bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The postnatal development of retinal projections in strepsirrhine galagos (Otolemur garnettii)
Authors: Liao Chia‐Chi , Gabi Mariana , Qi Hui‐Xin , Kaas Jon H.
Published: December 2023

Here, we describe the postnatal development of retinal projections in galagos. Galagos are of special interest as they represent the understudied strepsirrhine branch (galagos, pottos, lorises, and lemurs) of the primate radiations. The projections of both eyes were revealed in each galago by injecting red or green cholera toxin subunit B (CTB) tracers into different eyes of galagos ranging from postnatal day 5 to adult. In the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, the magnocellular, parvocellular, and koniocellular layers were clearly labeled and identified by having inputs from the ipsilateral or contralateral eye at all ages. In the superficial layers of the superior colliculus, the terminations from the ipsilateral eye were just ventral to those from the contralateral eye at all ages. Other terminations at postnatal day 5 and later were in the pregeniculate nucleus, the accessory optic system, and the pretectum. As in other primates, a small retinal projection terminated in the posterior part of the pulvinar, which is known to project to the temporal visual cortex. This small projection from both eyes was most apparent on day 5 and absent in mature galagos. A similar reduction over postnatal maturation has been reported in marmosets, leading to the speculation that early retinal inputs to the pulvinar are responsible for the activation and early maturation of the middle temporal visual area, MT.
A ferroptosis‐related LncRNAs signature for predicting prognoses and screening potential therapeutic drugs in patients with lung adenocarcinoma: A retrospective study
Authors: Dong Jiaxin , Tao Tao , Yu Jiaao , Shan Huisi , Liu Ziyu , Zheng Guangzhao , Li Zhihong , Situ Wanyi , Zhu Xiao , Li Zesong
Published: December 2023

Background

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) has a high mortality rate. Ferroptosis is linked to tumor initiation and progression.

Aims

This study aims to develop prognostic models of ferroptosis‐related lncRNAs, evaluate the correlation between differentially expressed genes and tumor microenvironment, and identify prospective drugs for managing LUAD.

Methods and Results

In this study, transcriptomic and clinical data were downloaded from the TCGA database, and ferroptosis‐related genes were obtained from the FerrDb database. Through correlation analysis, Cox analysis, and the LASSO algorithm for constructing a prognostic model, we found that ferroptosis‐related lncRNA‐based gene signatures (FLncSig) had a strong prognostic predicting ability in the LUAD patients. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichments reconfirmed that ferroptosis is related to receptor‐ligand activity, enzyme inhibitor activity, and the IL‐17 signaling pathway. Next, tumor mutation burden (TMB), tumor immune dysfunction and exclusion (TIDE) algorithms, and pRRophetic were used to predict immunotherapy response and chemotherapy sensitivity. The IMvigor210 cohort was also used to validate the prognostic model. In the tumor microenvironment, Type_II_IFN_Response and HLA were found to be a group of low‐risk pathways, while MHC_class_I was a group of high‐risk pathways. Patients in the high‐risk subgroup had lower TIDE scores. Exclusion, MDSC, CAF, and TAMM2 were significantly and positively correlated with risk scores. In addition, we found 15 potential therapeutic drugs for LUAD. Finally, differential analysis of stemness index based on mRNA expression (mRNAsi) indicated that mRNAsi was correlated with gender, primary tumor (T), distant metastasis (M), and the tumor, node, and metastasis (TNM) stage in LUAD patients.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the prognostic model based on FLncSig can alleviate the difficulty in predicting the prognosis and immunotherapy of LUAD patients. The identified FLncSig and the screened drugs exhibit potential for clinical application and provide references for the treatment of LUAD.
Overcrowding and separation estimates for the Coulomb gas
Authors: Thoma Eric
Published: December 2023

We prove several results for the Coulomb gas in any dimension that follow from isotropic averaging, a transport method based on Newton's theorem. First, we prove a high‐density Jancovici–Lebowitz–Manificat law, extending the microscopic density bounds of Armstrong and Serfaty and establishing strictly sub‐Gaussian tails for charge excess in dimension 2. The existence of microscopic limiting point processes is proved at the edge of the droplet. Next, we prove optimal upper bounds on the ‐point correlation function for merging points, including a Wegner estimate for the Coulomb gas for . We prove the tightness of the properly rescaled th minimal particle gap, identifying the correct order in and a three term expansion in , as well as upper and lower tail estimates. In particular, we extend the two‐dimensional “perfect‐freezing regime” identified by Ameur and Romero to higher dimensions. Finally, we give positive charge discrepancy bounds which are state of the art near the droplet boundary and prove incompressibility of Laughlin states in the fractional quantum Hall effect, starting at large microscopic scales. Using rigidity for fluctuations of smooth linear statistics, we show how to upgrade positive discrepancy bounds to estimates on the absolute discrepancy in certain regions.
Assessing the osseointegration potential of a strontium releasing nanostructured titanium oxide surface: A biomechanical study in the rabbit tibia plateau model
Authors: Isler Sila Cagri , Bellon Benjamin , Foss Morten , Pippenger Benjamin , Stavropoulos Andreas , Andersen Ole Zoffmann
Published: December 2023

Objectives

To investigate the impact of a Ti‐Sr‐O technology, applied to either a turned surface or an SLA surface, on the mechanical robustness of osseointegration, benchmarked against the SLActive surface.

