bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrochemical Reduction of 1H‐Thioxanthene‐1,4,9‐trione and 3‐Methyl‐1H‐thioxanthene‐1,4,9‐trione – Representatives of a New Class of Heterocycles Related to Thioxanthenone
Authors: Odintsov Danila S. , Os'kina Irina A. , Irtegova Irina G. , Shundrin Leonid A.
Published: July 2023

A convenient synthetic route was proposed for the synthesis of 3‐methyl‐1H‐thioxanthene‐1,4,9‐trione. This compound and its 3‐H congener are representatives of a new class of thioxanthone‐like heterocycles, which can be used as building blocks for materials used in organic electronics. Electrochemical reduction (ECR) of 1H‐thioxanthene‐1,4,9‐trione and its 3‐methyl derivative in DMF and acetonitrile is a three‐stage process leading to the formation of the corresponding long‐lived radical anions and unstable dianions at the first and second stages, respectively. In a protolytic equilibrium, dianions are converted into 1‐oxy‐4‐hydroxy‐1H‐thioxanthene‐9‐one anions. Their one‐electron reversible ECR leads to the corresponding radical dianions, followed by the formation of (3‐methyl/H)‐1,4‐dihydroxy‐1H‐thioxantene‐9‐ones as the final products. The latter compounds can be converted into the initial (3‐methyl/H)‐1H‐thioxanthene‐1,4,9‐triones. The main intermediates were characterized using a combination of cyclic voltammetry, EPR spectroscopy, 3D spectroelectrochemistry, and DFT calculations at the (U)B3LYP/6‐31+G*/PCM level of theory. A general ECR scheme was proposed for both types of compounds.
LPB‐SPP: Solving the internet of things service placement problem using the learner performance‐based behavior algorithm
Authors: Hu Chunfen , Zhou Haifei , Lv Shiyun , Krishna Saraswat Shelesh
Published: July 2023

Nowadays, fog computing has joined cloud computing as an emerging computing paradigm to provide resources at the network edge. Fog servers process data associated with Internet of Things (IoT) devices independently of cloud computing, thus saving bandwidth, resource reservations, and storage for real‐time applications with lower latency. Besides, cloud computing supports the integration of edge and cloud resources and facilitates the placement of IoT applications at the network edge. Recent researchers focus on how to deploy IoT services as components of IoT applications on fog computing units, where the loss of resources, energy, and bandwidth are minimized. This problem, known as the IoT service placement problem (SPP), is NP‐hard, and meta‐heuristic models are popular to address it. Each IoT service has its own requirements in terms of latency sensitivity, processor, memory, and storage. Meanwhile, fog computing units are heterogeneous and have limited resource capacities. Therefore, SPP should be addressed by considering the features of fog environment, tolerable delay, and network bandwidth. We formulate SPP as a multi‐objective optimization problem with the perspective of throughput, service cost, resource utilization, energy consumption, and service latency. To solve this problem, the learner performance‐based behavior (LPB) algorithm is presented as a meta‐heuristic model that originates from the MAPE‐K autonomous planning model. The proposed approach, LPB‐SPP, considers resource consumption distribution and service deployment prioritization, and also uses the concepts of elitism and balanced resource consumption to improve the placement process. The validation of LPB‐SPP has been done using different performance metrics and the results have been compared against state‐of‐the‐art algorithms. Simulations show that LPB‐SPP performs better in most comparisons.
High Thermoelectric Performance in Ti3C2Tx MXene/Sb2Te3 Composite Film for Highly Flexible Thermoelectric Devices
Authors: Xu Yunhe , Wu Bo , Hou Chengyi , Li Yaogang , Wang Hongzhi , Zhang Qinghong
Published: July 2023

Flexible thin‐film thermoelectric devices (TEDs) can generate electricity from the heat emitted by the human body, which holds great promise for use in energy supply and biomonitoring technologies. The p‐type Sb2Te3 hexagon nanosheets are prepared by the hydrothermal synthesis method and compounded with Ti3C2Tx to make composite films, and the results show that the Ti3C2Tx content has a significant impact on the thermoelectric properties of the composite films. When the Ti3C2Tx content is 2 wt%, the power factor of the composite film reaches ≈59 µW m−1 K−2. Due to the outstanding electrical conductivity, high specific surface area, and excellent flexibility of Ti3C2Tx, the composite films also exhibit excellent thermoelectric and mechanical properties. Moreover, the small addition of Ti3C2Tx has a negligible effect on the phase composition of Sb2Te3 films. The TED consists of seven legs with an output voltage of 45 mV at ΔT = 30 K. The potential of highly flexible thin film TEDs for wearable energy collecting and sensing is great.
An efficient graph‐based peer selection method for financial statements
Authors: Noels Sander , De Ridder Simon , Viaene Sébastien , De Bie Tijl
Published: July 2023

Comparing companies can be useful for various purposes. Despite the widespread use of industry classification systems as a peer selection standard, these have been criticized for various reasons. Financial statements, however, offer a promising alternative to such classification systems. They are standardized, widely available, and offer deep insights into the nature of the company. In this paper, we present a graph distance metric for financial statements using the earth mover's distance. When using the distance metric on real‐world tasks such as peer identification and industry classification, it shows promising results in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency.
Metformin prevents osteoblast‐like potential and calcification in lung cancer A549 cells
Authors: Yadav Pooja , Makwana Sweta , Bansal Shivani , Soni Sneha , Mahapatra Manas K. , Bandyopadhayaya Shreetama , Tailor Rashmi , Shrivastava Sandeep K. , Sharma Lokendra K. , Mandal Chandi C.
Published: July 2023

