bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of ultrasonically extracted flaxseed polysaccharide gum and assessing its lipid‐lowering potential in a rat model
Authors: Akhtar Muhammad Nadeem , Khalil Anees Ahmed , Bilal Ahmed , Afzaal Muhammad , Tufail Tabussam , Saeed Rabia , Siddique Rabia , Nemat Arash , Manzoor Muhammad Faisal
Published: October 2022

Flaxseed polysaccharide gum (FPG) was extracted through the ultrasound‐assisted process using water as a solvent with a yield ranging from 8.05 ± 0.32% to 12.23 ± 0.45% by changing different extraction variables. The extracted FPG was analyzed for its functional groups and antioxidant potential. The maximum DPPH (2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl) free radical scavenging activity (≈100%) of FPG was noted at concentrations beyond ≈10 mg·ml−1. The maximum inhibition percentage through ABTS (2,2′‐azino‐bis 3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid) (72.4% ± 1.9%) was noted at 40 mg·ml−1, which was observed to be less when compared to DPPH at the same concentration. The total antioxidant potential of the FPG solution at a concentration of 10 mg·ml−1 was equivalent to 461 mg ascorbic acid, which tends to increase with concentration at a much lower scope. The in vivo trial suggested that the least weight gain was noted in experimental groups G2 and Gh2. A significant reduction in total cholesterol was noticed in G1 (−14.14%) and G2 (−17.72%) and in Gh1 (−22.02%) and Gh2 (−34.68%) after 60 days of the trial compared to the baseline values. The maximum reduction in total triglyceride was observed in Gh2 (−25.06%) and Gh1 (−22.01%) after 60 days of the trial. It was an increasing trend in high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐c) in different experimental groups G2 (10.51%) than G1 (5.35%) and Gh2 (48.96%) and Gh1 (31.11%), respectively, after 60 days of study interval. Reduction of −5.05% and − 9.45% was observed in G1 and G2, while similar results were observed in Gh1 and Gh2. Conclusively, results suggested a possible protective role of FPG against hyperlipidemia.
Dietary exposure to acrylamide of university students in Ningxia of Northwest China and the effect on their neurobehavioral performance and oxidative stress in serum
Authors: Gao Qinghan , Xue Yanzhong , Yuan Xiao , Gao Hua , Wu Chunsen
Published: October 2022

This study aims to investigate dietary exposure to acrylamide (AA) and also make an assessment of its effect on the neurobehavioral performance and oxidative stress in the serum of university students in Ningxia. The place primarily consists of arid, dry desert, and wheat‐based foods are the staple food there. A total of 803 university students in Ningxia participated in this cross‐sectional study. Diet intake of AA was estimated with FFQ. The AA risk was calculated as margin of exposure (MOE) values. NCTB questionnaires were used to assess neurobehavioral performance. The serum oxidative stress levels of the university students were measured as GSH, MDA, and SOD. The mean for AA exposure of university students was 0.515 μg kg−1 bw day−1. The highest contributor was traditional Chinese grain products, representing 34.71% of the total daily AA intake. Followed were deep‐fried potato products, traditional Western grain products, soft drinks, and nuts, which accounted for 23.87%, 16.59%, 11.15%, and 11%, respectively. The median AA exposure were 480 (BMDL10 = 0.18 mg kg−1 bw day−1) and 827 (BMDL10 = 0.31 mg kg−1 bw day−1), respectively. The results indicated that diet AA may have an effect on the emotional status and neurobehavior among this population. We observed no significant differences in oxidative stress under the three levels of AA exposure (p > .05). It suggests a health concern for university students in Northwest China that should get society's attention.
Sliding mode control for fuel cell supported battery charger in vehicle‐to‐vehicle interaction
Authors: İnci Mustafa , Büyük Mehmet , Özbek Necdet Sinan
Published: October 2022

In typical vehicle‐to‐vehicle (V2V) charging systems, energy transfer is provided from a battery electric vehicle (BEV) to charge the energy storage unit of another BEV. In this study, the utilization of a fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) as an energy provider is purposed to charge the energy storage unit of a BEV in V2V interaction. Since FCEVs are filled with hydrogen, it also eliminates the disadvantages of traditional BEV energy providers, such as a reduction in the amount of stored energy and the need for more time to charge fully. In the designed system, a new plug‐in external V2V battery charger topology supported by an FCEV has been proposed to supply electrical energy. In order to control the energy transfer between electric vehicles (EVs), a sliding mode controller is adapted to manage the external converter interface located between vehicles. The designed controller shows improved robustness against the system dynamics uncertainties and disturbances generated by a variety of internal and external causes. In the designed section, a proton exchange membrane fuel cell with the maximum operational rating of 75 kW is used as an energy provider to feed consumer loads. The proposed system has been designed and analyzed for several loading situations from 20% to 100% loading and obtained performance results have been compared with a conventional controlled V2V battery charger system. The case studies validate that the proposed V2V charger system gives better results than the conventional controlled FC‐supported V2V. The stability and robustness of output electrical waveforms are better for the designed system. In this context, the tracking error of the conventional controller is about 8% larger than that of the designed sliding mode control for dynamic load changes. The sliding mode controller has a faster settling time (approximately 0.12 s) in comparison with the conventional controlled V2V charger system. Also, mean absolute error values verify that the designed sliding mode controller operates smoothly under all cases except load transition compared to the typical control method. As a result, the case studies show that satisfactory results have been obtained for the designed system.
DBSegment: Fast and robust segmentation of deep brain structures considering domain generalization
Authors: Baniasadi Mehri , Petersen Mikkel V. , Gonçalves Jorge , Horn Andreas , Vlasov Vanja , Hertel Frank , Husch Andreas
Published: October 2022

