bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bioequivalence Study of Miglitol Orally Disintegrating Tablets in Healthy Chinese Volunteers Under Fasting Condition Based on Pharmacodynamic and Pharmacokinetic Parameters
Authors: Zhao Ming‐Xuan , Wu Jin‐Lian , Dong Li‐Chun , Chen Jing , Zhu Feng‐Jia , Fan Yu‐Xin , Zhang Juan , Zhang Xiao‐Ping , Zhang Ping , Yu Chong‐Jing , Zhou Meng‐Di , He Jian‐Chang
Published: June 2023

To investigate the bioequivalence of miglitol orally disintegrating tablets in healthy Chinese volunteers based on pharmacodynamic (PD) and pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. Additionally, the safety profile was estimated. Two randomized, open‐label, single‐dose, crossover trials were conducted under fasting conditions. In the PD trial (CTR20191811), 45 healthy volunteers were randomly divided into 3 groups in a 1:1:1 ratio and administered sucrose alone or coadministered with 50 mg of miglitol orally disintegrating tablet test or reference formulation/sucrose. In the PK trial (CTR20191696), 24 healthy volunteers were randomized (1:1) to receive the test or reference formulation (50 mg). Blood samples were collected at 15 and 17 sampling points per cycle in the PD and PK trials, respectively. Plasma miglitol and serum glucose concentrations were analyzed using a validated liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method. Serum insulin concentrations were measured using electrochemiluminescent immunoassay. Statistical analyses for the PD and PK parameters were subsequently performed. The volunteers’ physical indicators were monitored and documented during the entire study to estimate drug safety. The PD and PK parameters of the two formulations were similar. The main PD and PK end points were both within the prespecified range of 80%–125%. The incidences of treatment‐emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and drug‐related TEAEs were similar between the test and reference formulation groups, and no serious TEAEs or deaths occurred during the 2 trials. These 2 formulations were demonstrated to be bioequivalent and well tolerated in healthy Chinese volunteers under fasting condition.
Halogen Bonding Assembles Anion⋅⋅⋅Anion Architectures in Non‐centrosymmetric Iodate and Bromate Crystals
Authors: Calabrese Miriam , Pizzi Andrea , Beccaria Roberta , Frontera Antonio , Resnati Giuseppe
Published: June 2023

Single crystal X‐ray diffraction of iodate and bromate salts shows that the I and Br atoms in IO3− and BrO3− anions form short and linear O−I/Br⋅⋅⋅O contacts with the O atoms of nearby anions. Non‐centrosymmetric systems are formed wherein anions are orderly aligned into supramolecular 1D and 2D networks. Theoretical evidences, namely the outcome of QTAIM and NCIplot studies, prove the attractive nature of these contacts and the ability of iodate and bromate anions to act as robust halogen bond (HaB) donors. The HaB is proposed as a general and effective assisting tool to control the architecture of acentric iodate salts.
Shape Selectivity in the Gold‐Catalyzed Hydration of Alkynes Using a Cavity‐Shaped Phosphine
Authors: Navarro Miquel , Holzapfel Markus , Campos Jesús
Published: June 2023

A cavity‐shaped gold(I) complex derived from a bulky tri‐(ortho‐biaryl)‐phosphine ligand shows preferred selectivity towards terminal functionalities in the gold(I)‐catalysed hydration of alkynes under mild heating due to a well‐defined pocket as catalytic active site. The confinement‐induced size‐exclusion selectivity investigated for eight alkynes contrasts with other gold(I) complexes bearing bulky phosphine ligands that show reduced selectivity or even similar behaviour towards both internal and terminal alkynes. We also interrogate the potential of gold(III) derivatives for the same catalytic process.
Silver and Gold Pillarplex Pseudorotaxanes from α,ω‐Dicarboxylic Acids
Authors: Heidecker Alexandra A. , Stasi Michele , Spears Alexander , Boekhoven Job , Pöthig Alexander
Published: June 2023

A series of pseudorotaxanes with supramolecular organometallic silver(I) and gold(I) pillarplexes acting as rings and different α,ω‐dicarboxylic acids as axle components are reported. The successful formation of the host‐guest complexes is shown by 1H NMR spectroscopy and respective NMR titration. Additional evaluation with ITC titration experiments yielded dissociation constants (Kd) ranging from 10−5 to 10−7 M. Single‐crystal X‐Ray diffraction analysis reveals a particularly exciting pore alignment of different examples in the solid state depending on the length of the guest. The work highlights, that dicarboxylic acids can penetrate the tight tubular pillarplex pore, paving the way to future mechanically interlocked molecules and materials.
GM‐CSF signalling in Th17‐cell pathogenicity: The culprit in autoimmune uveitis promoted by sleep loss
Authors: Zhang Chun , Xiao Jing , Jiang Fanwen , Fa Luzhong , Jiang Hui , Zhou Lin , Xu Zhuping
Published: June 2023

