bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tolerability and first hints for potential efficacy of motor‐cognitive training under inspiratory hypoxia in health and neuropsychiatric disorders: A translational viewpoint
Authors: Mennen Svea‐Solveig , Franta Maren , Begemann Martin , Wilke Justus B. H. , Schröder Roman , Butt Umer Javed , Cortés‐Silva Jonathan‐Alexis , Çakır Umut , Güra Marie , de Marées Markus , Gastaldi Vinicius Daguano , Burtscher Johannes , Schanz Julie , Bohn Matthias , Burtscher Martin , Fischer Andreas , Poustka Luise , Hammermann Peter , Stadler Markus , Lühder Fred , Singh Manvendra , Nave Klaus‐Armin , Miskowiak Kamilla Woznica , Ehrenreich Hannelore
Published: June 2024

Hypoxia is more and more perceived as pivotal physiological driving force, allowing cells in the brain and elsewhere to acclimate to lowered oxygen (O2), and abridged metabolism. The mediating transcription program is induced by inspiratory hypoxia but also by intensive motor‐cognitive tasks, provoking a relative decrease in O2 in relation to the acutely augmented requirement. We termed this fundamental, demand‐dependent drop in O2 availability “functional hypoxia.” Major players in the hypoxia response are hypoxia‐inducible factors (HIFs) and associated prolyl‐hydroxylases. HIFs are transcription factors, stabilized by low O2 accessibility, and control expression of a multitude of genes. Changes in oxygen, however, can also be sensed via other pathways, among them the thiol‐oxidase (2‐aminoethanethiol) dioxygenase. Considering the far‐reaching biological response to hypoxia, hitherto mostly observed in rodents, we initiated a translational project, combining mild to moderate inspiratory with functional hypoxia. We had identified this combination earlier to benefit motor‐cognitive attainment in mice. A total of 20 subjects were included: 13 healthy individuals and 7 patients with depression and/or autism spectrum disorder. Here, we show that motor‐cognitive training under inspiratory hypoxia (12% O2) for 3.5 h daily over 3 weeks is optimally tolerated. We present first signals of beneficial effects on general well‐being, cognitive performance, physical fitness and psychopathology. Erythropoietin in serum increases under hypoxia and flow cytometry analysis of blood reveals several immune cell types to be mildly modulated by hypoxia. To obtain reliable information regarding the “add‐on” value of inspiratory on top of functional hypoxia, induced by motor‐cognitive training, a single‐blind study—with versus without inspiratory hypoxia—is essential and outlined here.
RNAi‐mediated knockdown of papilin gene affects the egg hatching in Nilaparvata lugens
Authors: Zhang Chao , Zhang Jin‐Yi , Wang Ni , Abou El‐Ela Amr S. , Shi Zhe‐Yi , You Yuan‐Zheng , Ali Soomro Abid , Zhou Wen‐Wu , Zhu Zeng‐Rong
Published: June 2024

BACKGROUND

The brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens, is one of the most destructive pests of rice. Owing to the rapid adaptation of BPH to many pesticides and resistant varieties, identifying putative gene targets for developing RNA interference (RNAi)‐based pest management strategies has received much attention for this pest. The glucoprotein papilin is the most abundant component in the basement membranes of many organisms, and its function is closely linked to development.

RESULTS

In this study, we identified a papilin homologous gene in BPH (NlPpn). Quantitative Real‐time PCR analysis showed that the transcript of NlPpn was highly accumulated in the egg stage. RNAi of NlPpn in newly emerged BPH females caused nonhatching phenotypes of their eggs, which may be a consequence of the maldevelopment of their embryos. Moreover, the transcriptomic analysis identified 583 differentially expressed genes between eggs from the dsGFP‐ and dsNlPpn‐treated insects. Among them, the ‘structural constituent of cuticle’ cluster ranked first among the top 15 enriched GO terms. Consistently, ultrastructural analysis unveiled that dsNlPpn‐treated eggs displayed a discrete and distorted serosal endocuticle lamellar structure. Furthermore, the hatchability of BPH eggs was also successfully reduced by the topical application of NlPpn‐dsRNA‐layered double hydroxide nanosheets onto the adults.

CONCLUSION

Our findings demonstrate that NlPpn is essential to maintaining the regular structure of the serosal cuticle and the embryonic development in BPH, indicating NlPpn could be a potential target for pest control during the egg stage. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Distribution patterns of Phytoseiulus persimilis in response to climate change
Authors: Li Guang‐Yun , Li Yuchuang , Liu Huai
Published: June 2024

Background

The biological control agent Phytoseiulus persimilis is a commercialized specialist predator of two agricultural pest mite species Tetranychus urticae and Tetranychus evansi. Biocontrol of these pest species by P. persimilis has achieved success in biological control in some areas. However, the lack of precise information about the influence of global climate change on the worldwide distribution of this biocontrol agent hampers international efforts to manage pest mites with P. persimilis. With 276 occurrence records and 19 bioclimatic variables, this study investigated the potential global distribution of P. persimilis.

Results

The results demonstrated that the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) model performed well, with the area under the curve being 0.956, indicating the high accuracy of this model. Two variables, the minimum temperature of the coldest month (Bio_6) and precipitation of the coldest quarter (Bio_19) were the most important environmental variables that influenced the distribution of P. persimilis, contributing more than 30% to the model, respectively. The suitable area currently occupies 21.67% of the world's land area, spanning latitudes between 60°S and 60°N. Under shared socio‐economic pathway (SSP) 5‐8.5 (high‐carbon emissions), the low suitable area would increase by 1.31% until the 2050s.

