bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Repurposing iron chelators for accurate positron emission tomography imaging tracking of radiometal‐labeled cell transplants
Authors: Xu Qian , Wang Xinyu , Mu Ziqian , Zhou Yixiang , Ding Xiang , Ji Xin , Yan Junjie , Pan Donghui , Chen Chongyang , Xu Yuping , Wang Lizhen , Wang Jing , Wang Guangji , Yang Min
Published: January 2024

The use of radiolabeled cells for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging tracking has been a promising approach for monitoring cell‐based therapies. However, the presence of free radionuclides released from dead cells during tracking can interfere with the signal from living cells, leading to inaccurate results. In this study, the effectiveness of the iron chelators deferoxamine (DFO) and deferiprone in removing free radionuclides 89Zr and 68Ga, respectively, was demonstrated in vivo utilizing PET imaging. The use of DFO during PET imaging tracking of 89Zr‐labeled mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) significantly reduced uptake in bone while preserving uptake in major organs, resulting in more accurate and reliable tracking. Furthermore, the clearance of free 89Zr in vivo resulted in a significant reduction in radiation dose from 89Zr‐labeled MSCs. Additionally, the avoidance of free radionuclide accumulation in bone allowed for more precise observation of the homing process and persistence during bone marrow transplantation. The efficacy and safety of this solution suggest this finding has potential for widespread use in imaging tracking studies involving various cells. Moreover, since this method employed iron chelator drugs in clinical use, which makes it is a good prospect for clinical translation.
Effects of hands‐on mind‐body therapy on posttraumatic stress disorder among Danish military veterans: A randomized clinical trial
Authors: Andersen Susan , Andersen Henrik Steen , Ahrensberg Hannah , Lazar Ioana , Tjørnhøj‐Thomsen Tine , Ahlmark Nanna Gram
Published: January 2024

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects many military veterans. Given limited success of and barriers to conventional treatments, increasing interest is being paid to mind‐body therapy approaches. However, little evidence exists on whether these have the potential to treat traumatic stress. The aim of this study was to compare 6 months of hands‐on mind‐body therapy as an add‐on to treatment as usual (TAU) with TAU alone. Participants with PTSD resulting from active military service were randomly assigned to the intervention group or treatment‐as‐usual (TAU) group. The intervention group received 24 hands‐on manipulative mind‐body therapy sessions during 6 months as add‐on to TAU. The primary outcome was the PTSD Checklist‐Military version (PCL‐M) at 6 months (postintervention). Outcome measurements were obtained at four time points; baseline, 3 months (midway), 6 months (postintervention), and 12 months (follow‐up). Intention‐to‐treat analysis was done masked to allocation. A total of 42 participants were randomized (22 control, 20 intervention). In the intervention group, two discontinued the mind‐body therapy. At postintervention, participants who had received mind‐body treatment demonstrated greater reduction in PTSD severity (PCL‐M scores between‐group mean difference: −11.1, 95% CI −17.9 to −4.2, p = 0.002, effect size d = 1.06). At follow‐up, PCL‐M scores were not statistically significant between groups (between‐group difference: −4.65, 95% CI −11.8 to 1.50). Post hoc analysis showed that number of participants remitting from PTSD from baseline to follow‐up was 25% in the intervention group and 0% in the control group. Our study showed that hands‐on mind‐body therapy over 6 months produced clinically significant decrease in PTSD symptoms. The large reduction in symptoms was not maintained 6 months after the intervention period. Further research on mind‐body therapy as adjunctive PTSD treatment is warranted.
Reconfigurable holographic leaky‐wave antenna based on liquid crystal materials
Authors: Hu Wei , Jiang Di , Zhang Chenqi , Zhang Ziyou , Yan Bo , Xu Chuanpei , Yang Weiyi , Guo Zhiyong , Zhang Weiyi , Wang Guofu , Fan Chao
Published: January 2024

This paper introduces a beam‐scanning holographic antenna composed of a substrate‐integrated waveguide (SIW) feeding structure and a rectangular microstrip array. The antenna innovatively combines holographic theory with liquid crystal electrical tunability to realize single‐frequency large‐angle beam scanning function which can effectively solve the problem of beamforming reconfiguration in traditional array antenna systems. In this paper, the variation of dielectric constant of liquid crystal under different bias voltages is quantitatively analyzed. Additionally, the beam forming technology is analyzed under hologram amplitude weighting theory. The relevant theories are verified by manufacturing and testing. The prototype antenna achieves the ultra‐wide beam scanning angle of −63° to 63° at 36 GHz.
Hybrid stress and heat‐flux formulation of thermodynamics for long‐term simulations in thermo‐viscoplasticity
Authors: Suljević Samir , Ibrahimbegovic Adnan , Dolarević Samir
Published: January 2024

In this article, we present a variational formulation for coupled problems in thermodynamics the most suitable for long‐term simulations of plastic behavior. We start with three‐field Hu–Washize variational formulation and perform regularization to include non‐symmetric stress, we thus recover the formulation that can accommodate any choice of discrete approximation. Such a regularized variational formulation allows us to eliminate the rotation field (as typically less important) and recover the corresponding hybrid stress format for equations of motion and transient heat conduction. The regularized variational formulation is further combined with discrete approximation based upon the Raviart–Thomas vector space for both mechanical and thermal fields, which enforces continuity across element boundaries for stress vector and normal component of heat‐flux. The conservation properties are validated with energy‐conserving scheme for thermoelastic behavior. The time integration of thermo‐viscoplastic behavior is carried out by energy‐decaying scheme to provide superior accuracy for computed stress in a long‐term simulation. The proposed approach offers higher computational robustness and results accuracy than the classical finite elements and time‐integration schemes. Such a performance is illustrated on several numerical simulations in non‐stationary problems for thermo‐viscoplastic behavior.
Have our backs‐medical‐surgical nurses’ safety culture experiences: An inductive qualitative descriptive study
Authors: Harton Lisa , Skemp Lisa
Published: January 2024

Aim

This study aims to describe medical‐surgical registered nurses' experiences with safety culture.

