bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Improving the Recombination Losses by the Inclusion of Bi‐HTM (CuO/Silicon) Layers for Formamidinium Tin‐Based Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Jamil M. , Almufarij Rasmiah S. , Ali Adnan , Ashfaq Arslan , Mahmood Khalid , Fahmy Mohamed Abdelsabour , Sabugaa Michael M. , Alqurashi Rania Saleh , Shokralla Elsammani Ali , Algethami Obaidallah A.
Published: May 2023

The innovative lead‐free formamidinium tin‐based perovskite solar cell structure is considered nontoxic and potentially more stable than lead‐based, although its performance is not yet excellent. This research aims to enhance the power conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells and reduce the recombination losses. According to device modeling, the FASnI3perovskite solar cell demonstrates a packing conversion efficiency of 14.3% (open circuit voltage (Voc) = 0.899 V, fill factor (FF) = 58.9%, and current density (Jsc) = 26.06 mA cm−2) by employing Bi hole transporting layers, a copper oxide, and crystalline silicon layers. Some features that affect the device include the thickness of each layer, the doping density of copper oxide and a silicon layer, and the back contact metalwork function. It is proposed that Bi‐HTL reduce the carriers to enter hole transport layer (HTL) as the doping change so that decreasing charge carriers recombination and enhancing the device efficiency in tin‐based perovskite solar cell with the structure of ITO/TiO2/FASnI3/CuO/Si/C. Furthermore, the impacts of various charge transport layers on energy band alignment, recombination, electric field, and IV properties are thoroughly explored.
Oxygen‐Rich Carbon Nitrides from an Eutectic Template Strategy Stabilize Ni, Fe Nanosites for Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution
Authors: Li Chun , Lepre Enrico , Bi Min , Antonietti Markus , Zhu Junwu , Fu Yongsheng , López‐Salas Nieves
Published: May 2023

Functionalized porous carbons are central to various important applications such as energy storage and conversion. Here, a simple synthetic route to prepare oxygen‐rich carbon nitrides (CNOs) decorated with stable Ni and Fe‐nanosites is demonstrated. The CNOs are prepared via a salt templating method using ribose and adenine as precursors and CaCl2·2H2O as a template. The formation of supramolecular eutectic complexes between CaCl2·2H2O and ribose at relatively low temperatures facilitates the formation of a homogeneous starting mixture, promotes the condensation of ribose through the dehydrating effect of CaCl2·2H2O to covalent frameworks, and finally generates homogeneous CNOs. As a specific of the recipe, the condensation of the precursors at higher temperatures and the removal of water promotes the recrystallization of CaCl2 (T < Tm = 772 °C), which then acts as a hard porogen. Due to salt catalysis, CNOs with oxygen and nitrogen contents as high as 12 and 20 wt%, respectively, can be obtained, while heteroatom content stayed about unchanged even at higher temperatures of synthesis, pointing to the extraordinarily high stability of the materials. After decorating Ni and Fe‐nanosites onto the CNOs, the materials exhibit high activity and stability for electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction with an overpotential of 351 mV.
An Anti‐Ambipolar Cryo‐Phototransistor
Authors: Mathew Roshan Jesus , Cheng Kai‐Hsiang , Inbaraj Christy Roshini Paul , Sankar Raman , Gao Xuan P.A. , Chen Yit‐Tsong
Published: May 2023

Novel anti‐ambipolar transistors (AATs) are gate tunable rectifiers with a marked potential for multi‐valued logic circuits. In this work, the optoelectronic applications of AATs in cryogenic conditions are studied, of which the AAT devices consist of vertically stacked p‐SnS and n‐ MoSe2 nanoflakes to form a type‐II staggered band alignment. An electrostatically tunable p‐SnS/n‐MoSe2 cryo‐phototransistor is presented with unique anti‐ambipolar characteristics and cryogenic‐enhanced optoelectronic performance. The cryo‐phototransistor exhibits a sharp and highly symmetric anti‐ambipolar transfer curve at 77 K with the peak‐to‐valley ratio of 103 operating under a low bias voltage of 1 V. The high cooling‐enhanced charge mobilities in the cryo‐phototransistor grant this AAT device remarkable photodetection capabilities. At 77 K, the p‐SnS/n‐MoSe2 cryo‐phototransistor, holding a broad photoresponse in the spectral range of 250−900 nm, demonstrates its high responsivity of 2 × 104 A W−1 and detectivity of 7.5 × 1013 Jones with the excitation at 532 nm. The high‐performance p‐SnS/n‐MoSe2 low‐dimensional phototransistor with low operating voltages at 77−150 K is eligible for optoelectronic applications in cryogenic environments. Furthermore, the cryo‐characteristics of this heterostructure can be further extended to design the mul‐tivalued logic circuits operated in cryogenic conditions.
Multilayer Porous Polymer Films for High‐Performance Stretchable Organic Electrochemical Transistors
Authors: Liu Changjian , Deng Jinyi , Gao Lin , Cheng Jingliang , Peng Yujie , Zeng Hongjuan , Huang Wei , Feng Liang‐Wen , Yu Junsheng
Published: May 2023