Material and Methods

Ti discs (6.25‐mm‐diameter and 2‐mm‐thick) with three different surfaces were inserted on the proximal‐anterior part of the tibial plateau of adult Swedish loop rabbits: (I) turned surface modified with Ti‐Sr‐O (turned + Ti‐Sr‐O), (II) SLA surface modified with Ti‐Sr‐O (SLA + Ti‐Sr‐O), and (III) SLActive surface (SLActive). Following a healing period of 2 weeks and 4 weeks, the pull‐out (PO) force needed to detach the discs from the bone was assessed, as a surrogate of osseointegration.

Results

The SLActive surface exhibited statistically significant higher median PO forces, compared with the SLA + Ti‐Sr‐O surfaces at both 2‐ and 4 weeks post‐op (p > .05). In this study, no single turned + Ti‐Sr‐O surface disk was integrated.

Conclusions

The tested Ti‐Sr‐O technology failed to enhance osseointegration; however, this finding may be related to the inappropriateness of the rabbit tibia plateau model for assessing third‐generation implant surface technologies, due to the limited diffusion and clearance at the disk‐bone interface.
Shear bond strength of the ceramic veneer to additively manufactured titanium
Authors: Svanborg P. , Le H. H. , Sigurðardóttir S. J. , Barkarmo S.
Published: December 2023

Objectives

The objective of this in vitro study was to evaluate the shear bond strength between the ceramic veneer and additively manufactured titanium with different surface treatments, and to compare with milled titanium. Also, to characterize the surface and the presence of an α‐case layer of additively manufactured and milled titanium.

Material and Methods

Sixty additively manufactured titanium grade 23, and 20 milled titanium grade 4 cylindrical specimens were divided into four groups based on surface treatments, air‐particle abrasion and grinding. After ceramic veneering half of each group were thermocycled. The bond strength was analyzed using a shear bond strength test. The surfaces were analyzed using interferometry and scanning electron microscopy.

Results

The grinding procedure and air‐particle abrading pressure had no significant effect on the shear bond strength (p = .264 and p = .344). Thermocycling showed a tendency towards an effect but not significant (p = .052). The group with the highest air‐abrading pressure showed the highest surface roughness. No presence of an α‐case layer was detected in any of the groups.

Conclusion

Additively manufactured titanium grade 23 may be veneered with ceramics without prior grinding of the surfaces.
Highly resilient 17‐level fault‐tolerant multilevel inverter topology with reduced capacitor size
Authors: Chappa Anilkumar , Gupta Shubhrata , Sahu Lalit Kumar , Gupta Krishna Kumar , Allamsetty Hemachander
Published: December 2023

Multilevel inverters (MLIs) have recently drawn the huge attention of industry and academia since they are becoming a viable technology for a variety of applications. However, the risk of failure of the converter increases with the increasing number of component count for applications involving heavy duty and continuous operation. In this context, an asymmetrical source configured FT‐MLI (fault tolerant‐MLI) topology is investigated and developed with less number of device count and having the ability to withstand both OC (open‐circuit) and SC (short‐circuit) switch faults on single and multiple switches. The proposed architecture maintains the same output voltage levels and power in both pre‐ and post‐fault operations. In addition, a switching method is developed to reduce the capacitors' size by minimizing the voltage ripple. Furthermore, without the need for an external circuit, the voltage across the capacitors remains balanced in both pre‐ and post‐fault operations. The simulation and experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed asymmetrical FT‐MLI topology. Finally, a comparison of the proposed topology with the existing MLI topologies is shown to emphasize the benefits of the proposed system.
Exploring the impact of data curation criteria on the observed geographical distribution of mosses
Authors: Ronquillo Cristina , Stropp Juliana , Medina Nagore G. , Hortal Joaquin
Published: December 2023

Biodiversity data records contain inaccuracies and biases. To overcome this limitation and establish robust geographic patterns, ecologists often curate records keeping those that are most suitable for their analyses. Yet, this choice is not straightforward and the outcome of the analysis may vary due to a trade‐off between data quality and volume. This problem is particularly recurrent for less‐studied groups with patchy sampling effort. The latitudinal pattern of mosses richness remains inconsistent across studies and these may emerge purely from sampling artefacts. Our main objective here is to assess the effect of different curation criteria on this spatial pattern in the Temperate Northern Hemisphere (above 20° latitude). We contrasted the geographical distribution of moss species records and the latitude‐species richness relation obtained under different data curation scenarios. These scenarios comprehend five sources of taxonomical standardisations and eight data cleaning filters. The analyses are based on the selection of well‐surveyed cells at 100 km cell resolution. The application of some ‘data curation scenarios’ severely affects the number of records selected for analysis and substantially changes the proportion of richness per cell. The sensitivity to data curation becomes detectable at regional and at the cell scales showing a large shift in the latitudinal richness peak in Europe, from 60° N to 45° N latitude, when only preserved specimens are selected and duplicates based on date of collection and coordinates are excluded. Our results stress the importance of justifying the criteria used for filtering biodiversity data retrieved from biodiversity databases to avoid detecting misleading patterns. Curating records under particular criteria compromises the information in some areas displaying different spatial information of mosses. This problem can be ameliorated if data filtering is combined with identifying well‐surveyed cells, render relatively constant results under different combinations of filtering even for less well‐known groups such as mosses.
Exploring Australian university students' and staff members' perspectives on an animal‐assisted intervention as a health promotion initiative on campus
Authors: Cooke Emily , Henderson‐Wilson Claire , Warner Elyse , LaMontagne Anthony D.
Published: December 2023

