bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testing mechanisms and context dependence of costs of plastic shade avoidance responses inImpatiens capensis(Balsaminaceae)
Authors: Huber Heidrun , von Wettberg Eric J. , Aguilera Anna , Schmitt Johanna
Published: September 2011

•Premise of the study:Many plant species elongate their shoots in response to neighbor proximity and neighbor height. Although these plastic responses may be beneficial in terms of enhancing light interception, they also may have costs in terms of increased risk of mechanical failure (i.e., lodging or breaking) because of thinner stems. This trade‐off between light acquisition and stability may shape the evolution of plastic elongation responses to foliage shade.

•Methods:In a field experiment manipulating elongation phenotypes and densities, we tested two hypotheses. We predicted that the risks of mechanical failure depend on plastic elongation and/or on characteristics of the immediate neighborhood, such as density and neighbor height. Further, we predicted that plants that fail mechanically would have reduced fitness.

•Key results:Mechanical failure was earlier and more frequent at high density and showed a complex interaction with neighborhood characteristics such as relative height of the neighbors and the expression of early plasticity. Plants that broke earlier had shorter lifespan and lower reproductive output.

•Conclusions:Our results show that depending on the height and density of the group, plastic elongation responses can remain advantageous despite costs of increased risk of mechanical failure of the taller stems, as mechanical failure was not associated with strong costs in terms of reduced lifespan or seed production. The overall benefits of elongation outweigh the costs resulting in selection for elongation at the population level.
The Magnitude of the T Cell Response to a Clinically Significant Dose of Influenza Virus Is Regulated by TRAIL
Authors: Brincks Erik L. , Gurung Prajwal , Langlois Ryan A. , Hemann Emily A. , Legge Kevin L. , Griffith Thomas S.
Published: September 2011

An immune response of appropriate magnitude should be robust enough to control pathogen spread but not simultaneously lead to immunopathology. Primary infection with influenza A virus (IAV) results in a localized pulmonary infection and inflammation and elicits an IAV-specific CD8 T cell immune response necessary for viral clearance. Clearance of IAV-infected cells, and recovery from infection, is mediated by perforin/granzyme B- and Fas/FasL-mediated mechanisms. We recently reported that TRAIL is another means by which IAV-specific CD8 T cells can kill IAV-infected cells. The current study examined the role of TRAIL in the pulmonary CD8 T cell response to a clinically significant IAV [A/PR/8/34 (PR8; H1N1)] infection (i.e., leads to observable, but limited, morbidity and mortality in wild-type [WT] mice). Compared with WT mice, IAV-infected Trail−/− mice experienced increased morbidity and mortality despite similar rates of viral clearance from the lungs. The increased morbidity and mortality in Trail−/− mice correlated with increased pulmonary pathology and inflammatory chemokine production. Analysis of lung-infiltrating lymphocytes revealed increased numbers of IAV-specific CD8 T cells in infected Trail−/− mice, which correlated with increased pulmonary cytotoxic activity and increased pulmonary expression of MIG and MIP-1α. In addition, there was decreased apoptosis and increased proliferation of IAV-specific CD8 T cells in the lungs of Trail−/− mice compared with WT mice. Together, these data suggest that TRAIL regulates the magnitude of the IAV-specific CD8 T cell response during a clinically significant IAV infection to decrease the chance for infection-induced immunopathology.
Sulfur dioxide and primary carbonaceous aerosol emissions in China and India, 1996–2010
Authors: Lu Z. , Zhang Q. , Streets D. G.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. China and India are the two largest anthropogenic aerosol generating countries in the world. In this study, we develop a new inventory of sulfur dioxide (SO2) and primary carbonaceous aerosol (i.e., black and organic carbon, BC and OC) emissions from these two countries for the period 1996–2010, using a technology-based methodology. Emissions from major anthropogenic sources and open biomass burning are included, and time-dependent trends in activity rates and emission factors are incorporated in the calculation. Year-specific monthly temporal distributions for major sectors and gridded emissions at a resolution of 0.1°×0.1° distributed by multiple year-by-year spatial proxies are also developed. In China, the interaction between economic development and environmental protection causes large temporal variations in the emission trends. From 1996 to 2000, emissions of all three species showed a decreasing trend (by 9 %–17 %) due to a slowdown in economic growth, a decline in coal use in non-power sectors, and the implementation of air pollution control measures. With the economic boom after 2000, emissions from China changed dramatically. BC and OC emissions increased by 46 % and 33 % to 1.85 Tg and 4.03 Tg in 2010. SO2 emissions first increased by 61 % to 34.0 Tg in 2006, and then decreased by 9.2 % to 30.8 Tg in 2010 due to the wide application of flue-gas desulfurization (FGD) equipment in power plants. Driven by the remarkable energy consumption growth and relatively lax emission controls, emissions from India increased by 70 %, 41 %, and 35 % to 8.81 Tg, 1.02 Tg, and 2.74 Tg in 2010 for SO2, BC, and OC, respectively. Monte Carlo simulations are used to quantify the emission uncertainties. The average 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) of SO2, BC, and OC emissions are estimated to be −16 %–17 %, −43 %–93 %, and −43 %–80 % for China, and −15 %–16 %, −41 %–87 %, and −44 %–92 % for India, respectively. Sulfur content, fuel use, and sulfur retention of hard coal and the actual FGD removal efficiency are the main contributors to the uncertainties of SO2 emissions. Biofuel combustion related parameters (i.e., technology divisions, fuel use, and emission factor determinants) are the largest source of OC uncertainties, whereas BC emissions are also sensitive to the parameters of coal combustion in the residential and industrial sectors and the coke-making process. Comparing our results with satellite observations, we find that the trends of estimated emissions in both China and India are in good agreement with the trends of aerosol optical depth (AOD) and SO2 retrievals obtained from different satellites.
Rapid biological oxidation of methanol in the tropical Atlantic: significance as a microbial carbon source
Authors: Dixon J. L. , Beale R. , Nightingale P. D.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Methanol is the second most abundant organic gas in the atmosphere after methane, and is ubiquitous in the troposphere. It plays a significant role in atmospheric oxidant chemistry and is biogeochemically active. Large uncertainties exist about whether the oceans are a source or sink of methanol to the atmosphere. Even less is understood about what reactions in seawater determine its concentration, and hence flux across the sea surface interface. We report here concentrations of methanol between 151–296 nM in parts of the oligotrophic North Atlantic, with corresponding microbial uptake rates between 2–146 nM d−1, suggesting turnover times as low as 1 day (1–25 days) in surface waters of the oligotrophic tropical North East Atlantic. Methanol is mainly (≥97%) used by microbes for obtaining energy in oligotrophic regions, which contrasts with shelf and coastal areas where between 20–50% can be used for cell growth. Comparisons of microbial methanol oxidation rates with parallel determinations of bacterial leucine uptake suggest that methanol contributes on average 13% to bacterial carbon demand in the central northern Atlantic gyre (maximum of 54%). In addition, the contribution that methanol makes to bacterial carbon demand varies as a power function of chlorophyll a concentrations; suggesting for concentrations <0.2 μg l−1 that methanol can make a significant contribution to bacterial carbon demand. However, our low air to sea methanol flux estimates of 7.2–13 μmol m−2 d−1 suggest that the atmosphere is not a major methanol source. We conclude that there must be a major, as yet unidentified, in situ oceanic methanol source in these latitudes which we suggest is sunlight driven decomposition of organic matter.
Shallow groundwater effect on land surface temperature and surface energy balance under bare soil conditions: modeling and description
Authors: Alkhaier F. , Flerchinger G. N. , Su Z.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Appreciating when and how groundwater affects surface temperature and energy fluxes is important for utilizing remote sensing in groundwater studies and for integrating aquifers within land surface models. To explore the shallow groundwater effect, we numerically exposed two soil profiles – one having shallow groundwater – to the same meteorological forcing, and inspected their different responses regarding surface soil moisture, temperature and energy balance. We found that the two profiles differed in the absorbed and emitted amounts of energy, in portioning out the available energy and in heat fluency within the soil. We conclude that shallow groundwater areas reflect less shortwave radiation due to their lower albedo and therefore they get higher magnitude of net radiation. When potential evaporation demand is high enough, a large portion of the energy received by these areas is spent on evaporation. This makes the latent heat flux predominant, and leaves less energy to heat the soil. Consequently, this induces lower magnitudes of both sensible and ground heat fluxes. The higher soil thermal conductivity in shallow groundwater areas facilitates heat transfer between the top soil and the subsurface, i.e. soil subsurface is more thermally connected to the atmosphere. In view of remote sensors' capability of detecting shallow groundwater effect, we conclude that this effect can be sufficiently clear to be sensed if at least one of two conditions is met: high potential evaporation and big contrast in air temperature between day and night. Under these conditions, most day and night hours are suitable for shallow groundwater depth detection.
Predicting heat flow in the 2001 Bhuj earthquake (Mw=7.7) region of Kachchh (Western India), using an inverse recurrence method
Authors: Vedanti N. , Pandey O. P. , Srivastava R. P. , Mandal P. , Kumar S. , Dimri V. P.
Published: September 2011