In spite of recent advances made in understanding its progression, cancer is still a leading cause of death across the nations. Molecular pathophysiology of these cancer cells largely differs depending on cancer types and even within the same tumor. Pathological mineralization/calcification is seen in various tissues including breast, prostate, and lung cancer. Osteoblast‐like cells derived after trans‐differentiation of mesenchymal cells usually drive calcium deposition in various tissues. This study aims to explore the presence of osteoblast‐like potential in lung cancer cells and its prevention. ALP assay, ALP staining, nodule formation, RT‐PCR, RT‐qPCR, and western blot analysis experiments were carried out in lung cancer A549 cells to achieve said objective. Expressions of various osteoblast markers (e.g., ALP, OPN, RUNX2, and Osterix) along with osteoinducer genes (BMP‐2 and BMP‐4) were observed in A549 cells. Moreover, ALP activity and ability leading to nodule formation revealed the presence of osteoblast‐like potential in lung cancer cells. Here, BMP‐2 treatment increased expressions of osteoblast transcription factors such as RUNX2 and Osterix, enhanced ALP activity, and augmented calcification in this cell line. It was also observed that antidiabetic metformin inhibited BMP‐2 mediated increase in osteoblast‐like potential and calcification in these cancer cells. The current study noted that metformin blocked BMP‐2 mediated increase in epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) in A549 cells. The above findings for the first time unravel that A549 cells possess osteoblast‐like potential which drives lung cancer calcification. Metformin might prevent BMP‐2 induced osteoblast‐like phenotype of the lung cancer cells with concomitant inhibition of EMT to inhibit lung cancer tissue calcification.
An insight into PI3k/Akt pathway and associated protein–protein interactions in metabolic syndrome: A recent update
Authors: Verma Kanika , Jaiswal Ritika , Paliwal Sarvesh , Dwivedi Jaya , Sharma Swapnil
Published: July 2023

Akt, a known serine/threonine‐protein kinase B has been revealed to be an imperative protein of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Akt is available in three isoforms, Akt1, Akt2, and Akt3. Ubiquitously expressed Akt1 & Akt2 are essential for cell survival and are believed to be involved in regulating glucose homeostasis. PI3K/Akt pathway has been evidenced to be associated with metabolic diseases viz. hypertension, dyslipidemia, and diabetes. Akt interacting proteins have been revealed to be scaffold proteins of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Notably, some protein–protein interactions are imperative for the inhibition or uncontrolled activation of these signaling pathways. For instance, Akt interacting protein binds with other protein namely, FOXO1 and mTOR, and play a key role in the onset and progression of metabolic syndrome (MS). The purpose of this review is to highlight the role of the PI3K/Akt pathway and associated protein–protein interactions which might serve as a valuable tool for investigators to develop some new promising therapeutic agents in the management of MS.
Uptake of a patient‐centred dynamic choice model for HIV prevention in rural Kenya and Uganda: SEARCH SAPPHIRE study
Authors: Kabami Jane , Kakande Elijah , Chamie Gabriel , Balzer Laura B. , Petersen Maya L. , Camlin Carol S. , Nyabuti Marilyn , Koss Catherine A. , Bukusi Elizabeth A. , Kamya Moses R. , Havlir Diane V. , Ayieko James
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Person‐centred HIV prevention delivery models that offer structured choices in product, testing and visit location may increase coverage. However, data are lacking on the actual uptake of choices among persons at risk of HIV in southern Africa. In an ongoing randomized study (SEARCH; NCT04810650) in rural East Africa, we evaluated the uptake of choices made when offered in a person‐centred, dynamic choice model for HIV prevention.

Methods

Using the PRECEDE framework, we developed a persont‐centred, Dynamic Choice HIV Prevention (DCP) intervention for persons at risk of HIV in three settings in rural Kenya and Uganda: antenatal clinic (ANC), outpatient department (OPD) and in the community. Components include: provider training on product choice (predisposing); flexibility and responsiveness to client desires and choices (pre‐exposure prophylaxis [PrEP]/post‐exposure prophylaxis [PEP], clinic vs. off‐site visits and self‐ or clinician‐based HIV testing) (enabling); and client and staff feedback (reinforcing). All clients received a structured assessment of barriers with personalized plans to address them, mobile phone access to clinicians (24 hours/7 days/week) and integrated reproductive health services. In this interim analysis, we describe the uptake of choices of product, location and testing during the first 24 weeks of follow‐up (April 2021−March 2022).

Results

A total of 612 (203 ANC, 197 OPD and 212 community) participants were randomized to the person‐centred DCP intervention. We delivered the DCP intervention in all three settings with diverse populations: ANC: 39% pregnant; median age: 24 years; OPD: 39% male, median age 27 years; and community: 42% male, median age: 29 years. Baseline choice of PrEP was highest in ANC (98%) vs. OPD (84%) and community (40%); whereas the proportion of adults selecting PEP was higher in the community (46%) vs. OPD (8%) and ANC (1%). Personal preference for off‐site visits increased over time (65% at week 24 vs. 35% at baseline). Interest in alternative HIV testing modalities grew over time (38% baseline self‐testing vs. 58% at week 24).