Issue Addressed

The university campus environment is unique and complex, with students and staff members experiencing increasing levels of stress and anxiety over time. One intervention being used internationally to alleviate stress and anxiety is an Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI). This research aimed to explore Australian university students' and staff members' perspectives on an AAI prior to implementation.

Methods

This study used an explanatory mixed methods approach. Student participants were recruited through posts on a university's subject sites and via social media. University staff member participants were recruited through emails from managers or department newsletters. Data were collected through an online anonymous survey and subsequent semi‐structured interviews. Quantitative data were analysed with SPSS and qualitative data were analysed via thematic analysis.

Results

Data included 344 survey responses and 45 semi‐structured interviews. Survey responses indicated a large majority of participants believe an AAI could promote health on campus. This was due to the range of benefits participants felt an AAI could have on campus (such as reducing stress and anxiety, providing opportunities for a break from work or study, social benefits, and enhancing the university environment). In interviews, participants suggested an AAI could contribute towards a positive university environment and help promote other services on campus; provided it considers those not interested in participating.

So What?

If implemented sustainably, an AAI has potential to contribute towards a positive university environment for both staff and students, by potentially reducing the high rates of stress and anxiety the university community are currently experiencing. An AAI could also help to raise awareness of other health services on campus, further contributing towards promoting positive mental health and wellbeing.
Environmental management cycles for chemicals and climate change, EMC4: A new conceptual framework contextualizing climate and chemical risk assessment and management
Authors: Cains Mariana G. , Desrousseaux Alizée O. S. , Boxall Alistair B. A. , Molander Sverker , Molina‐Navarro Eugenio , Sussams Julia , Critto Andrea , Stahl Ralph G. , Rother Hanna‐Andrea
Published: December 2023

The environmental management cycles for chemicals and climate change (EMC4) is a suggested conceptual framework for integrating climate change aspects into chemical risk management. The interaction of climate change and chemical risk brings together complex systems that are imperfectly understood by science. Making management decisions in this context is therefore difficult and often exacerbated by a lack of data. The consequences of poor decision‐making can be significant for both environmental and human health. This article reflects on the ways in which existing chemicals management systems consider climate change and proposes the EMC4 conceptual framework, which is a tool for decision‐makers operating at different spatial scales. Also presented are key questions raised by the tool to help the decision‐maker identify chemical risks from climate change, management options, and, importantly, the different types of actors that are instrumental in managing that risk. Case studies showing decision‐making at different spatial scales are also presented highlighting the conceptual framework's applicability to multiple scales. The United Nations Environment Programme's development of an intergovernmental Science Policy Panel on Chemicals and Waste has presented an opportunity to promote and generate research highlighting the impacts of chemicals and climate change interlinkages. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:433–453. © 2023 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
MiR‐29a mediates the apoptotic effects of TNF‐α on endothelial cells through inhibiting PI3K/AKT/BCL‐2 axis
Authors: Cao Yunchang , Wen Hongbo , Leng Chaoqun , Feng Shaolong
Published: December 2023

Endothelial cell apoptosis driven by inflammation (TNF‐α) plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, but the exact molecular mechanisms are not clearly elucidated. MicroRNA (miR)‐29 families (a/b/c) take important roles in pathophysiological processes of atherosclerosis, also the underlying mechanisms have not been fully clarified. The aims are to explore whether or not miR‐29 families mediate the apoptotic effects of TNF‐α on endothelial cells and uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms. In this study, MTT assay and flow cytometer analysis were employed respectively to determine the proliferation and apoptosis of human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) under TNF‐α exposure. Real‐time quantitative PCR and western blot were performed to detect the levels of target RNAs and proteins/their phosphorylation in HUVECs. TNF‐α could inhibit HUVEC proliferation and induce HUVEC apoptosis in a positive dose‐ and time‐dependent manner, with a similar way of miR‐29a upregulation, but no effects on miR‐29b/c. Upregulation of miR‐29a with its mimics enhanced the apoptotic effect of TNF‐α on HUVECs, but downregulation of miR‐29a using anti‐miR‐29a blocked up its apoptotic effect. MiR‐29a inhibited the expression of PI3Kp85α and Bcl‐2 and blocked up the signal transduction of PI3K/AKT/Bcl‐2 axis to mediate the apoptotic effect of TNF‐α on HUVECs. Mediating the inflammation‐driven endothelial cell apoptosis is an important biology mechanism by which miR‐29a promotes atherosclerosis and its complications. MiR‐29a will be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target for atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases; it is worthwhile to further study.
Synthesis of potential impurities of cloxacillin sodium drug substance
Authors: Venkateswara Rao Gollapalli , Pindi Santhosh R. , Hari Babu Bollikolla , Khandapu Bala Murali Krishna
Published: December 2023