Segmenting deep brain structures from magnetic resonance images is important for patient diagnosis, surgical planning, and research. Most current state‐of‐the‐art solutions follow a segmentation‐by‐registration approach, where subject magnetic resonance imaging (MRIs) are mapped to a template with well‐defined segmentations. However, registration‐based pipelines are time‐consuming, thus, limiting their clinical use. This paper uses deep learning to provide a one‐step, robust, and efficient deep brain segmentation solution directly in the native space. The method consists of a preprocessing step to conform all MRI images to the same orientation, followed by a convolutional neural network using the nnU‐Net framework. We use a total of 14 datasets from both research and clinical collections. Of these, seven were used for training and validation and seven were retained for testing. We trained the network to segment 30 deep brain structures, as well as a brain mask, using labels generated from a registration‐based approach. We evaluated the generalizability of the network by performing a leave‐one‐dataset‐out cross‐validation, and independent testing on unseen datasets. Furthermore, we assessed cross‐domain transportability by evaluating the results separately on different domains. We achieved an average dice score similarity of 0.89 ± 0.04 on the test datasets when compared to the registration‐based gold standard. On our test system, the computation time decreased from 43 min for a reference registration‐based pipeline to 1.3 min. Our proposed method is fast, robust, and generalizes with high reliability. It can be extended to the segmentation of other brain structures. It is publicly available on GitHub, and as a pip package for convenient usage.
Amplitude modulating frequency overrides carrier frequency in tACS‐induced phosphene percept
Authors: Hsu Che‐Yi , Liu Tzu‐Ling , Lee Dong‐Han , Yeh Ding‐Ruey , Chen Yan‐Hsun , Liang Wei‐Kuang , Juan Chi‐Hung
Published: October 2022

The amplitude modulated (AM) neural oscillation is an essential feature of neural dynamics to coordinate distant brain areas. The AM transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) has recently been adopted to examine various cognitive functions, but its neural mechanism remains unclear. The current study utilized the phosphene phenomenon to investigate whether, in an AM‐tACS, the AM frequency could modulate or even override the carrier frequency in phosphene percept. We measured the phosphene threshold and the perceived flash rate/pattern from 12 human subjects (four females, aged from 20–44 years old) under tACS that paired carrier waves (10, 14, 18, 22 Hz) with different envelope conditions (0, 2, 4 Hz) over the mid‐occipital and left facial areas. We also examined the phosphene source by adopting a high‐density stimulation montage. Our results revealed that (1) phosphene threshold was higher for AM‐tACS than sinusoidal tACS and demonstrated different carrier frequency functions in two stimulation montages. (2) AM‐tACS slowed down the phosphene flashing and abolished the relation between the carrier frequency and flash percept in sinusoidal tACS. This effect was independent of the intensity change of the stimulation. (3) Left facial stimulation elicited phosphene in the upper‐left visual field, while occipital stimulation elicited equally distributed phosphene. (4) The near‐eye electrodermal activity (EDA) measured under the threshold‐level occipital tACS was greater than the lowest power sufficient to elicit retinal phosphene. Our results show that AM frequency may override the carrier frequency and determine the perceived flashing frequency of AM‐tACS‐induced phosphene.
Pilot randomized, controlled, preoperative intervention for nutrition trial in head and neck cancer
Authors: Sykes Kevin J. , Gibbs Heather , Farrokhian Nathan , Arthur Anna , Flynn John , Shnayder Yelizaveta , Kakarala Kiran , Nallani Rohit , Smith Joshua B. , Penn Joseph , Fassas Scott , Cummings Emily , Arambula Zack , Karadaghy Omar , Bur Andrés M.
Published: October 2022

Background

Several prospective studies report improved outcomes with pretreatment nutrition interventions prior to radiation therapy for head and neck cancer (HNC), but none have assessed similar interventions before surgery for HNC.

Methods

POINT, a pilot randomized controlled trial, was conducted to evaluate a multimodal nutrition intervention. Patients undergoing primary surgery with free flap reconstruction for HNC were randomly assigned to the control arm or a preoperative multimodal nutrition intervention.

