bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential effects of nano‐fumed silica particles (NFS)/PVDF mixed matrix hollow fiber membrane on the performance of direct contact membrane distillation
Authors: Alsebaeai Mohammed Karama , Ahmad Abdul Latif , Seng Ooi Boon
Published: December 2022

Hydrophobic nano‐fumed silica (NFS) was incorporated in polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber (HF) membrane for improving direct contact membrane distillation (DCMD) performance. The NFS/PVDF mixed matrix hollow fiber membrane was fabricated by the phase inversion process. The potential effects of increasing the percentage of NFS additive (0–6 wt.%) in the dope solution on the hollow fiber membrane characteristics such as viscosity, membrane morphology, porosity, hydrophobicity, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, and permeability were investigated. The performance outcomes showed that the dope solution incorporated with 1.5 wt.% NFS exhibited the most promising HF membrane for membrane distillation (MD). The optimal HF membrane demonstrated the highest flux through shorter and narrower finger‐like structure formation and targeted high porosity. The addition of NFS particle content in the dope solutions enhanced the hydrophobicity of the fabricated membranes while slightly decreasing the porosity due to increasing the viscosity of the dope solution. With a steady flux of 9.25 kg/m2 h compared with the neat membrane at 70°C/20°C of feed/permeate temperatures, 8 h operation, and above 99.9% salt rejection, this PVDF/NFS mixed matrix hollow fiber membrane could be of excellent potential and sustainability in desalination process through DCMD.
Combustion characteristics and fire hazard of polystyrene exterior wall thermal insulation materials
Authors: Ouyang Dihua , Yan Haoyu , Song Jiaxing , Yang Chunhai , Jiang Tao , Liu Chengkui
Published: December 2022

To study the combustion characteristics and fire hazard of polystyrene building exterior wall thermal insulation materials, the combustion, fire, and pyrolysis characteristics of thermosetting polystyrene (TPS) insulation, graphite polystyrene (GEPS), and expanded polystyrene (EPS) are compared and analyzed using a cone calorimeter and a thermo‐gravimetric analyzer. From the structure and flame retardant components of thermal insulation board, their flame retardant mechanisms are described. Results show that in a nitrogen atmosphere, the pyrolysis range is 30–600°C. Only one weight loss stage in EPS and GEPS and two weight loss stages in TPS are observed. Comparison of the combustion characteristics of the three demonstrates that TPS has short ignition time, low fire performance index. This result indicates that TPS has the characteristics of good flammability and easy to explode. The smoke generation rate, total smoke production, time heat release index and total heat release of TPS are lower than those of EPS and GEPS. This result indicates that the fire thermal hazard and fire smoke risk of TPS are relatively small. Comparison of various indexes presents that the flammability and fire risk of TPS are evidently better than those of EPS and GEPS.
CO2Fixation and PCHC Depolymerization by a Dinuclearβ‐Diketiminato Zinc Complex
Authors: Liao Xi , He Jiang‐Hua , Zhang Yue‐Tao
Published: December 2022

The production of cyclic carbonates and (or) polycarbonates from the coupling of carbon dioxide (CO2) with epoxides is a practical strategy for CO2fixation. Chemically recycling of the polycarbonates is also urgently needed for sustainable development of plastics. Here a dinuclearβ‐diketiminato (BDI) methyl zinc complex((BDI‐ZnMe)2,1) is reported to achieve not only selective cyclic carbonates from cycloaddition of CO2tomeso‐CHO in the presence of cocatalyst, but also effective depolymerization of PCHC intotrans‐CHC. Thetrans‐CHC can be further transformed intocis‐CHC, thus demonstrating great application potentials of this strategy in CO2fixation and chemical recycling of plastics.
Necessary and sufficient admissibility conditions of dynamic output feedback for singular linear fractional‐order systems
Authors: Marir Saliha , Chadli Mohammed , Basin Michael V
Published: December 2022

This paper studies the stabilization problem for linear continuous‐time singular fractional‐order systems with the fractional‐order satisfying . New formulations of the admissibility for the closed‐loop system by dynamic output feedback controller are obtained using necessary and sufficient (linear matrix inequality) conditions, to generalize existing results in the literature for integer‐order systems. The derived results are validated by numerical examples demonstrating applicability and efficacy of the presented approach.
Asparagine and dough quality: Gluten strength relationships in hard red spring wheat
Authors: Trevisan Susane , Salimi Khorshidi Ali , Sopiwnyk Elaine , Xie Yi , Zhou Zhaoxian , House James D. , Scanlon Martin G.
Published: December 2022

Background and objectives

The presence of acrylamide, a probable carcinogen, is a global concern for the baking industry. The reduction of free asparagine in wheat is an effective strategy to mitigate acrylamide formation. However, field‐based strategies for this purpose also affect gluten strength and bread quality. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between wheat free asparagine concentration, gluten strength and whole wheat bread quality for an extensive set of hard red spring wheat samples.

Findings

Gluten strength parameters negatively correlated to wheat free asparagine concentration and showed strong inverse correlations to wheat free asparagine concentration per unit mass of protein. Reducing free asparagine concentration in the wheat did not affect the quality of the bread.

Conclusions

In efforts to deliver wheat grains with a low acrylamide‐formation potential, wheat producers can apply strategies, for example, variety selection, that will reduce free asparagine without worries that gluten strength and bread quality will be impaired.