Conclusion

This study successfully identified that south‐eastern China, parts of countries in the Mediterranean coastal regions, including Libya, Algeria, Portugal, Spain, and France, are climatically favorable regions for P. persimilis, providing valuable information about the potential areas where it can be effectively exploited as biocontrol agents in classical biological control programs to manage pest spider mites environmentally friendly. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Mechanical Properties and Hydrogen Embrittlement Resistance of the High‐Entropy Alloy CrFeMnNiCo and Its Subsystems
Authors: Xu Qiu , Guan Huaqing , Huang Shaosong , Zhong Zhihong , Yabuuchi Atsushi , Sato Koichi
Published: June 2024

The effects of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of CrNiCo and CrFeNiCo medium‐entropy alloys (MEAs) and CrFeMnNiCo high‐entropy alloys (HEAs) are investigated. Although their total elongation is less than that of the commonly used stainless steel (SS) 316L (SS316L), the tensile strengths of HEAs and MEAs are 150–350 MPa higher than that of SS316L. Hydrogen charging up to 1400 appm (nominal concentration) does not affect the tensile strength of SS316L; however, it decreases the elongation by less than 20%. In contrast, hydrogen increases the tensile strength of MEAs and HEA, but has little effect on elongation. Among the MEAs and HEAs, CrNiCo exhibits the highest tensile strength and total elongation. No brittle fracture due to hydrogen is observed on the fracture surfaces of the H‐charged samples. However, nanotwin structures are more common in H‐charged MEAs and HEAs than in H‐uncharged MEAs and HEA. Additionally, the calculation results based on the first‐principles reveal for the first time that single vacancies or tiny vacancy clusters do not trap H in MEAs compared to HEAs, such that cracks due to H are unlikely to occur. Thus, the hydrogen embrittlement resistance of MEAs may be improved.
Managing antipsychotic intolerance via genetics
Authors: Lam Y. W. Francis
Published: June 2024

The standard pharmacological approach in psychiatric treatment, based on trial and error within a class of drug, often necessitates medication changes due to lack of efficacy or occurrence of adverse effects. The following case described how a more personalized pharmacogenetic approach could facilitate selection of effective treatment (Hudnik et al., 2024).
Structure‐property modeling of pharmacokinetic characteristics of anticancer drugs via topological indices, multigraph modeling and multi‐criteria decision making
Authors: Pandi Ugasini Preetha , Hayat Sakander , Marimuthu Suresh , Konsalraj Julietraja
Published: June 2024

This study presents an in‐depth inquiry into estimating ADME properties for promising anticancer drugs, particularly amino acid‐based alkylating agents, through ev‐ve degree topological indices and QSPR analysis. The aim of the study is to compare multigraph modeling to simple graph modeling in estimating six ADME properties. Results demonstrate that multigraph modeling's superior performance, with notable high correlations such as for maximum passive absorption (MPA) using the M‐ev index, compared to simple graph modeling's with the ‐ev index. This emphasizes the need for sophisticated modeling techniques in drug development. The primary objective is to compare multigraph and simple graph modeling using topological structure descriptors, followed by QSPR analysis to determine the better approach in estimating ADME properties. MCDM weight allocation techniques validate correlation values, enhancing understanding of estimators and identifying potential drugs. This underscores the importance of considering various MCDM methods and weight allocation approaches for reliable decision‐making in healthcare contexts.
Fixed‐time formation control of second‐order nonlinear multi‐agent systems using the neural network dynamic sliding mode
Authors: Luo Yiping , Huang Weijie , Cao Jinde , Xia Wenhua , Wang Tianyu
Published: June 2024

The problem of fixed‐time formation control for a class of second‐order nonlinear multi‐agent systems is studied. For a class of such systems, a control algorithm is proposed to maintain the connections among the agents while avoiding collisions. Furthermore, a radial basis function neural network is used in the design to precisely approximate the nonlinear function for the nonlinear terms in the model. Then, a dynamic sliding mode control method is proposed to suppress the chattering phenomenon that may arise due to the sliding mode control. A sufficient condition for the system to achieve fixed‐time formation is obtained by using different methods, such as Lyapunov stability. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by example. Simulation experiments reveal that the proposed method has faster error convergence and better robust control than conventional algorithms.
Convolutional neural networks to classify human stress that occurs during in‐field sugarcane harvesting: A case study
Authors: Modi Rajesh U. , Singh Sukhbir , Singh Akhilesh K. , Blessy Vallokkunnel A.
Published: June 2024