Design

Qualitative, Inductive descriptive.

Methods

Registered nurses were recruited from a Midwestern community hospital in the United States using purposive sampling. The participants were interviewed using semi‐structured interview questions from February 6, 2020‐April 9, 2020. Safety huddles were observed and key documents were collected. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using inductive qualitative content analysis. The COREQ checklist was followed.

Results

A total of 16 registered nurses were interviewed. Six themes emerged: Time to know my patient to keep them safe, using my gut and nursing interventions, getting extra eyes on the patient, not always having what is needed to provide safe care, organization prioritizes patient safety, and learning: have our backs. No Patient or Public Contribution.
Translation, transcultural adaptation, and validation of PedsQL 3.0 Sickle Cell Disease Module into Brazilian Portuguese
Authors: Olival Maristela G. , Vilela Thiago S. , Hankins Jane S. , Bendo Cristiane B. , Lobo Clarisse L. , Maioli Maria Christina P. , Bandeira Flávia M. , Werneck Guilherme L. , Soares Andréa R.
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Despite the high prevalence of sickle cell disease (SCD) in Brazil, no studies have described the validation of an SCD‐specific health‐related quality‐of‐life (HRQoL) instrument in children. We validated PedsQL 3.0 Sickle Cell Disease Module (PedsQL‐SCD) for Brazilian Portuguese, and cross‐validated it with PedsQL 4.0 Generic Core Scale (PedsQL‐GCS) in children with SCD.

Methods

PedsQL‐SCD was translated and culturally adapted using forward and reverse translations. PedsQL‐SCD and PedsQL‐GCS were tested in children and adolescents with SCD aged 2–18 years and their caregivers. Validity was assessed using the Pearson and intraclass correlation coefficients, and reliability measured with Cronbach's alpha.

Results

PedsQL‐SCD was validated in 206 children with SCD (median age 14 years, range: 8–18) and 201 caregivers. Among patients and caregivers, the mean total score for PedsQL‐SCD was 65.7 and 64.1, respectively. The mean total score for PedsQL‐GCS was 73.1 and 68.9 among patients and caregivers, respectively. The internal consistency for PedsQL‐SCD and PedsQL‐GCS was good; Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from .59–.93 to .64–.83 among patients and from .60–.95 to .65–.85 among caregivers, respectively. Most intercorrelations between PedsQL‐SCD and PedsQL‐GCS, for patients and caregivers, had medium to large effect sizes (range: .23–.63 and .27–.64, respectively). Pain and pain impact domains of PedsQL‐SCD and physical dimension of PedsQL‐GCS had the highest cross‐correlation (.63 and .6 for patients; .63 and .64 for caregivers, respectively), confirming convergent construct validity.

Conclusion

PedsQL‐SCD is a valid, culturally appropriate measure to assess HRQoL in children with SCD in Brazil and is well‐correlated PedsQL‐GCS.
Estimating the effect of nintedanib on forced vital capacity in children and adolescents with fibrosing interstitial lung disease using a Bayesian dynamic borrowing approach
Authors: Maher Toby M. , Brown Kevin K. , Cunningham Steven , DeBoer Emily M. , Deterding Robin , Fiorino Elizabeth K. , Griese Matthias , Schwerk Nicolaus , Warburton David , Young Lisa R. , Gahlemann Martina , Voss Florian , Stock Christian ,   InPedILD trial investigators
Published: January 2024

Background

The rarity of childhood interstitial lung disease (chILD) makes it challenging to conduct powered trials. In the InPedILD trial, among 39 children and adolescents with fibrosing ILD, there was a numerical benefit of nintedanib versus placebo on change in forced vital capacity (FVC) over 24 weeks (difference in mean change in FVC % predicted of 1.21 [95% confidence interval: −3.40, 5.81]). Nintedanib has shown a consistent effect on FVC across populations of adults with different diagnoses of fibrosing ILD.

Methods

In a Bayesian dynamic borrowing analysis, prespecified before data unblinding, we incorporated data on the effect of nintedanib in adults and the data from the InPedILD trial to estimate the effect of nintedanib on FVC in children and adolescents with fibrosing ILD. The data from adults were represented as a meta‐analytic predictive (MAP) prior distribution with mean 1.69 (95% credible interval: 0.49, 3.08). The adult data were weighted according to expert judgment on their relevance to the efficacy of nintedanib in chILD, obtained in a formal elicitation exercise.

Results

Combined data from the MAP prior and InPedILD trial analyzed within the Bayesian framework resulted in a median difference between nintedanib and placebo in change in FVC % predicted at Week 24 of 1.63 (95% credible interval: −0.69, 3.40). The posterior probability for superiority of nintedanib versus placebo was 95.5%, reaching the predefined success criterion of at least 90%.