The present work describes the synthesis and characterization of six related compounds of cloxacillin sodium (1) viz penicilloic acid of cloxacillin (2), (3‐(2‐chlorophenyl)‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐carbonyl) glycine (Glycine analogue of cloxacillin) (3), CMICAA adduct of cloxacillin (4), (4S)‐2‐(carboxy(3‐(2‐chlorophenyl)‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐carboxamido) methyl)‐3‐(2‐ethylhexanoyl)‐5,5‐dimethylthiazolidine‐4‐carboxylic acid (N‐2‐ethylhexanoyl penicilloic acid of cloxacillin) (5), N‐Acetylated penicilloic acid of cloxacillin (6), and Cloxacillin Penicillamide (7). These related compounds are very essential in the process development of cloxacillin sodium and are used as reference standards to determine the quality of the drug substance.
Synthesis of nitro‐containing isoquinoline‐1,3‐diones with tert‐butyl nitrite
Authors: Ma Hongsheng , Yu Tongyan , You Siliang , Zhang Ming‐Zhi , Deng Chao
Published: December 2023

An efficient synthetic method for the nitro‐containing isoquinoline‐1,3‐diones has been achieved with tert‐butyl nitrite. This reaction features metal‐free, safety, simple operation and mild reaction conditions, which represents the first example of using stable and safe tert‐butyl nitrite as the nitro precursor for the synthesis of nitro‐containing isoquinoline‐1,3‐diones. Furthermore, both the control experiments and density functional theory calculations (DFT) have confirmed that the reaction was occurred through the radical reactions. In addition, the representative compounds 3a and 3i displayed potential good inhibitory activities for the plant height of rape and the compound 3a displayed potential promotion activity of the root length for barnyard grass.
Hantzsch‐like synthesis of isoquinolino[2,1‐a]quinoline‐12‐carbonitrile incorporating aryl or heteroaryl moieties at C‐13
Authors: Mohamed Teleb Mohamed A. , Hassaneen Hamdi M. , Abdelhamid Ismail A. , Saleh Fatma M.
Published: December 2023

The synthesis of a new series of the tetracyclic 13‐arylisoquinolino[2,1‐a]quinoline‐12‐carbonitrile has been accomplished using a straightforward and efficient method. The novel compounds were obtained via the Hantzsch‐like reaction of varieties of aldehydes with 2‐(isoquinolin‐1‐yl)acetonitrile and dimedone. The structures of the novel compounds were verified using elemental and spectroscopic data.
Institutions and venture capital market development in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Boateng Ebenezer , Owusu Junior Peterson , Gatsi John G. , Anokye Adam M. , Abeka Mac Junior , Asafo‐Adjei Emmanuel
Published: December 2023

We investigate the critical interplay between economic institutions and political institutions and assess their influence on venture capital market development in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA). To address endogeneity concern in our model specification, the two‐step system generalised method of moments was employed on a sample of 34 SSA countries from 2007 to 2018. The findings reveal that strengthening disaggregated measures of economic institutions, comprising legal system and property rights, size of government, sound money, regulations, and freedom to trade internationally spur venture capital market development in SSA. Finally, the evidence indicates that political institutions condition the influence of economic institutions on venture capital market development. The implications for policy are further discussed.
Precipitation variability related to atmospheric circulation patterns over the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Lai Hui‐Wen , Chen Deliang , Chen Hans W.
Published: December 2023

Precipitation is affected by intricate atmospheric dynamic and thermodynamic processes. Horizontal winds are frequently used to represent the dynamic component as winds play a critical role in transporting moisture. Previous studies on precipitation over the Tibetan Plateau (TP) focused on the influence of summer monsoons and westerlies in isolation. However, the collective seasonal dynamics and their combined effects on the precipitation distribution remain less explored. This study aims to determine the seasonal evolutions of the wind patterns and the associated regional precipitation patterns over the TP using a neural network approach and focuses on their interannual variability and long‐term trends. A self‐organizing map (SOM) was used to classify the wind patterns based on 500 hPa winds and related precipitation from the ERA5 reanalysis. The classified wind patterns show seasonal shifts between the Asian summer monsoon circulations and the westerlies along with the westerly jets migrating between the north and south of the TP from summer to winter. The locations of abundant precipitation during the winter and transition seasons are mainly associated with variations in the intensity and locations of the strong westerlies. There is a significant positive trend in the occurrences of the summer‐type wind pattern, which has likely led to a wetter TP, and an earlier‐ended winter and advanced spring wind patterns. The interannual variability of westerlies is highly related to the variability of precipitation in the western TP during its wet season (January–April). In the eastern TP, the interannual variability of the precipitation is linked to the wind patterns associated with the westerly jets to the south of the TP, while precipitation variability in the central TP is controlled by thermodynamic components. This study reveals the spatial precipitation distributions according to the different wind patterns and identifies the contributions from atmospheric components to the regional precipitation over the TP.
Influences of intraseasonal oscillations on a compound cold and wet event in southern China during the Spring Festival travel rush
Authors: Chuhan Lu , Yichen Shen , Yihan Wang , Fei Xin
Published: December 2023

