bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microenvironment‐Activated Nanozyme‐Armed Bacteriophages Efficiently Combat Bacterial Infection
Authors: Jin Lulu , Cao Fangfang , Gao Yong , Zhang Chenyin , Qian Zhefeng , Zhang Jiaojiao , Mao Zhengwei
Published: April 2023

Bacterial infection is one of the greatest challenges to public health, requiring new therapeutic methods. Herein, an innovative nanozyme‐armed phage (phage@palladium (Pd)) system is fabricated for combating bacterial infection. The proposed phage@Pd preserves the function of the phages to achieve precise recognition and adhesion to the host Escherichia coli. In aid of the phages, the ultrasmall Pd nanozymes equipped with conspicuous pH‐dependent peroxidase‐like activity can generate toxic hydroxyl radical around the bacteria in acidic and hydrogen‐peroxide‐overexpressed infection microenvironment while remaining inert in physiological conditions, thus realizing the noteworthy elimination of bacteria at infected sites, and in the meantime ensuring the biological safety of phage@Pd in healthy tissues. In addition, the filamentous structure of phage@Pd can also enhance its bactericidal efficiency toward nonhost bacteria by randomly entangling on them, indicating possible broad‐spectrum germicidal efficacy. Notably, phage@Pd can not only eradicate planktonic bacteria, but also kill the bacteria inside the biofilm in vitro. For both in vivo models of acute bacterial pneumonia or subcutaneous abscess, phage@Pd shows significant activity in eliminating infection and promoting tissue recovery. These results demonstrate that the phage@Pd nanohybrid is a safe and effective antimicrobial agent, providing a new insight into development of advanced antibacterial materials.
Electrostatic Attractive Self‐Delivery of siRNA and Light‐Induced Self‐Escape for Synergistic Gene Therapy
Authors: Yang Yuxin , Ning Haijun , Xia Tianping , Du Jianjun , Sun Wen , Fan Jiangli , Peng Xiaojun
Published: April 2023

Small interfering RNA (siRNA) holds immense promise for suppressing gene expression and treating various life‐threatening diseases, including cancer. However, efficient delivery and lysosomal escape remain critical challenges that hinder the therapeutic effectiveness of siRNA. Herein, cationic photosensitizer (NB‐Br) is grafted onto polo‐like kinase 1 (PLK1) siRNA to form an amphiphilic siRNA‐photosensitizer conjugate (siPLK1‐NB), which can self‐assemble into nanoparticles (siPLK1‐NB NPs) via electrostatic attraction. Notably, siPLK1‐NB NPs exhibit rapid and efficient cell endocytosis, as well as outstanding tumor‐targeting property in multiple tumor‐bearing mice models. When siPLK1‐NB NPs are located inside tumor cell lysosomes, the generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) after photoactivation can disrupt the lysosome membrane structure and facilitate siRNA escape from lysosomes. Under light irradiation, siPLK1‐NB NPs can downregulate PLK1 expression and induce photodynamic killing, effectively inhibiting tumor cell growth both in vitro and in vivo. Consequently, this study provides a novel design strategy for carrier‐free siRNA delivery systems. As far as it is known, this is the first report of a carrier‐free siRNA delivery system based on electrostatic attraction.
Strain and Optoelectronic Tuning in Mixed‐Halide Perovskites with Ion Irradiation
Authors: Gautam Subodh K. , Kim Minjin , Geffroy Bernard , Boirot Milo , Jacques Vincent L. R. , Plantevin Olivier
Published: April 2023

Defects usually behave as imperfections in materials that significantly degrade their performance. However, the unusual optoelectronic performance in metal halide perovskites in the presence of defects opens the way for strain and optoelectronic properties tailoring with ion irradiation. Defects and strain engineering is performed in triple‐cation mixed halide perovskites using proton irradiation at 1 MeV and different fluences. At intermediate fluence, the initial polycrystalline film compressive strain (−0.15%) can be released, improving exciton lifetimes from about 500 ns to ≈1 µs. In contrast, high irradiation fluence is shown to restore compressive strain leading to sample degradation, with lower lifetime values (≈200 ns). Also, the phase segregation occurring under light illumination between bromine‐rich and iodine‐rich regions is shown to be defects‐mediated as the segregation rate increases by a factor of four for high proton irradiation fluence. The irradiation defects are revealed with low‐temperature photoluminescence (PL) through bound exciton radiative recombination mechanisms. The PL temperature dependence gives some insight into electron–phonon coupling mechanism and their modification with ion irradiation.
An Innovative miR‐Activated Scaffold for the Delivery of a miR‐221 Inhibitor to Enhance Cartilage Defect Repair
Authors: Intini Claudio , Ferreras Lia Blokpoel , Casey Sarah , Dixon James E. , Gleeson John P. , O'Brien Fergal J.
Published: April 2023

