bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stretchable, Breathable, and Washable Fabric Sensor for Human Motion Monitoring
Authors: Sanchez‐Botero Lina , Agrawala Anjali , Kramer‐Bottiglio Rebecca
Published: July 2023

Wearable strain sensors for movement tracking are a promising paradigm to improve clinical care for patients with neurological or musculoskeletal conditions, with further applicability to athletic wear, virtual reality, and next‐generation game controllers. Clothing‐like wearable strain sensors can support these use cases, as the fabrics used for clothing are generally lightweight and breathable, and interface with the skin in a manner that is mechanically and thermally familiar. Herein, a fabric capacitive strain sensor is presented and integrated into everyday clothing to measure human motions. The sensor is made of thin layers of breathable fabrics and exhibits high strains (>90%), excellent cyclic stability (>5000 cycles), and high water vapor transmission rates (≈50 g/h m2), the latter of which allows for sweat evaporation, an essential parameter of comfort. The sensor's functionality is verified under conditions similar to those experienced on the surface of the human body (35°C and % relative humidity) and after washing with fabric detergent. In addition, the fabric sensor shows stable capacitance at excitation frequencies up to 1 MHz, facilitating its low‐cost implementation in the Arduino environment. Finally, as a proof of concept, multiple fabric sensors are seamlessly integrated with commercial activewear to collect movement data. With the prioritization of breathability (air permeability and water vapor transmission), the fabric sensor design presented herein paves the way for future comfortable, unobtrusive, and discrete sensory clothing.
Customize Aramid Nanofiber Aerogels with High Electromagnetic Shielding Performance from Ultra‐Malleable Kevlar‐Derived Jelly
Authors: Zhang Zongwen , Wang Chunhui , Luo Yuanping , Yuan Changxin , Hu Wanbiao
Published: July 2023

It is important but challenging to develop high‐performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with customizable structures, tailorable properties, light weight, and high‐efficiency EMI shielding effectiveness (SE). Herein, a facile approach is proposed to customize aramid nanofiber (ANF) based EMI shielding aerogels with pre‐designed architectures through ultra‐malleable ANF jellies. By precisely regulating the interfiber interactions between ANF and constructing a robust 3D skeleton, ANF jelly can be ‘kneaded‐frozen‐heated’ like dough to produce ultralight, elastic and porous ANF aerogels with special structures, such as aerogel sandwich, spring, fabric, etc. Benefiting from the interconnected porous structure, conductive fillers such as silver nanowires (AgNW) can easily cover the aerogel skeleton by dip‐coating to form highly conductive paths. With an ultra‐low loading (7.5 wt.%) of AgNW, a 5.2 mm‐thick AgNW/ANF aerogel exhibit an average EMI SE of 75.4 dB in the X‐band. Aerogels with additional functions can be customized according to the actual application environment. A customized sandwich aerogel with fire‐retardant outerlayer and EMI shielding interlayer can be used in high‐temperature environments. A flexible aerogel fabric as an EMI shielding gasket can effectively block wireless power transmission. This work provides a forward‐looking strategy for constructing high‐performance EMI shielding materials with tailored properties.
Radical‐Mediated Hydroperfluoroalkylation of Unactivated Alkenes
Authors: Sissengaliyeva Gulsana , Dénès Fabrice , Girbu Vladilena , Kulcitki Veaceslav , Hofstetter Elena , Renaud Philippe
Published: July 2023

The direct hydroperfluoroalkylation of a wide range of unactivated alkenes has been achieved at room temperature with readily available iodoperfluoroalkanes using 4‐tert‐butylcatechol as a source of hydrogen atom and triethylborane. The hydrotrifluoromethylation could also be achieved under these conditions using gaseous trifluoromethyl iodide. An experimentally simple two‐step, one‐pot hydrotrifluoromethylation process using the easy‐to‐use trifluoromethanesulfonyl chloride as the source of trifluoromethyl radicals has also been developed. Using these two approaches, a broad range of substrates, including isoprenoid natural products, were efficiently derivatized.
S100A5 Attenuates Efficiency of Anti‐PD‐L1/PD‐1 Immunotherapy by Inhibiting CD8+ T Cell‐Mediated Anti‐Cancer Immunity in Bladder Carcinoma
Authors: Li Huihuang , Chen Jinbo , Li Zhenghao , Chen Minfeng , Ou Zhenyu , Mo Miao , Wang Ruizhe , Tong Shiyu , Liu Peihua , Cai Zhiyong , Zhang Chunyu , Liu Zhi , Deng Dingshan , Liu Jinhui , Cheng Chunliang , Hu Jiao , Zu Xiongbing
Published: July 2023

Although immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies have been approved for bladder cancer (BLCA), only a minority of patients respond to these therapies, and there is an urgent need to explore combined therapies. Systematic multi‐omics analysis identified S100A5 as a novel immunosuppressive target for BLCA. The expression of S100A5 in malignant cells inhibited CD8+ T cell recruitment by decreasing pro‐inflammatory chemokine secretion. Furthermore, S100A5 attenuated effector T cell killing of cancer cells by inhibiting CD8+ T cell proliferation and cytotoxicity. In addition, S100A5 acted as an oncogene, thereby promoting tumor proliferation and invasion. Targeting S100A5 synergized with the efficacy of anti‐PD‐1 treatment by enhancing infiltration and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells in vivo. Clinically, there was a spatially exclusive relationship between S100A5+ tumor cells and CD8+ T cells in tissue microarrays. Moreover, S100A5 negatively correlated with immunotherapy efficacy in our real‐world and several public immunotherapy cohorts. In summary, S100A5 shapes a non‐inflamed tumor microenvironment in BLCA by inhibiting the secretion of pro‐inflammatory chemokines and the recruitment and cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells. Targeting S100A5 converts cold tumors into hot tumors, thus enhancing the efficacy of ICB therapy in BLCA.
Effect of Gadolinium on Electrical Properties of Polyethyleneimine Functionalized and Nitrogen‐Doped Graphene Quantum Dot Nanocomposite Based Diode
Authors: Orhan Elif , Anter Aslıhan , Ulusoy Murat , Polat Barış , Okuyucu Can , Yıldız Mustafa , Altındal Şemsettin
Published: July 2023