Significance and novelty

Safety concerns regarding free asparagine in wheat have elicited much attention from cereal scientists and the breadmaking industry. However, the effects of reducing free asparagine on gluten strength have not been systematically studied in the literature. This comprehensive study shows that there is an inverse relationship between gluten strength and wheat free asparagine concentration.
Anodic Product‐Derived Bi‐MOF as Pre‐catalyst for Cathodic CO2 Reduction: A Novel Strategy for Paired Electrolysis
Authors: Yang Zhi‐Wen , Chen Jin‐Mei , Liang Ze‐Long , Xie Wen‐Jun , Zhao Bin , He Liang‐Nian
Published: December 2022

The paired electrolysis coupling the reduction of CO2 to value‐added molecules like HCOOH with the oxidation of biomass‐derived 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) to 2,5‐furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) is one promising strategy of great economic and environmental benefits. Herein, a Ni(OH)2 anode for the selective oxidation of HMF to FDCA was fabricated, revealing the significant part of the membrane in electrocatalytic procedure. With the FDCA product as a di‐carboxylic acid ligand, one new bismuth‐based metal‐organic framework material was synthesized, which is capable of catalyzing the reduction of CO2 to HCOOH with over 95 % Faradaic efficiency (FE) and an average current density of 19.6 mA cm−2 at −1.2 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE). With this inner relationship, paired electrolysis was conducted with cathodic potential fixed at −1.2 V vs. RHE, producing the HCOOH with 95.6 % FE and FDCA with 75 % FE in one single electrolyzer.
Steroidal saponin concentrations in switchgrass cultivars Liberty and Independence in North America
Authors: Clemensen Andrea K. , Lee Stephen T. , Mitchell Robert B. , Schmer Marty R. , Masterson Steven D.
Published: December 2022

Core Ideas

Switchgrass has various ecosystem benefits.

Switchgrass cultivars Liberty and Independence were evaluated for steroidal saponins.

Steroidal saponins were detected in all leaf and stem tissues of both Liberty and Independence cultivars.

Steroidal saponins may reduce aboveground pests and influence soil nutrient and water dynamics.
Concurrent Enhancement of Acetylene Uptake Capacity and Selectivity by Progressive Core Expansion and Extra‐Framework Anions in Pore‐Space‐Partitioned Metal–Organic Frameworks
Authors: Hong Anh N. , Wang Yanxiang , Chen Yichong , Yang Huajun , Kusumoputro Emily , Bu Xianhui , Feng Pingyun
Published: December 2022

A multi‐stage core‐expansion method is proposed here as one component of the integrative binding‐site/extender/core‐expansion (BEC) strategy. The conceptual deconstruction of the partitioning ligand into three editable parts draws our focus onto progressive core expansion and allows the optimization of both acetylene uptake and selectivity. The effectiveness of this strategy is shown through a family of eight cationic pore‐partitioned materials containing three different partitioning ligands and various counter anions. The optimized structure, Co3‐cpt‐tph‐Cl (Hcpt=4‐(p‐carboxyphenyl)‐1,2,4‐triazole, H‐tph=(2,5,8‐tri‐(4‐pyridyl)‐1,3,4,6,7,9‐hexaazaphenalene) with the largest surface area and highest C2H2 uptake capacity (200 cm3/g at 298 K), also exhibits (desirably) the lowest CO2 uptake and hence the highest C2H2/CO2 selectivity. The successful boost in both C2H2 capacity and IAST selectivity allows Co3‐cpt‐tph‐Cl to rank among the best crystalline porous materials, ionic MOFs in particular, for C2H2 uptake and C2H2/CO2 experimental breakthrough separation.
Aqueous Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence from Assembled Phosphors for Analytical Detection†
Authors: Cao Peisheng , Chen Qian , Wu Peng
Published: December 2022

Comprehensive Summary

Room‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) has gained much attention in organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs), anti‐counterfeiting, encryption and bioimaging. However, efficient RTP is typically difficult due to the spin‐forbidden transition nature and susceptibility to environment quenching. In aqueous phase, such quenching is much more pronounced, leading to the collection of aqueous RTP even more challenging. Assembly systems (either organic or inorganic), provide an excellent microenvironment for accommodating of phosphors in aqueous phase, due to the excluding of typical phosphorescence quenchers (H2O and O2) and rigidification of phosphorescent molecules for inhibition of non‐radiative transitions (molecular motions). Herein, we summarized the recent progress in harvesting RTP from aqueous systems via various assembling strategies, including small molecules, supramolecular inclusion, and inorganic assembly. More specifically, the analytical explorations of these systems were discussed, from the perspective of the relationship between analytes and phosphorescence. Last, the further developments of aqueous RTP analysis were also prospected.
Identifying monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance from electronic health records
Authors: Tanenbaum Hilary C. , Birmann Brenda M. , Bertrand Kimberly A. , Teras Lauren R. , Krishnan Amrita Y. , Pourhassan Hoda , Goldsmith Scott , Cannavale Kimberly , Wang Sophia S. , Chao Chun R.
Published: December 2022

Background

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) precedes multiple myeloma (MM). Use of electronic health records may facilitate large‐scale epidemiologic research to elucidate risk factors for the progression of MGUS to MM or other lymphoid malignancies.