Sleep loss (SL) is a health problem that affects autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. However, the relationship between SL, the immune system and autoimmune diseases remains unclear. This commentary summarizes and discusses the key findings of the study by Liu et al. published in Clinical and Translational Medicine. In this study, they analysed the effects of SL on autoimmune uveitis using mass cytometry, single‐cell RNA sequencing, and flow cytometry. They identified changes in the composition and function of human and mouse immune cells following SL that primarily involved effector CD4+ T cells and myeloid cells. Furthermore, they demonstrated that SL promoted Th17 differentiation, pathogenicity, and Interleukin‐23 (IL‐23)–Th17– granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) feedback mechanism in autoimmunity. Finally, they attenuated SL‐induced EAU exacerbation using anti‐GM‐CSF treatment, providing a novel therapeutic approach for SL‐related autoimmune diseases.
Microarchaeological approach to underwater stratigraphy of submerged settlements: A case study of Atlit‐Yam Pre‐Pottery Neolithic site, off the Carmel Coast, Israel
Authors: Ogloblin Ramirez Isaac , Grono Elle , Zuckerman‐Cooper Roni , Langgut Dafna , Galili Ehud , Friesem David E.
Published: June 2023

The investigation of submerged archaeological sites faces numerous logistical challenges in the recovery of stratigraphic sequences and, as a result, is often restricted to surface deposits limiting the application of geoarchaeology. This paper outlines a new integrated field and microanalytical methodological protocol to investigate deep stratigraphic sequences (up to 2 m) within the submerged Pre‐Pottery Neolithic (PPN) site of Atlit‐Yam (9267–7970 cal. B.P. [calibrated years before the present]). A new coring method for the extraction of deep underwater stratigraphy was developed to extract three cores: two between architectural remains within the site and one outside the site. The cores were analysed using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, phytolith and pollen analysis and archaeological micromorphology to detect anthropogenic signals and undertake paleoenvironmental reconstruction. Our results indicate anthropogenic evidence at 95 cm depth based on the presence of heat‐altered sediments, high phytolith concentrations and micromorphological observations of archaeological remains. Radiocarbon analysis indicates the oldest anthropogenic layers date to the Mid Pre‐Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB) and Late PPNB (9859–9323 cal. B.P.), bearing implications for reassessing the emergence of the first coastal Neolithic villages in the Mediterranean. Our integrated field and multiproxy micro‐geoarchaeological protocol offers a new approach to detecting and studying submerged archaeological sites worldwide.
Mafic–felsic igneous rocks in the north‐eastern North China Craton, eastern Jilin, NE China: Petrogenesis and implications for regional geodynamic evolution during the Cretaceous
Authors: Ye Lina , Sun Fengyue , Zhang Yuting , Wang Li , Liu Jinlong , Hui Chao , Lu Yinhua , Zhu Xinran
Published: June 2023

We present zircon U–Pb ages, major and trace element analyses and zircon Hf isotope data on the Cretaceous mafic–felsic igneous rocks in the north‐eastern North China Craton (NCC) of NE China. These data have been used to discuss the petrogenesis of the mafic–felsic igneous rocks in order to constrain the geodynamical and magmatic evolution of the region. Zircon U–Pb dating results indicate that these igneous rocks crystallized during the Cretaceous (ca. 123–90 Ma). These mafic igneous rocks display low SiO2 contents, high MgO contents and marked enrichments in large‐ion lithophile elements (LILEs) and depletions in high‐field‐strength elements (HFSEs), combined with their εHf(t) values and La/Nb versus La/Ba diagram, suggesting they were derived from lithospheric mantle that experienced gradually increasing fluid metasomatism from 123 to 90 Ma. The felsic igneous rocks with high SiO2 values are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous and belong to the high–K calc–alkaline series. These felsic igneous rocks are all enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs) and LILEs and relatively depleted in HFSEs, with barely negative Eu anomalies, combined with their εHf(t) values, these felsic igneous rocks were derived from partial melting of a lower crust. A synthesis of these new data with previous researches shows that the subduction and rollback of the Palaeo‐Pacific slab played a major role in the destruction of the north‐eastern NCC. The diagenetic temperatures of igneous rocks indicate that the mechanism of destruction of the NCC may be heterogeneous, most likely a thermal erosion mechanism in eastern Jilin area and a delamination mechanism in Liaodong Peninsula.
Microglial LRRK2‐mediated NFATc1 attenuates α‐synuclein immunotoxicity in association with CX3CR1‐induced migration and the lysosome‐initiated degradation
Authors: Feng Linjuan , Lo Hsuan , Hong Zhaoxiang , Zheng Jiahao , Yan Yuhong , Ye Zucheng , Chen Xiaochun , Pan Xiaodong
Published: June 2023

Synucleinopathies refer to a range of neurodegenerative diseases caused by abnormal α‐synuclein (α‐Syn) deposition, including Parkinson's disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Their pathogenesis is strongly linked to microglial dysfunction and neuroinflammation, which involves the leucine‐rich‐repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2)‐regulated nuclear factor of activated T‐cells (NFAT). Of the NFAT family, NFATc1 has been found to be increasingly translocated into the nucleus in α‐syn stimulation. However, the specific role of NFATc1‐mediated intracellular signaling in PD remains elusive in regulating microglial functions. In the current study, we crossbred LRRK2 or NFATc1 conditional knockout mice with Lyz2Cre mice to generate mice with microglia‐specific deletion of LRRK2 or NFATc1, and by stereotactic injection of fibrillary α‐Syn, we generated PD models in these mice. We found that LRRK2 deficiency enhanced microglial phagocytosis in the mice after α‐Syn exposure and that genetic inhibition of NFATc1 markedly diminished phagocytosis and α‐Syn elimination. We further demonstrated that LRRK2 negatively regulated NFATc1 in α‐Syn‐treated microglia, in which microglial LRRK2‐deficiency facilitated NFATc1 nuclear translocation, CX3CR1 upregulation, and microglia migration. Additionally, NFATc1 translocation upregulated the expression of Rab7 and promoted the formation of late lysosomes, resulting in α‐Syn degradation. In contrast, the microglial NFATc1 deficiency impaired CX3CR1 upregulation and the formation of Rab7‐mediated late lysosomes. These findings highlight the critical role of NFATc1 in modulating microglial migration and phagocytosis, in which the LRRK2‐NFATc1 signaling pathway regulates the expression of microglial CX3CR1 and endocytic degradative Rab7 to attenuate α‐synuclein immunotoxicity.
Awareness of diagnosis predicts changes in quality of life in individuals with mild cognitive impairment and mild stage dementia
Authors: Stites Shana D. , Rubright Jonathan D. , Harkins Kristin , Karlawish Jason
Published: June 2023

