bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Typology of Battery Cells – From Liquid to Solid Electrolytes
Authors: Sen Sudeshna , Richter Felix H.
Published: September 2023

The field of battery research is bustling with activity and the plethora of names for batteries that present new cell concepts is indicative of this. Most names have grown historically, each indicative of the research focus in their own time, e.g. lithium‐ion batteries, lithium‐air batteries, solid‐state batteries. Nevertheless, all batteries are essentially made of two electrode layers and an electrolyte layer. This lends itself to a systematic and comprehensive approach by which to identify the cell type and chemistry at a glance. The recent increase in hybridized cell concepts potentially opens a world of new battery types. To retain an overview of this dynamic research field, each battery type is briefly discussed and a systematic typology of battery cells is proposed in the form of the short and universal cell naming system AAMXEBCAM (AAM: anode active material; X: L (liquid), G (gel), PP (plasticized polymer), DP (dry polymer), S (solid), H (hybrid); EB: electrolyte battery; CAM: cathode active material). This classification is based on the principal ion conduction mechanism of the electrolyte during cell operation. Even though the presented typology initiates from the research fields of lithium‐ion, solid‐state and hybrid battery concepts, it is applicable to any battery cell chemistry.
Solvent‐Mediated Formation of Quasi‐2D Dion‐Jacobson Phases on 3D Perovskites for Inverted Solar Cells Over 23% Efficiency
Authors: Ramakrishnan Shripathi , Song Donghoon , Xu Yuanze , Zhang Xiaoyu , Aksoy Gavin , Cotlet Mircea , Li Mingxing , Zhang Yugang , Yu Qiuming
Published: September 2023

2D‐on‐3D (2D/3D) perovskite heterostructures present a promising strategy to realize efficient and stable photovoltaics. However, their applicability in inverted solar cells is limited due to the quantum confinement of the 2D‐layer and solvent incompatibilities that disrupt the underlying 3D layer, hampering electron transport at the 2D/3D interface. Herein, solvent‐dependent formation dynamics and structural evolution of 2D/3D heterostructures are investigated via in situ X‐ray scattering. It is revealed that solvent interaction with the 3D surface determines the formation sequence and spatial distribution of quasi‐2D phases with n = 2–4. Isopropanol (IPA) reconstructs the perovskite into a PbI2‐rich surface, forming a strata with smaller n first, followed by a thinner substratum of larger n. In contrast, 2,2,2‐Trifluoroethanol (TFE) preserves the 3D surface, promoting the formation of uniformly distributed larger n domains first, and smaller n last. Leveraging these insights, Dion–Jacobson perovskites are used with superior charge transport properties and structural robustness to fabricate 2D/3D heterostructures dominated by n ≥ 3 and engineer a favorable energy landscape for electron tunneling. Inverted solar cells based on 3‐Aminomethylpyridine and TFE achieve a champion efficiency of 23.60%, with Voc and FF of 1.19 V and 84.5%, respectively, and superior stabilities with t94 of 960 h under thermal stress.
LncRNA HOX transcript antisense RNA mediates hyperglycemic‐induced injury in the renal tubular epithelial cell via the miR‐126‐5pAkt axis
Authors: Jiang Qiong , Yang Ting , Zou Yan , He Mingjie , Li Qingchun , Chen Xiaohui , Zhong Aimin
Published: September 2023

Objective: To investigate the involvement of HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) in the injury of renal tubular epithelial cells induced by high glucose.

Results: In high glucose‐induced HK‐2 cells, the expression of HOTAIR was upregulated, resulting in suppressed cell proliferation. Meanwhile, HOTAIR upregulates the expression of pro‐apoptotic proteins Bax and cleaved caspase‐3, while downregulating the expression of the anti‐apoptotic protein Bcl‐2. Luciferase reporter assays revealed that HOTAIR could target miR‐126‐5p. Additionally, it was found that the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway serves as a downstream target of miR‐126‐5p. Knockdown of HOTAIR relieved apoptosis, whereas further inhibition of miR‐126‐5p led to apoptosis in HK‐2 cells.

Conclusions: HOTAIR plays a regulatory role in mediating high glucose‐induced injuries in HK‐2 cells, specifically affecting apoptosis and cell viability, via the miR‐126‐5p/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
A DNA Origami‐based Bactericide for Efficient Healing of Infected Wounds
Authors: Wu Tiantian , Wang Hong , Tian Run , Guo Shuang , Liao Yuhui , Liu Jianbing , Ding Baoquan
Published: September 2023

Bacteria infection is a significant obstacle in the clinical treatment of exposed wounds facing widespread pathogens. Herein, we report a DNA origami‐based bactericide for efficient anti‐infection therapy of infected wounds in vivo. In our design, abundant DNAzymes (G4/hemin) can be precisely organized on the DNA origami for controllable generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) to break bacterial membranes. After the destruction of the membrane, broad‐spectrum antibiotic levofloxacin (LEV, loaded in the DNA origami through interaction with DNA duplex) can be easily delivered into the bacteria for successful sterilization. With the incorporation of DNA aptamer targeting bacterial peptidoglycan, the DNA origami‐based bactericide can achieve targeted and combined antibacterial therapy for efficiently promoting the healing of infected wounds. This tailored DNA origami‐based nanoplatform provides a new strategy for the treatment of infectious diseases in vivo.
Activity And Stability of Single‐ And Di‐Atom Catalysts for the O2 Reduction Reaction
Authors: Karmodak Naiwrit , Nørskov Jens K.
Published: September 2023

