bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sound‐Based Assembly of Magnetically Actuated Soft Robots Toward Enhanced Release of Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Gao Wei , Tognato Riccardo , Natta Micaela , Della Bella Elena , Cianciosi Alessandro , Serra Tiziano
Published: September 2024

Magnetic soft robots have emerged as promising tools in biomedicine due to their wireless actuation, rapid response, and compatibility with biological systems. Despite the various innovative strategies proposed for their fabrication, they suffer from complex processes and limited cellular compatibility. Therefore, there is an urgent need to explore alternative approaches that are fast, mild, and highly tunable. Herein, a novel fabrication strategy for contactless assembly of soft‐robots is introduced for the first time. This technology exploits hydrodynamic instabilities at the free surface of a fluid layer, thus enabling the fabrication of centimeter‐scale robots featuring diverse structural properties. These features show a wide range of deformation modes in response to magnetic fields, including folding, bending, and expanding. Furthermore, the design and assembly of novel actuators with customized shapes as fish‐ and butterfly‐like structures is shown. The fabricated patterns exhibit different modes of motion under the influence of uniform magnetic fields. As a proof of concept, an innovative application of this technology combined with the proposed soft robots is represented by the enhanced release of extracellular vesicles.  Altogether, this novel fabrication method along with the newly developed magnetic soft robots enables the manufacturing of high‐performance, multifunctional, and cytocompatible intelligent systems.
Magnetic Field Control Using an Electromagnetic Actuation System with Combined Air‐Core and Metal‐Core Coils
Authors: Gharamaleki Nader Latifi , Kim Dong‐in , Lee Gyudong , Kim Jin‐Young , Choi Hongsoo
Published: September 2024

Magnetic fields are widely utilized for remote control of magnetic objects, with various actuation systems developed for manipulating miniature robots in research and biomedical applications. When designing a manipulation system providing a uniform magnetic field, it is also important to consider both the accessibility of the workspace and the integration of imaging tools. This article presents an electromagnetic coil system that manipulates magnetic objects within a 3D space, enhancing the magnetic field in an upward orientation. The system includes eight metal‐core coils arranged hemispherically to ensure unimpeded access to the workspace and imaging tools, along with two air‐core coils. Easier control and repeatability of the magnetic field are achieved using two joysticks and sequential programming. The versatility of the system is demonstrated by using it to manipulate a magnetic guidewire and to guide micromagnets to various targets. Additionally, using this system, oscillating magnetic fields effectively control swarms of magnetic nanoparticles, enabling operations such as dispersion, assembly, and ribbon‐like shape formation. Furthermore, the manipulation of cell‐based microrobots (cell‐bots) showcases the system's capability to handle single and multiple cell‐bots, facilitating their collection while preserving cell viability. These experiments underscore the system's potential for fundamental biomedical research and various applications.
Defect Passivation of Mn2+‐Doped CsPbX3(X=Cl,Br) Perovskite Nanocrystals as Electrocatalyst for Overall Water Splitting
Authors: Zhou Haiyun , Li Pingping , Zhong Tingting , Teng Yunzhen , Li Siqi , Luo Xiaofeng , Wang Xinning , Yang Min , Deng Guowei
Published: September 2024

Mn doping has been used to improve the physical chemistry of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals such as CsPbX3, where X is a halogen ion. In this paper, a two‐phase method for Mn‐doped CsPbX3 nanosheets (where X=Br, Cl), namely water‐hexane system, is reported. Compared to conventional catalyst arrays, the band gap of CsPbBr3 nanocrystalline is easily tuned, the carrier diffusion distance is remote, the band edge position of the band structure is favorable for a wide range of electrocatalytic redox reactions, and the catalytic active site is maximally exposed, providing a larger electrolyte contact area. The porous hierarchical structure also accelerates the release of hydrogen bubbles. The results showed that the optimized Mn : CsPbBr3 catalyst exhibited excellent electrolytic performance of aquatic hydrogen in alkaline electrolyte (1 mol/L KOH). The overpotentials of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at the current densities of 10 and 100 mA cm−2 are only 114.4 and 505.4 mV, respectively, with a Tafel slope of 43 mV dec−1. At a current density of 10 mA cm−2, the excess potential required for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is 158.6 mV and it exhibits excellent electrochemical stability. The Mn : CsPbBr3 nanocrystalline consists of two electrodes for hydrolysis of water, requiring only a voltage of 1.45 V. This provides implications for the optimization of electrocatalysts in alkaline electrolytes with the aim of developing next generation 2D electrocatalysts for overall water splitting.
Systemic immune‐inflammation index predicts short‐term mortality in acute ischemic stroke with severe stenosis of internal carotid artery associated pneumonia
Authors: Yang Yi , He Peng , Zhang Yongbo
Published: September 2024

Background

We aimed to investigate the relationship between systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII) and short‐term mortality in acute ischemic stroke (AIS) with internal carotid artery (ICA) severe stenosis and stroke associated pneumonia (SAP) patients.

Methods

Information on general demographic, laboratory data, CT angiography, magnetic resonance angiography, or digital subtraction angiography were obtained. The predictive power was evaluated by assessing the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The logistic regression was performed to assess the association of SII and short‐term mortality in severe stenosis ICA‐AIS and SAP patients.