Results

POINT included 49 patients. Nutrition risk scores did not change significantly for either the intervention or control group. Control patients had a significant decrease in body weight in the preoperative period (p < 0.001). Conversely, weight among intervention patients did not significantly decrease (p = 0.680). The intervention mitigated weight loss in patients with dysphagia (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

Preoperative nutrition optimization shows potential to reduce weight loss normally experienced by patients with head and neck cancer prior to surgical extirpation, especially among those with subjective dysphagia.
Management of patients with lymphoma and COVID‐19: Narrative review and evidence‐based practical recommendations
Authors: Passamonti Francesco , Nicastri Emanuele , Di Rocco Alice , Guarini Attilio , Ibatici Adalberto , Luminari Stefano , Mikulska Malgorzata , Visco Carlo
Published: October 2022

Patients with hematologic malignancies can be immunocompromized because of their disease, anti‐cancer therapy, and concomitant immunosuppressive treatment. Furthermore, these patients are usually older than 60 years and have comorbidities. For all these reasons they are highly vulnerable to infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) and have an increased risk of developing severe/critical Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) compared to the general population. Although COVID‐19 vaccination has proven effective in reducing the incidence of severe/critical disease, vaccinated patients with lymphoma may not be protected as they often fail to develop a sufficient antiviral immune response. There is therefore an urgent need to address the management of patients with lymphoma and COVID‐19 in the setting of the ongoing pandemic. Passive immunization with monoclonal antibodies against SARS‐CoV‐2 is a currently available complementary drug strategy to active vaccination for lymphoma patients, while monoclonal antibodies and antiviral drugs (remdesivir, ritonavir‐boosted nirmatrelvir, and molnupiravir) have proven effective in preventing the progression to severe/critical COVID‐19. In this narrative review we present the most recent data documenting the characteristics and outcomes of patients with concomitant lymphoma and COVID‐19. Our ultimate goal is to provide practice‐oriented guidance in the management of these vulnerable patients from diagnosis to treatment and follow‐up of lymphoma. To this purpose, we will first provide an overview of the main data concerning prognostic factors and fatality rate of lymphoma patients who develop COVID‐19; the outcomes of COVID‐19 vaccination will also be addressed. We will then discuss current COVID‐19 prophylaxis and treatment options for lymphoma patients. Finally, based on the literature and our multidisciplinary experience, we will summarize a set of indications on how to manage patients with lymphoma according to COVID‐19 exposure, level of disease severity and former history of infection, as typically encountered in clinical practice.
A phase 1/2, open‐label, multicenter study of isatuximab in combination with cemiplimab in patients with lymphoma
Authors: Carlo‐Stella Carmelo , Zinzani Pier Luigi , Sureda Anna , Araújo Luis , Casasnovas Olivier , Carpio Cecilia , Yeh Su‐Peng , Bouabdallah Krimo , Cartron Guillaume , Kim Won Seog , Cordoba Raul , Koh Youngil , Re Alessandro , Alves Daniela , Chamuleau Martine , Le Gouill Steven , López‐Guillermo Armando , Moreira Ilídia , van der Poel Marjolein W. M. , Abbadessa Giovanni , Meng Robin , Ji Ran , Lépine Lucie , Saleem Rao , Ribrag Vincent
Published: October 2022

Patients with relapsed or refractory lymphoma have limited treatment options, requiring newer regimens. In this Phase 1/2 study (NCT03769181), we assessed the safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetics of isatuximab (Isa, anti‐CD38 antibody) in combination with cemiplimab (Cemi, anti‐programmed death‐1 [PD‐1] receptor antibody; Isa + Cemi) in patients with classic Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and peripheral T‐cell lymphoma (PTCL). In Phase 1, we characterized the safety and tolerability of Isa + Cemi with planned dose de‐escalation to determine the recommended Phase 2 dose (RP2D). Six patients in each cohort were treated with a starting dose of Isa + Cemi to determine the RP2D. In Phase 2, the primary endpoints were complete response in Cohort A1 (cHL anti‐PD‐1/programmed death‐ligand 1 [PD‐L1] naïve), and objective response rate in Cohorts A2 (cHL anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 progressors), B (DLBCL), and C (PTCL). An interim analysis was performed when the first 18 (Cohort A1), 12 (Cohort A2), 17 (Cohort B), and 11 (Cohort C) patients in Phase 2 had been treated and followed up for 24 weeks. Isa + Cemi demonstrated a manageable safety profile with no new safety signals. No dose‐limiting toxicities were observed at the starting dose; thus, the starting dose of each drug was confirmed as the RP2D. Based on the Lugano 2014 criteria, 55.6% (Cohort A1), 33.3% (Cohort A2), 5.9% (Cohort B), and 9.1% (Cohort C) of patients achieved a complete or partial response. Pharmacokinetic analyses suggested no effect of Cemi on Isa exposure. Modest clinical efficacy was observed in patients with cHL regardless of prior anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 exposure. In DLBCL or PTCL cohorts, interim efficacy analysis results did not meet prespecified criteria to continue enrollment in Phase 2 Stage 2. Isa + Cemi did not have a synergistic effect in these patient populations.
Challenges faced by African healthcare workers during the third wave of the pandemic
Authors: Nchasi Goodluck , Okonji Osaretin Christabel , Jena Rahul , Ahmad Shahzaib , Soomro Umar , Kolawole Barakat Olajumoke , Nawaz Faisal A. , Essar Mohammad Yasir , Aborode Abdullahi Tunde
Published: October 2022

