bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protocols for Efficient Chemical Synthesis of N2‐Modified Guanosine Phosphate Derivatives: Versatile Probes for mRNA Labeling
Authors: Senthilvelan Annamalai , Shanmugasundaram Muthian , Kore Anilkumar R.
Published: August 2023

A facile, reliable, and efficient method for the synthesis of N2‐modified guanosine nucleotides such as N2‐[benzyl‐N‐(propyl)carbamate]‐guanosine‐5′‐O‐monophosphate, N2‐[benzyl‐N‐(propyl)carbamate]‐guanosine‐5′‐O‐diphosphate, N2‐[benzyl‐N‐(propyl)carbamate]‐guanosine‐5′‐O‐triphosphate, and N2‐[benzyl‐N‐(propyl)carbamate]‐N7‐methyl‐guanosine‐5′‐O‐diphosphate, starting from the corresponding nucleotide is described. The general process entails condensation between the exocyclic amine of guanosine nucleotide and 3‐[(benzyloxycarbonyl)amino]propionaldehyde in aqueous methanol, followed by reduction using sodium cyanoborohydride to furnish the corresponding N2‐modified guanosine nucleotide in moderate yield with high purity (>99.5%). © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol: Synthesis of N2‐modified guanosine derivatives
Perspectives on the Drosophila melanogaster Model for Advances in Toxicological Science
Authors: Rand Matthew D. , Tennessen Jason M. , Mackay Trudy F. C. , Anholt Robert R. H.
Published: August 2023

The use of Drosophila melanogaster for studies of toxicology has grown considerably in the last decade. The Drosophila model has long been appreciated as a versatile and powerful model for developmental biology and genetics because of its ease of handling, short life cycle, low cost of maintenance, molecular genetic accessibility, and availability of a wide range of publicly available strains and data resources. These features, together with recent unique developments in genomics and metabolomics, make the fly model especially relevant and timely for the development of new approach methodologies and movements toward precision toxicology. Here, we offer a perspective on how flies can be leveraged to identify risk factors relevant to environmental exposures and human health. First, we review and discuss fundamental toxicologic principles for experimental design with Drosophila. Next, we describe quantitative and systems genetics approaches to resolve the genetic architecture and candidate pathways controlling susceptibility to toxicants. Finally, we summarize the current state and future promise of the emerging field of Drosophila metabolomics for elaborating toxic mechanisms. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Transcriptional Profiling of Skeletal Muscle Stem Cells After In Vivo Engraftment into a Heterologous Niche Environment
Authors: Lazure Felicia , Blackburn Darren M. , Soleimani Vahab D.
Published: August 2023

Adult stem cells play a critical role in the maintenance and repair of the organs in which they reside. However, their function is highly dependent on the crosstalk with their niche environment that changes during development and in disease states. The niche provides signals to stem cells to activate, proliferate, self‐renew, or remain in quiescence. In skeletal muscle, the niche is perturbed in disease contexts such as aging, muscular dystrophies, and cachexia. Therefore, it is important to develop methods that permit the decoupling of niche‐mediated from cell‐intrinsic changes that occur in muscle stem cells (MuSCs) in development and disease contexts. With the purpose of determining the effect of the niche environment on the MuSC transcriptome, function, or health, we have coupled an allogeneic stem cell transplantation system, meaning the transplantation of MuSCs from a donor mouse into a recipient host mouse, with Switching Mechanism at 5’ End of RNA Template (SMART‐Seq) to quantify the effects of the niche on the MuSC transcriptome in vivo. Briefly, MuSCs are isolated from a GFP reporter donor mouse (Pax7‐nGFP) and transplanted into the irradiated muscles of immunocompromised allogeneic hosts. The MuSCs are re‐isolated by fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) after three weeks of inhabiting the heterologous niche, defined as a niche that is different from their originating niche, and sequencing‐ready libraries are created. This method allows for the direct comparison of the transcriptome of stem cells before and after transplantation into a host of a different age, disease status, or genetic background. This method can be used to accurately quantify the direct effect of the niche environment on the stem cell gene expression profile and to decouple cell‐intrinsic versus niche‐mediated alterations in the stem cell transcriptome. © 2023 The Authors. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol: Allogeneic muscle stem cell transplantation
Error‐rate analysis of polar code designs using genetic algorithm for additive white Gaussian noise channel
Authors: Sinha Tirthadip , Bhaumik Jaydeb
Published: August 2023

A novel scheme for designing polar codes with specific decoding schemes in the additive white Gaussian noise channel is presented in this paper. The code construction strategy is built on the genetic algorithm (GA) where successive evolution of populations (or group of information sets) leads toward fittest candidate to attain finest error‐rates. In this work, it is shown that better error‐rates can be attained by both successive cancelation list decoding using GA with no cyclic redundancy check (CRC) and belief propagation decoding using GA with no CRC and no list, compared to existing polar decoding schemes. Our proposed polar code design scheme using GA has the ability to attain a target block error rates with the least possible SNR and using no additional CRC by exploiting least belief propagation iterations or lesser successive cancelation list list size with no self‐alterations in the decoding algorithm.
Comparing self‐harming intentions underlying eating disordered behaviors and nonsuicidal self‐injury: Replication and extension in adolescents
Authors: Kline Kiki M. , Jorgensen Saskia L. , Lawson W. Cole , Ohashi Yuri‐Grace B. , Wang Shirley B. , Fox Kathryn R.
Published: August 2023

Objective

Eating disorder (ED) behaviors are often characterized as indirect forms of self‐harm. However, recent research has found less clear demarcations between direct self‐harming behaviors (e.g., nonsuicidal self‐injury [NSSI], suicidal behaviors) than previously assumed. The aim of this study was to replicate findings of this prior research on adult populations in adolescents with a history of restrictive eating.