Porous films offer a general and simple strategy for balancing the electron/hole transport, and ion doping/dedoping process in organic electrochemical transistor (OECT) channel.  Here a universal 3D integrated approach that simultaneously achieves both enhanced transconductance (gm) and mechanical stretchability via constructing a multilayer breath‐figured porous polymer channel by poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/ polystyrene‐block‐poly(ethylene‐ran‐butylene)‐block‐polystyrene (SEBS) and poly(2,5‐bis(3‐triethyleneglycoloxythiophen‐2‐yl)‐co‐thiophene) (Pg2T‐T)/SEBS mixture is demonstrated. The formed multilayer elastic porous structure provides efficient and tunable ionic‐electronic coupling and transport pathways, while also introducing immunity toward mechanical tensile deformation. Remarkably, an obvious increase in gm [from 10.05 mS (2.13 mS) to 29.23 mS (7.38 mS) for Pg2T‐T (P3HT)] is acquired by assembling the OECT porous channel from a single layer to a 3D trilayer. Moreover, mechanical stretchability as high as 40% for Pg2T‐T and 60% for P3HT, is obtained with >21% gm retained. Furthermore, high gms (9.34 mS and 0.92 mS for Pg2T‐T and P3HT, respectively) are maintained after 600 stretching cycles (20% and 30% tensile strains for Pg2T‐T and P3HT, respectively). Overall, the 3D porous structure provides an effective strategy to enhance stretchability and electrical performance for OECTs, as well as opens possibilities for other electronics where both stretchability and a large surface‐to‐volume ratio are needed.
Legume addition to alfalfa‐based mixtures improves the forage energy to protein ratio
Authors: Tremblay Gaëtan F. , Thériault Mireille , Seguin Philippe , Godin Xavier , Claessens Annie , Bittman Shabtai , Hunt Derek , Bélanger Gilles , Hakl Josef , Bertrand Annick , Thivierge Marie‐Noëlle
Published: May 2023

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L., AL)‐based forage mixtures are a major constituent of ruminant rations, and optimizing their energy‐to‐protein ratio has been identified as a way to improve N use efficiency. This study aimed to determine whether the energy‐to‐protein ratio could be improved by adding red clover (Trifolium pratense L., RC) or birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L., BT) at different seeding proportions, and/or one grass species [timothy, Phleum pratense L., or tall fescue, Schedonorus arundinaceus (Schreb.) Dumort] to AL. Annual forage yield, species proportion in botanical composition, and nutritive value of forage were measured at three sites in Canada for 2 post‐seeding years. The addition of RC or BT did not affect the annual forage yield but it increased the concentration of forage nonfiber carbohydrates (NFCs), particularly of soluble sugars, and decreased concentrations of crude protein (CP), nonprotein nitrogen (NPN), and rapidly degradable protein (PB1) of AL‐based mixtures. The addition of one percentage unit of RC or BT to forage botanical composition improved the NFC/CP ratio by 0.005, and the NFC/(NPN + PB1) ratio by 0.024. The addition of either grass species to AL mixtures also increased the two ratios, but it was related to a CP decrease with no increase in NFC concentrations. Adding RC or BT to AL‐based mixtures is therefore a valuable strategy to increase the forage energy to protein ratio.
Genotype × environment interaction of six bush pea lines with the afila gene through the AMMI model in cereal grown areas of Colombia
Authors: Criollo Maribel Xiomara Toro , Coral Oscar Eduardo Checa , Portilla Diana Milena Herrera
Published: May 2023

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) and barley (Hordeum vulgare) have no longer been a profitable crop option in Colombia's cereal‐growing regions since the opening of the economy in the 1990s, which allowed them to be imported. Due to their high nutritional value and wide commercial demand, peas (Pisum sativum L.) have become a new crop option in southern Colombia's cereal‐growth areas. Bush varieties are required with low lodging, high yield, and good adaptation to environmental conditions. This study evaluated six lines of bush pea with the afila gene for yield and phenotypic stability in nine cereal‐growing environments of southern Colombia in 2020 and 2021. A randomized block design with four replications was used in each environment. Phenotypic stability was studied using the additive main effects and multiplicative interaction model (AMMI). Visual observation of the biplot graph for principal components IPC1 and IPC2 showed higher contribution of genotypes ARB2, ARB12, and ARB13 to the genotype–environment interaction, while genotypes ARB10, ARB15, and ARB16 displayed the highest stability; only the last two genotypes exceeded the overall mean yield. The AMMI phenotypic stability values confirmed ARB10 and ARB15 as the most stable. The genotypic selection index ranked ARB15 and ARB16 as the most promising lines for the cereal‐growing area of southern Colombia based on their stability and yield, making them new productive options.
Free‐Fall Non‐Universality in Quantum Theory
Authors: Emelyanov Viacheslav A.
Published: May 2023

The author shows by embodying the Einstein equivalence principle—local Poincaré invariance—and general covariance in quantum theory that wave‐function spreading rules out the universality of free fall, that is, the free‐fall trajectory of a quantum (test) particle depends on its internal properties. The author provides a quantitative estimate of the free‐fall non‐universality in terms of the Eötvös parameter, which turns out to be measurable in atom interferometry.
Multidimensional separations in top–down proteomics
Authors: Guo Yanting , Cupp‐Sutton Kellye A. , Zhao Zhitao , Anjum Samin , Wu Si
Published: May 2023