Africa experienced the third wave of the coronavirus disease in 2019, which caused an 18% rise in cases in most parts of the continent. As of January 2022, the region had an estimated 10.4 million cumulative cases and more than 233,000 deaths, which add up to the burden on the fragile healthcare system, which continues to face a shortage of staff and resources. In addition, the progression of the pandemic further threatens the supply of healthcare workers in Africa due to the increased risk of infection and death, where more than 10,000 healthcare workers in 40 countries have been infected with the virus. This is amid low vaccination coverage, with only 27% of healthcare workers in Africa being fully vaccinated against the disease. Despite the delayed start and slow progression of the pandemic in Africa, there are increasing concerns over the challenges on the African healthcare workers such as economic insecurity and stressful working conditions, which are associated with limited access to personal protective equipment and other vital resources such as ventilators. In addition, the pandemic further predisposes African healthcare workers to social stigma, burnout, insomnia, depression, and fear of safety in their families. The aim of this study is to highlight the challenges faced by African healthcare workers, provide recommendations for change, and emphasize the need to prioritize their physical and mental well‐being.
Mutation of theTP53gene in acute lymphoblastic leukemia does not affect survival outcomes after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Zhou Cuiyan , Zheng Fengmei , Xu Lanping , Zhang Xiaohui , Chang Yingjun , Mo Xiaodong , Sun Yuqian , Huang Xiaojun , Wang Yu
Published: October 2022

Previous studies have demonstrated that TP53 mutation is correlated with insufficient therapy response and unfavorable prognosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Few studies have investigated the impact of TP53 mutation in ALL patients after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo‐HSCT). We completed a retrospective study of 65 ALL patients with available TP53 status who underwent haplo‐HSCT. They were divided into a TP53 mutation group (TP53mut) and a TP53 wild‐type (TP53wt) group. TP53mutshowed comparable 2‐year cumulative incidence of relapse (CIR) rates (13.1% vs 12.5%,P = .96) and 2‐year leukemia‐free survival (LFS) (74.2% vs 77.4%,P = .80) with TP53wt. No significant differences in 2‐year overall survival (OS) rates (82.9% vs 87.3%,P = .61) or 2‐year NRM rates (12.7% vs 10.2%,P = .69) were observed in TP53mutand TP53wtpatients. Multivariate analysis suggested that white blood cell (WBC) count at initial diagnosis (>50 × 109/L: hazard ratio [HR] = 3.860,P = .016) and age (>40 years old: HR = 4.120,P = .012) are independent risk factors for 2‐year LFS. Our study showed that TP53 mutations may not be related to the unfavorable impact on survival in ALL patients after treatment with haplo‐HSCT. The present results suggested that haplo‐HSCT may eliminate the poor prognosis effect of TP53 mutation in ALL.
Ethical commitment, institutional investors and financial performance: Malaysian evidence
Authors: Zainul Abidin Ahmad Firdhauz , Hashim Hafiza Aishah , Ariff Akmalia Mohamad , Al‐ahdal Waleed M.
Published: October 2022

This study investigates whether institutional investors moderate the relationship between ethical commitment and financial performance amongst Malaysian companies. Through the role of institutional investors, the external monitoring mechanism is expected to reduce the cost associated with the agency problem amongst Malaysian companies, as shown by the lack of ethical practises. Using data from 429 publicly listed companies on the Main Board of Bursa Malaysia from 2012 to 2021, the results show that companies with higher ETHICS have better financial performance than companies with lower ETHICS. However, the findings on the moderating effect of institutional investors cannot be proven. By separating the sample based on pre‐MCCG 2017, institutional investors were found to have an association between ETHICS and performance, but no evidence was found during the period post‐MCCG 2017. This study adds to the perspective of agency theory in the academic literature, of which companies can create values by being committed to higher ethical practises. Results on the moderating effect of institutional investors provide perspective on external monitoring mechanisms in the Malaysian market because they are found to have a monitoring role in enhancing corporate performance. However, such a role decreases after the introduction of MCCG 2017. This study provides insights for Malaysian regulators on the necessity to keep promoting ethical practises and transparency amongst companies to achieve the goals of the National Anti‐Corruption Plan 2019–2023. The ethical practises, however, are not limited to listed companies, and regulators should also consider monitoring the institutions within the capital market.
Associations of dispositional forgivingness with facets of well‐being among Colombian adults: A longitudinal outcome‐wide analysis
Authors: Cowden Richard G. , Chen Zhuo Job , Bechara Andrea Ortega , Worthington Everett L.
Published: October 2022

Many studies have reported evidence suggesting that dispositional forgivingness has positive implications for different domains of well‐being. However, relatively few methodologically rigorous studies have been conducted in the Global South, particularly in post‐conflict settings where forgiveness could play an important role in supporting individual well‐being. In this three‐wave cohort study of predominantly young adult Colombians (n = 1575), we examined the associations of dispositional forgivingness with 20 well‐being outcomes across several domains of well‐being: psychological distress, psychological well‐being, physical health, social well‐being, and character strengths/virtues. Using an outcome‐wide analytic design that included extensive control for potential confounding and reverse causation by adjusting for a range of covariates assessed in Wave 1 (2017), we found that dispositional forgivingness assessed in Wave 2 (2018) was at least modestly associated with improvements in one or more facet of each well‐being domain assessed approximately 1 year later in Wave 3 (2019). Associations tended to be stronger for outcomes in the domains of psychological distress, psychological well‐being, social well‐being, and character strengths/virtues compared to the physical health domain. These longitudinal findings suggest that dispositional forgivingness might promote individual well‐being in societies with a long history of ongoing civil unrest, conflict, and war.
Silencing of lncRNA KLF3‐AS1 represses cell growth in osteosarcoma via miR‐338‐3p/MEF2C axis
Authors: Chen Chunfa , Liu Liang
Published: October 2022

Background

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a highly recurrent malignancy occurring among adolescents. The goal of this research was to scrutinize the role and action mechanism of KLF3‐AS1 in OS.