Efficient and inexpensive catalysts for the O2 reduction reaction (ORR) are needed for the advancement of renewable energy technologies. In this study, we designed a computational catalyst‐screening method to identify single and di‐atom metal dopants from first‐row transition elements supported on defect‐containing nitrogenated graphene surfaces for the ORR. Based on formation‐energy calculations and micro‐kinetic modelling of reaction pathways using intermediate binding free energies, we have identified four potentially interesting single‐atom catalysts (SACs) and fifteen di‐atom catalysts (DACs) with relatively high estimated catalytic activity at 0.8 V vs RHE. Among the best SACs, MnNC shows high stability in both acidic and alkaline media according to our model. For the DACs, we found four possible candidates, MnMn, FeFe, CoCo, and MnNi doped on quad‐atom vacancy sites having considerable stability over a wide pH range. The remaining SACs and DACs with high activity are either less stable or show a stability region at an alkaline pH.
Piano‐stool dinuclear ruthenium (II) complexes of pyrazine‐carboxylate/carboxamide ligands: Structural studies and catalytic transfer hydrogenation of ketones
Authors: Kumah Robert T. , Ojwach Stephen O.
Published: September 2023

Reactions of ligand pyrazine‐2‐carboxylic acid (HL1) with [Ru(η6‐p‐cymene)Cl2]2precursor gave the dinuclear piano‐stool ruthenium (II) complex [{Ru(η6‐p‐cymene)Cl2}‐μ‐(L1)‐{Ru(p‐cymene)Cl}] (Ru1). Separately, reactions ofN‐(quinolin‐8‐yl) pyrazine‐2‐carboxamide (HL2), 5‐methyl‐N‐(−(quinolin‐8‐yl) pyridine‐2‐carboxamide (HL3) and 5‐chloro‐N‐(quinolin‐8‐yl) pyridine‐2‐carboxamide (HL4) with [Ru(η6‐p‐cymene)Cl2]2dimer in the presence of KPF6afforded the cationic dinuclear complexes [{Ru(η6‐p‐cymene)Cl}2‐μ‐(L2)][PF6] (Ru2), [{Ru(η6‐p‐cymene)Cl}2‐μ‐(L3)][Ru(L3)Cl3] (Ru3) and [{Ru(η6‐p‐cymene)Cl}2‐μ‐(L4)][PF6] (Ru4). The Ru (II) complexes were analysed using FT‐IR,1H,13C{1H},31P{1H} (Ru2andRu4) and19F (Ru2andRu4) NMR spectroscopic techniques, micro‐analyses and mass spectrometry. Molecular structures of complexesRu1andRu3were confirmed to display piano‐stool coordination nature using single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography analyses. All the complexes (Ru1–Ru4) mediated the transfer hydrogenation (TH) of a broad spectrum of ketones in isopropanol in the presence of a base and demonstrated high catalytic activities (TON of 24,000) at catalyst concentrations of 0.002 mol%. In general, the catalytic performance of these Ru (II) complexes depended on the identity of the ligands, coordination chemistry and ketone substrates.
Creation of a Highly Active Small Cu‐Based Catalyst Derived from Copper Aluminium Layered Double Hydroxide Supported on α‐Al2O3 for Acceptorless Alcohol Dehydrogenation
Authors: Yusniyanti Febi , Hara Takayoshi , Makishima Kohei , Kurniawan Enggah , Fujimura Takuya , Sasai Ryo , Moriyoshi Chikako , Kawaguchi Shogo , Permana Yessi , Ichikuni Nobuyuki
Published: September 2023

A highly dispersed carbonate‐intercalated Cu2+‐Al3+ layered double hydroxide (CuAl LDH) was created on an unreactive α‐Al2O3 surface (CuAl LDH@α‐Al2O3) via a simple coprecipitation method of Cu2+ and Al3+ under alkaline conditions in the presence of α‐Al2O3. A highly reducible CuO nanoparticles was generated, accompanied by the formation of CuAl2O4 on the surface of α‐Al2O3 (CuAlO@α‐Al2O3) after calcination at 1073 K in air, as confirmed by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Cu K‐edge X‐ray absorption near edge structure (XANES). The structural changes during the progressive heating process were monitored by using in‐situ temperature‐programmed synchrotron XRD (tp‐SXRD). The layered structure of CuAl LDH@α‐Al2O3 completely disappeared at 473 K, and CuO or CuAl2O4 phases began to appear at 823 K or 1023 K, respectively. Our synthesised CuAlO@α‐Al2O3 catalyst was highly active for the acceptorless dehydrogenation of benzylic, aliphatic, or cyclic aliphatic alcohols; the TON based on the amount of Cu increased to 163 from 3.3 of unsupported CuAlO catalyst in 1‐phenylethanol dehydrogenation. The results suggested that Cu0 was obtained from the reduction of CuO in the catalyst matrix during the reaction without separate reduction procedure and acted as a catalytically active species.
UBE2V2 promotes metastasis by regulating EMT and predicts a poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma
Authors: Yang Zheng , Wu Gujie , Zhao Jianmei , Shi Guanglin , Zhou Juan , Zhou Xiaoyu
Published: September 2023

Purpose

As a member of the ubiquitin‐conjugating enzyme (E2) family, UBE2V2 demonstrates significant tumorigenicity in many cancers. However, the relationship between UBE2V2 expression and the morbidity of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is still unknown.