Abstract. Terrestrial heat flow is considered an important parameter in studying the regional geotectonic and geodynamic evolutionary history of any region. However, its distribution is still very uneven. There is hardly any information available for many geodynamically important areas. In the present study, we provide a methodology to predict the surface heat flow in areas, where detailed seismic information such as depth to the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) and crustal structure is known. The tool was first tested in several geotectonic blocks around the world and then used to predict the surface heat flow for the 2001 Bhuj earthquake region of Kachchh, India, which has been seismically active since historical times and where aftershock activity is still continuing nine years after the 2001 main event. Surface heat flow for this region is estimated to be about 61.3 mW m−2. Beneath this region, heat flow input from the mantle as well as the temperatures at the Moho are quite high at around 44 mW m−2 and 630 °C, respectively, possibly due to thermal restructuring of the underlying crust and mantle lithosphere. In absence of conventional data, the proposed tool may be used to estimate a first order heat flow in continental regions for geotectonic studies, as it is also unaffected by the subsurface climatic perturbations that percolate even up to 2000 m depth.
Initial PET/CT Staging for Choroidal Melanoma: AJCC Correlation and Second Nonocular Primaries in 333 Patients
Authors: Freton Aurélien , Chin Kimberly J. , Raut Robert , Tena Lawrence B. , Kivelä Tero , Finger Paul T.
Published: September 2011

Purpose

To report on whole body positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) screening for metastasis at diagnosis of primary uveal melanoma.

Methods

Since August 2003, 333 consecutive patients were diagnosed with uveal melanoma and underwent whole body screening for metastatic disease with PET/CT along with liver function tests and physical examination. Abnormal findings prompted further biopsies, blood tests, imaging, or clinical evaluations for confirmation. The presence of metastatic disease and second cancers were evaluated.