Conclusion

These findings, together with the safety data from the InPedILD trial, support the use of nintedanib in children and adolescents with fibrosing ILDs.
On being a forest soil scientist—Reflections at the 14th North American Forest Soils Conference
Authors: DeLuca Thomas H.
Published: January 2024

The North American Forest Soils Conference (NAFSC) provides a venue for forest soil scientists and affiliated scientists to share their emerging research results through discourse and thoughtful engagement. My task at the 14th NAFSC was to share my perspective on what it means to be a forest soil scientist and the unique contribution forest soil scientists, and in particular, our contribution to addressing the significant environmental challenges that currently face society. In this context, I provide 10 characteristics of a forest soil scientist and reflect on how we might differ from other branches of our academic tree. Forest soil scientists provide an important and impactful perspective on the role that sustainable forest management plays in climate change mitigation and adaptation and within this charge, they support the conservation and sustainable management of our forest soil resource.
Synthesis of 7‐{[2‐(4‐ substituted phenyl)‐2‐oxoethyl] amino}‐4‐methyl‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐one derivatives and evaluation of their pharmacological activities
Authors: Megha G. V. , Bodke Yadav. D.
Published: January 2024

In this study, a novel series of 7‐[2‐(4‐substituted)‐2‐oxoethyl]amino‐4‐methyl‐2H‐1‐benzopyran‐2‐one derivatives (3 a‐f) were synthesized using 7‐amino‐4‐methyl coumarin and p‐substituted phenacyl bromides, and their pharmacological effects were examined. This reaction was carried out with potassium carbonate as a catalyst in dimethylformamide for 24 h at ambient temperature. The structures of synthesized compounds have been characterized by analysis using FTIR, NMR (1H and 13C) and Mass spectroscopic techniques, and their antibacterial, antidiabetic, and anti‐inflammatory properties have been explored. All synthesized compounds have exhibited good antibacterial activity against S. aureus, B. substilis, E. coli, and S. typhi.Compound 3 f shows maximum activity (zone of inhibition) at a 12 g/mL concentration compared to others. Compounds 3 c and 3 f showed excellent α‐amylase activity and had the lowest IC50 values for α‐glucosidase enzyme activities. The least IC50 value (12.42±0.27 g/mL) was demonstrated by the 3 e compound, which exhibited potent anti‐inflammatory activities. in silico Molecular docking studies suggested that compounds 3 f and 3 a interacted effectively with 4DO3: FAAH and 5DI1: MAP4 K4 proteins with good binding energies of −10.3 and −9.5 Kcal/mol, respectively.
Gravity‐Oriented Microfluidic Device for Biocompatible End‐to‐End Fabrication of Cell‐Laden Microgels
Authors: Chen Shulang , Wu Zengnan , Zhang Qiang , Li Yuxuan , Yao Hongren , Chen Shiyu , Xie Tianze , Lin Jin‐Ming
Published: January 2024

Droplet microfluidics are extensively utilized to generate monodisperse cell‐laden microgels in biomedical applications. However, maintaining cell viability is still challenging due to overexposure to harsh conditions in subsequent procedures that recover the microgels from the oil phase. Here, a gravity‐oriented microfluidic device for end‐to‐end fabrication of cell‐laden microgels is reported, which integrates dispersion, gelation, and extraction into a continuous workflow. This innovative on‐chip extraction, driven by native buoyancy and kinetically facilitated by pseudosurfactant, exhibits 100% retrieval efficiency for microgels with a wide range of sizes and stiffnesses. The viability of encapsulated cells is perfectly maintained at ≈98% with minimal variations within and between batches. The end‐to‐end fabrication remarkably enhances the biocompatibility and practicality of microfluidics‐based cell encapsulation and is promising to be compatible with various applications ranging from single‐cell analysis to clinical therapy.
Directional Charge Pumping from Photoactive P‐doped CdS to Catalytic Active Ni2P via Funneled Bandgap and Bridged Interface for Greatly Enhanced Photocatalytic H2 Evolution
Authors: Chen Aizhu , Yang Xuhui , Shen Lijuan , Zheng Ying , Yang Min‐Quan
Published: January 2024

Loading cocatalysts onto semiconductors is one of the most popular strategies to inhibit charge recombination, but the efficiency is generally hindered by the localized built‐in electric field and the weakly connected interface. Here, this work designs and synthesizes a 1D P‐doped CdS nanowire/Ni2P heterojunction with gradient doped P to address the challenges. In the composite, the gradient P doping not only creates a funneled bandgap structure with a built‐in electric field oriented from the bulk of P‐CdS to the surface, but also facilitates the formation of a tightly connected interface using the co‐shared P element. Consequently, the photogenerated charge carriers are enabled to be pumped from inside to surface of the P‐CdS and then smoothly across the interface to the Ni2P. The as‐obtained P‐CdS/Ni2P displays high visible‐light‐driven H2 evolution rate of ≈8265 µmol g−1 h−1, which is 336 times and 120 times as that of CdS and P‐CdS, respectively. This work is anticipated to inspire more research attention for designing new gradient‐doped semiconductor/cocatalyst heterojunction photocatalysts with bridged interface for efficient solar energy conversion.
Emergence and impact of theranostic‐nanoformulation of triple therapeutics for combination cancer therapy
Authors: Rajora Amit Kumar , Ahire Eknath D. , Rajora Manju , Singh Sukhvir , Bhattacharya Jaydeep , Zhang Hongbo
Published: January 2024