Conclusions

A person‐centred model incorporating structured choice in biomedical prevention and care delivery options in settings with demographically diverse groups, in rural Kenya and Uganda, was responsive to varying personal preferences over time in HIV prevention programmes.
Clients in Uganda accessing preferred differentiated antiretroviral therapy models achieve higher viral suppression and are less likely to miss appointments: a cross‐sectional analysis
Authors: Nkolo Esther K. Karamagi , Ejike Jessica Clinkscales , Sensalire Simon , Ssali Juliana Nabwire , Ddumba Immaculate , Calnan Jacqueline , Gonzalez Carolina , Maina Nelly , Dessie Melaku , Bailey Lauren , Amanyeiwe Ugochukwu , Minior Thomas , Srikanth Karishma , Kadama Herbert , Patel Khushi , Patel Dina
Published: July 2023

Introduction

The Uganda Ministry of Health recommends facility‐ and community‐based differentiated antiretroviral therapy (DART) models to support person‐centred care for eligible clients receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART). Healthcare workers assess client eligibility for one of six DART models upon initial enrolment; however, client circumstances evolve, and their preferences are not routinely adjusted. We developed a tool to understand the proportion of clients accessing preferred DART models and compared the outcomes of clients accessing preferred DART models to the outcomes of clients not receiving preferred DART models.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional study. A sample of 6376 clients was selected from 113 referrals, general hospitals and health centres purposely selected from 74 districts. Clients receiving ART accessing care from the sampled sites were eligible for inclusion. Healthcare workers interviewed clients (caretakers of clients under 18), over a 2‐week period between January and February 2022 using a client preference tool to elicit whether clients were receiving DART services through their preferred model. Treatment outcomes of viral load test, viral load suppression and missed appointment date were extracted from clients’ medical files before or immediately after the interview and de‐identified. The descriptive analysis determined the interaction between client preferences and predefined treatment outcomes by comparing outcomes of clients whose care aligned with their preferences to outcomes of clients whose care misaligned with their preferences.

Results

Of 25% (1573/6376) of clients not accessing their preferred DART model, 56% were on facility‐based individual management and 35% preferred fast‐track drug refills model. Viral load coverage was 87% for clients accessing preferred DART models compared to 68% among clients not accessing their preferred model. Viral load suppression was higher among clients who accessed the preferred DART model (85%) compared to (68%) clients who did not access their preferred DART model. Missed appointments were lower at 29% for clients who accessed preferred DART models compared to 40% among clients not enrolled in the DART model of their choice.

Conclusions

Clients who accessed their preferred DART model have better clinical outcomes. Preferences should be integrated throughout health systems, improvement interventions, policies and research efforts to ensure client‐centred care and client autonomy.
Editorial for “Problem Solving MRI to Reduce False‐Positive Biopsy Related to Breast US: Conductivity vs. DWI vs. Abbreviated Contrast‐Enhanced MRI”
Authors: Katscher Ulrich
Published: July 2023

Level of Evidence

5

Technical Efficacy Stage

3
Association between vaginal microbiota and the progression of ovarian cancer
Authors: Li Chanyuan , Feng Yanling , Yang Cai , Wang Dachi , Zhang Dailiang , Luo Xiaolin , Zhang Han , Huang He , Zhang Hongyu , Jiang Yanhui , Tan Weihong , Liu Jihong
Published: July 2023

Ovarian cancers, especially high‐grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), are one of the most lethal age‐independent gynecologic malignancies. Although pathogenic microorganisms have been demonstrated to participate in the pathogenesis of multiple types of tumors, their potential roles in the development of ovarian cancer remain unclear. To gain an insight into the microbiome‐associated pathogenesis of ovarian cancer and identify potential diagnostic biomarkers, we applied different techniques to analyse the microbiome and serum metabolome of different resources. We found that the vaginal microbiota in ovarian cancer mouse models was under dysbiosis, with altered metabolite configurations that may result from amino acid or lysophospholipid metabolic processes. Local therapeutic intervention with a broad spectrum of antibiotics was effective in reversing microbiota dysbiosis and suppressing carcinogenic progression. As the ovary is situated deeply in the pelvis, it is difficult to directly monitor the ovarian microbial community. Our findings provide alternative options for utilizing the vaginal bacteria as noninvasive biomarkers, such as Burkholderia (area under the curve = 0.8843, 95% confidence interval: 0.743–1.000), which supplement the current invasive diagnostic methods for monitoring ovarian cancer progression and contribute to the development of advanced microbe‐based diagnosis and adjuvant therapies.
The in vitro and in vivo antiviral effects of aloperine against Zika virus infection
Authors: Zhou Peiwen , Lao Zizhao , Long Haishan , Pan Pan , Liao Feng , Zheng Wenjiang , Li Zonghui , Dai Jianfeng , Liu Helu , Jiang Yong , Liu Xiaohong , Wang Wenbiao , Wu Jianguo , Li Geng
Published: July 2023