Methods

We detected the mRNA and protein expression of UBE2V2 and analyzed its relationship with clinical parameters as well as survival prognosis based on bioinformatic and immunohistochemistry (IHC) in LUAD. The signaling pathway of UBE2V2 in the development of LUAD was obtained by GSEA. The TIMER database was used to investigate the association between UBE2V2 expression and the level of infiltration of different immune cells. Finally, we explored the effects of UBE2V2 knockdown on the proliferation, apoptosis, and migration of LUAD cells.

Results

The results showed that UBE2V2 was a potential oncogene and might be considered an independent prognostic molecule for LUAD patients based on TCGA prediction (HR: 1.497 p = 0.012) and IHC (HR:1.864 p = 0.044). IHC showed that UBE2V2 was related to the following clinicopathological factors: gender (p = 0.043), stage (p = 0.042), and lymph node metastasis (p = 0.002). Finally, knockdown of UBE2V2 reduced the migration of LUAD cells by regulating EMT‐related proteins. Knockdown of UBE2V2 induced LUAD cells to arrest in the G1 phase. Knockdown of UBE2V2 increased LUAD cell apoptosis and decreased proliferation, which might be related to the downregulation of PCNA and upregulation of P53 and ƳH2AX expression. Interestingly, UBE2V2 is negatively correlated with B cells, CD4+ T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells.

Conclusion

UBE2V2 may be a valuable therapeutic target for lung cancer.
Differentiating between Label and Protein Conformers in Pulsed Dipolar EPR Spectroscopy with the dHis‐Cu2+(NTA) Motif
Authors: Heubach Caspar A. , Hasanbasri Zikri , Abdullin Dinar , Reuter Arne , Korzekwa Benedict , Saxena Sunil , Schiemann Olav
Published: September 2023

Pulsed dipolar EPR spectroscopy (PDS) in combination with site‐directed spin labeling is a powerful tool in structural biology. However, the commonly used spin labels are conjugated to biomolecules via rather long and flexible linkers, which hampers the translation of distance distributions into biomolecular conformations. In contrast, the spin label copper(II)‐nitrilotriacetic acid [Cu2+(NTA)] bound to two histidines (dHis) is rigid and yields narrow distance distributions, which can be more easily translated into biomolecular conformations. Here, we use this label on the 71 kDa Yersinia outer protein O (YopO) to decipher whether a previously experimentally observed bimodal distance distribution is due to two conformations of the biomolecule or of the flexible spin labels. Two different PDS experiments, that is, pulsed electron–electron double resonance (PELDOR aka DEER) and relaxation‐induced dipolar modulation enhancement (RIDME), yield unimodal distance distribution with the dHis‐Cu2+(NTA) motif; this result suggests that the α‐helical backbone of YopO adopts a single conformation in frozen solution. In addition, we show that the Cu2+(NTA) label preferentially binds to the target double histidine (dHis) sites even in the presence of 22 competing native histidine residues. Our results therefore suggest that the generation of a His‐null background is not required for this spin labeling methodology. Together these results highlight the value of the dHis‐Cu2+(NTA) motif in PDS experiments.
Annual Report to the Nation on the Status of Cancer, part 2: Early assessment of the COVID‐19 pandemic’s impact on cancer diagnosis
Authors: Negoita Serban , Chen Huann‐Sheng , Sanchez Pamela V. , Sherman Recinda L. , Henley S. Jane , Siegel Rebecca L. , Sung Hyuna , Scott Susan , Benard Vicki B. , Kohler Betsy A. , Jemal Ahmedin , Cronin Kathleen A.
Published: September 2023

Background

With access to cancer care services limited because of coronavirus disease 2019 control measures, cancer diagnosis and treatment have been delayed. The authors explored changes in the counts of US incident cases by cancer type, age, sex, race, and disease stage in 2020.

Methods

Data were extracted from selected US population‐based cancer registries for diagnosis years 2015–2020 using first‐submission data from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries. After a quality assessment, the monthly numbers of newly diagnosed cancer cases were extracted for six cancer types: colorectal, female breast, lung, pancreas, prostate, and thyroid. The observed numbers of incident cancer cases in 2020 were compared with the estimated numbers by calculating observed‐to‐expected (O/E) ratios. The expected numbers of incident cases were extrapolated using Joinpoint trend models.

Results

The authors report an O/E ratio <1.0 for major screening‐eligible cancer sites, indicating fewer newly diagnosed cases than expected in 2020. The O/E ratios were lowest in April 2020. For every cancer site except pancreas, Asians/Pacific Islanders had the lowest O/E ratio of any race group. O/E ratios were lower for cases diagnosed at localized stages than for cases diagnosed at advanced stages.

Conclusions

The current analysis provides strong evidence for declines in cancer diagnoses, relative to the expected numbers, between March and May of 2020. The declines correlate with reductions in pathology reports and are greater for cases diagnosed at in situ and localized stage, triggering concerns about potential poor cancer outcomes in the coming years, especially in Asians/Pacific Islanders.

Plain Language Summary

To help control the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), health care organizations suspended nonessential medical procedures, including preventive cancer screening, during early 2020.

Many individuals canceled or postponed cancer screening, potentially delaying cancer diagnosis.

This study examines the impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on the number of newly diagnosed cancer cases in 2020 using first‐submission, population‐based cancer registry database.

The monthly numbers of newly diagnosed cancer cases in 2020 were compared with the expected numbers based on past trends for six cancer sites.