Result

Among 342 patients with severe stenosis ICA‐AIS and SAP, death occurred in 66 patients during 120 days follow‐up. Multivariate regression analyses indicated that increased SII predicts higher mortality in 120 days follow‐up, and the risk of short‐term mortality in SII > 666.31 × 109/L group is increased 4.671‐fold. Patients with SII > 666.31 × 109/L had higher proportion of male, hypertension, smoking, higher admission NIHSS score, higher systolic blood pressure, and higher proportion of 120 days mortality. Higher SII predicted a worse 120 days mortality was worked out by Kaplan–Meier methods.

Conclusion

An elevated SII was remarkably associated with 120 days mortality in severe stenosis ICA‐AIS and SAP patients.
Surface‐Based Morphometry Analysis of the Cerebral Cortex in Patients With Probable Idiopathic Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder
Authors: Najafzadeh Milad , Saeeidian‐Mehr Athareh , Akbari‐Lalimi Hossein , Ganji Zohre , Nasseri Shahrokh , Zare Hoda , Ferini‐Strambi Luigi
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Strong indications support the notion that idiopathic rapid eye movement (REM) sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) acts as a precursor to multiple α‐synucleinopathies, including Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Despite numerous investigations into the alterations in cortical thickness and the volume of subcortical areas associated with this condition, comprehensive studies on the cortical surface morphology, focusing on gyrification and sulcal depth changes, are scarce. The purpose of this research was to explore the cortical surface morphology in individuals with probable iRBD (piRBD), to pinpoint early‐phase diagnostic markers.

Methods

This study included 30 piRBD patients confirmed using the RBD Screening Questionnaire (RBDSQ) and 33 control individuals selected from the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database. They underwent neurophysiological tests and MRI scans. The FreeSurfer software was utilized to estimate cortical thickness (CTH), cortical and subcortical volumetry, local gyrification index (LGI), and sulcus depth (SD). Subsequently, these parameters were compared between the two groups. Additionally, linear correlation analysis was employed to estimate the relationship between brain morphological parameters and clinical parameters.

Results

Compared to the healthy control (HC), piRBD patients exhibited a significant reduction in CTH, LGI, and cortical volume in the bilateral superior parietal, lateral occipital, orbitofrontal, temporo‐occipital, bilateral rostral middle frontal, inferior parietal, and precentral brain regions. Moreover, a significant and notable correlation was observed between CTH and Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), letter–number sequencing (LTNS), the Benton Judgment of Line Orientation (BJLO) test, and the symbol digit modalities test (SDMT) in several brain regions encompassing the motor cortex.

Conclusion

Patients with piRBD displayed widespread atrophy in various brain regions, predominantly covering the motor and sensory cortex. Furthermore, LGI could serve as a prognostic biomarker of disease's progression in piRBD.
The Monocyte‐to‐Lymphocyte Ratio Was Associated With Intraplaque Neovascularization of the Carotid Artery on AngioPLUS
Authors: Zhai Mingfeng , Sun Xiao , Wang Jian , Xu Jimei , Bian Fuqin , Wu Menglin , Yang Yafei , Chen Hongwei , Lu Jinghong
Published: September 2024

Background

The monocyte–lymphocyte ratio (MLR) is a hematological test parameter that reflects the status of both monocytes and lymphocytes as inflammatory cells. This study aims to investigate the relationship between MLR and carotid intraplaque neovascularization (IPN) in patients with asymptomatic carotid stenosis.

Methods

We performed the Angio Planewave Ultrasensitive (AngioPLUS) screening for patients with carotid plaques. The carotid plaque stability was evaluated by semiquantitative visual grading of carotid IPN. Binary logistic regression models were performed to determine the associations between different clinical and laboratory indicators and the presence of high IPN.

Results

A total of 160 patients were eventually enrolled with 99 in the low IPN group (Scores 0–1) and 61 in the high IPN group (Score 2). Univariate logistic regression showed that age, monocytes, lymphocytes, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fibrinogen, d‐dimmer, and MLR were significantly associated with the presence of high IPN (all p < 0.05). Multivariate logistic regression models showed that MLR was significantly associated with the presence of high IPN after adjusting for other covariates. An MLR value of 32.9 was the optimal cutoff value to differentiate high and low IPN. High MLR was also significantly correlated with the presence of high IPN (odds ratio [OR] = 4.08, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.69–9.88, p = 0.002) when included in the above multivariate logistic regression model.

Conclusion

Elevated MLR is closely associated with the presence of high IPN and may serve as a surrogate biomarker for carotid IPN.
Mit Sicherheit nachhaltig
Authors: Basler Tim
Published: September 2024

Als Weiterentwicklung der flammenlosen Explosionsdruckentlastung stellt Rembe die neue Q‐Box R3leaf vor. Die Produktlinie der flammenlosen Explosionsdruckentlastungen wurde hinsichtlich Effektivität und Nachhaltigkeit in der Produktion und in der Logistik optimiert, um den CO2‐Fußabdruck zu senken.
Die Phosphorressourcen der Zukunft
Authors: Lansdorf Thomas
Published: September 2024