Zika virus (ZIKV) infection poses a significant threat to global public health and is associated with microcephaly. There are no approved ZIKV‐specific vaccines or drugs for the clinical treatment of the infection. Currently, there are no approved ZIKV‐specific vaccines or drugs for the clinical treatment of the infection. In this study, we investigated the antiviral potential of aloperine, a quinolizidine alkaloid, against ZIKV infection in vivo and in vitro. Our results demonstrate that aloperine effectively inhibits ZIKV infection in vitro, with a low nanomolar half maximal effective concentration (EC50). Specifically, aloperine strongly protected cells from ZIKV multiplication, as indicated by decreased expression of viral proteins and virus titer. Our further investigations using the time‐of‐drug‐addition assay, binding, entry, and replication assays, detection of ZIKV strand‐specific RNA, the cellular thermal shift assay, and molecular docking revealed that aloperine significantly inhibits the replication stage of the ZIKV life cycle by targeting the domain RNA‐dependent RNA polymerase (RDRP) of ZIKV NS5 protein. Additionally, aloperine reduced viremia in mice and effectively lowered the mortality rate in infected mice. These findings highlight the potency of aloperine and its ability to target ZIKV infection, suggesting its potential as a promising antiviral drug against ZIKV.
Causal effects of body mass index, education, and lifestyle behaviors on intervertebral disc disorders: Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Liu Chanyuan , Ran Jun , Hou Bowen , Li Yitong , Morelli John N. , Li Xiaoming
Published: July 2023

This study aimed to investigate the causal risk factors for intervertebral disc disorders (IVDD) to help establish prevention strategies for IVDD‐related diseases. We performed two‐sample Mendelian randomization analyses to investigate the causal effects of body mass index (BMI), education, and lifestyle behaviors (sedentary behavior, smoking, and sleeping) on thoracic/thoracolumbar/lumbosacral IVDD (TTL‐IVDD) and cervical IVDD. The inverse‐variance weighted (IVW) method was conducted as the primary model to pool effect sizes using odds ratio and 95% confidence interval. The strength of causal evidence was evaluated from the effect size and different Mendelian randomization methods (MR‐Egger/weighted median/weighted mode method, Cochran's Q test, leave‐one‐out analysis, MR Steiger, MR‐PRESSO and radial IVW analyses). We found strong evidence for the causal associations between IVDD and BMI (TTL‐IVDD, 1.27 [1.18, 1.37], p = 2.40 × 10−10; cervical IVDD, 1.24 [1.12, 1.37, p = 6.58 × 10−5), educational attainment (TTL‐IVDD, 0.57 [0.51, 0.64], p = 9.64 × 10−21; cervical IVDD, 0.58 [0.49, 0.68], p = 1.78 × 10−10), leisure television watching (TTL‐IVDD, 1.54 [1.29, 1.84], p = 7.80 × 10−6; cervical IVDD, 1.65 [1.29, 2.11], p = 0.0001), smoking initiation (TTL‐IVDD, 1.37 [1.25, 1.50], p = 1.78 × 10−10; cervical IVDD, 1.32 [1.16, 1.51], p = 6.49 × 10−5), short sleep (TTL‐IVDD, 1.28 [1.09, 1.49], p = 0.0027; cervical IVDD, 1.53 [1.21, 1.94], p = 0.0008), or frequent insomnia (TTL‐IVDD, 1.20 [1.11, 1.30], p = 1.54 × 10−5; cervical IVDD, 1.37 [1.20, 1.57], p = 7.80 × 10−6). This study provided genetic evidence that increased BMI, low educational attainment, sedentary behavior by leisure television watching, smoking initiation, short sleep, and frequent insomnia were causal risk factors for IVDD. More efforts should be directed toward increasing public awareness of these modifiable risk factors and mobilizing individuals to adopt healthy lifestyles.
Lack of skeletal muscle contraction disrupts fibrous tissue morphogenesis in the developing murine knee
Authors: Tsinman Tonia K. , Huang Yuming , Ahmed Saima , Levillain Aurelie L. , Evans Mary K. , Jiang Xi , Nowlan Niamh C. , Dyment Nathaniel A. , Mauck Robert L.
Published: July 2023

Externally applied forces, such as those generated through skeletal muscle contraction, are important to embryonic joint formation, and their loss can result in gross morphologic defects including joint fusion. While the absence of muscle contraction in the developing chick embryo leads to dissociation of dense connective tissue structures of the knee and ultimately joint fusion, the central knee joint cavitates whereas the patellofemoral joint does not in murine models lacking skeletal muscle contraction, suggesting a milder phenotype. These differential results suggest that muscle contraction may not have as prominent of a role in the growth and development of dense connective tissues of the knee. To explore this question, we investigated the formation of the menisci, tendon, and ligaments of the developing knee in two murine models that lack muscle contraction. We found that while the knee joint does cavitate, there were multiple abnormalities in the menisci, patellar tendon, and cruciate ligaments. The initial cellular condensation of the menisci was disrupted and dissociation was observed at later embryonic stages. The initial cell condensation of the tendon and ligaments were less affected than the meniscus, but these tissues contained cells with hyper‐elongated nuclei and displayed diminished growth. Interestingly, lack of muscle contraction led to the formation of an ectopic ligamentous structure in the anterior region of the joint as well. These results indicate that muscle forces are essential for the continued growth and maturation of these structures during this embryonic period.
Hyperthermic intrathoracic extracorporeal chemotherapy for secondary malignant pleural disease
Authors: Miller Daniel L. , Parks Christopher S. , Ange Brittany , Bonta Ioana R. , Rich Patricia T.
Published: July 2023

Objectives

Pleural metastasis has extremely poor prognosis. Resection of pleural implants with infusion of intrathoracic hyperthermic chemotherapy may offer a survival advantage in selected patients. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of hyperthermic intrathoracic extracorporeal chemotherapy (HITEC) in patients who underwent pleurectomy/decortication (P/D) for secondary malignant pleural disease (SPD).