April 2020 had the sharpest decrease in cases compared with previous years, most likely because of the COVID‐19 pandemic.
High‐Complexity One‐Pot Golden Gate Assembly
Authors: Sikkema Andrew P. , Tabatabaei S. Kasra , Lee Yan‐Jiun , Lund Sean , Lohman Gregory J. S.
Published: September 2023

Golden Gate Assembly is a flexible method of DNA assembly and cloning that permits the joining of multiple fragments in a single reaction through predefined connections. The method depends on cutting DNA using a Type IIS restriction enzyme, which cuts outside its recognition site and therefore can generate overhangs of any sequence while separating the recognition site from the generated fragment. By choosing compatible fusion sites, Golden Gate permits the joining of multiple DNA fragments in a defined order in a single reaction. Conventionally, this method has been used to join five to eight fragments in a single assembly round, with yield and accuracy dropping off rapidly for more complex assemblies. Recently, we demonstrated the application of comprehensive measurements of ligation fidelity and bias data using data‐optimized assembly design (DAD) to enable a high degree of assembly accuracy for very complex assemblies with the simultaneous joining of as many as 52 fragments in one reaction. Here, we describe methods for applying DAD principles and online tools to evaluate the fidelity of existing fusion site sets and assembly standards, selecting new optimal sets, and adding fusion sites to existing assemblies. We further describe the application of DAD to divide known sequences at optimal points, including designing one‐pot assemblies of small genomes. Using the T7 bacteriophage genome as an example, we present a protocol that includes removal of native Type IIS sites (domestication) simultaneously with parts generation by PCR. Finally, we present recommended cycling protocols for assemblies of medium to high complexity (12‐36 fragments), methods for producing high‐quality parts, examples highlighting the importance of DNA purity and fragment stoichiometric balance for optimal assembly outcomes, and methods for assessing assembly success. © 2023 New England Biolabs, Inc. Current Protocols published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Assessing the fidelity of an overhang set using the NEBridge Ligase Fidelity Viewer

Basic Protocol 2: Generating a high‐fidelity overhang set using the NEBridge GetSet Tool

Alternate Protocol 1: Expanding an existing overhang set using the NEBridge GetSet Tool

Basic Protocol 3: Dividing a genomic sequence with optimal fusion sites using the NEBridge SplitSet Tool

Basic Protocol 4: One‐pot Golden Gate Assembly of 12 fragments into a destination plasmid

Alternate Protocol 2: One‐pot Golden Gate Assembly of 24+ fragments into a destination plasmid

Basic Protocol 5: One‐pot Golden Gate Assembly of the T7 bacteriophage genome from 12+ parts

Support Protocol 1: Generation of high‐purity amplicons for assembly

Support Protocol 2: Cloning assembly parts into a holding vector

Support Protocol 3: Quantifying DNA concentration using a Qubit 4 fluorometer

Support Protocol 4: Visualizing large assemblies via TapeStation

Support Protocol 5: Validating phage genome assemblies via ONT long‐read sequencing
Biaxial and Uniaxial Tensile Strains Effects on Electronic, Optical, and Thermoelectric Properties of ScBiTe3 Compound
Authors: Benyoussef Safae , Jabar Abderrahim , Bahmad Lahoucine
Published: September 2023

Using first‐principles density‐functional theory (DFT), this study thoroughly investigates the effects of biaxial and uniaxial tensile strains on the electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties of the perovskite ScBiTe3. This latter compound is a semiconductor material, according to its electronic band structures, with an indirect bandgap value of 0.891 eV. Additionally, the bandgap of each structure exhibits a decreasing tendency under compressive strain and an increasing trend under tensile strain, and the bandgap changes from indirect to direct bandgap when the tensile strain is applied along the a and b directions. Due to their band properties, these materials have excellent absorption ability in the visible region, as evidenced by optical properties like dielectric functions, absorption coefficients, and electron loss functions. It is found that the highest value of the power factor (PF) is 4.1 × 1011 W−1K−2s−1 and the highest value of the figure of merit (ZT) is 0.84. Such values are obtained for the specific strain value of 10% strain along the “a” and “b” directions. This confirms that this material can be a potential candidate for thermoelectric device applications.
Recent Advancements in Continuous Crystallization of Proteins
Authors: Vikram M. V. , Yadav Manishkumar D.
Published: September 2023

Recently, there have been many studies and reports on various continuous protein crystallization processes. Due to the increasing demand for pharmaceutical proteins such as insulin and monoclonal antibodies, it has become essential to optimize the current industrial processes to meet these demands. There are various comparisons to be made between current batch crystallization processes and continuous processes for proteins. This review paper aims to review the recent advancements in continuous protein crystallization processes, such as slug flow crystallizers, oscillatory baffled crystallizers, and mixed suspension mixed product removal (MSMPR) crystallizers.
LncRNA NEAT1 suppresses cellular senescence in hepatocellular carcinoma via KIF11‐dependent repression of CDKN2A
Authors: Chen Danlei , Wang Jinghao , Li Yang , Xu Chenglin , Fanzheng Meng , Zhang Pengfei , Liu Lianxin
Published: September 2023

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer‐related deaths worldwide. Therapeutic options for advanced HCC are limited, which is due to a lack of full understanding of pathogenesis. Cellular senescence is a state of cell cycle arrest, which plays important roles in the pathogenesis of HCC. Mechanisms underlying hepatocellular senescence are not fully understood. LncRNA NEAT1 acts as an oncogene and contributes to the development of HCC. Whether NEAT1 modulates hepatocellular senescence in HCC is unknown.

Methods

The role of NEAT1 and KIF11 in cellular senescence and tumor growth in HCC was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. RNA pulldown, mass spectrometry, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), luciferase reporter assays, RNA FISH and immunofluorescence (IF) staining were used to explore the detailed molecular mechanism of NEAT1 and KIF11 in cellular senescence of HCC.