Phosphor ist ein unverzichtbares Element, das hauptsächlich aus Phosphaterzen gewonnen und überwiegend in der Landwirtschaft eingesetzt wird. Angesichts begrenzter Ressourcen hat die EU ab 2029 die Rückgewinnung von Phosphor aus Klärschlamm vorgeschrieben. Eirich bietet innovative Verfahren zur Nutzung von Klärschlammasche als Düngemittel und zur Gewinnung von Phosphorsäure. Auch die Schweiz fördert die Phosphorrückgewinnung aus Klärschlamm und Tiermehl, um unabhängiger von Importen zu werden. Ab 2029 wird die Phosphorrückgewinnung in Deutschland Pflicht, was die langfristige Versorgung mit diesem lebenswichtigen Element sichert.
Identification of drought and heat tolerant tepary beans in a multi‐environment trial study
Authors: Barrera Santos , Berny Mier y Teran Jorge C. , Aparicio Johan , Diaz Jairo , Leon Rommel , Beebe Steve , Urrea Carlos A. , Gepts Paul
Published: September 2024

Abiotic constraints, such as drought and heat driven by climate change, negatively impact the production of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), an essential grain legume worldwide. The ability to tolerate drought and heat stress in common bean can be improved by introducing genetic variation from related species, such as tepary bean (Phaseolus acutifolius A. Gray), which has recently gained attention because of its adaptation to drought and heat stresses and potential use as a genetic resource and alternative crop. To better understand the phenotypic response of tepary bean to drought and heat stress in multiple environments and trials and to select highly adapted tepary beans, we conducted two field experiments. In Experiment 1, we compared the adaptation to drought stress of tepary bean (n = 10), common bean (n = 10), and Lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus L.; n = 9) by assessing the reduction in grain yield under terminal drought compared to well‐irrigated conditions in two California locations with arid summer conditions. Of the three species, tepary bean showed the statistically strongest adaptation to terminal drought, followed by Lima bean and common bean. In Experiment 2, we evaluated a set of 22 tepary beans from contrasting origins for drought and heat stresses across multi‐environment trials (METs) in California, Nebraska, and Colombia, with common bean as a control. We found a considerable variation in the tepary bean phenotypic response to these MET conditions, as a result of a strong genotype × environment interaction. Also, we identified tepary bean accessions adapted to drought, heat, and well‐irrigated conditions across multiple climate zones. Understanding the performance of tepary bean across multiple environments and identifying tepary beans with broad and target‐specific adaptation will maximize the potential use of the species.
Epigenetic mechanism of EZH2‐mediated histone methylation modification in regulating ferroptosis of alveolar epithelial cells in sepsis‐induced acute lung injury
Authors: Dai Ying , Chen Jiebin , Duan Qingning
Published: September 2024

Sepsis‐induced acute lung injury (SI‐ALI) leads to significant deaths in critically ill patients worldwide. This study explores the mechanism of EZH2 regulating ferroptosis of alveolar epithelial cells (AECs) in SI‐ALI. In vitro cell model and in vivo mouse lung injury model of sepsis were established. EZH2 expression in lung tissues was intervened by sh‐EZH2, followed by H&E staining observation of lung tissue pathological changes. EZH2, H3K27me3, USP10, GPX4, and ACSL4 expressions were determined by qRT‐PCR or Western blot. ROS, GSH, and iron ion levels were detected using fluorescent labeling and reagent kits, respectively. ChIP analyzed the enrichment of EZH2 and H3K27me3 on USP10 promoter. The binding between USP10 and GPX4, and the ubiquitination level of GPX4 were detected using Co‐IP. EZH2 was highly expressed in lung tissues of SI‐ALI mice. EZH2 silencing alleviated ALI and ferroptosis of AECs; EZH2 increased the H3K27me3 level on USP10 promoter through histone methylation. USP10 stabilized GPX4 protein expression through ubiquitination; inhibition of USP10 partially reversed the inhibitory effect of EZH2 silencing on ferroptosis of AECs. In conclusion, EZH2 depresses USP10 expression by promoting histone H3K27me3 modification on USP10 promoter, thereby enhancing ubiquitination degradation of GPX4 and ultimately facilitating ferroptosis of AECs in sepsis.
Identification of plankton habitats in the North Sea
Authors: Plonus Rene‐Marcel , Floeter Jens
Published: September 2024

The definition of an ecological niche makes it possible to anticipate the responses of a species to changing environmental conditions. Broad tolerance limits and a paucity of readily observable niches in the pelagic zone make it difficult to anticipate responses of the plankton community related to anthropogenic or environmental changes. Plankton distributions are closely linked to climate change and shape the seascape for higher trophic levels, so monitoring plankton distributions and defining ecological niches will help to understand and predict ecosystem responses. Here we apply a machine learning autoencoder and a density‐based clustering algorithm to high‐frequency datasets sampled with a ROTV Triaxus in the North Sea. The results indicate that in this highly dynamic environment, local hydrography prevents niche‐based separation of plankton species at the sub‐mesoscale, despite the availability of different habitats. Plankton patches were associated with naturally occurring frontal systems and anthropogenically induced upwelling‐downwelling dipoles in the vicinity of offshore wind farms (OWFs).
A Novel Web‐Based Approach for Monitoring Biodiversity
Authors: Panda Rajendra Mohan , Dash Padmanava , Sarathi Roy Partha
Published: September 2024