Top–down proteomics (TDP) identifies, quantifies, and characterises proteins at the intact proteoform level in complex biological samples to understand proteoform function and cellular mechanisms. However, analysing complex biological samples using TDP is still challenging due to high sample complexity and wide dynamic range. High‐resolution separation methods are often applied prior to mass spectrometry (MS) analysis to decrease sample complexity and increase proteomics throughput. These separation methods, however, may not be efficient enough to characterise low abundance intact proteoforms in complex samples. As such, multidimensional separation techniques (combination of two or more separation methods with high orthogonality) have been developed and applied that demonstrate improved separation resolution and more comprehensive identification in TDP. A suite of multidimensional separation methods that couple various types of liquid chromatography (LC), capillary electrophoresis (CE), and/or gel electrophoresis‐based separation approaches have been developed and applied in TDP to analyse complex biological samples. Here, we reviewed multidimensional separation strategies employed for TDP, summarised current applications, and discussed the gaps that may be addressed in the future.
The role of post‐cure cycle on the thermomechanical properties of soy‐based polyurethane thermosets
Authors: Armanasco Franco , D'hers Sebastián , Chiacchiarelli Leonel Matías
Published: May 2023

A systematic study of the post‐cure cycle of soy‐based polyurethane thermosets was conducted as a function of crosslinker content, post‐cure temperature and time. An improvement of 207% of the flexural strength, up to 175 MPa, was measured by increasing the crosslinking content to 60 wt% and by using a post‐cure cycle temperature of 110°C. Similarly, the flexural modulus also increased by 199%, up to 3.2 GPa, while maintaining a flexural strain to failure of 6.60%. In situ studies of the post‐cure cycle using dynamical mechanical analysis revealed the interplay between the two interpenetrating polymer networks as a function of crosslinker content. At a crosslinker content below 40 wt%, two rubbery to glass transition temperatures (Tg) were found at 60 and 200°C, respectively. At 60 wt%, only one Tg at temperatures close to the degradation temperature was identified (250°C). Scanning electron microscope micrographs of the fracture surface revealed the formation of stress induced cracks which were mitigated through the use of a temperature stepped post‐cure cycle. The formation of soft segments with high degradation temperatures (485°C) were revealed by thermogravimetric analysis, which can be attributed to the presence of additional covalent bonds such as allophanate and carbodiimide that were also identified through Fourier transform infrared analysis. The results revealed in this work are key for the development of biobased polyurethanes applied for the polymer composite industry. In this regard, this study represented the first analysis of the post‐cure cycle of a soy‐based polyurethane thermoset.
Evaluation of eugenol‐derived monomers as antimicrobial agents in dental resin composites
Authors: Trejo‐Carbajal Nayely , Cuevas Suárez Carlos E. , Reyes‐Angeles Mari Carmen , Herrera‐González Ana M.
Published: May 2023

The aim of this study is to synthesize two eugenol‐derived halogenated monomers and to evaluate their properties as antibacterial and antifungal agents in the formulation of dental composite resins. The 4‐allyl‐2‐methoxyphenyl (2‐chloroethyl) carbonate (ECl) and 4‐allyl‐2‐methoxyphenyl 2,2,3,3,4,4,4‐heptafluorobutanoate (EF) monomers have halogens, chlorine or fluorine bonded in their structure, whose antibacterial activity is known. The characterization of ECl and EF monomers was made by Fourier transform infrared and 1H and 13C NMR. dental resin composites are formulated by mixing the BisGMA/TEGDMA, photoinitiator system, inorganic filler, and the ECl or EF monomer, respectively. The antimicrobial and antifungal activity of the experimental resins is determined using the strains of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. After copolymerization, DCRs with ECl or EF monomers significantly stop antibacterial growth and show excellent antifungal effect. The best results in the antibacterial test are using 0.5 or 3 wt% of the ECl monomer, while for the EF monomer is 5 wt%. On the other hand, the most adequate concentration of ECl and EF monomers in the antifungal activity is 0.5 wt%. The above demonstrates the ability of ECl and EF monomers to prevent antibacterial and antifungal growth in a dental composite resin, which would extend the useful life of a dental restoration.
Synthesis of Functionalized Pyrimidines from Propargylic alcohols and their Derivatives: Two Decades of Developments
Authors: Mishra Surabhi , Raikwar Sumran , Baire Beeraiah
Published: May 2023

Pyrimidine is a six‐membered diaza‐heterocycle i. e., 1,3‐diazine. It is found to be present in many biologically and pharmacologically active scaffolds like nucleotides, natural products, and drugs. The bioactivities of pyrimidine include anti‐tubercular, anti‐bacterial, anti‐fungal, anti‐viral, anti‐inflammatory, anti‐malarial, anti‐cancer, anti‐neoplastic and many more. In this review article we have summarized various synthetic approaches that involve the synthesis of these privileged building blocks by employing propargylic alcohols and their derivatives like propargylic esters and propargylic ynones as three carbon‐components. Here, we have confined ourselves to the developments appeared during the period of 23 years i. e., 2000–2022.
Phase‐Controlled Pd‐Sn Nanostructures via Co‐Digestive Ripening: Catalytic Performance for Base‐Free Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol
Authors: Bhatia Geetanjali , Jagirdar Balaji R.
Published: May 2023