Method

A total of 117 adolescents between ages 12–14 were included in the study. Participants reported the presence and frequency of binge eating, compensatory, restrictive eating, and NSSI. Participants also reported thoughts of and intentions to hurt and kill themselves when engaging in each behavior on average. The t‐tests and linear effects models were conducted to compare self‐harming thoughts and intentions across behaviors.

Results

Participants reported at least some intent to hurt themselves physically in the moment and in the long‐term when engaging in all ED behaviors and NSSI, and reported engaging in these behaviors while thinking about suicide. Direct self‐harming knowledge and intentions were most frequently reported with NSSI and longer‐term knowledge and intentions via NSSI and restrictive eating. Additionally, participants reported some suicidal thoughts and intentions across behaviors.

Discussion

This study replicates prior research, suggesting that adolescents engage in ED behaviors and NSSI with non‐zero self‐harming and suicidal thoughts and intentions. ED behaviors and NSSI may better be explained on a continuum. Implications include the recommendation of safety planning during ED treatment.

Public Significance Statement

This study highlights the overlap between eating disorder (ED) behaviors, nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI), and suicide. Though clear distinctions typically exist for motives of self‐harming behavior between ED behaviors (i.e., indirect, in the long run) and NSSI (i.e., direct, in the moment), this research suggests that intentions for self‐harming and suicide may exist on a continuum. Clinical ED treatment should consider safety planning as part of routine interventions.
Thermocapillary thin film flow upon a porous heated stretchable cylinder
Authors: Gogoi Partha Pratim , Maity Susanta
Published: August 2023

Earlier research work related to the unsteady flow of thin liquid film on a heated stretching cylinder has considered the boundary‐layer approximation under the assumption that the film thickness is thick. In this article, we have considered the full set of Navier–Stokes equations to study the unsteady film development over a porous heated stretching cylinder with the assumption that film height either coincides or lies within the boundary‐layer thickness. The effects of magnetic field, suction/injection, and cooling or heating of the cylinder have been considered for investigation. The governing set of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations is solved numerically by the implicit finite difference scheme (Crank–Nicolson). It was found that the film thinning rate diminishes with rising values of the porosity parameter and Hartmann number. It is also noted that the film thickness is enhanced for injection whereas opposite results are observed for suction through the porous cylinder. The thermocapillary effect showed that the thinning rate of the liquid film decreases or increases according to the surface of the cylinder being heated or cooled. It is observed that continuously increasing the stretching speed of the cylinder produces faster thinning of the liquid film. The temperature of the liquid film is the maximum at the surface of the cylinder and it decreases toward the free surface when the cylinder is heated. But the opposite phenomenon occurs when the cylinder is cooled.
Risk factors identification of COVID‐19 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A retrospective study in Punjab‐Pakistan
Authors: Hassan Muhammad Muneeb , Tahir M. H. , Ameeq Muhammad , Jamal Farrukh , Mendy John T. , Chesneau Christophe
Published: August 2023

Background

Accessibility to the immense collection of studies on noncommunicable diseases related to coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID‐19) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) is an immediate focus of researchers. However, there is a scarcity of information about chronic obstructed pulmonary disease (COPD), which is associated with a high rate of infection in COVID‐19 patients. Moreover, by combining the effects of the SARS‐CoV‐2 on COPD patients, we may be able to overcome formidable obstacles factors, and diagnosis influencers.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective study of 280 patients was conducted at DHQ Hospital Muzaffargarh in Punjab, Pakistan. Negative binomial regression describes the risk of fixed successive variables. The association is described by the Cox proportional hazard model and the model coefficient is determined through log‐likelihood observation. Patients with COPD had their survival and mortality plotted on Kaplan–Meier curves.

Results

The increased risk of death in COPD patients was due to the effects of variables such as cough, lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), tuberculosis (TB), and body‐aches being 1.369, 0.693, 0.170, and 0.217 times higher at (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.747–1.992), (95% CI: 0.231–1.156), (95% CI: 0.008–0.332), and (95% CI: −0.07 to 0.440) while it decreased 0.396 in normal condition.