Assessing human stress in agriculture proves to be a complex and time‐intensive endeavor within the field of ergonomics, particularly for the development of agricultural systems. This methodology involves the utilization of instrumentation and the establishment of a dedicated laboratory setup. The complexity arises from the need to capture and analyze various physiological and psychological indicators, such as heart rate (HR), muscle activity, and subjective feedback to comprehensively assess the impact of farm operations on subjects. The instrumentation typically includes wearable devices, sensors, and monitoring equipment to gather real‐time data of subject during the performance of farm operations. Deep learning (DL) models currently achieve human performance levels on real‐world face recognition tasks. In this study, we went beyond face recognition and experimented with the recognition of human stress based on facial features during the drudgery‐prone agricultural operation of sugarcane harvesting. This is the first research study for deploying artificial intelligence‐driven DL techniques to identify human stress in agriculture instead of monitoring several ergonomic characteristics. A total of 20 (10 each for male and female) subjects comprising 4300 augmented RGB images (215 per subject) were acquired during sugarcane harvesting seasons and then these images were deployed for training (80%) and validation (20%). Human stress and nonstress states were determined based on four ergonomic physiological parameters: heart rate (ΔHR), oxygen consumption rate (OCR), energy expenditure rate (EER), and acceptable workload (AWL). Stress was defined when ΔHR, OCR, EER, and AWL reached or exceeded certain standard threshold values. Four convolutional neural network‐based DL models (1) DarkNet53, (2) InceptionV3, (3) MobileNetV2 and (4) ResNet50 were selected due to their remarkable feature extraction abilities, simple and effective implementation to edge computation devices. In all four DL models, training performance results delivered training accuracy ranging from 73.8% to 99.1% at combinations of two mini‐batch sizes and four levels of epochs. The maximum training accuracies were 99.1%, 99.0%, 97.7%, and 95.4% at the combination of mini‐batch size 16 and 25 epochs for DarkNet53, InceptionV3, ResNet50, and MobileNetV2, respectively. Due to the best performance, DarkNet53 was tested further on an independent data set of 100 images and found 89.8%–93.3% confident to classify stressed images for female subjects while 92.2%–94.5% for male subjects, though it was trained on the integrated data set. The comparative classification of the developed model and ergonomic measurements for stress classification was carried out with a net accuracy of 88% where there were few instances of wrong classifications.
Surface and interface chemistry of bromine–methanol‐etched Cd0.9Zn0.1Te crystals
Authors: Ünal Mustafa , Karaman Mehmet Can , Çelik Gülçin , Tüzel Okay , Balbaşı Özden Başar , Genç Ayşe Merve , Turan Raşit
Published: June 2024

Chemical polishing or chemo‐mechanical polishing is crucial as a last step of surface preparation to remove the damaged layer and contaminants from the surface of CdZnTe crystals. The bromine–methanol solution is widely used for this purpose. However, bromine–methanol solution enriches the surface with Te and results in poor performance of CdZnTe crystals. In this study, the effect of the chemical polishing with 5% bromine–methanol solution on the surface and at the interface is investigated and it is demonstrated that etching duration strongly influences surface stoichiometry and interface contaminants. The evolution of the surface topography with etching and chemical changes are presented. It is shown that after 90 s etching/polishing, subsurface damage is removed and Te enrichment is minimum. Moreover, interface layer thickness is the smallest for 90 s etching duration. It is presented that further increase in the etching duration disturbs the surface stoichiometry and interface depth. It also calculated that 90 s of etching shows low interface barrier and symmetrical current–voltage curve.
Understanding an impact of patient enrollment pattern on predictability of central (unstratified) randomization in a multi‐center clinical trial
Authors: Krisam Johannes , Ryeznik Yevgen , Carter Kerstine , Kuznetsova Olga , Sverdlov Oleksandr
Published: June 2024

In a multi‐center randomized controlled trial (RCT) with competitive recruitment, eligible patients are enrolled sequentially by different study centers and are randomized to treatment groups using the chosen randomization method. Given the stochastic nature of the recruitment process, some centers may enroll more patients than others, and in some instances, a center may enroll multiple patients in a row, for example, on a given day. If the study is open‐label, the investigators might be able to make intelligent guesses on upcoming treatment assignments in the randomization sequence, even if the trial is centrally randomized and not stratified by center. In this paper, we use enrollment data inspired by a real multi‐center RCT to quantify the susceptibility of two restricted randomization procedures, the permuted block design and the big stick design, to selection bias under the convergence strategy of Blackwell and Hodges (1957) applied at the center level. We provide simulation evidence that the expected proportion of correct guesses may be greater than 50% (i.e., an increased risk of selection bias) and depends on the chosen randomization method and the number of study patients recruited by a given center that takes consecutive positions on the central allocation schedule. We propose some strategies for ensuring stronger encryption of the randomization sequence to mitigate the risk of selection bias.
Impact of Co and Cu co‐doping on the Structural, Electrical, Magnetic and Solar Light Driven Photo‐Catalytic Properties of NiFe2O4Nano‐crystals for Crystal Violet Dye Removal
Authors: Bibi Firdous , Jamshaid Muhammad , Iqbal Shahid , Al‐Mohaimeed Amal M. , Al‐onazi Weda A. , Ahmed Adeel , Kalsoom Ambreen
Published: June 2024

