bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultra‐Small ATP‐Decorated Gold Nanoparticles for Targeting Amyloid Fibrils in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Kumar Vijay Bhooshan , Kumar Vijay , Kumar Sourav , Segal Daniel , Gazit Ehud
Published: December 2023

Ultrafine Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) functionalized with various biomolecules constitute an alternative to antibodies as anti‐amyloidogenic agents. However, generating stable ultrafine Au NPs with high surface activity is challenging. Here, the capacity of phosphate groups in biomolecules is used to stabilize Au NPs. The characteristics of Au NPs decorated with adenosine mono‐, di‐, and tri‐phosphate are compared as well as adenosine and peptide nucleic acid‐containing adenosine as controls. Among them, ATP‐Au NPs are found to be superior having small size (2–4 nm) and stability (for several months) when analysed by spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Spectroscopy analysis also revealed that each ATP‐stabilized Au NP is decorated with 7–8 molecules of ATP. ThT binding analysis and TEM imaging showed that the ATP‐Au NPs efficiently prevented amyloid fibril formation in vitro by Aβ‐42, α‐Synuclein as well as by the Glucosylceramide metabolite, and disaggregated their pre‐formed fibrils. NMR analysis revealed the interaction of the ATP‐Au NPs with the amyloid fibrils. The ATP‐Au NPs are safe toward cultured SH‐SY5Y cells and when co‐incubated with α‐Synuclein amyloids inhibited their cytotoxicity and readily enter the cells to inhibit formation of amyloid fibrils within them. The results indicates the pharmacological potentials of ATP decorated Au NPs.
Ultrahigh‐Efficacy VEGF Neutralization Using Carbonized Nanodonuts: Implications for Intraocular Anti‐Angiogenic Therapy
Authors: Jian Hong‐Jyuan , Anand Anisha , Lai Jui‐Yang , Huang Chih‐Ching , Ma David Hui‐Kang , Lai Chi‐Chun , Chang Huan‐Tsung
Published: December 2023

Ocular angiogenesis, associated with diseases such as retinopathy of prematurity and diabetic retinopathy, is a leading cause of irreversible vision loss. Herein, carbon nanodonuts (CNDs) with a donut‐shaped structure are synthesized using sodium alginate (SA) and 1,8‐diaminooctane (DAO) through a one‐step thermal process. The formation of SA/DAO‐CNDs occurs through a crosslinking reaction between SA and DAO, creating amide bonds followed by partial carbonization. In human retinal pigment epithelial cells exposed to H2O2 or lipopolysaccharide, the SA/DAO‐CNDs display a more than fivefold reduction in reactive oxygen species and proinflammatory cytokines, such as IL‐6 and IL‐1β, when compared to carbonized nanomaterials produced exclusively from SA. Furthermore, the CNDs effectively inhibit vascular endothelial growth factor A‐165 (VEGF‐A165)‐induced cell migration and tube formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells due to their strong affinity for VEGF‐A165, with a dissociation constant of 2.2 × 10−14 M, over 1600 times stronger than the commercial drug bevacizumab (Avastin). Trypsin digestion coupled with LC‐MS/MS analysis reveals that VEGF‐A165 interacts with SA/DAO‐CNDs through its heparin‐binding domain, leading to activity loss. The SA/DAO‐CNDs demonstrate excellent biocompatibility and potent anti‐angiogenic effects in chicken embryos and rabbit eyes. These findings suggest that SA/DAO‐CNDs hold promise as a therapeutic agent for treating various angiogenesis‐related ocular diseases.
Fluorinating All Interfaces Enables Super‐Stable Solid‐State Lithium Batteries by In Situ Conversion of Detrimental Surface Li2CO3
Authors: Guo Yong , Pan Siyuan , Yi Xuerui , Chi Sijia , Yin Xunjie , Geng Chuannan , Yin Qianhui , Zhan QinYi , Zhao Ziyun , Jin Feng‐Min , Fang Hui , He Yan‐Bing , Kang Feiyu , Wu Shichao , Yang Quan‐Hong
Published: December 2023

Li‐stuffed battery materials intrinsically have surface impurities, typically Li2CO3, which introduce severe kinetic barriers and electrochemical decay for a cycling battery. For energy‐dense solid‐state lithium batteries (SSLBs), mitigating detrimental Li2CO3 from both cathode and electrolyte materials is required, while the direct removal approaches hardly avoid Li2CO3 regeneration. Here, a decarbonization–fluorination strategy to construct ultrastable LiF‐rich interphases throughout the SSLBs by in situ reacting Li2CO3 with LiPF6 at 60 °C is reported. The fluorination of all interfaces effectively suppresses parasitic reactions while substantially reducing the interface resistance, producing a dendrite‐free Li anode with an impressive cycling stability of up to 7000 h. Particularly, transition metal dissolution associated with gas evolution in the cathodes is remarkably reduced, leading to notable improvements in battery rate capability and cyclability at a high voltage of 4.5 V. This all‐in‐one approach propels the development of SSLBs by overcoming the limitations associated with surface impurities and interfacial challenges.
Flortaucipir tau PET findings from former professional and college American football players in the DIAGNOSE CTE research project
Authors: Su Yi , Protas Hillary , Luo Ji , Chen Kewei , Alosco Michael L. , Adler Charles H. , Balcer Laura J. , Bernick Charles , Au Rhoda , Banks Sarah J. , Barr William B. , Coleman Michael J. , Dodick David W. , Katz Douglas I. , Marek Kenneth L. , McClean Michael D. , McKee Ann C. , Mez Jesse , Daneshvar Daniel H. , Palmisano Joseph N. , Peskind Elaine R. , Turner Robert W. , Wethe Jennifer V. , Rabinovici Gil , Johnson Keith , Tripodis Yorghos , Cummings Jeffrey L. , Shenton Martha E. , Stern Robert A. , Reiman Eric M. ,   For the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project Investigators
Published: December 2023

INTRODUCTION

Tau is a key pathology in chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Here, we report our findings in tau positron emission tomography (PET) measurements from the DIAGNOSE CTE Research Project.