Methods

A total of 101 patients were evaluated over 72 months, with 35 patients electing to proceed with P/D and 60 minutes of HITEC with cisplatin at 42°C. Inclusion criteria were adults 18–79 years with unilateral pleural dissemination. Exclusion criteria were patients without control of primary site, extrathoracic metastatic disease, significant comorbidities, and a history of adverse reaction to cisplatin.

Results

Median age was 56 years (36–73); 60% were women. SPD was thymoma in 13, breast cancer in 9, lung cancer in 6, colon cancer in 2, renal cell in 2, and esophageal, anal, and thymic cancers in one each. There was no operative mortality. Postoperative complications occurred in 18 patients (51%). No patient developed renal failure. Median follow‐up was 24 months (4–60). The overall survival rate was 61%; 17 patients (49%) developed recurrent disease at a median of 12 months (6–36). There were no recurrences after 36 months Eleven patients (31%) died of metastatic disease at a median of 17 months (7–25).

Conclusions

Surgical cytoreduction of SPD followed by HITEC with cisplatin was well tolerated. No patient developed cisplatin‐related toxicities. Long‐term follow‐up is warranted to determine survival advantage and refinement of inclusion criteria.
Influence mechanisms of N addition on the concentration of soil dissolved organic matter in China
Authors: Xu Peidong , Shi Lei , Yang Xin , Yang Haoming , Dong Kuanhu , Wang Changhui
Published: July 2023

Soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays a critical role in regulating the cycling of terrestrial biogeochemistry. However, the influence mechanisms of nitrogen (N) addition on soil DOM concentration are not well understood at the regional scale. We performed a meta‐analysis of 1004 paired observations from 115 literature to explore how N addition affected the soil DOM concentration, including dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON), in China. Overall, N addition markedly stimulated the soil DOC and DON concentrations by 5.2% and 33.1%, respectively. This implied that the stimulation by increased N availability than the suppression by decreased soil pH played a more important role in the soil DOM concentration under N addition. The N addition level showed a significantly positive correlation with the soil DOC and DON concentrations under N addition. The N addition influence on soil DOC concentration was decreased along with the increase in initial soil total nitrogen (TN). This demonstrated the microbial N mining theory in the low N soils and the stoichiometric decomposition theory in the high N soils at the regional scale. The mean annual precipitation (MAP) potentially facilitated the leaching out of soil DON and displayed a negative impact on the soil DON concentration under N addition. The increased soil depth and initial soil pH depressed the soil DOC concentration whereas stimulated the soil DON concentration under N addition. This indicated that DOC mostly accumulated in the top soil and DON largely leached to the deep soil. And the initial soil pH with high value perhaps promoted the uptake of DOC for microbes and the solubility of DON, and thus resulted in the opposite influences on the soil DOC and DON concentrations. Our study provided a mechanistic understanding on N addition influence on the C and N dynamics of terrestrial ecosystem at the regional scale.
Migraine management for the otolaryngologist
Authors: Brooks Kaitlyn A. , Tawk Karen , Djalilian Hamid R. , Hobson Candace E.
Published: July 2023

Objective

To characterize migraine pathophysiology, presentation, and current treatment strategies, specifically in regard to vestibulocochlear manifestations of migraine.

Methods

Narrative review of available literature.

Results

Migraine disorder can be described as a spectrum of otologic manifestations, with vestibular migraine now recognized with fully‐fledged diagnostic criteria. Otologic manifestations are theorized to be due, in part, to trigeminal innervation of the inner ear structures and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) expression within the labyrinth. Patients can experience vertigo, aural fullness, enhanced tinnitus, and hearing loss without the characteristic migraine headache, leading to under recognition of these symptoms as migraine‐related. Meniere's disease, mal de débarquement syndrome, persistent postural perceptual dizziness, and recurrent benign paroxysmal positional vertigo have close associations to migraine and may exist on the migraine spectrum. Migraine treatment consists of two goals: halting acute attacks (abortive therapy) and preventing attacks (prophylactic therapy). Abortive medications include triptans, corticosteroids, anti‐histamines, and anti‐emetics. Pharmacologic prophylaxis in conjunction with lifestyle modifications can decrease frequency and severity of symptoms and include tricyclic antidepressants, calcium channel blockers, anti‐epileptic medications, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, serotonin‐norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, beta‐blockers, gepants, and monoclonal antibodies to CGRP. Promising evidence is emerging regarding the ability of migraine medications to positively treat the various otologic symptoms of migraine.

