bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Controlling Diastereoselectivity in Dearomatizing Diels‐Alder Reactions of Nitroarenes with 2‐Trimethylsilyloxycyclohexadiene
Authors: Powderly Marian , Roseau Mélanie , Frison Gilles , Hammami Rayhane , Chausset‐Boissarie Laetitia , Harrowven David , Legros Julien , Chataigner Isabelle
Published: April 2024

Dearomative Diels‐Alder cycloadditions between nitroarenes and 2‐trimethylsilyloxycyclohexadiene are carried out under high pressure at room temperature in the absence of any chemical promoter. Reactions are performed with different arenes, including the highly aromatic naphthalenes and quinolines. They lead to 3D‐scaffolds with exquisite exo‐diastereoselectivity. The exo approach is characterized by lower distortion of the substrates in a late TS and by more favorable orbital interactions presumably between the nitro group and the dienic part, explaining the stereoselectivity.
The Formation of Carbon Dots from D‐Glucose Studied by Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Fois Livia , Stagi Luigi , Carboni Davide , Alboushi Meera , Khaleel Abbas , Anedda Roberto , Innocenzi Plinio
Published: April 2024

Carbon dots (C‐dots) obtained from D‐glucose have attracted great interest because of their properties and as a model for understanding the synthesis process and the origin of photoluminescence in carbon‐based nanostructures. Synthesising C‐dots under hydrothermal conditions has become one of the most common methods for their preparation. Understanding the details of this process is quite difficult. To tackle this challenge, we have adopted a multi‐technique approach in our present work. We have correlated different spectroscopic analyses, such as infrared, Raman, fluorescence, NMR, and UV‐Vis, to connect the emissions with specific chemical groups. In particular, in situ infrared analysis as a function of temperature has allowed following the formation of C=C, C=O, and COOH species and the rise of specific emissions. Only weak emissions due to n‐π* transitions are detected upon post‐synthesis thermal annealing.
Tuning the Emission Properties of 2,1,3‐Benzothiadiazoles via Regioselective Substitution
Authors: Posada Urrutia Mauricio , Dyrager Christine
Published: April 2024

The 2,1,3‐benzothiadiazole (BTD) unit is a prominent building block commonly used in various research areas such as optoelectronics and bioimaging. Despite its great versatility, the development of strategies to elaborate BTD has been largely neglected, including exploring its reactivity and understanding how regioselective functionalization can be used to tune the fluorescence emission. Previous focus has primarily been on C4‐ or C4,C7‐substitutions. Here, a series of unsymmetrical mono – and disubstituted BTDs was synthesized and characterized for their photophysical properties. The reaction scope includes all six possible substituent patterns on the BTD benzoid ring (C4‐, C5‐, C4,C5‐, C4,C6‐, C4,C7‐ and C5,C6‐substitution), which comprise arrangements that previously been synthetically challenging to access. By introducing a methoxy and/or a phenyl group we demonstrate that the emissive behavior of BTD derivatives strongly depends on the position of the substituent (s). We show that regioselective substitution on BTD can engender long‐lived fluorescence and circumvent strong fluorescence quenching in polar protic solvents, which is a limitation of many previously described BTD derivatives.
Regioselective Synthesis of Hamilton‐Receptor‐Fullerene Oligo‐Adducts for the Supramolecular Binding of Cyanuric Derivatives
Authors: Wachter Michael , Scholz Barbara , Schulze Erik J. , Hampel Frank , Pérez‐Ojeda M. Eugenia , Hirsch Andreas
Published: April 2024

A new concept for the regioselective synthesis of Hamilton‐receptor and cyanurate‐functionalized oligo adducts of the fullerene C60 was developed. Based on an in‐situ deprotection and click‐post‐functionalization approach with novel azido precursors, the corresponding fullerene hexakis‐adducts with octahedral addition patterns and up to twelve Hamilton‐receptor/cyanurate moieties surrounding the fullerene sphere were synthesized. The versatility of this approach was further demonstrated by the synthesis of Hamilton‐receptor/cyanurate functionalized fullerene mono‐adducts, which are not accessible by direct cyclopropanation. Several fullerene target compounds were purified by simple washing procedures of the solid crude reaction mixture without the need for chromatography. The resulting fullerene mono‐ and hexakis‐adducts were fully characterized and their supramolecular properties were investigated by NMR‐spectroscopy and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC).
Investigation of Isolated IrF5−, IrF6− Anions and M[IrF6] (M=Na, K, Rb, Cs) Ion Pairs by Matrix‐Isolation Spectroscopy and Relativistic Quantum‐Chemical Calculations
Authors: Lu Yan , Wodyński Artur , Reimann Marc , Medel Robert , Kaupp Martin , Riedel Sebastian
Published: April 2024

