bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colonial Legacies and Labor Export
Authors: Moore Adam
Published: April 2023

This chapter describes the emergence of labor export as a development strategy by the Philippines starting in the 1970s and the concurrent development of labor flows between Gulf states and South and Southeast Asian countries. It analyzes the links between recruiting pathways, logistics subcontractors, and Filipino employment on U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. The chapter also discusses the United States' annexation of the Philippines following the Spanish–American War of 1898. During the subsequent colonial period, and in the decades following independence when the Philippines operated as a U.S. client state, Filipino labor was enrolled to facilitate a number of military and civilian projects. It concludes by explaining how the prevalence of Filipino labor in the Middle East, and the Philippines' unique historical relationship with the United States, shaped President Arroyo's decision to support the invasion in Iraq, with an eye to the economic and political benefits she anticipated would accrue.
BDMCA: a big data management system for Chinese auditing
Authors: Zhou Xiaoping , Ge Bin , Xia Zeyu , Xiao Weidong , Chen Zhiya
Published: April 2023

The advent of big data technologies makes a profound impact on various facets of our lives, which also presents an opportunity for Chinese audits. However, the heterogeneity of multi-source audit data, the intricacy of converting Chinese into SQL, and the inefficiency of data processing methods present significant obstacles to the growth of Chinese audits. In this article, we proposed BDMCA, a big data management system designed for Chinese audits. We developed a hybrid management architecture for handling Chinese audit big data, that can alleviate the heterogeneity of multi-mode data. Moreover, we defined an R-HBase spatio-temporal meta-structure for auditing purposes, which exhibits almost linear response time and excellent scalability. Compared to MD-HBase, R-HBase performs 4.5× and 3× better in range query and kNN query, respectively. In addition, we leveraged the slot value filling method to generate templates and build a multi-topic presentation learning model MRo-SQL. MRo-SQL outperforms the state-of-the-art X-SQL parsing model with improvements in logical-form accuracy of up to 5.2%, and execution accuracy of up to 5.9%.
Effect of the pectin contents and nanostructure on the stem straightness of two Paeonia lactiflora cultivars
Authors: Huang Yiran , Ren Anqi , Wan Yingling , Liu Yan
Published: April 2023

Herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall.) is an ancient ornamental crop and, in recent decades, an emerging popular cut flower. Straight stems are a vital criterion for cut herbaceous peony selection, while many cultivars bend as the plant develops. Pectin helps maintain the mechanical strength of the cell wall. However, little is known about its role in the stem bending of herbaceous peony. Two herbaceous peony cultivars with contrasting stem morphologies (‘Dong Fang Shao Nv’, upright; ‘Lan Tian Piao Xiang’, bending gradually) at five developmental stages were used as materials to investigate the effects of pectin content and nanostructure on straightness using the carbazole colorimetric method and atomic force microscopy observations. The contents of water-soluble pectin (WSP), CDTA-soluble pectin (CSP), and sodium carbonate-soluble pectin (SSP) differed significantly between the two cultivars, and the contents and angle of the flower and branch showed correlations. For the pectin nanostructure, WSP showed agglomerates and long chains, with a higher proportion of broad agglomerates at the later stages of the bending cultivar than the upright cultivar. CSP showed branched chains, and the proportion of broad chains was higher in the upright cultivar at later stages, while CSP shape changed from agglomerates to chains in the bending cultivar. SSP mainly consisted of short linear main chains, and side chains in the upright stem were stacked, and the bent cultivar had more broad and short chains. It can be concluded that the contents, nanometric shape, and size of the three kinds of pectin are highly likely to affect herbaceous peony stem straightness. This study provides a theoretical basis for the role of pectin in the production and breeding of herbaceous peony cut flowers.
SINOPSE DE OBRAS ACADÊMICAS SIGNIFICATIVAS EM INVESTIGAÇÃO MATEMÁTICA NA EDUCAÇÃO MATEMÁTICA
Authors: Wichnoski Paulo
Published: April 2023

Este trabalho[1] traz textos sinópticos de obras acadêmicas que se mostraram significativas no campo da Investigação Matemática na Educação Matemática, com as quais a pesquisa[2] de doutorado do autor se constituiu. A intenção é apresentar as características gerais de cada uma e indicar possíveis referências à outras pesquisas que venham a ser construídas com o mesmo tema. Como desfecho, as sinopses indicam que as obras acadêmicas significativas são majoritariamente de origem portuguesa, centralizadas em um grupo de pesquisadores e temporalmente publicadas entre os anos de 1995 e 2013. Preponderantemente são de caráter empírico e tecem considerações acerca do trabalho pedagógico e do desenvolvimento profissional do professor com a Investigação Matemática, abordando discussões epistemológicas de modo idiossincrásico.

[1] A primeira versão foi publicada no XIII Encontro Nacional de Educação Matemática, realizado em 2019 no Brasil. Esta é uma versão revisada e ampliada.