Diluting the precious metal to be used for catalysis with an abundant and non‐precious metal to form alloy/intermetallic nanostructures is of great interest owing to the cost‐effectiveness of the catalyst. The physicochemical properties of such bimetallic nanostructures are influenced by the atomic ordering of different atoms in the system, generally enhancing the catalytic activity, selectivity, and durability compared to their monometallic counterparts. To understand the relationship between the structure and the activity of the catalyst, phase‐controlled synthesis of alloy/intermetallic nanostructures is crucial. Easy and scalable synthesis of such nanostructures with phase control presents a true challenge. We exploited a colloidal‐based synthetic route termed ‘co‐digestive ripening’ to prepare Pd−Sn alloy/intermetallic nanostructures. Oleylamine capped Pd and Sn colloids were utilized to obtain network‐like Pd3Sn and grape‐like Pd2Sn nanostructures. Temperature and the stoichiometric ratio between Pd and Sn played significant roles in achieving phase control. The mixture of ligands (oleylamine and trioctylphosphine) in the synthetic procedure resulted in the formation of well‐separated nanoparticles (2.9±0.5 nm) in the case of Pd3Sn and few nm‐sized particles along with aggregates in the case of Pd2Sn. Pd−Sn nanostructures showed enhanced activity and selectivity as compared to their monometallic counterparts for the catalytic performance towards oxidation of benzyl alcohol.
In‐Site Grown NiFeOOH Nanosheets Foam Directly as Robust Electrocatalyst for Efficient Urea Oxidation Application
Authors: Feng Wenshuai , Bu Manman , Zhang Yue , Li Yejun , Gao Xiaohui , Liu Hongtao
Published: May 2023

In this work, a series of morphology‐controlled NiFeOOH nanosheets were directly developed through a one‐step mild in‐situ acid‐etching hydrothermal process. Benefiting from the ultrathin interwoven geometric structure and most favorable electron transport structure, the NiFeOOH nanosheets synthesized under 120 °C (denoted as NiFe_120) exhibited the optimal electrochemical performance for urea oxidation reaction (UOR). An overpotential of merely 1.4 V was required to drive the current density of 100 mA cm−2, and the electrochemical activity remains no change even after 5000 cycles’ accelerated degradation test. Moreover, the assembled urea electrolysis set by using the NiFe_120 as bifunctional catalysts presented a reduced potential of 1.573 V at 10 mA cm−2, which was much lower than that of overall water splitting. We believe this work will lay a foundation for developing high‐performance urea oxidation catalysts for the large‐scale production of hydrogen and purification of urea‐rich sewage.
Improved Gaussian filtering for handling concurrent delayed and missing measurements
Authors: Kumar Guddu , Naik Amit Kumar , Pachori Ram Bilas , R Swaminathan , Singh Abhinoy Kumar
Published: May 2023

This article addresses the Gaussian filtering problem under the environment of jointly occurring delayed and missing measurements. In this work, the former irregularity is incorporated (in the measurement model) using a Bernoulli random variable (BRV) and a geometric random variable, while the latter is subsumed with the help of the BRV; thereby, it enables to take account of large delay extents efficiently. Specifically, a modified measurement model, which incorporates the concerned irregularities, is introduced. Accordingly, the measurement‐related statistical parameters, that is, measurement estimate, covariance, and cross‐covariance, are rederived with respect to the modified measurement model. The rederived parameters replace the corresponding ones in the traditional Gaussian filtering algorithm, resulting in the proposed Gaussian filter. The simulation results conclude the superior performance of the proposed filter over the existing filters in handling the coexisting delay and missing measurement irregularities.
Modeling the evolution of recombination plasticity: A prospective review
Authors: Rybnikov Sviatoslav R. , Frenkel Zeev , Hübner Sariel , Weissman Daniel B. , Korol Abraham B.
Published: May 2023

Meiotic recombination is one of the main sources of genetic variation, a fundamental factor in the evolutionary adaptation of sexual eukaryotes. Yet, the role of variation in recombination rate and other recombination features remains underexplored. In this review, we focus on the sensitivity of recombination rates to different extrinsic and intrinsic factors. We briefly present the empirical evidence for recombination plasticity in response to environmental perturbations and/or poor genetic background and discuss theoretical models developed to explain how such plasticity could have evolved and how it can affect important population characteristics. We highlight a gap between the evidence, which comes mostly from experiments with diploids, and theory, which typically assumes haploid selection. Finally, we formulate open questions whose solving would help to outline conditions favoring recombination plasticity. This will contribute to answering the long‐standing question of why sexual recombination exists despite its costs, since plastic recombination may be evolutionary advantageous even in selection regimes rejecting any non‐zero constant recombination.
Psychometric assessment of the Persian version of the protective factors of resilience scale (PFRS)
Authors: Gheisari Zahra , Abdollahi Abbas , Hashemi Zahra
Published: May 2023

Background

Resilience is defined as an individual's ability to recover from difficulties and overcome challenges and adversity. Recognizing and measuring internal and external protective factors have been identified as important processes for building resilience, yet to date, no valid, and reliable scales of resilience in the Persian language have been developed that recognize both internal and external protective factors.

Methods

The present study was to translate the protective factors of resilience scale (PFRS) from English to Persian and analyze its psychometric properties among Iranians. Convenience sampling was used to gather data from January 2021 to February 2021 through digital internet scales, and 6 scales, including PFRS, Ryff's psychological well‐being scale, Rosenberg self‐esteem scale, life orientation test‐revised, positive and negative affect schedule, and short version of resilience scale (RS), were completed by 265 participants aged from 15 to 56. So, the aim of this study is to investigate the psychometric properties of protective factors of resilience scale among Iranians.