Carbon, especially graphene quantum dots (GQDs) based electronics have become an attractive technology in recent years. The controlled modification of the electrical and optoelectronic properties of GQDs by physical/chemical processes or synthetic methods may lead to new applications. Gadolinium‐doped polyethyleneimine (PEI) functionalized and nitrogen‐doped graphene quantum dots (GdNPs‐PEI@N‐GQDs) are synthesized by a hydrothermal method to determine how doping carbon‐based materials with Gd alters the electrical properties of the structure. The electrical properties of the GdNPs/PEI@N‐GQDs nanocomposite‐based diode are investigated using the current–voltage (I–V) technique and the capacitance and conductance voltage (C–V & G/ω–V) technique at 300 K in the frequency range of 0.5 to 500 kHz at ± 5 V. The rectification ratio (RR) is found to be 14 at a voltage of ±5 V. The rectifying behavior of the diode changes to an ohmic behavior after doping with Gd, compared to the Gd‐free PEI@N‐GQDs sample (2.8 × 104 at ±5 V). The results are expected to have an impact on the understanding of carbon‐based electronics technology.
Full‐Hexacyanometallate Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries Exceeding 1.5 V in an Aqueous Solution
Authors: Jang Ji‐Eun , Kim Ryeong‐ah , Jayasubramaniyan S. , Lee Chanhee , Choi Jieun , Lee Youngdae , Kang Sujin , Ryu Jaechan , Lee Seok Woo , Cho Jaephil , Lee Dong Woog , Song Hyun‐Kon , Choe Wonyoung , Seo Dong‐Hwa , Lee Hyun‐Wook
Published: July 2023

Aqueous redox flow batteries (RFBs) have attracted significant attention as energy storage systems by virtue of their inexpensive nature and long‐lasting features. Although all‐vanadium RFBs exhibit long lifetimes, the cost of vanadium resources fluctuates considerably, and is generally expensive. Iron–chromium RFBs take advantage of utilizing a low‐cost and large abundance of iron and chromite ore; however, the redox chemistry of CrII/III generally involves strong Jahn–Teller effects. Herein, this work introduces a new Cr‐based negolyte coordinated with strong‐field ligands capable of mitigating strong Jahn–Teller effects, thereby facilitating low redox potential, high stability, and rapid kinetics. The balanced full‐cell configuration features a stable lifetime of 500 cycles with energy density of 14 Wh L−1. With an excessive posolyte, the full‐cell can attain a high energy density of 38.6 Wh L−1 as a single electron redox process. Consequently, the proposed system opens new avenues for the development of high‐performance RFBs.
Zwitterionic Polymer Gel‐Based Fully Self‐Healable Ionic Thermoelectric Generators with Pressure‐Activated Electrodes
Authors: Ho Dong Hae , Kim Yong Min , Kim Ui Jin , Yu Kyeong Su , Kwon Jin Han , Moon Hong Chul , Cho Jeong Ho
Published: July 2023

Heat generated from various sources is inevitably wasted. Thermoelectric generators (TEGs) are suitable for recovering such waste heat because of their simple structure and operating principle. Herein, a zwitterionic (ZI) polymer‐based fully self‐healable ionic TEG is presented. By adjusting the position of the positive and negative moieties of the ZI side chain, the movement of free ions contained in the ionogel can be controlled effectively, thus improving the power factor of TEGs. ZI side chains inside the ionogel provide multiple ionic interaction sites and enable fast self‐healing characteristics at room temperature. Furthermore, a self‐healing electrode composed of liquid metal (LM), waterborne polyurethane (WPU), and polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) is developed for the fully healable TEGs. The overall areal output voltage is effectively improved by connecting 10 legs of p and n thermoelectric gels in series via a self‐healing process. The selectively ion‐boosted, fully self‐healable TEGs developed in this study will open a new horizon for high‐performance ionic TEGs.
Rethinking the Electrode Multiscale Microstructures: A Review on Structuring Strategies toward Battery Manufacturing Genome
Authors: Fu Xuewei , Zhou Yonghan , Huang Jieyang , Feng Lanxiang , Yu Peng , Zhang Qiang , Yang Wei , Wang Yu
Published: July 2023

The success of liquid/solid‐state batteries is fundamentally determined by the electrode microstructures, which is particularly true for high‐energy‐density electrodes with either thick configuration or high‐capacity active materials. Unfortunately, high‐energy‐density electrodes usually suffer from fast performance degradation due to various challenging issues in microstructures. Therefore, a better understanding of electrode microstructures and the strategies toward optimizing them are in urgent need by the research community and battery industries. In this review, the authors attempt to rethink and comprehensively understand the multiscale microstructures for particularly thick electrodes and to summarize the corresponding structuring strategies. Specifically, in analogy to proteins, the multiscale electrode microstructures are classified into the primary structures of rigid building blocks, the secondary structures of active material microenvironment, and the tertiary structures of electrode architectures. Meanwhile, the design principles and structuring strategies at different levels of microstructures are detailed with consideration given to efficiency, energy consumption, eco‐friendliness, and scalability. Finally, a concept of a battery manufacturing genome based on structuring strategy profile (similar to amino acid profile) is proposed as the forthcoming opportunity for the future connection of machine learning with battery microstructure optimization, which may promote the development of next‐generation on‐demand batteries.
Transporting Dispersed Cylindrical Granules: An Intelligent Strategy Inspired by an Elephant Trunk
Authors: Zhao Yuwen , Zhang Jie , Zhang Siyuan , Zhang Peng , Dong Guixin , Wu Jianing , Zhang Jinxiu
Published: July 2023