Results

Using the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) tumor, node, metastasis (TNM) 7th edition criteria, 104 tumors were classified T1 (31%), 162 T2 (49%), 37 T3 (11%), and 30 T4 (9%). Seven of 333 (2.1%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.8-4.3) patients had metastatic melanoma. One tumor was a T3 and 6 were T4. Thus, 3% of T3 and 20% of T4 melanomas were found to have metastases at the time of initial diagnosis. Ten patients (3.3%; 95% CI 0.9-5.5) had synchronous second cancers and 28 (8.4%) concurrent benign lesions. The most common metastatic sites were liver (7/7) and bone (2/7).

Discussion

This study suggests that PET/CT improves the yield of detecting both extrahepatic metastases, especially from tumors defined as AJCC-T4, and synchronous primary cancers, irrespective of the size of the uveal melanoma. With respect to liver metastases, PET/CT demonstrated high sensitivity and positive predictive values, indicating an overall better performance than conventional screening procedures.
Fluorescence Cystoscopy with Hexaminolevulinate: Our Preliminary Experience of 184 Procedures
Authors: Fanari Massimiliano , Serra Simona , Corona Andrea , De Lisa Antonello
Published: September 2011

Introduction

Fluorescence cystoscopy (FC) with hexaminolevulinate (HAL) is a recently introduced technique of photodynamic diagnosis (PDD), which aims to improve the accuracy of white light cystoscopy (WLC) in the diagnosis of superficial bladder tumors (NMIBC), and especially of flat urothelial lesions (dysplasia and Ca in situ). We report our experience of a number of cases of WLC and FC in a single moment with HAL in the diagnosis and follow-up of NMIBC.

Materials and Methods

The method was applied to 184 selected patients with a diagnosis or clinical suspicion - instrumental or early recurrence of bladder neoplasia. The lesions found in white light (WL) and/or blue light (FC) were sampled separately for histological examination. We evaluated the results in terms of diagnostic gain compared to treatment with one WL, false positivity and recurrence-free survival compared to historical reference group treated with WL only.

Results

26.1% of the lesions were found only by the PDD method. The false positivity due to the method adopted was 21.2%. The gain in terms of recurrence-free survival (compared with historical reference group treated only with WL) was 22.3% at 12 months and 24.4% at 20 months. It did not show any systemic side effects.

Discussion

The PDD is a technique that can significantly increase the diagnostic accuracy of NMIBC.
Retroperitoneal Neoformation: Case Study
Authors: Pettenò Alberto , Dotti Paolo , Tralce Luigi
Published: September 2011

Retroperitoneal sarcoma represents approximately 12–15% of all sarcomas and between 0.2 and 0.5% of all neoplasia. They very rarely metastasize, and the main cause of death is local recurrence. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy still do not represent valid therapeutic alternatives, therefore radical surgery remains the only valid option. We would like to present the following case of a 48-year-old male patient. After episodes of right-side renal colic, a 19x16x19 cm mass was found, which was palpable in the right quadrants, englobed the right ureter and caused ipsilateral hydroureteronephrosis of medium grade. Surgery allowed total excision of this neoplasm (which was tenaciously attached to various organs), with the sacrifice of the right kidney. The final histological examination on a sample taken during surgery confirmed that the neoplasm was a spindle-cell sarcoma at an intermediate grade of malignancy. One year after surgery the patient is disease free.
Combatendo as DCNT: uma abordagem diferente é necessária*
Authors: De Maeseneer Jan , Roberts Richard G , Demarzo Marcelo Marcos Piva , Heath Iona , Sewankambo Nelson , Kidd Michael R , Van Weel Chris , Egilman David , Boelen Charles , Willems Sara
Published: September 2011

A “Aliança DCNT” (“NCD Alliance”)1 visa colocar as doenças crônicas não transmissíveis (DCNT) na agenda global de saúde, a fim de enfrentar a chamada “crise das DCNT”. Melhorar os indicadores de morbidade e mortalidade em 2015 dependerá, em grande medida, da prevenção e controle das DCNT, especialmente nos países em desenvolvimento2. *Reprinted with permission from Elsevier (The Lancet, 2011, 6 September 2011, online first) - Reprodução autorizada do original em inglês, publicado no periódico The Lancet, detentor dos copyrights:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(11)61135-5
Failure to Rescue as a Quality Measure in Sepsis
Authors: Taylor Stephanie Parks , Kowalkowski Marc
Published: June 2024

This Viewpoint discusses the limitations of current tools to improve sepsis outcomes and proposes that these tools be supplemented with “failure to rescue,” a systems-level approach for recognizing and addressing complications and managing sepsis throughout the hospitalization period.
Emergency Medical Service Agency Practices and Cardiac Arrest Survival
Authors: Girotra Saket , Dukes Kimberly C. , Sperling Jessica , Kennedy Kevin , Del Rios Marina , Crowe Remle , Panchal Ashish R. , Rea Thomas , McNally Bryan F. , Chan Paul S.
Published: June 2024

Importance

Survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) varies widely across emergency medical service (EMS) agencies in the US. However, little is known about which EMS practices are associated with higher agency-level survival.

Objective

To identify resuscitation practices associated with favorable neurological survival for OHCA at EMS agencies.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cohort study surveyed EMS agencies participating in the Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (CARES) with 10 or more OHCAs annually during January 2015 to December 2019; data analyses were performed from April to October 2023.

Exposure

Survey of resuscitation practices at EMS agencies.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Risk-standardized rates of favorable neurological survival for OHCA at each EMS agency were estimated using hierarchical logistic regression. Multivariable linear regression then examined the association of EMS practices with rates of risk-standardized favorable neurological survival.