Understanding complexities in biodiversity is one of the fundamental goals of ecology and its monitoring is significant for ecosystem sustainability, maintenance, and conservation. However, biodiversity monitoring needs improvement to handle complex datasets and their analyses. This study attempts to understand these ecological complexities quickly, efficiently, and easily. The aim is to provide an alternative to ecologists, researchers, instructors, and stakeholders for biodiversity monitoring with the flexibility to visualize and customize outputs without software knowledge. A novel web‐based technique is applied to monitor the biodiversity of a complex mountain ecosystem using a national database. The species–environment relationships of different vegetation types across a mountain ecosystem's elevation gradient are investigated using open‐source climatic, physiographic, and socioeconomic variables. The proposed interactive tool to monitor biodiversity and understand its complexities is designed to visualize the data structure, summary, correlations, and sampling effectiveness quickly and easily. Plant species richness patterns and life forms (herb, shrub, and tree) across elevational gradients are investigated. We highlight the preliminary investigation of the data structure and their spatial distribution and apply the multicollinearity test to select variables for modeling. The drop‐down menu helps users browse different datasets and select those datasets for instant visualization. Preliminary investigations on interactions between variables and species richness of vegetation types along elevation gradient interactively displayed with options to select variables, plant richness, and an elevational range. Species–environment relationships are investigated using multiple modeling protocols, and results are interactively displayed with options to download in different file formats and colors at the click of a button. This visualization tool helps to understand ecosystem structure, species richness patterns and species–environment relationships easily and efficiently. The R‐codes used in this tool are reproducible and can be implemented with multiple datasets to monitor ecosystems.
Modeling Habitat Suitability for Cerithidea rhizophorarum and Telescopium telescopium in Indo‐West Pacific Mangroves
Authors: Adamu Hussaini O. , Hussaini Rahimat O. , Mohammed Ebenezer O. , Izegaegbe Joshua I.
Published: September 2024

Mangroves provide habitat for a diverse array of marine species, especially snails. We used a MaxEnt model to predict potential global suitable habitat for Cerithidea rhizophorarum and Telescopium telescopium in the family Potamididae. A total of 667 occurrence data were obtained from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) with the following sub‐data set contribution, “iNaturalist Research Grade Observations” (85%), “International Barcode of Life project (iBOL)” (7%), “FBIP: SeaKeys_SANBI: Marine images iSpot_2013” (1%), “A dataset of marine macroinvertebrate diversity from Mozambique and São Tomé and Príncipe” (1%), occurrence data of some marine invertebrates and freshwater crabs housed in the natural history collection at the National Museums of Kenya (1%), and Natural History Museum Rotterdam‐Specimens (1%). Our results showed that temperature with a contribution of above 80% in the present and future model is the most important driver of the distribution of mangrove snails. In the present and future models, the most potentially suitable habitats for C. rhizophorarum and T. telescopium were observed along coastal areas with a temperature between 20°C–21°C and 30°C, respectively. Our model predicts that by 2100, high‐suitability areas will shrink as a result of global warming. The vulnerability of mangrove snails under future climate conditions is evident in our results. Our findings contribute significant insights into the intricate relationship between mangrove habitats and mangrove snails, offering a valuable foundation for conservation initiatives aimed at safeguarding the biodiversity and ecological functions of these crucial coastal ecosystems in the face of changing global environmental conditions.
Pro‐oxidant and antioxidant activity of quinones and nitroazoles in flaxseed oil
Authors: Shadyro Oleg , Sosnovskaya Anna , Edimecheva Irina , Maliborsky Artsem
Published: September 2024

Quinones are one of the most commonly used drugs for cancer treatment. Combinations of quinoid compounds and other oxidation inducers with flaxseed oil (FO), which is rich in omega‐3 alpha‐linolenic acid, show promise for improving the efficacy of antitumor drugs. Effects of benzo‐, naphtho‐, and anthraquinones, as well as metronidazole and a number of nitro‐1,2,4‐triazoles on the oxidative stability of FO, were studied. To this end, kinetic curves were obtained showing the accumulation of hydroperoxides in FO during storage at 37°C with free access to atmospheric oxygen. The calculated oxidation induction period demonstrates that the majority of the tested quinones intensify the oxidation of FO. Pro‐oxidant activity is maximum for 1,4‐benzoquinone and significantly decreases (p < 0.05) when various substituents are introduced into its ring. A noticeable increase in the concentration of hydroperoxides and the rate of oxidation at the initial stage of the oxidation process is characteristic for 1,4‐benzoquinone and its derivatives. Additives of 1,4‐naphthoquinone and 2‐hydroxy‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (lawsone) do not affect the oxidative stability of FO, while 5‐hydroxy‐1,4‐naphthoquinone (juglone) and 4,6‐di‐tert‐butyl‐1,2‐benzoquinone effectively inhibit the oxidation of FO. The oxidation of FO lipids is accelerated by all investigated nitroazoles; however, 1‐methyl‐3,5‐dinitro‐1,2,4‐triazole has the highest pro‐oxidant activity.