Aims

We evaluated the accuracy of an electronic health records‐based approach for identifying clinically diagnosed MGUS cases for inclusion in studies of patient outcomes/ progression risk.

Methods and Results

Data were retrieved from Kaiser Permanente Southern California's comprehensive electronic health records, which contain documentation of all outpatient and inpatient visits, laboratory tests, diagnosis codes and a cancer registry. We ascertained potential MGUS cases diagnosed between 2008 and 2014 using the presence of an MGUS ICD‐9 diagnosis code (273.1). We initially excluded those diagnosed with MM within 6 months after MGUS diagnosis, then subsequently those with any lymphoid malignancy diagnosis from 2007 to 2014. We reviewed medical charts for 100 randomly selected potential cases for evidence of a physician diagnosis of MGUS, which served as our gold standard for case confirmation. To assess sensitivity, we also investigated the presence of the ICD‐9 code in the records of 40 randomly selected and chart review‐confirmed MGUS cases among patients with a laboratory report of elevated circulating monoclonal (M‐) protein (a key test for MGUS diagnosis) and no subsequent lymphoid malignancy (as described above).

The positive predictive value (PPV) for the ICD‐9 code was 98%. All MGUS cases confirmed by chart review also had confirmatory laboratory test results. Of the confirmed cases first identified via M‐protein test results, 88% also had the ICD‐9 diagnosis code.

Conclusion

The diagnosis code‐based approach has excellent PPV and likely high sensitivity for detecting clinically diagnosed MGUS. The generalizability of this approach outside an integrated healthcare system warrants further evaluation.
Screening Method for the Identification of Compounds That Activate Pregnane X Receptor
Authors: Lynch Caitlin , Sakamuru Srilatha , Xia Menghang
Published: December 2022

The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is a nuclear receptor found mainly in the liver and intestine, whose main function is to regulate the expression of drug‐metabolizing enzymes and transporters. Recently, it has been noted that PXR plays critical roles in energy homeostasis, immune response, and cancer. Therefore, identifying chemicals or compounds that can modulate PXR is of great interest, as these can result in downstream toxicity or, alternatively, may have therapeutic potential. Testing one compound at a time for PXR activity would be inefficient and take thousands of hours for large compound libraries. Here, we describe a high‐throughput screening method that encompasses plating and treating HepG2‐CYP3A4‐hPXR cells in a 1536‐well plate, as well as reading and interpreting assay (e.g., luciferase reporter gene activity) endpoints. These cells are stably transfected with a human PXR expression vector and CYP3A4‐promoter‐driven luciferase reporter vector, allowing the identification of compounds that activate PXR through cytochrome 450 3A4. We also describe how to analyze the data from each assay and explain follow‐up steps, namely pharmacological characterization and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays, which can be performed to confirm results from the original screen. These methods can be used to identify and confirm hPXR activators after completion of a compound screening. Published 2022. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Establishment of a high‐throughput assay to identify hPXR activators

Basic Protocol 2: Quantitative high‐throughput screening a compound library to classify hPXR activators

Basic Protocol 3: Performing pharmacological characterization and qPCR assays to confirm hPXR activators
Comparison of treatment effects between two types of facemasks in early Class III patients
Authors: Lee Nam‐Ki , Kim So‐Hyun , Park Jae Hyun , Son Dong‐Whan , Choi Tae‐Hyun
Published: December 2022

Objective

To compare the short‐term treatment effects between two types of facemasks in skeletal Class III patients.

Materials and Methods

This retrospective study included 40 skeletal Class III subjects (mean age: 7.7 years) who had been treated with protraction facemasks with forehead straps (PFFS) or Petit type facemasks (PTF). Lateral cephalograms were analyzed at pretreatment (T1) and posttreatment (T2) with an average interval of 9 months.

Results

At T1, PFFS and PTF groups showed similar sagittal, vertical dentoskeletal patterns. From T1 to T2, both groups presented significant forward movement of the maxilla, posterior movement and clockwise rotation of the mandible (all p < .001), labioversion of the maxillary incisors, and linguoversion of the mandibular incisors. They showed increased overjet (p < .001). Although there were no significant differences in the number of changes in most dentoskeletal variables between the two groups, the PFFS group showed more anterior rotation of the palatal plane and backward rotation of the mandible compared to the PTF group, resulting in a significant decrease (−0.42 mm) in overbite (p < .05).

Conclusions

Both PFFS and PTF showed no significant differences in most skeletal and dental changes, except for overbite. These findings might be helpful for clinicians in selecting the types of facemasks for growing Class III malocclusion patients.
Evaluation of the efficacy of mineral trioxide aggregate and bioceramic putty in primary molar pulpotomy with symptoms of irreversible pulpitis (a randomized‐controlled trial)
Authors: Alnassar Ibrahim , Altinawi Mohamed , Rekab Mohammad Salem , Alzoubi Hasan , Abdo Anas
Published: December 2022

Objectives

Preserving the primary teeth is important, as they play an important role in the integrity of the dental arch, the development of the craniofacial complex, speech, and chewing. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of both Mineral Trioxide Aggregate (MTA) and Bioceramic putty in primary molar pulpotomy with symptoms of irreversible pulpitis.