Conclusion

Migraine disorder manifesting with primarily cochleovestibular symptoms can be challenging to diagnose and manage for practicing clinicians. Patients with various vestibulopathies that are closely related to migraine may benefit from migraine treatment. Lifestyle choices and prophylactic medications are key to satisfactorily preventing acute migrainous attacks and improve function.
Advanced Silk Fibroin Biomaterials‐Based Microneedles for Healthcare
Authors: Lu Huihui , Wang Jiale , Li Jun , Gao Bingbing , He Bingfang
Published: July 2023

Microneedles are a promising transdermal drug delivery system that has the advantages of minimal invasiveness, painlessness, and on‐demand drug delivery compared with commonly used medical techniques. Natural resources are developed as next‐generation materials for microneedles with varying degrees of success. Among them, silk fibroin is a natural polymer obtained from silkworms with good biocompatibility, high hardness, and controllable biodegradability. These properties provide many opportunities for integrating silk fibroin with implantable microneedle systems. In this review, the research progress of silk fibroin microneedles in recent years is summarized, including their materials, processing technology, detection, drug release methods, and applications. Besides, the research and development of silk fibroin in a multidimensional way are analyzed. Finally, it is expected that silk fibroin microneedles will have excellent development prospects in various fields.
Large‐Scale Fabrication of Flexible EVA/EG@PW Phase Change Composites with High Thermal Conductivity for Thermal Management
Authors: Quan Bingqing , Wang Mingchao , Hu Xinpeng , Zhu Chuanbiao , Liu Shuang , Wu Hao , Wu Lei , Li Xiaolong , Chen Xin , Lu Xiang , Qu Jinping
Published: July 2023

The working electronic devices and batteries generate a lot of heat, if this heats not release quickly, it will not only have a great impact on the performance of the devices, but also cause certain safety hazards. The passive thermal management based on organic phase change materials (PCMs) stands out due to its excellent temperature regulation capability as well as the buffer protection capability for device overload. In view of these, a series of flexible EVA/EG@PW (EE@P) phase change composites (PCCs) with high thermal conductivity are prepared by efficiently constructing porous skeletons and thermal conductive pathways through sacrificial template method, and introducing paraffin wax (PW) by simple vacuum impregnation technique. The PCC exhibits high thermal conductivity (2.6 W m−1 K−1), high enthalpy (153.5 J g−1), and good flexibility. In addition, the PCC possesses excellent cycling stability and thermal stability. In practical application, the PCC shows good temperature control ability for LED and shows great potential application in the field of thermal management.
Holmstedt's formula for the K‐functional: the limit case θ0=θ1$\theta _0=\theta _1$
Authors: Ahmed Irshaad , Fiorenza Alberto , Gogatishvili Amiran
Published: July 2023

We consider K‐interpolation spaces involving slowly varying functions, and derive necessary and sufficient conditions for a Holmstedt‐type formula to be held in the limiting case . We also study the case . Applications are given to Lorentz–Karamata spaces, generalized gamma spaces, and Besov spaces.
Finite groups in which distinct nonlinear irreducible characters have distinct codegrees
Authors: Qian Guohua , Zeng Yu
Published: July 2023

For an irreducible complex character χ of a finite group G, its codegree is defined as . The main focus of this paper is to provide a classification of finite groups where distinct nonlinear irreducible characters have distinct codegrees.
Being unconventional: The impact of unconventional packaging messages on impulsive purchases
Authors: Das Manish , Balaji M. S. , Paul Subhrajit , Saha Victor
Published: July 2023

The visual and textual elements of packaging significantly impact consumer product evaluations. This study examines how unconventional packaging messages—a textual packaging element—influence impulsive product purchases. We also investigate the mediating role of curiosity and the moderating role of emoji (i.e., a visual packaging element). We conduct five studies to test the proposed hypotheses. The findings reveal that unconventional packaging messages are more effective for impulsive products than for planned purchases. Furthermore, unconventional packaging messages increase both healthy and nonhealthy impulsive product purchases. We find that consumer curiosity explains the enhanced impulsive product purchasing when unconventional packaging messages are used. When unconventional packaging messages are employed for impulsive products, the use of emojis increases customer curiosity. The results extend an understanding of unconventional elements in consumer evaluations of products and inform packaging and marketing strategies regarding how to promote impulsive product purchases in competitive markets.
Numerical modeling of anisotropic ferroelectric materials with hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin methods
Authors: Lei Wenyu
Published: July 2023

We investigate a gradient flow structure of the Ginzburg–Landau–Devonshire (GLD) model for anisotropic ferroelectric materials by reconstructing its energy form. We show that the modified energy form admits at least one minimizer. Under some regularity assumptions for the electric charge distribution and the initial polarization field, we prove that the
gradient flow structure has a unique solution. To simulate the GLD model numerically, we propose an energy‐stable semi‐implicit time‐stepping scheme and a hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method for space discretization. Numerical tests are provided to verify the stability and convergence of the proposed numerical scheme as well as some properties of ferroelectric materials.
We have to turn a transatlantic liner—Leaders' perspectives on creating a meaningful life for older persons receiving municipal care
Authors: Kihlgren Annica , James Inger , Norell Pejner Margaretha
Published: July 2023

Aims

To describe leaders’ perspectives on what is important to create a meaningful daily life for older persons receiving municipal elderly care.

Design

This study combined the Participatory Appreciative Action Reflection approach and qualitative methods.

Methods

Focus Group Discussions were performed with eighty leaders that was analysed with qualitative content analysis.

Results

One overall theme emerged “We have to turn a transatlantic liner”. The leaders proposed a need to change from an institutional care to a more person‐centered care approach on all levels of the healthcare system. This meant that everyone in the organization needed to think outside the box and find new ways to provide care to older persons. They needed to hire the right persons with the right values and knowledge. The leaders would need to provide for and support staff empowerment. There was also a need to see the older person and their relatives as co‐participants.