The development of treatments to restore damaged cartilage that can provide functional recovery with minimal risk of revision surgery remains an unmet clinical need. Gene therapy shows increased promise as an innovative solution for enhanced tissue repair. Within this study a novel microRNA (miR)‐activated scaffold is developed for enhanced mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSC) chondrogenesis and cartilage repair through the delivery of an inhibitor to microRNA‐221 (miR‐221), which is known to have a negative effect of chondrogenesis. To fabricate the miR‐activated scaffolds, composite type II collagen‐containing scaffolds designed specifically for cartilage repair are first manufactured by lyophilization and then functionalized with glycosaminoglycan‐binding enhanced transduction (GET) system nanoparticles (NPs) encapsulating the miR‐221 inhibitor. Subsequently, scaffolds are cultured with human‐derived MSCs in vitro under chondrogenic conditions for 28 days. The miR‐activated scaffolds successfully transfect human MSCs with the miR‐221 cargo in a sustained and controlled manner up to 28 days. The silencing of miR‐221 in human MSCs using the miR‐activated scaffold promotes an improved and more robust cell‐mediated chondrogenic response with repressed early‐stage events related to MSC hypertrophy. Taken together, this innovative miR‐activated scaffold for the delivery of a miR‐221 inhibitor demonstrates capability to improve chondrogenesis with promise to enhance cartilage defect repair.
Terahertz Spin Current Dynamics in Antiferromagnetic Hematite
Authors: Qiu Hongsong , Seifert Tom S. , Huang Lin , Zhou Yongjian , Kašpar Zdeněk , Zhang Caihong , Wu Jingbo , Fan Kebin , Zhang Qi , Wu Di , Kampfrath Tobias , Song Cheng , Jin Biaobing , Chen Jian , Wu Peiheng
Published: April 2023

An important vision of modern magnetic research is to use antiferromagnets (AFMs) as controllable and active ultrafast components in spintronic devices. Hematite (α‐Fe2O3) is a promising model material in this respect because its pronounced Dzyaloshinskii‐Moriya interaction leads to the coexistence of antiferromagnetism and weak ferromagnetism. Here, femtosecond laser pulses are used to drive terahertz (THz) spin currents fromα‐Fe2O3into an adjacent Pt layer. Two contributions to the generation of the spin current with distinctly different dynamics are found: the impulsive stimulated Raman scatting that relies on the AFM order and the ultrafast spin Seebeck effect that relies on the net magnetization. The total THz spin current dynamics can be manipulated by a medium‐strength magnetic field below 1 T. The control of the THz spin current achieved inα‐Fe2O3opens the pathway toward tailoring the exact spin current dynamics from ultrafast AFM spin sources.
Tailoring Conversion‐Reaction‐Induced Alloy Interlayer for Dendrite‐Free Sulfide‐Based All‐Solid‐State Lithium‐Metal Battery
Authors: Liang Yuhao , Shen Chen , Liu Hong , Wang Chao , Li Dabing , Zhao Xiaoxue , Fan Li‐Zhen
Published: April 2023

Utilization of lithium (Li) metal anodes in all‐solid‐state batteries employing sulfide solid electrolytes is hindered by diffusion‐related dendrite growth at high rates of charge. Engineering ex‐situ Li‐intermetallic interlayers derived from a facile solution‐based conversion‐alloy reaction is attractive for bypassing the Li0 self‐diffusion restriction. However, no correlation is established between the properties of conversion‐reaction‐induced (CRI) interlayers and the deposition behavior of Li0 in all‐solid‐state lithium‐metal batteries (ASSLBs). Herein, using a control set of electrochemical characterization experiments with LixAgy as the interlayer in different battery chemistries, this work identifies that dendritic tolerance in ASSLBs is susceptible to the surface roughness and electronic conductivity of the CRI‐alloy interlayer. This work thereby tailors the CRI‐alloy interlayer from the typical mosaic structure to a hierarchical gradient structure by adjusting the pit corrosion kinetics from the (de)solvation mechanism to an adsorption model, yielding a smooth organic‐rich outer layer and a composition‐regulated inorganic‐rich inner layer composed mainly of lithiophilic LixAgy and electron‐insulating LiF. Ultimately, desirable roughness, conductivity, and diffusivity are integrated simultaneously into the tailored CRI‐alloy interlayer, resulting in dendrite‐free and dense Li deposition beneath the interlayer capable of improving battery cycling stability. This work provides a rational protocol for the CRI‐alloy interlayer specialized for ASSLBs.
Breathable MOFs Layer on Atomically Grown 2D SnS2 for Stable and Selective Surface Activation
Authors: Kim Gwang Su , Lim Yunsung , Shin Joonchul , Yim Jaegyun , Hur Sunghoon , Song Hyun‐Cheol , Baek Seung‐Hyub , Kim Seong Keun , Kim Jihan , Kang Chong‐Yun , Jang Ji‐Soo
Published: April 2023

2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have significant research interests in various novel applications due to their intriguing physicochemical properties. Notably, one of the 2D TMDs, SnS2, has superior chemiresistive sensing properties, including a planar crystal structure, a large surface‐to‐volume ratio, and a low electronic noise. However, the long‐term stability of SnS2 in humid conditions remains a critical shortcoming towards a significant degradation of sensitivity. Herein, it is demonstrated that the subsequent self‐assembly of zeolite imidazolate framework (ZIF‐8) can be achieved in situ growing on SnS2 nanoflakes as the homogeneous porous materials. ZIF‐8 layer on SnS2 allows the selective diffusion of target gas species, while effectively preventing the SnS2 from severe oxidative degradation. Molecular modeling such as molecular dynamic simulation and DFT calculation, further supports the mechanism of sensing stability and selectivity. From the results, the in situ grown ZIF‐8 porous membrane on 2D materials corroborates the generalizable strategy for durable and reliable high‐performance electronic applications of 2D materials.
Kinetics and Physicochemical Characteristics of Electrodeposited PEDOT:PSS Thin Film Growth
Authors: Mousavi Hajar , Ferrari Laura M , Whiteley Amelia , Ismailova Esma
Published: April 2023