Herein, we have synthesised cobalt (Co) and copper (Cu) co‐doped Ni‐ferrite Ni1‐xCoxFe2‐yCuyO4nanocrystals (NCs) via the facile micro‐emulsion method. The materials were analysed for various physio‐chemical characterizations to investigate the co‐doping (Co and Cu) effects on magnetic, structural, electrical, photo‐catalytic properties. The structural analysis via Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and X‐rays diffraction (XRD) showed the successful fabrication of Co and Cu co‐doped materials with cubic spinel geometry having a single phase, the crystallite size was observed in 15 to 24 nm range. The electrical response measured using current‐voltage (I–V) analysis showed good electrical features, the electrical resistivity declined from 6.85×107 Ohm.cm for un‐doped materials to 0.04×107 Ohm.cm for co‐doped materials, which was accredited due to the synergistic effects of Co and Cu metal cations in co‐doped Ni‐based ferrite structures. Magnetic investigation using VSM analysis showed increased saturation magnetization (Ms 31.32 to 50.75 emu/g) and coercivity (218.76 to 406.82 Oe) because of the higher magnetic responses of Co2+ions in the co‐doped spinel ferrite NCs. BET surface‐area analysis showed good porosity for co‐doped materials with an increased surface area of 52 to 104 m2/g on co‐doping. The Tauc's plot described the decline of band‐gap energies value (Egs) (1.99 eV) in co‐doped (x=y=0.56) materials as compared to (2.16 eV) of the un‐doped NiFe2O4materials, which is due to more electrical responses of Co and Cu co‐dopant cations that possess higher energy levels, which can stabilize the charge carrier‘s species. Furthermore, the photo‐degradation using solar light showed good removal of crystal violet (CV) dye, which was almost 94.14 % by co‐doped material; however, by un‐doped material, it was 38.044 %. The scavenger experiment shows that the (OH⋅) hydroxyl radicals and (e−/h+) species play a prime role in the degradation of CV dye. Recycling and recoverability tests for five cycles’ exhibited outstanding stability of the photocatalyst with only 1.7 % losses in activity. Overall, our results showed that co‐doped Ni1‐xCoxFe2‐yCuyO4NCs materials exhibited enhancement in the magnetic, electrical, photo‐catalytic properties and a decline in band‐gap energy values as compared to un‐doped NiFe2O4, which might have potential use in magnetic and electrical devices as well as solar‐driven photo‐catalyst materials for the remediation of environmental pollution.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Promising Antibacterial, Antifungal, and Antioxidant Activities for New Imidazo[1,2‐A]Pyridine‐Derived Imines
Authors: Moutaouakil Mohamed , Moutaouakil Soumia , Roby Othmane , Tighadouini Said , Saddik Rafik
Published: June 2024

This study presents the synthesis of a novel series of imine derivatives derived from imidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine as potential therapeutic agents. The imines were obtained by condensing 2‐(4‐bromophenyl)‐6‐chloroimidazo[1,2‐a]pyridine‐3‐carbaldehyde with primary amines, leading to high‐purity products that were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques. The compounds demonstrated promising in vitro antimicrobial activity against various bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, as well as fungi, such as Candida albicans, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Aspergillus brasiliensis. Furthermore, the antioxidant properties of the imine derivatives were evaluated using DPPH and ABTS techniques, and the IC50 values measured revealed their ability to scavenge free radicals. Overall, this study provides a valuable contribution to the field of pharmacology by synthesizing a new series of imine derivatives with significant potential as new therapeutic agents, exhibiting both antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.
Noninvasive platelet membrane‐coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles identify vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques
Authors: Li Yuyu , Wang Yujie , Xia Zequn , Xie Yangjing , Ke Daozheng , Song Bing , Mu Dan , Yu Ronghui , Xie Jun
Published: June 2024

Vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques serve as the primary pathological basis for fatal cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. The precise identification and treatment of these vulnerable plaques hold paramount clinical importance in mitigating the incidence of myocardial infarction and stroke. Nevertheless, the identification of vulnerable plaques within the diffuse atherosclerotic plaques dispersed throughout the systemic circulation continues to pose a substantial challenge in clinical practice. Double emulsion solvent evaporation method, specifically the water‐in‐oil‐in‐water (W/O/W) technique, was employed to fabricate Fe3O4‐based poly (lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles (Fe3O4@PLGA). Platelet membranes (PM) were extracted through hypotonic lysis, followed by ultrasound‐assisted encapsulation onto the surface of Fe3O4@PLGA, resulting in the formation of PM‐coated Fe3O4 nanoparticles (PM/Fe3O4@PLGA). Characterization of PM/Fe3O4@PLGA involved the use of dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy, western blotting, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A model of atherosclerotic vulnerable plaques was constructed by carotid artery coarctation and a high‐fat diet fed to ApoE−/− (Apolipoprotein E knockout) mice. Immunofluorescence and MRI techniques were employed to verify the functionality of PM/Fe3O4@PLGA. In this study, we initially synthesized Fe3O4@PLGA as the core material. Subsequently, a platelet membrane was employed as a coating for the Fe3O4@PLGA, aiming to enable the detection of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques through MRI. In vitro, PM/Fe3O4@PLGA not only exhibited excellent biosafety but also showed targeted collagen characteristics and MR imaging performance. In vivo, the adhesion of PM/Fe3O4@PLGA to atherosclerotic lesions was confirmed in a mouse model of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. Simultaneously, PM/Fe3O4@PLGA as a novel contrast agent for MRI has shown effective identification of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. In terms of safety profile in vivo, PM/Fe3O4@PLGA has not demonstrated significant organ toxicity or inflammatory response in the bloodstream. In this study, we successfully developed a platelet‐membrane‐coated nanoparticle system for the targeted delivery of Fe3O4@PLGA to vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques. This innovative system allows for the visualization of vulnerable plaques using MRI, thereby demonstrating its potential for enhancing the clinical diagnosis of vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques.
Exploring the influence of carbonate minerals on the performance, volume stability, and phase composition of alkali‐activated waste glass binder at high temperatures
Authors: Shereiqi Amira A. , Al‐Jabri Khalifa , Meddah Mohammed S. , Saleh Alaa A. , Elrahman Mohammed Abd , Abdel‐Gawwad Hamdy A.
Published: June 2024