Cancer remains a major global health threat necessitating the multipronged approaches for its prevention and management. Traditional approaches in the form of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiotherapy are often encountered with poor patient outcomes evidenced by high mortality and morbidity, compelling the need for precision medicine for cancer patients to enable personalized and targeted cancer treatment. There has been an emergence of smart multimodal theranostic nanoformulation for triple combination cancer therapy in the last few years, which dramatically enhances the overall safety of the nanoformulation for in vivo and potential clinical applications with minimal toxicity. However, it is imperative to gain insight into the limitations of this system in terms of clinical translation, cost‐effectiveness, accessibility, and multidisciplinary collaboration. This review paper aims to highlight and compare the impact of the recent theranostic nanoformulations of triple therapeutics in a single nanocarrier for effective management of cancer and provide a new dimension for diagnostic and treatment simultaneously.
Economic freedom and growth, income, investment, and inequality: A quantitative summary of the literature
Authors: Lawson Robert , Miozzi Vincent , Tuszynski Meg
Published: January 2024

This study examines the published estimates on the relationship between economic freedom, as measured by the Economic Freedom of the World (EFW) index, and measures of growth, income, investment, and inequality. We obtained 696 point estimates for economic freedom‐growth from 54 articles, 386 estimates for economic freedom‐income from 23 articles, 343 estimates for economic freedom‐investment from 32 articles, and 759 estimates for economic freedom‐inequality from 26 articles. The published estimates support the view that economic freedom is positively related to growth, income, and investment. The level of economic freedom appears to be simply unrelated to inequality, though increases in economic freedom may correlate with higher inequality.
Plasma‐Enhanced Chemical‐Vapor‐Deposited SiOx(Ny)/n‐type Polysilicon‐on‐Oxide‐Passivating Contacts in Industrial Back‐Contact Si Solar Cells
Authors: Mertens Verena , Dorn Silke , Langlois Jonathan , Stöhr Maximilian , Larionova Yevgeniya , Veurman Welmoed , Brendel Rolf , Ambrosius Norbert , Vogt Aaron , Pernau Thomas , Haverkamp Helge , Dullweber Thorsten
Published: January 2024

In this article, different in situ grown plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD)‐grown interfacial oxides for n‐type polysilicon‐passivating contacts are investigated. Herein, SiOx(Ny)/n‐type amorphous silicon stacks created from either N2O plasma or O2 plasma are applied to POLy‐silicon on Oxide interdigitated back‐contact (POLO IBC) solar cells using the structured deposition process through a glass mask to create the IBC layout. The impact of plasma exposure time for interfacial oxide growth on solar cell efficiencies is experimentally determined. In the POLO IBC cell results, it is shown that the PECVD oxides SiOxNy and SiOx with optimized plasma exposure time give similar maximum efficiencies of 23.8% and 23.7%, respectively. In these data, the feasibility to deposit a high‐quality in situ PECVD interfacial SiOx(Ny) layers for surface passivation and current transport of passivated contacts at the same time is demonstrated. For the SiOx/n‐type polysilicon stack, it is found that both plasma exposure time for interfacial oxide growth and polysilicon anneal temperature variations can lead to similar optimum of solar cell efficiencies. The current open‐circuit voltage losses due to metallization for the solar cells are analyzed and a realistic efficiency of 25.22% is calculated to achieve optimized POLO IBC solar cells applying the synergistic efficiency gain analysis on Quokka3 simulations.
Clinical prognostication and immunotherapy response prediction in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma using the DNA damage repair‐associated signature
Authors: Zhang Pengpeng , Wen Bing , Gong Jialin , Liu Zuo , Zhang Mengzhe , Zhou Guangyao , Zhang Lianmin , Zhang Zhenfa
Published: January 2024

Background

The relationship between DNA damage repair (DDR) and cancer is intricately intertwined; however, its specific role in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains enigmatic.

Methods

Employing single‐cell analysis, we delineated the functionality of DDR‐related genes within the tumor microenvironment (TME). A diverse array of scoring mechanisms, including AUCell, UCell, singscore, ssgsea, and AddModuleScore, were harnessed to scrutinize the activity of DDR‐related genes across different cell types. Differential pathway alterations between high‐and low‐DDR activity cell clusters were compared. Furthermore, leveraging multiple RNA‐seq datasets, we constructed a robust DDR‐associated signature (DAS), and through integrative multiomics analysis, we explored differences in prognosis, pathways, mutational landscapes, and immunotherapy predictions among distinct DAS groups.

Results

Notably, high‐DDR activity cell subpopulations exhibited markedly enhanced cellular communication. The DAS demonstrated uniformity across multiple datasets. The low‐DAS group exhibited improved prognoses, accompanied by heightened immune infiltration and elevated immune checkpoint expression. SubMap analysis of multiple immunotherapy datasets suggested that low‐DAS group may experience enhanced immunotherapy responses. The “oncopredict” R package analyzed and screened sensitive drugs for different DAS groups.