The molecular IrF5−, IrF6− anions and M[IrF6] (M=Na, K, Rb, Cs) ion pairs were prepared by co‐deposition of laser‐ablated alkali metal fluorides MF with IrF6 and isolated in solid neon or argon matrices under cryogenic conditions. The free anions were obtained as well by co‐deposition of IrF6 with laser‐ablated metals (Ir or Pt) as electron sources. The products were characterized in a combined analysis of matrix IR spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations using two‐component quasi‐relativistic DFT methods accounting for spin‐orbit coupling (SOC) effects as well as multi‐reference configuration‐interaction (MRCI) approaches with SOC. Inclusion of SOC is crucial in the prediction of spectra and properties of IrF6− and its alkali‐metal ion pairs. The observed IR bands and the computations show that the IrF6− anion adopts an Oh structure in a nondegenerate ground state stabilized by SOC effects, and not a distorted D4h structure in a triplet ground state as suggested by scalar‐relativistic calculations. The corresponding “closed‐shell” M[IrF6] ion pairs with C3v symmetry are stabilized by coordination of an alkali metal ion to three F atoms, and their structural change in the series from M=Na to Cs was proven spectroscopically. There is no evidence for the formation of IrF7, IrF7− or M[IrF7] (M=Na, K, Rb, Cs) ion pairs in our experiments.
Does Researcher Allegiance Bias Outcomes in Psychotherapy Research? A Quasi‐Experimental Secondary Analysis
Authors: Zimmerman Jacob A. , Marcus David K.
Published: April 2024

Researchers who conduct studies comparing the efficacy of two treatments often find that their preferred treatment outperforms the comparison treatment. This finding has been labelled the allegiance association. Although this association is robust, it is unclear whether it reflects an allegiance bias on the part of the researchers or whether it is noncausal, with researchers being allied to the more effective treatments. This study applied a quasi‐experimental method proposed by a previous study to 19 pairs of treatment comparison studies. Each member of a pair had used the same two psychotherapies to treat clients with the same disorder, but the researchers in each of the two studies had opposing allegiances. If the authors of one study in the pair concluded that their preferred treatment was superior and the authors of the other study concluded that their preferred treatment was superior or that the two treatments were equivalent, these patterns would suggest allegiance bias. In 10 of the 19 pairs, the patterns were consistent with the operation of an allegiance bias, indicating that although allegiance biases are not inevitable, they are ubiquitous. Practitioners and other psychotherapy research consumers should use caution when interpreting the findings from treatment comparison studies.
Heterointerface‐Rich Ni3N/WO3 Hierarchical Nanoarrays for Efficient Glycerol Oxidation‐Assisted Alkaline Hydrogen Evolution
Authors: Wang Hongjing , Zhan Wenjie , Jiang Shaojian , Deng Kai , Wang Ziqiang , Xu You , Yu Hongjie , Wang Liang
Published: April 2024

Glycerol oxidation‐assisted water electrolysis has emerged as a cost‐effective way of co‐producing green hydrogen and HCOOH. Still, preparing highly selective and stable nickel‐based metal electrocatalysts remains a challenge. Herein, heterostructure Ni3N/WO3 nanosheet arrays of bifunctional catalysts with large specific surface areas loaded on nickel foam (denoted as Ni3N/WO3/NF) were synthesized. This catalyst was for glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with excellent catalytic performance, a voltage saving of 267 mV compared to oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and a HER overpotential of 104 mV at 100 mA cm−2. The cell voltage in the assembled GOR//HER hybrid electrolysis system reaches 100 mA cm−2 at 1.50 V, 296 mV lower than the potential required for overall water splitting. This work demonstrates that replacing GOR with OER using a cost‐effective and highly active Ni‐based bifunctional electrocatalyst can make hybrid water electrolysis an energy‐efficient, sustainable, and green strategy for hydrogen production.
Chitinase 3‐like 1 expression associated with lymphatic metastasis and prognosis in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder
Authors: Wang Bo , Chen Ke , Gao Mingchao , Sun Xi , He Wang , Chen Junyu , Yang Wenjuan , Yang Tenghao , Qin Haide , Ruan Honglian , Huang Hao , Lin Tianxin , Huang Jian
Published: April 2024

Objectives

Lymphatic metastasis, an early stage of the metastasis process, is associated with adverse clinical outcomes in urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB). However, the role of inflammation in triggering lymphatic metastasis remains unclear.

Methods

We employed an RNA‐sequencing cohort (n = 50) from Sun Yat‐Sen Memorial Hospital (SYMH) to identify the most highly upregulated inflammatory gene associated with lymphatic metastasis. Using immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analyses, we validated the association of the identified molecule with clinical features and prognosis in an independent UCB cohort (n = 244) from SYMH. We also analysed TCGA‐BLCA cohort (n = 408) to identify its potential biological pathways and immune landscape.

Results

In our study, chitinase 3‐like 1 (CHI3L1) emerged as a significantly overexpressed proinflammatory mediator in UCB tissues with lymphatic metastasis compared to those without lymphatic metastasis (81.1% vs. 47.8%, P < 0.001). Within UCB tissues, CHI3L1 was expressed in both stromal cells (52.8%) and tumor cells (7.3%). Moreover, CHI3L1+ stromal cells, but not tumor cells, exhibited independent prognostic significance for both overall survival (P < 0.001) and recurrence‐free survival (P = 0.006). CHI3L1+ stromal cells were positively associated with D2‐40+ lymphatic vessel density (P < 0.001) and the immunosuppressive PD‐L1/PD‐1/CD8 axis in UCB tissues (all P < 0.05). A bioinformatics analysis also identified a positive association between CHI3L1 expression and lymphangiogenesis or immunosuppression pathways.