In bioelectronics, conducting polymer coatings allow the reduction of the impedance of metallic electrodes and facilitate the translation of bioelectrical signals at their interface. Such coatings can be made using thin film deposition from a solution or direct synthesis via electrodeposition. The electrical control over the deposition offers the possibility for a fine‐tuning of the film's thickness and structure. However, the mechanical stability of such coatings mainly suffer from their poor adhesion to the electrode surface and film cracking. Here, an extended study on the kinetics of poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) electropolymerization and the evolution of its physicochemical properties is provided. The impedance spectroscopy closely follows the electrochemical variations during the PEDOT:PSS's film growth, described by modeled equivalent circuits. The film's properties change during polymerization in relation to the supporting electrode size, its surface chemistry, and the deposition time. The film growth structures polymeric morphology in a confluent layer with a strong thickness increase before reaching its mechanical surface failure. Before this point, the film remains stable over a hundred cycles of applied potential strain in a defined redox window. These evaluations benchmark the PEDOT:PSS film properties during its electropolymerization toward electrochemically tunable transducers for bioelectronics.
Rapid Self‐Assembly Process at Air/Water Confined Interface for Highly Aligned Crystalline Polymeric Semiconductor Films
Authors: Wu Zeng , Wu Yangjiang , Yang Jiayi , Yan Yongkun , Li Wenhao , Yang Longfei , Chen Qiuyuan , Yi Zhiying , Liu Yunqi , Chen Shumin , Zhao Yan
Published: April 2023

Highly aligned aggregation state structures have great significance for effective charge‐carrier transport in organic semiconductors. Several methods have been developed to provide organic semiconducting molecules with highly oriented aggregation state structure; among these, using a water surface to form organic semiconductor films is a widely implemented strategy, wherein solutions are spread on the surface of water. However, common techniques of film formation on water surfaces generally result in a nonuniform orientation of the film owing to the isotropic spread process of droplets on the water surface. In this study, a spatially confined air/water interfacial assembly method is proposed to obtain uniformly aligned monolayer and multilayer poly(diketopyrrolopyrrole‐thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene) thin films with controlled thickness. The structural and morphological characterizations obtained using atomic force microscopy, high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, and grazing incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering indicates the crystalline structure of the thin films and high alignment of the molecular chains. The maximum mobility of the thin films reaches up to 2.06 and 0.5 cm2 V−1 s−1 in the parallel and perpendicular direction, respectively, indicating apparent anisotropic electrical properties. Furthermore, an inverter based on these thin films exhibits a voltage gain of up to 70, demonstrating the potential of applying the proposed technique to logic circuits.
Colossal Gilbert Damping Anisotropy in Heusler‐Alloy Thin Films
Authors: Wang Ruifeng , Wang Wenqiang , Li Zhihao , Gao Qinwu , Wang Jin , Xu Yongkang , Yan Pengfei , Zhang Xiaolong , Zhang Yilin , Xu Yongbing , Liu Ronghua , He Liang
Published: April 2023

Manipulating Gilbert damping is of critical importance in spintronic devices. Here, this work reports the damping anisotropy of Heusler‐alloy Co3−xFexAl single crystalline thin films using inductive ferromagnetic resonance. A colossal Gilbert damping anisotropy ratio of up to 1400%, nearly three times higher than the highest value reported among known metallic ferromagnets, is observed in the optimized sample Co1.4Fe1.6Al. The Gilbert damping anisotropy with strong fourfold symmetry is attributed to the variation of the spin–orbit coupling, which is further corroborated by the current‐orientation‐dependent anisotropic magnetoresistance ratio in Co1.4Fe1.6Al thin film. These results provide a practical approach to adjust Gilbert damping continuously and show great promise for future spintronic applications.
Analysis of Electrochemical Impedance Data: Use of Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Doonyapisut Dulyawat , Kannan Padmanathan-Karthick , Kim Byeongkyu , Kim Jung Kyu , Lee Eunseok , Chung Chan-Hwa
Published: April 2023

Technology advancements in energy storage, photocatalysis, and sensors have generated enormous impedimetric data. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results play an essential role in analyzing the interfacial properties of materials. Nonetheless, in many situations, the data is misinterpreted due to the complexity of the electrochemical system or the compromise between the experimental result and the theoretical model, resulting in partiality in the interpretation process, especially for the impedimetric results. Typically, the experimenter interprets impedimetric results using a searching approach based on a theoretical model until the best‐fitting model is obtained, which is a time‐consuming process, and errors can occur. To reduce misinterpretation by the experimenter, herein, the machine‐learning strategy is demonstrated for the classification of an EIS circuit model and parameter prediction using a deep neural network (DNN). The DNN model shows a highly accurate classifier for the commonly used EIS circuit with an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of more than 0.95. Additionally, the model demonstrates high accuracy in the prediction of EIS parameters on a complex EIS system, with a maximum R2 of 0.999. These reveal that the machine‐learning strategy may open a new room for studying electrochemical systems.
In Situ Self‐Assembly of Fluorogenic RNA Nanozipper Enables Real‐Time Imaging of Single Viral mRNA Translation
Authors: Zhang Yu‐Peng , Wang Zhi‐Gang , Tian Yi‐Fan , Jiang Lin‐Han , Zhao Liang , Kong De‐Ming , Li Xing , Pang Dai‐Wen , Liu Shu‐Lin
Published: April 2023