Methods

Western blotting and quantitative reverse transcription real‐time PCR were conducted to ascertain the mRNA expressions of miR‐338‐3p, KLF3‐AS1, and MEF2C in OS cell lines and tissue samples. Colony formation and CCK‐8 experiments were done to evaluate the proliferative capacity of the cells. Western blotting was also executed to measure the relative expressions of the proteins Bcl‐2 and Bax. RNA immunoprecipitation and dual luciferase reporter experiments were carried out to validate the target relationships among MEF2C, KLF3‐AS1, and miR‐338‐3p. Mouse xenograft models were created to assess the influences of KLF3‐AS1 on the growth of tumors in vivo.

Results

Elevated levels of KLF3‐AS1 and MEF2C and reduced amounts of miR‐338‐3p were identified in OS. KLF3‐AS1 targeted miR‐338‐3p, and miR‐338‐3p further targeted MEF2C. Silencing KLF3‐AS1 induced apoptosis and attenuated proliferation in vitro and repressed the tumor growth in vivo. Inhibiting miR‐338‐3p inverted the cancer‐suppressing effects of KLF3‐AS1 silencing. Meanwhile, loss of MEF2C partially eliminated the effects brought about by miR‐338‐3p downregulation, namely the stimulation of cell growth and suppression of apoptosis.

Conclusions

Silencing of KLF3‐AS1 could repress the growth of cells and induce apoptosis by regulating miR‐338‐3p/MEF2C in OS. This suggests that the regulatory axis KLF3‐AS1/miR‐338‐3p/MEF2C is a prospective target for OS treatment.
A high‐resolution monitoring station for the in situ assessment of nitrate‐related redox processes at an agricultural site
Authors: Richard‐Cerda Juan Carlos , Giber Alexandra , Muñoz‐Vega Edinsson , Kübeck Christine , Berthold Georg , Schüth Christoph , Schulz Stephan
Published: October 2022

Biogeochemical redox processes control the chemical behavior of many major and trace elements, making their comprehension crucial for predicting and protecting environmental health. Nitrogen (N) is especially susceptible to changes in soil redox conditions and affects the cycles of other redox‐sensitive species. Elevated N concentrations, in nitrate form, in agricultural soils and associated freshwater ecosystems constitute a problem in many parts of the world. Although a wide variety of measures have been adopted, their assessment through concentration measurements in groundwater and surface water of the different monitoring networks has shortcomings. Nitrate, as a non‐point pollutant, is subject to several processes (e.g., transformation and retardation) before it is detected, making it impossible to evaluate measurements’ effectiveness reliably. Thus, we designed and constructed a monitoring station featuring commercially available products and self‐manufactured components at an agricultural site for the in situ assessment of nitrate‐related processes by high‐resolution monitoring of hydraulic (soil water content, matric potential, groundwater head) and hydrogeochemical variables (oxidation‐reduction potential and groundwater and pore water chemistry) within the vadose zone and the shallow aquifer. The monitoring station has proven to be a reliable tool. Changes over depth and time of measured variables have been identified, allowing the detection of the transient behavior of the redox reactive zone and the interpretation of ongoing denitrification processes and other redox nitrate‐triggered phenomena, such as uranium roll‐front and selenium accumulation at the redox interface. Measuring both geochemical and soil water variables allows for the calculation of in situ solute inputs into the groundwater and their reaction rates.
Australian healthcare professionals' perspectives on the ethical and practical issues associated with genomic newborn screening
Authors: Cao Michelle , Notini Lauren , Ayres Samantha , Vears Danya F.
Published: October 2022

Newborn bloodspot screening (NBS) is a successful public health initiative that seeks to identify serious, treatable medical conditions. The increasing use of genomic sequencing (GS) in a wide range of medical settings has reignited the discussion on whether GS can and should be integrated into NBS. Yet, the perspectives of healthcare professionals (HCPs) in Australia on the ethical and practical issues associated with the implementation of genomic newborn screening (GNBS) are underexplored. To address this, we conducted semi‐structured interviews with 16 Australian HCPs with clinical or policy experience in NBS and/or GS to explore their perspectives on the ethical, social, and practical issues raised by integrating GS into NBS. Interviews were analyzed using inductive content analysis. When asked whether GS should be incorporated into NBS, HCPs did not feel it was currently appropriate but there was a strong consensus it may be implemented within the next decade. However, HCPs had differing perspectives on what conditions should be included and how to best handle the volume of data generated from GNBS. Our findings have important implications for determining at what point and how genomics can be integrated into NBS. The differing views expressed amongst HCPs suggest that further research is needed to explore the reasons behind this. Importantly, our participants highlighted a potential role for genetic counselors in the implementation of GNBS on a larger scale by developing educational resources to facilitate obtaining informed consent and return of results.
Advances in synthesis and biological activities of benzotriazole analogues: A micro review
Authors: Bollikolla Hari Babu , Boddapati S. N. Murthy , Thangamani Swetha , Mutchu Baby Ramana , Alam Mohammed Mujahid , Hussien Mohamed , Jonnalagadda Sreekantha Babu
Published: October 2022