Conclusion

We found that the symptoms of COPD (cough, LRTI, TB, and bodyaches) are statistically significant in patients who were most infected by SARS‐CoV‐2.
E2F3 renders an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment in nasopharyngeal carcinoma: Involvements of the transcription activation of PRC1 and BIRC5
Authors: Wang Qiang , Yu Qi , Liu Yueyang
Published: August 2023

Background

E2F transcription factors are well‐recognized oncogenic molecules, and their correlation with immune cell infiltration has recently been reported. This work studies the impacts and mechanism of E2F transcription factor 3 (E2F3) in the growth and tumor microenvironment (TME) of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).

Methods

Aberrantly expressed transcription factors in NPC were screened by abundant bioinformatics analyses. Gene expression in NPC cells was analyzed by reverse transcription‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analyses. Malignant behaviors of NPC cells were analyzed by cell counting kit‐8, 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine labeling, Transwell assays, and xenograft tumor models. TPA‐induced THP‐1 cells (macrophages) were cultured in the conditioned medium of NPC cells to mimic tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) in vivo, and these TAMs were cocultured with CD8+ T cells. Regulation of E2F3 on protein regulator of cytokinesis 1 (PRC1) and baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5 (BIRC5) was validated by chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase reporter assays.

Results

E2F3 was highly expressed in NPC cells, and its knockdown suppressed malignant behavior and tumorigenic ability of the cells. The E2F3 knockdown condition downregulated M2 cytokines CD163 and interleukin‐10 in TAMs, which further enhanced proliferation and activation of the cocultured CD8+ T cells. E2F3 promoted transcription of PRC1 and BRIC5. Furthermore, PRC1 or BRIC5 upregulation in NPC cells restored the malignant properties of NPC cells, reprogrammed the TAMs to M2 phenotype, and suppressed the CD8+ T cell proliferation and activation.

Conclusion

This work suggests that E2F3 renders an immunosuppressive TME in NPC by activating PRC1 and BIRC5. Suppression of any member involved might favor tumor elimination.
Disturbances of menstrual cycle after immunization against SARS‐CoV‐2 and their risk factors: Cross‐sectional clinical study
Authors: Lukac Stefan , Hancke Katharina , Janni Wolfgang , Gruber Tobias , Schmid Marinus , El‐Taie Ziad , Kersten Maria , Friedl Thomas Wolfram Paul , Dayan Davut
Published: August 2023

Objective

Abnormalities of the menstrual cycle were reported after infection with SARS‐CoV‐2 and vaccination against it, but the available data are very heterogeneous, do not reflect intermenstrual variations or regional differences, and their risk factors are missing.

Methods

We performed a survey‐based study among 6383 employees and students of Ulm University Hospital in Germany between March 1 and 31, 2021. Attributes of menstrual cycles such as cycle length (CL), menses duration (MD), and bleeding volume (BV) were reported as categorical variables before and after immunization against SARS‐CoV‐2 (first, second, third vaccination or infection). Additionally, the potential risk factors for cycle changes were evaluated and all participants reported the subjective perception of changes, their duration, and time of occurrence.

Results

The final analysis included 1726 participants. CL and BV significantly changed after vaccination, but not MD. The subjective perception showed only slight levels of agreement with the objective changes, with the highest Cohen's kappa for CL. The risk factors for the variations in CL were previous cycle irregularities, and risk factors for the changes in BV were age and body mass index. The combination of vaccines (homogenous or heterogeneous) and different types of immunization (infection and vaccination) had no significant effect on cycle irregularities.

Conclusion

In summary, immunization against SARS‐CoV‐2 causes changes in the characteristics of the menstrual cycle, which are mostly temporary. The individual risk factors, but not the type of immunization, can affect the mentioned changes.
Reproductive surgery is a distinct form of gynecologic surgery
Authors: Tulandi Togas
Published: August 2023

Synopsis

Reproductive surgery is a distinct form of gynecologic surgery. Instead of eradicating the disease, reproductive surgery is intended to maintain or treat fertility.
Impact of macroeconomic assumptions on United States Department of Agriculture's baseline farm income projections
Authors: Regmi Hari P. , Kuethe Todd H.
Published: August 2023

The United States Department of Agriculture's (USDA) agricultural baseline projections are important in shaping US agricultural policy. We investigate the degree to which previous findings of bias and inefficiency of USDA baseline projections of farm income and its components are driven by underlying macroeconomic assumptions. Once we control for the deviation of underlying macroeconomic assumptions from their observed path, we find that USDA projections of net cash income and its components are optimal for 73.3% of the projection horizons and the length of informative horizons improves. These findings may help USDA projection users, adjust their expectations when making plans and decisions.
Phlpp1 Expression in Osteoblasts Plays a Modest Role in Bone Homeostasis
Authors: Karkache Ismael Y , Molstad David HH , Vu Elizabeth , Jensen Eric D , Bradley Elizabeth W
Published: August 2023