Real‐time visualization of individual viral mRNA translation activities in live cells is essential to obtain critical details of viral mRNA dynamics and to detect its transient responses to environmental stress. Fluorogenic RNA aptamers are powerful tools for real‐time imaging of mRNA in live cells, but monitoring the translation activity of individual mRNAs remains a challenge due to their intrinsic photophysical properties. Here, we develop a genetically encoded turn‐on 3,5‐difluoro‐4‐hydroxybenzylidene imidazolinone (DFHBI)‐binding RNA nanozipper with superior brightness and high photostability by in situ self‐assembly of multiple nanozippers along single mRNAs. The nanozipper enables real‐time imaging of the mobility and dynamic translation of individual viral mRNAs in live cells, providing information on the spatial dynamics and translational elongation rate of viral mRNAs.
Mixed‐phase WO3 Cocatalysts on Hierarchical Si‐based Photocathode for Efficient Photoelectrochemical Li Extraction
Authors: Jiang Li , Lyu Yanhong , Huang Aibin , Zheng Jianyun , Xie Chao , Cao Xun , Wang Shuangyin
Published: April 2023

Photoelectrochemical lithium (Li) extraction can be expected to provide a useful recycle of Li+ from waste Li‐containing battery, but the process is limited by the photocathodes with poor Li+ absorption and low yield rate. Here, we have designed a hierarchical silicon (Si)‐based photocathode with mixed‐phase tungsten oxide (WO3) cocatalysts for photoelectrochemical Li extraction under 1 sun illumination, achieving a high Li yield rate of ≈223.0 μg cm−2 h−1 and an excellent faradaic efficiency of 91.9 % at 0.0817 V versus Li0/+ redox couple. The WO3 cocatalysts with the mixture of amorphous and crystalline phase accelerates the Li+ insertion and precipitation and enriches the concentration of Li+ at the photocathode surface. This robust photoelectrochemical Li extraction system provides a new insight on designing green and efficient route for cyclic utilization of Li resources in the sustainable energy field.
Novel substituted 1,8‐naphthyridines: Design, synthesis, radiolabeling, and evaluation of apoptosis and topoisomerase II inhibition
Authors: Abuzahra Manar M. , Ahmed Nesreen S. , Sarhan Mona O. , Mahgoub Shahenda , Abdelhameed Ahmed , Zaghary Wafaa A.
Published: April 2023

A series of seventeen 1,8‐naphthyridine derivatives (5a‐5q) conjugated at N1 to various substituted phenyl rings were designed and synthesized as potential topoisomerase II (Topo II) inhibitors. The antiproliferative activity of the target compounds against three cancer cell lines showed that compounds 5g and 5p had the highest antiproliferative activity. In addition, 5p and 5g displayed a high selectivity index (SI) for cancer cells when tested on WI38 normal cells, whereby compound 5p showed the highest SI. Furthermore, 5g and 5p induced cell cycle arrest at the S and G1/S phases, respectively, triggering apoptosis in HepG‐2 cells. The in vitro Topo II inhibitory effect (plasmid‐based) of both compounds revealed that 5p had better inhibition of Topo II. In addition, 5p displayed potent topoisomerase IIβ inhibitory effect when compared to known topoisomerase inhibitors (doxorubicin and topotecan). Molecular docking proposed a unique binding pattern of 5p in the etoposide binding pocket of topoisomerase IIβ, endorsing its potential role as a Topo II poison. Accordingly, 5p was chosen for radioiodination to study the degree of tumor localization following administration in solid tumor‐bearing mice. The radioiodinated 5p showed a selective localization at the tumor site, which further confirmed the value of 5p as a lead 1,8‐naphthyridine anticancer agent.
Initial diagnostic impressions of trainees during autism evaluations: High specificity but low sensitivity
Authors: de Marchena Ashley , Wieckowski Andrea Trubanova , Algur Yasemin , Williams Lashae N. , Fernandes Sherira , Thomas Rebecca P. , McClure Leslie A. , Dufek Sarah , Fein Deborah , Stahmer Aubyn C. , Robins Diana L.
Published: April 2023

Reducing the age of first autism diagnosis facilitates access to critical early intervention services. A current “waitlist crisis” for autism diagnostic evaluation thus demands that we consider novel use of available clinical resources. Previous work has found that expert autism clinicians can identify autism in young children with high specificity after only a brief observation; rapid identification by non‐experts remains untested. In the current study, 252 children ages 12–53 months presented for a comprehensive autism diagnostic evaluation. We found that junior clinicians in training to become autism specialists (n = 29) accurately determined whether or not a young child would be diagnosed with autism in the first five minutes of the clinic visit in 75% of cases. Specificity of brief observations was high (0.92), suggesting that brief observations may be an effective tool for triaging young children toward autism‐specific interventions. In contrast, the lower negative predictive value (0.71) of brief observations, suggest that they should not be used to rule out autism. When trainees expressed more confidence in their initial impression, their impression was more likely to match the final diagnosis. These findings add to a body of literature showing that clinical observations of suspected autism should be taken seriously, but lack of clinician concern should not be used to rule out autism or overrule other indicators of likely autism, such as parent concern or a positive screening result.
In‐depth analysis of patterns in selection of different physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic modeling tools: Part II — Assessment of model reusability and comparison between open and non‐open source‐code software
Authors: Aldibani Hamza Khaled Abdelmajed , Rajput Arham Jamaal , Rostami‐Hodjegan Amin
Published: April 2023