Conclusion

Through the integration of single‐cell and bulk RNA‐seq data, we have developed a DAS associated with prognosis and immunotherapy response. This signature holds promise for the future stratification and personalized treatment of ESCC patients in clinical settings.
Unlocking solutions for cleaner waters: The Industrial Wastewater Quality Index in Egypt and beyond
Authors: M. Salman Abdou Doaa , el Ragehy Eid
Published: January 2024

This research study conducted in Egypt focuses on addressing the issue of industrial water pollution and promoting sustainable water and environmental management practices. The study introduces a novel tool called the Industrial Wastewater Quality Index (IWQI) and utilizes two assessment methods to evaluate the extent of water pollution caused by industrial effluents. The IWQI takes into consideration both the environmental limits specified by Egyptian legislation and industry‐specific parameters, effectively condensing extensive water quality data into simplified categories. The IWQI model proves to be a dependable instrument for assessing the overall quality of groundwater intended for industrial use. It incorporates multiple water quality indices and employs multivariate statistical analysis techniques to determine the contribution of each parameter to industrial water quality. This comprehensive analysis enhances the reliability of the model, making it a valuable point of reference for similar locations worldwide, particularly those sharing similar climatic conditions. The outcomes of this study provide valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders involved in regulating and mitigating industrial water pollution in Egypt. The findings also have relevance to other countries facing similar challenges, highlighting the importance of developing effective techniques for investigating pollution sources, monitoring water quality, and forecasting future trends. The study underscores the necessity of implementing proactive measures to address industrial water pollution and protect water resources and ecosystems. By emphasizing these aspects, the study emphasizes the importance of promoting sustainable water and environmental management practices. Overall, the IWQI and the study's findings contribute to the development of strategies to manage and control industrial water pollution and can guide policymakers and stakeholders in Egypt and other countries facing similar challenges.
The Limits of Luc Besson’s ‘Made-in-France’ Blockbusters: From the Transnational to the Postnational in Valerian and Anna
Authors: Vanderschelden Isabelle
Published: January 2024

By creating EuropaCorp in 2000, Luc Besson provided an alternative model to Hollywood studio cinema that could compete in the globalised markets of the new millennium. The chapter discusses how his latest productions, Valerian and the City of the Thousand Planets (Besson, 2017) and Anna (Besson, 2019), French films shot in English with non-French casts, try to renegotiate transnational and postnational features but fail to consolidate his model of global popular filmmaking made in France. It argues that after the global success of Lucy (Besson, 2014) had revived the potential of the EuropaCorp transnational production model, Valerian and Anna have shown the limits of Besson’s brand and filmmaking methods. It also identifies reasons behind their mixed reception and links their disappointing results to the implosion of EuropaCorp in 2020.
Whose Lost Bullet? Netflix, Cultural Politics and the Branding of French Action Cinema
Authors: Michael Charlie
Published: January 2024

The recent appearance of French-language action films on Netflix should be seen as an extension of industrial reforms of the 1990s and 2000s, when action cinema—historically neglected in France—found a home at studios like StudioCanal and EuropaCorp. Netflix has expanded that game, producing and acquiring a flurry of Franco-European content while making its ‘stack’ menus host to a new, sliding game of cultural and generic indexing. Using the recent Netflix film Lost Bullet (Pierret, 2020) as a case study, this chapter proposes a schema for thinking through how postnational French popular culture combines North American genre conventions with Franco-European cultural inputs.
Charlotte Rampling Made in France: From a National to a Postnational Identity
Authors: Le Gras Gwénaëlle
Published: January 2024

By examining the recent career steps of Charlotte Rampling, this chapter questions the evolution of her real and imaginary identity fluidity, which is based on a variable articulation between constructions of the national, the international and the global. Although the actress’s spoken accent maintains the trace of her English origins, three facts blur the sharpness of this identity. Rampling has systematically dubbed herself in English as well as in French, creating an intercultural fluidity; she has revived and intensified her ability to express the interiority of her characters through the universal language of silence; and finally her characters are alternately English, integrated into a French collective while her own identity remains vague; or, in French co-productions that mark a new trend within her filmography, postnationally indexed and inflected.
National and Postnational Femininity in Engrenages: The Limits of Empowerment
Authors: Vincendeau Ginette
Published: January 2024

The French police series Engrenages/Spiral (eight seasons, 2005–2020) achieved international recognition for its ‘gritty’ realism, its attention to the idiosyncrasies of the French criminal justice system and especially for featuring women in the two lead roles: detective Laure Berthaud (Caroline Proust) and lawyer Joséphine Karlsson (Audrey Fleurot). This chapter explores the two women’s contrasting trajectories, their different attitudes to work ethics and sexuality and the inscription of bodily trauma (motherhood for Laure, rape for Joséphine) on their screen identities. The analysis demonstrates that despite their ostensibly empowered roles, the two female protagonists embody conservative concepts of femininity. It is argued that this sexual stereotyping, alongside a lack of racial diversity, ultimately maintains the series within a national tradition and has limited its postnational reach.
Migration Status, Class, Race and Home
Authors: Fathi Mastoureh , Ní Laoire Caitríona
Published: January 2024

Migration regimes are powerful forces that allow or deny individuals, in different ways, the possibilities of feeling at home, imagining home or doing home. This chapter draws on existing literature to show how migrant status, class and race intersect not only with each other but with gender, age, and other power relations in structuring these im/possibilities through bordering processes linked to global geopolitical and postcolonial processes. Firstly, the chapter explores how privileged migrant groups can draw on their available capital to reproduce comfortable notions of home in migration, and how different migration/citizenship regimes enable this. Secondly, the focus is brought to the phenomenon of enforcement, precarity and stuckness in migration, as a lens through which to explore how migrant status, class and race limit the possibilities of feeling at home for other migrant groups and how they navigate these limitations and borders in seeking to find and make home in the world.
A novel aminopeptidase N/CD13 inhibitor selectively targets an endothelial form of CD13 after coupling to proteins
Authors: Anderluzzi Giulia , Ghitti Michela , Gasparri Anna Maria , Taiè Giulia , Sacchi Angelina , Gori Alessandro , Andolfo Annapaola , Pozzi Federica , Musco Giovanna , Curnis Flavio , Corti Angelo
Published: January 2024