Alkali‐activated waste glass (AA‐WG) has received much attention because to its high mechanical properties achieved with low energy demand. However, AA‐WG exhibits low stability, including volume expansion, porosity increment, and a reduction in compressive strength. Enhancing the stability of AA‐WG could improve its commercial viability and expand its range of applications. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the role of calcite CaCO3 (CC) and magnesite MgCO3 (MC) in enhancing the physicomechanical properties and phase composition of AA‐WG at elevated temperatures. The proposed strategy includes replacing WG with different contents of CC and MC, followed by activation with a 4 M NaOH solution and curing at 100°C for 24 h. The hardened samples were then exposed to 800°C for a 2 h holding time to evaluate the thermal stability of the AA‐WG, AA‐WG‐CC, and AA‐WG‐MC mixtures. The results demonstrated that increasing the CC content up to 50 wt.% significantly enhanced the compressive strength of the AA‐WG when cured at 100°C, while the incorporation of MC caused a negative effect. Surprisingly, an opposite trend was observed at a higher temperature of 800°C, where the samples containing MC exhibit better mechanical and physical performance compared to those with CC. The variation in the type, composition, and weight loss upon ignition of the carbonate‐based minerals significantly influenced the stability and phase composition of the thermally exposed AA‐WG. Although the sample with 50 wt.% MC showed higher volume shrinkage, it demonstrated higher compressive strength (~82 MPa) at 800°C than the sample with 50 wt.% CC (~7 MPa). This difference can be attributed to the formation of diopside CaMgSi2O6 and forsterite Mg2SiO4, which have higher crystallinity, specific gravity, and hardness compared to wollastonite CaSiO3 and the tri‐calcium silicate phases Ca3SiO4.
Intrinsic Anomalous Hall Conductivity of Strained Fe: A Combination Approach
Authors: Ly Trinh Thi , Kien Nguyen Bui Trung , Cuong Do Duc
Published: June 2024

In this study, the effect of elastic biaxial strain on electronic structure and the anomalous Hall conductivity (AHC) of α‐Fe has been systematically studied by using the combination of a first principles calculation with the tight binding method through the Wannier function. It is found that applying strain in cubic structure of α‐Fe results in the reduction of crystal symmetry and gives the modification on the bands near Fermi level, which causes a significant change in the AHC of strained systems. The AHC of strained α‐Fe is found to be sensitive with applying strain, which shows the large enhancement of AHC at +2% tensile strain with AHC value is up to 929 Ω−1 cm−1 (increases more than 30%) compared with the unstrained one, while slightly reduces when applying compressive strain. The modification of AHC is found to be related to the change of Berry curvature contributed from the spin orbit coupling (SOC) induced energy gap near Fermi level. © 2024 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan and Wiley Periodicals LLC.
Otitis media/interna and encephalitozoonosis are the most common causes of head tilt in pet rabbits in the UK: 73 cases (2009‒2020)
Authors: Liatis Theofanis , Makri Nikoleta , Czopowicz Michał , Richardson Jenna , Nuttall Tim , Suñol Anna
Published: June 2024

Background

There are limited studies that identify diseases associated with head tilt in pet rabbits.

Methods

This was an observational, retrospective, single‐centre study of rabbits with head tilt presented between 2009 and 2020. Descriptive statistics were performed for all cases, whereas univariate and multivariate analyses were only performed for the 36 cases with a final diagnosis.

Results

Seventy‐three rabbits met the inclusion criteria. The final diagnoses included Encephalitozoon cuniculi meningoencephalomyelitis (EC) (15/36; 41.7%), otitis media/interna (OMI) (8/36; 22.2%) and concurrent EC and OMI (13/38; 36.1%). Subacute‐to‐chronic onset was more common in rabbits with OMI than in those with EC (p = 0.018). Previous middle ear surgery (p = 0.046) and a diagnosis of otitis externa (p = 0.004) significantly increased the risk of OMI. Meloxicam was associated with improvement of clinical signs (p = 0.007). Upright ears (p = 0.013), recumbency (p = 0.037) and impaired mentation (p = 0.001) were associated with a higher risk of death/euthanasia. The proportions of residual head tilt (66.7%) and relapse of vestibular signs (42.1%) were high.

Limitations

This was a retrospective study with cases varying in their investigation and conclusive final diagnoses.

Conclusion

OMI and EC were the most common aetiologies of head tilt in pet rabbits in the UK. Meloxicam might be associated with a favourable outcome in affected rabbits. Paired EC serology and a CT scan of the head should be the baseline investigation for head tilt in rabbits.
On‐campus student employment as a form of leadership development
Authors: Marshall Daniel R. , Guthrie Kathy L.
Published: June 2024

Student employment is a common co‐curricular activity among undergraduate students. Previous studies have primarily focused on the impact of employment on academic outcomes and post‐graduation labor market success. Although there is an assumption that on‐campus student employment influences leadership learning, there is a lack of research directly exploring this topic. Therefore, this study explores how on‐campus student employment influences leadership capacity development in undergraduate students who worked in a department in Student Affairs. Findings suggest that on‐campus student employment influenced leadership capacity development in undergraduate students.
Manufacturing of non-grain-oriented electrical steels: review
Authors: Karami Rasoul , Butler David , Tamimi Saeed
Published: June 2024