Whilst the reproducibility of models in the area of systems biology and quantitative systems pharmacology has been the focus of attention lately, the concept of ‘reusability’ is not addressed. With the advent of the ‘Model Master File’ dominating some regulatory discussions on pharmaceutical applications of physiologically‐based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models, reusability becomes a vital aspect of confidence in their use. Herein, we define ‘reusability’ specifically in the context of PBPK models and investigate the influence of open versus non‐open source‐code (NOSC) nature of the software on the extent of ‘reusability’. Original articles (n = 145) that were associated with the development of novel PBPK models were identified as source models and citations to these reports, which involved further PBPK model development, were explored (n > 1800) for reuse cases of the source PBPK model whether in full or partial form. The nature of source‐code was a major determinant of external reusability for PBPK models (>50% of the NOSC models as opposed <25% of open source‐code [OSC]). Full reusability of the models was not common and mostly involved internal reuse of the OSC model (by the group who had previously developed the original model). The results were stratified by the software utilised (various), organisations involved (academia, industry, regulatory), and type of reusability (full vs. partial). The clear link between external reuse of models and NOSC PBPK software might stem from many elements related to quality and trust that require further investigation, and challenges the unfounded notion that OSC models are associated with higher uptake for reuse.
Gastric cancer‐associated long non‐coding RNA profiling and noninvasive biomarker screening based on a high‐risk population cohort
Authors: Guo Xiaoying , Zhang Yang , Zhang Zhiyi , Lu Linzhi , Liu Yuqin , Li Zhexuan , Zhou Tong , Zhang Jingying , Li Wenqing , You Weicheng , Tao Guoquan , Chen Wanqing , Zeng Hongmei , Pan Kaifeng
Published: April 2023

Background

Effective noninvasive biomarkers of gastric cancer (GC) are critical for early detection and improvement of prognosis. We performed genome‐wide long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) microarray analysis to identify and validate novel GC biomarkers depending on a high‐risk population cohort.

Methods

LncRNA profiles were described using the Human LncRNA Microarray between GC and control plasma samples. The differential candidate lncRNAs were validated in two stages by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR). We further evaluated the joint effect between the GC‐associated lncRNA and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection on the risk of cardia and non‐cardia GC, respectively.

Results

Different lncRNA expression profiles were identified between GC and control plasma with a total of 1206 differential lncRNAs including 470 upregulated and 736 downregulated in GC compared with the control group. The eight significantly upregulated lncRNAs (RP11‐521D12.1, AC011995.3, RP11‐5P4.3, RP11‐244 K5.6, RP11‐422 J15.1, CTD‐2306 M5.1, CTC‐428G20.2, and AC009133.20) in GC cases both in the present study and a similar microarray screening study by our collaborative team were selected for a two‐stage validation. After the large sample size validation, the subjects with higher expression of RP11‐244 K5.6 showed a significantly increased risk of GC with an adjusted odds ratio (OR) as 2.68 and 95% confidence interval (CI) as 1.15–6.24. Joint effects between RP11‐244 K5.6 expression and H. pylori infection on the risk of GC were evaluated with no statistical significance.

Conclusions

Our study found different lncRNA expression profiles between GC and control plasma and preliminarily identified RP11‐244 K5.6 as a potential noninvasive biomarker for GC screening.
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma molecular variations innon‐HispanicWhite and Hispanic patients
Authors: Batai Ken , Chen Yuliang , Rheinheimer Brenna A. , Arora Amit , Pandey Ritu , Heimark Ronald L. , Bracamonte Erika R. , Ellis Nathan A. , Lee Benjamin R.
Published: April 2023

Background

The United States is becoming increasingly diverse, but few molecular studies have assessed the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in diverse patient populations. This study examined ccRCC molecular variations in non‐Hispanic White (NHW) and Hispanic patients and their effect on the association of gene expression with high‐grade (Grade 3 or 4) ccRCC and overall mortality.

Methods

A total of 156 patients were included inVHLsequencing and/or TempO‐Seq analysis. DESeq2 was used to identify the genes associated with high‐grade ccRCC. Logistic regression analysis was performed to assess whether race and ethnicity was associated with high/moderate impactVHLsomatic mutations and the ccA/ccB subtype. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess association of molecular subtype and gene expression with overall mortality.

Results

NHWs had moderate or high impact mutations in theVHLgene at a higher frequency than Hispanics (40.2% vs. 27.4%), while Hispanics had a higher frequency of the ccA subtype than NHWs (61.9% vs. 45.8%). ccA was more common in patients with BMI≥35 (65.2%) than in those with BMI < 25 (45.0%). There were 11 differentially expressed genes between high‐ and low‐grade tumors. TheHaptoglobin(HP) gene was most significantly overexpressed in high‐ compared to low‐grade ccRCC in all samples (p‐adj = 1.7 × 10−12). When stratified by subtype, the 11 genes were significantly differentially expressed in the ccB subtype, but none of them were significant after adjusting for multiple testing in ccA. Finally, patients with the ccB subtype had a significantly increased risk of overall mortality (HR 4.87;p = 0.01) compared to patients with ccA, and patients with highHPexpression and ccB, had a significantly increased risk of mortality compared to those with lowHPexpression and ccA (HR 6.45,p = 0.04).