Manipulating granular materials is a crucial function of robotic grippers. However, the existing approaches always suffer from low efficiency when dealing with large quantities of dispersed granules. To overcome this challenge, inspiration is drawn from an African elephant (Loxodonta Africana), which can employ both fingertip extensions on the trunk tip to efficiently grasp dispersed granular food all at once by mediating state transition of granules. Herein, this bio‐inspired intelligent strategy is integrated into a soft pneumatic gripper for transporting dispersed granules. To evaluate the critical actuation pressures while grasping granules, a library is constructed experimentally, and the effects of the initial relative height and relative lifting speed on the grasping success rate are examined. It is indicated in the experimental results that this trunk‐inspired robotic strategy leads to a success rate of over 90% and saves ≈50% duration of manipulation compared to the individual gripping fashion. Herein, new insights may be offered in this study into a novel manipulation strategy for efficiently transporting dispersed granular materials.
Non‐Covalent Interactions Enforce Conformation in Switchable and Water‐Soluble Diketopiperazine‐Pyridine Foldamers
Authors: McCann Sinead , Roe William E. , Agnew Hannah E. , Knipe Peter C.
Published: July 2023

To reach their potential as mimics of the dynamic molecules present in biological systems, foldamers must be designed to display stimulus‐responsive behavior. Here we report such a foldamer architecture based on alternating pyridine‐diketopiperazine linkers. Epimerization is conveniently prevented through a copper‐catalyzed coupling protocol. The compounds’ native unswitched conformation is first discovered in the solid and solution state. The foldamers can be solubilized in DMSO and pH 9.5 buffer, retaining conformational control to a large degree. Lastly, dynamic switching is demonstrated through treatment with acid, leading to behaviour we describe as stimulus‐responsive sidechain reconfiguration.
Fabrication of konjac glucomannan‐silk fibroin based biomimetic scaffolds for improved vascularization and soft tissue engineering applications
Authors: Thangavel Ponrasu , Kanniyappan Hemalatha , Chakraborty Sudip , Chaudhary Shipra , Wallepure Aadinath , Muthuvijayan Vignesh
Published: July 2023

The biomimetic scaffolds were fabricated using two natural biopolymers; Konjac glucomannan (KGM) and Silk fibroin (SF). The various proportions of KGM (1%) and SF (1%–2%) solutions were cross‐linked using citric acid as a cross linker and then lyophilized to prepare the fibrous scaffolds. The physicochemical properties of the KGM/SF scaffolds were investigated using FT‐IR analysis, TGA analysis, SEM, porosity, swelling, in vitro biodegradation, and mechanical characterization. FTIR spectra revealed the presence of characteristic functional moieties in the KGM/SF scaffolds. The improved thermal stability was observed for KGM/SF scaffolds compared to the control. The SEM images revealed that the scaffolds exhibited a porous morphology. The biodegradation of KGM/SF scaffolds was almost 77% until day 21, showing the biodegradable nature of the KGM/SF scaffolds. The compression strength of KGM/SF scaffolds was significantly higher than the KGM scaffold and eligible for soft tissue engineering. The KGM/SF scaffolds were further characterized by in vitro cell viability and cell attachment in fibroblast cells, demonstrating the non‐toxicity of scaffolds. Finally, in vivo CAM assay was successfully performed and determined the efficacy of KGM/SF scaffolds in vascularization. Overall, the results demonstrated that the KGM/SF scaffolds are biocompatible and capable of promoting vascularization in tissue engineering and biomedical applications.
Non‐planar polyimides with monomer containing four triphenylamines for near‐infrared electrochromism and TNP detection
Authors: Ma Yufan , Xia Shixuan , Zhai Minghao , Zhang Ce , Hong Tianjiao , Zhang Baixin , Cai Wan‐an , Niu Haijun , Wang Wen
Published: July 2023

By using triphenylamine (TPA) with a propeller structure connected to the planar fluorene unit as monomer, three novel polyimide (PI)s were prepared through chemical imidization of N,N′‐(9,9‐bis(4‐(diphenylamino) phenyl)‐9H‐fluorene‐2,7‐diyl)‐bis(N‐(4‐methoxyphenyl) benzene‐1,4‐diamine) (TPAF‐NH2) with three kinds of dianhydrides. The three dimensional configurations are designed to decrease molecular stacking rising from strong imide bond, and for faster ion transport in cavity of PIs. All the three PIs have good performance of electrochromic(EC) and sensor. With the voltage increasing from 0 to 1.2 V, the color of P2 film changes from original yellow to red to blue with the response time of only 2.3 s (colored time [tc]) and 2.8 s (bleached time [tb]). The coloring efficiency (CE) of P2 reaches 310 cm2 C−1, with optical contrast (ΔT) of 54%. Especially, the electroactivity of P3 does not decrease significantly after 6000 s cycle. Additionally, there are dual‐band in near‐infrared (NIR) area after the PI being oxidized. P1 with photoluminescence (PL) quantum efficiency (φPL) of 48% can detect trinitrophenol (TNP) effectively. The novel PIs have promising prospect in NIR EC and TNP detection devices.
Rheological studying the effect of reduced graphene oxide nanoparticles on the creep behavior of epoxy coating of pipelines: Part I—Constitutive equations
Authors: Gholizadeh Asghar , Vakili‐Tahami Farid , Adibeig Mohammad Reza
Published: July 2023