Conclusion

Our study established a clear association between stromal CHI3L1 expression and lymphatic metastasis, suggesting that stromal CHI3L1 expression is a potential prognostic marker for bladder cancer patients.
CDC releases new COVID guidelines: Disability advocates concerned
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: April 2024

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated its COVID‐19 guidelines to align with guidance for other respiratory illnesses (e.g., RSV and the flu) (https://bit.ly/49uUKLL). The update comes as the United States faces fewer hospitalizations and deaths related to COVID‐19.
Modeling habitat suitability for the lesser‐known populations of endangered mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) in the Arsi and Ahmar Mountains, Ethiopia
Authors: Worku Ejigu Alemayehu , Evangelista Paul H. , Atickem Anagaw , Bekele Afework , Bro‐Jørgensen Jakob , Stenseth Nils Chr.
Published: April 2024

Habitat suitability models have become a valuable tool for wildlife conservation and management, and are frequently used to better understand the range and habitat requirements of rare and endangered species. In this study, we employed two habitat suitability modeling techniques, namely Boosted Regression Tree (BRT) and Maximum Entropy (Maxent) models, to identify potential suitable habitats for the endangered mountain nyala (Tragelaphus buxtoni) and environmental factors affecting its distribution in the Arsi and Ahmar Mountains of Ethiopia. Presence points, used to develop our habitat suitability models, were recorded from fecal pellet counts (n = 130) encountered along 196 randomly established transects in 2015 and 2016. Predictor variables used in our models included major landcover types, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), greenness and wetness tasseled cap vegetation indices, elevation, and slope. Area Under the Curve model evaluations for BRT and Maxent were 0.96 and 0.95, respectively, demonstrating high performance. Both models were then ensembled into a single binary output highlighting an area of agreement. Our results suggest that 1864 km2 (9.1%) of the 20,567 km2 study area is suitable habitat for the mountain nyala with land cover types, elevation, NDVI, and slope of the terrain being the most important variables for both models. Our results highlight the extent to which habitat loss and fragmentation have disconnected mountain nyala subpopulations. Our models demonstrate the importance of further protecting suitable habitats for mountain nyala to ensure the species' conservation.
Facilitation cascades across space: Monitoring estuarine foundation species from satellites to the microscope
Authors: Clemente Ken Joseph E. , Thomsen Mads S.
Published: April 2024

Estuaries are productive ecosystems that are vulnerable to human impacts and environmental disturbances. Estuaries are often inhabited by foundation species that facilitate other organisms by creating and modifying habitats. However, spatiotemporal variability and underpinning drivers of facilitation from estuarine foundation species are poorly studied, especially in the context of monitoring and conservation. Here, we combined the analyses of satellite, drone, and camera images, close‐up field sampling of quadrats and individuals, and laboratory microscopy, to quantify co‐occurrences between the cockle Austrovenus stutchburyi and green macroalga Ulva spp., and their associated invertebrate communities, across spatial resolutions and environmental gradients in a New Zealand estuary. We found higher abundance of Ulva in winter and higher abundance of Austrovenus at a site near the ocean. Furthermore, Ulva was, across space and time, often attached to Austrovenus, either live or dead shells, suggesting a hierarchy between a primary (cockle) and secondary (macroalgae) foundation species. Finally, Ulva provided a better habitat for mobile invertebrates than Austrovenus, and thereby increased estuarine diversity through a density‐dependent facilitation cascade, which also was consistent in space and time. Overall, our study showed that facilitation cascades can be indirectly inferred and monitored through remote sensing of foundation species using supplementary imaging methods, and that integration of data across scales allows researchers to better understand the drivers and consequences of facilitation from foundation species. These insights may aid in the development of efficient monitoring strategies and ultimately improve the management of estuarine ecosystems.
Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent kinase IIδC‐induced chronic heart failure does not depend on sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ leak
Authors: Dewenter Matthias , Seitz Tilmann , Steinbrecher Julia H. , Westenbrink B. Daan , Ling Haiyun , Lehnart Stephan E. , Wehrens Xander H.T. , Backs Johannes , Brown Joan Heller , Maier Lars S. , Neef Stefan
Published: April 2024

Aims

Hyperactivity of Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) has emerged as a central cause of pathologic remodelling in heart failure. It has been suggested that CaMKII‐induced hyperphosphorylation of the ryanodine receptor 2 (RyR2) and consequently increased diastolic Ca2+ leak from the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) is a crucial mechanism by which increased CaMKII activity leads to contractile dysfunction. We aim to evaluate the relevance of CaMKII‐dependent RyR2 phosphorylation for CaMKII‐induced heart failure development in vivo.

Methods and results

We crossbred CaMKIIδC overexpressing [transgenic (TG)] mice with RyR2‐S2814A knock‐in mice that are resistant to CaMKII‐dependent RyR2 phosphorylation. Ca2+‐spark measurements on isolated ventricular myocytes confirmed the severe diastolic SR Ca2+ leak previously reported in CaMKIIδC TG [4.65 ± 0.73 mF/F0 vs. 1.88 ± 0.30 mF/F0 in wild type (WT)]. Crossing in the S2814A mutation completely prevented SR Ca2+‐leak induction in the CaMKIIδC TG, both regarding Ca2+‐spark size and frequency, demonstrating that the CaMKIIδC‐induced SR Ca2+ leak entirely depends on the CaMKII‐specific RyR2‐S2814 phosphorylation. Yet, the RyR2‐S2814A mutation did not affect the massive contractile dysfunction (ejection fraction = 12.17 ± 2.05% vs. 45.15 ± 3.46% in WT), cardiac hypertrophy (heart weight/tibia length = 24.84 ± 3.00 vs. 9.81 ± 0.50 mg/mm in WT), or severe premature mortality (median survival of 12 weeks) associated with cardiac CaMKIIδC overexpression. In the face of a prevented SR Ca2+ leak, the phosphorylation status of other critical CaMKII downstream targets that can drive heart failure, including transcriptional regulator histone deacetylase 4, as well as markers of pathological gene expression including Xirp2, Il6, and Col1a1, was equally increased in hearts from CaMKIIδC TG on a RyR WT and S2814A background.

