bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemotherapy‐induced release of ADAM17 bearing EV as a potential resistance mechanism in ovarian cancer
Authors: Hugendieck Gerrit , Lettau Marcus , Andreas Svenja , Neumann Sabrina , Reinhardt Natalie , Arnold Philipp , Theilig Franziska , Bastian Lorenz , Rogmans Christoph , Weimer Jörg P. , Flörkemeier Inken , Wesch Daniela , Arnold Norbert , Maass Nicolai , Janssen Ottmar , Bauerschlag Dirk , Hedemann Nina
Published: July 2023

Ovarian cancer (OvCa) is the gynaecological disorder with the poorest prognosis due to the fast development of chemoresistance. We sought to connect chemoresistance and cancer cell‐derived extracellular vesicles (EV). The mechanisms of how chemoresistance is sustained by EV remained elusive. One potentially contributing factor is A Disintegrin and Metalloprotease 17 (ADAM17)—itself being able to promote chemoresistance and inducing tumour cell proliferation and survival via the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) pathway by shedding several of its ligands including Amphiregulin (AREG). We now demonstrate that upon chemotherapeutic treatment, proteolytically active ADAM17 is released in association with EV from OvCa cells. In terms of function, we show that patient‐derived EV induce AREG shedding and restore chemoresistance in ADAM17‐deficient cells. Confirming that ADAM17‐containing EV transmit chemoresistance in OvCa, we propose that ADAM17 levels (also on EV) might serve as an indicator for tumour progression and the chemosensitivity status of a given patient.
Expressions of sugar transporter genes during Bombyx mori embryonic development
Authors: Gu Shi‐Hong , Lin Pei‐Ling , Chang Chia‐Hao
Published: July 2023

Sugar transporters (Sts) play important roles in controlling carbohydrate transport and are responsible for mediating the movement of sugars into cells. Few studies have been conducted on expressions of Sts during insect embryonic development. In the present study, we investigated temporal expressions of St genes during the embryonic diapause process in Bombyx mori. We found that in HCl‐treated developing eggs, high gene expressions of trehalose transporter 1 (Tret1) were detected during middle and later embryonic development. St4 and St3 gene expressions gradually increased during the early stages, reached a small peak on Day 3, and large peaks were again detected on Day 7. However, in diapause eggs, expression levels of the Tret1, St4, and St3 genes all remained at low levels. Differential temporal changes in expressions of the Tret1, St4, and St3 genes found between diapause and HCl‐treated eggs were further confirmed using nondiapause eggs. Our results showed that nondiapause eggs exhibited similar changing patterns as those of HCl‐treated eggs, thus clearly indicating potential correlations between expressions of these genes and embryonic development. In addition, high gene expressions of Tret1 were also detected when dechorionated eggs were incubated in the medium. The addition of LY294002 (a specific phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase [PI3K] inhibitor) and U0126 (a mitogen‐activated protein kinase/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase [ERK] kinase [MEK] inhibitor) partially inhibited Tret1 gene expression in dechorionated eggs, but did not affect either ecdysteroid‐phosphate phosphatase gene expression or ecdysteroid biosynthesis, clearly indicating that both PI3K and ERK are involved in increased gene expression of Tret1 that was independent of ecdysteroid levels. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive report to demonstrate the transcriptional regulation of St genes during embryonic development, thus providing useful information for a clearer understanding of insect egg diapause mechanisms.
Lessons learned from community engagement regarding phylodynamic research with molecular HIV surveillance data
Authors: Tordoff Diana M. , Minalga Brian , Trejo Alfredo , Shook Alic , Kerani Roxanne P. , Herbeck Joshua T.
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The widespread implementation of molecular HIV surveillance (MHS) has resulted in an increased discussion about the ethical, human rights and public health implications of MHS. We narrate our process of pausing our research that uses data collected through MHS in response to these growing concerns and summarize the key lessons we learned through conversations with community members.

Methods

The original study aimed to describe HIV transmission patterns by age and race/ethnicity among men who have sex with men in King County, Washington, by applying probabilistic phylodynamic modelling methods to HIV‐1 pol gene sequences collected through MHS. In September 2020, we paused the publication of this research to conduct community engagement: we held two public‐facing online presentations, met with a national community coalition that included representatives of networks of people living with HIV, and invited two members of this coalition to provide feedback on our manuscript. During each of these meetings, we shared a brief presentation of our methods and findings and explicitly solicited feedback on the perceived public health benefit and potential harm of our analyses and results.

Results

Some community concerns about MHS in public health practice also apply to research using MHS data, namely those related to informed consent, inference of transmission directionality and criminalization. Other critiques were specific to our research study and included feedback about the use of phylogenetic analyses to study assortativity by race/ethnicity and the importance of considering the broader context of stigma and structural racism. We ultimately decided the potential harms of publishing our study—perpetuating racialized stigma about men who have sex with men and eroding the trust between phylogenetics researchers and communities of people living with HIV—outweighed the potential benefits.