In this article, the creep behavior of pure and reinforced epoxy‐polyamine samples with different amounts of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) at two temperature levels of 28 and 40°C is investigated experimentally and analytically to develop the creep‐associated constitutive equations. Mechanical properties and creep behavior of samples are obtained by carrying out tensile and creep tests at different stress levels. The Burgers model and modified Burgers model are used to investigate the creep behavior of pure and reinforced epoxy. The experimental results show that the addition of 0.5% RGO increases the yield strength of the samples by 51% and the maximum strain by 20%. Also, by considering the production costs of reinforced epoxy, the sample reinforced with 0.5 wt% graphene is selected as the optimum added value of RGO nanoparticles which results in the desired failure load and creep resistance. Additionally, it is discovered that the modified Burgers model, albeit having a larger computing cost, can accurately simulate samples' creep behavior. Furthermore, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses are performed on the samples and it is found that the addition of RGO particles improves the microstructure of the reinforced samples.
Co Single Atoms Anchored in N and P Co‐doped Porous Carbon Fibers for Efficient Water Splitting
Authors: Li Jie , Zhu Jiahui , Jia Ziqi , Li Rumin , Yu Jing
Published: July 2023

Single atom catalysts (SACs) show potential application for highly efficient water splitting. Herein, we designed Co single atoms (SAs) dispersed on N and P co‐doped porous carbon nanofibers as electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). The configuration of Co SAs is proved to coordinate with 4 N/O atoms. The long‐range interactions between doped P atoms and Co−N4(O) sites could modulate the electronic structures of M−N4(O) sites, which greatly reduce the adsorption energies of HER and OER intermediates at metal sites. Density Functional Theory calculations reveal that CoSA/CNFs exhibits optimized HER and OER kinetics when P coordinates with two N atoms. The atomically dispersed Co electrocatalyst exhibits the low overpotentials of 61, 89 and 390 mV for acidic HER, alkaline HER and OER at 10 mA cm−2 current density, along with the Tafel slope of 54, 143 and 74 mV dec−1, respectively. This work demonstrates the prospect of utilizing di‐heteroatom‐doping transition metal SACs, and provides a novel and general strategy for the preparation of SACs.
Enantioselective Synthesis of Octahydrofuranoindole Core of Aspidosperma Alkaloids via a Diels‐Alder/Reduction/Fluoroetherification Reaction Sequence
Authors: Prasad Madavi S. , Bharani Ms. Sankar , Jha Mr. Aman Kumar , Naik Mr. Sugali Chetan , Sivaprakash Murugesan , Chowhan L. Raju
Published: July 2023

Herein, we disclose the enantioselective synthesis of novel tricyclic fluorooctahydrofuranoindole spirooxindoles bearing five contiguous stereocenters via an organocatalytic sequential Diels‐Alder/Reduction/Fluoroetherifiction reaction strategy. The potential of the developed approach was witnessed by generating vast examples (up to 20 examples) of library molecules embedding natural product core with good yields and phenomenal diastereo‐ and enantioselectivities (up to 77 % overall yield, up to 99 % ee and 10 : 1 dr). The synthetic utility of our protocol was further demonstrated by synthesizing tricyclic iodooctahydroindole spirooxindole framework through sequential Diels‐Alder/reduction/iodoetherification reaction in 65 % overall yield and excellent stereoselectivity (99 % ee and 4 : 1 dr).
Glucose oxidase virus‐based nanoreactors for smart breast cancer therapy
Authors: Gama Pedro , Juárez Patricia , Rodríguez‐Hernández Ana G. , Vazquez‐Duhalt Rafael
Published: July 2023

Background

Breast cancer is the most common malignant tumor disease and the leading cause of female mortality. The evolution of nanomaterials science opens the opportunity to improve traditional cancer therapies, enhancing therapy efficiency and reducing side effects.

Methods and major results

Herein, protein cages conceived as enzymatic nanoreactors were designed and produced by using virus‐like nanoparticles (VLPs) from Brome mosaic virus (BMV) and containing the catalytic activity of glucose oxidase (GOx) enzyme. The GOx enzyme was encapsulated into the BMV capsid (VLP‐GOx), and the resulting enzymatic nanoreactors were coated with human serum albumin (VLP‐GOx@HSA) for breast tumor cell targeting. The effect of the synthesized GOx nanoreactors on breast tumor cell lines was studied in vitro. Both nanoreactor preparations VLP‐GOx and VLP‐GOx@HSA showed to be highly cytotoxic for breast tumor cell cultures. Cytotoxicity for human embryonic kidney cells was also found. The monitoring of nanoreactor treatment on triple‐negative breast cancer cells showed an evident production of oxygen by the catalase antioxidant enzyme induced by the high production of hydrogen peroxide from GOx activity.

Conclusions and implications

The nanoreactors containing GOx activity are entirely suitable for cytotoxicity generation in tumor cells. The HSA functionalization of the VLP‐GOx nanoreactors, a strategy designed for selective cancer targeting, showed no improvement in the cytotoxic effect. The GOx containing enzymatic nanoreactors seems to be an interesting alternative to improve the current cancer therapy. In vivo studies are ongoing to reinforce the effectiveness of this treatment strategy.
Brain networks and epilepsy development in patients with Alzheimer disease
Authors: Lee Dong Ah , Lee Ho‐Joon , Kim Si Eun , Park Kang Min
Published: July 2023

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the association between brain networks and epilepsy development in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD).

Methods

We enrolled patients newly diagnosed with AD at our hospital who underwent three‐dimensional T1‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging at the time of AD diagnosis and included healthy controls. We obtained the cortical, subcortical, and thalamic nuclei structural volumes using FreeSurfer and applied graph theory to obtain the global brain network and intrinsic thalamic network based on the structural volumes using BRAPH.