Conclusions

S2814 phosphoresistance of RyR2 prevents the CaMKII‐dependent SR Ca2+ leak induction but does not prevent the cardiomyopathic phenotype caused by enhanced CaMKIIδC activity. Our data indicate that additional mechanisms—independent of SR Ca2+ leak—are critical for the maladaptive effects of chronically increased CaMKIIδC activity with respect to heart failure.
Genetic predisposition in chemotherapy‐induced cardiomyopathy in a 65‐year‐old female with metastatic breast cancer
Authors: Lee So‐Young , Kim Hoon Seok , Jung Mi‐Hyang , Chang Suyon , Kim Myungshin , Youn Jong‐Chan , Chung Woo‐Baek , Jung Hae Ok
Published: April 2024

The prevention and management of cancer therapy‐related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) have become increasingly important. Recent studies have revealed the crucial role of genetics in determining the susceptibility to development of CTRCD. We present a case of a 65‐year‐old woman with breast cancer who developed recurrent CTRCD following low‐dose chemotherapy, despite lacking conventional cardiovascular risk factors. Her medical history included anthracycline‐associated cardiomyopathy, and her condition deteriorated significantly after treatment with HER2‐targeted therapies. Through the use of multimodal imaging, we detected severe left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Further investigation with genetic testing revealed a likely pathogenic variant in the TNNT2 gene, suggesting a genetic predisposition to CTRCD. This case implies the potential role of genetic screening in identifying patients at risk for CTRCD and advocates for personalized chemotherapy and cardioprotective strategies.
Empowering γδ T‐cell functionality with vitamin C
Authors: Kabelitz Dieter , Cierna Lea , Juraske Claudia , Zarobkiewicz Michal , Schamel Wolfgang W. , Peters Christian
Published: April 2024

Vitamin C (ascorbic acid) is a potent antioxidant and a cofactor for various enzymes including histone demethylases and methylcytosine dioxygenases. Vitamin C also exerts direct cytotoxicity toward selected tumor cells including colorectal carcinoma. Moreover, vitamin C has been shown to impact immune cell differentiation at various levels including maturation and/or functionality of T cells and their progenitors, dendritic cells, B cells, and NK cells. γδ T cells have recently attracted great interest as effector cells for cell‐based cancer immunotherapy, due to their HLA‐independent recognition of a large variety of tumor cells. While γδ T cells can thus be also applied as an allogeneic off‐the‐shelf product, it is obvious that the effector function of γδ T cells needs to be optimized to ensure the best possible clinical efficacy. Here we review the immunomodulatory mechanisms of vitamin C with a special focus on how vitamin C enhances the effector function of γδ T cells. We also discuss future directions of how vitamin C can be used in the clinical setting to boost the efficacy of adoptive cell therapies.
Cyclopropanation of Aryl and Styryl Acetonitriles With Selenium‐Based Dielectrophiles
Authors: Coelho Dias Italo Franco , Allegrini Giulia , Wielgus Ewelina , Drabowicz Józef , Lenardão Eder João , Bagnoli Luana , Santi Claudio , Marini Francesca
Published: April 2024

Efficient cyclopropanation reactions of aryl or styrylacetonitriles with vinyl selenones under mild conditions were described. By this approach, synthetically challenging 1‐vinylcyclopropane‐1‐carbonitriles were accessible in good yields. This methodology features the advantage of operational simplicity, broad substrate scope, good functional group tolerance, transition‐metal‐free conditions, mild temperature, and a high level of regio‐ and diastereo‐control.
Generalized index and mode modulatedOFDMwith improved spectral and energy efficiency
Authors: Sengupta Ipsita , Dasgupta Shounak , Das Barman Abhirup
Published: April 2024

Recently developed trends in wireless communication encounter extremely high surge in data traffic, which makes it inevitable to employ energy efficient techniques to reduce detrimental consequence of carbon emission over society. This concern has motivated us to upgrade our previous work on index and mode modulated orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (IMM‐OFDM) for achieving dual benefits in terms of spectral and energy efficiency. In this paper, we have proposed a generalized index and mode modulated OFDM scheme with variable number of subcarrier activation. Novelty of this generalized scheme is its capability to act as a unified model for classic OFDM and three other benchmark index modulated OFDM schemes along with our previously proposed IMM‐OFDM scheme. This new scheme outperforms those five descendent schemes in terms of energy efficiency and error performance as indicated by simulation results. Spectral efficiency improvement in this scheme is achieved through optimum sets of active subcarrier number, which are determined to gain most optimized trade‐off between spectral and energy efficiency with least detector complexity. This generalized parent scheme can replace individual models of its five descendent schemes and consequently can be considered to be one of the most promising candidates for next generation mobile communication system.
Performance analysis of energy harvesting‐enabled relay networks inκ‐μfading channels
Authors: Singh Raghwendra K. , Das Soumendu , Dixit Dharmendra , Kumar Nagendra
Published: April 2024