Materials and Methods

In this study, 40 s primary mandibular molars in 40 healthy children aged 6−8 years were examined and classified into 2 groups according to the material: group A, with 20 primary molars capped by MTA, and group B, with 20 teeth capped by Bioceramic putty. Clinical and radiographic evaluation of the treatment results was carried out after 1 week, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months, and 1 year.

Results

Clinical and radiological success rates in the MTA group reached 95%, where a case of failure was observed after a year of follow‐up. In the Bioceramic group, the success rate reached 100% after a year of follow‐up, without any statistically significant differences between groups (p = .311).

Conclusions

Pulpotomy using biocompatibility materials (MTA‐Bioceramic) in primary molars with symptoms of irreversible pulpitis is considered effective due to the better advantages of the use of Bioceramic over MTA. This clinical trial was approved by Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials (12621001631897).
Lignin Stabilization and Carbohydrate Nature in H‐transfer Reductive Catalytic Fractionation: The Role of Solvent Fractionation of Lignin Oil in Structural Profiling**
Authors: Rinken Raul , Posthuma Dean , Rinaldi Roberto
Published: December 2022

Reductive Catalytic Fractionation (RCF) of lignocellulosic materials produces lignin oil rich in monomer products and high‐quality cellulosic pulps. RCF lignin oil also contains lignin oligomers/polymers and hemicellulose‐derived carbohydrates. The variety of components makes lignin oil a complex matrix for analytical methods. As a result, the signals are often convoluted and overlapped, making detecting and quantifying key intermediates challenging. Therefore, to investigate the mechanisms underlining lignin stabilization and elucidate the structural features of carbohydrates occurring in the RCF lignin oil, fractionation methods reducing the RCF lignin oil complexity are required. This report examines the solvent fractionation of RCF lignin oil as a facile method for producing lignin oil fractions for advanced characterization. Solvent fractionation uses small volumes of environmentally benign solvents (methanol, acetone, and ethyl acetate) to produce multigram lignin fractions comprising products in different molecular weight ranges. This feature allows the determination of structural heterogeneity across the entire molecular weight distribution of the RCF lignin oil by high‐resolution HSQC NMR spectroscopy. This study provides detailed insight into the role of the hydrogenation catalyst (Raney Ni) in stabilizing lignin fragments and defining the structural features of hemicellulose‐derived carbohydrates in lignin oil obtained by the H‐transfer RCF process.
Enhancing parameter identification of electrochemical double layer capacitors by fractional‐order equivalent impedance models and Levy flight strategy
Authors: Chen Xi , Pei Mani
Published: December 2022

This paper focuses on the parameter identification issue of electrochemical double layer capacitors (EDLCs). The superiority of the fractional‐order equivalent impedance model is revealed mathematically and electrochemically by analyzing the variation trends of different models and the general electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of EDLCs. Since the fractional‐order models can be used to describe the long‐tailed variation trend of the EIS of EDLCs in the low‐frequency band and can reflect the self‐charging phenomenon of EDLCs, the accuracy of parameter identification can be ensured. In addition, the idea of Levy flight is introduced and combined with the intelligent algorithms in the parameter identification process, thus accelerating the convergence rate of the parameter identification process. At the same time, the problem of nonconvex fitness function falling into local optimum can be solved. To confirm the effectiveness and superiority of this work, we provided diverse test scenarios. We used three different types of EDLCs, while a series of scenarios with or without Levy flight strategy were included in the tests. In our work, we compared not only the accuracy of the parameter identification but also the convergence rate of the identification process. The test results show that, by applying the proposed scheme, the sum of square error (SSE) between experiments and parameter identification results is less than 1.9%. Moreover, the convergence rate of the parameter identification process was improved. In extreme conditions, the convergence rate is 1287% faster than the schemes without Levy flight strategy.
Anlotinib improves bile duct ligature‐induced liver fibrosis in rats via antiangiogenesis regulated by VEGFR2/mTOR pathway
Authors: Lei Jun , Li Qing , Xu Hongyan , Luo Ming , Liu Zhiwen , Xiang Deng , Chen Peiqun
Published: December 2022

Cholestasis is a main clinical feature of biliary atresia (BA), which leads to liver fibrosis (LF). The focus of BA treatment is preventing and slowing the progress of LF. This study reports the improvement effect of anlotinib on common bile duct ligature (BDL)‐induced LF in young rats. The BDL young rats were treated with anlotinib and the serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, albumin, and total bilirubin were determined. Histological staining was performed and pathological changes in liver tissue were observed. The expression levels of α‐SMA, collagen I, CD31, TGF‐β1, phospho‐VEGFR2, phospho‐4E/BP1, and phospho‐S6K1 were determined. The results showed that anlotinib significantly improved the liver function and histopathological injury of BDL rats, inhibited the deposition of collagen and hepatocyte apoptosis, and downregulated the protein expression of α‐SMA and collagen I. Furthermore, anlotinib treatment significantly inhibited microvascular formation in the liver and downregulated the expression level of phospho‐VEGFR2, thereby suggesting that the antifibrosis effect of anlotinib may be achieved by antiangiogenesis. In addition, anlotinib downregulated the expression of phospho‐S6K1 and upregulated the expression of phospho‐4E/BP1, two downstream proteins of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. MHY1485, an agonist of mTOR, significantly reversed the inhibitory effect of anlotinib on angiogenesis and LF but did not influence the effect of anlotinib on the downregulation of phospho‐VEGFR2 expression. Together, the above‐mentioned results suggest that the effect of anlotinib on BDL‐induced LF involves at least antiangiogenesis regulated by the VEGFR2/mTOR signaling pathway.
Avian species richness and abundance show stronger responses to bison grazing intensity than to ecosystem productivity
Authors: Fagre Danielle A. , Janousek William M. , Dreitz Victoria J.
Published: December 2022