Conclusion

This study reports ccRCC molecular variations in Hispanic patients who were previously underrepresented.
Communication transforms the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on children with cancer and their families
Authors: Ferrara Gia , Aguina Molly , Mirochnick Emily , Wiphatphumiprates Parima , Moreira Daniel C. , Sniderman Elizabeth , Villegas César A. , Kaye Erica C. , Ragab Iman , Maliti Biemba , Naidu Gita , Gassant Pascale Y. , Arce Daniela , Arora Ramandeep Singh , Alcasabas Ana Patricia , Raza Muhammad Rafie , Velasco Pablo , Kambugu Joyce , Vinitsky Anna , Rodriguez Galindo Carlos , Agulnik Asya , Graetz Dylan E. ,   and the COVIMPACT study group
Published: April 2023

Background

The COVID‐19 pandemic altered healthcare systems globally, causing delays in care delivery and increased anxiety among patients and families. This study examined how hospital stakeholders and clinicians perceived the global impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on children with cancer and their families.

Methods

This secondary analysis examined data from a qualitative study consisting of 19 focus groups conducted in 8 languages throughout 16 countries. A codebook was developed with novel codes derived inductively from transcript review. In‐depth analysis focused on the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on children with cancer and their families.

Results

Eight themes describing the impact of the pandemic on patients and their families were identified and classified into three domains: contributing factors (COVID‐19 Policies, Cancer Treatment Modifications, COVID‐19 Symptoms, Beliefs), patient‐related impacts (Quality of Care, Psychosocial impacts, Treatment Reluctance), and the central transformer (Communication). Participants described the ability of communication to transform the effect of contributing factors on patient‐related impacts. The valence of impacts depended on the quality and quantity of communication among clinicians and between clinicians and patients and families.

Conclusions

Communication served as the central factor impacting whether the COVID‐19 pandemic positively or negatively affected children with cancer and families. These findings emphasize the key role communication plays in delivering patient‐centered care and can guide future development of communication‐centered interventions globally.
Real‐world comprehensive diagnosis and “Surgery + X” treatment strategy of early‐stage synchronous multiple primary lung cancer
Authors: Zhou Danting , Yao Tianyu , Huang Xiaojie , Wu Fang , Jiang Yi , Peng Muyun , Qian Banglun , Liu Wenliang , Yu Fenglei , Chen Chen
Published: April 2023

Background

Diagnosing and treating synchronous multiple primary lung cancers (sMPLC) are complex and challenging. This study aimed to report real‐world data on the comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of patients with early‐stage sMPLC.

Materials and Methods

A single‐center cohort study was carried out and a large number of patients with early‐stage sMPLC were included. A single‐ or two‐stage surgery was performed to remove the primary and co‐existing lesions. The “X” strategies, including ablation, SBRT, and EGFR‐TKIs treatment, were applied to treat the high‐risk residual lesions. Wide panel‐genomic sequencing was performed to assess the genetic heterogeneity of the co‐existing lesions.

Results

A total of 465 early‐stage sMPLC patients with 1198 resected lesions were included. Despite most patients being histologically different or harboring different genetic alternations, about 7.5% of the patients had the same histological type and driver gene mutation changes, comprehensive re‐evaluation is thus needed. The “Surgery + X” strategy showed remarkable efficacy and safety in treating multiple lesions. Follow‐up data revealed that the T2 stage (p = 0.014) and the solid presence of a primary lesion (p < 0.001) were significantly related to tumor recurrence. And a T2‐stage primary tumor had a significantly higher rate of developing new lesions after the initial surgery (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

In real‐world practice, histopathological and radiological evaluation combined with genetic analyses could be a robust diagnostic approach for sMPLC. The “Surgery + X” treatment strategy showed remarkable efficacy, superiority, and safety in the clinical treatment of early‐stage sMPLC.
Doing more with less: An integrative literature review on responsible consumption behaviour
Authors: Nangia Priya , Bansal Sanchita , Thaichon Park
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this research is to critically review the existing literature on responsible consumption behaviour (RCB) and identify the factors that influence it. Our findings are based on an integrative examination of 203 papers retrieved from the SCOPUS and WoS databases and analysed with the bibliometrix R software. Along with some descriptive insights into the field, we explain its intellectual structure informing future scholars about the field's evolution, and propose a future agenda for its advancement in the form, methodology, context, and themes. Five major themes emerged from our study: social values, corporate social responsibility (CSR), ethical obligations, environmental concern, and economic behaviour, which serve as a foundation for thematic future research directions. The implications for policymakers and management practice, as well as theoretical implications, are addressed.
Synthesis and Anti‐Inflammatory Activity Evaluation of Benzoxazole Derivatives as New Myeloid Differentiation Protein 2 Inhibitors
Authors: Bai Huiying , Cao Zhen , Meng Sha , Ge Rui , Ban Shurong , Zhang Yuanlin , Tang Li , Li Qing‐Shan
Published: April 2023

Myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2), a key TLR4 adaptor protein for sensing LPS, plays an important role in inflammatory process and has been identified as a promising target for the treatment of a variety of inflammatory diseases. In our study, a series of benzoxazolone derivatives were synthesized, characterized and tested for anti‐inflammatory activity in vitro. The compounds 3c, 3d and 3g demonstrated the greatest anti‐inflammatory activity against IL‐6 with IC50 values of 10.14±0.08, 5.43±0.51 and 5.09±0.88 μM, respectively. Furthermore, the bis‐ANS displacement assay revealed that these compounds competitively inhibited the binding between the probe bis‐ANS and the MD2 protein. The most active compound 3g, revealed a directly bind with MD2 protein via Arg90 binding and a dissociation constant value of 1.52×10−6 mol L−1 as determined by the biological layer interference (BLI) assay. Our finding suggested that compounds 3g could be a promising lead compound as MD2 inhibitor for further anti‐inflammatory agent development.
Super twisting approach of a higher order sliding mode controller for a flyback DC–DC converter in photovoltaic applications
Authors: Waghmare Tushar T. , Chaturvedi Pradyumn
Published: April 2023