Although the first synthesis of benzotriazole was performed in the 19th century still new methods for their preparation have developed. In this micro review authors focus mostly on the various synthetic strategies developed so far to synthesize benzotriazole and its derivatives by different strategies, such as metal‐free, metal‐assisted [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions, cyclocondensations, flow methods, heterocyclizations, and so forth. This micro review combines recent (2005–2022 till date) information on the strategies used for the synthesis of benzotriazoles. Moreover, a brief overview of the bio applications of the benzotriazole scaffold along with pharmacological activity is also discussed.
The importance of assessing and addressing mental health barriers to PrEP use during pregnancy and postpartum in sub‐Saharan Africa: state of the science and research priorities
Authors: Stanton Amelia M. , O'Cleirigh Conall , Knight Lucia , Davey Dvora L. Joseph , Myer Landon , Joska John A. , Mayer Kenneth H. , Bekker Linda‐Gail , Psaros Christina
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Pregnant and postpartum women (PPW) in sub‐Saharan Africa are at disproportionately high risk of HIV infection compared to non‐pregnant women. When used consistently, pre‐exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can prevent HIV acquisition and transmission to the foetus or infant during these critical periods. Recent studies have demonstrated associations between mental health challenges (e.g. depression and traumatic stress associated with intimate partner violence) and decreased PrEP adherence and persistence, particularly among adolescents, younger women and women in the postpartum period. However, mental health is not currently a major focus of PrEP implementation research and programme planning for PPW.

Discussion

PrEP implementation programmes for PPW need to assess and address mental health barriers to consistent PrEP use to ensure effectiveness and sustainability in routine care. We highlight three key research priorities that will support PrEP adherence and persistence: (1) include mental health screening tools in PrEP implementation research with PPW, both to assess the feasibility of integrating these tools into routine antenatal and postpartum care and to ensure that limited resources are directed towards women whose symptoms may interfere most with PrEP use; (2) identify cross‐cutting, transdiagnostic psychological mechanisms that affect consistent PrEP use during these periods and can realistically be targeted with intervention in resource‐limited settings; and (3) develop/adapt and test interventions that target those underlying mechanisms, leveraging strategies from existing interventions that have successfully mitigated mental health barriers to antiretroviral therapy use among people with HIV.

Conclusions

For PPW, implementation of PrEP should be guided by a robust understanding of the unique psychological difficulties that may act as barriers to uptake, adherence and persistence (i.e. sustained adherence over time). We strongly encourage PrEP implementation research in PPW to incorporate validated mental health screening tools and ultimately treatment in routine antenatal and postnatal care, and we stress the potential public health benefits of identifying women who face mental health barriers to PrEP use.
Three and a half decades of artificial intelligence in banking, financial services, and insurance: A systematic evolutionary review
Authors: Herrmann Heinz , Masawi Becksndale
Published: October 2022

The banking, financial services, and insurance (BFSI) sector is one of the earliest and most prominent adopters of artificial intelligence (AI). However, academic research substantially lags behind the adoption of AI in practice. At the beginning of this century, AI research has been centered on the sector's credit risk. In the 2010s decade, expert systems were increasingly replaced by data‐driven, “algorithmic” AI. Big data enjoyed much hype in that decade, which diminished later mostly due to unsuccessful implementations. Much published research on big data actually relates to machine and deep learning but not to big data per se. These terms are often found to be conflated in research and practice. The insurance sector is substantially underrepresented in published AI research, and current research is dominated by banking and investments. Governance frameworks for “responsible AI” (RAI) are yet to be incorporated into practice by fintech companies as well as incumbent organizations. RAI is a particular issue for decentralized finance (DeFi). The most successful implementations of AI in BFSI practice, as well as dominant academic research areas, are in investments, securities, market making, customer relationships, lending, risk management, and compliance.
Tamoxifen Alters TGF‐β1/Smad Signaling in Vocal Fold Injury
Authors: Matsushita Hiroki , Mukudai Shigeyuki , Ozawa Satomi , Kinoshita Shota , Hashimoto Keiko , Kaneko Mami , Sugiyama Yoichiro , Branski Ryan C. , Hirano Shigeru
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Effective treatments for vocal fold fibrosis remain elusive. Tamoxifen (TAM) is a selective estrogen receptor modulator and was recently reported to have antifibrotic actions. We hypothesized that TAM inhibits vocal fold fibrosis via altered transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF‐β1) signaling. Both in vitro and in vivo approaches were employed to address this hypothesis.

Methods

In vitro, vocal fold fibroblasts were treated with TAM (10−8 or 10−9 M) ± TGF‐β1 (10 ng/ml) to quantify cell proliferation. The effects of TAM on genes related to fibrosis were quantified via quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction. In vivo, rat vocal folds were unilaterally injured, and TAM was administered by oral gavage from pre‐injury day 5 to post‐injury day 7. The rats were randomized into two groups: 0 mg/kg/day (sham) and 50 mg/kg/day (TAM). Histological changes were examined on day 56 to assess tissue architecture.