[2] Cf. Wichnoski (2021).
NANOCIÊNCIA E NANOTECNOLOGIA NO ENSINO MÉDIO: ABORDAGEM NO CONTEXTO DO ENSINO REMOTO
Authors: Pinto Elisângela Silva , Pedrosa Márcia Blandina Aparecida de Oliveira
Published: April 2023

A nanociência e a nanotecnologia estão cada vez mais presentes em avanços tecnológicos na atualidade e são pesquisados em várias áreas do conhecimento, como Biologia, Física, Química, Medicina e Engenharias. Porém, na maioria das vezes esses conteúdos não são trabalhados no Ensino Médio. O presente trabalho tem como foco produzir materiais sobre conteúdos de nanociência e nanotecnologia para introdução desses conceitos no Ensino Médio no contexto do ensino remoto. Foi preparada uma cartilha sobre conceitos e aplicações da nanociência e nanotecnologia, além de uma sequência didática com entrevistas, vídeos, jogos e simulações. O material produzido e selecionado foi trabalhado com turmas de 1º ano do ensino médio integrado ao técnico de uma escola pública federal. Observou-se que as atividades propostas para o ensino de nanociência e nanotecnologia no ensino médio contribuíram para a introdução de novos conceitos de forma significativa e instigaram a curiosidade e interesse de muitos estudantes.
Farmers’ Perceptions of Climate Change and Adaptation to Poverty Diseases along River Niger in Edo and Kogi States, Nigeria
Authors: Ekemhonye S. , Nmadu J. N. , Coker A. A. A. , Ndanitsa M. A.
Published: April 2023

Climate variability has the potential to worsen existing vulnerabilities such as Malaria, HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis. This study examined the farmers’ perception of climate change and adaptation to poverty diseases along river Niger. Primary data were collected through questionnaires from 358 respondents in Edo and Kogi States, who were selected using multistage sampling techniques. Descriptive statistics and the threshold concept for discrete variables, were used as analytical tools. Results of the analyses revealed that the use of mosquito nets had the highest adaptation measure to poverty diseases, with a Likert scale mean score of 4.53, while land preparation pattern was the most used adaptive strategy to climate change. The study recommends that to reduce the effect of poverty disease, there is a need for policy makers to engage communities when making decisions relating to their health.
Research on the Reasons for Incomplete Learning of Mathematics Textbooks by Undergraduate Mathematics Students
Authors: Li Lin-Mei , Yang Zezhong
Published: April 2023

Recently, the China government has increasingly attached importance to the development of basic science. As the reserve talents to promote the development of mathematics, undergraduates majoring in mathematics have received the attention of researchers for their mathematics learning. However, in practice, their learning of mathematics textbooks is not comprehensive. Through interviews, coding methods, and quantitative analysis methods, the main reasons are investigated and analyzed in this paper. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The content of the textbook and the exercises at the end of the lessons are too difficult and beyond students' ability. (2) Teachers have lazy behaviors and ask too little of their students. (3) Students themselves are lazy and take exams very seriously, lacking motivation and initiative to learn. To change this situation, the mathematics textbook can be improved to explain profound theories in simple language. Teachers can also tighten the requirements for their students. In addition, mathematics majors should also improve their requirements for themselves, overcome inertia, and reasonable scheduling, and pay more attention to the use and study of mathematics textbooks.
Mathematical Model Desublimation Conditions
Authors: Jafarov M. A. , Yevdokymenko V. O. , Kamenskyh D. S. , Rustamov K. A. , Jafarov Z. A.
Published: April 2023

The developed and software-implemented simplified three-dimensional mathematical model of the unsteady-state process of HFS desublimation is described. The study of regularities in the HFS desublimation process is performed by numerical modeling.
Allergy to Argan Oil Confirmed by Oral Challenge Test in Children: Case Report
Authors: Aminou Sara , Mahraoui Chafiq
Published: April 2023

Aims: The prevalence of allergy to Argan oil is increasing over the years. It manifests itself in an extremely polymorphous way and responds to all possible routes of exposure: ingestion, contact or inhalation. The provocation test remains the key examination to confirm an allergy to Argan oil.

Presentation of Case: We report the observation of a six-year-old girl presenting with immediate urticaria after ingestion of argan oil.

Discussion: The allergological investigation points to sensitisation of the skin only, with positive prick tests. An oral provocation test was performed and published for the first time to confirm the diagnosis of allergy to argan oil in our patient.

Conclusion: Argan is widely used for its benefits in the cosmetic industry and as a food ingredient. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms of sensitisation to Argan oil.
Evaluation of Mbeya Based Organic Fertilizer on Maize Yield and Yield Components in Malawi
Authors: Mwafulirwa Samuel
Published: April 2023

The recent boom in organic business in the name of Mbeya manure fertilizer has taken shape in commercialisation without government approval as several implications were at stake. Laboratory and field experiments were, therefore, conducted to ascertain the quality of the products with and without modifications. The original products, as proclaimed by suppliers, were evaluated against the control treatment of inorganic fertilizer and the modified products by the inclusion of specific microorganisms in solubilisation of fixed nutrients and oxidation of ammonia and nitrite. Field layout followed a Completely Randomized Block Design with three replications and 5 treatments viz Modified Funani Mbeya fertilizer, Modified Kambeu Mbeya fertilizer, Original Funani Mbeya fertilizer, Original Kambeu Mbeya fertilizer and the recommended inorganic fertilizer for Maize. Besides assessing the grain yield, biomass and nutrient bioavailability, the effect of the organic fertiliser on biostimulation was also studied in the rhizospheric soil. Results showed that there were no significant differences in grain yield and its components between Mbeya based organic fertilisers and inorganic fertilisers. However, maize yield and some parameters (environmental and nutrient content) were higher in modified organic fertiliser.
Bacteriological Assessment of Smoked-Dried White Shrimp (Nematopalaemon hastatus Aurivillius, 1898) Sold in Calabar, Nigeria
Authors: Ebob Tarh, Jacqueline , Emmanuel Effiong Bassey, , Maurice Mbah, , Solomon Ekpiken, Ekpiken , Akpak Upula, Sylvanus
Published: April 2023

Aim: Enumeration of bacterial counts is an important index of assessing the safety and quality of food products. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of pathogenic bacteria in white shrimp samples obtained from major markets serving consumers in Calabar.