Solar photovoltaic (SPV) modules are frequently utilised to produce electricity. The output voltage and load power in SPV‐based applications are variable and strongly reliant on the operating conditions of solar energy, such as irradiance and ambient temperature. They offer additional challenges for the robust design of power converters, and DC–DC power converters provide the power bus with a constant voltage. Properties of a nonlinear system and load patterns necessitate a more robust control design for the power converter. This paper gives robust control of high‐order sliding mode (HOSM) control in isolated flyback converters for solar photovoltaic applications. The proposed HOSM technique is contrasted with the conventional PI control technique. The proposed HOSM control approach outperforms traditional PI control strategies under uncertainty and disturbance settings. This paper also presents a method for preventing chattering in flyback converters (FCs) using modified super twisting sliding modes.
How does spatial extent and environmental limits affect the accuracy of species richness estimates from ecological niche models? A case study with North American Pinaceae and Cactaceae
Authors: Nizamani Mir Muhammad , Papeş Monica , Wang Hua‐Feng , Harris AJ
Published: April 2023

Measuring species richness at varying spatial extents can be challenging, especially at large extents where exhaustive species surveys are difficult or impossible. Our work aimed at determining the reliability of species richness estimates from stacked ecological niche models at different spatial extents for taxonomic groups with vastly different environmental dependencies and interactions. To accomplish this, we generated ecological niche models for the species of Cactaceae and Pinaceae that occur within 180 published floras from North America north of Mexico. We overlaid or stacked the resulting species’ potential distribution estimates over the bounding boxes representing each of the 180 floras to generate predictions of species richness. In general, our stacked models of Cactaceae and Pinaceae were poor predictors of species richness. The relationships between observed and predicted values improved noticeably with the size of spatial extents. However, the stacked models tended to overpredict the richness of Cactaceae and over‐ and underpredict the richness of Pinaceae. Cactaceae stacked models showed higher sensitivity and lower specificity than those for Pinaceae. We conclude that stacked ecological niche models may be somewhat poor predictors of species richness at smaller spatial extents and should be used with caution for this purpose. Perhaps more importantly, abilities to compensate for their limitations or apply corrections to their reliability may vary with taxonomic groups.
Experimental verification for a mechanics‐based digital cloning method predicting structural performance and damage
Authors: Rabiepour Mohammad , Zhou Cong , Chase James Geoffrey
Published: April 2023

This paper introduces a novel digital twin modelling framework combining accurate structural health monitoring (SHM) results delivered by hysteresis loop analysis (HLA) with the basis function modelling to predict structural damage and responses of earthquake‐affected structures under future seismic events. The measured data sets of a 12‐storey 1/10 scale reinforced concrete (RC) structure shaken by three damaging base excitations (Events 1, 2 and 3) using a shake table has been employed to validate the performance of the introduced predictive framework. The results show that the digital twin created under the first base excitation (Event 1) predicts the inter‐storey displacement responses of the test structure due to the second and third excitations (Events 2 and 3) with an average correlation coefficient of ∼0.88 and ∼0.94, respectively. The inter‐storey drift ratio (IDR) values predicted by the digital twin also result in the same seismic performance delivered by the measured values, making the introduced framework a promising tool for assessing structural collapse and subsequent financial risk using incremental dynamic analysis (IDA). Moreover, the maximum difference of 5% between the identified and predicted stiffness values illustrates the robust and accurate performance of the proposed framework in diagnosing structural damage in highly nonlinear and damaged structures.
Consumer‐grade UAV solid‐state LiDAR accurately quantifies topography in a vegetated fluvial environment
Authors: MacDonell Craig John , Williams Richard David , Maniatis Georgios , Roberts Kenny , Naylor Mark
Published: April 2023

Unoccupied aerial vehicles (UAVs) with passive optical sensors have become popular for reconstructing topography using Structure from Motion (SfM) photogrammetry. Advances in UAV payloads and the advent of solid‐state LiDAR have enabled consumer‐grade active remote sensing equipment to become more widely available, potentially providing opportunities to overcome some challenges associated with SfM photogrammetry, such as vegetation penetration and shadowing, that can occur when processing UAV‐acquired images. We evaluate the application of a DJI Zenmuse L1 solid‐state LiDAR sensor on a Matrice 300 RTK UAV to generate digital elevation models (DEMs). To assess flying height (60–80 m) and speed parameters (5–10 ms−1) on accuracy, four point clouds were acquired at a test site. These point clouds were used to develop a processing workflow to georeference, filter and classify the point clouds to produce a raster DEM product. A dense control network showed that there was no significant difference in georeferencing from differing flying height or speed. Building on the test results, a 3 km reach of the River Feshie was surveyed, collecting over 755 million UAV LiDAR points. The Multiscale Curvature Classification algorithm was found to be the most suitable classifier of ground topography. GNSS check points showed a mean vertical residual of −0.015 m on unvegetated gravel bars. Multiscale Model to Model Cloud Comparison (M3C2) residuals compared UAV LiDAR and Terrestrial Laser Scanner point clouds for seven sample sites demonstrating a close match with marginally zero residuals. Solid‐state LiDAR was effective at penetrating sparse canopy‐type vegetation but was less penetrable through dense ground‐hugging vegetation (e.g. heather, thick grass). Whilst UAV solid‐state LiDAR needs to be supplemented with bathymetric mapping to produce wet–dry DEMs, by itself, it offers advantages to comparable geomatics technologies for kilometre‐scale surveys. Ten best practice recommendations will assist users of UAV solid‐state LiDAR to produce bare earth DEMs.
The impact of halogen free phosphorus, inorganic and nitrogen flame retardants on the toxicity and density of smoke from 10 common polymers
Authors: Feuchter H. , Poutch F. , Beard A.
Published: April 2023