Aminopeptidase N/CD13, a membrane-bound enzyme upregulated in tumor vasculature and involved in angiogenesis, can be used as a receptor for the targeted delivery of drugs to tumors through ligand-directed targeting approaches. We describe a novel peptide ligand (VGCARRYCS, called “G4”) that recognizes CD13 with high affinity and selectivity. Enzymological and computational studies showed that G4 is a competitive inhibitor that binds to the catalytic pocket of CD13 through its N-terminal region. Fusing the peptide C-terminus to tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) or coupling it to a biotin/avidin complex causes loss of binding and inhibitory activity against different forms of CD13, including natural or recombinant ectoenzyme and a membrane form expressed by HL60 promyelocytic leukemia cells (likely due to steric hindrance), but not binding to a membrane form of CD13 expressed by endothelial cells (ECs). Furthermore, G4-TNF systemically administered to tumor-bearing mice exerted anticancer effects through a CD13-targeting mechanism, indicating the presence of a CD13 form in tumor vessels with an accessible binding site. Biochemical studies showed that most CD13 molecules expressed on the surface of ECs are catalytically inactive. Other functional assays showed that these molecules can promote endothelial cell adhesion to plates coated with G4-avidin complexes, suggesting that the endothelial form of CD13 can exert catalytically independent biological functions. In conclusion, ECs express a catalytically inactive form of CD13 characterized by an accessible conformation that can be selectively targeted by G4-protein conjugates. This form of CD13 may represent a specific target receptor for ligand-directed targeted delivery of therapeutics to tumors.
Mental health is strongly associated with capability after lower extremity injury treated with free flap limb salvage or amputation
Authors: Krijgh David D. , Teunis Teun , List Emile B. , Mureau Marc A. M. , Luijsterburg Antonius J. M. , Maarse Wiesje , Schellekens Pascal P. A. , Hietbrink Falco , de Jong Tim , Coert J. Henk
Published: January 2024

Background

Knowledge about factors associated with long-term outcomes, after severe traumatic injury to the lower extremity, can aid with the difficult decision whether to salvage or amputate the leg and improve outcome. We therefore studied factors independently associated with capability at a minimum of 1 year after amputation or free flap limb salvage.

Methods

We included 135 subjects with a free flap lower extremity reconstruction and 41 subjects with amputation, between 1991 and 2021 at two urban-level 1 trauma centers with a mean follow-up of 11 ± 7 years. Long-term physical functioning was assessed using the Physical Component Score (PCS) of the Short-Form 36 (SF36) and the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) questionnaires. Independent variables included demographics, injury characteristics, and the Mental Component Score (MCS) of the SF36.

Results

Greater mental health was independently and strongly associated with greater capability, independent of amputation or limb reconstruction. Mental health explained 33% of the variation in PCS and 57% of the variation in LEFS. Injury location at the knee or leg was associated with greater capability, compared to the foot or ankle. Amputation or limb reconstruction was not associated with capability.

Discussion

This study adds to the growing body of knowledge that physical health is best regarded through the lens of the bio-psycho-social model in which mental health is a strong determinant. This study supports making mental health an important aspect of rehabilitation after major lower extremity injury, regardless of amputation or limb salvage.
Soziale Ungleichheit im Zusammenhang mit digitalen Gesundheitsanwendungen: Digitale Spaltungen in den Bereichen Zugang, Nutzung, Wirksamkeit und Privatsphäre
Authors: Brand Tilman , Herrera-Espejel Paula , Muellmann Saskia , Wiersing Rebekka , Busse Heide
Published: January 2024

In Anbetracht der Zunahme an digitalen Gesundheitsangeboten drängt sich die Frage auf, welche Folgen sich daraus für die gesundheitliche Chancengleichheit ergeben. Ziel dieses narrativen Übersichtsbeitrages ist es, das Ausmaß und die zentralen Aspekte der digitalen Spaltungen (Digital Divide) zu diskutieren. Zur Illustration des Ausmaßes der digitalen Spaltungen wird auf Daten der Liter@te-Studie zurückgegriffen, in der Personen mit einer geringen Literalität (geringe Lese- und Schreibkompetenzen) zur Nutzung von digitalen Gesundheitsangeboten und zu ihrer digitalen Gesundheitskompetenz befragt wurden. Die Ergebnisse der Liter@te-Studie werden mit parallel durchgeführten Bevölkerungsumfragen verglichen. In Bezug auf digitale Spaltungen lassen sich 4 Bereiche unterscheiden: Zugang, Nutzung, Wirksamkeit und Schutz der Privatsphäre. In allen 4 Bereichen lassen sich Ungleichheiten beobachten. Während Unterschiede im Zugang bzw. in der materiellen Infrastruktur sowie im Nutzungsverhalten und in der dafür notwendigen Kompetenz bereits in einigen Studien untersucht wurden, fehlt für eine umfassende Bewertung der ungleichen Wirkungen von digitalen Gesundheitsangeboten in verschiedenen Bevölkerungsgruppen noch die Datengrundlage. Digitale Spaltungen im Bereich des Schutzes der Privatsphäre sind bisher noch wenig untersucht. Transparente und verständliche Datenschutzmaßnahmen werden jedoch zweifelsohne eine wichtige Voraussetzung für den flächendeckenden Einsatz von digitalen Gesundheitsangeboten sein. Insgesamt ist neben einer besseren Studienlage auch eine stärkere Einbeziehung von benachteiligten Adressatengruppen in die Entwicklung von digitalen Gesundheitsangeboten notwendig.
Konzept und Umsetzung eines adaptiven digitalen Hörtrainingssystems für die Cochlea-Implantatnachsorge
Authors: Werminghaus Maika , Gnadlinger Florian , Richter Jutta G. , Selmanagić André , Thyson Susann , Schatton Dorothee , Klenzner Thomas
Published: January 2024