Results

The results of the face, content, and construct validity revealed that the Persian version of the PFRS measure had acceptable validity and reliability. The Cronbach alpha for the whole scale was 0.88, and the value of the content validity index was above 0.7. A confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the three‐factor structure model of the scale (fit indices: CMIN/df = 2.51, p < .01; comparative fit index = 0.94, goodness of fit index = 0.90, root mean squared error of approximation = 0.07).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Persian version of the protective factors of resilience is a reliable and valid measurement to assess the protective factors and internal and external protective factors of resilience in Iranians.
Lived experience of persons with multiple sclerosis: A qualitative interview study
Authors: Persson Sofia , Andersson Ann‐Christine , Gäre Boel Andersson , Lindenfalk Bertil , Lind Jonas
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic autoimmune disease with a substantial impact on quality of life and functional capability. The prognosis of MS has changed over time due to the development of increasingly effective therapies. As the knowledge and perceptions of persons living with chronic conditions increasingly have been acknowledged, it has become important to understand lived experiences with a focus on everyday events and experiences as a way of knowing and interpreting the world. Exploring context‐specific lived experiences as a source of knowledge about the disease and care may contribute to more precision in designing care services. The aim of this study was to explore the lived experience of persons living with MS in a Swedish context.

Materials and methods

A qualitative interview study was conducted with both purposeful and random sampling strategies, resulting in 10 interviews. Data were analyzed using inductive thematic content analysis.

Results

The analysis generated 4 overarching themes with 12 subthemes, the 4 themes were: perspectives on life and health, influence on everyday life, relations with healthcare, and shared healthcare processes. The themes are concerned with the patients’ own perspectives and context as well as medical and healthcare‐related perspectives. Patterns of shared experiences were found, for example, in the diagnosis confirmation, future perspectives, and planning and coordination. More diverse experiences appeared concerning relations with others, one's individual requirements, symptoms and consequences, and knowledge building.

Conclusion

The findings suggest a need for a more diverse and coproduced development of healthcare services to meet diverse needs in the population with greater acknowledgement of the person's lived experience, including consideration of the complexity of the disease, personal integrity, and different ways of knowing. Findings from this study will be further explored together with other quantitative and qualitative data.
Facile Synthesis of Benzimidazoles via Oxidative Cyclization of Acyclic Monoterpene Aldehyde with Diamines: Studies on Antimicrobial and in Vivo Evaluation of Zebrafish
Authors: Vaithiyalingam Mariyappan , Mohan Kumar Ramasamy , Kamaraj Chinnaperumal , Sugumar Vimal , Manivannan Nandhagopal , Kadaikunnan Shine , Ghodake Gajanan
Published: May 2023

Citral (1a), a bioactive component of Cymbopogon citratus (lemongrass) could be isolated and semi‐synthetic analogs synthesized with improved therapeutic properties. Herein we first report describes citral (1a) as a primary material for the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives between various o‐phenylenediamines (2a–l) in the presence of Diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) as a commercially available environmentally benign base, ethanol as a green solvent and the yield of all benzimidazole derivatives (3a–l) was between 68–76 %; The semi‐synthetically prepared benzimidazole derivatives (3a–l) were assessed for their anti‐bacterial and anti‐fungal properties. The benzimidazole compounds (3a–b, and 3g–j) exhibit good anti‐microbial activity. In addition, in silico study was carried out to determine the specific binding affinity of the diamine halogen substituted benzimidazole derivatives to the specific target proteins. In silico analysis revealed a high correlation between docking results and experimental results. Finally, benzimidazole demonstrated significant antibacterial and antifungal activity. Zebrafish embryos were subjected to In vivo toxicological test found that all of the benzimidazole compounds (3a–l) were non‐toxic and had low embryotoxicity after 96 h, with an LC50 of 36.425 μg, which could facilitate the design of novel antimicrobial agents using a cost‐effective method.
New Meroterpenoids and Anti‐Osteoclastogenic Polyketides from the Mangrove‐Derived fungus Arthrinium sp. SCSIO 41306
Authors: Hu Yiwei , Qi Xin , Chen Weihao , Liao Shengrong , Yang Dehua , Wang Mingwei , Liu Yonghong , Tan Yanhui , Wang Junfeng
Published: May 2023

Two new meroterpenoids, arthrinones A and B (1 and 2), along with six known compounds (3–8), were obtained from the fungus Arthrinium sp. SCSIO 41306. Comprehensive methods such as chiral‐phase HPLC analysis and ECD calculations were applied to determine the absolute configurations. Griseofulvin (5), kojic acid (6), and 1H‐indole‐3‐carboxaldehyde (8) showed inhibition of NF‐κB in RAW 264.7 macrophages induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) with IC50 values of 22.21, 13.87 and 19.31 μM, respectively. In addition, griseofulvin (5) inhibited receptor activator of NF‐κB ligand (RANKL)‐induced osteoclast differentiation in a dose‐dependent manner without visible evidence of cytotoxicity in bone marrow macrophages (BMMs). This is the first report on the activity of griseofulvin (5) to inhibit osteoclast formation (IC50 10.09±0.21 μM).
Nanoparticles zinc paste bandages for the treatment of Syrian woman diabetic patient with ulcers in the foot: Case images
Authors: Alwis Reham , Alwis Razan , Al‐Raeei Marwan
Published: May 2023