Prior work demonstrated that Phlpp1 deficiency alters limb length and bone mass, but the cell types involved and requirement of Phlpp1 for this effect were unclear. To understand the function of Phlpp1 within bone‐forming osteoblasts, we crossed Phlpp1 floxed mice with mice harboring type 1 collagen (Col1a12.3kb)‐Cre. Mineralization of bone marrow stromal cell cultures derived from Phlpp1 cKOCol1a1 was unchanged, but levels of inflammatory genes (eg, Ifng, Il6, Ccl8) and receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand/osteoprotegerin (RANKL/OPG) ratios were enhanced by either Phlpp1 ablation or chemical inhibition. Micro‐computed tomography of the distal femur and L5 vertebral body of 12‐week‐old mice revealed no alteration in bone volume per total volume, but compromised femoral bone microarchitecture within Phlpp1 cKOCol1a1 conditional knockout females. Bone histomorphometry of the proximal tibia documented no changes in osteoblast or osteoclast number per bone surface but slight reductions in osteoclast surface per bone surface. Overall, our data show that deletion of Phlpp1 in type 1 collagen–expressing cells does not significantly alter attainment of peak bone mass of either males or females, but may enhance inflammatory gene expression and the ratio of RANKL/OPG. Future studies examining the role of Phlpp1 within models of advanced age, inflammation, or osteocytes, as well as functional redundancy with the related Phlpp2 isoform are warranted. © 2023 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Cartesian constraints in QM/MM optimizations
Authors: López‐Sosa L. , Calaminici P. , Köster A. M.
Published: August 2023

With the rise of quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) methods, the interest in the calculation of molecular assemblies has increased considerably. The structures and dynamics of such assemblies are usually governed to a large extend by intermolecular interactions. As a result, the corresponding potential energy surfaces are topological rich and possess many shallow minima. Therefore, local structure optimizations of QM/MM molecular assemblies can be challenging, in particular if optimization constraints are imposed. To overcome this problem, structure optimization in normal coordinate space is advocated. To do so, the external degrees of freedom of a molecule are separated from the internal ones by a projector matrix in the space of the Cartesian coordinates. Here we extend this approach to Cartesian constraints. To this end, we devise an algorithm that adds the Cartesian constraints directly to the projector matrix and in this way eliminates them from the reduced coordinate space in which the molecule is optimized. To analyze the performance and stability of the constrained optimization algorithm in normal coordinate space, we present constrained minimizations of small molecular systems and amino acids in gas phase as well as water employing QM/MM constrained optimizations. All calculations are performed in the framework of auxiliary density functional theory as implemented in the program deMon2k.
Amino‐functionalized hyper‐cross‐linked resins for levulinic acid adsorption from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate
Authors: Ji Xuran , Shen Zhijie , Wang Can , Yao Shimiao , Xiong Lian , Zhang Hairong , Zhou Hongcai , Chen Xuefang , Chen Xinde
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND

Levulinic acid (LA) is an important biomass‐platform compound. The preparation of LA from biomass will inevitably produce many by‐products. However, there are few investigations focused on the separation and purification of LA from biomass hydrolysate. This study designed a series of hyper‐cross‐linked resins to adsorb LA from sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate, investigated the adsorption behavior of LA onto resin in a fixed‐bed system and established a relevant model to depict the adsorption process, which can provide reference for LA separation.

RESULTS

The hyper‐cross‐linked resin G10PTEPA synthesized by poly(styrene‐divinylbenzene‐glycidyl methacrylate) resin G10 with the Friedel–Crafts reaction and amination reaction using tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) had the best adsorption performance. The adsorption capacity of LA onto G10PTEPA in the sugarcane bagasse hydrolysate was 95.02 mg g−1, which was improved by 37% compared with G10. The maximum efficiency of the fixed‐bed onto G10PTEPA was 86.01% at flow rate of 0.6 mL min−1, with bed volume of 14 mL, fixed‐bed diameter of 2 cm, and feed LA concentration of 19.0 g · L−1. After elution by ethanol, a five‐fold increase in the concentration of LA with a purity of 80% was achieved. The Thomas model and the Yoon–Nelson model fitted well (R2 > 0.99) to the fixed‐bed adsorption behavior of LA onto G10PTEPA and can give accurate predictions.

CONCLUSION

The resin G10PTEPA was the best‐performing adsorbent for LA adsorption. Larger fixed‐bed diameter, higher flow rate and higher inflow concentration were beneficial to increase the mass transfer driving force. This study provides a potential adsorbent and theoretical guidance for LA separation. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Electric discharge by sulphide shuttling bacteria
Authors: Linssen Rikke , ter Heijne Annemiek
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND

In biodesulphurisation processes, sulphide oxidising bacteria (SOB) convert toxic sulphide to sulphur. Haloalkalophilic SOB are known to anaerobically remove sulphide from solution and release electrons when subsequently exposed to an electrode. This makes SOB able to spatially decouple sulphide removal and current production, thereby acting as sulphide shuttles. Little is known about the kinetics of electron release by sulphide shuttling SOB. To gain more insight into the sulphide shuttling mechanism and electron release, current production of abiotic sulphide and sulphide shuttling SOB was compared.

RESULTS

SOB communities dominated byThioalkalivibrio sulfidophiluswere incubated with sulphide in batch experiments. After sulphide was removed, SOB were discharged in an electrochemical cell. Anode potential, sulphide load and biomass concentration were varied. Current was produced at potentials of −0.2 VversusAg/AgCl and higher, and at a potential of 0.1 V a coulombic efficiency of 70% was reached in 30 min. The maximum charge recovered from biologically stored sulphide was 4900 ± 810 mC mgN−1. Discharge kinetics were not affected by biomass concentration or degree of sulphide removal and kinetics of biotic and abiotic current production were similar.