Conclusions

HIV phylogenetics research using data collected through MHS data is a powerful scientific technology with the potential to benefit and harm communities of people living with HIV. Addressing criminalization and including people living with HIV in decision‐making processes have the potential to meaningfully address community concerns and strengthen the ethical justification for using MHS data in both research and public health practice. We close with specific opportunities for action and advocacy by researchers.
International development project success: A literature review
Authors: Chasanah Nur , Gunawan Indra , Baroudi Bassam
Published: July 2023

The success of international development projects (IDPs) in addressing human development problems has been debated for years. This study aims to catalogue the various ways in which the concept of IDP success has been operationalised and suggest worthwhile dialogues between parts of the literature primarily housed in separate disciplines especially project management and development studies. The study used a PRISMA‐ScR and a thematic analysis of 30 research papers. Results showed that the measure of IDP success includes short term– and long term–oriented criteria. Furthermore, four determinants of IDP success were identified: human factors, project characteristics, management and external environment. Additionally, insights gained from the findings resulted in reciprocal learning between project management and international development.
Disambiguation of pyrope‐rich garnet inclusions in coloured sapphires from Tanzania and identification of other inclusions by Raman spectroscopy
Authors: Karampelas Stefanos , Hennebois Ugo , Bersani Danilo , Delaunay Aurélien , Fritsch Emmanuel
Published: July 2023

Study of inclusions in gems from secondary deposits can give valuable clues on the geologic (and sometimes geographic) origin of these displaced materials. For the present study, seven gem quality fancy‐coloured sapphires from Songea, Tanzania, were selected with, rarely observed in these gems, garnet inclusions in order to better understand their formation. Therefore, Raman spectroscopy was used to study garnet, as well as rutile, aluminosilicate and mica inclusions. Garnet composition calculations were made using the MIRAGEM Raman spectra software, which was further improved for the purpose of this study. A couple of garnet inclusions were also analysed by energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) attached to a scanning electron microscope (SEM). All garnet inclusions presented similar Raman spectra, thus similar chemical composition. Chemical analysis demonstrates that these are pyrope‐rich (>40%) garnets with over 30% of almandine and over 20% grossular without any detectable titanium, chromium and sodium. Calculations made using the updated/improved MIRAGEM software were able to indicate the same composition as compatible with the obtained chemical analyses. Muscovite and sillimanite were also identified using micro‐Raman spectroscopy. This inclusion scene is not similar to those described in fancy‐coloured gem sapphires from other localities. The exact geological formation of these gems is yet not understood but might be eclogite or upper mantle related.
Effects of static magnetic field on the surface tension of surfactant solutions
Authors: Chibowski Emil , Terpiłowski Konrad , Hołysz Lucyna , Szcześ Aleksandra
Published: July 2023

The magnetic field (MF) effects resulting from water or solution treatments are still of significant interest. However, a relatively small number of papers have been published dealing with the pure surfactant solutions alone. On the other hand, surfactants are applied in many industrial processes as well as in everyday life and are also present in different waste waters. Therefore, it seemed interesting to investigate whether some effects would appear after the MF treatment of pure aqueous surfactant solutions. In the earlier published papers after MF action the changes in water evaporation rate and the surface tension were found for both the cationic dodecyltrimethylammonium bromide (DTAB) and anionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions. The gradient MF originated from three connected ring magnets inside which the solutions were placed. The objective of this paper is to study whether using the same magnets but in a different position the effects of the MF are observed. The given surfactant solution in a closed vessel was placed in an uniform MF when the magnets were in the “lying” position. The investigated solutions on the magnet surface remained for 24 h. In this paper, despite SDS and DTAB also the cationic hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and nonionic Triton X‐100 solutions were applied. It appeared that in the uniform MF the surface tension of cationic and anionic surfactant solutions changes. However, larger changes were observed in the gradient MF. Generally, the changes of surface tension depend on the surfactant kind and its concentration. Stronger MF influence was found for the cationic surfactant and almost no changes were observed for nonionic Triton X‐100.
Spasmodic Dysphonia Patients' Perception of Pain with Botulinum Toxin Injections
Authors: Heffernan Austin , Hu Amanda
Published: July 2023

Objectives

To evaluate spasmodic dysphonia patients' perception of pain associated with laryngeal botulinum toxin (BTX) injections and to determine factors associated with higher pain scores relative to other included patients.

Methods

Prospective cohort study. Adult patients with adductor spasmodic dysphonia that presented to a tertiary laryngology practice for BTX injections were recruited from March to July 2022. Patients completed the visual analog scale (VAS) pre‐procedure to quantify predicted pain. Ten minutes post‐procedure they completed VAS and the short form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF‐MPQ). Factors that may affect pain were extracted from charts. Descriptive statistics, univariate, and multivariate analyses were conducted (alpha = 0.05).

Results

One hundred and nineteen patients were included (63 ± 14 yo, 26% Male). SF‐MPQ reported mild pain (4.12 ± 4.05 out of 45) with a pain intensity of none to mild (0.70 ± 0.89 out of 5). Bilateral injections yielded significantly higher SF‐MPQ scores (5.19 ± 4.66) than unilateral injections (3.30 ± 3.30) (p = 0.012). There was a significant VAS reduction from pre 28.9 ± 24.6 mm (out of 10 mm) to post 24.5 ± 22.3 (p < 0.001). On multiple regression analyses, receiving a bilateral injection significantly (p < 0.05) contributed to a model that predicted higher pre‐VAS (p = 0.013). Bilateral injections (p < 0.05) and higher VHI‐10 (p < 0.05) contributed to a model that predicted higher total SF‐MPQ (p = 0.001) and affective SF‐MPQ (p = 0.001) scores. Not being a professional voice user (PVU) significantly (p < 0.05) contributed to a model that predicted higher post‐VAS (p = 0.008) scores.