In January 2023 during the Spring Festival travel rush, a compound cold and wet event (CCWE) hit southern China, causing heavy precipitation followed by two cold wave processes. Through an analysis from the intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) perspective, it was found that the cold event is caused by two consecutive cold events, in which upper level midlatitude ISO wave train propagating across the Eurasia favours the formation of blocking high, leading to the expansion of Siberian High and intensification of East Asian winter monsoon. As a result, strong cold advection appeared in the northern boundary of southern China and caused the cooling process. As for the wet event, it was found that a cyclonic ISO anomaly from South China Sea conveyed abundant moisture through the western and southern boundaries and caused the precipitation. It was revealed in the partial lateral forcing (PLF) experiment that the midlatitude ISO signal from the northern boundary caused minimum 2 m temperature to drop by 1.84°C, mainly affecting the northern part of the research area. The tropical ISO from the western and southern boundaries resulted in heavy precipitation for over 40 mm in a belt‐shaped area in 3 days. The combination of the ISOs is the key factor behind this CCWE and our study provides intuitive evidences for this, which is helpful in understanding the mechanisms and providing empirical precursory signals for the forecast of CCWEs.
Impact of endoplasmic reticulum stress on chondrocyte apoptosis in rat model of DDH
Authors: Nijiati Yaxier , Song Jun , Huang Peng , Wu Chunxing , Ma Ruixue , Ning Bo
Published: December 2023

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is a developmental disorder characterized by acetabular dysplasia leading to early osteoarthritis. This study examines the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in chondrocyte apoptosis and cartilage degeneration within a DDH model. In the rat model of DDH, created using a swaddling technique, significant deformities in the femoral head and acetabulum were observed, alongside an upregulation of matrix metalloproteinase‐13 in acetabular cartilage. We also noted increased levels of apoptosis and ERS‐related factors in the acetabular cartilage of DDH models. Additionally, rat chondrocytes exposed to high‐magnitude cyclic tensile strain (CTS, 1 Hz, 10% equibiaxial strain) in vitro exhibited elevated ERS and increased apoptosis. Importantly, treatment with the ERS inhibitor 4‐phenylbutyric acid effectively suppressed apoptosis induced by CTS in chondrocytes. Our findings suggest that ERS contributes to the upregulation of apoptosis‐related factors in chondrocytes within the DDH model, indicating the potential of ERS modulation as a therapeutic approach for DDH‐related cartilage degeneration.
Association between energy surplus and intensive care unit length of stay in critically ill patients: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Page Alexandria , Langan Anne , Wan Yize I. , McNelly Angela , Prowle John , Pearse Rupert , Puthucheary Zudin
Published: December 2023

Background

Patients experiencing persistent critical illness have poor short‐term and long‐term outcomes and consume disproportionate amounts of health care resources. Nutrition optimization may improve outcomes, though few data exist on resting energy expenditure and nutrition requirements. We hypothesized that increased energy surplus per day is associated with increased intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LoS) in critically ill patients.

Methods

Patients from a single ICU at Royal London Hospital were included in this retrospective cohort study. Exposure: energy surplus measured by serial indirect calorimetry (IC) and nutrition intake. Inclusion criteria: mechanical ventilation of ≥3 days and expected to remain ventilated. Primary outcome: ICU LoS.

Results

Across 30 patients (median LoS 21 days), increased ICU LoS was associated with actual daily energy intake surplus to resting energy expenditure (REE) (R2 0.16; P < 0.005). Median REE was less than predicted energy requirements: 24 kcal per day per kilogram of ideal body weight (IBW) (interquartile range [IQR], 20–28) vs 28 kcal/day/kg IBW (IQR, 26–29) (P < 0.001). Patients with COVID‐19 had a median energy surplus (actual intake‐ REE) + 344 kcal/day (IQR 35–517) vs −57 kcal/day (IQR −324 to 211) in other patients (P = 0.011); however, they had a median LoS of 44 days (IQR 26–58) vs 10 days (IQR 7–24), respectively (P < 0.001). Patients with obesity had a median energy deficit of −32 kcal/day (IQR −384 to 335) vs +234 kcal/day (IQR −79 to 499) for nonobese patients (P = 0.021).

Conclusion

Overfeeding represents an easily modifiable factor to improve outcomes in patients experiencing persistent critical illness, for which IC may be useful.
An analytical framework combining online high‐performance liquid chromatography methodologies and biological properties of different extracts of Leonurus cardiaca
Authors: Nilofar  , Eyupoglu Ozan Emre , Nazzaro Filomena , Fratianni Florinda , Ahmed Shakeel , Ferrante Claudio , Senkardes Ismail , Zengin Gokhan
Published: December 2023