Study Design: This study was a cross sectional study conducted between April 2017 and April 2018.

Methodology: One hundred and twenty (120) samples of smoked dried Nematopalaemon hastatus (white shrimp) were analyzed for the presence of bacterial pathogens. Bacterial loads and identification of isolated organisms was determined using standard microbiological methods.

Results: The results showed that 66.7% of the analyzed shrimps had aerobic bacterial counts exceeding the upper permissible limit (<1.0x106Cfu/g) and 56.7% had unsatisfactory (˃20Cfu/g) Vibrio counts. The study revealed the presence of different bacteria genera namely Klebsiella, Salmonella, Pseudomonas, Serratia, Vibrio, Citrobacter, Proteus, Aeromonas, Streptococcus, Escherichia, Coagulase-negative Staphylococci (CoNS), Enterobacter and Bacillus. Predominant organism was Salmonella spp (26.7%), followed by Vibrio spp (21.7%) while the least isolated organisms were Bacillus spp and Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (1.7%) each. The occurrence of high counts of pathogens in seafood may cause food poisoning; especially in individuals who consume this seafood raw, or lightly or insufficiently cooked.

Conclusion: Hence, seafood should be processed and packaged under standard hygienic conditions to reduce the risk of microbial contamination. In addition, public health awareness campaign targeted at consumers and vendors should be optimized with frequent monitoring by regulatory agencies.
Rainfall Trends of Bhadradri District in the Past Three Decade
Authors: Sabbineni Vindya , R. Srinivasarao , V. Lakshmi Narayanamma , R. Umareddy , G. Sreenivas
Published: April 2023

Bhadradri district of the central Telangana zone is monsoon dependent as like our country in the past three decades many changes and shifts in the rainfall was experienced by the district farming community. Hence, the rainfall data of the past three decades (1991-2020) was analyzed by using non parametric statistical tests i.e Mann-Kendall (MK) test and Sen’s slope estimator for determining the trend and magnitude. The Results of the study revealed that Z test value for annual rainfall was significantly increased with Positive linear trend of Sen’s slope estimator with +12.79 mm increase per year. Among the seasons Southwest monsoon period reported significantly positive trend with Z value of 2.07 and Sen’s slope estimator was +9.227 mm per season. Highest rainfall variability (116.3%) was found in the winter season with negative Z value (-1.559) and decreasing Sen’s estimate of -0.397 mm per season was reported. Mann Kendall test values for monthly rainfall reported that significant increase in the march month with Z value of 2.030 and Sen’s slope estimator was highest during the month of August +3.988 mm per month.
Influence of Nitrogen and Weed Management Practices on Yield and Economics of Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)
Authors: Priyadarshini Samprikta , Singh Rajesh
Published: April 2023

In Kharif 2022, a research study was conducted at Crop Research Farm, SHUATS, Prayagraj to investigate the “Influence of nitrogen and weed management practices on yield and economics of Blackgram (Vigna mungo L.)”. The study included three levels of nitrogen (15, 30, and 45 kg/ha) and three weed management practices (hand weeding twice at 20 and 40 DAS, Pendimethalin pre-emergence at 5 DAS, and Imazethapyr post-emergence at 25 DAS). The experiment was designed using a randomized block design with 10 treatments, each replicated thrice. The results indicated that the higher pods/plant (32.13), seeds/pod (8.20), grain yield (1223.33 kg/ha), stover yield (2472.67 kg/ha), lower weed population/m2 (4.06), gross returns (83109.00), net returns (55489.05), and benefit-cost ratio (2.01) were observed in treatment 9, which involved the application of 45 kg/ha nitrogen and 75 g/ha Imazethapyr post-emergence.
Transition Decision of Hybrid Entrepreneurship in the Post-pandemic Period: Understanding the New Normal Factors in Developing Context
Authors: Sachitra Vilani , Jaward Fathima Sajda
Published: April 2023

Purpose: The uncertainties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic have inspired new business ventures. The best approach to overcome the obstacles in pandemic is hybrid entrepreneurship, which is defined as "holding the current job while creating a new business”. The study aims to discover the new normal characteristics that influence the engagement in hybrid entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka.

Methods: Schlossberg’s transition theory was adopted as the theoretical framework. Four transition elements; Situation, Self, Support, and Strategies used as the new normal factors. Snowball sampling method was used to select the participants who have both full-time employment and their own businesses during post-pandemic period. Data were gathered from 119 individuals using a standardized questionnaire. Hypotheses were tested using multiple regression analysis.

Findings: The majority of the respondents have their own small enterprises. The element ‘strategies’ is the most significant influencing factor on participation in hybrid entrepreneurship, followed by ‘self’. Support and situation elements have the least impact on hybrid entrepreneurship.

Research Implication: The policy implications of better understanding this transition could result in support systems aimed at better fostering hybrid entrepreneurship, given that ventures established by hybrid entrepreneurs are typically robust with strong chances of survival.  Establishing support structures for hybrid entrepreneurs to assist with the growth of their ventures could be greatly beneficial for both employment and economic growth.