Results

TAM (10−8 M) did not affect Smad3, Smad7, Acta2, or genes related to extracellular matrix metabolism. TAM (10−8 or 10−9 M) + TGF‐β1, however, significantly increased Smad7 and Has3 expression and decreased Col1a1 and Acta2 expression compared to TGF‐β1 alone. In vivo, TAM significantly increased lamina propria area, hyaluronic acid concentration, and reduced collagen deposition compared to sham treatment.

Conclusions

TAM has antifibrotic potential via the regulation of TGF‐β1/Smad signaling in vocal fold injury. These findings provide foundational data to develop innovative therapeutic options for vocal fold fibrosis.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 133:2248–2254, 2023
Soil quality in urban forests under different understory management practices
Authors: Wang Ze , Tao Tingting , Wang Yizhu , Small Gaston E. , Chen Jihui , Sun Xiao
Published: October 2022

Forest vegetation management plays an important role in maintaining soil quality and function. In highly managed urban forests, the clearing of understory vegetation has potential to cause loss of soil nutrients, resulting in stoichiometric imbalances and a decrease in soil function. Whether the presence of ornamental understory in urban forests can mitigate the negative influences on soil quality remains highly uncertain. Here, we collected soil samples from a plantation forest in Zijin Shan National Forest Park in two stands, each with three adjacent plots with different understory management practices: one with natural understory vegetation (≥10 species),  a second with managed understories of ornamental groundcover [Reineckea carnea (Andrews) Kunth or Ophiopogon bodinieri H.Lév], and a third with cleared understory. Compared with plots with natural understories, we found lower levels of soil total carbon (C), total nitrogen (N), and microbial C and N, in plots with no understories. Correspondingly, ratios of soil C:phosphorus (P) and N:P, and microbial C:N, were lower in the absence of understories in one of the two stands. The magnitude of these effects differed between the two stands, with greater effects observed in the stand with higher soil quality. These influences were smaller with groundcover plants in both stands, particularly O. bodinieri H.Lév. While we cannot rule out the effects of other influences on soil properties, these results offer support for the hypothesis that clearing of understories is potentially detrimental to soil quality, and that maintaining ornamental groundcover can alleviate these adverse influences in urban forest.
A Light‐Responsive Injectable Hydrogel with Remodeling Tumor Microenvironment for Light‐Activated Chemodynamic Therapy
Authors: Liu Zeming , Chen Hongbo , Huang Chunyu , Huang Qinqin
Published: October 2022

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) based on Fenton‐like reaction is often limited by the tumor microenvironment (TME), which has insufficient hydrogen peroxide, and single CDT treatment is often less efficacious. To overcome these limitations, a hydrogel‐based system is designed to enhance the redox stress (EOH) by loading the composite nanomaterial Cu‐Hemin‐Au, into the agarose hydrogels. The hydrogels can reach the tumor site upon intratumoral injection, and then coagulate and stay for extended period. Once irradiated with near‐infrared light, the Cu‐Hemin‐Au act as a photothermal agent to convert the light energy into heat, and the EOH gradually heated up and softened, releasing the Cu‐Hemin‐Au residing in it to achieve photothermal therapy (PTT). Benefiting from the glucose oxidase (GOx)‐like activity of the Au nanoparticles, glucose in the tumor cells is largely consumed, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is generated in situ, and then Cu‐Hemin‐Au react with sufficient H2O2 to generate a large amount of reactive oxygen species, which promote the complete inhibition of tumor growth in mice during the treatment cycle. The hydrogel system for the synergistic enhancement of oxidative stress achieves good PTT/CDT synergy, providing a novel inspiration for the next generation of hydrogels for application in antitumor therapy.
Dual‐Dynamic Chemistries‐Based Fast‐Reprocessing and High‐Performance Covalent Adaptable Networks
Authors: Hu Kezhen , Wang Binbo , Xu Xiwei , Su Yi , Zhang Weiqiong , Zhou Sican , Zhang Chuanzhi , Zhu Jin , Ma Songqi
Published: October 2022

Covalent adaptable networks (CANs) possess multiple functions including reprocessing (or recyclability), self‐healing, welding, shape shifting, 3D printing, etc., due to the network rearrangement from dynamic bonds, and favorable performance from their cross‐linked feature, and they are supposed to be as sustainable alternatives to thermosets. However, the thermal and mechanical properties, and stability of CANs are often sacrificed for rapid network rearrangement. In this paper, fast‐reprocessing CANs with high performance are facilely constructed by in situ polymerization and dynamic cross‐linking of styrene (St), maleic anhydride (MA), and acetal diol (BHAD). The rigid and hydrophobic polymer backbone endow the materials with high glass transition temperatures, mechanical performance, and water resistance. Besides, carboxylic group‐catalyzed dual dynamic ester and acetal‐based networks exhibit faster stress relaxation and realize extrusion reprocessing. This work provides an ingenious and simple strategy of construction of CANs combining rapid network rearrangement and excellent comprehensive performance, which is beneficial for the application of CANs.
Mechanical and Damping Properties Analyses of Small Molecular Modifiers/Nitrile‐Butadiene Rubber Composite: Molecular Dynamics Simulation
Authors: He Qi , Xu Zhao‐Dong , Xu Yeshou , Guo Ying‐Qing , Huang Xing‐Huai , Dong Yao‐Rong , Shah Abid Ali
Published: October 2022