Hintergrund und Ziel

Im Rahmen eines interdisziplinären Forschungsprojekts wurde ein Prototyp eines adaptiven, digitalen Hörtrainingssystems für Cochlea-Implantat(CI)-Nutzende entwickelt. Die Autoren integrierten eine dynamische Schwierigkeitsanpassung in Abhängigkeit von der individuellen Leistung des Nutzenden unter Verwendung des „Evidence-Centered-Design(ECD)-Frameworks“.

Methoden

Das ECD bietet einen konzeptionellen Gestaltungsrahmen, der sich für komplexe Beurteilungen von Kompetenzen und dynamischen Leistungen eignet. In der Findungsphase wurden zunächst die Teilbereiche des Hörens im Kontext von CI-Nutzenden definiert. In der Entwicklungsphase wurden das im ECD vorgesehene Kompetenzmodell, das Evidenzmodell sowie ein Aufgabenmodell entwickelt und implementiert. Zusätzlich wurde ein Assetpool mit Sound- und Sprachdateien angelegt, der umfassende linguistische Merkmalsbeschreibungen zur Berechnung der Itemschwierigkeiten beinhaltete.

Ergebnisse

Aufgrund der beschriebenen Anforderungen wurden ein adaptiver Übungsgenerator, ein Künstlicher-Intelligenz(KI)-Service sowie weitere Komponenten implementiert. Dies umfasste die Entwicklung eines Spielumfelds und eines Dashboards für das Patientendatenmanagement. Für die Berechnung des Schwierigkeitsgrads der Übungen wurden die Itemschwierigkeiten anhand verschiedener Parameter (z. B. Klang, Worthäufigkeit und Anzahl der Wörter, grammatische Eigenschaften) in Kombination mit definierten Aufgabentypen und -leveln bestimmt.

Schlussfolgerung

Die Nachsorge von CI-Patienten kann durch ein adaptives digitales Hörtrainingssystem in einem kontinuierlichen, interaktiven Prozess unter Berücksichtigung individueller Bedürfnisse gewinnbringend erweitert werden. Die Autoren sehen das ECD als einen effektiven Weg, ein benutzerbasiertes, anpassungsfähiges System aufzubauen.
Artists or art thieves? media use, media messages, and public opinion about artificial intelligence image generators
Authors: Brewer Paul R. , Cuddy Liam , Dawson Wyatt , Stise Robert
Published: January 2024

This study investigates how patterns of media use and exposure to media messages are related to attitudes about artificial intelligence (AI) image generators. In doing so, it builds on theoretical accounts of media framing and public opinion about science and technology topics, including AI. The analyses draw on data from a survey of the US public (N = 1,035) that included an experimental manipulation of exposure to tweets framing AI image generators in terms of real art, artists’ concerns, artists’ outrage, or competing interpretations. The results show that technology news use and science fiction viewing predicted support for AI art but also predicted belief that AI image generators will take jobs and steal art styles from human artists. In addition, the experimental results demonstrate that exposure to specific media messages can influence these responses. The findings carry implications for understanding the future adoption, use, and regulation of AI image generators.
Electrochemical and biosensor techniques to monitor neurotransmitter changes with depression
Authors: Dunham Kelly E. , Venton B. Jill
Published: January 2024

Depression is a common mental illness. However, its current treatments, like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and micro-dosing ketamine, are extremely variable between patients and not well understood. Three neurotransmitters: serotonin, histamine, and glutamate, have been proposed to be key mediators of depression. This review focuses on analytical methods to quantify these neurotransmitters to better understand neurological mechanisms of depression and how they are altered during treatment. To quantitatively measure serotonin and histamine, electrochemical techniques such as chronoamperometry and fast-scan cyclic voltammetry (FSCV) have been improved to study how specific molecular targets, like transporters and receptors, change with antidepressants and inflammation. Specifically, these studies show that different SSRIs have unique effects on serotonin reuptake and release. Histamine is normally elevated during stress, and a new inflammation hypothesis of depression links histamine and cytokine release. Electrochemical measurements revealed that stress increases histamine, decreases serotonin, and leads to changes in cytokines, like interleukin-6. Biosensors can also measure non-electroactive neurotransmitters, including glutamate and cytokines. In particular, new genetic sensors have shown how glutamate changes with chronic stress, as well as with ketamine treatment. These techniques have been used to characterize how ketamine changes glutamate and serotonin, and to understand how it is different from SSRIs. This review briefly outlines how these electrochemical techniques work, but primarily highlights how they have been used to understand the mechanisms of depression. Future studies should explore multiplexing techniques and personalized medicine using biomarkers in order to investigate multi-analyte changes to antidepressants.