Results

We enrolled 25 and 56 patients with AD with and without epilepsy development, respectively. We also included 45 healthy controls. The global brain network differed between the patients with AD and healthy controls. The local efficiency (2.026 vs. 3.185, p = .048) and mean clustering coefficient (0.449 vs. 1.321, p = .024) were lower, whereas the characteristic path length (0.449 vs. 1.321, p = .048) was higher in patients with AD than in healthy controls. Both global and intrinsic thalamic networks were significantly different between AD patients with and without epilepsy development. In the global brain network, local efficiency (1.340 vs. 2.401, p = .045), mean clustering coefficient (0.314 vs. 0.491, p = .045), average degree (27.442 vs. 41.173, p = .045), and assortative coefficient (−0.041 vs. −0.011, p = .045) were lower, whereas the characteristic path length (2.930 vs. 2.118, p = .045) was higher in patients with AD with epilepsy development than in those without. In the intrinsic thalamic network, the mean clustering coefficient (0.646 vs. 0.460, p = .048) was higher, whereas the characteristic path length (1.645 vs. 2.232, p = .048) was lower in patients with AD with epilepsy development than in those without.

Conclusion

We found that the global brain network differs between patients with AD and healthy controls. In addition, we demonstrated significant associations between brain networks (both global brain and intrinsic thalamic networks) and epilepsy development in patients with AD.
Histological assessment of nanostructured fibrin‐agarose skin substitutes grafted in burnt patients. A time‐course study
Authors: Martin‐Piedra Miguel Angel , Carmona Gloria , Campos Fernando , Carriel Víctor , Fernández‐González Ana , Campos Antonio , Cuende Natividad , Garzón Ingrid , Gacto Purificación , Alaminos Miguel
Published: July 2023

A previously developed fibrin‐agarose skin model—UGRSKIN—showed promising clinical results in severely burnt patients. To determine the histological parameters associated to the biocompatibility and therapeutic effects of this model, we carried out a comprehensive structural and ultrastructural study of UGRSKIN grafted in severely burnt patients after 3 months of follow‐up. The grafted epidermis was analogue to native human skin from day 30th onward, revealing well‐structured strata with well‐differentiated keratinocytes expressing CK5, CK8, CK10, claudin, plakoglobin, filaggrin, and involucrin in a similar way to controls, suggesting that the epidermis was able to mature and differentiate very early. Melanocytes and Langerhans cells were found from day 30th onward, together with a basement membrane, abundant hemidesmosomes and lack of rete ridges. At the dermal layer, we found an interface between the grafted skin and the host tissue at day 30th, which tended to disappear with time. The grafted superficial dermis showed a progressive increase in properly‐oriented collagen fibers, elastic fibers and proteoglycans, including decorin, similarly to control dermis at day 60‐90th of in vivo follow‐up. Blood vessels determined by CD31 and SMA expression were more abundant in grafted skin than controls, whereas lymphatic vessels were more abundant at day 90th. These results contribute to shed light on the histological parameters associated to biocompatibility and therapeutic effect of the UGRSKIN model grafted in patients and demonstrate that the bioengineered skin grafted in patients is able to mature and differentiate very early at the epithelial level and after 60–90 days at the dermal level.
Should we abandon hormonal therapy in endometrial cancer? Outcomes of recurrent and metastatic endometrial cancer treated with systemic progestins
Authors: Kulkarni A. , Wright N. M. Andrews , Forget A. N. , Ramsay T. , Mallick R. , Weberpals J. I.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The objective of this study is to determine primary survival endpoints in women with recurrent and metastatic endometrial carcinoma (RMEC) treated with progestins.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was conducted at The Ottawa Hospital using electronic medical records. Inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of RMEC between 2000 and 2019, endometrioid histology, and ≥one line of progestin treatment. Progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method.

Results

Of 2342 cases reviewed, 74 met inclusion criteria. Sixty‐six (88.0%) patients received megestrol acetate and 9 (12.0%) received a progestin alternative. The distribution of tumors by grade was: 1: 25 (33.3%), 2: 30 (40.0%), and 3: 20 (26.7%). The PFS and OS for the entire study sample was 14.3 months (95% CI 6.2–17.9) and 23.3 months (14.8–36.8), respectively. The PFS for patients with Grade 1–2 RMEC was 15.7 months (8.0, 19.5), compared to 5.0 months (3.0, 23.0) with Grade 3 disease. The OS for patients with Grade 1–2 versus Grade 3, was 25.9 months (15.3, 40.3) versus 12.5 months (5.7, 35.9), respectively. Thirty‐four (45.9%) and 40 (54.1%) patients were treated with 0 and ≥1 line of chemotherapy. The PFS for chemotherapy‐naïve patients was 17.9 months (14.3, 27.0), versus 6.2 months (3.9, 14.8) following ≥1 line of treatment. The OS was 29.1 months (17.9, 61.1) for chemotherapy‐naïve patients versus 23.0 months (10.5, 37.6) for patients previously exposed.