CONCLUSION

Current production of sulphide shuttling SOB and abiotic sulphide was highly similar. This implies that sulphide shuttling is based on sorption to the biomass, and that shuttled sulphide converts to sulphur directly at the electrode surface. Therefore, the sulphide shuttling strategy is not sufficient to prevent electrode passivation, and different strategies need to be applied in the design of a sulphur‐producing bioelectrochemical desulphurisation process. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Soft rot of postharvest pepper: bacterial pathogen, pathogenicity and its biological control using Lactobacillus farciminis LJLAB1
Authors: Li Xiaofen , Li Guang , Yi Lanhua , Zeng Kaifang
Published: August 2023

Background

Soft rot is the most important bacterial disease of postharvest pepper during storage and transportation. The main objectives of this study were to investigate the bacterial pathogen species causing pepper soft rot and seek for an antagonistic bacterium to control this disease.

Results

Pathogens Pectobacterium carotovorum, Enterobacter sp., Klebsiella sp., Pseudomonas sp. and Bacillus sp. were verified to be the causes of soft rot which were isolated from rotten peppers. Among them, P. carotovorum had the highest prevalence, including P. carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) and P. carotovorum subsp. brasilisesis (Pcb). The result of pathogenicity analysis showed that Pcb Jm2 had strong pathogenicity at 25 °C even at a cell concentration of 103 CFU mL−1. Its pathogenicity decreased at 4 °C. Multiple pathogenic factors were identified in the draft genome of Pcb Jm2, including cellulase, pectinase, pectin methylesterase, pectinesterase, pectin lyase, polygalacturonase and so forth. Further, the disease control ability of Lactobacillus farciminis LJLAB1 was investigated. The cell‐free supernatant (CFS) and crude bacteriocin of L. farciminis LJLAB1 had good antibacterial activities to Pcb Jm2 in vitro, but CFS exhibited a better disease control effect in vivo. CFS treatment prevented the damage of pepper epidermal structure caused by Pcb Jm2, and 99.26% of pathogen cells on pepper were killed by it. Moreover, CFS treatment delayed firmness decrease, soluble solid content loss, weight loss, yellowing and malonaldehyde accumulation of pepper during storage after pathogen infection.

Conclusion

L. farciminis LJLAB1 can be an effective biological control agent to control pepper soft rot caused by Pcb. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Engineering Super‐Poissonian Photon Statistics of Spatial Light Modes
Authors: Hong Mingyuan , Miller Ashe , León‐Montiel Roberto de J. , You Chenglong , Magaña‐Loaiza Omar S.
Published: August 2023

The nature of light sources is defined by the statistical fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. As such, the photon statistics of light sources are typically associated with distinct emitters. Here, the possibility of producing light beams with various photon statistics through the spatial modulation of coherent light is demonstrated. This is achieved by the sequential encoding of controllable Kolmogorov phase screens in a digital micromirror device. Interestingly, the flexibility of this scheme allows for the shaping of spatial light modes with engineered photon statistics at different spatial positions. The performance of this scheme is assessed through the photon‐number‐resolving characterization of different families of spatial light modes with engineered photon statistics. It is believed that the possibility of controlling the photon fluctuations of the light field at arbitrary spatial locations has important implications for quantum spectroscopy, sensing, and imaging.
Colloidal Manipulation through Plasmonic and Non‐plasmonic Laser‐Assisted Heating
Authors: K Monisha , K Suresh , George Sajan D.
Published: August 2023

In spite of the long‐term awareness of the conversion of light to heat even in materials with low absorption coefficient via the photothermal effect and consequent usage of the effect to evaluate thermo‐optic properties of the materials, only recently has the thermal field created via photon‐to‐phonon conversion been exploited for manipulation of colloidal objects as well as living cells. As compared to conventional direct photon‐assisted manipulation via optical tweezers, the optothermal manipulation technique employs much lower optical source power and can manipulate particles over a long range. In this review, the working mechanisms, concepts, and applications of a series of recently established optothermal techniques are discussed for the manipulation of diverse species including micro/nanoparticles, biological cells, molecules, and micelles in various fluidic environments. The physical mechanism of the optical manipulation that relies on the coordinated action of thermal convection, Marangoni convection, thermophoresis, thermoelectricity, depletion attraction, and thermo‐osmotic flow is discussed in detail. With their low‐power operation, diverse functionalities, and simple optics employed, optothermal manipulation techniques are increasingly finding a wide range of applications in colloidal science, life sciences, materials science, and nanoscience, as well as in the developments of colloidal functional devices and nanomedicine.
Effect of Protein Corona on the Specificity and Efficacy of Nanobioconjugates to Treat Intracellular Infections
Authors: Mejía Susana P. , Marques Richard da Costa , Landfester Katharina , Orozco Jahir , Mailänder Volker
Published: August 2023