Background and Objective

This observational study examined how awareness of diagnosis predicted changes in cognition and quality of life (QOL) 1 year later in older adults with normal cognition and dementia diagnoses.

Research Design and Methods

Older adults (n = 259) with normal cognition, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), or mild stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) completed measures of diagnostic awareness, cognition, and multiple domains of QOL. We compared 1‐year change in cognition and QOL by diagnostic group and diagnostic awareness.

Results

Patients who were unaware of their diagnosis at baseline showed average decreases in both satisfaction with daily life (QOL‐AD; paired mean difference (PMD) = −0.9, p < 0.05) and physical functioning (SF‐12 PCS; PMD = −2.5, p < 0.05). In contrast, patients aware of their diagnosis at baseline showed no statistically discernable changes in most QOL domains (all p > 0.05). Of patients aware of their diagnosis at baseline (n = 111), those who were still aware (n = 84) showed a decrease in mental functioning at follow up (n = 27; SF‐12 MCS). Change in MoCA scores in patients unaware of their diagnosis was similar to that in patients aware of their diagnosis, −1.4 points (95% CI −2.6 to −0.6) and −1.7 points (95% CI −2.4 to −1.1) respectively.

Discussion and Implications

Awareness of one's diagnosis of MCI or AD, not the severity of cognitive impairment, may predict changes in patients' mental functioning, expectations of their memory, satisfaction with daily life, and physical functioning. The findings may help clinicians anticipate the types of threats to wellbeing that a patient might encounter and identify key domains for monitoring.
Prevalence of malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women at booking in Nigeria
Authors: Oyerogba Olufiade P. , Adedapo Aduragbenro , Awokson Titilayo , Odukogbe Akin‐Tunde , Aderinto Nicholas
Published: June 2023

Background

Malaria is a major public health concern among pregnant women in sub‐Saharan Africa. Within the region, Nigeria has the highest malaria cases. This study aimed to determine the prevalence and factors associated with malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women at a booking clinic in Ibadan, Nigeria.

Methods

A cross‐sectional study was conducted between January and April 2021 at the University College Hospital in Ibadan, Nigeria. A sample of 300 pregnant women participated, and anaemia and malaria were diagnosed using packed cell volume and Giemsa‐stained blood smears, respectively. Data analysis was done using SPSS 25.0.

Results

The study found that 26 (8.70%) pregnant women tested positive for malaria parasitaemia. Factors such as age, religion, level of education, and occupation were significantly related to the prevalence of malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women with p < 0.05.

Conclusion

Our study identified a high prevalence of malaria parasitaemia among pregnant women with demographic factors such as age, religion, level of education, and occupation significantly associated. Targeted malaria control interventions for pregnant women with low levels of education and low‐income occupations are necessary, with more research needed to evaluate their effectiveness.
Fourier ptychographic and deep learning using breast cancer histopathological image classification
Authors: Thomas Leena , Sheeja M. K.
Published: June 2023

Automated, as well as accurate classification with breast cancer histological images, was crucial for medical applications because of detecting malignant tumors via histopathological images. In this work create a Fourier ptychographic (FP) and deep learning using breast cancer histopathological image classification. Here the FP method used in the process begins with such a random guess that builds a high‐resolution complex hologram, subsequently uses iterative retrieval using FP constraints to stitch around each other low‐resolution multi‐view means of production owned from either the hologram's high‐resolution hologram's elemental images captured via integral imaging. Next, the feature extraction process includes entropy, geometrical features, and textural features. The entropy‐based normalization is used to optimize the features. Finally, it attains the classification process of the proposed ENDNN classifies the breast cancer images into normal or abnormal. The experimental outcomes demonstrate that our presented technique overtakes the traditional techniques.
Development of an industrial sustainable process for wax esters production: enzyme immobilization, process optimization, and plant simulation
Authors: Montiel M. Claudia , Serrano‐Arnaldos Mar , Yagüe Clara , Ortega‐Requena Salvadora , Máximo Fuensanta , Bastida Josefa
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND

As a result of the ban on whaling, there has been a shortage of spermaceti, a natural product with applications in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. A green and sustainable process for the biocatalytic synthesis of a wax ester mixture analogue to natural spermaceti is presented in this paper.