Results

Of 577 eligible EMS agencies, 470 agencies (81.5%) completed the survey. The mean (SD) rate of risk-standardized favorable neurological survival was 8.1% (1.8%). A total of 7 EMS practices across 3 domains (training, cardiopulmonary resuscitation [CPR], and transport) were associated with higher rates of risk-standardized favorable neurological survival. EMS agencies with higher favorable neurological survival rates were more likely to use simulation to assess CPR competency (β = 0.54; P = .05), perform frequent reassessment (at least once every 6 months) of CPR competency in new staff (β = 0.51; P = .04), use full multiperson scenario simulation for ongoing skills training (β = 0.48; P = .01), perform simulation training at least every 6 months (β = 0.63; P < .001), and conduct training in the use of mechanical CPR devices at least once annually (β = 0.43; P = .04). EMS agencies with higher risk-standardized favorable neurological survival were also more likely to use CPR feedback devices (β = 0.58; P = .007) and to transport patients to a designated cardiac arrest or ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction receiving center (β = 0.57; P = .003). Adoption of more than half (≥4) of the 7 practices was more common at EMS agencies in the highest quartile of favorable neurological survival rates (70 of 118 agencies [59.3%]) vs the lowest quartile (42 of 118 agencies [35.6%]) (P < .001).

Conclusions and Relevance

In a national registry for OHCA, 7 practices associated with higher rates of favorable neurological survival were identified at EMS agencies. Given wide variability in neurological survival across EMS agencies, these findings provide initial insights into EMS practices associated with top-performing EMS agencies in OHCA survival. Future studies are needed to validate these findings and identify best practices for EMS agencies.
Neighborhood Social Vulnerability and Premature Cardiovascular Disease in Haiti
Authors: Roberts Nicholas L. S. , Sufra Rodney , Yan Lily D. , St. Sauveur Reichling , Inddy Joseph , Macius Youry , Théard Michel , Lee Myung Hee , Mourra Nour , Rasul Rehana , Nash Denis , Deschamps Marie M. , Safford Monika M. , Pape Jean W. , Rouzier Vanessa , McNairy Margaret L.
Published: June 2024

Importance

Higher social vulnerability is associated with premature cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality but is understudied in low-income countries that have both the highest magnitude of social vulnerability and a growing CVD epidemic.

Objective

To evaluate the association between social vulnerability and hypertension, CVD, and CVD subtypes in Haiti as a model for similar low-income countries.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This population-based cohort study used enrollment data from adults participating in the Haiti Cardiovascular Disease Cohort Study. Recruitment occurred via multistage random sampling throughout slum and urban neighborhoods in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, from March 2019 to August 2021. Data were analyzed from May 2022 to December 2023.

Exposures

A modified Haitian Social Vulnerability Index (SVI-H) was created following the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Social Vulnerability Index method. Twelve variables across the domains of socioeconomic status, household characteristics, and social and community context were included. The SVI-H was calculated for each study neighborhood block and then stratified into SVI-H quartiles (quartile 1 was the least vulnerable; quartile 4, the most vulnerable).

Main Outcomes and Measures

Prevalent hypertension and total CVD, defined as heart failure (HF), stroke, transient ischemic attack (TIA), angina, or myocardial infarction (MI). Age-adjusted Poisson regression analysis yielded prevalence ratios (PRs) comparing the prevalence of hypertension, total CVD, and CVD subtypes across SVI-H quartiles.

Results

Among 2925 adults (1704 [58.3%] female; mean [SD] age, 41.9 [15.9] years), the prevalence of hypertension was 32.8% (95% CI, 31.1%-34.5%) and the prevalence of CVD was 14.7% (95% CI, 13.5%-16.0%). Hypertension prevalence ranged from 26.2% (95% CI, 23.1%-29.3%) to 38.4% (95% CI, 34.8%-42.0%) between quartiles 1 and 4, while CVD prevalence ranged from 11.1% (95% CI, 8.8%-13.3%) to 19.7% (95% CI, 16.8%-22.6%). SVI-H quartile 4 vs 1 was associated with a greater prevalence of hypertension (PR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.02-1.34) and CVD (PR, 1.48; 95% CI, 1.16-1.89). Among CVD subtypes, SVI-H was significantly associated with HF (PR, 1.64; 95% CI, 1.23-2.18) but not with combined stroke and TIA or combined angina and MI.

Conclusions and Relevance

In urban Haiti, individuals living in neighborhoods with the highest social vulnerability had greater prevalence of hypertension and HF. Understanding CVD disparities in low-income countries is essential for targeting prevention and treatment interventions toward populations at highest risk globally.
Early Implementation of Exercise to Facilitate Recovery After Breast Cancer Surgery
Authors: Min Jihee , Kim Jee Ye , Ryu Jiin , Park Seho , Courneya Kerry S. , Ligibel Jennifer , Kim Seung Il , Jeon Justin Y.
Published: June 2024

Importance

Recovery of shoulder function following breast cancer surgery is crucial for physical functioning and quality of life. While early implementation of shoulder rehabilitation exercises may enhance recovery, the optimal timing and exercise program remain unclear.

Objective

To investigate whether an early exercise intervention, initiated 1 day postsurgery and continued for 1 month through subsequent visits, could improve shoulder range of motion (ROM) and strength in patients with breast cancer.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A parallel-group, 2-arm randomized clinical trial was conducted between June 2020 and October 2021 at the Breast Cancer Center in Seoul, South Korea. Fifty-six patients (of 119 screened) with early-stage breast cancer who were scheduled for partial or total mastectomy were randomized into a tailored resistance exercise group (n = 28) or a usual care group (n = 28). Data were analyzed from November 2021 to June 2022.