Originality: Grounded in Schlossberg’s transition theory, the study offers insight into the specific factors that could influence the transition decision of hybrid entrepreneurship.
Reflection-in-Action Practices of Pre-service Language Teachers in a Trilateral Virtual Exchange Setting
Authors: EKİN Semih , BALAMAN Ufuk
Published: April 2023

Virtual Exchange projects in initial teacher education provide various professional development opportunities for the pre-service teachers. This study explores the reflection-in-action practices of the pre-service teachers in transnational teams while creating collaborative lesson plans in a trilateral Virtual Exchange project. By exclusively focusing on the screen-recordings of the video-mediated interactions of the pre-service teachers using multimodal Conversation Analysis as the research methodology, we display how the pre-service teachers engage in reflection-in-action over a pedagogical tool (i.e., Moodle) provided in the Virtual Exchange Project. We then show how they also use the interactional space afforded by reflection-in-action as a source for proposing a pedagogical design idea for their own collaborative lesson plans in situ. In doing so, the pre-service teachers benefit from the reflective environment provided by the Virtual Exchange to reach collaborative pedagogical decisions as a surface manifestation of their professional development and experiential teacher learning opportunities in-and-through video-mediated interactions.
Máscara com filtro de celulose – uma alternativa para o uso popular em cenário pandêmico / Mask with cellulose filter – an alternative to popular use in a pandemic scenario
Authors: Vital Barroso Thiago
Published: April 2023

Objetivo: evidenciar o seguinte tema - máscara com filtro de celulose – uma alternativa para o uso popular em cenário pandêmico. Metodologia: este estudo do tipo bibliográfico, de natureza dialética, com procedimento reflexivo sistemático, o qual objetivou tendo como análise 4 estudos de período de até 3 anos. Resultados: evidenciou-se as principais formas do material que confecciona-se máscaras de tecido, popularmente conhecida e comercializada – torna-se uma preocupação para a população que comercializa e utiliza para uma barreira física contra patógenos. Conclusão: sabe-se que o cenário COVID-19, é de alta virulência, onde, dados da Our World In Data, o cenário pandêmico acometeu mais de 636 milhões de pessoas, levando a morte 6,61 milhões.
A Policy Framework for the Growing Influence of Private Equity in Health Care Delivery
Authors: Cai Christopher , Song Zirui
Published: April 2023

This Viewpoint details how and why improved oversight of private equity acquisition of physician practices and hospitals is needed to mitigate the effects on health care costs, clinicians’ jobs, and patients’ access to care.
How Trusted Local Entry Points Are Key to Improving Community Health
Authors: Butler Stuart M.
Published: April 2023

This JAMA Forum discusses collaboration between health systems and social service organizations for improving individual and community health, and provides 3 examples of trusted entry points for collaboration in addition to ideas for creating and expanding local entry points.
Assessment of Psilocybin Therapy for Patients With Cancer and Major Depression Disorder
Authors: Agrawal Manish , Emanuel Ezekiel , Richards Brian , Richards William , Roddy Kim , Thambi Paul
Published: April 2023

This nonrandomized controlled trial used a 1-to-1 therapist-to-patient ratio to administer psilocybin to groups of patients with cancer who were diagnosed with major depression disorder to create a scalable, rapidly effective depression treatment.
Lipid rafts and human diseases: why we need to target gangliosides
Authors: Fantini Jacques
Published: April 2023

Gangliosides are functional components of membrane lipid rafts that control critical functions in cell communication. Many pathologies involve raft gangliosides, which therefore represent an approach of choice for developing innovative therapeutic strategies. Beginning with a discussion of what a disease is (and is not), this review lists the major human pathologies that involve gangliosides, which includes cancer, diabetes, and infectious and neurodegenerative diseases. In most cases, the problem is due to a protein whose binding to gangliosides either creates a pathological condition or impairs a physiological function. Then, I draw up an inventory of the different molecular mechanisms of protein‐ganglioside interactions. I propose to classify the ganglioside‐binding domains of proteins into four categories, which I name GBD‐1, GBD‐2, GBD‐3, and GBD‐4. This structural and functional classification could help to rationalize the design of innovative molecules capable of disrupting the binding of selected proteins to gangliosides without generating undesirable effects. The biochemical specificities of gangliosides expressed in the human brain must also be taken into account to improve the reliability of animal models (or any animal‐free alternative) of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.
Measurements of fetal dose with Mevion S250i proton therapy system with HYPERSCAN
Authors: Hopfensperger Karolyn M. , Li Xing , Paxton Adam , Sarkar Vikren , Su Fan‐Chi Frances , Price Ryan G. , Salter Bill , St. James Sara
Published: April 2023

Purpose

To characterize potential dose to the fetus for all modes of delivery (dynamic adaptive aperture, static adaptive aperture, and no adaptive aperture) for the Mevion S250i Proton Therapy System with HYPERSCAN and compare the findings with those of other available proton systems.

Materials and Methods

Fetal dose measurements were performed for all three modes of dose delivery on the Mevion S250i Proton therapy system with HYPERSCAN (static aperture, dynamic aperture and uncollimated). Standard treatment plans were created in RayStation for a left‐sided brain lesion treated with a vertex field, a left lateral field, and a posterior field. Measurements were performed using WENDI and the RANDO with the detector placed at representative locations to mimic the growth and movement of the fetus at different gestational stages.

Results

The fetal dose measurements varied with fetus position and the largest measured dose was 64.7 μSv per 2 Gy (RBE) fraction using the dynamic aperture. The smallest estimated fetal dose was 45.0 μSv per 2 Gy (RBE) at the base of the RANDO abdomen (47 cm from isocenter to the outer width of WENDI and 58.5 cm from the center of the WENDI detector) for the static aperture delivery. The vertex fields at all depths had larger contributions to the total dose than the other two and the dynamic aperture plans resulted in the highest dose measured for all depths.