Nitrile‐butadiene rubber (NBR) has been wildly applied in vibration control technology, it is usually mixed with organic small molecular modifiers and well vulcanized, which can greatly enhance the mechanical and damping properties of the material. This work aims to design the optimum blending ratio of hindered phenol A/B/NBR composite with the best damping property by means of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and investigate the mechanical performance from the molecular level. The shear deformation simulation is conducted on pure NBR models to study the impact of rubber crosslink degree (CD) on elasticity and plasticity of NBR. To research the damping mechanism of the material, detailed analyses of the micro molecular structure and reciprocating shear simulation are carried out on NBR composite models with different hindered phenol A/B ratio. The simulation results indicate a strong positive correlation between intermolecular H‐bonds and loss factor η, and the NBR composite with hindered phenol A/B per hundred rubber (phr) 30/30 shows the best damping performance.
On the control of competitive balance in the major European football leagues
Authors: Avila‐Cano Antonio , Triguero‐Ruiz Francisco
Published: October 2022

Authorities in the economic field (European Commission and US Federal Trade Commission) focus on the level of market concentration and establish limits in order to promote competition. However, sports authorities do not seem to pay the same attention to competitive balance in the national leagues, given the results achieved in the major leagues and limited interventions and regulations in this area. How are the major European football leagues evaluated based on the limits set for market concentration in the United States or the European Union? Following this line, we undertook a comparative analysis using the distance to competitive balance index, whose range is the unit interval, and define it as a function in a metric space. The comparative analysis shows, as in other studies, the high and ever‐growing concentration of the results of these leagues over the past 25 years. With the European Commission and US Federal Trade Commission criteria, about one in three seasons would have been highly concentrated in the period analysed, and half in the last 10 seasons. Thus, it would seem reasonable that mechanisms that encourage competitiveness are considered.
Stability of viscoelastic wave equation with distributed delay and logarithmic nonlinearity
Authors: Lv Mengxian , Hao Jianghao
Published: October 2022

In this paper, we consider a quasilinear viscoelastic wave equation that features a distributed delay as well as logarithmic nonlinearity. We combine the potential well theory, Faedo‐Galerkin's approximation, and some energy estimates to construct the global existence of the solution. With weaker conditions on the relaxation function, we establish explicit and general decay rate results by using the multiplier method and some properties of convex functions. Our results improve and generalize several earlier related results in the literature.
Simulation of a novel, non‐invasive radiation detector to measure the arterial input function for dynamic positron emission tomography
Authors: Carroll Liam , Enger Shirin A.
Published: October 2022

Background

Dynamic positron emission tomography (dPET) is a nuclear medicine imaging technique providing functional images for organs of interest with applications in oncology, cardiology, and drug discovery. This technique requires the acquisition of the time‐course arterial plasma activity concentration, called the arterial input function (AIF), which is conventionally acquired via arterial blood sampling.

Purpose

The aim of this study was to (A) optimize the geometry for a novel and cost efficient non‐invasive detector called NID designed to measure the AIF for dPET scans through Monte Carlo simulations and (B) develop a clinical data analysis chain to successfully separate the arterial component of a simulated AIF signal from the venous component.

Methods

The NID was optimized by using an in‐house Geant4‐based software package. The sensitive volume of the NID consists of a band of 10 cm long and 1 mm in diameter scintillating fibers placed over a wrist phantom. The phantom was simulated as a cylinder, 10 cm long and 6.413 cm in diameter comprised of polyethylene with two holes placed through it to simulate the patient's radial artery and vein. This phantom design was chosen to match the wrist phantom used in our previous proof of concept work. Two geometries were simulated with different arrangements of scintillating fibers. The first design used a single layer of 64 fibers. The second used two layers, an inner layer with 29 fibers and an outer layer with 30 fibers. Four positron emitting radioisotopes were simulated:18F,11C,15O, and68Ga with 100 million simulated decay events per run. The total and intrinsic efficiencies of both designs were calculated as well as the full width half maximum (FWHM) of the signal. In addition, contribution by the annihilation photons versus positrons to the signal was investigated. The results obtained from the two simulated detector models were compared. A clinical data analysis chain using an expectation maximization maximum likelihood algorithm was tested. This analysis chain will be used to separate arterial counts from the total signal.

Results

The second NID design with two layers of scintillating fibers had a higher efficiency for all simulations with a maximum increase of 17% total efficiency for11C simulation. All simulations had a significant annihilation photon contribution. The signal for18F and11C was almost entirely due to photons. The clinical data analysis chain was within 1% of the true value for 434 out of 440 trials. Further experimental studies to validate these simulations will be required.

Conclusions

The design of the NID was optimized and its efficiency increased through Monte Carlo simulations. A clinical data analysis chain was successfully developed to separate the arterial component of an AIF signal from the venous component. The simulations show that the NID can be used to accurately measure the AIF non‐invasively for dPET scans.