Practical Applications: The results of this study may be useful in the development of new methods of antitumor therapy using omega‐3 polyunsaturated substrates in combination with quinoid and nitrotriazole cytostatics. The data obtained can also be used in the development of oxidation‐stable foods based on flaxseed oil, as well as in the production of resins, drying oils, varnishes, paints, and other materials.
Online Isotope Analysis of Sulfur in Proteins via Capillary Electrophoresis Coupled With Multicollector ICP‐MS (CE/MC‐ICP‐MS): A Proof of Concept Study
Authors: Tukhmetova Dariya , Langhammer Nicole , Vogl Jochen , Meermann Björn
Published: September 2024

Isotope ratio analysis of sulfur in biological samples using inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) has gained significant interest for applications in quantitative proteomics. Advancements like coupling separation techniques with multicollector ICP‐MS (MC‐ICP‐MS) enhance the throughput of species‐specific sulfur isotope ratio measurements, fostering new avenues for studying sulfur metabolism in complex biological matrices. This proof‐of‐concept study investigates the feasibility of online CE/MC‐ICP‐MS for directly analyzing sulfur isotope ratios in proteins (albumin). Leveraging our previous work on the applicability of CE/ICP‐MS for quantifying sulfur‐containing biological molecules, we explore its potential for sulfur isotope analysis. Our results demonstrate that direct analysis of sulfur isotopes in albumin protein using online capillary electrophoresis MC‐ICP‐MS (CE/MC‐ICP‐MS) eliminates the need for laborious pretreatment steps, while yielding isotope ratios comparable to the reference values. Although initial precision can be improved through further system optimization and protein injection techniques, this approach paves the way for future analysis of mixtures of various biological compounds in, for example, clinical diagnosis studies.
Etiology, clinical features, and epidemiological analysis of diarrhea patients visiting a gastrointestinal clinic in a comprehensive hospital in Beijing, China, in 2023
Authors: Qi Lihua , Zhou Siwei , Gu Dongmei
Published: September 2024

Objective

To investigate the clinical features and epidemiology of diarrhea patients and analyze the current distribution of enteropathogens causing diarrhea in a comprehensive hospital in Beijing, China, in 2023.

Materials and Methods

From April to October 2023, we enrolled patients with diarrheal diseases who visited the gastrointestinal clinic in our hospital. The patients' demographic, epidemiological, and clinical features were obtained via a questionnaire. Stool samples were examined for 20 enteropathogens by multiplex polymerase chain reaction testing.

Results

We enrolled 260 patients; men and adults accounted for 55.77% and 95.77% of the patients, respectively. The median age was 37 years. Eighty‐four enteropathogens, 72 bacteria and 12 viruses, were identified in 74 patients. Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli was the predominant agent. Patients with and without pathogens detected in stool samples showed no significant differences in age, sex, gastrointestinal symptoms, and stool characteristics. Possible food‐related events were recorded in 57.31% of the patients. Leukocyte counts in patients with bacterial infections were higher than those of patients with viral infections and those with no detected pathogens (p < 0.05). Seasonality of bacterial distribution was observed (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

Bacteria were predominant pathogens among the diarrhea patients. The incidence of diarrhea was related to hot weather and foodborne illness. Bacterial diarrhea may cause systemic infection. The clinical symptoms of infectious diarrhea were usually non‐specific and unrelated to the type of infection. Timely and comprehensive multi‐pathogen surveillance might be helpful to detect suspected pathogens and promote epidemic prevention and control.
Comparative analysis of FAO dual Kc, Priestley‐Taylor and flux variance similarity methods in partitioning evapotranspiration from flood‐irrigated rice fields
Authors: Anupoju Varaprasad , Kambhammettu BVN P. , Peddinti Srinivasa Rao
Published: September 2024

Accurate quantification of evapotranspiration (ET) and its bifurcation into productive transpiration (T) and unproductive evaporation (E) are essential for the successful implementation of sustainable irrigation practices. This study compares the performances of three distinct methods for partitioning ET into E and T fluxes from flood‐irrigated rice fields. These methods include: i) the FAO dual Kc‐ETo model, which utilizes Penman–Monteith (PM) estimates of reference ET and crop‐specific scaling factors; ii) the Priestley‐Taylor (PT) method, which relies on radiation‐driven energy balance at the canopy surface; and iii) the flux variance similarity (FVS) method, which utilizes high‐frequency eddy covariance (EC) measurements of carbon and water vapour fluxes. Meteorological, phenological and hydrological parameters were monitored over two winter seasons in a paddy field, replicating site‐specific management strategies. The cumulative ETs obtained from the PM, PT and FVS methods were 445 mm, 300 mm and 356 mm, respectively, for season 1 and 428 mm, 321 mm and 375 mm, respectively, for season 2. The accuracy of the ET estimation and partition methods was assessed against independent measurements of ET and E using a lysimeter and a microlysimeter. The results demonstrated that the EC‐based FVS method offers superior accuracy in both quantifying (R2 = 0.67, RMSE = 0.70 mm) and partitioning (R2 = 0.51, RMSE = 0.76 mm) ET fluxes, followed by the PM‐based FAO dual Kc‐ETo and PT methods. Evaporation accounted for 29 ± 5% of consumptive water use, highlighting an opportunity for the implementation of water‐saving strategies, particularly during vegetative and transplantation stages. The findings of the path analysis indicate that vegetative and radiation factors influence ET variation, while meteorological and soil factors significantly impact T variation.
Understanding the Impacts on Automobile Leasing Firm Loss in China: An Analysis of Vehicle Residual Value Risk and Lease Price Patterns
Authors: Zhu Jiazhe , Zhao Yuefeng , He Ping
Published: September 2024