Temperate grassland ecosystems are one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, and their loss endangers the grassland songbirds that rely upon them. This guild of birds has shown long‐term declines in North America. At the same time, American bison (Bison bison) are becoming more common through reintroductions, and they may make significant modifications to grassland songbird habitat. To support conservation for this guild, we sought to understand the importance of bison grazing and ecosystem productivity to the species richness, occupancy, and abundance of this avian community. We conducted dependent double‐observer bird counts, measured bison grazing intensity with patty counts, and used remote‐sensed normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data to measure ecosystem productivity. Our work took place in the National Bison Range near Moiese, Montana and in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. We found that species richness was positively correlated with patty counts and had a weak negative correlation with NDVI. Occupancy probability for six of seven grassland songbird species was positively correlated with patty counts, and for six of seven species was negatively correlated with NDVI. Abundance of vesper sparrow (Pooecetes graminueus) and western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) were positively correlated with patty counts, although for western meadowlark, this trend became less positive with increasing patty counts. Our work suggests that managers may want to encourage a broad range of bison grazing intensities to ensure that vegetative conditions related to bison grazing are present for all species.
Nanopore short‐read sequencing: A quick, cost‐effective and accurate method for DNA metabarcoding
Authors: van der Reis Aimee L. , Beckley Lynnath E. , Olivar M. Pilar , Jeffs Andrew G.
Published: December 2022

Dietary and predator–prey studies are more frequently relying on DNA metabarcoding methods, typically achieving results that have a better taxonomic resolution (e.g., species‐level) than previous methods. With the continuous advancement in sequencing technology, what was previously accessible only as a large, fixed structure in a laboratory, which had a limited number of users, has now advanced to a small and readily usable device. In this study, we used the gut (content and lining) from juvenile lanternfish (Hygophum) specimens to compare the short‐read sequencing capability of the portable Nanopore MinION with the Illumina MiSeq. Primers common in dietary DNA metabarcoding work (COI “Leray primers” and 18S rRNA V4 “Zhan primers”) were used, with an additional comparison of cost‐effective COI “Lobo primers” (targeting the same COI fragment) for the proficiency in species detection of a broad range of taxa. Our results indicate high congruency between sequencing machines for, not only taxonomic assignments, but also relative read abundance of the main dietary items. We also identified that Nanopore sequencing is more cost‐effective. The Lobo primers are comparable to that of Leray, but substantially reduce the primer set price without compromising detection of taxa. Using both COI and 18S broadened the taxonomic scope, providing greater prey detection. Overall, this preliminary study was successful in creating a foundation for future dietary work involving larvae and transformation stage fishes whereby the content of the gut need not be separated from the gut lining to detect prey. The Hygophum diet detected here aligns with previous research that suggests the main dietary items to be calanoid copepods, but using molecular methods, soft prey was more readily identified compared to studies using visual methods of identification of dietary items. Overall, this study found that Nanopore sequencing is suitable for short‐read DNA metabarcoding and can provide rapid access to sequencing results.
Copper‐Based Nanoparticles as Antibacterial Agents
Authors: Yimeng Su , Huilun Xu , Ziming Liao , Kejun Liu , Chaima Merzougui , Xiangyu Zhang , Yinchun Hu , Yan Wei , Di Huang
Published: December 2022

Over the past few decades, the resistance of different pathogenic bacteria to various antibiotics has gradually increased. In order to solve the problems of this modern era, metal nanoparticles have attracted more attention than ever. Copper has been recognized as a non‐toxic, safe inorganic material and cheap antibacterial or antifungal agent, showing potential antibacterial effect in many biomedical fields. This interest has accelerated the generation of many novel methods for the synthesis of copper‐based nanoparticles. Due to the non‐toxicity and safety requirements of antibacterial agents, the recent green synthesis of copper‐based nanoparticles is gradually replacing the traditional methods. In addition, the antibacterial mechanism of copper‐based nanoparticles has provoked great curiosity. This review summarizes the synthetic methods, the possible antibacterial mechanisms and applications of copper‐based nanoparticles. Additionally, the application prospects of copper‐based nanoparticle antibacterial agent in biomedical applications and clinical field have been described and discussed.
Multicomponent Synthesis of Purines and Pyrimidines: From the Origin of Life to New Sustainable Approaches for Drug‐Discovery Applications
Authors: Grazia Martina Maria , Giannessi Lisa , Radi Marco
Published: December 2022