Interventions

The exercise intervention commenced 1 day postsurgery and consisted of 4 supervised exercise education sessions corresponding with surgeon visits and daily home-based exercises for the first postoperative month. Tailored programs, including stretching and strength exercises, were adjusted based on individual shoulder function recovery status.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Primary end points were shoulder ROM and strength at 1 and 6 months postsurgery. Physical activity, body composition, and quality of life were assessed at 6 months.

Results

Of 56 patients randomized (mean [SD] age, 50.3 [6.6] years), 54 completed the trial (96%), with 100% and 97% compliance to supervised and home-based exercise sessions, respectively. At 1 month postsurgery, 19 (67.9%) in the exercise group had fully recovered shoulder strength compared to 1 (3.6%) in the usual care group (P < .001). At 6 months, 22 (78.6%) in the exercise group had fully recovered shoulder ROM and 24 (85.7%) had fully recovered strength compared to 6 (21.4%) and 5 (17.9%), respectively, in the usual care group (P < .001). The exercise group exhibited less loss in muscle mass and improved physical activity and quality of life compared to the usual care group.

Conclusion and Relevance

In this trial, 1-month tailored exercise program, initiated immediately after breast cancer surgery and supplemented with supervised sessions coinciding with surgeon visits, significantly improved shoulder function in patients with breast cancer.

Trial Registration

WHO International Clinical Trials Registry identifier: KCT0006997
Ethers
Authors: Mehlman Myron A.
Published: June 2024

Naturally occurring ethers may be constituents of essential oils and may be extracted from these sources. Although some ethers may appear naturally, they may be prepared synthetically from other chemicals or other ethers.

Symmetrical ethers are produced by the catalytic dehydration of their corresponding alcohols, for example, diethyl ether from ethanol. They are also obtained as by‐products from the formation of their corresponding esters or alcohols. Ethers may also be made by special synthesis procedures. Some ethers are obtained through the destructive distillation of selected hardwoods.

Ethers have a wide variety of industrial uses. Their commercial value is recognized in the following industries: rubber, plastics, paints and coatings, refrigeration, medicine, dentistry, petroleum, chemical, perfume, cosmetics, toiletries, and food.

The more volatile ethers have been used as liquid refrigerants, general anesthetics, commercial solvents, primers for gasoline engines, fuel additives, and rocket propellants. Other ethers have been used as alkylating agents in chemical syntheses of organic chemicals and in the manufacture of polymers. They are also used to denature alcohol. Halogenated ethers are used in the preparation of ion‐exchange resin, which is a modified polystyrene resin that is chloromethylated and then treated with a tertiary amine or with a polyamine. Ethers have wide use as commercial solvents and extractants for esters, gums, hydrocarbons, alkaloids, oils, resins, dyes, plastics, lacquers, and paints. They are used as dewaxing extractants for lubricating oils. Ethers have had limited use as cleaning and spotting agents. They are used as chemical intermediates in the manufacture of textile aids, such as dyes and resins. In the pharmaceutical industry, ethers are used as solvents, suspending agents, flavorings for oral drugs, and dental products. They are used to increase viscosity, as penetrants and wetting agents and as antioxidants and stabilizers. Ethers are used in foods as flavorings and in perfumes as fragrances. They are used as solvents for elastomers and for regenerating rubber. They have use as antiskinning agents in surface coatings and as weathering agents for paints and plastics. Ethers are also used in soaps. Ethers appear in heat transfer agents. Several industries use specific ethers for thickening, dispersing, suspending, binding, and film forming.

The data presented here are arranged according to the chemical structure of the compounds. An effort has been made to place the chemicals within each group in an order that represents an increase in chain length. Even though the number of chemicals in any one group is limited, it is possible to make general, comparative statements. This corresponds with the acute toxicity data available in theNIOSH Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances.

The oral toxicity and concentrated vapor data indicate that as the chain length increases in the symmetrical ethers, the toxicity is reduced. The inverse is true for skin penetration toxicity.
Linac‐ and CyberKnife‐based MRI‐only treatment planning of prostate SBRT using an optimized synthetic CT calibration curve
Authors: Scholey Jessica , Nano Tomi , Singhrao Kamal , Mohamad Osama , Singer Lisa , Larson Peder Eric Zufall , Descovich Martina
Published: June 2024

Purpose

CT Hounsfield Units (HUs) are converted to electron density using a calibration curve obtained from physical measurements of an electron density phantom. HU values assigned to an MRI‐derived synthetic computed tomography (sCT) may present a different relationship with electron density compared to CT HU. Correct assignment of sCT HU values is critical for accurate dose calculation and delivery. The goals of this work were to develop a sCT calibration curve using patient data acquired on a clinically commissioned CT scanner and assess for CyberKnife‐ and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT)‐based MR‐only treatment planning of prostate SBRT.

Methods

Same‐day CT and MRI simulation in the treatment position were performed on 10 patients treated with SBRT to the prostate. Dixon in‐phase and out‐of‐phase MRIs were acquired on a 3T scanner using a 3D T1‐weighted gradient‐echo sequence to generate sCTs using a commercial sCT algorithm. CT and sCT datasets were co‐registered and HU values compared using mean absolute error (MAE). An optimized HU‐to‐density calibration curve was created based on average HU values across an institutional patient database for each of the four sCT tissue types. Clinical CyberKnife and VMAT treatment plans were generated on each patient CT and recomputed onto corresponding sCTs. Dose distributions computed using CT and sCT were compared using gamma criteria and dose‐volume‐histograms.