Conclusions

BTX injections were well tolerated with low pain scores. Factors associated with higher relative predicted or experienced pain included bilateral versus unilateral injection, PVU status, and higher VHI‐10.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 134:240–246, 2024
Attitudes of hospital patients regarding removal of processed and unprocessed red meats from menus to support sustainable healthcare targets: A single‐centre survey
Authors: Truman Melissa , Smith Laura‐Jane , Kassam Shireen
Published: July 2023

Background

The production and consumption of red and processed meat negatively impacts individual and planetary health. The 2021 Lancet countdown on health and climate change report stated that 842,000 deaths annually are due to excess red meat consumption, whilst its production is responsible for more than 50% of food‐related greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the National Health Service's net‐zero emissions strategy, King's College Hospital has committed to transitioning to a plant‐based food environment and removing processed red meat from menus.

Aims

To ascertain patients' attitudes to the removal of processed and unprocessed red meat from menus

Material and methods

We conducted a survey of 118 patients using in‐person interviews.

Results

Most patients did not consider serving processed red meat (74%) or unprocessed red meat (66.1%) important to them and most patients (77.9%) were neutral or supportive of removing processed red meat from menus to reduce the risk of cancer. Most patients (67%) were also supportive of removing unprocessed red meat from menus to combat climate change. The majority would choose chicken or fish in place of red meat.

Conclusion

These data show that patients would support the removal of red meat from hospital menus, but more education is required to support patients to select plant‐based options.
Multi‐year time series reveals temporally synchronous diatom communities with annual frequency of recurrence in a temperate estuary
Authors: Fontaine Diana N. , Rynearson Tatiana A.
Published: July 2023

Diatoms are among the most abundant phytoplankton that inhabit coastal ecosystems, forming large blooms that fuel coastal food webs. Although diatoms are often large and morphologically distinct, many are small or morphologically cryptic making it difficult to understand the temporal dynamics of whole diatom communities and the environmental factors that drive them. Here, we investigated diatom diversity and its environmental correlates using 6 yr of monthly surface water samples from the Narragansett Bay Plankton Time Series to investigate the seasonal and annual variability of diatom species occurrence. High‐throughput amplicon sequencing of filtered biomass yielded 658 diatom amplicon sequence variants (ASVs), of which 347 were identified to species. Of the 49 diatom genera in the sequencing dataset, 33% had never been observed in the time series using microscopy (1959–2014). We observed a weak quadratic relationship between ASV richness and chlorophyll‐a concentrations, suggesting that richness decreases during blooms. There was a significant difference in diatom ASV richness by season and we identified distinct assemblages associated with different seasons. These assemblages were remarkably synchronous, exhibiting a sinewave‐like pattern, over 6 yr with an annual periodicity that correlated significantly with seasonal changes in temperature, light, and dissolved inorganic nitrogen. The annual cycle of diatom assemblages suggests stability in a key component of the estuarine food web known to influence ecosystem resilience and function. Deviations from the annual cycle of recurrence could be used to distinguish between changes in community structure driven by annual fluctuations in the environment and those driven by climate‐change stressors.
Equivalence of definitions of solutions for some class of fractional diffusion equations
Authors: Kian Yavar
Published: July 2023

We study the unique existence of weak solutions for initial boundary value problems associated with different class of fractional diffusion equations including variable order, distributed order, and multiterm fractional diffusion equations. So far, different definitions of weak solutions have been considered for these class of problems. This includes definition of solutions in a variational sense and definition of solutions from properties of their Laplace transform in time. The goal of this article is to unify these two approaches by showing the equivalence of these two definitions. Such a property allows also to show that the weak solutions under consideration combine the advantages of these two classes of solutions, which include representation of solutions by a Duhamel type of formula, suitable properties of Laplace transform of solutions, resolution of the equation in the sense of distributions, and explicit link with the initial condition.
The rational cuspidal subgroup of J0(p2M)$J_0(p^2M)$ with M squarefree
Authors: Guo Jia‐Wei , Yang Yifan , Yoo Hwajong , Yu Myungjun
Published: July 2023

For a positive integer N, let be the modular curve over and its Jacobian variety. We prove that the rational cuspidal subgroup of is equal to the rational cuspidal divisor class group of when for any prime p and any squarefree integer M. To achieve this, we show that all modular units on can be written as products of certain functions , which are constructed from generalized Dedekind eta functions. Also, we determine the necessary and sufficient conditions for such products to be modular units on under a mild assumption.
Dead in the water: Mortality messaging in water crisis communication and implications for pro‐environmental outcomes
Authors: Smith L. K. M. , Wolfe S. E.
Published: July 2023

All nature relies on water, yet climate change threatens water availability to the highest degree—from too much (e.g. extreme weather; flooding) to too little (e.g. droughts; wildfires). These water shifts threaten all life on earth.