It is widely accepted that purines and pyrimidines, the building blocks that gave origin to life on our planet, were created through multicomponent reactions (MCRs) on early abiotic Earth. These heterocyclic scaffolds gradually evolved into a wide range of biologically relevant molecules regulating many different physiological processes and thus becoming widely exploited as templates for the development of new drugs. Accordingly, over the years, the synthetic community has dedicated many efforts in the attempt to hypothesize and replicate the original abiotic synthesis of purines and pyrimidines, thus developing a number of multicomponent synthesis to access these scaffolds. The following evolution of synthetic chemistry towards green approaches for the production of new molecules and the recent interest in pharmaceutical sustainability underlines the importance of multicomponent synthesis of new heterocycles. This review article provides an overview of the most important multicomponent approaches for the synthesis of purine and pyrimidine derivatives for potential pharmacological applications.
Phosphine‐Catalyzed [3+2] Cycloaddition of Aza‐Aurones and Allenoates: Enantioselective Synthesis of 2‐Spirocyclopentyl‐Indolin‐3‐Ones
Authors: Brambilla Elisa , Pozza Camilla , Rizzato Silvia , Abbiati Giorgio , Pirovano Valentina
Published: December 2022

An enantioselective phosphine‐catalyzed [3+2] cycloaddition between aza‐aurones and allenoates is here described. The reaction proceeded under mild reaction conditions to afford 2‐spirocyclopentyl indolin‐3‐one derivatives as single γ‐isomer and with high levels of stereocontrol.
Effect of process parameters on vitamins and sensory acceptability in micronutrient‐fortified soymilk prepared by small‐scale batch processing
Authors: Hardy Dallin M. , Pike Oscar A. , Taylor Bradley J. , Dunn Michael L.
Published: December 2022

Effects of holding time before cooling, cooling method, and light or dark refrigerated storage on the stability of vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, and folate were investigated in fortified and unfortified soymilk. Vitamin C loss (6%) and mild vitamin A isomerization occurred when soymilk was held hot after fortification. Cooling bottled soymilk at ambient temperature or in an ice‐water bath did not affect any vitamins. Loss of riboflavin (18%) and vitamin A isomerization occurred during 12 days of light‐exposed refrigerated storage, in contrast to no vitamin degradation during dark refrigerated storage. A sensory panel of youth and children indicated no significant preferences between fortified and unfortified soymilk except for color, where the lighter‐colored unfortified soymilk was preferred. Acceptable vitamin stability and sensory characteristics can be achieved in fortified soymilk produced in small‐scale batch processes with appropriate management of production and storage conditions.
COVID‐19 and tail risk contagion across commodity futures markets
Authors: Qiao Tongshuai , Han Liyan
Published: December 2022

This paper examines the impact of COVID‐19 on tail risk contagion across commodity futures markets using a copula‐based network method. We document a significant increase in the lower and upper tail contagiousness of commodities following the COVID‐19 outbreak. Contagion shows an obvious clustering characteristic, that is, there is higher tail risk connectedness between commodities in the same category. Agricultural commodities are significantly less contagious than metals and energy commodities; soft commodities in particular can offer investors significant diversification benefits. There are several hub commodities in the contagion network, chief among them copper, which are good transmitters of shocks and should be treated with caution by investors and regulators. Although tail risk and contagiousness of individual commodities increase together during the pandemic, we find a negative cross‐sectional relationship between tail risk and contagiousness, that is, commodities with high tail risk are not necessarily highly contagious and may even be less so.
TFG::MET‐rearranged soft tissue tumor: A rare infantile neoplasm with a distinct low‐grade triphasic morphology
Authors: Michal Michael , Ud Din Nasir , Švajdler Marián , Klubíčková Natálie , Ptáková Nikola , Hájková Veronika , Michal Michal , Agaimy Abbas
Published: December 2022

This article presents 2 cases of TFG::MET‐rearranged mesenchymal tumor, an extremely rare molecular subset among an emerging group of mesenchymal neoplasms with kinase gene (NTRK, BRAF, RET and others) alterations. Both tumors were congenital, occurred in female patients and presented as huge masses on the trunk and thigh, measuring 18 and 20 cm in the largest dimension. Both cases showed identical areas with a distinctive triphasic morphology resembling fibrous hamartoma of infancy (FHI), consisting of haphazardly arranged ovoid to spindled cells traversed by variably cellular and hyalinized fascicles admixed with (most likely non‐neoplastic) adipose tissue. In other areas, a high‐grade infantile fibrosarcoma/malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor‐like (IFS/MPNST‐like) morphology was present in both cases. While the first case co‐expressed CD34 and S100 protein, the other case did not. When combined with the three previously reported MET‐rearranged cases (of which two harbored TFG::MET fusion), 3/5 and 3/4 of MET‐rearranged and TFG::MET fusion‐associated tumors, respectively exhibited similar triphasic FHI‐like low‐grade morphology. This points toward the existence of a relatively distinct morphological subset among kinase‐fusion‐associated tumors which seems to be strongly associated with MET fusions. It seems some of these low‐grade cases may transform into a high‐grade variant with IFS/MPNST‐like morphology as has been observed in other tumors with kinase gene fusions. While most cases seem to follow an indolent clinical course, the recognition of these tumors is clinically relevant as MET tyrosine kinase inhibitors might represent an effective treatment option for clinically aggressive or unresectable cases.
Petrogenesis of the Eocene Yulong potassic intrusion in non‐subduction setting in the Sanjiang Tethys
Authors: Du Bin , Yang Zi'an , Wang Changming , Chen Qi , Yang Lifei , Shi Kangxing , Zhu Jiaxuan , Li Gao , Wang Lei , Lu Jia
Published: December 2022