Among soft magnetic materials, non-grain-oriented electrical steel (NGOES) has emerged as a promising option for various applications. NGOES material plays a crucial role across the entire energy value chain, spanning from power generation through generators to the consumption of electrical energy in electric motors and appliances within the electrical components industry which can lead to a notable enhancement in the performance of electric motors. NGOES are widely used for soft magnetic applications due to their cost and also their superior magnetic properties, including high electrical resistivity, excellent saturation magnetization, and minimal magnetostriction. NGOES are anticipated to serve as a driving force in the future global market for electric power consumption. The magnetic properties of NGOES are profoundly influenced by metallurgical factors such as Si content, grain size, crystallographic texture, sheet thickness, and surface roughness. These crucial variables play a crucial role in shaping the magnetic characteristics of NGOES materials which will be covered in this review paper. This paper provides an overview of different manufacturing routes for NGOES, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of these processes. Moreover, alternative manufacturing techniques and their capability to optimize the microstructure and to fabricate high Si NGOES sheets are discussed. Also, it addresses the challenges associated with mass-producing materials with high Si content using traditional methods. These advancements in this area present promising opportunities for enhancing the manufacturing processes of NGOES and ultimately enhancing the performance of future electrical machines and generators.
On the limit points of an infinitely repeated rational expectations equilibrium
Authors: Pesce Marialaura , Urbinati Niccolò , Yannelis Nicholas C.
Published: June 2024

We study the rational expectations equilibrium (REE) in the framework of a repeated economy. In each repetition agents observe the sequence of asymmetric REE’s occurred in the past to update their private information. We show that, in the limit, agents reach a symmetric information REE which exists universally (and not generically) and it is Pareto efficient and obviously incentive compatible. We also prove the converse result, i.e., given a symmetric information REE, we can construct a sequence of approximate asymmetric REE allocations that converges to the symmetric information REE. In view of the above results, the symmetric information REE provides a rationalization for the asymmetric one.
A novel liver-function-indicators-based prognosis signature for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma treated with anti-programmed cell death-1 therapy
Authors: Zheng Zehao , Mei Jie , Guan Renguo , Zhang Jiqi , Xiong Xinhao , Gan Junyu , Li Shaohua , Guo Rongping
Published: June 2024

Background

The liver function reserve has a significant impact on the therapeutic effects of anti-programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study aimed to comprehensively evaluate the ability of liver-function-based indicators to predict prognosis and construct a novel prognostic score for HCC patients with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

Methods

Between July 2018 and January 2020, patients diagnosed with HCC who received anti-PD-1 treatment were screened for inclusion in the study. The valuable prognostic liver-function-based indicators were selected using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to build a novel liver-function-indicators-based signature (LFIS). Concordance index (C-index), the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), and Kaplan–Meier survival curves were utilized to access the predictive performance of LFIS.

Results

A total of 434 HCC patients who received anti-PD-1 treatment were included in the study. The LFIS, based on alkaline phosphatase-to-albumin ratio index, Child–Pugh score, platelet-albumin score, aspartate aminotransferase-to-lymphocyte ratio index, and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase-to-lymphocyte ratio index, was constructed and identified as an independent risk factor for patient survival. The C-index of LFIS for overall survival (OS) was 0.692, which was higher than the other single liver-function-based indicator. The AUC of LFIS at 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-month were 0.74, 0.714, 0.747, and 0.865 for OS, respectively. Patients in the higher-risk LFIS group were associated with both worse OS and PFS. An online and easy-to-use calculator was further constructed for better application of the LFIS signature.

Conclusion

The LFIS score had an excellent prognosis prediction ability superior to every single liver-function-based indicator for anti-PD-1 treatment in HCC patients. It is a reliable, easy-to-use tool to stratify risk for OS and PFS in HCC patients who received anti-PD-1 treatment.
Prognostic value of genomic mutation signature associated with immune microenvironment in southern Chinese patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Zhou Yue , Chu Li , Li Shuyan , Chu Xiao , Ni Jianjiao , Jiang Shanshan , Pang Yechun , Zheng Danru , Lu Yujuan , Lan Fangcen , Cai Xiuyu , Yang Xi , Zhu Zhengfei
Published: June 2024

The genomic landscape of esophageal squamous cell cancer (ESCC), as well as its impact on the regulation of immune microenvironment, is not well understood. Thus, tumor samples from 92 patients were collected from two centers and subjected to targeted-gene sequencing. We identified frequently mutated genes, including TP53, KMT2C, KMT2D, LRP1B, and FAT1. The most frequent mutation sites were ALOX12B (c.1565C > T), SLX4 (c.2786C > T), LRIG1 (c.746A > G), and SPEN (c.6915_6917del) (6.5%). Pathway analysis revealed dysregulation of cell cycle regulation, epigenetic regulation, PI3K/AKT signaling, and NOTCH signaling. A 17-mutated gene-related risk model was constructed using random survival forest analysis and showed significant prognostic value in both our cohort and the validation cohort. Based on the Estimation of Stromal and Immune cells in Malignant Tumor tissues using Expression (ESTIMATE) algorithm, the Tumor Immune Dysfunction and Exclusion (TIDE) algorithm, and the MCPcounter algorithm, we found that the risk score calculated by the risk model was significantly correlated with stimulatory immune checkpoints (TNFSF4, ITGB2, CXCL10, CXCL9, and BTN3A1; p < 0.05). Additionally, it was significantly associated with markers that are important in predicting response to immunotherapy (CD274, IFNG, and TAMM2; p < 0.05). Furthermore, the results of immunofluorescence double staining showed that patients with high risk scores had a significantly higher level of M2 macrophage than those with low risk scores (p < 0.05). In conclusion, our study provides insights into the genomic landscape of ESCC and highlights the prognostic value of a genomic mutation signature associated with the immune microenvironment in southern Chinese patients with ESCC.
Comprehensive analysis of the relationship between ubiquitin-specific protease 21 (USP21) and prognosis, tumor microenvironment infiltration, and therapy response in colorectal cancer
Authors: Nie Haihang , Yu Yali , Wang Fan , Huang Xing , Wang Haizhou , Wang Jing , Tao Mi , Ning Yumei , Zhou JingKai , Zhao Qiu , Xu Fei , Fang Jun
Published: June 2024

Background

Ubiquitin-specific proteases family is crucial to host immunity against pathogens. However, the correlations between USP21 and immunosurveillance and immunotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC) have not been reported.