Societies' safe and reliable water accessibility faces growing uncertainty from climate change; however, water crisis communication may inadvertently remind audiences of their mortality. According to terror management theory, these mortality reminders can hinder pro‐environmental efforts in humans and even increase intergroup biases—a significant challenge for developing environmental solutions. While climate change has been examined as a mortality reminder, water remains untested.

We presented participants with either a mortality‐laden message, an aversive but not‐life‐threatening message, or one of three threatening water‐related messages—experiencing drowning, dehydration or contaminated water consumption—to determine if the water‐related messages function similarly to the mortality message.

Some (e.g. drowning; contaminated water), but not all (e.g. dehydration), water messages increased death‐thought accessibility, which could lead to paradoxical environmental behaviours, depending on the audience. Our research findings should inform policymakers, non‐profit organizations and other water correspondents' communication strategies.

As some threatening water messages elicit similar responses to known mortality reminders, the way water crises are framed is important for water‐related decision‐making and ensuring equitable, successful pro‐environmental outcomes.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Stress relaxation and thermal management in highly filled flexible styrene butadiene styrene copolymer‐tungsten composites for high‐energy radiation attenuation
Authors: Suman S. K. , Sharma R. , Kaul B. N. , Mondal R. K. , Dubey K. A. , Sharma S. D. , Bhardwaj Y. K. , Kulkarni M. S.
Published: July 2023

A high loading of high‐density and high‐atomic‐number fillers are necessary to obtain desirable X‐ray attenuation characteristics from radiation shields. However, at high filler loadings, the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of polymers are severely impaired, posing a long‐term threat to the mechanical integrity and radiation protection, and the radiation shield temperature may increase after prolonged exposure to ionizing radiation, accelerating the aging of the polymer matrix. In addition, inadequate thermal conduction can make the user uncomfortable while using radiation shields for personal protection. Unfortunately, little attention has been paid to the viscoelastic, stress relaxation, and thermal conductivity‐related features of these densely loaded systems, despite the significant effect of these parameters on long‐term applications and user compliance. In the present work, two different styrene butadiene styrene (SBS) copolymers were used to develop SBS‐tungsten (W) composites. At 500 phr W loading, significant attenuation of X‐rays was achieved along with good tensile strength and elongation at break. The results indicate that the concentration of styrene in the SBS and W loading substantially affected the attenuation, mechanical and rheological properties, and tensile stress relaxation rates. The thermal conductivity increased by >100%, and after gamma irradiation, faster cooling was observed in the W‐loaded composites beyond 300 phr of W loading. The 40% styrene composite demonstrated superior heat transfer at high W loadings owing to the better dispersion and distribution of the W filler in the SBS matrix. Rheological results showed that SBS‐W composites with 30% styrene had a more pronounced Payne effect than those with 40% styrene. Stress relaxation and morphological analyses also revealed changes in the W dispersion in the SBS matrix depending on the styrene content.
N6‐methyladenosine modification changes during the recovery processes for Paulownia witches' broom disease under the methyl methanesulfonate treatment
Authors: Xu Pingluo , Huang Shunmou , Zhai Xiaoqiao , Fan Yujie , Li Xiaofan , Yang Haibo , Cao Yabing , Fan Guoqiang
Published: July 2023

Phytoplasmas induce diseases in more than 1000 plant species and cause substantial ecological damage and economic losses, but the specific pathogenesis of phytoplasma has not yet been clarified. N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common internal modification of the eukaryotic Messenger RNA (mRNA). As one of the species susceptible to phytoplasma infection, the pathogenesis and mechanism of Paulownia has been extensively studied by scholars, but the m6A transcriptome map of Paulownia fortunei (P. fortunei) has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the effect of phytoplasma infection on m6A modification of P. fortunei and obtained the whole transcriptome m6A map in P. fortunei by m6A‐seq. The m6A‐seq results of Paulownia witches' broom (PaWB) disease and healthy samples indicate that PaWB infection increased the degree of m6A modification of P. fortunei. The correlation analysis between the RNA‐seq and m6A‐seq data detected that a total of 315 differentially methylated genes were predicted to be significantly differentially expressed at the transcriptome level. Moreover, the functions of PaWB‐related genes were predicted by functional enrichment analysis, and two genes related to maintenance of the basic mechanism of stem cells in shoot apical meristem were discovered. One of the genes encodes the receptor protein kinase CLV2 (Paulownia_LG2G000076), and the other gene encodes the homeobox transcription factor STM (Paulownia_LG15G000976). In addition, genes F‐box (Paulownia_LG17G000760) and MSH5 (Paulownia_LG8G001160) had exon skipping and mutually exclusive exon types of alternative splicing in PaWB‐infected seedling treated with methyl methanesulfonate, and m6A modification was found in m6A‐seq results. Moreover, Reverse Transcription–Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT‐PCR) verified that the alternative splicing of these two genes was associated with m6A modification. This comprehensive map provides a solid foundation for revealing the potential function of the mRNA m6A modification in the process of PaWB. In future studies, we plan to verify genes directly related to PaWB and methylation‐related enzymes in Paulownia to elucidate the pathogenic mechanism of PaWB caused by phytoplasma invasion.
Evaluation of the telehealth making sense of brain tumor psychological support intervention for people with primary brain tumor and their caregivers: A randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ownsworth Tamara , Chambers Suzanne , Jones Stephanie , Parker Giverny , Aitken Joanne F. , Foote Matthew , Gordon Louisa G. , Shum David H. K. , Robertson Julia , Conlon Elizabeth , Pinkham Mark B.
Published: July 2023

Objective

This pragmatic randomized control trial aimed to evaluate clinical efficacy of the Making Sense of Brain Tumour program delivered via videoconferencing (Tele‐MAST) for improving mental health and quality of life (QoL) relative to standard care in individuals with primary brain tumor (PBT).