Encapsulating drugs into functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) is an alternative to reach the specific therapeutic target with lower doses. However, when the NPs are in contact with physiological media, proteins adsorb on their surfaces, forming a protein corona (PC) biomolecular layer, acquiring a distinct biological identity that alters their interactions with cells. Itraconazole (ITZ), an antifungal agent, is encapsulated into PEGylated and/or functionalized NPs with high specificity for macrophages. It is evaluated how the PC impacts their cell uptake and antifungal effect. The minimum inhibitory concentration and colony‐forming unit assays demonstrate that encapsulated ITZ into poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) NPs improves the antifungal effect compared with NPs lacking PEGylation. The improvement can be related to the synergistic effect of the encapsulated ITZ and NPs composition and the reduction of PC formation in PEG NPs. Functionalized NPs with anti‐F4/80 and anti‐MARCO antibodies, or mannose without PEG and treated with PC, show an improved uptake but, in the presence of PEG, significantly reduce the endocytosis, dominating the stealth effect from PEG. Therefore, the PC plays a crucial role in the nanosystem uptake and antifungal effects, which suggests the need for in vivo model studies to evaluate the effect of PC in the specificity and biodistribution.
Properties of a polyanalytic functional calculus on the S‐spectrum
Authors: De Martino Antonino , Pinton Stefano
Published: August 2023

The Fueter mapping theorem gives a constructive way to extend holomorphic functions of one complex variable to monogenic functions, that is, null solutions of the generalized Cauchy–Riemann operator in , denoted by . This theorem is divided in two steps. In the first step, a holomorphic function is extended to a slice hyperholomorphic function. The Cauchy formula for this type of functions is the starting point of the S‐functional calculus. In the second step, a monogenic function is obtained by applying the Laplace operator in four real variables, namely, Δ, to a slice hyperholomorphic function. The polyanalytic functional calculus, that we study in this paper, is based on the factorization of . Instead of applying directly the Laplace operator to a slice hyperholomorphic function, we apply first the operator and we get a polyanalytic function of order 2, that is, a function that belongs to the kernel of . We can represent this type of functions in an integral form and then we can define the polyanalytic functional calculus on S‐spectrum. The main goal of this paper is to show the principal properties of this functional calculus. In particular, we study a resolvent equation suitable for proving a product rule and generate the Riesz projectors.
Nuclear Imaging Data‐Driven Classification of Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Totsune Tomoko , Baba Toru , Sugimura Yoko , Oizumi Hideki , Tanaka Hiroyasu , Takahashi Toshiaki , Yoshioka Masaru , Nagamatsu Ken‐ichi , Takeda Atsushi
Published: August 2023

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a heterogeneous neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor and nonmotor symptoms. Several features have prognostic importance and have been used as key indicators for identifying clinical subtypes. However, the symptom‐based classification approach has limitations with respect to the stability of the obtained subtypes.

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to identify subtypes of PD using nuclear imaging biomarkers targeting the cardiac sympathetic nervous and nigro‐striatal systems and to compare patterns of cortical morphological change among obtained subtypes.

METHODS

We performed unbiased hierarchical cluster analysis using 123I‐metaiodobenzylguanidine cardiac scintigraphy and 123I‐N‐(3‐fluoropropyl)‐2β‐carbomethoxy‐3β‐(4‐iodophenyl) nortropane single photon emission computed tomography data for 56 patients with PD. We compared clinical characteristics and the patterns of cortical atrophy in the obtained clusters.

RESULTS

Three clusters were identified and showed distinct characteristics in onset ages and dopamine‐replacement therapy and deep brain stimulation requirements. According to the characteristics, clusters were classified into two subtypes, namely, “cardio‐cortical impairment (CC)” and “dopaminergic‐dominant dysfunction (DD)” subtype. The three clusters were named according to subtype and time since onset in which 14 patients were classified as “early DD,” 25 as “advanced DD,” and 17 as “early CC.” Compared with the early DD subtype, the early CC subtype showed parietal‐dominant diffuse cortical atrophy and the advanced DD subtype showed left‐side predominant mild cortical atrophy.

CONCLUSIONS

Nuclear imaging biomarker–based classification can be used to identify clinically and pathologically relevant PD subtypes with distinct disease trajectories. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Can social prescribing put the ‘social’ into the biopsychosocial management of people with long‐term musculoskeletal disorders?
Authors: O’Sullivan Declan J. , Bearne Lindsay M. , Harrington Janas M. , McVeigh Joseph G.
Published: August 2023

Background

Chronic musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are a significant burden on individuals' quality of life and society and are made more complex by the presence of multimorbidity. It is recommended that interventions targeting MSD be sustainable, equitable and incorporate the biopsychosocial model of care (BPS).

Aims

A criticism of the BPS approach is that the social component of this model is not addressed adequately during the management of people with long‐term MSD and that a gap exists between theory and implementation. The use of social prescribing (SP) as an intervention to bridge this gap is discussed.