Conclusion

The reported doses are lower than reported doses using a double‐scattering system. This work suggests that avoiding vertex fields and using the static aperture will help minimize dose to the fetus.
Reliability Improvement and Effective Switching Layer Model of Thin‐Film MoS2 Memristors
Authors: Huang Yifu , Gu Yuqian , Mohan Sivasakthya , Dolocan Andrei , Ignacio Nicholas D. , Kutagulla Shanmukh , Matthews Kevin , Londoño‐Calderon Alejandra , Chang Yao‐Feng , Chen Ying‐Chen , Warner Jamie H. , Pettes Michael T. , Lee Jack C. , Akinwande Deji
Published: April 2023

2D memristors have demonstrated attractive resistive switching characteristics recently but also suffer from the reliability issue, which limits practical applications. Previous efforts on 2D memristors have primarily focused on exploring new material systems, while damage from the metallization step remains a practical concern for the reliability of 2D memristors. Here, the impact of metallization conditions and the thickness of MoS2 films on the reliability and other device metrics of MoS2‐based memristors is carefully studied. The statistical electrical measurements show that the reliability can be improved to 92% for yield and improved by ≈16× for average DC cycling endurance in the devices by reducing the top electrode (TE) deposition rate and increasing the thickness of MoS2 films. Intriguing convergence of switching voltages and resistance ratio is revealed by the statistical analysis of experimental switching cycles. An “effective switching layer” model compatible with both monolayer and few‐layer MoS2, is proposed to understand the reliability improvement related to the optimization of fabrication configuration and the convergence of switching metrics. The Monte Carlo simulations help illustrate the underlying physics of endurance failure associated with cluster formation and provide additional insight into endurance improvement with device fabrication optimization.
Nematic Fibrin Fibers Enabling Vascularized Thrombus Implants Facilitate Scarless Cutaneous Wound Healing
Authors: Jung Su Hyun , Jang Bong Hwan , Kwon Seyong , Park Sung Jin , Park Tae‐Eun , Kang Joo H.
Published: April 2023

Autologous implantable scaffolds that induce vasculogenesis have shown great potential in tissue regeneration; however, previous attempts mainly relied on cell‐laden hydrogel patches using fat tissues or platelet‐rich plasma, which are insufficient for generating a uniform vasculature in a scalable manner. Here, implantable vascularized engineered thrombi (IVETs) are presented using autologous whole blood, which potentiate effective skin wound healing by constructing robust microcapillary vessel networks at the wound site. Microfluidic shear stresses enable the alignment of bundled fibrin fibers along the direction of the blood flow streamlines and the activation of platelets, both of which offer moderate stiffness of the microenvironment optimal for facilitating endothelial cell maturation and vascularization. Rodent dorsal skin wounds patched with IVET present superior wound closure rates (96.08 ± 1.58%), epidermis thickness, collagen deposition, hair follicle numbers, and neutrophil infiltration, which are permitted by enhanced microvascular circulation. Moreover, IVET treatment accelerates wound healing by recruiting M2 phenotype macrophages.
Distinct Contact Guidance Mechanisms in Single Endothelial Cells and in Monolayers
Authors: Leclech Claire , Krishnamurthy Apoorvaa , Muller Laurent , Barakat Abdul I.
Published: April 2023

In many tissues, cell shape and orientation are controlled by a combination of internal and external biophysical cues. Anisotropic substrate topography is a ubiquitous cue that leads to cellular elongation and alignment, a process termed contact guidance whose underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Additionally, whether contact guidance responses are similar in single cells and in cellular monolayers is unknown. Here, these questions in vascular endothelial cells (ECs) that in vivo form a monolayer that lines blood vessels are addressed. Culturing single ECs on microgrooved substrates that constitute an idealized mimic of anisotropic basement membrane (BM) topography elicits a strong, groove depth‐dependent contact guidance response. This response is principally driven by persistence bias of cell protrusions in the direction of the grooves and is surprisingly insensitive to actin stress fiber disruption. Interestingly, the contact guidance response is greatly attenuated in confluent monolayers, and cell shape and alignment in that case are driven by the organization of the BM secreted by the cells, which leads to a loss of cellular interaction with the microgrooves. The present finding of distinct contact guidance mechanisms in single ECs and in EC monolayers promises to inform strategies aimed at designing topographically patterned endovascular devices.
Noninvasive Imaging Through Scattering Media with Enlarged FOV Using PSF Estimations and Correlations
Authors: Zhang Teng , Wang Xudong , Zhao Wenjing , Zhai AiPing , Dang Cuong , Wang Dong
Published: April 2023

Noninvasive imaging through scattering media using memory effect (ME) normally suffers from the failure of imaging when the object is beyond the ME region, limiting its field of view (FOV). Herein, a method to enlarge the FOV is proposed by utilizing point‐spread‐function (PSF) estimations and correlations. For the first time, to the best of the knowledge, it is successfully demonstrated that a whole object or multiple objects with the right relative positions and orientations, although they are beyond the ME region, can be noninvasively well reconstructed using the proposed method, which suggests that it can realize noninvasive imaging through scattering media with enlarged FOV. Further, it is experimentally verified that the method can promote one of the previous works, making it capable of noninvasive super‐resolution imaging through scattering media beyond the ME region. The technique paves the way to noninvasively visualize objects behind scattering media beyond the ME region with enlarged FOV and unprecedented clarity.
Chemo‐ and Diastereoselective Synthesis of Polyheterocycles by Rhodium(III)‐Catalyzed sp2/sp3 C−H Activation of 2‐Arylquinazolin‐4(3H)‐ones with 3‐Methylmaleimides
Authors: Devkota Shreedhar , Akhtar Muhammad Saeed , Lee Yong Rok
Published: April 2023