Key Clinical Message

Treatments of secondary diseases such as the ulcer in the skin and thromboembolic diseases in the venous are significant procedures for lots of patients of main diseases which cause them. Herein, effective nano‐particles are used for the treatment.
The emergence of unique elective identities in the professional identity development research in the counseling profession
Authors: Gibson Donna M. , Dollarhide Colette T. , Brashear Kayleena , Huynh Jenny , Marshall Bowen , Robinson Kristian
Published: May 2023

In this study, a qualitative content analysis of the professional identity development research in counseling was conducted to describe elements of the development of “elective identities” of leader, research, counselor educator, and social justice practitioner. Predisposing, process, and outcome codes reveal experiences and contexts that influence this development in students, educators, and counselors.
Tuning the Polarity of Antibiotic‐Cy5 Conjugates Enables Highly Selective Labeling of Binding Sites
Authors: Graßl Fabian , Konrad Maike M. B. , Krüll Jasmin , Pezerovic Azra , Zähnle Leon , Burkovski Andreas , Heinrich Markus R.
Published: May 2023

Multidrug‐resistant bacteria pose a major threat to global health, even as newly introduced antibiotics continue to lose their therapeutic value. Against this background, deeper insights into bacterial interaction with antibiotic drugs are urgently required, whereas fluorescently labeled drug conjugates can serve as highly valuable tools. Herein, the preparation and biological evaluation of 13 new fluorescent antibiotic‐Cy5 dye conjugates is described, in which the tuning of the polarity of the Cy5 dye proved to be a key element to achieve highly favorable properties for various fields of application.
An editorial on a comparison of care quality metrics between Black and White men with advanced prostate cancer in the IRONMAN registry
Authors: Murphy Adam B.
Published: May 2023

Plain Language Summary

This editorial highlights key findings from the manuscript entitled “Experience with the US health care system for Black and White patients with advanced prostate cancer” in the Cancer journal. Namely, the Black men and White men recruited in US sites for the International Registry for Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer (IRONMAN) registry reported similar and mainly affirmative responses for health care quality metrics on a survey.

In non–National Cancer Institute–designated centers, the care was actually worse for the White participants than for the Black participants. The study's results suggest that clinical trial enrollment may be a way to improve health care quality and eliminate disparities for Black men.

Whether this healthcare quality benefit extends beyond the few IRONMAN recruitment sites where Black men were recruited or beyond a few measures of healthcare quality remains to be seen.
A phase 2 multicenter study of docetaxel‐PM and trastuzumab‐pkrb combination therapy in recurrent or metastatic salivary gland carcinomas
Authors: Lee Jiyun , Park Sehhoon , Jung Hyun Ae , Lee Se‐Hoon , Seo Seyoung , Kim Sung‐Bae , Kim Ji‐Won , Lee Keun‐Wook , Kang Eun Joo , Kim Ju Won , Choi Yoon Ji , Shim Byoung‐Yong , An Ho‐Jung , Park Lee Chun , Shin Seong Hoon , Kim Jae‐Joon , Oh So Yeon , Kim Min Kyoung , Ahn Myung‐Ju
Published: May 2023

Background

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is uncommon but is the most aggressive subtype of salivary gland carcinomas. The high positivity rate for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) led to an investigation of the efficacy of HER2‐targeted agents. Docetaxel‐PM (polymeric micelle) is a low‐molecular‐weight, nontoxic, biodegradable, and docetaxel‐loaded micellar formulation. Trastuzumab‐pkrb is a biosimilar to trastuzumab.

Methods

This was a multicenter, single‐arm, open‐label phase 2 study. Patients with HER2‐positive (immunohistochemistry [IHC] score of ≥2+ and/or HER2/chromosome enumeration probe 17 [CEP17] ratio of ≥2.0) advanced SDCs were enrolled. Patients received docetaxel‐PM (75 mg/m2) and trastuzumab‐pkrb (8 mg/kg in the first cycle and 6 mg/kg in subsequent cycles) every 3 weeks. Primary end point was objective response rate (ORR).

Results

A total of 43 patients were enrolled. The best objective responses were partial response in 30 (69.8%) patients and stable disease in 10 (23.3%) patients, leading to an ORR of 69.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 53.9–82.8) and a disease control rate of 93.0% (80.9–98.5). Median progression‐free survival, duration of response, and overall survival were 7.9 (6.3–9.5), 6.7 (5.1–8.4), and 23.3 (19.9–26.7) months, respectively. Patients with HER2 IHC score of 3+ or HER2/CEP17 ratio ≥2.0 demonstrated better efficacies compared to those with HER2 IHC score of 2+. Thirty‐eight (88.4%) patients experienced treatment‐related adverse events (TRAE). Because of TRAE, nine (20.9%), 14 (32.6%), and 19 (44.2%) patients required temporary discontinuation, permanent discontinuation, or dose reduction, respectively.

Conclusions

The combination of docetaxel‐PM and trastuzumab‐pkrb demonstrated promising antitumor activity with a manageable toxicity profile in HER2‐positive advanced SDC.

Plain Language Summary

Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) is uncommon but is the most aggressive subtype of salivary gland carcinomas.

SDC shares morphological and histological similarities with invasive ductal carcinoma of breast, which led to an investigation of hormonal receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)/neu expression status in SDC.

In this study, patients with HER2‐positive SDC were enrolled and treated with combination of docetaxel‐polymeric micelle and trastuzumab‐pkrb.