Results and Discussion

Social prescribing is a holistic non‐medical person‐centered approach to well‐being that utilizes link workers (LW) to support individuals with long‐term conditions (LTC) in the community. Social prescribing referrals are received from primary healthcare practitioners to LW and range from light touch signposting for employment or financial advice to more intensive support for LTC such as obesity, decreased physical activity and mental health needs.

Conclusion

There is evidence to suggest that SP interventions are effective in the management of LTC; however, due to the paucity of high‐quality evidence, it is difficult to be conclusive. Large‐scale randomised controlled trials are recommended to support the use of SP interventions in the management of LTC.
The neuromuscular evaluation of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome
Authors: Owens Micaela R. , Kaur Divpreet
Published: August 2023

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a diagnosis with a wide spectrum of symptomatology and a variety of clinicopathological associations, including hereditary, autoimmune, and infectious associations. There is little consensus regarding the appropriate diagnostic approach to the condition. The aim of this work was to provide guidance on the initial diagnosis and when and how to expand diagnostic testing. We define the “typical” POTS patient as younger, female, and with a normal examination apart from joint hyperextensibility. Red flags for “atypical” POTS would be older age at onset, male, prominent syncope, review of systems suggestive of specific alternative diagnoses, examination abnormalities other than joint hyperextensibility, or disease refractory to nonpharmacological and other first‐line treatments. Although a limited evaluation is appropriate in POTS with typical features, we recommend an expanded and individualized workup in atypical cases, including additional cardiac testing, autonomic testing, neuropathy workup, and/or autoimmune workup (including consideration of Guillain–Barré syndrome), depending on clinical presentation. We emphasize the importance of shared decision‐making in this condition for which treatment remains primarily symptomatic regardless of etiology.
Appropriate handling and storage reduce the risk of bacterial growth in enteral feeding systems reused within 24 hours
Authors: Hubbard Gary P. , Van Wyk Johanna , Grinyer Louise , Onley Richard , White Sean , Fleming Carole‐Anne , Baxter Janet , Forwood Laura , Stratton Rebecca J.
Published: August 2023

Background

Enteral tube feeding can require considerable amounts of plastic equipment including delivery sets and containers, often disposed of after a single feeding session because of bacterial contamination concerns. The aim of this research was to assess whether reuse of delivery sets and containers for up to 24 h is safe from a microbiological perspective.

Methods

Four enteral tube feeding systems (FS) were tested under hygienic controlled or repeated inoculation challenge conditions using key foodborne pathogens, to assess bacterial growth over time (FS1: ready‐to‐hang, closed 1‐L system with delivery set reused, stored at room temperature [RT]; FS2: a prepared, powdered, open 1‐L system with delivery set and container reused, stored at RT; FS3 and FS4: prepared, powdered, open 200‐ml bolus systems with delivery set and container reused, stored at RT [FS3] and refrigeration [FS4]). Feed samples were cultured at 0.5, 6.5, 12.5, 18.5, and 24.5 h with >2 Δlog considered significant bacterial growth.

Results

Under hygienic control, FS1, FS3, and FS4 were below the level of enumeration (<5 CFU/g) for all bacteria tested, at all time points. In FS2, significant bacterial growth was observed from 18.5 h. Under repeated bacterial inoculation challenge, no significant growth was observed in FS1 and FS4 over 24.5 h; however, significant growth was observed in FS2 after 6.5 h and in FS3 after 10–12 h.

Conclusion

With hygienic handling technique, there is limited bacterial growth with reuse of delivery sets and containers over 24 h. Refrigeration between feeding sessions and using boluses of reconstituted powdered feed reduce bacterial growth risk.
State‐mandated school‐based BMI assessments and self‐reported adolescent health behaviors
Authors: Churchill Brandyn F.
Published: August 2023

I provide novel evidence on the role of imperfect information in shaping childhood obesity. Between 2003 and 2017, 24 states began requiring schools to perform Body Mass Index assessments on students. Using the 1991 to 2017 National and State Youth Risk Behavior Surveys and a stacked difference‐in‐differences identification strategy, I show that these state‐mandated school‐based BMI assessments were associated with an increase in the likelihood that teens described themselves as overweight and reported that they were trying to lose weight. The relationship was most pronounced for overweight teens, suggesting that the assessments improved awareness about BMI status among this group, though I also find that non‐overweight teen girls were subsequently more likely to incorrectly describe themselves as overweight. While I do not detect meaningful changes in exercise or calorie‐limiting behaviors, I do find that these state‐mandated school‐based BMI assessments were associated with a modest reduction in BMI.
Pediatric cancer patient emergency department visits and disposition by sociodemographic and economic characteristics
Authors: O'Connell Caitlin P. , Johnson Kimberly J. , Brown Derek S.
Published: August 2023

Background

Limited research has been conducted on cancer‐related emergency department (ED) patterns among pediatric cancer patients, including whether there are differences in the characteristics of individuals who seek ED care for cancer complications. The objectives of this study were to determine whether rates and disposition of cancer‐related ED visits and hospital admissions in childhood cancer patients differ by sociodemographic factors.