Results

For the optimized calibration curve, HU values were −96, 37, 204, and 1170 and relative electron densities were 0.95, 1.04, 1.1, and 1.7 for adipose, soft tissue, inner bone, and outer bone, respectively. The proposed sCT protocol produced total MAE of 94 ± 20HU. Gamma values mean ± std (min‐max) were 98.9% ± 0.9% (97.1%–100%) and 97.7% ± 1.3% (95.3%–99.3%) for VMAT and CyberKnife plans, respectively.

Conclusion

MRI‐derived sCT using the proposed approach shows excellent dosimetric agreement with conventional CT simulation, demonstrating the feasibility of MRI‐derived sCT for prostate SBRT treatment planning.
Late‐onset Krabbe disease presenting as spastic paraplegia – implications of GCase and CTSB/D
Authors: Mächtel Rebecca , Dobert Jan‐Philipp , Hehr Ute , Weiss Alexander , Kettwig Matthias , Laugwitz Lucia , Groeschel Samuel , Schmidt Manuel , Arnold Philipp , Regensburger Martin , Zunke Friederike
Published: June 2024

Objective

Krabbe disease (KD) is a multisystem neurodegenerative disorder with severe disability and premature death, mostly with an infancy/childhood onset. In rare cases of late‐onset phenotypes, symptoms are often milder and difficult to diagnose. We here present a translational approach combining diagnostic and biochemical analyses of a male patient with a progressive gait disorder starting at the age of 44 years, with a final diagnosis of late‐onset KD (LOKD).

Methods

Additionally to cerebral MRI, protein structural analyses of the β‐galactocerebrosidase protein (GALC) were performed. Moreover, expression, lysosomal localization, and activities of β‐glucocerebrosidase (GCase), cathepsin B (CTSB), and cathepsin D (CTSD) were analyzed in leukocytes, fibroblasts, and lysosomes of fibroblasts.

Results

Exome sequencing revealed biallelic likely pathogenic variants: GALC exons 11–17: 33 kb deletion; exon 4: missense variant (c.334A>G, p.Thr112Ala). We detected a reduced GALC activity in leukocytes and fibroblasts. While histological KD phenotypes were absent in fibroblasts, they showed a significantly decreased activities of GCase, CTSB, and CTSD in lysosomal fractions, while expression levels were unaffected.

Interpretation

The presented LOKD case underlines the age‐dependent appearance of a mildly pathogenic GALC variant and its interplay with other lysosomal proteins. As GALC malfunction results in reduced ceramide levels, we assume this to be causative for the here described decrease in CTSB and CTSD activity, potentially leading to diminished GCase activity. Hence, we emphasize the importance of a functional interplay between the lysosomal enzymes GALC, CTSB, CTSD, and GCase, as well as between their substrates, and propose their conjoined contribution in KD pathology.
Harnessing Multi‐Modal Exciton Migration in Hybrid Halide Perovskite for Photocatalytic Amplification of Nitric Oxide and Hydroxyl Radicals toward Bacterial Killing and Biofilm Disruption
Authors: Kandoth Noufal , Gupta Shresth , Raksha Kumari , Gupta Subhadeep , Chaudhary Sonu Pratap , Pramanik Sumit Kumar , Mallick Amirul Islam , Bhattacharyya Sayan , Das Amitava
Published: June 2024

Antimicrobial resistance is a multifaceted phenomenon and a serious threat to the prevailing global healthcare options. Photocatalytic therapy using nanotherapeutics is a promising alternative as this enables redox‐tuning of substrates inside biofilm while forming cytotoxic reactive oxygen species at hypoxic conditions. Herein, a new paradigm using the heterostructure of metal halide perovskite (PeV) nanocrystals is introduced by in situ capping with a nitric oxide (NO) releasing derivative (NTFA) and a •OH releasing phenothiazine ligand (BA‐PTZ) to yield NTFA@PeV@BA‐PTZ heterostructure. Material characterization, along with the mechanistic insights for the sunlight‐induced exciton formation, separation, and migration into respective molecular ligands inducing the catalytic generation of cytotoxic •OH/NO species are supported by in situ spectroscopic/microscopic studies. Encapsulation of NTFA@PeV@BA‐PTZ NCs with silica results NTFA@PeV@BA‐PTZ@SiO2, ensures its physiological stability and biologically benign nature. The efficacy of heterostructure toward biofilm inactivation and bactericidal activity are established through appropriate in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility, biodistribution, and assessment of antibacterial activity. The results also confirm the minimal toxicity and effective excretion of NTFA@PeV@BA‐PTZ@SiO2 from orally administered Balb/c mice. Together, based on manipulating the redox gradient omnipresent in bacterial/biofilm microenvironments and by catapulting the exciton‐mediated redox process, a proof‐of‐concept for an efficient multimodal photocatalytic nanotherapeutics is demonstrated.
Circularly Polarized Electroluminescence from Intrinsically Axial Chiral Materials Based on Bidibenzo[b,d]furan/bidibenzo[b,d]thiophene
Authors: Yuan Li , Yang Yi‐Fan , Yan Zhi‐Ping , Hu Jia‐Jun , Mao Dan , Ni Hua‐Xiu , Zheng You‐Xuan
Published: June 2024