Rhodium(III)‐catalyzed sp2/sp3 C−H activation/annulation of 2‐arylquinazolin‐4(3H)‐ones with 3‐methylmaleimides is explored. This protocol provides diversely functionalized isoindoloquinazolinones in good yields upon reaction with various maleimides. This Rh(III)‐catalyzed protocol can be applied for the chemo‐ and diastereoselective synthesis of various polyheterocycles.

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Biocatalytic Transamination of Aldolase‐Derived 3‐Hydroxy Ketones
Authors: Pickl Mathias , Ebner Markus , Gittings Samantha , Clapés Pere , Kroutil Wolfgang
Published: April 2023

Although optical pure amino alcohols are in high demand due to their widespread applicability, they still remain challenging to synthesize, since commonly elaborated protection strategies are required. Here, a multi‐enzymatic methodology is presented that circumvents this obstacle furnishing enantioenriched 1,3‐amino alcohols out of commodity chemicals. A Type I aldolase forged the carbon backbone with an enantioenriched aldol motif, which was subsequently subjected to enzymatic transamination. A panel of 194 TAs was tested on diverse nine aldol products prepared through different nucleophiles and electrophiles. Due to the availability of (R)‐ and (S)‐selective TAs, both diastereomers of the 1,3‐amino alcohol motif were accessible. A two‐step process enabled the synthesis of the desired amino alcohols with up to three chiral centers with de up to >97 in the final products.

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Associations of minor histocompatibility antigens with outcomes following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation
Authors: Jadi Othmane , Tang Hancong , Olsen Kelly , Vensko Steven , Zhu Qianqian , Wang Yiwen , Haiman Christopher A. , Pooler Loreall , Sheng Xin , Brock Guy , Webb Amy , Pasquini Marcelo C. , McCarthy Philip L. , Spellman Stephen R. , Hahn Theresa , Vincent Benjamin , Armistead Paul , Sucheston‐Campbell Lara E.
Published: April 2023

The role of minor histocompatibility antigens (mHAs) in mediating graft versus leukemia and graft versus host disease (GvHD) following allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) is recognized but not well‐characterized. By implementing improved methods for mHA prediction in two large patient cohorts, this study aimed to comprehensively explore the role of mHAs in alloHCT by analyzing whether (1) the number of predicted mHAs, or (2) individual mHAs are associated with clinical outcomes. The study population consisted of 2249 donor–recipient pairs treated for acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome with alloHCT. A Cox proportional hazard model showed that patients with a class I mHA count greater than the population median had an increased hazard of GvHD mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01, 1.77, p = .046). Competing risk analyses identified the class I mHAs DLRCKYISL (GSTP), WEHGPTSLL (CRISPLD2), and STSPTTNVL (SERPINF2) were associated with increased GVHD mortality (HR = 2.84, 95% CI = 1.52, 5.31, p = .01), decreased leukemia‐free survival (LFS) (HR = 1.94, 95% CI = 1.27, 2.95, p = .044), and increased disease‐related mortality (DRM) (HR = 2.32, 95% CI = 1.5, 3.6, p = .008), respectively. One class II mHA YQEIAAIPSAGRERQ (TACC2) was associated with increased risk of treatment‐related mortality (TRM) (HR = 3.05, 95% CI = 1.75, 5.31, p = .02). WEHGPTSLL and STSPTTNVL were both present within HLA haplotype B*40:01‐C*03:04 and showed a positive dose–response relationship with increased all‐cause mortality and DRM and decreased LFS, indicating these two mHAs contribute to the risk of mortality in an additive manner. Our study reports the first large‐scale investigation of the associations of predicted mHA peptides with clinical outcomes following alloHCT.
Novel NALCN variant linked to temporal lobe epilepsy
Authors: Nguyen Emmanuelle , Tétreault Martine , Toffa Dènahin Hinnoutondji , Cossette Patrick , Samarut Éric , Nguyen Dang Khoa
Published: April 2023

The sodium leak channel (NALCN) gene encodes a sodium leak channel that plays an important role in the regulation of the resting membrane potential and the control of neuronal excitability. Mutations in the NALCN gene have been reported in patients with infantile hypotonia with psychomotor retardation and characteristic facies (IHPRF) and congenital contractures of the limbs and face with hypotonia and developmental delay (CLIFAHDD syndrome). We describe the case of a father with drug‐resistant left temporo‐orbitofrontal epilepsy and his son with mildly‐symptomatic temporal epilepsy (only recurrent déjà vu auras) whose genetic panels identified a likely pathogenic deletion of exon 27 on the NALCN gene. Our study helps broaden the clinical spectrum of diseases associated with mutations in the NALCN gene.
Zinc‐Mediated Diastereoselective Annulation of Cyclopropanols with Alkylidenemalononitriles via Enolized Homoenolate
Authors: Tsukiji Kento , Hayakawa Takeru , Kanemoto Kazuya , Yoshikai Naohiko
Published: April 2023