RESULTS

Immobilization of Candida antarctica lipase B by covalent binding to Purolite® Lifetech™ ECR8285 allowed for an immobilized derivative with 124.5 mg protein/g support (69.3% protein immobilization yield) that maintains 100% of its enzymatic activity after 12 months of cold storage and presents negligible loses of activity after 9 consecutive reaction cycles. The optimization of the synthesis process in a batch reactor resulted in conditions that, at 70 °C, 350 rpm, and 1.25% w/w of biocatalyst, achieved a conversion of 97% after 1 h of reaction. The simulation of a spermaceti production plant was carried out using the process simulation software aspenONE suite v10. The plant was designed for a continuous operation during 9 h per day, with a reactor of 20.25 L of working volume and a residence time of 1 h. The production of this plant would be 173.25 kg spermaceti/day, with a product purity of 99.55%.

CONCLUSION

The main novelty of this work is the design of a spermaceti production plant, using the most sustainable methodologies and resulting in a product with exceptional characteristics and minimal waste generation. Moreover, a new lipase immobilized derivative is also described. The good values of sustainability indicators point to the viability of its industrial implementation. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
The performance of first‐trimester ultrasound in diagnosing fetal cleft palate: Meta‐analysis and systematic review
Authors: Yu Dongmei , Zhang Nan , Sun Hui , Liu Meixin
Published: June 2023

Objective

This system review and meta‐analysis was aim to evaluate the accuracy of prenatal ultrasound in diagnosing cleft palates (CPs) during first trimester.

Data Source

We systematically searched the databases of PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library for the articles, which assessed the accuracy of CPs diagnosed by ultrasound during first trimester.

Review Method

The characteristics of the included studies were recorded. The quality of included studies was assessed by QUADAS‐2. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated using Meta‐Disc software version 1.4. The publication bias was assessed by Stata software version 12.0.

Results

This meta‐analysis included 13 studies with 39 806 fetuses. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR were 0.874, 0.999, 689.84, and 0.161, respectively. The DOR and AUC were 6651.3 and 0.9084, respectively.

Conclusion

The overall detection rate was 0.874, which indicated high value of first trimester ultrasound in diagnosing CPs.
Potential of biochar for hydrocarbon degradation of crude oil–contaminated soils
Authors: Saliu Abiola O. , Akinpelumi Babalola E. , Najeemdeen Bolaji A.
Published: June 2023

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to assess the effect of phytoremediation and biochar application on hydrocarbon degradation in crude oil–contaminated soils. The experiment consisted of four levels of biochar application (0, 5, 10, and 15 t/ha) and the presence or absence of Vigna unguiculata (cowpea; +C, −C) replicated thrice and arranged in a 4 × 2 × 3 factorial completely randomized design. Samples were taken on days 0, 30, and 60 for total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) analysis. A significantly higher TPH degradation efficiency of 69.2% (7033 mg/kg) was observed in contaminated soils amended with 15 t/ha biochar only after 60 days of incubation. Highly significant interactions were observed between biochar × plant (p < 0.001) and biochar × days (p = 0.0073). Biochar also improved the growth of plants in contaminated soils, with the highest height of 23.50 cm and stem girth of 2.10 cm obtained when plants were amended with 15 t/ha biochar at 6 weeks after planting. The potential of biochar to increase the degradation efficiency of hydrocarbons should be explored in the long run for the cleanup of crude oil–contaminated soils.
Spectral radius and edge‐disjoint spanning trees
Authors: Fan Dandan , Gu Xiaofeng , Lin Huiqiu
Published: June 2023

The spanning tree packing number of a graph , denoted by , is the maximum number of edge‐disjoint spanning trees contained in . The study of is one of the classic problems in graph theory. Cioabă and Wong initiated to investigate from spectral perspectives in 2012 and since then, has been well studied using the second‐largest eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix in the past decade. In this paper, we further extend the results in terms of the number of edges and the spectral radius, respectively; and prove tight sufficient conditions to guarantee with extremal graphs characterized. Moreover, we confirm a conjecture of Ning, Lu, and Wang on characterizing graphs with the maximum spectral radius among all graphs with a given order as well as fixed minimum degree and fixed edge connectivity. Our results have important applications in rigidity and nowhere‐zero flows. We conclude with some open problems in the end.
A theoretical integration of leader emergence and leadership effectiveness: Over, under, and congruent emergence
Authors: Galvin Benjamin M. , Badura Katie , LePine Jeffrey , LePine Marcie
Published: June 2023

There is a long and rich history of research on the concept of leader emergence. Much of this research positions leader emergence alongside leadership effectiveness as an epiphenomenal criterion in leadership research. Although this view has enhanced our understanding of factors that influence leader emergence and leadership effectiveness individually, our understanding of the potential alignment or misalignment of these concepts remains opaque. Following from this, we are left with unanswered questions concerning how, why, and under what conditions do the right or wrong leaders emerge or fail to emerge. Theory that develops insights into these questions is needed to advance our understanding of leadership and to cope with challenges of identifying and developing effective leaders and maximizing leadership potential in organizations. By integrating theories of leader emergence and leadership effectiveness—and considering their implications jointly—we provide a conceptual basis for identifying and understanding a more complete range of leader emergence than has been suggested in the literature. Importantly, our theoretical frame explains how our leader emergence types—over‐emergence, under‐emergence, congruent emergence, and congruent non‐emergence—are differentially associated with a common set of factors. In doing so, we illuminate tradeoffs that might accompany different interventions intended to enhance leadership in organizations.
Lactobacillus coryniformis subsp. torquensT3 alleviates non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease via reconstruction of the gut microbiota and redox system
Authors: Song Wei , Wang Tianyi , Cui Xiaole , Li Lingling , Chen Bing , Li Yanjie , Yue Tianli
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND

A high‐fat diet (HFD) that induces obesity has become the most common type of diet worldwide, leading to serious global health issues. Obesity is associated with an increased risk of non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Probiotic supplements have been shown to help alleviate obesity. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which Lactobacillus coryniformis supsp. torquens T3 (T3L) alleviated NAFLD induced by HFD via reconstruction of the gut microbiota and redox system.