The toxicity and density of smoke from 10 commonly used commercial polymer types was studied using the European railway standard EN 45545‐2. This test method was chosen because it reflects the current state‐of‐the‐art in assessing the hazards of smoke in bench‐scale test scenarios (not because of a specific link to railway applications). The study involves 72 commercially relevant formulations provided by 12 industrial companies. Polymers studied include PE, PP, PC, PA6, PA66, u‐PVC, p‐PVC, PU, PIR, and epoxy resins. Reference samples as well as samples containing halogenated and Phosphorus, Inorganic or Nitrogen based Flame Retardants (PIN FRs) were tested according to the French tubular furnace method (NF X 70‐100) to evaluate their smoke toxicity at 600°C and according to ISO 5659‐2 at 50 kW m−2 with Annex C of EN 45545‐2 to evaluate their smoke density as well as toxicity at 4 and 8 min. This study highlights that the measured toxicity and calculated Conventional Indexes of Toxicity (CITNLP, CIT4 min, CIT8 min), as well as maximum smoke density (DsMAX) show generally no significant increase in the presence of PIN FRs in comparison to the neat polymers. The use of intumescent FRs or hydroxide based FRs generally allows considerable smoke reduction with little impact on smoke toxicity. Bromine based‐FRs were found to be detrimental to both hazards in most matrices studied here.
Plectranthus amboinicus and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oils effects on performance, antioxidant activity, intestinal health, immune response, and plasma biochemistry in broiler chickens
Authors: Hosseinzadeh Saied , Shariatmadari Farid , Karimi Torshizi Mohammad Amir , Ahmadi Hamed , Scholey Dawn
Published: April 2023

This work aimed to assess the effects of Plectranthus amboinicus essential oil (PAE) and rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil (ROE) as feed additives on performance, antioxidant activity, intestinal microbiota, intestinal morphology, immune response, and plasma biochemistry using 320 unsexed 1‐day‐old Ross 308 broiler chickens. The chickens were assigned randomly into four treatments containing eight replicates with 10 chickens each. Treatment diets included a basal diet as a control group, 100 mg/kg PAE, 200 mg/kg PAE, and 100 mg/kg ROE. ROE affected the growth performance in the starter phase by improving (p = .01) the feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared with the control diet. Glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in the plasma were elevated (p < .0001) by both feed additives. Supplementation of additives could increase (p < .006) total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Furthermore, malondialdehyde (MDA) values in the breast (p < .0001) and thigh (p < .001) for all supplemented diets were less than the control group. The essential oils (EOs) reduced (p < .005) coliform counts in the ileum and increased (p = .029) lactic acid bacteria counts. In addition, villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) increased, whereas the density of goblet cells decreased in the small intestine when feed additives were included. Also, the antibody titers against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) and Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were increased (p < .0001) by EOs. Plasma total protein (p = .04) and globulin (p = .02) were increased, and cholesterol was reduced (p = .002) by supplemented diets. Our study revealed that PAE could effectively improve the antioxidant activity, intestinal microbiota population, intestinal morphology, immune response, and plasma biochemistry parameters in broiler chickens.
Functional stirred yogurt manufactured using co‐microencapsulated or free forms of grape pomace and flaxseed oil as bioactive ingredients: Physicochemical, antioxidant, rheological, microstructural, and sensory properties
Authors: Saberi Manaf , Saremnezhad Solmaz , Soltani Mostafa , Faraji Alireza
Published: April 2023

Functional stirred yogurt samples were manufactured with combinations of grape pomace (GP) and flaxseed oil (FO) in microencapsulated or free forms (2% w/w) and quality characteristics of yogurts were investigated during 21 days of storage. The incorporation of GP and FO in microencapsulated or free forms caused a significant decrease in pH, syneresis, and a significant increase in acidity, water holding capacity, and viscosity of stirred yogurt (p < .05). While stirred yogurt containing GP and FO in free form had the highest loss modulus (G″), all yogurt samples represented solid‐like behavior. Stirred yogurts containing the microencapsulated form of GP and FO showed the highest amount of phenolics and antioxidant activity compared with the two other yogurt samples (p < .05). More compact structure and higher gel strength were observed in stirred yogurts formulated with the microencapsulated or free form of GP and FO, compared to the control yogurt sample. The overall sensory acceptability of stirred yogurt manufactured using the encapsulated form of GP and FO was not significantly different from the control yogurt sample (p > .05). In conclusion of this competitive study, GP and FO as bioactive compounds could be used in the microencapsulated form in order to develop functional stirred yogurt with specific quality characteristics.