The paper addresses vehicle depreciation and pricing issues in the automobile leasing industry in China. Under the current industry climate, operating lease firms face large residual value risk, and therefore, how to price contracts that minimises such risk is an important question. By analysing market data of used vehicles, an exponential decay function was developed to model the price dynamics across different brands and model series. Specifically, we estimate the depreciation rate directly from the data. In addition, by considering all revenue and cost components and converting them into present value terms, appropriate deposit and rents combintions were sought under different profit expectations. Length of contracts, age of vehicles and purchase cost factors were also considered to detect any further patterns in rents. The research outcomes will provide guidance on lease pricing given the current development of the industry, thereby improving firms’ profitability position as well as helping maintain their competitiveness and growth.
Addressing meniscal deficiency part 1: An umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta‐analyses on meniscal allograft transplantation
Authors: Wu Kevin A. , Kiwinda Lulla V. , Therien Aaron D. , Castillo Christian J. , Hendren Stephanie , Long Jason S. , Amendola Annunziato , Lau Brian C.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Meniscal injuries are common in the young and active population. There is increasing utilization of surgical interventions like meniscal allograft transplantation (MAT) to restore the protective function of menisci following injury leading to meniscal deficiency. Extensive research and publications exist on the management of meniscal injury and the sequalae of meniscal deficiency. However, a comprehensive synthesis of the existing evidence through an umbrella review is lacking. This study aims to fill this gap by providing a current examination of the literature on MAT.

Methods

A comprehensive search was conducted in the MEDLINE, Embase and Scopus databases to identify relevant systematic reviews and meta‐analyses. Studies were screened based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the AMSTAR‐2 tool.

Results

A total of 41 studies were included in the review, with most published within the last decade. The majority of studies (56.1%) received a ‘Critically Low’ confidence rating, 26.8% were rated as ‘Low’, and only 14.6% were rated as ‘High’ confidence. From the included studies, 51.2% reported on PROMs, with the Lysholm score being the most common. Transplant failure and reoperation rate were reported in 34.1% and 19.5% of studies respectively. Studies on MAT reported favourable short‐term outcomes in terms of patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) but were limited by the lack of randomized control trials and consistent comparison groups.

Conclusions

This umbrella review highlights an increase in interest in MAT but underscores the need for higher‐quality reviews with standardized reporting and rigorous methodologies. Future research should focus on long‐term outcomes, optimal surgical techniques, patient selection criteria and risk factors for transplant failure. There is also a need for more studies focusing on MAT in pediatric populations. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive assessment of the current state of research in MAT and identifies areas for improvement in future studies.

Level of Evidence

Level IV.
Omission of Chemoradiation in Locally Advanced Rectal Adenocarcinoma: Evaluation of PROSPECT in a National Database
Authors: Buchheit Joanna T. , Janczewski Lauren M. , Wells Amy , Hardy Ashley N. , Abad John D. , Bentrem David J. , Halverson Amy L. , Chawla Akhil
Published: September 2024

Background and Objectives

The PROSPECT trial showed noninferiority of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) with selective chemoradiation (CRT) versus CRT alone. However, trial results are often difficult to reproduce with real‐world data. Pathologic outcomes and overall survival (OS) were evaluated by neoadjuvant strategy in locally advanced rectal adenocarcinoma patients in a national database.

Methods

The 2012–2020 National Cancer Database was queried for clinical T2N1 and T3N0‐1 rectal adenocarcinoma patients with definitive resection. Patients were categorized by neoadjuvant treatment with CRT alone, NAC alone, and NAC with CRT. Outcomes included R0 resection, pathologic complete response (PCR), and OS.

Results

Of 18 892 patients, 16 126 (85.4%) received CRT, 1018 (5.4%) NAC, and 1748 (9.3%) NAC with CRT. Patients with NAC alone or NAC with CRT were more likely to have stage‐III disease, private insurance, and academic facility treatment (all p < 0.001). NAC alone had lower adjusted odds of an R0 resection (OR 0.72; 95%CI 0.54–0.95) and PCR (OR 0.77; 95%CI 0.64–0.93). NAC with CRT demonstrated improved OS (HR 0.71; 95%CI 0.61–0.82), with no difference between NAC and CRT alone. Among patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy, no differences in OS were seen.

Conclusions

Patients who received NAC alone had worse pathologic outcomes. NAC had similar OS to CRT and NAC with CRT showed improved OS.
Trends in the Care of Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer in the Modern Era of Chemotherapy
Authors: Thomas Alexander S. , Tehranifar Parisa , Kwon Wooil , Shridhar Nupur , Sugahara Kazuki N. , Schrope Beth A. , Chabot John A. , Manji Gulam A. , Genkinger Jeanine M. , Kluger Michael D.
Published: September 2024

Introduction

Current guidelines for treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer recommend chemotherapy ± radiation, or radiation alone when multimodal therapy is contraindicated. In a subset of patients, guideline‐recommended treatment (GRT) achieves sufficient response to qualify for potentially curative resection. This study evaluated trends in treatment utilization and aimed to identify barriers to GRT.

Methods

Patients with clinical T4M0 disease in the National Cancer Database from 2010 to 2017 were included. Potential predictors were assessed by relative risk regression with Poisson distribution and compared by log‐link function.