Method

Adults with PBT experiencing at least mild distress (Distress Thermometer ≥4) and caregivers were randomly allocated to the 10‐session Tele‐MAST program or standard care. Mental health and QoL were assessed pre‐intervention, post‐intervention (primary endpoint), and 6‐weeks and 6‐months follow‐up. The primary outcome was clinician‐rated depressive symptoms on the Montgomery‐Asberg Depression Rating Scale.

Results

82 participants with PBT (34% benign, 20% lower‐grade glioma, 46% high‐grade glioma) and 36 caregivers were recruited (2018–2021). Controlling for baseline functioning, Tele‐MAST participants with PBT had lower depressive symptoms at post‐intervention (95% CI: 10.2–14.6, vs. 15.2–19.6, p = 0.002) and 6‐weeks post‐intervention (95% CI: 11.5–15.8 vs. 15.6–19.9, p = 0.010) than standard care, and were almost 4 times more likely to experience clinically reduced depression (OR, 3.89; 95% CI: 1.5–9.9). Tele‐MAST participants with PBT also reported significantly better global QoL, emotional QoL and lower anxiety at post‐intervention and 6‐weeks post‐intervention than standard care. There were no significant intervention effects for caregivers. At 6‐months follow‐up participants with PBT who received Tele‐MAST reported significantly better mental health and QoL relative to pre‐intervention.

Conclusions

Tele‐MAST was found to be more effective for reducing depressive symptoms at post‐intervention than standard care for people with PBT but not caregivers. Tailored and extended psychological support may be beneficial for people with PBT.
Conformational response to ligand binding of TMPRSS2, a protease involved in SARS‐CoV‐2 infection: Insights through computational modeling
Authors: Frumenzio Giorgia , Chandramouli Balasubramanian , Besker Neva , Grottesi Alessandro , Talarico Carmine , Frigerio Francesco , Emerson Andrew , Musiani Francesco
Published: July 2023

Thanks to the considerable research which has been undertaken in the last few years to improve our understanding of the biology and mechanism of action of SARS‐CoV‐2, we know how the virus uses its surface spike protein to infect host cells. The transmembrane prosthesis, serine 2 (TMPRSS2) protein, located on the surface of human cells, recognizes the cleavage site in the spike protein, leading to the release of the fusion peptide and entry of the virus into the host cells. Because of its role, TMPRSS2 has been proposed as a drug target to prevent infection by the virus. In this study, we aim to increase our understanding of TMPRSS2 using long scale microsecond atomistic molecular dynamics simulations, focusing on the conformational changes over time. The comparison between simulations conducted on the protein in the native (apo) and inhibited form (holo), has shown that in the holo form the inhibitor stabilizes the catalytic site and induces rearrangements in the extracellular domain of the protein. In turn, it leads to the formation of a new cavity in the vicinity of the ligand binding pocket that is stable in the microsecond time scale. Given the low specificity of known protease inhibitors, these findings suggest a new potential drug target site that can be used to improve TMPRSS2 specific recognition by newly designed inhibitors.
Plant volatiles mediate Aphis gossypii settling but not predator foraging in intercropped cotton
Authors: Yang Yuanxue , Zhang Ying , Zhang Jianhua , Wang Aiyu , Liu Bing , Zhao Ming , Wyckhuys Kris A.G. , Lu Yanhui
Published: July 2023

Background

The cotton aphid, Aphis gossypii Glover (Hemiptera: Aphididae) is an important pest of cotton and horticultural crops globally. In China, smallholder farmers regularly intercrop cotton with garlic or onion. Aside from higher farm‐level revenue, cotton intercrops are typified by lower Aphis gossypii abundance than monocrops. So far, the mechanistic basis of this lowered pest pressure has not been empirically assessed.

Results

Field trials showed that Aphis gossypii abundance is lower and (relative) abundance of aphid predators higher in early‐season cotton intercrops than in monocrops. Cage trials and Y‐tube olfactometer tests further indicated that garlic and onion volatiles repel Aphis gossypii alates. Electrophysiological bioassays and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS) identified two physiologically active volatiles, that is, diallyl disulfide and propyl disulfide from garlic and onion respectively. Next, behavioral tests confirmed that both sulfur compounds exert a repellent effect on alate Aphis gossypii.

Conclusion

Garlic and onion volatiles interfere with Aphis gossypii settling, but do not affect its main (ladybird) predators. Meanwhile, early‐season cotton/onion intercrops bear higher numbers of Aphis gossypii predators and fewer aphids. By thus unveiling the ecological underpinnings of aphid biological control in diversified cropping systems, our work advances non‐chemical management of a globally‐important crop pest. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Seroprevalence of bovine brucellosis and associated factors among dairy cows with recent cases of abortion in Ethiopia
Authors: Getahun Temesgen Kassa , Urge Beksisa , Mamo Gezahegn
Published: July 2023

Background

Brucellosis is a serious zoonotic disease affecting human and all domestic animals. It is considered to be one of the great public health problems all over the world. Little attention has been paid to bovine brucellosis in small holder dairy farm and in animal owners and farm workers in central highland of Ethiopia. This research was conducted with the aim of determining seropositivity and identifying the potential risk factors of brucellosis in dairy cows with recent cases of abortion in the central highlands of Ethiopia.