Herein, by connecting chiral bidibenzo[b,d]furan/bidibenzo[b,d]thiophene and multi‐resonance thermally activated delayed fluorescence (MR‐TADF) units, two pairs of intrinsically axial chiral MR‐TADF materials (R/S‐BDBF‐BNO and R/S‐BDBT‐BNO) realize mirror‐symmetric circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) and narrowband emission. The chiral moieties effectively engage in frontier molecular orbital distributions through the establishment of covalent bonds with boron atoms. The proportions of (1,1′‐bidibenzo[b,d]furan)‐2,2′‐diol in the highest occupied and lowest unoccupied natural transition orbitals (HONTO/LUNTO) are 25.3% and 64.7%, respectively. In addition, BDBT‐BNO processes a dual‐channel transition mode, thus the (1,1′‐bidibenzo[b,d]thiophene)‐2,2′‐diol constitutes 22.8%, 24.3% and 54.0%, 46.9% of the distributions of HONTO, HONTO‐1 and LUNTO, LUNTO+1, respectively. The high proportions endow R/S‐BDBF‐BNO and R/S‐BDBT‐BNO with good CPL properties with dissymmetry factors (|gPL|) of 1.7/1.8 × 10−3. Correspondingly, the circularly polarized organic light‐emitting diodes based on the enantiomers exhibit mirror symmetrical circularly polarized electroluminescence with |gEL| factors of 1.5/1.6 × 10−3. Furthermore, the introduction of sulphur atoms enables BDBT‐BNO to have a high maximum external quantum efficiency of 35.7% in device.
High‐Performance Tin‐Halide Perovskite Transistors Enabled by Multiple A‐Cation Engineering
Authors: Yang Xiaomin , Liu Yu , Yang Shuzhang , Wu Yanqiu , Lei Yusheng , Yang Yingguo , Liu Ao , Chu Junhao , Li Wenwu
Published: June 2024

Metal‐halide perovskite semiconductors have garnered great attention in optoelectronic devices due to their remarkable properties and processing capabilities. Among them, tin (Sn2+) perovskites stand out as promising candidates for use as channel layers in high‐performance p‐channel thin‐film transistors (TFTs) owing to their excellent hole transport property. In this study, a multi A‐cation approach is applied to pure Sn2+ perovskite, incorporating a small amount (7 mol%) of bulky PEA+ cation. This addition greatly improved the crystallinity and orientation of 3D FA0.9Cs0.1SnI3 perovskite, leading to optimized p‐channel Sn2+‐perovskite TFT with a hole mobility of ≈18 cm2 V−1 s−1, a high on/off current ratio of 108, and a small subthreshold swing of 0.5 V dec−1. These TFTs also exhibit a low contact resistance of 87 Ω·cm, attributed to the improved electrode/perovskite channel interface. Furthermore, the TFTs are utilized as an electrical characterization platform to study the charge transport properties and interfacial defects using the low‐frequency noise method, providing insights into the interface properties of perovskite electronic devices.
Visible Light Activation of Virucidal Surfaces Empowered by Pro‐Oxidant Carbon Dots
Authors: Malfatti Luca , Poddighe Matteo , Stagi Luigi , Carboni Davide , Anedda Roberto , Casula Maria Francesca , Poddesu Barbara , De Forni Davide , Lori Franco , Livraghi Stefano , Zollo Alessia , Calvillo Laura , Innocenzi Plinio
Published: June 2024

The scientific community is actively engaged in the development of innovative nanomaterials with broad‐spectrum virucidal properties, particularly those capable of producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), to combat upcoming pandemics effectively. The generation of ROS capable of inhibiting viral activity on high‐touch surfaces can prove an effective means of reducing pathogenic and viral infections, while avoiding the exacerbation of antibiotic resistance resulting from the extensive use of chemical disinfectants. Carbon dots (C‐dots), in particular, are a class of nanomaterials that under specific conditions is able to generate reactive species. They are, therefore, excellent candidates for fabricating light‐activated functional antiviral devices. Pro‐oxidant C‐dots have been developed via microwave synthesis using an amino acid, glycine (Gly), and 1,5‐diaminonaphtalene (DAN) as precursors. The formation of C‐dots has been obtained by reacting the precursors in microwave using two different acid catalysts, H3BO3 or HCl. The HCl catalyst promotes the formation of a copolymer while using H3BO3 the precursors preferentially self‐condense. The boron‐catalyzed samples have shown to contain radical centers whose intensity increases upon illumination by UV and also visible light. They also show the capability of generating singlet oxygen through energy transfer to oxygen molecules when irradiated. The C‐dots exhibit effective virucidal activity and have been tested in vitro using two different variants of SARS‐CoV‐2, the original strain, and Omicron. Antiviral C‐dots have been finally used to functionalize a model surface, inducing a strong virucidal activity against the SARS‐CoV‐2 coronavirus with both ultraviolet (UV) and visible (VL) light.
Mineral Fusion via Dehydration‐Induced Residual Stress: From Gels to Ceramic Monoliths
Authors: Li Bo , Zhong Jing , Li Hongkun , Wu Haikun , Yan Jie , Gu Jialun , Dong Weixia , Wang Peiyu , Li Lanxi , Tang Xinxue , Wang Xunli , Ren Yang , Lu Jian , Li Yang Yang
Published: June 2024