No Patient or Public Contribution.
Adaptive event‐triggering mechanism‐based N‐step predictive load frequency control for power systems with cyber attack
Authors: Wu Yun , Tang Xiaoming , Wang Jialiang , Qu Hongchun
Published: July 2023

Although there have already been many works on the model predictive control (MPC) for load frequency control (LFC) of modern power systems, limited works can be found in the literature related to the output feedback MPC. This article studies an N‐step synthesis approach of output feedback MPC for LFC systems considering the problems of communication efficiency and network security. First, to improve the communication efficiency, an adaptive event‐triggering (AET) scheme involving two adaptive laws is designed to reduce the number of transmitted data packages which offers more flexible compared with existing event‐triggering schemes; Second, to handle the network security, a new model of LFC power system combining the AET scheme and random deception attack under an unified framework is established; Moreover, a synthesis approach of output feedback MPC with N‐step strategy is addressed for LFC of power system by parameterizing the infinite control moves into a series of output feedback laws. Compared with the existing predictive load frequency control methods, the present technique is shown as an useful way to improve the control performance since more degrees freedom is introduced by the N‐step strategy. Finally, the simulation experiment is carried out to verify our technique.
Patients' perspectives on prenatal screening results that suggest maternal cancer: A qualitative analysis
Authors: Turriff Amy , Miner Skye A. , Annunziata Christina M. , Bianchi Diana W.
Published: July 2023

Objective

To explore patient perspectives after receiving non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) results that suggest maternal cancer.

Methods

Individuals who received non‐reportable or discordant NIPT results during pregnancy and enrolled in a study were interviewed prior to and after receiving the outcome of their clinical evaluation for cancer. Interviews were independently coded by two researchers and analyzed thematically.

Results

Forty‐nine participants were included. Three themes were identified: 1) limited pre‐test awareness of maternal incidental findings caused considerable confusion for participants, whose initial concerns focused on their babies; 2) providers' communication influenced how participants perceived their risk of cancer and the need to be evaluated; and 3) participants perceived value in receiving maternal incidental findings from NIPT despite any stress it caused during their pregnancy.

Conclusion

Participants viewed the ability to detect occult malignancy as an added benefit of NIPT and felt strongly that these results should be disclosed. Obstetric providers need to be aware of maternal incidental findings from NIPT, inform pregnant people of the potential to receive these results during pre‐test counseling, and provide accurate and objective information during post‐test counseling.

Clinical Trial Registration

Incidental Detection of Maternal Neoplasia Through Non‐Invasive Cell‐Free DNA Analysis (IDENTIFY), a Natural History Study, NCT4049604.
Preparation of high‐performance poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate)/thermoplastic starch compounds with epoxidized soybean oil as compatibilizer
Authors: Jiang Xuegang , Wang Jinheng , Zhang Jianting , Wang Jikui , Guo Weihong
Published: July 2023

Biodegradable poly(butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) has excellent processing and mechanical properties. However, PBAT is expensive and its relatively slow biodegradation rate limits its wide application. In this paper, PBAT/thermoplastic starch (TPS) complexes were prepared by a two‐step process using epoxidized soybean oil (ESO) as a reactive compatibilizer. The compatibilizing ability of ESO was investigated by FT‐IR and GPC. Results showed ESO could form a chemical bonding interface with PBAT and TPS. Compared to PBAT/TPS, tensile strength, elongation at break and tear strength of PBAT/TPS/5%ESO composites increased by 84%, 53%, and 68%, respectively. The optical transparency of the PBAT/TPS/5%ESO film improved by 6% compared to the PABT/TPS film. This research offers a viable solution for the preparation of high performance, green PBAT/TPS complexes.
Investigating the characteristics of 11 kHz excitation of EFCAP and its selective effect on breast cancer cell death
Authors: Misra Vandana Chaturvedi , Pai Bellare Ganesh , Tiwari Nirupama , Patro Birija Sankar , Ghorui Srikumar
Published: July 2023

Recently developed excitation frequency‐controlled cold atmospheric pressure plasma has shown its efficacy in producing tunable effects with different excitation frequencies in terms of reactive species generation and cancer cell death. This study investigates the electron number density of plasma produced at 11 kHz excitation from stark broadened Hα line, discharge characteristics through simultaneous recording of voltage‐current signals, and high‐speed images of the discharge zone. Malignant breast cancer cells (MCF‐7) and nonmalignant breast cells (MCF‐10A) were used in selectivity experiments. Proliferation and clonogenic assays revealed selective death of cancer cells. DNA damage and DNA repair kinetics were studied using time‐dependent γ‐H2AX foci formation assessment and the selective killing of cancerous cells was established for the 60 s of plasma treatment.
Adverse effects of knocking down chitin synthase A on female reproduction in Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Wang Huan , Yang Xiaoshan , Liu Jin , Xu Jingwei , Zhang Ruimin , Zheng Junnan , Shen Bo , Sun Yan , Zhou Dan
Published: July 2023

Background

Current mosquito‐borne disease vector control strategies, largely based on chemical insecticides, are seriously threatened by increasing resistance worldwide. There is also growing concerned about the adverse effects of insecticides on nontarget organisms and the environment, therefore effective and ecologically friendly alternative approaches are urgently needed. Targeting critical steps of reproduction is considered a potential way to control mosquito populations. Herein, we focused on the roles of chitin synthase A (encoded by chsa) in the reproduction of female mosquitoes.

