cavities. In a pilot study, ART was effective for the acute treatment of nasal congestion. We conducted a sham‐controlled randomized trial to validate the efficacy of ART when administered daily for 2 weeks.

Methods

A total of 52 adult patients were enrolled in a multi‐center, randomized, double‐blinded, sham‐controlled, interventional study evaluating ART administered by a vibrational headband. Patients received either active treatment or a non‐therapeutic sham treatment twice daily over 2 weeks. Clinical endpoints were the average change in nasal congestion sub‐score of the Total Nasal Symptom Score (TNSS) and the average change in composite TNSS.

Results

ART resulted in a significantly greater mean change in the nasal congestion sub‐score compared to sham (−0.87 [95% confidence interval [CI] −1.11, −0.62] vs. −0.44 [95% CI −0.64, −0.23], p = 0.008). ART also resulted in a significantly greater reduction in the composite TNSS versus sham, (−2.85 [95% CI −3.85, −1.85], vs. −1.32 [95% CI −2.27, −0.36], p = 0.027). The response rate, determined by a nasal congestion sub‐score minimal clinically important difference of 0.23, was 80.8% for ART and 46.2% for sham, with an adjusted risk ratio of 1.95 (95% CI 1.26, 3.02, p = 0.003) in favor of ART. Safety endpoints showed no adverse events.

Conclusion

ART is a safe and effective non‐pharmacologic alternative for the treatment of nasal congestion.