RESULTS

The results showed that, compared with the HFD group, T3L inhibited obesity and relieved fat accumulation in the liver of mice with NAFLD. In addition, T3L inhibited liver inflammation and oxidative stress injury in NAFLD mice by regulating the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inflammatory pathway in the liver. Furthermore, T3L changed the composition of the intestinal flora, reduced the abundance of harmful bacteria in the intestinal tract, enhanced the mechanical function of the intestinal barrier, and increased the short‐chain fatty acid contents, thus inhibiting the secondary metabolite LPS, which directly causes liver damage through the portal vein.

CONCLUSION

In summary, T3L ameliorated NAFLD induced by obesity through the liver–gut axis pathway, thus reducing oxidative stress and liver injury. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Hydration effects of insoluble soybean fiber (ISF) on rheological properties and freeze–thaw stability of ISF concentrated emulsions
Authors: Cai Yongjian , Huang Lihua , Zhao Qiangzhong , Zhao Dongrui , Zhao Mouming , Van der Meeren Paul
Published: June 2023

BACKGROUND

Concentrated emulsions have been formulated in many foods. The insoluble soybean fiber (ISF) can be utilized as a particle to stabilize concentrated emulsions. However, the approach to control the rheological properties and stability of the ISF concentrated emulsions is still worth investigating.

RESULTS

In this study, alkali‐extracted ISF was hydrated by adding sodium chloride or heating and the prepared concentrated emulsions were subjected to freeze–thawing. Compared with the original hydration method, salinization reduced the absolute ζ‐potential of the ISF dispersions to 6 mV, resulting in a lower absolute ζ‐potential of the concentrated emulsions, which led to a decreased electrostatic repulsion and the largest droplet size, but to the lowest apparent viscosity, viscoelastic modulus, and stability. By contrast, hydration by heating promoted the interparticle interactions, and then a decreased droplet size (54.5 μm) but with a more densely distributed droplets was observed, together with enhanced viscosity and viscoelasticity properties. The fortified network structure improved the stability of the concentrated emulsions both against high‐speed centrifugation and long‐term storage. Additionally, secondary emulsification after freeze–thaw further improved the performance of the concentrated emulsions.

CONCLUSION

The results suggest that the formation and stability of the concentrated emulsion could be regulated by different hydration methods of particles, which could be adjusted according to the practical applications. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Is transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy safe for total thyroidectomy compared to open thyroidectomy? A propensity‐score matched cohort study with papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Li Yujun , Liu Zhaodi , Wang Yong , Yu Xing , Wang Tiantian , Xiang Cheng , Wang Ping
Published: June 2023

Background

Transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy via vestibular approach (TOETVA) has become increasingly popular in the treatment of papillary thyroid cancer (PTC). This study aimed to describe the safety and feasibility of total thyroidectomy between the TOETVA and open thyroidectomy (OT) approaches for the treatment of patients with PTC.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed 780 consecutive patients suffering from PTC that had undergone total thyroidectomy using TOETVA (n = 107) and OT (n = 673) between April 2016 and December 2021 at our institute. Afterward, a total of 101 matched patients' surgical outcomes were compared using propensity score matching (PSM) analysis.

Results

Before PSM, the patients in the TOETVA group were younger (p < 0.001), had a lower body mass index (p < 0.001) and a greater female population (p < 0.001). After PSM, the TOETVA group was associated with significantly longer operative time (p < 0.001), greater blood loss (p < 0.001), total drainage amount (p < 0.001), higher C‐reaction protein level (p < 0.001), better cosmetic satisfaction (p < 0.001) and quality of life (p < 0.001) and lower scar self‐consciousness (p < 0.001). There was no statistical difference between the groups in the rate of parathyroid autotransplantation and bilateral lymph node dissection, the positivity of lymph node metastasis, number of dissected lymph nodes and positive lymph nodes, multifocality, postoperative level of blood calcium and parathyroid hormone (PTH), rate of PTH < 15 ng/mL, visual analog scale score, duration of hospital stay, complications, mean thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH)‐stimulated Tg level before radioactive iodine, mean Tg level without TSH stimulation, and the proportion of serum Tg level of <1.