The giant Yulong porphyry Cu (‐Mo‐Au) deposit was formed in a post‐collisional setting in eastern Tibet, which is associated with Eocene potassic to ultrapotassic felsic intrusive rocks. The origin of the Yulong potassic intrusion remains highly disputed. Hence, we present new zircon U–Pb ages, whole‐rock geochemistry and zircon Lu‐Hf isotopes for the Yulong intrusion. Zircon U–Pb dating from the porphyritic monzogranite and porphyritic quartz monzonite yield ages of 41.1 ± 0.2, 40.8 ± 0.1 and 40.5 ± 0.2 Ma, respectively. Samples from the Yulong intrusion exhibit high K2O (4.13–4.85%), and high K2O/Na2O (1.00–1.25), [La/Yb]n (30.37–40.37) and Sr/Y (57.86–87.68) ratios, low Mg#, MgO, Ni, and Cr contents, enrichment in light rare earth elements (LREEs) and depletion of high‐field‐strength elements (HFSEs, e.g., Nb, Ta, and Ti). Zircon grains from this study have mostly positive εHf(t) values (+1.6 to +2.9), and crustal model ages (TDMC) of 0.90–1.19 Ga. These features suggest that the Yulong intrusion is derived from a thickened juvenile lower crust. During the Permian to late Triassic, Jinshajiang‐Ailaoshan Palaeo‐Tethyan oceanic subduction from the eastern margin of the North Qiangtang produced metasomatic domains within the continental lithospheric mantle and lower crust. During the late Eocene, the continuing India‐Asia continental collision may have preferentially overthickened the crust. Convective removals in the lower part of the thickened lithosphere resulted in the hot asthenosphere upwelling along the Jinshajiang‐Ailaoshan Suture, which induced the partial melting of the residual metasomatized lithospheric mantle, as well as the thickened lower crust in the Eocene, which formed the Yulong intrusion.
An observational, prospective, multicenter study on the utilization and effectiveness of elbasvir–grazoprevir treatment association for chronic hepatitis C in France (ZEPHYR study)
Authors: Bronowicki Jean‐Pierre , Miailhes Patrick , Hanslik Bertrand , Ouzan Denis , Larrey Dominique , Riachi Ghassan , Truchi Régine , Jouannaud Vincent , Pospait Dan , Abergel Armand , Causse Xavier , Perot Stéphanie , Skrzypski Jérémy , De Hautecloque Astrid , Spampinato Axelle , Mariot Philippe , Sogni Philippe ,   the Zephyr Study group
Published: December 2022

Background and Aim

The efficacy and safety profiles of elbasvir–grazoprevir (EBR/GZR) has been established in more than 10 clinical trials. However, the characteristics of patients treated in routine clinical practice may differ. The present study was therefore designed to assess the real‐life effectiveness of EBR/GZR therapy in the general population and among subgroups with a high hepatitis C virus (HCV) prevalence in France.

Methods

The Zephyr study was designed as a French, multicentre, prospective, observational study on EBR/GZR use and effectiveness in current practice in chronic hepatitis C patients. These results are based on data regarding the adult patients who received at least one dose of EBR/GZR between December 2017 and June 2019 in 67 French hospitals and clinics.

Results

Overall, 478 patients were included. The Full Analysis Set corresponded to the 467 patients who met all the inclusion criteria and none of the exclusion criteria. Gender was balanced and the mean age was 55.7 ± 13.3 years. The patients were mainly treatment‐naive (89.5%) and infected with Genotype 1b (70.4%). Among the 75 patients with HCV Gt1a genotype, 56% had HCV RNA ≥ 800,000 IU/ml. F3–F4 fibrosis stage involved 24.2% of our population. Our subgroups were distributed among 110 migrants (23.6%), 58 (15.3%) using opioid agonist treatment, including people who inject drugs, 30 (6.8%) with chronic kidney disease Stages 3–5, 9 (1.9%) with an inherited blood disorder, and 4 (0.9%) coinfected with HIV. The remaining 269 (58.7%) were included in the general population subgroup. Overall, sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of treatment reached 98.0% and remained consistent among genotype, HCV RNA values, fibrosis stage, and the subgroup of interest. The rate of Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test‐Consumption​​​ and Life Habit questionnaire completion was high at each visit, with data suggesting alcohol consumption decrease and an improvement in quality of life.

Conclusions

Using real‐world evidence data on a French population representative of HCV patients, we confirmed the results obtained during EBR/GZR development program.
COVID‐19 and the increase in schizophrenia incidence in the future: A hypothesis and a serious warning
Authors: Pourfridoni Mohammad , Askarpour Hedyeh
Published: December 2022

Background and Aims

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), which has caused a global pandemic, is brought on by the Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Since the COVID‐19 pandemic started so recently, dealing with complications that emerge years later and have the potential to cause several crises for humanity is one of the issues we face in the post‐COVID‐19 age. Therefore, we wish to discuss a theory and potential dangers surrounding the probability of schizophrenia following COVID‐19 infection in this study.

Methods

The literature search for this article has been entirely internet‐based. Information was gathered using the Web of Science, PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases.

Results

The results showed that multiple immune system changes brought on by COVID‐19 have been identified as potential causes of schizophrenia.