Results

The injection of small interfering RNA targeting Cpchsa in female Culex pipiens pallens (Diptera: Culicidae) had antireproductive effects, including decreased follicle numbers, egg‐laying, and hatching rate. Scanning electron microscopy observations showed that Cpchsa silencing caused a defective egg envelope, including absence of the vitelline membrane and cracked chorion layers, which resulted in abnormal permeability. Widely distributed nurse cell apoptosis and follicular epithelial cell autophagy were observed in Cpchsa‐silenced ovaries during the vitellogenesis phase. Consistent with the detective egg envelope formation during oogenesis, the exochorionic eggshell structures were also affected in eggs deposited by Cpchsa‐silenced mosquitoes.

Conclusion

This study provided fundamental evidence for the role of chitin synthase A in the female reproductive process of mosquitoes and might result in a novel alternative strategy for mosquito control. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Thermal Boundary Resistance: A Review of Molecular Dynamics Simulations and Other Computational Methods
Authors: Stanley Christopher M.
Published: July 2023

Continued miniaturization of microelectronics has led to increased energy and interface density within those electronics. With each new interface, a new thermal resistor is created, preventing heat from efficiently escaping the device. This is such a problem that Kapitza resistance or thermal boundary resistance is now the dominant cause of thermal resistance in most microelectronics. Thermal boundary resistance has been studied extensively. However, thermal boundary resistance remains poorly understood. In this review, the existing literature is critically looked at, focusing on molecular dynamic simulations of the Si/Ge interface, which has become the de facto standard against which most other methods and systems are compared. As such, the volume of literature available on this system is considerably larger than any other, and the depth of analysis that can be performed is far greater. A research strategy for the field is presented to maximize progress in controlling Kapitza resistance. It is proposed that benchmark systems need to be found so that calculations can be properly verified, and that the size effects on Kapitza resistance need to be fully characterized. Finally, strong evidence is presented that first‐principles calculations offer the best chances for meaningful future progress, preferably with anharmonic contributions intact.
Anthracofibrosis mimicking chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
Authors: Van Genechten Silke , Meyns Bart , Godinas Laurent , Maleux Geert , Everaerts Stephanie , Van Beersel Dieter , Belge Catharina , Weynand Birgit , Delcroix Marion , Verbelen Tom
Published: July 2023

We present the case of a 78‐year‐old female undergoing pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) because of suspected chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). During surgery firm black masses were encountered in the aortopulmonary window and on the cranial part of the right pulmonary artery (PA). After PA arteriotomy we visualized intraluminal black firm stenosing plaques at the orifices of the three right and of the left lingular and lower lobar branches. Since no dissection plane could be obtained the procedure was discontinued. Subsequent bronchoscopy visualized a submucosal dark black‐blue discoloration in both main bronchi. Pathological analysis revealed anthracofibrosis, which could be explained by biomass smoke exposure in the past. We are the first to provide intravascular pictures and pathologic images of this very rare entity. Moreover, we report stenoses at the orifices of the three right‐sided lobar and of the left‐sided lingular and lower lobe arteries, in contrast to three previous reports that report on single locations caused by extrinsic PA compression from lymphadenopathy. Our case, however, suggests extension of fibrosis with anthracotic pigment into the PA wall. We conclude that in the absence of a clear history of exposure to carbon smoke and with consequently no diagnostic bronchoscopy, anthracofibrosis of the lungs may mimic CTEPH not only by external compression but also by extension into pulmonary vascular structures. PEA‐surgery should not be attempted in these cases.
Colloidal Polymer‐Templated Formation of Inorganic Nanocrystals and their Emerging Applications
Authors: Chen Tianyou , Qiu Meishuang , Peng Yan , Yi Changfeng , Xu Zushun
Published: July 2023

Inorganic nanocrystals possess unique physicochemical properties compared to their bulk counterparts. Stabilizing agents are commonly used for the preparation of inorganic nanocrystals with controllable properties. Particularly, colloidal polymers have emerged as general and robust templates for in situ formation and confinement of inorganic nanocrystals. In addition to templating and stabilizing inorganic nanocrystals, colloidal polymers can tailor their physicochemical properties such as size, shape, structure, composition, surface chemistry, and so on. By incorporating functional groups into colloidal polymers, desired functions can be integrated with inorganic nanocrystals, advancing their potential applications. Here, recent advances in the colloidal polymer‐templated formation of inorganic nanocrystals are reviewed. Seven types of colloidal polymers, including dendrimer, polymer micelle, stare‐like block polymer, bottlebrush polymer, spherical polyelectrolyte brush, microgel, and single‐chain nanoparticle, have been extensively applied for the synthesis of inorganic nanocrystals. Different strategies for the development of these colloidal polymer‐templated inorganic nanocrystals are summarized. Then, their emerging applications in the fields of catalysis, biomedicine, solar cells, sensing, light‐emitting diodes, and lithium‐ion batteries are highlighted. Last, the remaining issues and future directions are discussed. This review will stimulate the development and application of colloidal polymer‐templated inorganic nanocrystals.