Conclusion

TOETVA is a safe and feasible technique for better cosmetic effects and similar surgical outcomes compared to conventional open surgery for the studied patients that required total thyroidectomy.
Very low Omega‐3 Index in young healthy students from Palestine
Authors: Almasri Feras , Badrasawi Manal , Zahdeh Rana , Hahn Andreas , Schuchardt Jan Philipp , Greupner Theresa
Published: June 2023

Oily fish is rich in long‐chain omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which have been associated with several health benefits. However, fish consumption is generally low in many countries, including the Middle East, resulting in low omega‐3 blood levels. In Palestine, no data on the omega‐3 blood status is available. The aim of this cross‐sectional study was to assess the omega‐3 status and related factors in young healthy subjects from Palestine. Omega‐3 status was assessed using the Omega‐3 Index—defined as the sum of EPA + DHA in relation to the total fatty acid content of erythrocytes. A total of 149 subjects, 50 males and 99 females (age range: 18–24 years), were included in the study. In addition to the Omega‐3 Index, data on anthropometrics, physical activity, smoking status, fish intake, dietary supplement intake, blood lipid profile, and whole erythrocyte fatty acid pattern were collected. The mean (SD) Omega‐3 Index was 2.56 (0.57)%, with 97.9% of subjects having an index below 4%. The majority of participants (91.8%) consumed less than two portions of fish per week, and only 4% reported taking omega‐3 supplements, mostly irregularly. Our findings show that young Palestinian students have an alarmingly low omega‐3 status. Further studies are needed to investigate whether the omega‐3 status is also low in the general Palestinian population.
Singularity formation to the 2D Cauchy problem of nonbarotropic magnetohydrodynamic equations without heat conductivity
Authors: Zhong Xin
Published: June 2023

The question of whether the two‐dimensional (2D) nonbarotropic compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations with zero heat conduction can develop a finite‐time singularity from smooth initial data is a challenging open problem in fluid dynamics and mathematics. Such a problem is interesting in studying global well‐posedness of solutions. In this paper, we proved that, for the initial density allowing vacuum states, the strong solution exists globally if the density and the pressure are bounded from above. Our method relies on weighted energy estimates and a Hardy‐type inequality.
FTO promotes the progression of cervical cancer by regulating the N6‐methyladenosine modification of ZEB1 and Myc
Authors: Wang Aihong , Jin Canhui , Wang Ying , Yu Juanjuan , Wang Ruifang , Tian Xiaoyu
Published: June 2023

Cervical cancer is a malignant tumor of the cervix in women. However, the pathogenesis of cervical cancer has not been fully understood. N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) is a kind of RNA modification that plays a critical role in cancer development. We aim to find out the possible m6A regulatory mechanism of the fat mass and obesity‐associated protein (FTO) on the development of cervical cancer. The proliferative capacity of cervical cancer cells was detected by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)−2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide (MTT), colony formation and 5‐ethynyl‐20‐deoxyuridine (EdU) staining. The migration and invasion of cervical cancer cells were determined by transwell assay. The function of FTO on tumor growth was evaluated by a xenograft model. We found that FTO was highly expressed in cervical cancer tissues and cell lines. FTO silencing suppressed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells. Mechanistically, FTO modulated the m6A modification of Zinc finger E‐box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) and Myelocytomatosis oncogene (Myc). Furthermore, ZEB1 and Myc overexpression reverse the effect of FTO knockdown on the malignant behaviors of cervical cancer cells. FTO may be a novel therapeutic target for cervical cancer.
Confucianism and corporate environmental protection investment: Evidence from heavily polluting listed companies in China
Authors: Guo Qianghua , Wei Yidan
Published: June 2023

This study investigates the influence of Confucianism on corporate environmental protection investment among heavily polluting companies in China from 2013 to 2020. We find that Confucianism is positively associated with corporate environmental protection investment. This correlation is mainly reflected in preventive environmental protection investment. Mechanism tests reveal that Confucianism promotes corporate environmental protection investment by increasing environmental legitimacy pressure. Additionally, in areas with a high environmental regulation level, Confucianism plays a stronger role in promoting corporate environmental protection investment. These findings illustrate the factors that influence corporate environmental protection investment and provide insights into the impact of Confucianism on corporate behavior.
A two‐step matrix splitting iteration paradigm based on one single splitting for solving systems of linear equations
Authors: Bai Zhong‐Zhi
Published: June 2023

For solving large sparse systems of linear equations, we construct a paradigm of two‐step matrix splitting iteration methods and analyze its convergence property for the nonsingular and the positive‐definite matrix class. This two‐step matrix splitting iteration paradigm adopts only one single splitting of the coefficient matrix, together with several arbitrary iteration parameters. Hence, it can be constructed easily in actual applications, and can also recover a number of representatives of the existing two‐step matrix splitting iteration methods. This result provides systematic treatment for the two‐step matrix splitting iteration methods, establishes rigorous theory for their asymptotic convergence, and enriches algorithmic family of the linear iteration solvers, for the iterative solutions of large sparse linear systems.
Gene therapy for pediatric genetic kidney diseases
Authors: Lu Yi , Song Yandong , Sun Shaokai , Zhang Lirong , Chen Yupeng
Published: June 2023

Genetic kidney disease is the main cause of chronic kidney disease in children. While the pathogenic genes associated with most genetic kidney diseases have been identified, the underlying mechanisms of disease initiation remain ambiguous, and effective treatment modalities are limited. Gene therapy has emerged as a promising approach for treating genetic diseases. Several gene therapy drugs have been successfully launched to treat genetic diseases affecting the eyes and muscles. However, the development of gene therapy agents for kidney diseases lags behind that of other genetic disorders. In this review, we first comprehensively summarize the main gene therapy strategies. Next, we provide an overview of current treatment options as well as the latest research on gene therapy approaches for pediatric genetic kidney diseases with a particular emphasis on Alport syndrome and polycystic kidney disease. Finally, we discuss the challenges and potential solutions for gene therapy of pediatric genetic kidney diseases.
Immunogenicity of coronavirus disease 2019 vaccines in children: A review with ChatGPT
Authors: Leung Daniel , Rosa Duque Jaime , Tu Wenwei , Lau Yu Lung
Published: June 2023