Promising antitumor activities were shown with objective response rate of 69.8%, disease control rate of 93.0%, median progression‐free survival of 7.9 months, median duration of response of 6.7 months, and median overall survival of 23.3 months.
Atypical urothelial cells classified according to the Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology: A 2‐year experience with histological correlation from a Finnish tertiary care center—low rate and high risk of malignancy
Authors: Pöyry Emilia , Nykänen Veera , Pulkkinen Johanna , Viljanen Eliisa , Laurila Marita , Kholová Ivana
Published: May 2023

Background

The Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology (TPS) was issued to shift the focus of urine cytology to high‐grade lesions to increase the diagnostic accuracy of urine cytology. The aim of this study was to evaluate the power of TPS in the atypical urothelial cells (AUC) category with histological correlation and follow‐up.

Methods

The data cohort consisted of 3741 voided urine samples collected during a 2‐year period between January 2017 and December 2018. All samples were prospectively classified using TPS. This study focuses on the subset of 205 samples (5.5%) classified as AUC. All cytological and histological follow‐up data were analyzed until 2019, and the time between each sampling was documented.

Results

Of the 205 AUC cases, cytohistological correlation was possible in 97 (47.3%) cases. Of these, 36 (12.7%) were benign in histology, 27 (13.2%) were low‐grade urothelial carcinomas, and 34 (16.6%) were high‐grade urothelial carcinomas. Overall, the risk of malignancy was 29.8% for all cases in the AUC category, and 62.9% in the histologically confirmed cases. The risk of high‐grade malignancy was 16.6% in all the AUC category samples and 35.1% in the histological follow‐up group.

Conclusions

The performance of 5.5% AUC cases is considered good and within the limits proposed by TPS. TPS is widely accepted by cytotechnologists, cytopathologists, and clinicians; it improves communication and patient management.
In‐situ technical study of contemporary painting from the heritage collection of the Universitat de València, Spain. Canvases and colorful landscapes by Manuel Moreno Gimeno
Authors: Vázquez de Ágredos Pascual Ma. Luisa , Solbes García Álvaro , Ramacciotti Mirco , Gallello Gianni , Sala Susana Herreras , Iranzo Lucía Rojo , Nuno María Andrieux , Garay Juan Carlos Izquierdo , Nieto Villena Alejandra
Published: May 2023

The Universitat de València brings together artistic collections of great value that embrace more than five centuries of history (1499–2022). Among them, the collection of contemporary painting stands out for its diversity of artists, artistic techniques and themes. One of the aims of the Vice‐rectorate for Culture and Society of the Universitat de València is the study, conservation and dissemination of its art collection, implementing innovative methodologies that will place these artworks at the research and transfer frontline. To achieve this, the Laboratory for Analysis and Diagnosis of Works of Art of the Universitat de València: Conservation, Legacy, InnOvation has recently optimized a multi‐analytical artistic diagnosis approach that combines the use of multiband technical photography (MTP) with digital radiography, infrared reflectography (IRR) and hyperspectral camera. The noninvasive methodology developed for the studied paintings, belonging to different historical periods, is completed by using a portable X‐ray fluorescence. The final goal is to obtain useful information on the composition and execution technique, issues of great interest for developing preventive conservation plans for the collections and for the design of innovative exhibition proposals of an immersive and accessible nature. This article presents the results obtained for three paintings that were made by one of the most unknown Valencian painters of the early 20th century, despite the great quality of his work: Manuel Moreno Gimeno (1900–1982). These paintings are part of the aforementioned art collection of the Universitat de València, and are housed at the Faculty of Medicine. In this study, the use of MTP, IRR and hyperspectral imaging techniques were combined with the analysis of the pictorial surface using a portable optical microscope and a portable X‐ray fluorescence. The results obtained indicate that Manuel Moreno Gimeno developed a landscape painting technique that was very close to that of other Valencian painters of the early 20th century. The handling of light and color was achieved using a rich color palette that included numerous contemporary innovative pigment such as chrome or cadmium.
Pre‐isolation Molecular Screening for High‐throughput Sampling and Sequencing of Bacterial Microbes from the Environment
Authors: Wee Soon Keong , Chan Mark Boon Pho , Sivalingam Suppiah Paramalingam , Yap Eric Peng Huat
Published: May 2023

Environmental studies often require culture and characterization to understand the prevalence, distribution, persistence and functions of target microorganisms in ecological habitats. Isolating pure microbiological monocultures allows the phenotypic characterization of microorganisms to study their functional properties. For efficient isolation of low‐prevalence organisms, enrichment followed by PCR screening is performed to identify positive samples for subsequent culture. Molecular characterization, strain‐typing, and genotyping of isolated microorganisms is best comprehensively performed using whole‐genome sequencing. This article outlines end‐to‐end protocols for screening, isolation, and sequencing of microbes from environmental samples. We provide systematic methods for environmental study design, enrichment, screening, and isolation of target microorganisms. Species identification is performed using qPCR or MALDI‐TOF MS. Genomic DNA is extracted for whole‐genome sequencing using the Oxford Nanopore platform. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.