Results

In total, 28 056 patients met the criteria. Among 17 059 (67.67%) patients treated primarily with chemotherapy, 41.19% also had radiation and 8.89% went onto resection. Many received no cancer‐directed treatment or failed to receive GRT. Another 710 patients had radiation (±surgery) without chemotherapy despite few contraindications to chemotherapy. Over time, patients were more likely to undergo resection after chemotherapy (aRR = 1.58; p < 0.0001) and less likely to have chemoradiation (aRR = 0.78; p < 0.0001) or go untreated (aRR = 0.90; p < 0.0001). Socioeconomic factors (race, education, income, and insurance status) affected the likelihood of receiving chemotherapy and surgery. Median overall survival (OS) was significantly improved for patients treated with chemotherapy and particularly in those patients who went on to receive RT or undergo surgical resection. OS was also longer for patients treated at high‐volume academic centers. Patients insured by Medicaid, Medicare, or those without insurance had worse OS.

Conclusions

Despite improvement over time, many patients go untreated. Clinical factors were influential, but the impact of vulnerable social standing suggests persistent inequity in access to care.
Impact of Clostridium difficile Infection Versus Colonization on Postoperative Outcomes After Oncological Colorectal Surgery: An Observational Single‐Center Study With Propensity Score Analysis
Authors: Ong Wee Liam , Morarasu Stefan , Lunca Sorinel , Pruna Romulus Mihaita , Roata Cristian Ene , Dimofte Gabriel Mihail
Published: September 2024

Background

There is limited research available concerning the risk anastomotic leakage in the context of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI). Herein, we aim to elucidate the correlation between CDI, encompassing both preoperative asymptomatic C. difficile carriers (CDC) and postoperative hospital acquired C. difficile infections (HA‐CDI), and the occurrence of anastomotic leakage in patients undergoing oncological colorectal surgery.

Methods

This is an observational, single‐center study. Data were sourced from surgical logs between 2018 and 2023, via the hospital's electronic system. Patients were split into three subgroups: CDC, HA‐CDI, and control group (CG). Groups were compared in terms of patient characteristics, morbidity, and mortality via Fisher's exact test and Kruskal–Wallis test. One‐to‐one propensity score matching was performed to reduce selection bias.

Results

A total of 522 patients were analyzed, split into three subgroups: CDC, n = 35; HA‐CDI, n = 27; CG, n = 460. One‐to‐one propensity score matching reduced the CG to 62 patients. Patients in the HA‐CDI group had higher rates of overall morbidity (p < 0.0001), higher rates of anastomotic leaks (p = 0.002), more surgical site infections (SSI) (p = 0.001), and a longer length of stay (26 vs. 11.2 vs. 9.3 days, p < 0.001), while patients in the CDC group had comparable rates of complications with the CG.

Conclusion

HA‐CDI is associated with a higher risk of anastomotic leak after oncological colorectal surgery, while asymptomatic CDC do not have higher morbidity and may be operated electively, under standard CD treatment.
Techno‐Functional Properties of Dry and Wet Fractionated Pulse Protein Ingredients
Authors: Hopf Andreas , Agarwal Deepa , Skylas Daniel J. , Whiteway Chris , Buckow Roman , Dehghani Fariba
Published: September 2024

Dry fractionation (DF) of pulses is proposed as a more sustainable process than wet fractionation (WF) to create protein ingredients for food applications. To facilitate the use of these ingredients by food manufacturers, it is important to understand the connection between their functional properties and processing methods. This study investigated protein ingredients from faba bean, mung bean, yellow pea and chickpea obtained via milling and air‐classification and commercial WF, comparing them with commercial soy protein concentrate. Functional properties of these ingredients were investigated, including overall solubility, protein solubility, water‐holding, oil‐holding, emulsifying, foaming and rheological properties. DF proteins exhibited higher protein solubility, higher emulsification and lighter colour, while WF proteins demonstrated higher water‐holding capacity. The pasting profiles varied significantly between the two processing methods, with DF proteins exhibiting lower pasting temperatures. However, the gels formed from DF and WF proteins exhibited similar abilities to withstand deformation and retain their structure. The findings highlight that the fractionation method significantly influences the functional properties of protein materials. Dry fractionation may produce materials with high solubility, offering significant potential in food applications.
High benthic community respiration and ecosystem response to phytodetrital input in a subpolar fjord on the West Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Cecchetto Marta M. , Smith Craig R. , Nunnally Clifton C. , Sweetman Andrew K.
Published: September 2024

Glaciomarine fjords dominate the coastal margin of the West Antarctic Peninsula. Studies in similar habitats in the Arctic have shown that benthic biodiversity and ecosystem functioning in inner and middle fjord basins are reduced by turbidity and sedimentation disturbance caused by climate warming–enhanced glacial melting. In contrast, the inner and middle fjord basins along the West Antarctic Peninsula are characterized as productivity and biodiversity hotspots, but benthic ecosystem functions remain unevaluated. In 2015–2016, we conducted sediment respiration and 13C pulse‐chase experiments to assess benthic ecosystem functions along a five‐station transect at ~ 500–600 m depths from the inner Andvord Bay fjord, through to Gerlache Strait, and onto the open continental shelf. Incubation samples from the inner and middle basins of Andvord Bay showed peaks in background seafloor respiration, benthic biomass, and uptake of labeled algal biomass compared to more outlying stations; the continental shelf exhibited the lowest levels of these variables, as well as dissolved inorganic carbon production. Macrofaunal community uptake was responsible for most of the C processing in the inner and middle parts of the fjord (> 45%) while dissolved inorganic carbon was the dominant repository of processed C near the fjord mouth and on the continental shelf (> 80%). The inner parts of Andvord Bay are hotspots of benthic C‐cycling and metabolism, in addition to biodiversity. Ongoing climate warming is likely to negatively impact these inner‐fjord hotspots by increasing meltwater input and sedimentation disturbance, yielding a reduction in the input and recycling of labile detritus at the seafloor in the inner‐middle fjord.
Insights into Advances and Applications of Biomaterials for Nerve Tissue Injuries and Neurodegenerative Disorders
Authors: Pai Varsha , Singh Bhisham Narayan , Singh Abhishek Kumar
Published: September 2024