In this paper, we investigate the performance of an energy harvesting (EH)‐enabled multiple relay network operating over generalized‐fading channels. Our approach involves utilizing a partial relay selection strategy and employing an amplify and forward relay protocol for efficient EH from RF signals. Additionally, we integrate a selection combining scheme at the receiver to combine both direct and relaying path signals. In our research, we first obtain the exact closed‐form expression of the cumulative distribution function (CDF) for the system under investigation. Subsequently, we derive expressions for the outage probability (OP) and the moment generating function (MGF) using the derived CDF expression. Furthermore, with the assistance of a CDF‐based approach, we derive closed‐form expressions for the average symbol error rate (ASER) for coherent quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) schemes, including rectangular QAM (RQAM) and hexagonal QAM (HQAM). We also analyze the ASER expression for non‐coherent frequency shift keying (NCFSK), leveraging the derived MGF expression. To gain valuable insights into the performance of EH‐enabled multiple relay networks, we assess the asymptotic expression of the OP. The outcomes indicate how the behavior of the system is affected by various factors such as time switching ratio, channel fading components, number of relays, and the distance between nodes. To corroborate the accuracy of the analytical findings, Monte Carlo simulations are executed.
Objective indexes for comparing platelet usage among peer hospitals during the COVID‐19 pandemic: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Tu Ya‐Chi , Hsueh Yu‐Shan , Cheng Yu‐Chen , Lin Ting‐Wei , Chiueh Tzong‐Shi
Published: April 2024

Background and Aims

Besides hospital size, clinical diagnosis and severity of patient cases determine the total platelet usage. Therefore, the appropriateness of platelet usage could not be compared simply with the total units of platelet usage in each hospital. This study aimed to objectively monitor and analyze platelet usage after implementing a single‐unit issuing policy for each platelet transfusion in our hospital in October 2020.

Materials and Methods

We used three objective indices, X, Y, and Z, to monitor platelet usage and compared it with other hospitals. Three indices were generated by dividing the annual total units of platelet usage by the total annual reimbursement, total number of admissions, and average total reimbursement per admission for each hospital.

Results

The new indices X and Y alleviated hospital size–dependent differences. Index Y was preferred over X because its value fluctuated less during the COVID‐19 pandemic. The Z index was adjusted for the average total reimbursement per admission, and the results showed that more patients with higher disease complexity did not have increased platelet usage during the COVID‐19 pandemic. In our hospital (H1), index Z decreased from 2019 to 2021 due to a policy of issuing a single unit for each platelet transfusion.

Conclusion

These three objective indices are suitable for peer comparison and monitoring platelet usage in hospitals, irrespective of their size. They could be applied to promote patient blood management and provide an early response to the gradual shortage of blood resources owing to the aging population and declining birth rate in Taiwan.
The etiology of endometriosis: Is Fusobacterium to blame?
Authors: Ul Ain Rai
Published: April 2024

Synopsis

A recent cohort study has highlighted the potential role of Fusobacterium in causing endometriosis which, after further evidence, might call for a modified treatment plan.
Indirect impact of SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic on incidence of maternal primary cytomegalovirus and Toxoplasma gondii infection in pregnancy
Authors: Vasarri Maria Viola , Fernicola Federica , Arienti Francesca , Carli Anna , Colciago Elisabetta , Locatelli Anna , Trotta Michele , Procopio Angelica , Zammarchi Lorenzo , Ornaghi Sara
Published: April 2024

Objective

Public health interventions promoted during the SARS‐CoV‐2 pandemic to control viral spread have impacted the occurrence of other communicable disease. Yet no studies have focused on perinatal infections with the potential for neonatal sequelae, including cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Toxoplasma gondii (TG). Here we investigate whether incidence rates of maternal primary CMV and TG infection in pregnancy were affected by the implementation of pandemic‐related public health measures.

Methods

A retrospective study including all pregnant women with confirmed primary CMV or TG infection in pregnancy, managed between 2018 and 2021 at two university centers. The incidence rate was calculated as the number of CMV and TG infections per 100 consultations with a 95% confidence interval (CI). Data were compared between pre‐pandemic (2018–2019) and pandemic (2020 and 2021) years. The Newcombe Wilson with Continuity Correction method was employed to compare incidence rates.

Results

The study population included 215 maternal primary CMV and 192 TG infections. Rate of maternal primary CMV infection decreased in 2021 compared with 2018–2019 (4.49% vs 6.40%, attributable risk [AR] 1.92, P = 0.019). By contrast, the rate of TG infection substantially increased in 2020 (6.95% vs 4.61%, AR 2.34, P = 0.006). Close contact with cats was more common among patients with TG infection in 2020 and 2021 than among pre‐pandemic TG‐infected women (26.3% and 24.4% vs 13.3%, P = 0.013).

Conclusion

Pandemic‐related public health interventions and associated behavioral and lifestyle changes exerted a divergent effect on the incidence of primary CMV and TG infection in pregnancy, likely due to modulation of exposure to risk factors for these infections.
Comparison of progestin‐primed ovarian stimulation regimen and antagonist regimen in women aged 35 years or older with diminished ovarian reserve: A propensity score‐matched study
Authors: Wang Mohan , Li Linlin , Zhu Haibo , Wang Ruixue , Liu Ruizhi , Zhang Han
Published: April 2024

Objective

Diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) has been a major challenge in infertility treatment. The present study aimed to compare the efficacy of progestin‐primed ovarian stimulation (PPOS) regimen and antagonist regimen in infertile patients aged 35 years or older with DOR.

Methods

A retrospective study of 289 in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles from April 2016 to June 2022 was performed. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance the baseline characteristics between the two groups at a ratio of 1:1.