SARS‐CoV‐2 causes millions of infection cases and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19)‐related deaths worldwide. In addition to acute illnesses, children and adolescents suffer from post‐infectious complications. Vaccination is a promising preventative treatment that can confer protection from these devastating outcomes. Utilizing ChatGPT, this review discusses the immunogenicity of mRNA and inactivated COVID‐19 vaccines in children and adolescents. Rapid vaccine discovery during the COVID‐19 pandemic led to the approval of the mRNA vaccines that stimulate potent antibody responses in pediatric population, and the younger age groups develop higher neutralizing and non‐neutralizing antibody responses than those who are older. Natural infection induces weaker antibody responses than vaccination. Vaccine‐induced humoral immunity decreases over time, as antibodies decline six months after the second dose. However, antibody avidity increases, which partly maintains neutralization and Fc‐effector functions that provide more durable protection. Inactivated COVID‐19 vaccines generate strong antibody responses in children and adolescents. They induce T cell responses against multiple structural protein antigens, although their neutralizing antibody responses appear weaker and wane more quickly than mRNA vaccines. Full‐dose intradermal administration and heterologous prime‐boost may improve the immunogenicity of inactivated vaccines. In children and adolescents, immune protection from the pre‐Omicron variants of concern (VOCs) is maintained. Vaccination induces less antibody neutralization against the Omicron variant, but non‐neutralizing antibodies and T cell responses persist. Hybrid immunity provides stronger immunogenicity against SARS‐CoV‐2 in the pediatric population. Future research must focus on long‐term immunity, interaction with breakthrough reinfections, cross‐reactivity against new VOCs, T cell immunogenicity and immunogenicity in young children.
Influence of external electric field on structure, spectra and various properties of 3‐Chlorothieno[2,3‐b]pyridine‐2‐carbonitrile using density functional theory
Authors: Yaping Tao , Mingzhu Su , Renyong Xu , Jinfan Ai , Weiying Zhang
Published: June 2023

Thiophene and pyridine compounds are widely used in medicine, pesticides, and material fields, and study of their physical and chemical changes under an external electric field (EEF) will improve a deep understanding of their properties. In this work, we selected 3‐Chlorothieno[2,3‐b]pyridine‐2‐carbonitrile (CPC) as the representative and explored the structure, total energy, dipole moment, Hirshfeld charge, molecular electrostatic potential, infrared, Raman, and UV‐Vis spectra of CPC under EEF through density functional theory (DFT). The calculations indicated that the bond length, the bond angle, total energy, dipole moment, and energy gap of CPC are strongly affected by EEF. Infrared, Raman, and UV‐Vis spectra showed stark vibration effects with increasing EFF. Our results provide a basis for further applications of CPC with and without EEF.
A Review of Intercalation of Rare Gas Solids on Graphene and Hexagonal Boron Nitride
Authors: Saha Shantanu , Sankar Shrivatch , Nikor Sk Shafaat Saud , Arafin Shamsul
Published: June 2023

Intercalation has recently emerged as a powerful tool due to its unique capability of modifying the properties of materials without breaking their chemical bonds. The ultrathin lattice structure of two‐dimensional (2D) materials with strong in‐plane covalent bonding and weak out‐of‐plane bonding between neighboring layers allow for the successful utilization of this powerful technique. The physics and chemistry of intercalated foreign species in 2D host materials, especially graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN), are the focus of this review article. Among many foreign species, special attention is given to rare gas solids that introduce unprecedented physical and chemical properties in the targeted host materials. The historical background of intercalation is briefly discussed, and a comprehensive review of the very recent progress in the intercalation of rare gas solids in graphene and h‐BN is then provided. Different technologies used for the growth of the host materials and for the intercalation of rare gas species are also described. The remarkable potential of the resulting hybrid materials is outlined for diverse applications, including sensing, water filtration, and nanoelectromechanical devices.
Adaptive control for stochastic nonlinear systems with time‐varying delays via multidimensional Taylor network
Authors: Yan Hong‐Sen , Wang Guo‐Biao
Published: June 2023

Control of stochastic nonlinear systems turns out to be notoriously difficult when stochastic uncertainties and time‐varying delays occur simultaneously. This article presents a tractable adaptive control scheme for the stochastic nonlinear system with time‐varying delays. To mitigate the effects of stochastic uncertainties, an adaptive embedded cubature Kalman filter is developed to realize the robust estimation of the state. Unlike the conventional cubature Kalman filter with fixed construction, a semi‐definite programming is designed to adjust the weights of cubature points dynamically. Such programming guarantees the positive definiteness of the error covariance matrix, which enhances the reliability of the filtering procedure. Based on more accurate state estimations, the multidimensional Taylor network (MTN) is utilized to evaluate the dynamic performance under time‐varying delays and approximate the optimal policy in the deterministic policy gradient framework. Adaptive tracking control with high computational efficiency is achieved due to the concise topological structure of MTN. The exponential convergence of the state estimation error and the semi‐globally uniform ultimate boundness of the tracking error are verified theoretically. The effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by a numerical simulation based on a practical electric industrial system.
Security control based on variable‐step predictive approach for networked control system with denial‐of‐service attacks
Authors: Li Hongchao , Gao Hongjie , Zuo Zhiqiang , Liu Jiao
Published: June 2023