A zinc‐mediated annulation reaction between cyclopropanols and alkylidenemalononitriles is reported. The reaction is promoted in the presence of Et2Zn and 1,4‐diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) in DMSO at 80 °C, affording cyclopropane‐fused 6‐amino‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐pyran‐5‐carbonitrile derivatives in moderate to good yields with high diastereoselectivity. The reaction is proposed to involve an enolized homoenolate as the key reactive intermediate, which is generated through ring opening of zinc cyclopropoxide and enolization of the resulting zinc homoenolate. The enolate moiety of this reactive species undergoes Michael addition to the alkylidenemalononitrile, which is followed by ring closure of the resulting α‐functionalized homoenolate and intramolecular cyclization between the cyclopropoxide and one of the cyano groups.
Radical Conjugate Addition of Acylsilane Enabled by Synergistic Photoredox and Lewis Acid Catalysis
Authors: Guo Ning , Luo Yao , Feng Lili , Liu Zhili , Cao Weidi , Feng Xiaoming
Published: April 2023

A visible‐light‐induced acyl radical conjugate addition to electron‐deficient alkenes with acylsilane was realized by merging photoredox and Lewis acid catalysis under mild reaction conditions. Various tri‐ and tetra‐substituted furans were obtained with good yield (up to 97%) from α,β‐unsaturated ketones. Based on the experimental results and spectral analysis, a possible catalytic cycle involving 1,4‐conjugate addition/ring‐closure/arylation sequence was proposed. Beyond that, 1,6‐acyl radical conjugate addition topara‐quinone methides was also accomplished to deliver a series of α‐aryl ketones by using this synergistic catalysis protocol.
Insight into the Molecular Mechanism for Enhanced Longevity of Supramolecular Vesicular Photocatalysts
Authors: Liu Yannan , Zheng Fulu , Dai Haojie , Chen Chuanshuang , Chen Yajing , Wu Haolin , Yu Chunyang , Mai Yiyong , Frauenheim Thomas , Zhou Yongfeng
Published: April 2023

Supramolecular self‐assembly is a promising strategy for stabilizing the photo‐sensitive components in photocatalysis. However, the underlying correlation between the enhanced photostability and supramolecular structure at the molecular level has not yet been fully understood. Herein, we develop a biomimetic vesicular membrane‐based polyporphyrin photocatalyst exhibiting excellent photocatalytic stability with at least activity time of 240 h in hydrogen generation. Time‐domain ab initio modelling together with transient absorption spectroscopy, visual frontier orbitals and Gibbs free energy calculation disclose that the ordered aggregation of porphyrin units in the vesicle membrane facilitates “hot” electron relaxation and the rapid dissipation of photo‐generated charges, thereby contributing to the longevity. This work deepens the molecular‐level understanding on photostability and photocatalytic mechanism of supramolecular photocatalysts.
Synthesis of novel fluorescent sensor based on a modified amino Al‐MOF for rapid, sensitive, and selective detection of arsenic in aqueous solution
Authors: El‐Bindary Mohamed A. , Shahat Ahmed , El‐Deen Ibrahim M. , El‐Afify Maher A. M. , Hassan Nader
Published: April 2023

In this study, a novel fluorescent sensor was created on the basis of the Schiff base reaction, where the covalent attachment was achieved by condensation of NH2‐Al‐MOF and 2‐hydroxyacetophenone ligand. The condensation was verified by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), X‐ray diffraction spectrometry (XRD), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), in addition to (XPS) analysis. Studied fluorescence characteristics in optimum conditions and the results were great, especially the low limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ). By examining the impact of some interfering ions, the selectivity of the 2HA = N‐MIL‐53(Al) sensor was determined. The novel sensor was used to measure the presence of As3+ ions in a real water sample. All the data that were examined suggested that the 2HA = N‐MIL‐53(Al) sensor offered excellent detection efficiency while being selective, sensitive, quick, direct, and effective in sensing and detecting As3+ ions in an aqueous solution.
The advances development of proton exchange membrane with high proton conductivity and balanced stability in fuel cells
Authors: Wei Peng , Sui Yang , Meng Xiaoyu , Zhou Qiong
Published: April 2023

In the proton exchange membrane fuel cell, proton exchange membrane (PEM) serves as both the main conductor of protons and the fuel‐blocking membrane. Thus, high proton conductivity and excellent stability are expected for PEMs at the same time. According to chemical structure, this review divides PEM into three groups. Recently, high‐performance PEM has been made possible by controlling chemical structure, organic–inorganic hybrid composite membranes, and nanofiber composite membranes. One of them, nanofiber composite membranes, is distinguished by long‐range order and is capable of achieving both strong proton conductivity with exceptional stability. The high‐performance PEM has been accomplished by the presence of an acid‐rich layer, acid–base interaction, and proton transport channel in PEMs are also summarized in this paper. We believe that our discussion will help the researcher create high‐performance PEM and pave the way for further developments in the field of energy materials as a whole.
Research on metallic contamination control of PFA injection molded fittings
Authors: Li Xuemei , Liu Fan , Xie Jun , Zhang Chengqian , Gao Ruoxiang , Lyu Chenxin , Zhao Peng
Published: April 2023