Little or no information is available concerning online high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) antioxidants and the antibiofilm effect of Leonurus cardiaca. Five distinct extractions of methanolic, ethyl acetate, dichloromethane, hexane, and water were obtained from L. cardiaca. In the online‐HPLC‐antioxidant analysis of all examined samples, rosmarinic acid emerged as the primary antioxidant, registering concentrations ranging from 6 to 15 ppm at wavelengths of 517 and 734 nm. Notably, the water extract exhibited robust antioxidant activity In vitro. Regarding acetylcholinesterase and butrylcholinesterase inhibition, the n‐hexane extract exhibited superior inhibition with values of 3.08 and 5.83 galanthamine equivalent, respectively. Except for the water extract, all tested extracts (at a concentration of 20 μg/mL) exhibited substantial inhibitory activity against biofilm formation, in many cases superior to 80%, and reached even 94.52% against Escherichia coli. Although less vigorous, the extracts also acted against the mature biofilm (inhibition up 76.50% against Staphylococcus aureus). They could work against the metabolism inside an immature and mature biofilm, with inhibition percentages up to 93.18% (vs. Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and 76.50% (vs. Acinetobacter baumannii), respectively. Considering its significant antioxidants, enzyme inhibition, and antimicrobial activity, L. cardiaca emerges as a promising candidate for therapeutic potential.
Exploring the Potential of Wild Olive (Acebuche) Oil as a Pharm‐Food to Prevent Ocular Hypertension and Fibrotic Events in the Retina of Hypertensive Mice
Authors: Santana‐Garrido Álvaro , Reyes‐Goya Claudia , André Helder , Vázquez Carmen M. , Mate Alfonso
Published: December 2023

Scope

Our laboratory has previously described the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory potential of a wild olive (acebuche, ACE) oil against hypertension‐associated vascular retinopathies. The current study aims to analyze the antifibrotic effect of ACE oil on the retina of hypertensive mice.

Methods and results

Mice are rendered hypertensive by administration of NG‐nitro‐L‐arginine‐methyl‐ester (L‐NAME) and simultaneously subjected to dietary supplementation with ACE oil or a reference extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). Intraocular pressure (IOP) is measured by rebound tonometry, and retinal vasculature/layers are analyzed by fundus fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography. Different fibrosis‐related parameters are analyzed in the retina and choroid of normotensive and hypertensive mice with or without oil supplementation. Besides preventing the alterations found in hypertensive animals, including increased IOP, reduced fluorescein signal, and altered retinal layer thickness, the ACE oil‐enriched diet improves collagen metabolism by regulating the expression of major fibrotic process modulators (matrix metalloproteinases, tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases, connective tissue growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta family).

Conclusion

Regular consumption of EVOO and ACE oil (with better outcomes in the latter) might help reduce abnormally high IOP values in the context of hypertension‐related retinal damage, with significant reduction in the surrounding fibrotic process.
Acetolactate Decarboxylase as an Important Regulator of Intracellular Acidification, Morphological Features, and Antagonism Properties in the Probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri
Authors: Wang Xueqing , Chen Peng , Wang Jing , Wang Yu , Miao Yu , Wang Xinling , Li Qiulei , Zhang Xiaoli , Duan Jinyou
Published: December 2023

Score

This study identifies the coding gene (aldB) of acetolactate decarboxylase (ALDC) as an important regulatory gene of the intracellular pH in Lactobacillus reuteri (L. reuteri), uncovering the important role of ALDC in regulating intracellular pH, morphological features, and antagonism properties in the probiotic organism L. reuteri.

Methods and Results

The aldB mutant (ΔaldB) of L. reuteri is established using the homologous recombination method. Compare to the wild‐type (WT) strain, the ΔaldB strain shows a smaller body size, grows more slowly, and contains more acid in the cell cytoplasm. The survival rate of the ΔaldB strain is much lower in low pH and simulated gastric fluid (SGF) than that of the WT strain, but higher in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF). The antagonism test demonstrates the ΔaldB strain can inhibit Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes) and Salmonella more effectively than the WT strain. Additionally, there is a dramatic decrease in the adhesion rate of Salmonella to Caco‐2 and HT‐29 cells in the presence of the ΔaldB strain compared to the WT strain. Simultaneously analyze, the auto‐aggregation, co‐aggregation, cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), hemolytic, temperature, NaCl, oxidative stress, and antibiotic susceptibility of the ΔaldB strain are consistent with the features of probiotics.

Conclusion

This study highlights that the aldB gene plays a significant role in the growth and antibacterial properties of L. reuteri.
Feasibility of undersampled spiral trajectories in MREPT for fast conductivity imaging
Authors: Özdemir Safa , Ilicak Efe , Zapp Jascha , Schad Lothar R. , Zöllner Frank G.
Published: December 2023

Purpose

To investigate spiral‐based imaging including trajectories with undersampling as a fast and robust alternative for phase‐based magnetic resonance electrical properties tomography (MREPT) techniques.

Methods

Spiral trajectories with various undersampling ratios were prescribed to acquire images from an experimental phantom and a healthy volunteer at 3T. The non‐Cartesian acquisitions were reconstructed using SPIRiT, and conductivity maps were derived using phase‐based cr‐MREPT. The resulting maps were compared between different sampling trajectories. Additionally, a conductivity map was obtained using a Cartesian balanced SSFP acquisition from the volunteer to comparatively demonstrate the robustness of the proposed method.

Results

The phantom and volunteer results illustrate the benefits of the spiral acquisitions. Specifically, undersampled spiral acquisitions display improved robustness against field inhomogeneity artifacts and lowered SD values with shortened readout times. Furthermore, average of conductivity values measured for the cerebrospinal fluid with the spiral acquisitions were 1.703 S/m, indicating a close agreement with the theoretical values of 1.794 S/m.