Conclusions

This real‐world data on RMEC suggests there is a role for progestins in select subgroups of women. The PFS for chemotherapy‐naïve patients was 17.9 months (14.3, 27.0), versus 6.2 months (3.9, 14.8) following ≥1 line of treatment. The OS was 29.1 months (17.9, 61.1) for chemotherapy‐OS was 29.1 months (17.9, 61.1) for chemotherapy‐naïve patients versus 23.0 months (10.5, 37.6) for patients previously exposed.
In Vitro Anthelminthic Activity and Ultrastructural Analysis of Barbatic Acid against Schistosomulae and Juvenile Worms of Schistosoma mansoni**
Authors: Fagundes Silva Hianna Arely Milca , Andrade de Araújo Hallysson Douglas , Pessoa de Azevedo Albuquerque Mônica Camelo , de Vasconcelos Lima Maíra , Barroso Martins Mônica Cristina , Alves Luiz Carlos , Brayner Fábio André , de Lima Aires André , Mendonça de Albuquerque Melo Ana Maria , da Silva Nicácio Henrique
Published: July 2023

Schistosomiasis affects about 260 million people worldwide and the search for new schistosomicidal compounds is urgent. In this study we evaluated the in vitro effect of barbatic acid against schistosomulae and young worms of Schistosoma mansoni. The barbatic acid was evaluated through the bioassay of motility and mortality, cellular viability and ultrastructural analysis of juvenile stages through Scanning Electron Microscopy. Barbatic acid showed a schistosomicidal effect against schistosomulae and young worms of S. mansoni after 3 h of exposure. At the end of 24 h, barbatic acid showed 100 %, 89.5 %, 52 % and 28.5 % of lethality for schistosomulae at the concentrations of 200, 100, 50 and 25 μM, respectively. For young worms, barbatic acid showed 100 % and 31.7 % of lethality at the concentrations of 200 and 100 μM, respectively. Motility changes were observed at all sublethal concentrations. There was a significant reduction in the viability of young worms after exposure to barbatic acid at 50, 100 and 200 μM. Extensive damage to the schistosomulae and young worm's tegument, was observed from 50 μM. This report provides data showing the schistosomicidal effect of barbatic acid on schistosomulae and young worms of S. mansoni, causing death, motility changes and ultrastructural damage to worms.
Synthesis and in Silico Study of Novel Benzisoxazole‐Chromene Derivatives as Potent Inhibitors of Acetylcholinesterase: Metal‐Free Site‐Selective C−N Bond Formation via Aza‐Michael Reaction
Authors: Govada Grace Victoria , Rajasekhara Reddy Sabbasani
Published: July 2023

An efficient metal‐free approach for site selective C−N coupling reaction of benzo[d]isoxazole and 2H‐chromene derivatives has been designed and developed against AchE. This nitrogen containing organo‐base promoted methodology, which is both practical and environmentally friendly, provides an easy and suitable pathway for synthesizing Benzisoxazole‐Chromene (BC) possessing poly heteroaryl moieties. The synthesized BC derivatives 4 a–n was docked into the active sites of AChE to obtain more perception into the binding modes of the compounds. Out of them, compound 4 a and 4 l displayed potent activity and high selectivity against the AChE inhibition. Final docking results indicates that compound 4 l showed the lowest binding energy of −11.2260 kcal/mol with AChE. The synthesized BC analogs would be potential candidates for promoting suitable studies in medicinal chemistry research.
Environmentally Friendly Approach to the Synthesis of 3‐[Benzylideneamino]‐2‐methylquinazolin‐4(3H)‐one Derivatives and Calculation of Their Toxicity
Authors: Molnar Maja , Gazivoda Kraljević Tatjana , Pavić Valentina , Rastija Vesna , Komar Mario
Published: July 2023

Application of deep eutectic solvents in synthesis of different heterocyclic compounds was proven very efficient. These solvents are a new generation of green solvents showing excellent potential for different purposes, where they are used as environmentally acceptable substitute for toxic and volatile organic solvents. This research describes their application in the synthesis of series of quinazolinone Schiff bases in combination with microwave, ultrasound‐assisted and mechanochemical methods. First, a model reaction was performed in 20 different deep eutectic solvents to find the best solvent and then reaction conditions (solvent, temperature and reaction time) were optimized for each method. Afterwards, 40 different quinazolinone derivatives were synthesized in choline chloride/malonic acid (1 : 1) DES by each method and compared by their yields. Here we show that deep eutectic solvents can be very efficient in the synthesis of quinazolinone derivatives as an excellent substitution for volatile organic solvents. With green chemistry approach in mind, we have also performed a calculation on compounds’ toxicity and solubility, showing that most of them possess toxic and mutagenic properties with low water solubility.
Synthesis and Evaluation of Novel Metacetamol Derivatives with Hydrazone Moiety as Anticancer and Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Şenkardeş Sevil , Atlıhan İrem , Çayır Elif , Mega Tiber Pınar , Orun Oya , Nigiz Şeyma , Özkul Ceren , Gündüz Miyase Gözde , Küçükgüzel Ş. Güniz
Published: July 2023

By exploiting the wide biological potential of the hydrazone scaffold, a series of hydrazone derivatives were synthesized, starting from N‐(3‐hydroxyphenyl)acetamide (metacetamol). The structures of the compounds were determined using IR, 1H and 13C‐NMR, and mass spectroscopic methods. The obtained molecules (3 a–j) were evaluated for their anticancer potential against MDA‐MB‐231 and MCF‐7 breast cancer cell lines. According to the CCK‐8 assay, all tested compounds showed moderate to potent anticancer activity. Among them, N‐(3‐(2‐(2‐(4‐nitrobenzylidene)hydrazinyl)‐2‐oxoethoxy)phenyl)acetamide (3 e) was found to be the most effective derivative with an IC50 value of 9.89 μM against MDA‐MB‐231 cell lines. This compound was further tested for its potential effects on the apoptotic pathway. Molecular docking studies was also carried out for 3 e in the colchicine binding pocket of tubulin. Additionally, compound 3 e also demonstrated effective antifungal activity, particularly against Candida krusei (MIC=8 μg/ml), indicating that nitro group at the 4th position of the phenyl ring was the most preferable substituent for both cytotoxic and antimicrobial activity. Our preliminary findings suggest that compound 3 e could be exploited as a leading structure for further anticancer and antifungal drug development.
A Modular Chemistry Platform for the Development of a Cereblon E3 Ligase‐Based Partial PROTAC Library
Authors: Almodóvar‐Rivera Chelsi M. , Zhang Zhen , Li Jingyao , Xie Haibo , Zhao Yu , Guo Le , Mannhardt Marissa G. , Tang Weiping
Published: July 2023

Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are a promising therapeutic strategy to selectively promote the degradation of protein targets by exploiting the ubiquitin‐proteasome system. Among the limited number of E3 ligase ligands discovered for the PROTAC technology, ligands of cereblon (CRBN) E3 ligase, such as pomalidomide, thalidomide, or lenalidomide, are the most frequently used for the development of PROTACs. Our group previously reported that a phenyl group could be tolerated on the C4‐position of lenalidomide as the ligand of CRBN to develop PROTACs. Herein, we report a modular chemistry platform for the efficient attachment of various ortho‐, meta‐, and para‐substituted phenyls to the C4‐position of the lenalidomide via Suzuki cross‐coupling reaction, which allows the systematic investigation of the linker effect for the development of PROTACs against any target. We examined the substrate scope by preparing twelve lenalidomide‐derived CRBN E3 ligase ligands with different linkers.
Comparison of drug‐coated balloon angioplasty versus common balloon angioplasty for arteriovenous fistula stenosis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Zhang Yong , Yuan Fan‐Li , Hu Xiang‐Yang , Wang Qi‐Bing , Zou Zhen‐Wu , Li Zhen‐Guo
Published: July 2023

Drug‐coated balloons (DCBs) have been used in dialysis patients with arteriovenous fistula (AVF) stenosis, but whether DCBs have advantages over ordinary balloons is still controversial. A meta‐analysis was designed to investigate the safety and efficacy of DCBs and common balloons (CBs) in the treatment of AVF stenosis. We searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and China National Knowledge Internet (CNKI) databases for randomized controlled trials that evaluated the comparison of DCB angioplasty versus CB angioplasty for AVF stenosis in dialysis patients and reported at least one outcome of interest. The results showed that the DCB group had a higher first‐stage patency rate of the target lesion 6 months [odds ratio, OR = 2.31, 95% confidence interval, CI: (1.69, 3.15), p < .01] and 12 months [OR = 2.09, 95% CI: (1.50, 2.91), p < .01] after surgery. There was no statistically significant difference in all‐cause mortality between the two groups at 6 months [OR = 0.85, 95% CI: (0.47, 1.52), p = .58] and 12 months [OR = 0.99, 95% CI: (0.60, 1.64), p = .97]. Compared with CB, DCBs as a new endovascular treatment for AVF stenosis have a higher primary patency rate of target lesions and can delay the occurrence of restenosis. There is no evidence that DCB can increase the mortality of patients.
K‐means cluster analysis of characteristic patterns of allergen in different ages: Real life study
Authors: Zhao Lei , Fang Jie , Ji Yong , Zhang Yingying , Zhou Xin , Yin Junfeng , Zhang Min , Bao Wuping
Published: July 2023

Background

Atopy varies in people of different ages owing to different physical conditions and exposure to allergens. We aimed to cluster ages based on atopic severity using K‐means cluster analysis and identify atopic incidence, severity, as well as the association among peripheral eosinophils, IgE and sensitisation.

Methods

Consecutive patients (n = 7654) with allergic symptoms and undergoing allergen‐specific IgE tests were included from 2013 to 2017. Age, sex, specific‐IgE, peripheral eosinophil counts and total‐IgE were collected.

Results

Five age categories were identified: 1–17, 18–36, 37–52, 53–69 and 70–100 years. The incidences of atopy and poly‐sensitisation decreased with increasing age. Similar trend was observed for aeroallergens, egg and milk but not for peanuts, soy or seafood. Dust mites remain the crucial factor bothering patients with allergic symptoms, especially for children and adolescents. In patients aged <52 years, sensitisation to aeroallergens was more prevalent than food. In group 37–52 years, incidence of females' atopy was higher than that of males. The overlap of atopy, high eosinophils, and high total‐IgE was found in only 19.18% of patients. The trend of allergen‐test positivity is not parallel to total IgE and peripheral eosinophil counts.

Conclusion

Age‐grouping based on cluster analysis helps to find the changes in atopic status and distribution of sensitised allergens with age. Allergen tests are still necessary in the clinical diagnosis and treatment. An innovative exploration of the influence of age and allergens on total‐IgE and eosinophil counts is helpful for the development of bio‐targeted precision therapy.

Clinical Trial Registration

ChiCTR2300067700.
Digital Examination of LYmph node CYtopathology Using the Sydney system (DELYCYUS): An international, multi‐institutional study
Authors: Caputo Alessandro , Fraggetta Filippo , Cretella Pasquale , Cozzolino Immacolata , Eccher Albino , Girolami Ilaria , Marletta Stefano , Troncone Giancarlo , Vigliar Elena , Acanfora Gennaro , Zarra Karen Villar , Torres Rivas Héctor Enrique , Fadda Guido , Field Andrew , Katz Ruth , Vielh Philippe , Eloy Catarina , Rajwanshi Arvind , Gupta Nalini , Al‐Abbadi Mousa , Bustami Nadwa , Arar Tala , Calaminici Maria , Raine Juliet I. , Barroca Helena , Canão Pedro Amoroso , Ehinger Mats , Rajabian Nilofar , Dey Pranab , Medeiros L. Jeffrey , El Hussein Siba , Lin Oscar , D’Antonio Antonio , Bode‐Lesniewska Beata , Rossi Esther Diana , Zeppa Pio
Published: July 2023

Background

After a series of standardized reporting systems in cytopathology, the Sydney system was recently introduced to address the need for reproducibility and standardization in lymph node cytopathology. Since then, the risk of malignancy for the categories of the Sydney system has been explored by several studies, but no studies have yet examined the interobserver reproducibility of the Sydney system.