Methods

A cross‐sectional analysis of ED encounters with a cancer diagnosis code among patients aged 0–19 years from the 2019 National Emergency Department Sample (NEDS) was conducted. Weighted logistic regression models were utilized to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for a primary cancer‐related encounter, and hospital admission overall and by subgroup characteristics.

Results

Of the unweighted 6,801,711 ED encounters in children aged 0–19 years, 10,793 were classified as visits by cancer patients. ED encounters of Hispanic versus non‐Hispanic White pediatric cancer patients had higher odds of having a cancer‐related primary diagnosis (OR = 1.15, 95% CI: 1.04–1.27). ED encounters of non‐Hispanic Black pediatric patients and those in the lowest zip code income quartile had higher odds of hospital admission (OR = 1.28, 95% CI: 1.08–1.53; OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.15–1.46), while rurality was associated with lower odds of hospital admission (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.57–0.83).

Conclusion

These results suggest that pediatric cancer patients from certain under‐resourced communities are more likely to use the ED for cancer treatment complications, and their encounters are more likely to result in admission to the hospital.
Frequency of toll‐like receptor 4 variants and association with treatment response in children with primary immune thrombocytopenia
Authors: Ahmed Heba A. , Fahmy Eman M. , Abdelkreem Elsayed , Mahmoud Ekram A. , Nafady Asmaa , Ahmed Eman H.
Published: August 2023

Objectives: To investigate the frequency of toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) variants c.896A>G (p.Asp299Gly) and c.1196C>T (p.Thr399Ile) among Egyptian children with primary immune thrombocytopenia (pITP), and their association with disease course and response to treatment.

Methods: A case–control study that included 80 children with pITP and 50 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls. TLR4 c.896A>G and c.1196C>T variants were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism. Patients were classified according to their response to treatment after 3 months as responders and nonresponders.

Results: Compared with controls, children with pITP had significantly higher minor allele frequencies of TLR4 p.Asp299Gly (16.25% vs. 6%, odds ratio [OR] 3.04, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.16–9.36, p = .014) and p.Thr399Ile (20% vs. 4%, OR 6, 95% CI: 2.02–24.01, p < .001). The presence of p.Asp299Gly variant was significantly associated with chronic ITP (OR 7.78, 95% CI: 2.04–35.69, p < .001) and non‐response to therapy with steroid (OR 11.67, 95% CI: 1.32–104.08, p = .012), but not thrombopoietin‐receptor agonist (OR 1.67, 95% CI: 0.35–8.19, p = .464). Likewise, having p.Thr399Ile variant was significantly associated with chronic ITP (OR 5.14, 95% CI: 1.6–17.4, p = .002) and non‐response to therapy with steroid (OR 6.1, 95% CI: 1.01–49.06, p = .046) but not thrombopoietin‐receptor agonist (OR 1.57, 95% CI: 0.33–7.58, p = .515).

Conclusion: The presence of TLR4 p.Asp299Gly or p.Thr399Ile variant may be associated with ITP predisposition, chronicity, and non‐response to upfront steroid therapy. These findings enhance our understanding of the complex pathophysiology of pITP with potentially important clinical implications.
Variant histology of pediatric nodular lymphocyte‐predominant Hodgkin lymphoma with IgD and CD30 expression
Authors: Ali Nesreen , Moussa Emad , Khorshed Eman , Zaghloul Mohamed S. , Elnashar Amr , Abdalla Amr
Published: August 2023

Background

Nodular lymphocyte‐predominant Hodgkin lymphoma (NLPHL), recently known as nodular lymphocyte‐predominant B‐cell lymphoma (NLPBL), accounts for 5%–10% of Hodgkin lymphoma (HL). Different morphologic patterns of NLPBL are identified and categorized as typical patterns (type A and B) and variant histologic patterns (types C, D, E, and F).

Patients and method

We investigated different morphologic patterns, CD30 and IgD expression in pediatric patients with NLPBL diagnosed at the Children's Cancer Hospital Egypt.

Results

Forty‐six (53%) of the patients exhibited a typical histologic pattern, whereas the remaining (47%) exhibited variant histologic pattern. Variant histology is associated with unfavorable clinical characteristics, such as advanced stages, B‐symptoms, and extranodal involvements, particularly bone marrow and bone infiltration, with p‐values of .06, .05, and 0.01%, respectively. Additionally, 39% of patients with variant histology experienced disease progression or relapse, compared to only 15.2% of patients with typical patterns (p = .009). Types C and D are related to decreased event‐free survival (EFS), as shown by a p‐value of .05. The 5‐year EFS for patients with variant histology was 94.4% for the rituximab, cyclophosphamide, vincristine, doxorubicin, and prednisone (RCHOP) versus 33.3% for the adriamycin, bleomycin, vinblastine, and dacarbazine (ABVD). IgD expression in lymphocyte‐predominant (LP) cells was detected in 44 (50%) patients, while CD30 expression in LP cells was found in 39 (44%) patients.

Conclusion

Variant histology of NLPBL was associated with advanced disease stages and a poor prognosis, while expression of IgD and CD30 in LP cells was not. The poor outcome of variant histology improved with the RCHOP regimen.