Conclusion

It is predicted that one of the long‐term effects of COVID‐19 is an increase in the risk of schizophrenia incidence based on the results of this study, which looked at the pathophysiology and etiology of schizophrenia as well as the pathogenic mechanisms of the SARS‐CoV‐2. Therefore, healthcare staff should be prepared to handle any potential risks in future.
Trends and future projections of cervical cancer‐related outcomes in Japan: What happens if the HPV vaccine program is not implemented?
Authors: Sakakibara Atsuko , Nakayama Takeo , Uchida Hiroyuki , Odagiri Youichi , Ito Yuri , Katayama Toshiro , Ueda Yutaka , Higuchi Toshihiro , Terakawa Koichi , Matsui Kunihiko , Miyazaki Kikuko , Konishi Ikuo
Published: December 2022

Contrary to other developed countries, in Japan, recent years have seen increases in cervical cancer incidence and mortality among young people. However, the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine program, a key measure for avoiding cervical cancer, has been virtually suspended. Temporal changes in cervical cancer profiles in this unique situation have not been fully investigated epidemiologically. Our study aimed to determine the current status and future trends of the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer and precancerous lesions in Japan. Mortality rates of cervical cancer during 1975 to 2016 and incidence rates of cervical cancer and cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3 during 1975 to 2013 were examined using vital statistics and population‐based cancer registry data in Japan. Bayesian age‐period‐cohort analyses were performed to analyze temporal changes of the three cervical cancer‐related outcomes. We also calculated projections to 2028 for the three outcomes, assuming that HPV vaccination coverage and screening rates in Japan would be maintained at the current level after the resumption of the national vaccination program. The risk of occurrence of the three outcomes showed similar changes by birth cohort, peaking in the mid‐1890s to 1900s birth cohorts, declining sharply in the 1940s birth cohort, and persistently increasing in the 1950s and later birth cohorts. Projections to 2028 show increases in cervical cancer incidence and mortality in the 30 to 69 age group, with a particular increase in CIN3 incidence in the 25 to 49 age group, if HPV vaccine programs and screening are not effectively implemented. These findings revealed an increasing cervical disease burden among reproductive age females in Japan.
Multi‐level deep learning based lung cancer classifier for classification based on tumour‐node‐metastasis approach
Authors: Pawar Swati P. , Talbar Sanjay N.
Published: December 2022

Treatment of non‐small cell lung cancer depends on detecting the cancer stage. The oncologist decides the cancer stage based on the tumour‐node‐metastasis (TNM) staging suggested by the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC). This study simplifies the complicated problem of classifying computed tomography (CT) images into TNM‐based classes using deep learning algorithms at various levels. In the first level, an optimised conditional generative adversarial network (c‐GAN) network is developed for automatic lung segmentation, including nodules within the lung and juxtapleural nodules. Earlier studies used time‐consuming manual identification of the region of interest patches from the lung CT image before applying the deep learning classification algorithm. At the next level, three different deep learning algorithms, along with three support vector machine classifiers, are used for the classification of Tumour, Node and Metastasis as per the AJCC staging nomenclature. The specially designed c‐GAN network's performance is maximised using the Taguchi approach, which helps automatically preprocess CT images by removing unwanted background noises. Further, three different pre‐trained Resnet50 networks are trained using transfer learning for extracting the deep features for finally applying to three different classifiers, resulting in three different classes. The comparative segmentation performance assessment in the form of the average dice similarity coefficient and Jaccard index indicates that the proposed c‐GAN gives the best segmentation performance of the lung without losing the nodule compared to other segmentation algorithms. The proposed approach gives the classification performance for the Tumour as 91.94%–97.32%, the Nodule as 91.99%–100%, and the Metastasis as 99.25%–100.00%.
Pan‐cancer analyses reveal molecular and clinical characteristics of cuproptosis regulators
Authors: Wu Changwu , Tan Jun , Wang Xiangyu , Qin Chaoying , Long Wenyong , Pan Yimin , Li Yuzhe , Liu Qing
Published: December 2022

Imbalance in copper homeostasis can be lethal. A recent study found that excess copper induces cell death in a way that has never been characterized before, which is dependent on mitochondrial stress and is referred to as “cuproptosis.” The role of cuproptosis in tumors has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we revealed the complex and important roles of cuproptosis regulators and cuproptosis activity in tumors via a comprehensive analysis of multiomics data from more than 10,000 samples of 33 tumor types. We found that the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor 2A is the most frequently altered cuproptosis regulator, and the cuproptosis regulator expression is dysregulated in various tumors. Additionally, we developed a cuproptosis activity score to reflect the overall cuproptosis level. On the basis of the expression levels of cuproptosis regulators, tumors can be divided into two clusters with different cuproptosis activities and survival outcomes. Importantly, cuproptosis activity was found to be associated with the prognosis of multiple tumors and multiple tumor‐related pathways, including fatty acid metabolism and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, cuproptosis increased the sensitivity to multiple drugs and exhibited potential to predict the outcome of immunotherapy. We also comprehensively identified cuproptosis‐related microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, and transcription factors. We provided the code corresponding to the results of this study in GitHub (https://github.com/Changwuuu/Cuproptosis-pancancer.git) for reference. In summary, this study reveals important molecular and clinical characteristics of cuproptosis regulators and cuproptosis activity in tumors, and suggests the use of cuproptosis as a promising tumor therapeutic approach. This study provides an important reference point for future cuproptosis‐related research.