Results

We found that NEAT1 was upregulated in tumor tissues and hepatoma cells, which negatively correlated with a senescence biomarker CDKN2A encoding p16INK4a and p14ARF proteins. NEAT1 was reduced in senescent hepatoma cells induced by doxorubicin (DOXO) or serum starvation. Furthermore, NEAT1 deficiency caused senescence in cultured hepatoma cells, and protected against the progression of HCC in a mouse model. During senescence, NEAT1 translocated into cytosol and interacted with a motor protein KIF11, resulting in KIF11 protein degradation and subsequent increased expression of CDKN2A in cultured hepatoma cells. Furthermore, KIF11 knockdown caused senescence in cultured hepatoma cells. Genetic deletion of Kif11 in hepatocytes inhibited the development of HCC in a mouse model.

Conclusions

Conclusively, NEAT1 overexpression reduces senescence and promotes tumor progression in HCC tissues and hepatoma cells, whereas NEAT1 deficiency causes senescence and inhibits tumor progression in HCC. This is associated with KIF11‐dependent repression of CDKN2A. These findings lay the foundation to develop potential therapies for HCC by inhibiting NEAT1 and KIF11 or inducing senescence.
Development of “personality” in the domestic cat: A longitudinal study
Authors: Urrutia Andrea , Bánszegi Oxána , Szenczi Péter , Hudson Robyn
Published: September 2023

Although individual differences in the behavior of animals, sometimes referred to as personality, have recently received considerable attention, the development of such differences remains understudied. We previously found consistent individual differences in behavior in four tests simulating everyday contexts in 74 preweaning age kittens from 16 litters of the domestic cat. To study the development of consistent among‐individual differences in four behavioral traits in cats, we followed a subset of these same individuals and repeated the same tests at 6 and 12 months of age. Some individual differences in behavior became increasingly repeatable with age due to a combination of decreased individual‐level variance (canalization) and increased among‐individual variance; these changes in variance and repeatability continued into adulthood (12 months). We did not observe behavioral syndromes at any age, in contrast to our previous reports in a different population of adult cats. The mechanisms that underlie increased repeatability with age and the possibility of personality structure differing between populations in this species remain to be studied.
Effects of door‐to‐tolvaptan time on short‐term clinical outcome in patients with acute heart failure
Authors: Nomura Ryohei , Morishita Tetsuji , Sato Yusuke , Aoyama Daisetu , Shimizu Tomohiro , Uzui Hiroyasu , Nakano Akira , Tada Hiroshi
Published: September 2023

Aims

We investigated the effects of door‐to‐tolvaptan (D2T) time on short‐term urine volume and in‐hospital clinical outcomes in patients with acute heart failure (AHF).

Methods and results

Patients with AHF, treated with tolvaptan at two hospitals, were enrolled in this retrospective observational study. The D2T time was defined as the time elapsed from the arrival of a patient at a participating hospital to the first administration of tolvaptan. The group with the D2T time within 6 h was defined as the ‘early group’. The primary outcome was 48‐h urine volume. The secondary outcomes were in‐hospital death, length of hospital stay, and worsening renal function (WRF) incidence. A restricted cubic spline model was used to evaluate the presence of a nonlinear association between the D2T time and 48‐h urine volume and the odds ratio of WRF incidence. Our study included a total of 138 patients with AHF who were started on tolvaptan after hospitalization. The median D2T time was 5.3 h (interquartile range: 3.0–31.9 h). Seventy‐four patients (53.6%) were classified to be in the early group. Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups: mean age (85.4 ± 9.6 years vs. 84.5 ± 9.5 years; P = 0.59) and male sex (n = 22 [33.3%] vs. n = 29 [46%]; P = 0.16), except that patients in the early group had higher systolic blood pressure than those in the delayed group (138.2 ± 22.9 vs. 125.7 ± 21.7; P = 0.001). The initial tolvaptan dose in the delayed group was much lower than that in the early group (7.5 [7.5, 7.5] vs. 7.5 [5.6, 7.5] mg; P = 0.01). Total urine volume in 48 h did not differ in the early and delayed groups (4113 ± 1758 mL vs. 4201 ± 1893 mL; P = 0.80). The relationship between D2T time and total urine volume within 48 h increased slightly, with a peak at a D2T time of 15 h, and gradually decreased, thereafter. In‐hospital death and the length of hospital stay did not differ significantly between the two groups (n = 1, 1.3% vs. n = 4, 6.3%; P = 0.18, and 5.0 [12.0, 30.0] vs. 22.0 [14.5, 30.0] days; P = 0.17, respectively). Notably, the restricted cubic spline model for the odds ratio of WRF incidence increased as the D2T time was delayed (P for effect<0.01).