Results

After matching, there were 87 cycles in the PPOS group and 87 cycles in the antagonist group. The primary outcome measures included the incidence of premature LH surge, the number of retrieved oocytes, and the number of mature oocytes, which were comparable between the two groups (all P values >0.05). There were no significant differences in laboratory indicators and final clinical outcomes between the two groups (all P values >0.05).

Conclusions

For DOR patients aged 35 years or older, the number of retrieved oocytes and the number of mature oocytes were comparable between the PPOS and antagonist groups. Moreover, the two regimens showed no difference in the inhibition of premature LH surge.
Effects of male hepatitis B virus infection and serostatus on sperm quality, pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal outcomes following intrauterine insemination
Authors: Sun Xiangru , Cai Bing , Guo Pengfei , Liu Haipeng , Liu Qizhi
Published: April 2024

Objective

To evaluate the impact of male hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and serostatus on sperm quality, pregnancy outcomes, and neonatal outcomes following intrauterine insemination for infertility.

Design and Methods

We retrospectively analyzed data from 962 infertile couples undergoing intrauterine insemination treatment at a single center. The case group comprised 212 infertile couples with male HBV infection, and the control group comprised 750 noninfected infertile couples. The couples were further divided into subgroups according to their hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)/anti‐HBe status: hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg)+HBeAg− (group A), HBsAg+HBeAg+ (group B), and HBsAg−HBeAg− (control group). The main outcome parameters, including the seminal parameters, clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, live birth rate, preterm delivery rate, multiple pregnancy rate, delivery type, birth weight, and sex ratio, were compared.

Results

A lower sperm acrosin activity, higher cesarean rate, and newborn sex ratio were observed in the HBV‐infected group and group A in comparison with the control group (P < 0.05). However, the standard sperm parameters, clinical pregnancy rate, miscarriage rate, live birth rate, preterm delivery, and birth weight showed no statistically significant differences among the groups.

Conclusion

Male HBV infection does not adversely impact standard sperm parameters or pregnancy outcomes but can influence sperm acrosin activity and some neonatal outcomes. Moreover, the effect may vary among different HBV serostatuses.
DiffSwinTr: A diffusion model using 3D Swin Transformer for brain tumor segmentation
Authors: Zhu Junan , Zhu Hongxin , Jia Zhaohong , Ma Ping
Published: April 2024

Automatic medical image segmentation has shown great potential in recent years. Howerver, magnetic resonance images (MRI) usually have the characteristics of noise and artifacts, existing methods cannot accurately segment the boundaries. In addition, most existing algorithms are unable to effectively capture the global dependencies to offset the local inductive bias. In this work, we present a novel denoising diffusion model based on 3D Swin Transformer for brain tumor segmentation, called DiffSwinTr. Furthermore, a conditional encoder module is designed to extract multi‐scale features and enhance the ability of local feature perception. We extensively evaluate our model on three BraTS datasets. The proposed DiffSwinTr can achieve average Dice Scores of 79.91%, 83.07%, and 85.38%, as well as the average Hausdorff Distances (95%) of 3.361, 3.334, and 2.975mm, respectively. The experimental results illuminate that DiffSwinTr outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art segmentation methods. Besides, our proposed model is robust to segmenting images with noise and artifacts.
Validity of the multidimensional assessment profile of disruptive behavior in autistic toddlers
Authors: Fipp‐Rosenfield Hannah , Grauzer Jeffrey , Roberts Megan Y. , Kaat Aaron J.
Published: April 2024

Objective

Early measurement of atypical disruptive behavior within autistic children is critical for later referrals to behavioral screenings, diagnoses, and services. Disruptive behavior in autistic toddlers is often measured using a categorical approach and identifies the presence or absence of behavior. In contrast, dimensional approaches evaluate behavior on a spectrum of typical to atypical by measuring the clinical salience of disruptive behavior. We sought to assess the validity of the Infant/Toddler version of the multidimensional assessment profile of disruptive behavior (MAP‐DB‐IT), a dimensional approach measurement tool, in a sample of autistic toddlers.

Methods

Autistic toddlers (n = 82, Mage = 33.2 months, SD = 6.28 months) and their mothers received 8 weeks of caregiver‐mediated social communication intervention. Mothers completed the MAP‐DB‐IT and the Infant Toddler Social Emotional Assessment (ITSEA) across three timepoints: before intervention, immediately after intervention, and at 3 months post‐intervention follow‐up. The MAP‐DB‐IT provided scores for three subdomains: temper loss, noncompliance, and aggression (generically or specifically with siblings). Ratings on the MAP‐DB‐IT were compared to the ITSEA using several analytic strategies such as evaluating (a) the internal consistency of the MAP‐DB‐IT domain scores; (b) the convergent validity between the two measures; and (c) its convergent change due to intervention and if this varied by child characteristics.

Results

The MAP‐DB‐IT demonstrated excellent internal consistency across all four subdomains. We evaluated convergent validity and found positive correlations between the (a) ITSEA externalizing and MAP‐DB‐IT aggression domain, (b) ITSEA externalizing and MAP‐DB‐IT aggression with siblings domain, and (c) ITSEA dysregulation and MAP‐DB‐IT temper loss domain.