Basic Protocol 1: Designing and conducting an environmental soil sampling study

Basic Protocol 2: Enrichment of microbes from environmental soil samples

Alternate Protocol 1: Collection and enrichment of microbes from environmental water samples

Basic Protocol 3: Screening of enriched samples by direct qPCR

Basic Protocol 4: Enumeration and isolation of enriched samples using selective medium

Basic Protocol 5: Species confirmation using colony qPCR

Alternate Protocol 2: Species identification using a MALDI‐TOF MS Biotyper

Alternate Protocol 3: Species identification of bacterial isolates using universal PCR primers and Sanger sequencing

Basic Protocol 6: Cryostorage of bacterial isolates

Basic Protocol 7: Extraction of genomic DNA

Basic Protocol 8: Quality check of extracted genomic DNA

Basic Protocol 9: Whole‐genome sequencing using the Oxford Nanopore MinION Platform
Molecular analysis and comparison of CD34+ and CD133+ very small embryonic‐like stem cells purified from umbilical cord blood
Authors: Bujko Kamila , Ciechanowicz Andrzej K. , Kucia Magdalena , Ratajczak Mariusz Z.
Published: May 2023

Very small embryonic like stem cells (VSELs) are a dormant population of stem cells that, as proposed, are deposited during embryogenesis in various tissues, including bone marrow (BM). These cells are released under steady state conditions from their tissue locations and circulate at a low level in peripheral blood (PB). Their number increases in response to stressors as well as tissue/organ damage. This increase is evident during neonatal delivery, as delivery stress prompts enrichment of umbilical cord blood (UCB) with VSELs. These cells could be purified from BM, PB, and UCB by multiparameter sorting as a population of very small CXCR4+Lin−CD45− cells that express the CD34 or CD133 antigen. In this report, we evaluated a number of CD34+Lin−CD45− and CD133+Lin−CD45− UCB‐derived VSELs. We also performed initial molecular characterization of both cell populations for expression of selected pluripotency markers and compared these cells at the proteomic level. We noticed that CD133+Lin−CD45− population is more rare and express, at a higher level, mRNA for pluripotency markers Oct‐4 and Nanog as well as the stromal‐derived factor‐1 (SDF‐1) CXCR4 receptor that regulates trafficking of these cells, however both cells population did not significantly differ in the expression of proteins assigned to main biological processes.
Leaf volatile and nonvolatile metabolites show different levels of specificity in response to herbivory
Authors: Mezzomo Priscila , Weinhold Alexander , Aurová Klára , Jorge Leonardo R. , Kozel Petr , Michálek Jan , Nováková Nela , Seifert Carlo L. , Volfová Tereza , Engström Marica , Salminen Juha‐Pekka , Sedio Brian E. , Volf Martin
Published: May 2023

Plants produce diverse chemical defenses with contrasting effects on different insect herbivores. Deploying herbivore‐specific responses can help plants increase their defensive efficiency. Here, we explore how variation in induced plant responses correlates with herbivore species, order, feeding guild, and level of specialization. In a greenhouse experiment, we exposed 149 plants of Salix fragilis (Linnaeus, 1753) to 22 herbivore species naturally associated with this host. The insects belonged to four orders (Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, and Hymenoptera), three feeding guilds (external leaf‐chewers, leaf‐tying chewers, and sap‐sucking), and included both dietary specialists and generalists. Following herbivory, we quantified induced changes in volatiles and nonvolatile leaf metabolites. We performed multivariate analyses to assess the correlation between herbivore order, feeding guild, dietary specialization, chewing damage by herbivores, and induced responses. The volatile composition was best explained by chewing damage and insect order, with Coleoptera and Lepidoptera eliciting significantly different responses. Furthermore, we recorded significant differences in elicited volatiles among some species within the two orders. Variation in nonvolatile leaf metabolites was mainly explained by the presence of insects, as plants exposed to herbivores showed significantly different metabolites from controls. Herbivore order also played a role to some extent, with beetles eliciting different responses than other herbivores. The induction of volatile and nonvolatile leaf metabolites shows different levels of specificity. The specificity in volatiles could potentially serve as an important cue to specialized predators or parasitoids, increasing the efficacy of volatiles as indirect defenses. By contrast, the induction of nonvolatile leaf metabolites was largely unaffected by herbivore identity. Most nonvolatile metabolites were downregulated, possibly indicating that plants redirected their resources from leaves in response to herbivory. Our results demonstrate how diverse responses to herbivores can contribute to the diversity of plant defensive strategies.
Exploring paths and innovation in Norwegian carbon capture and storage policy
Authors: Wettestad Jørgen , Inderberg Tor Håkon Jackson , Gulbrandsen Lars H.
Published: May 2023

Norway, a significant petroleum producer and exporter, has been a frontrunner within policies for carbon capture and storage (CCS). As CCS is recognized as a key technology for achieving the Paris climate policy targets, there is a clear need for more knowledge about how to design successful projects. Norway's first CCS policy initiative, the ambitious Mongstad project, was the result of a political compromise that was imposed from above, basically with one single company in control. The project was largely seen as a failure and was terminated in 2013. However, instead of dropping ambitions for developing CCS projects, the authorities launched a new policy soon afterwards. This policy evolved with the differently organized Longship CCS project as its core. Using a path‐dependency perspective, we find that established institutional structures from the Mongstad project, combined with national interests and expertise, help to explain the fundamental continuity of CCS policies in Norway. This explanation is supplemented by a policy‐learning perspective, which helps to explain policy changes and differences between the two flagship CCS projects. The Longship project developed gradually ‘from below’; linked project responsibilities close to competences and interests; dealt with key risks separately to reduce the inherent complexity; and organized clear requirements up front. We hold that this way of designing CCS projects is of relevance to other countries considering CCS projects. Furthermore, by placing the Norwegian case in context of the development of EU and international climate policy we contribute a theoretical framework relevant also for subsequent research.