Graphical abstract
Quantification of [99Tc]TcO4- in urine by means of anion-exchange chromatography–aerosol desolvation nebulization–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry
Authors: Horstmann Maximilian , Quarles C. Derrick , Happel Steffen , Sperling Michael , Faust Andreas , Rahbar Kambiz , Clases David , Karst Uwe
Published: January 2024

To sensitively determine 99Tc, a new method for internal quantification of its most common and stable species, [99Tc]Tc$${\text{O}}_{4}^{-}$$

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, was developed. Anion-exchange chromatography (IC) was coupled to inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and equipped with an aerosol desolvation system to provide enhanced detection power. Due to a lack of commercial Tc standards, an isotope dilution-like approach using a Ru spike and called isobaric dilution analysis (IBDA) was used for internal quantification of 99Tc. This approach required knowledge of the sensitivities of 99Ru and 99Tc in ICP-MS. The latter was determined using an in-house prepared standard manufactured from decayed medical 99mTc-generator eluates. This standard was cleaned and preconcentrated using extraction chromatography with TEVA resin and quantified via total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF) analysis. IC coupled to ICP-MS enabled to separate, detect and quantify [99Tc]Tc$${\text{O}}_{4}^{-}$$

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as most stable Tc species in complex environments, which was demonstrated in a proof of concept. We quantified this species in untreated and undiluted raw urine collected from a patient, who previously underwent scintigraphy with a 99mTc-tracer, and determined a concentration of 19.6 ± 0.5 ng L−1. The developed method has a high utility to characterize a range of Tc-based radiopharmaceuticals, to determine concentrations, purity, and degradation products in complex samples without the need to assess activity parameters of 99(m)Tc.

Graphical Abstract
Identification of a novel thermostable transaminase and its application in L-phosphinothricin biosynthesis
Authors: Liu Han-Lin , Yi Pu-Hong , Wu Jia-Min , Cheng Feng , Liu Zhi-Qiang , Jin Li-Qun , Xue Ya-Ping , Zheng Yu-Guo
Published: January 2024

Transaminase (TA) is a crucial biocatalyst for enantioselective production of the herbicide L-phosphinothricin (L-PPT). The use of enzymatic cascades has been shown to effectively overcome the unfavorable thermodynamic equilibrium of TA-catalyzed transamination reaction, also increasing demand for TA stability. In this work, a novel thermostable transaminase (PtTA) from Pseudomonas thermotolerans was mined and characterized. The PtTA showed a high specific activity (28.63 U/mg) towards 2‐oxo‐4‐[(hydroxy)(methyl)phosphinoyl]butyric acid (PPO), with excellent thermostability and substrate tolerance. Two cascade systems driven by PtTA were developed for L-PPT biosynthesis, including asymmetric synthesis of L-PPT from PPO and deracemization of D, L-PPT. For the asymmetric synthesis of L-PPT from PPO, a three-enzyme cascade was constructed as a recombinant Escherichia coli (E. coli G), by co-expressing PtTA, glutamate dehydrogenase (GluDH) and D-glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). Complete conversion of 400 mM PPO was achieved using only 40 mM amino donor L-glutamate. Furthermore, by coupling D-amino acid aminotransferase (Ym DAAT) from Bacillus sp. YM‐1 and PtTA, a two-transaminase cascade was developed for the one-pot deracemization of D, L-PPT. Under the highest reported substrate concentration (800 mM D, L-PPT), a 90.43% L-PPT yield was realized. The superior catalytic performance of the PtTA-driven cascade demonstrated that the thermodynamic limitation was overcome, highlighting its application prospect for L-PPT biosynthesis.

Key points

• A novel thermostable transaminase was mined for L-phosphinothricin biosynthesis.

• The asymmetric synthesis of L-phosphinothricin was achieved via a three-enzyme cascade.

• Development of a two-transaminase cascade for D, L-phosphinothricin deracemization.
Fertigation frequency is a useful tool for nitrate management in intensive open-field agriculture
Authors: Rubio-Asensio José S. , Intrigliolo Diego S.
Published: January 2024

The main source of nitrogen for most cultivated plants is nitrate. Agriculture has overused this nutrient, resulting in serious environmental problems in various parts of the world. The common practice in open intensive horticultural fields with clay-loam soils with a high water retention capacity (e.g., high percentage of clay) is to irrigate two to four times per week. Technically and logistically, this is much easier than one or more irrigation events per day. However, the loss of nutrients and water below the root zone may occur, with the consequent loss of efficiency. In this work, two cultivation cycles in an open-field endive crop were carried out under plastic soil mulching. We compared three fertigation strategies based on different frequencies of fertigation events; low fertigation frequency (LF, two to three fertigation events per week that simulates common farmer practice), medium fertigation frequency (MF, one fertigation event per day), and high fertigation frequency (HF, three fertigation events per day). The three fertigation strategies applied equal water and fertilizers doses per week. The high fertigation frequency increased volumetric water content in the upper soil profile, while the low fertigation frequency in the lower soil profile. The results demonstrated that HF fertigation increases shoot fresh weight (harvest yield) by increasing shoot water content, but did not improve shoot nutrient uptake or nitrogen nutritional status. The important finding, from the environment point of view, is that high and medium fertigation frequencies decreased nitrate concentration in the root influence zone, where it may be prone to leaching due to heavy rain events.