Conclusion

A spiral‐based acquisition framework for conductivity imaging with and without undersampling is presented. Overall, spiral‐based acquisitions improved robustness against field inhomogeneity artifacts, while achieving whole head coverage with multiple averages in less than a minute.
Factors associated with secondary coronary artery disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis based on observational studies
Authors: Wang Zhe , Hu Kaiyan , Wu Mei , Feng Liyuan , Liu Chen , Ding Fengxing , Li Xiaohui , Ma Bin
Published: December 2023

Objective

The main objective of this systematic review was to investigate the factors influencing the development of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods

PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Wan Fang Date, CBM, CNKI, and VIP databases were systematically searched to select the relevant literature. The quality of the incorporated studies was assessed with reference to the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale. Stata16 was adopted to summarise the odds ratios, risk ratios, hazard ratios, and 95% confidence intervals for meta‐analysis.

Results

A total of 29 studies were included in this analysis, wherein the average age of RA patients was 50.5–81 years and the proportion of women was 44.4%–92%. The present meta‐analysis suggested that increased CAD risk in RA patients was associated with age, male gender, smoking, glucocorticoids, Health Assessment Questionnaire scores, hyperlipidaemia, hypertension, diabetes, and C‐reactive protein concentration.

Conclusion

The present systematic review revealed the influencing factors of secondary CAD in RA patients, some of which could reduce the risk of secondary CAD through effective interventions, such as smoking cessation, exercise, and medications. However, the effects of age, RA severity, and different medication subgroups on CAD risk stratification warrant further investigation.
The effects of joint spacing on transmission characteristics of stress waves through layered composite rock masses
Authors: Fan Lifeng , Shi Xiaoying , Wang Meng , Yang Qihao , Chen Su
Published: December 2023

The effects of joint spacing on the transmission characteristics of stress waves through layered composite rock masses were investigated. First, a model of layered composite rock masses containing multiple parallel joints with different media in front of and behind the joints was introduced to study multiple reflections between joints. Second, wave transmission through layered composite rock masses was investigated and compared with wave transmission through traditional layered homogeneous rock masses. Finally, the effects of joint spacing and wave impedance ratio on particle velocity transmission coefficient were discussed. The results indicate that for wave propagation through rock masses with the same joint spacing, the onset time and amplitude of the transmitted wave in layered composite rock masses are smaller than those in layered homogeneous rock masses. For wave transmission through rock masses with the same nondimensional joint spacing, the onset time of the transmitted wave in the layered composite rock masses is similar to that in the layered homogeneous rock masses, while the amplitude of the transmitted wave in the layered composite rock masses is smaller than that in the layered homogeneous rock masses. In addition, the particle velocity transmission coefficient first increases and then decreases to be constant as the joint spacing increases, while it continues to increase as the wave impedance ratio increases for wave transmission through both layered composite rock masses and layered homogeneous rock masses.
Water's Ethical Time: The Art of Deindustrialising Human‐Water Relationships
Authors: Eickelkamp Ute
Published: December 2023

I explore by way of a thought experiment the temporality of waterways in the context of restorative art interventions. As a substance that moves and gives form, and as a medium that retains and discharges, connects and divides, water that flows can make tangible the experiential flow of return and anticipation. Arguably, this bi‐directional structuring of time is pivotal to transformative and reparative action. If restoration means ‘going back’ to memories of ecologies and places, it does so with a generative thrust forward. This is the life‐enabling orientation of recuperation that I discern connects diverse phenomenological concepts: Deborah Bird Rose's ‘multispecies knots of ethical time’, the idea of ‘afterness’ as developed by Gerhard Richter, Gaston Bachelard's ‘rhythmic time’, and Gerald Vizenor's ‘survivance’. I bring these concepts to: (a) artistic water restoration projects that make imaginable, palpable, and real sustainable human‐water relationships, with a focus on the public works in Sydney by Turpin + Crawford Studio; (b) perspectives on water and time that Australian Indigenous thinkers have shared during my ethnographic research; and (c) the re‐naturalization of a river in Germany's postindustrial Ruhr region. I propose that thinking with water ethically and recognizing its temporal diversity opens up perspectives on the deindustrialisation of rivers and other bodies of water.
A compositional data model to predict the isotope distribution for average peptides using a compositional spline model
Authors: Agten Annelies , Vilenne Frédérique , Prostko Piotr , Valkenborg Dirk
Published: December 2023

We propose an updated approach for approximating the isotope distribution of average peptides given their monoisotopic mass. Our methodology involves in‐silico cleavage of the entire UNIPROT database of human‐reviewed proteins using Trypsin, generating a theoretical peptide dataset. The isotope distribution is computed using BRAIN. We apply a compositional data modelling strategy that utilizes an additive log‐ratio transformation for the isotope probabilities followed by a penalized spline regression. Furthermore, due to the impact of the number of sulphur atoms on the course of the isotope distribution, we develop separate models for peptides containing zero up to five sulphur atoms. Additionally, we propose three methods to estimate the number of sulphur atoms based on an observed isotope distribution. The performance of the spline models and the sulphur prediction approaches is evaluated using a mean squared error and a modified Pearson's χ2 goodness‐of‐fit measure on an experimental UPS2 data set. Our analysis reveals that the variability in spectral accuracy, that is, the variability between MS1 scans, contributes more to the errors than the approximation of the theoretical isotope distribution by our proposed average peptide model. Moreover, we find that the accuracy of predicting the number of sulphur atoms based on the observed isotope distribution is limited by measurement accuracy.
Watering down the wine: European Union regulation of violent right‐wing extremism content and the securitisation of new online spaces
Authors: Flonk Danielle , McNeil‐Willson Richard
Published: December 2023