Methods

The differential expression of USP21 between CRC tissues and normal tissues was analyzed using multiple public databases. Validation was carried out in clinical samples through qRT-PCR and IHC. The correlation between USP21 and the prognosis, as well as clinical pathological characteristics of CRC patients, was investigated. Moreover, cell models were established to assess the influence of USP21 on CRC growth and progression, employing CCK-8 assays, colony formation assays, and wound-healing assays. Subsequently, gene set variation analysis (GSVA) was used to explore the potential biological functions of USP21 in CRC. The study also examined the impact of USP21 on cytokine levels and immune cell infiltration in the tumor microenvironment (TME). Finally, the effect of USP21 on the response to immunotherapy and chemotherapy in CRC was analyzed.

Results

The expression of USP21 was significantly upregulated in CRC. High USP21 is correlated with poor prognosis in CRC patients and facilitates the proliferation and migration capacities of CRC cells. GSVA indicated an association between low USP21 and immune activation. Moreover, low USP21 was linked to an immune-activated TME, characterized by high immune cell infiltration. Importantly, CRC with low USP21 exhibited higher tumor mutational burden, high PD-L1 expression, and better responsiveness to immunotherapy and chemotherapeutic drugs.

Conclusion

This study revealed the role of USP21 in TME, response to therapy, and clinical prognosis in CRC, which provided novel insights for the therapeutic application in CRC.
SIRPG expression positively associates with an inflamed tumor microenvironment and response to PD-1 blockade
Authors: Luo Libo , Jiang Minlin , Wu Hong , Liu Yiqiang , Wang Haowei , Zhou Caicun , Ren Shengxiang , Chen Xiaoxia , Jiang Tao , Xu Chuan
Published: June 2024

Background

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between signal regulatory protein gamma (SIRPG) and tumor immune microenvironment phenotypes or T cell mediated-adaptive antitumor immunity, and its predictive value for response to PD-1 blockade in cancers.

Methods

Pan-cancer analysis of SIRPG expression and immune deconvolution was performed using transcriptomic data across 33 tumor types. Transcriptomic and clinical data from 157 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma received PD-1 blockade were analyzed. Expression characteristics of SIRPG were investigated using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of 103,599 cells. The effect of SIRPG expression was evaluated via SIRPG knockdown or overexpression in Jurkat T cells.

Results

The results showed that most cancers with high SIRPG expression had significantly higher abundance of T cells, B cells, NK cells, M1 macrophages and cytotoxic lymphocytes and increased expression level of immunomodulatory factors regulating immune cell recruitment, antigen presentation, T cell activation and cytotoxicity, but markedly lower abundance of neutrophils, M2 macrophages, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells. High SIRPG expression was associated with favorable response to PD-1 blockade in both NSCLC and melanoma. scRNA-seq data suggested SIRPG was mainly expressed in CD8+ exhausted T and CD4+ regulatory T cells, and positively associated with immune checkpoint expression including PDCD1 and CTLA4. In vitro test showed SIRPG expression in T cells could facilitate expression of PDCD1 and CTLA4.

Conclusion

High SIRPG expression is associated with an inflamed immune phenotype in cancers and favorable response to PD-1 blockade, suggesting it would be a promising predictive biomarker for PD-1 blockade and novel immunotherapeutic target.
Combinational zimberelimab plus lenvatinib and chemotherapy for alpha-fetoprotein elevated, advanced gastric cancer patients (AFPGC): a phase 1 dose-escalation study
Authors: Deng Ting , Wang Feixue , Zhang Le , Ning Tao , Sun Yansha , Ge Shaohua , Bai Ming , Lu Yao , Li Hongli , Ba Yi
Published: June 2024

Background

Alpha-fetoprotein elevated gastric cancer (AFPGC) got growing interests for its aggressive nature and unfavorable prognosis. Here, a phase 1 dose escalation study was conducted to evaluate safety and efficacy of zimberelimab (GLS-010, anti-PD-1) plus lenvatinib and chemotherapy (XELOX) as the first-line treatment for AFPGC.

Methods

Histologically confirmed HER2-negative, advanced GC patients with elevated serum AFP level (≥ 20 ng/ml) were screened. Using a 3 + 3 dose escalation design, patients were administered varying doses of lenvatinib (12, 16, 20 mg) with GLS-010 and XELOX. The primary endpoints were safety and determination of recommended phase II dose (RP2D). Secondary endpoints included overall response rate (ORR), progression-free survival (PFS) and disease control rate.