Conclusion

The MAP‐DB‐IT is a valid measurement tool for disruptive behavior in autistic toddlers. Clinicians should consider the use of the MAP‐DB‐IT for young autistic clients presenting with disruptive behavior to (a) discriminate between early developmentally appropriate tantrums from clinically salient dysregulation, and (b) refer to additional behavioral evaluations and services.
Genetic diversity and population structure of Fusarium udum in India and its correlation with pigeonpea wilt incidence
Authors: Deepak Reddy Beerelli , Kumar Birendra , Sahni Sangita , Yashaswini Gummudala , Karthik Somala , Reddy Morthala Shankara Sai , Kumar Rajeev , Mukherjee Udayan
Published: April 2024

In a study conducted in India, 50 Fusarium isolates were collected from pigeonpea growing regions and extensively examined for their cultural and morphological characteristics. These isolates exhibited significant variations in traits including growth rate, mycelial growth patterns, color, zonation, pigmentation, spore size, and septation. Subsequently, 30 isolates were chosen for pathogenicity testing on eight pigeonpea genotypes. Results showed distinct reactions, with four genotypes displaying differential responses (ICP8858, ICP8859, ICP8862, and BDN‐2), while ICP9174 and ICP8863 consistently exhibited resistance and ICP2376 and BAHAR remained susceptible to wilt disease. To study the interaction between Fusarium isolates and pigeonpea host differentials (HDs), an additive main effects and multiplicative interaction analysis was conducted. The majority of disease incidence variation (75.54%) was attributed to HD effects, while Fusarium isolate effects accounted for only 1.99%. The interaction between Isolates and HDs (I × HD) contributed 21.95% to the total variation, being smaller than HD but larger than I. Based on HD reactions, isolates were classified into nine variants, showing varying distributions across pigeonpea growing states, with variants 2 and 3 being prevalent in several regions. This diversity underscores the need for location‐specific wilt‐resistant pigeonpea cultivars. Furthermore, genetic analysis of 23 representative isolates, through internal transcribed spacer region of ribosomal DNA and translation elongation factor 1‐α gene sequencing, revealed three major clusters: Fusarium udum, Fusarium solani, and Fusarium equiseti. These findings hold potential for developing location‐specific wilt‐resistant pigeonpea cultivars and enhancing disease management strategies.
Differential QTL underlie wheat grain physical quality when measured using image‐based versus traditional laboratory methods
Authors: Emebiri Livinus , Hildebrand Shane
Published: April 2024

Background

The marketing value of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is determined, in parts, by the grain's physical characteristics, owing to which they directly (or indirectly) influence milling performance and baking quality. These characteristics have been manually measured in the past, but now, digital image analysis (DIA) is being increasingly used to replace the slow phenotyping system. Here, we asked whether this could lead to the identification of the same or different genes when compared to the traditional phenotyping methods.

Results

We measured grain physical quality on 142 wheat doubled haploids grown in the field over 2 years, and in using the quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping approach we found that (1) for wheat grain weight, the use of DIA provided genetic information that mostly conformed to those obtained using the traditional phenotyping methods, with heritability estimates that were identical across both methods. Majority of the QTL detected were consistent between the traditional versus digital phenotyping methods; (2) a more complex architecture, however, arose from QTL analyses of hectoliter mass (HLM) and percentage of shriveled grains (SCR). The estimates for heritability varied by as much as 0.24 across methods and, more significantly, many of the detected QTL for both traits were method‐specific; (3) though method‐specific, identified QTL was mapped to genomic regions known to harbor genes for grain physical traits.

Conclusions

Thousand‐grain weight (TGW) is robust to a phenotyping method, but a different genetic system underlies HLM and SCR, when these were measured using traditional versus digital image analysis. For these traits, heritability estimates were larger when phenotyped using traditional methods relative to digital image analysis, suggesting that further refinements are required to better correlate digital image analysis with the traditional phenotyping methods.
In vivo evidence of sea buckthorn relieving oxidative stress and improving immune performance of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.)
Authors: Yan Xiao , Pang Peng , Zhang Hang , Mi Jiali , Qin Chaobin , Yang Liping , Yang Bowen , Nie Guoxing
Published: April 2024

BACKGROUND

Sea buckthorn has the functions of antioxidation, antitumor, anti‐inflammation and regulating energy metabolism. In order to investigate the effects of sea buckthorn powder and sea buckthorn flavonoids on the antioxidant properties, immune function and muscle fatty acid composition of common carp, an oral feeding experiment was carried out.

RESULTS

The administration of glucose significantly reduced the levels of glutathione and the activity of total antioxidant capacity enzyme in serum and hepatopancreas, while concurrently upregulating the level of malondialdehyde (MDA)(P < 0.05). Conversely, oral intake of sea buckthorn powder and flavonoids increased antioxidant enzyme activity and decreased MDA levels. In terms of antioxidant molecular indicators, sea buckthorn powder and sea buckthorn flavonoids significantly increased the mRNA levels of nuclear factor NF‐E2‐related factor (nrf2) in the hepatopancreas and muscle. Meanwhile, mRNA expression levels of downstream antioxidant‐related genes (gr, cat, gpx, and sod) regulated by Nrf2 were also upregulated. In the immune aspects, the mRNA expression levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin‐6 (il‐6), interleukin‐1β (il‐1β) and nuclear factor‐κB (nf‐κb), were reduced but the expressions of anti‐inflammatory cytokines, such as growth factor‐β (tgf‐β) and interleukin‐10 (il‐10), were enhanced in the head kidney and spleen tissues after oral administration with sea buckthorn. In terms of muscle fatty acid composition, the ratio of n‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)/n‐6 PUFA was notably higher after administering sea buckthorn flavonoids than that of the glucose group (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrated that oral administration of sea buckthorn powder and sea buckthorn flavonoids significantly enhanced the antioxidant capacity and immune response and improved the muscle fatty acid compositions in common carp, and also mitigated the adverse effects of glucose treatment to a certain extent. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Liquid Crystal Metasurface for On‐Demand Terahertz Beam Forming Over 110° Field‐Of‐View
Authors: Chen Chen , Chen Sai , Ni Yibo , Xu Yibao , Yang Yuanmu
Published: April 2024