Methods

This was a cross‐sectional study with purposive sampling carried out on dairy cows in the farms and kebeles from December 2019 to May 2020. The serum samples were initially screened for brucellosis using the Rose Bengal plate test (RBPT) followed by the complement fixation test (CFT) for confirmation. The risk factors for bovine brucellosis were assessed using univariable Firth bias reduced logistic regression.

Results

A total of 352 samples were tested. Serological positivity for bovine brucellosis was detected in 1.2% (95% CI: 0.47–2.97) by RBPT, and bovine brucellosis confirmed by CFT was 0.6% (95% CI: 0.16–2.09). The risk factors for confirmed bovine brucellosis were the late stage of abortion (OR = 1.046, p = < 0.0041), retained fetal membranes (OR = 32.74, p = 0.006), and market‐based stock replacement (OR = 1.0638, p = 0.0008), which are significantly associated at 95% confidence interval.

Conclusion

The proportion of brucellosis among aborted cows seems to be low in the study area. However, given the lack of control strategies in the area, there is a potential risk of transmission in dairy cattle and the human population in the study areas.
Asynchronous observer‐based sliding mode control for 2‐D Markov jump Roesser systems
Authors: Wu Zheng , Li Fanbiao , Peng Hao , Yang Chunhua , Gui Weihua
Published: July 2023

This article deals with the state reconstruction and sliding mode control problem for continuous‐time two‐dimensional Roesser systems. Aiming at the phenomena of mode mismatch between the controlled system and the controller, the asynchronous control strategy is employed by constructing the conditional probability matrix and utilizing the hidden Markov model. Considering not full state information is unavailable in some practical applications, the observer‐based sliding mode control scheme is developed. Two types of sliding mode surfaces are synthesized based on system state and observer state, respectively. Accordingly, different sliding mode control laws are synthesized for these two scenarios to ensure the resulting system trajectories to reach onto the prescribed sliding mode surfaces. Sufficient conditions are provided to guarantee the stochastic stability for corresponding overall closed‐loop systems. Finally, the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by numerical simulations.
Responsive molecular liquid materials
Authors: Tateyama Akito , Nakanishi Takashi
Published: July 2023

This review focuses on solvent‐free molecular liquid materials that exhibit changes in response to stimuli. Along with the recent development of soft functional materials, research on functional liquids possessing free deformability and ease of molding is becoming a new trend. A typical method for designing functional molecular liquids (FMLs) introduces flexible alkyl side‐chains around a π‐conjugation unit at the center of the molecule. As a result, the aggregation between π‐conjugated units is inhibited, and an entropy‐rich room temperature liquid is obtained. FMLs designed in this way can exhibit unique and exciting stimulus responses due to the high density of functional units and fluidity. Such notable features include electrochromism, phase transitions, and dynamic changes in the nanostructure. In addition, some stimulus responses are reversible and thanks to the fluidity, return to their initial state under relatively mild conditions, such as room temperature or slight heating. To elicit such effective stimulus responses, selecting an optimal π‐core, and modifying it with the appropriate alkyl side‐chains (length, branching, and substitution position) is essential. A deep understanding of the alkyl–π molecular design will enable the creation of more attractive stimuli‐responsive FMLs, which are of high value in advanced fields such as healthcare, security, sensors, soft electronics, and robotics.
Green growth in agriculture―New measurement concept and its empirical verification
Authors: Kasztelan Armand , Nowak Anna
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a new method for evaluating green growth in agriculture (GGA) based on a set of key performance indicators and a synthetic index. To this end, we used the zero unitarisation method. The objects of study were seven countries/groups of countries with the largest share in agricultural production in 2020. This paper attempts to answer the following questions: (1) Has there been any progress in fulfilling the assumptions of the green growth concept implemented in the agricultural sector of the examined countries? (2) Which countries do better, and which do worse in that respect? (3) What are the challenges respective countries need to face? In the analysed years, the mean GGA index increased from 0.3287 to 0.3342, which means that the overall level of ‘greening’ in agriculture grew insignificantly. Out of the seven analysed countries/regions, China did the best in handling the challenges of GGA, while India did the worst. The paper discusses the reasons for this state of affairs, simultaneously making recommendations for improving the existing situation.
Characterization of Coating Films of Thixotropic Solvent Gel Containing Organo‐modified Nanodiamonds
Authors: Hasunuma Yuka , Maeda Momo , Mashiyama Yuki , Kikuchi Nanata , Fujimori Atsuhiro
Published: July 2023