This paper investigates the variable‐step predictive control problem for networked control system (NCS) with denial‐of‐service (DoS) attacks and model uncertainty. An event‐based variable‐step predictive scheme determined by accumulated error is firstly formulated to compensate the impact of DoS attacks. Based on the presence of DoS attacks and predictive control signals, NCS with DoS attacks is divided into three different operation modes and is described by switching system. With the above prediction scheme and system model, sufficient conditions are derived for ensuring the stability of the underlying system. Finally, an example is given to verify the validity of the theoretical results.
The coherence between resource investment and performance for sustainable development goals in Taiwan cities: A hybrid influence analysis
Authors: Chan Ya‐Ting , Wu Cou‐Chen , Wu Kuo‐Jui , Chiu Anthony S. F. , Tseng Ming‐Lang
Published: June 2023

This study contributes to visualizing the complicated interrelationships among the sustainable development goals (SDGs) in Taiwanese cities' resource investment and performance under uncertainties. Taiwan faces bottlenecks and uncertainties in pursuing the SDGs due to the complex interrelationships among the SDGs. In particular, the lack of a comprehensive approach causes problems for governments in identifying whether resource investment and performance reach a coherent situation. To address this issue, this study proposes to use secondary data normalization, factor analysis and reliability testing for the validity and reliability of measures, performance‐resource analysis and the fuzzy synthetic method to translate qualitative information, as well as the decision‐making trial and evaluation laboratory to visualize the relationships. The study (1) establishes validation measures for resource investment and performance; (2) combines qualitative information and secondary data to understand the causal effects of the SDGs; and (3) provides directions for the government to improve the coherence of resource investment and performance. The findings show that SDG 3 has a strong effect on SDGs 11 and 9 and a moderate effect on SDG 8 to achieve the agenda. Guidelines are provided for resource‐poor counties/regions that could invest resources to achieve SDG 3. Many cities and counties are underperforming.
Magnetically Powered Immunogenic Macrophage Microrobots for Targeted Multimodal Cancer Therapy
Authors: Li Yangyang , Cong Zhaoqing , Xie Leiming , Tang Songsong , Ren Chunyu , Peng Xiqi , Tang Daitian , Wan Fangchen , Han Hong , Zhang Xueji , Gao Wei , Wu Song
Published: June 2023

Motile microrobots open a new realm for disease treatment. However, the concerns of possible immune elimination, targeted capability and limited therapeutic avenue of microrobots constrain its practical biomedical applications. Herein, a biogenic macrophage‐based microrobot loaded with magnetic nanoparticles and bioengineered bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), capable of magnetic propulsion, tumor targeting, and multimodal cancer therapy is reported. Such cell robots preserve intrinsic properties of macrophages for tumor suppression and targeting, and bioengineered OMVs for antitumor immune regulation and fused anticancer peptides. Cell robots display efficient magnetic propulsion and directional migration in the confined space. In vivo tests show that cell robots can accumulate at the tumor site upon magnetic manipulation, coupling with tumor tropism of macrophages to greatly improve the efficacy of its multimodal therapy, including tumor inhibition of macrophages, immune stimulation, and antitumor peptides of OMVs. This technology offers an attractive avenue to design intelligent medical microrobots with remote manipulation and multifunctional therapy capabilities for practical precision treatment.
Direct Observation of Contact Reaction Induced Ion Migration and its Effect on Non‐Ideal Charge Transport in Lead Triiodide Perovskite Field‐Effect Transistors
Authors: Zhang Youcheng , Ummadisingu Amita , Shivanna Ravichandran , Tjhe Dionisius Hardjo Lukito , Un Hio‐Ieng , Xiao Mingfei , Friend Richard H. , Senanayak Satyaprasad P. , Sirringhaus Henning
Published: June 2023

The migration of ionic defects and electrochemical reactions with metal electrodes remains one of the most important research challenges for organometal halide perovskite optoelectronic devices. There is still a lack of understanding of how the formation of mobile ionic defects impact charge carrier transport and operational device stability, particularly in perovskite field‐effect transistors (FETs), which tend to exhibit anomalous device characteristics. Here, the evolution of the n‐type FET characteristics of one of the most widely studied materials, Cs0.05FA0.17MA0.78PbI3, is investigated during repeated measurement cycles as a function of different metal source–drain contacts and precursor stoichiometry. The channel current increases for high work function metals and decreases for low work function metals when multiple cycles of transfer characteristics are measured. The cycling behavior is also sensitive to the precursor stoichiometry. These metal/stoichiometry‐dependent device non‐idealities are correlated with the quenching of photoluminescence near the positively biased electrode. Based on elemental analysis using electron microscopy the observations can be understood by an n‐type doping effect of metallic ions that are created by an electrochemical interaction at the metal–semiconductor interface and migrate into the channel. The findings improve the understanding of ion migration, contact reactions, and the origin of non‐idealities in lead triiodide perovskite FETs.