The terahertz spectral region, which bridges between electronics and optics, is poised to play an important role in the development of transformative wireless communication and imaging systems with unprecedented functionality. Currently, a major challenge in terahertz technology is to develop high‐performance terahertz beam‐forming devices that can dynamically shape the terahertz radiation in a flexible manner. Existing terahertz beam‐forming devices have limited coding bits, field‐of‐view, and beam gain. Here, a reconfigurable liquid crystal‐integrated terahertz metasurface is experimentally demonstrated, with each metasurface unit cell being independently addressable. The metasurface has a 260° continuous phase tuning range with a liquid crystal layer thickness of only 1% of the free‐space wavelength. The terahertz wave diffracted from the metasurface can be steered toward a wide range of directions is shown, covering a record‐large 110° field‐of‐view with a peak gain of 25 dBi. The metasurface also features a low power consumption and sub‐second switching time. Furthermore, the formation of multiple terahertz beams is demonstrated, with the direction of each beam and the power ratio between beams adjustable on demand. The proposed liquid crystal metasurface possesses compelling prospects for future terahertz communication and imaging applications.
Northwestern University resource and education development initiatives to advance collaborative artificial intelligence across the learning health system
Authors: Luo Yuan , Mao Chengsheng , Sanchez‐Pinto Lazaro N. , Ahmad Faraz S. , Naidech Andrew , Rasmussen Luke , Pacheco Jennifer A. , Schneider Daniel , Mithal Leena B. , Dresden Scott , Holmes Kristi , Carson Matthew , Shah Sanjiv J. , Khan Seema , Clare Susan , Wunderink Richard G. , Liu Huiping , Walunas Theresa , Cooper Lee , Yue Feng , Wehbe Firas , Fang Deyu , Liebovitz David M. , Markl Michael , Michelson Kelly N. , McColley Susanna A. , Green Marianne , Starren Justin , Ackermann Ronald T. , D'Aquila Richard T. , Adams James , Lloyd‐Jones Donald , Chisholm Rex L. , Kho Abel
Published: April 2024

Introduction

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) in healthcare has exposed the unmet need for growing a multidisciplinary workforce that can collaborate effectively in the learning health systems. Maximizing the synergy among multiple teams is critical for Collaborative AI in Healthcare.

Methods

We have developed a series of data, tools, and educational resources for cultivating the next generation of multidisciplinary workforce for Collaborative AI in Healthcare. We built bulk‐natural language processing pipelines to extract structured information from clinical notes and stored them in common data models. We developed multimodal AI/machine learning (ML) tools and tutorials to enrich the toolbox of the multidisciplinary workforce to analyze multimodal healthcare data. We have created a fertile ground to cross‐pollinate clinicians and AI scientists and train the next generation of AI health workforce to collaborate effectively.

Results

Our work has democratized access to unstructured health information, AI/ML tools and resources for healthcare, and collaborative education resources. From 2017 to 2022, this has enabled studies in multiple clinical specialties resulting in 68 peer‐reviewed publications. In 2022, our cross‐discipline efforts converged and institutionalized into the Center for Collaborative AI in Healthcare.

Conclusions

Our Collaborative AI in Healthcare initiatives has created valuable educational and practical resources. They have enabled more clinicians, scientists, and hospital administrators to successfully apply AI methods in their daily research and practice, develop closer collaborations, and advanced the institution‐level learning health system.
Stress corrosion tests for prestressing steels—Part 1: The influence of surface condition and test solution composition on hydrogen charging
Authors: Seifert Lando , Grunewald Andreas , Müller Thoralf , Ebell Gino
Published: April 2024

Tests for assessing prestressing steels' susceptibility to hydrogen‐induced stress corrosion cracking are essential for approvals, in‐house monitoring, and third‐party material testing. According to ISO 15630‐3, the time to brittle fracture by constant load under corrosive conditions in thiocyanate test solutions (A or B) at 50°C is measured. In the literature, a high scattering in stress corrosion tests is reported, which questions the integrity of the test procedure. This paper shows the results of studies about the influence of solution composition on hydrogen charging in electrochemical and permeation measurements. Electrochemical experiments show that polished steel surfaces without common drawing layers have more consistent free corrosion currents, polarization resistances, and B‐values in solution A with low scattering compared to the solution B experiments. The influence of temperature at 50°C and an ambient temperature of 22°C was also tested.
Self‐healing polyurethane anticorrosive coatings based on alkyd resin microcapsules
Authors: Xie Bin , Shi Hongwei , Song Yingwei , Han En‐Hou
Published: April 2024

In this paper, self‐healing microcapsules were prepared by in situ polymerization using poly(vinyl alcohol) as the emulsifier, urea‐formaldehyde resin as the shell material, and alkyd resin as the core material. The average diameter of the obtained microcapsules was about 20 μm and the encapsulation rate of alkyd resin was 50.7 wt.%. The self‐healing coating was prepared by adding 5 wt.% of microcapsules to the pure polyurethane coating and then coated on AA2024‐T3 substrate. The self‐healing effect was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy tests and neutral salt spray tests confirmed that the self‐healing coating had good anticorrosion properties.