Methods

The authors assessed interobserver reproducibility of the Sydney system on 85 lymph node fine‐needle aspiration cytology cases reviewed by 15 cytopathologists from 12 institutions in eight different countries, resulting in 1275 diagnoses. In total, 186 slides stained with Diff‐Quik, Papanicolaou, and immunocytochemistry were scanned. A subset of the cases included clinical data and results from ultrasound examinations, flow cytometry immunophenotyping, and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis. The study participants assessed the cases digitally using whole‐slide images.

Results

Overall, the authors observed an almost perfect agreement of cytopathologists with the ground truth (median weighted Cohen κ = 0.887; interquartile range, κ = 0.210) and moderate overall interobserver concordance (Fleiss κ = 0.476). There was substantial agreement for the inadequate and malignant categories (κ = 0.794 and κ = 0.729, respectively), moderate agreement for the benign category (κ = 0.490), and very slight agreement for the suspicious (κ = 0.104) and atypical (κ = 0.075) categories.

Conclusions

The Sydney system for reporting lymph node cytopathology shows adequate interobserver concordance. Digital microscopy is an adequate means to assess lymph node cytopathology specimens.
Pharmacokinetic Similarity of ABP 654, an Ustekinumab Biosimilar Candidate: Results from a Randomized, Double‐blind Study in Healthy Subjects
Authors: Chow Vincent , Mytych Daniel T. , Das Shyamal , Franklin Janet
Published: July 2023

ABP 654 is a proposed biosimilar to ustekinumab reference product (RP) which works through antagonism of interleukin‐12 and interleukin‐23. Ustekinumab RP is used for the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions, including some forms of plaque psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, Crohn's disease, and ulcerative colitis. A randomized, double‐blinded, single‐dose, 3‐arm, parallel‐group study was conducted to assess the pharmacokinetic (PK) similarity of ABP 654 with ustekinumab RP sourced from the United States (US) and the European Union (EU); the PK similarity of ustekinumab US versus ustekinumab EU; and the comparative safety, tolerability, and immunogenicity of all 3 products. A total of 238 healthy subjects were randomized 1:1:1 and stratified by gender and ethnicity (Japanese versus non‐Japanese) to receive a single 90 mg subcutaneous injection of ABP 654 or ustekinumab US or ustekinumab EU. PK similarity was established based on 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for the primary endpoints of area under the concentration‐time curve from time 0 extrapolated to infinity (AUCinf) and maximum observed serum concentration (Cmax) being contained within the prespecified margin of 0.8–1.25. No clinically meaningful differences in immunogenicity were found among the 3 products. Adverse events were similar between treatment groups and consistent with the safety profile of ustekinumab RP. Results indicate that ABP 654, ustekinumab US and ustekinumab EU share similar PK and safety profiles.
Mapping tree‐shaped workflows on systems with different memory sizes and processor speeds
Authors: Kulagina Svetlana , Meyerhenke Henning , Benoit Anne
Published: July 2023

Directed acyclic graphs are commonly used to model scientific workflows, by expressing dependencies between tasks, as well as the resource requirements of the workflow. As a special case, rooted directed trees occur in several applications, for instance in sparse matrix computations. Since typical workflows are modeled by large trees, it is crucial to schedule them efficiently, so that their execution time (or makespan) is minimized. Furthermore, it is usually beneficial to distribute the execution on several compute nodes, hence increasing the available memory, and allowing us to parallelize parts of the execution. To exploit the heterogeneity of modern clusters in this context, we investigate the partitioning and mapping of tree‐shaped workflows on two types of target architecture models: in AM1, each processor can have a different memory size, and in AM2, each processor can also have a different speed (in addition to a different memory size). We design a three‐step heuristic for AM1, which adapts and extends previous work for homogeneous clusters [Gou C, Benoit A, Marchal L. Partitioning tree‐shaped task graphs for distributed platforms with limited memory. IEEE Trans Parallel Dist Syst 2020; 31(7): 1533–1544]. The changes we propose concern the assignment to processors (accounting for the different memory sizes) and the availability of suitable processors when splitting or merging subtrees. For AM2, we extend the heuristic for AM1 with a two‐phase local search approach. Phase A is a swap‐based hill climber, while (the optional) Phase B is inspired by iterated local search. We evaluate our heuristics for AM1 and AM2 with extensive simulations, and we demonstrate that exploiting the heterogeneity in the cluster significantly reduces the makespan, compared to the state of the art for homogeneous processors.
Terrorist attacks and environmental social and governance performance: Evidence from cross‐country panel data
Authors: Al Amosh Hamzeh , Khatib Saleh F. A. , Ananzeh Husam
Published: July 2023

This study is motivated by the absence of similar research that investigates the link between terrorism level and social and environmental performance measured by the ESG score. This study adopts cross‐country panel data represented by 5082 worldwide companies during the period 2011 to 2020. The terrorism level has been measured using the Global Terrorism Index as reported by The Institute for Economics and Peace Limited. Our findings indicate that the occurrence of terrorist events has a significant negative impact on ESG performance, both collectively and individually, due to the various consequences. Many businesses may suspend operations in countries where the threat of terrorism is increasing, resulting in a flight of investors and the disruption of development projects, which may weaken overall economic performance and voluntary projects. Thus, it is likely to result in undermining companies' environmental and social practices. In addition, as fears of terrorist attacks grow, the general system of corporate governance may deteriorate, halting sustainable development initiatives in these countries. Terrorist attacks introduce complex moral dilemmas, challenge stakeholder priorities, affect a company's legitimacy, and reshape the institutional landscape. Companies must navigate these multifaceted challenges, balancing immediate stakeholder concerns, reputation restoration, compliance obligations, and evolving societal expectations. Our findings are significant, with numerous implications for different stakeholders such as regulators, policymakers, investors, managers, and government agencies.