Conclusions

The shorter D2T time did not affect the short‐term urine volume and in‐hospital outcomes but reduced the risk of WRF incidence in patients with AHF.
Assessing the Biodegradability of Tire Tread Particles and Influencing Factors
Authors: Nielsen Ann Flemming , Polesel Fabio , Ahonen Tiia , Palmqvist Annemette , Baun Anders , Hartmann Nanna B.
Published: September 2023

Abrasion of tire tread, caused by friction between vehicle tires and road surfaces, causes release of tire wear particles (TWPs) into various environmental compartments. These TWPs contribute to chemical, microplastic, and particulate matter pollution. Their fate remains largely unknown, especially regarding the extent and form in which they persist in the environment. The present study investigated (1) the biodegradability of tread particles (TPs) in the form of ground tire tread, (2) how accelerated ultraviolet (UV) weathering affects their biodegradability, and (3) which TP constituents are likely contributors to TP biodegradability based on their individual biodegradability. A series of closed-bottle tests, with aerobic aqueous medium inoculated with activated sludge, were carried out for pristine TPs, UV-weathered TPs, and selected TP constituents; natural rubber (NR), isoprene rubber (IR), butadiene rubber (BR), and treated distillate aromatic extracts (TDAE). Biodegradation was monitored by manometric respirometry, quantifying biological oxygen consumption over 28 days. Pristine TP biodegradability was found to be 4.5%; UV-weathered TPs showed higher biodegradability of 6.7% and 8.0% with similar and increased inoculum concentrations, respectively. The observed TP biodegradation was mainly attributed to biodegradation of NR and TDAE, with individual biodegradability of 35.4% and 8.0%, respectively; IR and BR showed negligible biodegradability. These findings indicate that biodegradability of individual constituents is decreased by a factor of 2 to 5 when compounded into TPs. Through scanning electron microscopy analysis, biodegradation was found to cause surface erosion. Processes of TP biodegradation are expected to change throughout their lifetime as new constituents are incorporated from the road and others degrade and/or leach out. Tire emissions likely persist as particles with an increased fraction of synthetic rubbers and carbon black. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:31–41. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Dose Addition Models Accurately Predict the Subacute Effects of a Mixture of Perfluorooctane Sulfonate and Perfluorooctanoic Acid on Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica) Chick Mortality
Authors: Gray L. Earl , Conley Justin M. , Bursian Steven J.
Published: September 2023

Biomonitoring data have consistently demonstrated that fish, wildlife, and humans are exposed to multiple per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in drinking water and foods. Despite ubiquitous exposure to mixtures of PFAS, there is a lack of in vivo PFAS mixture research that addresses whether these chemicals act in a cumulative, dose-additive (DA) manner or whether they behave independently. For this reason, there is a critical need for mixtures studies designed to evaluate the cumulative toxicity and potential chemical interactions to support the assessment of human and ecological risks and also to define appropriate regulatory actions. Our primary objective was to evaluate the previously published Japanese quail chick mortality concentration–response data for perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and the mixture of PFOS + PFOA and to use statistical modeling to determine whether the effects of the mixtures were accurately predicted by either DA or response addition modeling. In addition, we wanted to compare different DA models to determine whether one model produced more accurate predictions than the others. Our results support the hypothesis of cumulative effects on shared endpoints from PFOA and PFOS co-exposure and DA approaches for predictive estimates of cumulative effects. Given the limited number of in vivo studies that have been executed with enough individual PFAS and PFAS mixture concentration–response data to test the hypothesis of DA for PFAS mixtures, this re-analysis of the data is an important contribution to our understanding of how PFAS mixtures act. The analysis will provide support for regulatory agencies as they begin to implement PFAS cumulative hazard assessments in higher vertebrates. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:97–104. © 2023 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Naringenin prevents non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis by modulating the host metabolome and intestinal microbiome in MCD diet‐fed mice
Authors: Cao Peng , Yue Ming , Cheng Yuanlei , Sullivan Mitchell A. , Chen Wen , Yu Huifan , Li Fei , Wu Sanlan , Lv Yongning , Zhai Xuejia , Zhang Yu
Published: September 2023

Non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a severe inflammatory phase of the non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) spectrum and can progress to advanced stages of NAFLD if left untreated. This study uses multi‐omics data to elucidate the underlying mechanism of naringenin's reported benefit in alleviating (NASH). Male mice were fed a NASH‐inducing (methionine‐choline‐deficient) MCD diet with or without naringenin supplementation for 6 weeks. Naringenin prevented NASH‐induced histopathological liver damage and reversed the abnormal levels of hepatic triglyceride (TG)/total cholesterol (TC), serum TG/TC, serum alanine aminotransferase/aspartate transaminase, and hepatic malondialdehyde and glutathione. Importantly, naringenin intervention significantly modulated the relative abundance of gut microbiota and the host metabolomic profile. We detected more than 700 metabolites in the serum and found that the gut genus levels of Anaeroplasma and the [Eubacterium] nodatum group were closely associated with xanthine, 2‐picoline, and securinine, respectively. Tuzzerella alterations showed the highest number of associations with host endogenous metabolites such as FAHFA (8:0/10:0), FFA (20:2), carnitine C8:1, tridecanedioic acid, securinine, acetylvaline, DL‐O‐tyrosine, and Phe‐Asn. This study indicates that the interplay between host serum metabolites and gut microbiota may contribute to the therapeutic effect of naringenin against NASH.
Market‐wide overconfidence and stock returns
Authors: Chen Qiang , Han Yu , Huang Ying
Published: September 2023

In this paper, a novel measurement of overconfidence over the market is developed based on the size of ambiguity (the confidence of investors in information). The proposed measure of market‐wide overconfidence is consistent with the predictions motivated by prior literature. It has a significant negative association with the next‐month market excess return. Associations between the overconfidence measure and riskier portfolio returns behave stronger and last longer, implying a risk‐taking proclivity of overconfident investors.
Dynamic connectedness between energy markets and the Brazilian cash market: An empirical analysis pre‐ and post‐COVID‐19
Authors: Palazzi Rafael Baptista , Assaf Ata , Klotzle Marcelo Cabus
Published: September 2023