Man‐made ceramics generally undergo harsh manufacturing conditions (e.g., high‐temperature sintering). In contrast, mineral structures with superior mechanical strength are generated in organisms under mild biocompatible conditions. Herein, it is reported that ceramic objects can be directly produced and strengthened by drying purely inorganic gels (PIGs), mimicking the biological tactic of fabricating continuous monoliths from hydrated amorphous precursors. The overall process is easy and biocompatible in that solutions of common iron and molybdate salts are mixed to generate a PIG, consisting of 80 wt% liquid water and amorphous mineral nanoparticles (hydrated iron molybdate: FeMo2H7O11), which, upon drying under mild temperature, turns into a residual stress‐strengthened ceramic block that displays a high mechanical performance (with a hardness/elastic modulus of 1.7/17.5 GPa). Analogous to the well‐known Prince Rupert's drop reinforced by residual stress upon quenching, the uneven volume shrinkage from the outside inwards during dehydration builds up residual stress that enables amorphous mineral fusion (with the assistance of hydration water) and strengthening. Furthermore, a dramatic bandgap reduction is achieved in the dried objects due to local structural changes of the Fe atoms under residual stress. This PIG‐dehydration approach holds promise for green ceramic manufacturing and offers insights into biomineralization puzzles.
Generalized Interfacial Assembly of 2D Mesoporous Heterostructures for High‐Energy Solid‐State Micro‐Supercapacitors
Authors: Qin Jieqiong , Zhang Hongtao , Bai Tiesheng , Liu Xiaohua , Ren Yunlai , Xie Lixia , Wang Xiao , Zheng Shuanghao , Zhou Feng , Wu Zhong‐Shuai
Published: June 2024

2D materials have garnered considerable interest in various applications from catalysis to energy storage. However, the self‐stacking and poor air stability of 2D materials (e.g., MXene) leads to serious performance degradation, in particular, of micro‐supercapacitors (MSCs) with narrow working voltage and low energy density. Here, a universal confined interfacial assembly strategy is demonstrated for controllably synthesizing a series of 2D mesoporous heterostructures for high‐voltage and high‐energy ionogel‐based MSCs. This assembly process reveals accurate controllability and extraordinary versatility, endowing the 2D mesoporous heterostructures with highly adjustable mesopore size (7–22 nm), tunable thickness (15–29 nm), variable carbon precursors (including oligochitosan, glucose, and sucrose), and replaceable 2D substrates (e.g., MXene, graphene, BN, and MoS2). As a proof of concept, the 2D mesoporous carbon@MXene based MSCs with ionic liquid ionogel electrolyte deliver ultrahigh voltage of 3.7 V, superior areal energy density of 181.3 µWh cm−2, excellent flexibility with 99% of capacitance retention at 180°, and excellent modular self‐integration for variable voltage/capacitance output, surpassing most reported MXene based MSCs. Therefore, this work will open a novel available paradigm for scalable fabrication of 2D mesoporous materials to target high‐performance and functional microscale power source.
Metasurface‐Based Mueller Matrix Microscope
Authors: Zuo Jiawei , Babu Ashutosh Bangalore Aravinda , Tian Mo , Wang Dongyao , Cen Zengyu , Chidambaranathan Kolappan , Bai Jing , Choi Shinhyuk , Faruque Hossain Mansur Resalat , Swain Smitha S. , Kozicki Michael N. , Wang Chao , Yao Yu
Published: June 2024

In conventional optical microscopes, image contrast of objects mainly results from the differences in light intensity and/or color. Muller matrix optical microscopes (MMMs), on the other hand, can provide significantly enhanced image contrast and rich information about objects by analyzing their interactions with polarized light. However, state‐of‐the‐art MMMs are fundamentally limited by bulky and slow polarization state generators and analyzers. Here, the study demonstrates a metasurface‐based MMM, i.e., Meta‐MMM, which is equipped with a chip‐integrated, single‐shot metasurface polarization state analyzer (Meta‐PSA). The Meta‐MMM is featured with high‐speed measurement (≈2s per Muller matrix (MM) image), superior operation stability, dual‐color operation, and high measurement accuracy (measurement error 1–2%) for MM imaging. The Meta‐MMM is applied to nanostructure characterization, surface morphology analysis, and discovering birefringent structures in honeybee wings. The Meta‐MMMs hold the promise to revolutionize various applications from biological imaging, medical diagnosis, and material characterization to industry inspection and space exploration.
Light Promotion and Different Reaction Pathways Enhance Photothermocatalytic Syngas Production for Cellulose Steam Reforming Over Ni/θ‐Al2O3
Authors: Zhong Mengqi , Li Yuanzhi , Wu Jichun , Hu Qianqian , Hu Yaqi , Du Qing , Ji Cong , Cao Huamin , Ji Lei
Published: June 2024

The photothermocatalytic cellulose steam reforming strategy has provided a sustainable approach, directly converting the largest renewable carbon resource (biomass), into syngas (H2 and CO) which are clean and high‐value‐added energy carriers. However, this strategy for achieving high catalytic efficiency inevitably produces char, resulting in rapid deactivation and difficult recovery of catalysts, impeding industrial application. Herein, the Ni NPs (nanoparticles) loaded on θ‐phase Al2O3 (Ni/θ‐Al2O3) catalyst enable efficient conversion of char generated during photothermocatalytic cellulose steam reforming process, thereby exhibiting high production rates of syngas (H2 3776.3 and CO 2028.1 mmol h−1) and excellent durability (no deactivation after 4 cycles). Compared with a reference catalyst of Ni NPs loaded on amorphous SiO2 (Ni/am‐SiO2), this study finds that the elementary step of char conversion with H2O to syngas can be enhanced on Ni/θ‐Al2O3. With an emphasis on the mechanism, a different pathway is discovered that surface hydroxyl groups participating in the formation of HCO* intermediates, further dissociating to syngas, significantly facilitate the conversion of char. Additionally, on Ni/θ‐Al2O3, the photoactivation effect enhances catalytic activity, particularly promoting the conversion of H2O with char to syngas, thus preventing deactivation caused by encapsulation of char.