A gelation solvent containing a diamide‐based thixotropic additive with two hydrocarbons and organo‐modified nanodiamonds was prepared and evaluated herein as a coating film. Nanodiamonds were introduced into a solvent containing diamide‐based thixotropic additive molecules with 12‐hydroxystearyl chains which were uniformly dispersed due to organic chain modification on the outermost layer surface. In addition to common solvents including toluene, ethyl cetyl hexanoate, a cosmetic emollient, forms nanodiamond‐containing gels. The helical nanofibers formed by the diamide‐based thixotropic additive molecule with two hydrocarbons in the gel showed affinity for the organo‐modified nanodiamonds, and the contact morphology between the nanofibers and nanodiamond particles was confirmed. Nanodiamonds exhibited a denaturation effect on biomolecules adsorbed on their surfaces. Overall, nanodiamond‐containing emollient gels are expected to exhibit antibacterial properties against viruses and malodorous bacteria on skin as part of thixotropic immobilization films for cosmetic powders.
Effect of Ligand Steric Hindrance on Catalytic Polymerization of Cycloolefin Polymer (COP)
Authors: Zhang Hengchen , Fang Yanxiong , Huang Mingli , Zhong Yi , Yu Mingquan , Yuan Renxu , Zuo Hongliang , Liu Yang , Chen Binglin , Chen Shuju
Published: July 2023

The traditional two‐component Ziegler‐Natta catalyst has low catalytic activity when initiating ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) and is unstable and easy to generate polymerization gels. Therefore, it is necessary to add a third group of ligands with appropriate steric hindrance to improve the catalytic activity of the catalyst. The effects of ligands′ steric hindrance and other reaction conditions on the catalytic activity of tungsten hexachloride (WCl6) as catalyst and aluminum triethyl (AlEt3) as co‐catalyst were investigated. The results showed that the size of the ligands′ steric hindrance affected the catalytic activity of ROMP, and the small steric hindrance caused the polymerization rate to be too fast, which was easy to produce gels, and when the steric hindrance of the ligands was too large, its solubility was not good, which was not conducive to the normal polymerization. When stearyl alcohol was selected as the ligand, the highest catalytic activity was 3123 mol cycloolefin polymer (COP)/mol W, and the reaction speed of polymerization was also the fastest and the complete transformation only needed 30 min when the ligand/W was 25. It was found that the polymerization reaction was stable without gels and the obtained polymer molecular weight was appropriate, 17.8 kDa, under the conditions of Al/W=80, reaction temperature 60 °C, monomer concentration 10 w/v %, catalyst/monomer 5*10−4 : 1, chain transfer agent/monomer 0.005 : 1.
Diels‐Alder Reaction of Oxazolidine‐fused Butadienes Toward Alkenes: Shedding Light on the Energetics, Selectivities, and Molecular Mechanistic Aspects by a Density Functional Theory Study
Authors: Emamian Saeedreza , Salami Majid
Published: July 2023

This work comprehensively studies the underlying features of a Diels‐Alder (DA) reaction between an electron‐rich diene D‐1 and an electron‐deficient dienophile Dph‐2. The DA reaction studied takes place along the complete C4‐C5 regioselectivity and a high exo‐stereoselectivity. Based on the kinetics analyses, the evaluated regioselectivity,
, and exo‐stereoselectivity,
, represent an excellent agreement with the experimental outcomes. This DA reaction also displays a high polarity caused by a strong nucleophilic and a strong electrophilic character of, respectively, D‐1 and Dph‐2. A prediction of the C4‐C5 regioselectivity is made possible by analysis of the Parr functions values estimated at the reactive sites of reactants. The origin of the exo‐stereoselectivity predominance over the endo one was well discussed employing an activation‐strain model and a natural bond orbital analysis. The molecular mechanistic considerations elucidate that formation of both C4‐C5 and C1‐C6 single bonds takes place via C‐to‐C coupling of the corresponding pseudoradical centers.
Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis of Porous Biomolecule‐Incorporated Metal‐Organic Frameworks as Efficient Nanocarriers for Anti‐Cancer Drugs
Authors: Nguyen Trang Thi Thu , Le Bao Quang Gia , Nguyen Vy Tran Hanh , Lee Jae‐Hyoung , Mai Ngoc Xuan Dat , Nguyen Linh Ho Thuy , Doan Tan Le Hoang
Published: July 2023

Biomolecule‐incorporated metal‐organic frameworks (b‐MOFs) exhibit enhanced bioavailability and biocompatibility, making them an ideal option for use as drug delivery vehicles. While b‐MOFs possess outstanding drug loading and release capabilities, their microscale crystal sizes restrict their applicability as nanocarriers and drug delivery systems. To overcome this limitation, this paper presents a microwave‐irradiation‐based technique for the synthesis of porous adenine‐incorporated Zn‐based MOFs with particle sizes of approximately 200 nm as paclitaxel nanocarriers. The nanomaterial demonstrated a substantial paclitaxel loading capacity of 637 mg g−1. Moreover, it effectively increased the solubility of paclitaxel by 2.5‐fold compared to that of the free form. Thus, the nano MOF is a promising delivery vehicle for paclitaxel. Notably, the paclitaxel‐loaded nano MOF exhibited higher toxicity toward cancer cells than the free drug, further highlighting its potential as an effective anticancer agent.
A Review of Advanced Biomaterials and Cells for the Production of Bone Organoid
Authors: Li Chao , Zhang Yipu , Du Yawei , Hou Zhiyong , Zhang Yingze , Cui Wenguo , Chen Wei
Published: July 2023