Brazil's significant commodity production is internationally recognized, yet the absence of a mature futures market exposes it to price risks and international shocks. This study explores the dynamic connectedness between commodity futures and the Brazilian cash markets, using a time‐varying parameter vector autoregressive model. We also assess COVID‐19's impact on this connectedness. We find a significant influence of oil prices on Brazilian ethanol prices, and particularly emphasize the Heating Oil spillover effect on ethanol in the post‐COVID‐19 era. We also note the ascension of Brazilian soybean spot markets' international significance since 2017, amplifying their role in global grain price discovery. Finally, by computing hedge ratios and effectiveness between commodity futures contracts and Brazilian spot prices, our study reveals soybean cash price as the most effective hedge. These insights deepen comprehension of connectedness within Brazilian commodity markets, thereby guiding investors and policymakers in strategic energy policy decisions.
Chromatic fusion: Generative multimodal neuroimaging data fusion provides multi‐informed insights into schizophrenia
Authors: Geenjaar Eloy P.T. , Lewis Noah L. , Fedorov Alex , Wu Lei , Ford Judith M. , Preda Adrian , Plis Sergey M. , Calhoun Vince D.
Published: September 2023

This work proposes a novel generative multimodal approach to jointly analyze multimodal data while linking the multimodal information to colors. We apply our proposed framework, which disentangles multimodal data into private and shared sets of features from pairs of structural (sMRI), functional (sFNC and ICA), and diffusion MRI data (FA maps). With our approach, we find that heterogeneity in schizophrenia is potentially a function of modality pairs. Results show (1) schizophrenia is highly multimodal and includes changes in specific networks, (2) non‐linear relationships with schizophrenia are observed when interpolating among shared latent dimensions, and (3) we observe a decrease in the modularity of functional connectivity and decreased visual‐sensorimotor connectivity for schizophrenia patients for the FA‐sFNC and sMRI‐sFNC modality pairs, respectively. Additionally, our results generally indicate decreased fractional corpus callosum anisotropy, and decreased spatial ICA map and voxel‐based morphometry strength in the superior frontal lobe as found in the FA‐sFNC, sMRI‐FA, and sMRI‐ICA modality pair clusters. In sum, we introduce a powerful new multimodal neuroimaging framework designed to provide a rich and intuitive understanding of the data which we hope challenges the reader to think differently about how modalities interact.
Analysis of quality standards for industrial collaborative robots based on user‐centered design framework
Authors: Heo In Seok , Putri Alivia K. H. , Kim Beom Su , Kwon Min Seong , Kim Sang Ho
Published: September 2023

Industrial collaborative robots have become increasingly important in recent years due to their ability to work safely and efficiently alongside humans. As a result, there is a growing need for evaluation standards to ensure the quality of collaborative robots. However, existing studies only consider system‐centered and technical aspects of collaborative robots, and there is a lack of research on user‐centered quality evaluation. In this study, we identified 21 user requirements based on a user‐centered design framework and confirmed the limitations of existing quality standards by reviewing the standard clauses for collaborative robots. It was found that user needs to be related to performance, safety, and even usability and enjoyment are already being expressed according to the user‐centered design framework, but the quality standards for these needs only present design principles or do not consider them at all. This study provides information on the quality attributes that need to be fulfilled to satisfy user requirements and suggests the need and direction for further research on the user‐centered evaluation of collaborative robots. Accordingly, the user's perception and experience of collaborative robots are expected to improve.
Plumbagin alleviates obesity‐related asthma: Targeting inflammation, oxidative stress, and the AMPK pathway
Authors: Zhang Lijie , Liang Dongxue , Liu Linlin , Liu Lihua
Published: September 2023

Background

Obesity‐related asthma, a specific type of asthma, tends to have more severe symptoms and more frequent exacerbations, and it is insensitive to standard medications. Plumbagin (PLB) has many positive effects on human health. However, it remains unclear whether PLB protects against obesity‐related asthma. The study investigated the effect of PLB on obesity‐related asthma.

Methods

Four‐week‐old male C57BL6/J mice were fed either standard‐chow diet or high‐fat diet (HFD). The mice were sensitized to 100 μg ovalbumin (OVA) once a week and intraperitoneally injected with 1 mg/kg PLB once daily from Week 10 to 11 and then challenged with 10 μg OVA twice a day on Week 12. The lung tissue and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected 48 h after the first OVA challenge.

Results

HFD enhanced inflammatory cell infiltration within the airways and increased total inflammatory cell and eosinophil counts, levels of eosinophil‐related inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin‐4 (IL‐4), IL‐5, and eotaxin in BALF, and oxidative stress in the lung tissues of asthmatic mice. PLB reduced inflammatory cell infiltration in the airway walls, levels of eosinophil‐related inflammatory cytokines in BALF, and oxidative stress in lung tissues of obese asthmatic mice. In addition, PLB restored HFD‐induced decreases in adenosine monophosphate‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation.