Results

Nine patients were enrolled with no dose-limiting toxicities observed. Most frequent treatment-related AEs were fatigue (55.6%), hand-foot syndrome (55.6%) and rash (55.6%), and no grade ≥ 4 AEs were reported. All patients exhibited disease control with ORR reaching 33.3%. The median PFS and OS reached 7.67 months (95% CI 4.07–11.27) and 13.17 months (95% CI 2.78–23.56), respectively. Serum AFP level was found correlated with therapeutic responses. Further 16s rRNA sequencing analysis demonstrated altered gut microbiota with elevated abundance of Lachnospiraceae bacterium-GAM79 and Roseburia hominis A2-183.

Conclusions

GLS-010 plus lenvatinib and XELOX demonstrated a manageable safety profile with promising efficacy for AFPGC. With RP2D of lenvatinib determined as 16 mg, further expansion cohort is now ongoing. Translational investigation suggested that serum AFP can be indictive for therapeutic responses and certain microbiota species indicating favorable responses to immunotherapy was elevated after the combinational treatment.
Functional LSMO foams for magneto-caloric applications
Authors: Koblischka Michael R. , Koblischka-Veneva Anjela , Schmauch Jörg
Published: June 2024

The ferromagnetic La$$_{1-x}$$

1
-
x

Sr$$_{x}$$

x

MnO$$_3$$

3

(LSMO) manganites are ideal materials for magneto-caloric applications due to their high Curie temperature. Here, we prepare open-cell, porous LSMO foams starting from a commercial polyurethane (PU) foam and commercial LSMO powder with $$x = 0.3.$$

x
=
0.3
.

The cut PU foams are then covered by a slurry of LSMO powder mixed with PVA and water, and then, the foams are subjected to a heat-treatment with two steps at 600 $$^\circ$$

∘

C (burn-off organic material) and 1200 $$^\circ$$

∘

C (sintering/compacting). The resulting ceramic LSMO foams are then characterized by X-ray, SEM, electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) orientation mapping and magnetic measurements. The foam sample consists of randomly-oriented LSMO grains with an average grain size of 188 nm, being distinctly smaller than bulk samples of the same composition, but considerably larger than LSMO nanowires prepared by electrospinning. The magnetic data reveal a high Curie temperature like the bulk samples, and an entropy change, $$-\Delta S_{\text{M}}$$

-
Δ

S
M

slightly higher than that of the bulk samples, which points to a strong influence of the LSMO grain size. Thus, the resulting LSMO foam material is well suited for magneto-caloric applications at room temperature.
Shadow-aware image colorization
Authors: Duan Xin , Cao Yu , Zhang Renjie , Wang Xin , Li Ping
Published: June 2024

Significant advancements have been made in colorization in recent years, especially with the introduction of deep learning technology. However, challenges remain in accurately colorizing images under certain lighting conditions, such as shadow. Shadows often cause distortions and inaccuracies in object recognition and visual data interpretation, impacting the reliability and effectiveness of colorization techniques. These problems often lead to unsaturated colors in shadowed images and incorrect colorization of shadows as objects. Our research proposes the first shadow-aware image colorization method, addressing two key challenges that previous studies have overlooked: integrating shadow information with general semantic understanding and preserving saturated colors while accurately colorizing shadow areas. To tackle these challenges, we develop a dual-branch shadow-aware colorization network. Additionally, we introduce our shadow-aware block, an innovative mechanism that seamlessly integrates shadow-specific information into the colorization process, distinguishing between shadow and non-shadow areas. This research significantly improves the accuracy and realism of image colorization, particularly in shadow scenarios, thereby enhancing the practical application of colorization in real-world scenarios.
Use of coronary physiology to guide revascularization in clinical practice: results of the F(FR)2 registry
Authors: Altstidl J. Michael , Achenbach Stephan , Feyrer Johannes , Nazli J. Benedikt , Marwan Mohamed , Gaede Luise , Möllmann Helge , Giesler Tom , Rittger Harald , Pauschinger Matthias , Rudolph Tanja K. , Moshage Werner , Brück Martin , Tröbs Monique
Published: June 2024

Background

Despite the recommendation of coronary physiology to guide revascularization in angiographically intermediate stenoses without established correlation to ischemia, its uptake in clinical practice is slow.

Aims

This study aimed to analyze the use of coronary physiology in clinical practice.

Methods

Based on a multicenter registry (Fractional Flow Reserve Fax Registry, F(FR)2, ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT03055910), clinical use, consequences, and complications of coronary physiology were systematically analyzed.

Results

F(FR)2 enrolled 2,000 patients with 3,378 intracoronary pressure measurements. Most measurements (96.8%) were performed in angiographically intermediate stenoses. Out of 3,238 lesions in which coronary physiology was used to guide revascularization, revascularization was deferred in 2,643 (78.2%) cases.

Fractional flow reserve (FFR) was the most common pressure index used (87.6%), with hyperemia induced by an intracoronary bolus of adenosine in 2,556 lesions (86.4%) and intravenous adenosine used for 384 measurements (13.0%). The route of adenosine administration did not influence FFR results (change-in-estimate -3.1% for regression model predicting FFR from diameter stenosis). Agreement with the subsequent revascularization decision was 93.4% for intravenous and 95.0% for intracoronary adenosine (p = 0.261).

Coronary artery occlusion caused by the pressure wire was reported in two cases (0.1%) and dissection in three cases (0.2%), which was fatal once (0.1%).

Conclusions

In clinical practice, intracoronary pressure measurements are mostly used to guide revascularization decisions in angiographically intermediate stenoses. Intracoronary and intravenous administration of adenosine seem equally suited. While the rate of serious complications of wire-based intracoronary pressure measurements in clinical practice seems to be low, it is not negligible.

Graphical abstract