Rapid advancements in traditional bone tissue engineering have led to innovation in bone repair models and the resolution of insurmountable clinical issues like graft scarcity. The pathophysiological process of treating bone disease, however, is a multidimensional and multimodal regenerative regulatory mechanism that includes numerous immune, inflammatory, or metabolic responses related to the graft or the organism itself. Based on a 3D in vitro cell culture system that is remarkably identical to the body's bone tissue, the bone organoid is a biomimicking bone organ environment. It can accurately mimic the actual repair and regeneration condition in vivo because it shares the same physiological function, structure, morphology, and metabolic process as endogenous bone tissue. As a disruptive regenerative medicine technology, it has wide application prospects in the fields of organ development, gene editing, disease modeling, and precision therapy. Herein, the development process and physiological basis of different cell‐based bone organoids are reviewed, the current status of the application of different materials, cells, and construction methods for building bone organoids is described, and the prospects and challenges for the development of bone organoids in future medical fields is discussed.
Overview of diagnostic laboratory tests and diagnostic criteria for liver injury caused by Kampo medicine
Authors: Mantani Naoki
Published: July 2023

Background

Several studies have suggested that the known biomarkers and the diagnostic scales are unreliable for the diagnosis of Kampo‐induced liver injury (KMILI).

Diagnostic Biomarkers

The lymphocyte transformation test (LTT) for Kampo medicines is likely to give false positive results, while the normal level of the basophil activation test (BAT) for diagnosing Kampo liver injury remains uncertain.

Diagnostic Scale

Due to the lack of reliable biomarkers, diagnostic scales have been developed; however, the Digestive Disease Week [DDW])‐Japan criteria, which is widely used in Japan, has extremely low specificity for diagnosing KMILI.

Conclusion

The diagnosis of KMILI remains challenging, and we eagerly await the development of reliable biomarkers for KMILI.
Modern internet search analytics and thyroidectomy: What are patients asking?
Authors: Suresh Neeraj , Fritz Christian , De Ravin Emma , Rajasekaran Karthik
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Thyroidectomy is among the most commonly performed head and neck surgeries, however, limited existing information is available on topics of interest and concern to patients.

Study Design

Observational.

Setting

Online.

Methods

A search engine optimization tool was utilized to extract metadata on Google‐suggested questions that “People Also Ask” (PAA) pertaining to “thyroidectomy” and “thyroid surgery.” These questions were categorized by Rothwell criteria and topics of interest. The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria enabled quality assessment.

Results

A total of 250 PAA questions were analyzed. Future‐oriented PAA questions describing what to expect during and after the surgery on topics such as postoperative management, risks or complications of surgery, and technical details were significantly less popular among the “thyroid surgery” group (P < 0.001, P = 0.005, and P < 0.001, respectively). PAA questions about scarring and hypocalcemia were nearly threefold more popular than those related to pain (335 and 319 vs. 113 combined search engine response page count, respectively). The overall JAMA quality score remained low (2.50 ± 1.07), despite an increasing number of patients searching for “thyroidectomy” (r(77) = 0.30, P = 0.007).

Conclusions

Patients searching for the nonspecific term “thyroid surgery” received a curated collection of PAA questions that were significantly less likely to educate them on what to expect during and after surgery, as compared to patients with higher health literacy who search with the term “thyroidectomy.” This suggests that the content of PAA questions differs based on the presumed health literacy of the internet user.
Generalized chiral instabilities, linking numbers, and non-invertible symmetries
Authors: Yamamoto Naoki , Yokokura Ryo
Published: July 2023

Abstract

We demonstrate a universal mechanism of a class of instabilities in infrared regions for massless Abelian p-form gauge theories with topological interactions, which we call generalized chiral instabilities. Such instabilities occur in the presence of initial electric fields for the p-form gauge fields. We show that the dynamically generated magnetic fields tend to decrease the initial electric fields and result in configurations with linking numbers, which can be characterized by non-invertible global symmetries. The so-called chiral plasma instability and instabilities of the axion electrodynamics and (4 + 1)-dimensional Maxwell-Chern-Simons theory in electric fields can be described by the generalized chiral instabilities in a unified manner. We also illustrate this mechanism in the (2+1)-dimensional Goldstone-Maxwell model in electric field.
The New Zealand National Trauma Registry: an essential tool for trauma quality improvement
Authors: Civil Ian , Isles Siobhan , Campbell Alaina , Moore James
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Trauma registries are essential tools for trauma systems and underpin any quality improvement activities. This paper describes the history, function, challenges, and future goals of the New Zealand National Trauma Registry (NZTR).

Methods

Using the available publications and knowledge of the authors, the development, governance, oversight, and usage of the registry is outlined.

Results

The New Zealand Trauma Network has run a national trauma registry since 2015 and this now contains over fifteen thousand major trauma patient records. Annual reports and a range of research outputs have been published. Key quality improvement initiatives have been undertaken and are described. Vulnerabilities include lack of longterm funding and a small workforce.

Conclusions

The NZTR has proven to be a critical component of trauma quality improvement in New Zealand. A user-friendly portal and a simple minimum dataset have been keys to successes but maintenance of an effective structure in a constrained healthcare system is a challenge.