Conclusion

The study suggested that HFD exacerbated inflammation and oxidative stress, while PLB probably alleviated inflammation and oxidative stress and activated AMPK pathway to attenuate obesity‐associated asthma. Thus, PLB likely had the potential to treat obesity‐related asthma.
Development of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction is independent of eosinophils in a preclinical model
Authors: Pan Qi , Chen Cheng , Gong Zhaoting , Chen Guihao , Yang Yuejin
Published: September 2023

The increasing burden of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has become a global health problem. HFpEF is characterized by systematic inflammation, cardiac metabolic remodeling, and fibrosis. Eosinophils act as an essential but generally overlooked subgroup of white blood cells, which participate in cardiac fibrosis, as reported in several recent studies. Herein, we explored the role of eosinophils in a “two‐hit” preclinical HFpEF model. The peripheral eosinophil counts were comparable between the normal chow and HFpEF mice. Deficiency of eosinophils failed to alter the phenotype of HFpEF. Conclusively, the development of HFpEF is independent of eosinophils in terms of the functional, biochemical, and histological results.
Swansea criteria evaluation in acute fatty liver of pregnancy, hemolysis elevated liver enzyme and low platelet syndrome, pre‐eclampsia, and viral acute liver failure in pregnancy
Authors: Devarbhavi Harshad , Venkatachala Preethi R. , Devamsh G. N. , Shalimar  , Aashik Y. S. , Patil Mallikarjun , Acharya Subrat K.
Published: September 2023

Synopsis

Not only AFLP but also HELLP and acute liver failure due to viruses in pregnancy meet the Swansea criteria, meriting a reappraisal and a reevaluation of the criteria.
MMTFN: Multi‐modal multi‐scale transformer fusion network for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis
Authors: Miao Shang , Xu Qun , Li Weimin , Yang Chao , Sheng Bin , Liu Fangyu , Bezabih Tsigabu T. , Yu Xiao
Published: September 2023

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a severe neurodegenerative disease that can cause dementia symptoms. Currently, most research methods for diagnosing AD rely on fusing neuroimaging data of different modalities to exploit their heterogeneity and complementarity. However, effectively using such multi‐modal information to construct fusion methods remains a challenging problem. To address this issue, we propose a multi‐modal multi‐scale transformer fusion network (MMTFN) for computer‐aided diagnosis of AD. Our network comprises 3D multi‐scale residual block (3DMRB) layers and the Transformer network that jointly learns potential representations of multi‐modal data. The 3DMRB with multi‐scale aggregation efficiently extracts local abnormal information related to AD in the brain. We conducted five experiments to validate our model using MRI and PET images of 720 subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). The experimental results show that our proposed network outperformed existing models, achieving a final classification accuracy of 94.61% for AD and Normal Control.
Hospital Admission for Xanthine Toxicity
Authors: Derby Laura E. , Jick Susan S. , Langlois Joseph C. , Johnson Lowell E. , Jick Hershel
Published: September 2023

A follow‐up study of 35,909 outpatients who filled more than 220,000 prescriptions for theophylline over 9 years revealed 30 hospitalizations for xanthine toxicity. The overall estimated incidence rate of 7.8/10,000 person‐years at risk indicates that in this population, hospitalization for xanthine toxicity is a relatively rare event.
The Triazole Antifungal Agents: A Review of Itraconazole and Fluconazole
Authors: Bailey Elaine M. , Krakovsky David J. , Rybak Michael J.
Published: September 2023

Fluconazole and itraconazole are two investigational triazole antifungal agents that are currently undergoing clinical trials in the United States. Both are active orally, have favorable pharmacokinetics (i.e., good bioavailability, long half‐life, low plasma protein binding), and possess activity against several systemic fungal pathogens. In addition, preliminary information suggests that these agents are substantially less toxic than currently available azole compounds. Fluconazole and, to a lesser degree, itraconazole have been shown to be highly effective for the treatment of cryptococcal meningitis. The potential for drug interactions is much lower with these agents compared to drugs such as ketoconazole.
Oral Clindamycin and Ciprofloxacin Therapy for Diabetic Foot Infections
Authors: Sesin G. Paul , Paszko Ann , O'Keefe Eva
Published: September 2023

Infected foot ulcers are a common complication in persons with diabetes. In general, treatment consists of intravenous administration of antibiotics, for which the patients are customarily hospitalized. The average length of hospital stay for this therapy in our institution is 15.6 days. We evaluated a regimen of oral clindamycin plus ciprofloxacin, which patients could take at home, with respect to the clinical eradication of the infection and treatment cost savings. Our results demonstrated that with these oral agents, patients' length of hospital stay was greatly reduced, and the pharmacy realized significant cost avoidance.
The Pharmacoeconomics of Renal Transplantation: Increased Drug Costs with Decreased Hospitalization Costs
Authors: Canafax Daniel M. , Gruber Scott A. , Chan Gary L.C. , Miles Carol J. , Matas Arthur J. , Najarian John S. , Cipolle Robert J.
Published: September 2023

We evaluated the economic and clinical effects of two immunosuppressive drug regimens used to treat recipients of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐identical sibling donor renal transplants during the first posttransplant year. We compared consecutive patients in two groups of 30 who were given either antilymphoblast globulin (ALG), azathioprine, plus prednisone or cyclosporine, azathioprine, and prednisone for immunosuppression. We standardized all dollar values, costs and charges, to the 1986 level using our hospital's health care charge inflation rate. There were no significant differences between the two treatment groups for actual patient (100% vs 93%; p = 0.51) and graft survival rates (100% vs 93%; p = 0.51), average serum creatinine level (1.0 ± 0.3 vs 1.0 ± 0.2 mg%; p = 0.46), and most recent creatinine level (1.4 ± 0.3 vs 1.4 ± 0.7 mg%; p = 0.45). The average cyclosporine‐azathioprine‐prednisone costs were $3987/patient more for the first year of therapy than for ALG‐azathioprine‐prednisone. However, the former regimen produced an average of $9543/patient less in total hospitalization charges. This was due to both a shorter initial hospital stay and a decreased rate of rehospitalization, with a lower frequency of acute rejection episodes (p = 0.001) and infectious complications (p = 0.05). We conclude that, although this cyclosporine‐containing protocol was associated with increased drug costs, it is justified by decreased hospitalization charges that resulted from improved efficacy and safety.