The regulation of violent right‐wing extremist online content in the European Union is facing a conundrum. On the one hand, pressure to respond to concern over violent right‐wing extremism (or VRWE, a term used by the European Union to refer to ‘far right’) has led to a push to develop a coherent European‐wide response. On the one hand, this has led to a watering down or ‘loosening’ of the concept and implementation, to come to policy agreements between Member States. On the other hand, we have also seen a broadening and expansion of key concepts around VRWE to include more online practices. We argue that this combination of ‘loosening’ the definition of far right, whilst simultaneously ‘broadening’ what constitutes far‐right content, risks the securitisation of vast online practices ‐ muddying the means for developing coherent and effective responses to VRWE in online spheres. This paper aims to explore the framing and securitisation of violent right‐wing extremist content, by tracking the discursive construction of European content moderation policy tools over time.
Post‐traumatic growth in parents of long‐term childhood cancer survivors compared to the general population: A report from the Swiss childhood cancer survivor study—Parents
Authors: Baenziger Julia , Roser Katharina , Mader Luzius , Ilic Anica , Sansom‐Daly Ursula M. , von Bueren André O. , Tinner Eva Maria , Michel Gisela
Published: December 2023

Objective

Post‐traumatic growth (PTG) describes perceived positive changes following a traumatic event. We describe (i) PTG in parents of long‐term childhood cancer survivors (CCS‐parents) compared to parents of similar‐aged children of the general population (comparison‐parents), (ii) normative data for the Swiss population, and (iii) psychological, socio‐economic, and event‐related characteristics associated with PTG.

Methods

CCS‐parents (aged ≤16 years at diagnosis, ≥20 years old at study, registered in the Childhood Cancer Registry Switzerland (ChCR), and the Swiss population responded to a paper‐based survey, including the PTG‐Inventory (total score 0–105). We carried out (i) t‐tests, (ii) descriptive statistics, and (iii) multilevel regression models with survivor/household as the cluster variable.

Results

In total, 746 CCS‐parents (41.7% fathers, response‐rate = 42.3%) of 494 survivors (median time since diagnosis 24 (7–40) years), 411 comparison‐parents (42.8% fathers, 312 households), and 1069 individuals of the Swiss population (40.7% male, response‐rate = 20.1%) participated. Mean [M] total PTG was in CCS‐parents M = 52.3 versus comparison‐parents M = 50.4, p = 0.078; and in the Swiss population M = 44.5). CCS‐parents showed higher ‘relating‐to‐others’ (18.4 vs. 17.3, p = 0.010), ‘spiritual‐change’ (3.3 vs. 3.0, p = 0.038) and ‘appreciation‐of‐life’ (9.3 vs. 8.4, p = 0.027) than comparison‐parents, but not in ‘new‐possibilities’ and ‘personal‐strength’. Female gender, older age, higher post‐traumatic stress, and higher resilience were positively associated with PTG. Individuals reporting events not typically classified as traumatic also reported growth.

Conclusions

Our findings highlight that mothers and fathers can experience heightened growth many years after their child's illness. Being able to sensitively foreshadow the potential for new‐possibilities and personal development may help support parents in developing a sense of hope.
A dyadic examination of patients' and caregivers' attachment orientations and mutually supportive care in cancer caregiving
Authors: McPherson Christine J. , Devereaux Alanna
Published: December 2023

Objective

Families play a pivotal role in supporting one another during cancer. Research suggests that supportive care interactions between patients and their caregivers can have a positive effect on the physical health and well‐being of both members of the dyad. However, few studies have investigated how patient and caregiver personality characteristics intersect with their perceptions of supportive exchanges. Adopting an attachment theory perspective, our aim was to examine the dyadic effects of patient and caregiver attachment orientations on mutually supportive care.

Methods

Patients (n = 103) receiving cancer care and their caregivers (n = 99) completed a survey that comprised measures of attachment orientations (Experiences in Close Relationships Modified scale), and mutually supportive care (Shared Care Inventory, SCI‐3): communication, decision‐making and reciprocity.

Results

Actor‐Partner Interdependence Models (APIMs) were used to examine the association between participants' attachment orientations on their own (actor effects) SCI‐3 outcomes and those of the other person within the dyad (partner effects). Across the APIMs, the tendency was for an inverse relationship between attachment (anxious and avoidant orientations) and mutually supportive care. Inspection of the effects and dyadic patterns supported actor and couple models.

Conclusions

Using a dyadic approach, it was possible to study both intrapersonal and interpersonal effects. Our findings point to interdependence within the cancer caregiving relationship and underscore the importance of considering how individual and relational ways of responding influence support. Attachment theory provides a framework for explaining the observed relationships and a basis for therapeutic intervention.