The incidence of nerve tissue injuries, such as peripheral nerve injury, spinal cord injury, traumatic brain injury, and various neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), is continuously increasing because of stress, physical and chemical trauma, and the aging population worldwide. Restoration of the damaged nervous system is challenging because of its structural and functional complexity and limited regenerative ability. Additionally, there is no cure available for NDs except for medications that provide symptomatic relief. Stem cells offer an alternative approach for promoting damage repair, but their efficacy is limited by a compromised survival rate and neurogenesis process. To address these challenges, neural tissue engineering has emerged as a promising strategy in which stem cells are seeded or encapsulated within a suitable biomaterial construct, increasing cell survival and neurogenesis. Numerous biomaterials are utilized to create different types of constructs for this purpose. Researchers are trying to develop ideal scaffolds that combine biomaterials, cells, and molecules that exactly mimic the biological and mechanical properties of the tissue to achieve functional recovery associated with neurological dysfunction. This review focuses on exploring the development and applications of different biomaterials for their potential use in the diagnosis, therapy, nerve tissue regeneration, and treatment of neurological disorders.
Blickpunkt Anorganik: Materialien, die Sonne tanken
Authors: Krause Simon
Published: September 2024

Werden bestimmte Materialien mit Licht bestrahlt, trennen sich in ihnen die Ladungen. Hält die Trennung lang genug, eignet sich das als Solarbatterie – ein Bauteil, das Sonnenenergie gleichzeitig verwertet und speichert. Nicht nur das: Manche der Substanzen können auch im Dunkeln Wasser spalten.
Maßnahmen finden
Authors: Krutwig Michael
Published: September 2024

Ein Projekt zeigt, wie mittelständische Unternehmen Kreislaufwirtschaft umsetzen und ihre Mittel effizient einsetzen können. Für die chemische Industrie entwickelte Kennzahlen helfen dabei, die Maßnahmen zu bewerten und die passenden auszuwählen.
Patriotische Elemente in der Clemens‐Winkler‐Sammlung
Authors: Herbig Marcus , Franze Georg , Kroke Edwin , Pohl Norman
Published: September 2024

Interdisziplinäre Kommunikation war der Ausgangspunkt, eine neue Gruppe chemischer Elemente kulturhistorisch zu definieren: die der patriotischen Elemente. Gemeinsam ist diesen Elementen der Stolz der Entdeckerinnen und Entdecker auf ihre Herkunft und ihr Vaterland, auf ihre Region, auch auf ihren Arbeitsort und ein damit zum Ausdruck gebrachtes Zusammengehörigkeitsgefühl.
Tenside aus Abfall
Authors: Bulmahn Maren
Published: September 2024

Ein Start‐up produziert aus Resten der Lebensmittelindustrie amphiphile Moleküle für Reiniger in Haushalt und Industrie. Dazu nutzen sie Hefen.
Wie schmeckt der älteste Wein?
Authors: Krüßmann Jan
Published: September 2024

In einem römischen Grab haben Archäologen einen zweitausend Jahre alten Wein entdeckt. Die chemische Analyse der Flüssigkeit zeigt, ob es sich um Rot‐ oder Weißwein handelt und wo dieser herkommt. Aber warum der Wein sich eine Urne mit den Überresten des Verstorbenen teilt – da sind Chemiker überfragt.
Pharmazeutika als Umweltproblem
Authors: Groß Michael
Published: September 2024

Tausende pharmakologisch aktive Substanzen werden regelmäßig genutzt und gelangen somit in die Umwelt. Im Gegensatz zu ihrer Sicherheit für Patient:innen sind die Kollateralschäden in der Biosphäre wenig erforscht.
A conserved odorant receptor tuned to phenylacetaldehyde in Athetis lepigone
Authors: Fan Yiping , Wang Guirong , Liu Yang
Published: September 2024

Insects carry out various behaviors, including searching for food, mates, and oviposition sites using their sensitive olfactory systems. Odorant receptors (ORs) play critical roles during odor detection. In this study, we identified an OR (AlepOR14) in Athetis lepigone, which is clustered with a conserved HarmOR42‐lineage in Lepidoptera. We cloned this OR gene and investigated its expression levels using real‐time quantitative PCR. Our results indicated that the expression of AlepOR14 is biased toward antennae, with levels significantly higher in female antennae than in male antennae. Functional analysis using the Xenopus oocytes expression and voltage‐clamp recording system demonstrated that AlepOR14 robustly and sensitively responds to the critical floral scent volatile phenylacetaldehyde (PAA). In behavioral experiments, female adults are attracted by PAA. Our findings improve our general understanding of the relationship between moths and their host plants, and provide an idea for exploiting attractants of A. lepigone for biological control.