In chip manufacturing, ultraclean environment is essential during wet processes such as etching, cleaning, and other stages. The fittings used in the process require corrosion resistance, which are made of perfluoroalkoxy alkanes (PFA) by injection molding. Metallic contamination is one of the major impurities for ultraclean products. This study devotes to decreasing the metallic impurities of the parts and improving the wet processes environment. First, the preliminary experiment explored impurities distribution of the injection molds. By comparing the metallic contamination of the different molds' parts, it is shown that the impurities are evenly distributed. Subsequently, the influence of process parameters, including melt temperature, injection rate, screw speed, and holding pressure, on metallic contamination was investigated through the orthogonal experiment. The results indicate that the injection rate has the greatest impact on metallic contamination, followed by melt temperature. With process optimization, the smallest metallic contamination of 1.077 μg/m2 for pipe joints made of PFA can be achieved, which decreases by 56.3% compared with former results. This research indicates that adjusting parameters is a feasible and effective method to reduce the contamination during injection molding of ultraclean products, which provides another idea for improving the cleanliness of the environment in chip manufacturing.
Synthesis of Thiazole‐Chalcone Hybrid Molecules: Antioxidant, Alpha(α)‐Amylase Inhibition and Docking Studies
Authors: Iqbal Hafsa , Akhtar Tashfeen , Haroon Muhammad , Aktaş Aydın , Tahir Ehsaan , Ehsan Muhammad
Published: April 2023

The molecular hybrid approach is very significant to combat various drug‐resistant disorders. A simple, convenient, and cost‐effective synthesis of thiazole‐based chalcones is accomplished, using a molecular hybrid approach, in two steps. The compound 1‐(2‐phenylthiazol‐4‐yl)ethanone (3) was used as the main intermediate for the synthesis of 3‐(arylidene)‐1‐(2‐phenylthiazol‐4‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐ones (4a–f). Thin layer chromatography was used to testify the formation and purity of all synthesized compounds. Further structural confirmation of all compounds was achievedviadifferent spectroscopic techniques (UV, FT‐IR,1H‐ and13C‐NMR) and elemental analysis. All synthesized compounds were tested for their α‐amylase inhibition and antioxidant potential. The cytotoxic property of compounds was also tested within vitrohaemolytic assay. All tested compounds showed moderate to excellent α‐amylase inhibition and antioxidant activity. All tested compounds are found safe to use due to their less toxicity when compared to the standard Triton X. The molecular docking simulation study of all synthesized compounds was also conducted to examine the best binding interactions with human pancreatic α‐amylase (pdb: 4 W93) using AutodockVina. The molecular docking results authenticated thein vitroamylase inhibition results, i.e., 3‐(3‐Methoxyphenyl)‐1‐(2‐phenylthiazol‐4‐yl)prop‐2‐en‐1‐one (4e) exhibited lowest IC50value 54.09±0.11  μM with a binding energy of −7.898 kcal/mol.
Reflections on the Origin and Early Evolution of the Genetic Code
Authors: Fontecilla‐Camps Juan C.
Published: April 2023

Examination of the genetic code (GeCo) reveals that amino acids coded by (A/U) codons display a large functional spectrum and bind RNA whereas, except for Arg, those coded by (G/C) codons do not. From a stereochemical viewpoint, the clear preference for (A/U)‐rich codons to be located at the GeCo half blocks suggests they were specifically determined. Conversely, the overall lower affinity of cognate amino acids for their (G/C)‐rich anticodons points to their late arrival to the GeCo. It is proposed that i) initially the code was composed of the eight (A/U) codons; ii) these codons were duplicated when G/C nucleotides were added to their wobble positions, and three new codons with G/C in their first position were incorporated; and iii) a combination of A/U and G/C nucleotides progressively generated the remaining codons.
Does frailty should stop us now?
Authors: Musumeci Giuseppe , Civera Stefania
Published: April 2023

Key Points

Despite being increasingly encountered in contemporary real‐world practice, due to a global aging of population, frail patients tend to be excluded from large clinical trials, so the impact of frailty on clinical outcomes is often underestimated.

Frailty described by the Hospital Frailty Risk Score is associated with high readmission rate, increased healthcare source utilization and lower percutaneous coronary intervention treatment.

Further studies are needed to understand if hospital frailty score could provide a prediction model for adverse outcomes, risk‐benefit assessments of interventions, allowing for goal‐oriented care of patients with STEMI.
Adverse effects of high‐dose gamma irradiation on wheat quality and processing traits
Authors: Rigas Nicholas , Maharjan Pankaj , Partington Debra , McDonald Linda , Walker Cassandra , Bekes Ferenc , Florides Christakis , Panozzo Joe
Published: April 2023

Background and Objectives

Gamma irradiation treatments are an effective option for sterilizing microbes and pests that damage wheat, however irradiation can alter the physical and nutritional properties of foods. In this study seven Australian wheat varieties were subjected to 0, 25, and 50 kGy treatments to examine the influence of high‐dose irradiation on a range of wheat quality traits such as physical processing, protein composition and dough rheology.

Findings

The traits most significantly affected by high doses of irradiation included flour color, unextractable polymeric protein (UPP), dough extensibility, dough resistance to extension, pasting viscosity, and starch damage. Rheological traits in the irradiated samples were adversely affected to such a high extent that they were not deemed suitable for end‐product processing, including baking.

Conclusions

High‐dose irradiation, applied at 25 and 50 kGy, was shown to negatively impact most wheat quality traits tested. High‐dose irradiation is not recommended for treating wheat if viscoelastic functionality is required for manufacturing of high‐quality products.

Significance and Novelty

Irradiation treatments significantly reduced the functionality of wheat quality traits tested. Irradiation significantly affected protein composition and structure, with a substantial reduction to the UPP fraction in wheat varieties tested. This change in protein functionality is likely linked to the decrease in dough viscoelastic properties.