METHOD

We compare flortaucipir PET measures from 104 former professional players (PRO), 58 former college football players (COL), and 56 same‐age men without exposure to repetitive head impacts (RHI) or traumatic brain injury (unexposed [UE]); characterize their associations with RHI exposure; and compare players who did or did not meet diagnostic criteria for traumatic encephalopathy syndrome (TES).

RESULTS

Significantly elevated flortaucipir uptake was observed in former football players (PRO+COL) in prespecified regions (p < 0.05). Association between regional flortaucipir uptake and estimated cumulative head impact exposure was only observed in the superior frontal region in former players over 60 years old. Flortaucipir PET was not able to differentiate TES groups.

DISCUSSION

Additional studies are needed to further understand tau pathology in CTE and other individuals with a history of RHI.
Towards system genetics analysis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma using the mouse model, cellular platform, and clinical human data
Authors: Zohud Osayd , Lone Iqbal M. , Nashef Aysar , Iraqi Fuad A.
Published: December 2023

Head and neck squamous cell cancer (HNSCC) is a leading global malignancy. Every year, More than 830 000 people are diagnosed with HNSCC globally, with more than 430 000 fatalities. HNSCC is a deadly diverse malignancy with many tumor locations and biological characteristics. It originates from the squamous epithelium of the oral cavity, oropharynx, nasopharynx, larynx, and hypopharynx. The most frequently impacted regions are the tongue and larynx. Previous investigations have demonstrated the critical role of host genetic susceptibility in the progression of HNSCC. Despite the advances in our knowledge, the improved survival rate of HNSCC patients over the last 40 years has been limited. Failure to identify the molecular origins of development of HNSCC and the genetic basis of the disease and its biological heterogeneity impedes the development of new therapeutic methods. These results indicate a need to identify more genetic factors underlying this complex disease, which can be better used in early detection and prevention strategies. The lack of reliable animal models to investigate the underlying molecular processes is one of the most significant barriers to understanding HNSCC tumors. In this report, we explore and discuss potential research prospects utilizing the Collaborative Cross mouse model and crossing it to mice carrying single or double knockout genes (e.g. Smad4 and P53 genes) to identify genetic factors affecting the development of this complex disease using genome‐wide association studies, epigenetics, microRNA, long noncoding RNA, lncRNA, histone modifications, methylation, phosphorylation, and proteomics.
Acid‐Cleavable Aromatic Polymers for the Fabrication of Closed‐Loop Recyclable Plastics with High Mechanical Strength and Excellent Chemical Resistance
Authors: Lu Xingyuan , Xie Peng , Li Xiang , Li Tianqi , Sun Junqi
Published: December 2023

Although closed‐loop recycling of dynamic covalent bond‐based plastics does not require catalysts, their mechanical strength and chemical stability remain a major concern. In this study, closed‐loop recyclable poly(aryl imine) (PAI) plastics with high mechanical strength and excellent chemical resistance are fabricated by copolymerizing aromatic amines and aromatic aldehydes through dynamic imine bonds. The resulting PAI plastic with a tensile strength of 58.2 MPa exhibits excellent chemical resistance and mechanical stability in acidic and basic aqueous solutions and various organic solvents. The PAI plastics can be depolymerized in a mixed solvent of tetrahydrofuran (THF)/HCl aqueous solution through the dissociation of imine bonds, and the monomers can be facilely recovered with high purity and isolated yields due to the solubility difference between the aromatic amines and aromatic aldehydes in selective solvents. The efficient closed‐loop recycling of the PAI plastic can also be realized through monomer conversion because the hydrolysis of the aromatic aldehydes generates aromatic amines. The recovered monomers can be used to re‐fabricate original PAI plastics. This PAI plastic can be selectively recovered from complicated mixed polymer waste streams due to the mild depolymerization conditions of the PAI plastic and its high stability in most organic solvents.
Crystalline Dual‐Porous Covalent Triazine Frameworks as a New Platform for Efficient Electrocatalysis
Authors: Cui Kai , Tang Xiaoliang , Xu Xiaopei , Kou Manchang , Lyu Pengbo , Xu Yuxi
Published: December 2023

Crystalline covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs) have gained considerable interest in energy and catalysis owing to their well‐defined nitrogen‐rich π‐conjugated porosity and superior physicochemical properties, however, suffer from very limited molecular structures. Herein we report a novel solvent‐free FeCl3‐catalyzed polymerization of 2, 6‐pyridinedicarbonitrile (DCP) to achieve the first synthesis of crystalline, dual‐porous, pyridine‐based CTF (Fe‐CTF). The FeCl3 could not only act as a highly active Lewis acid catalyst for promoting the two‐dimensional ordered polymerization of DCP monomers, but also in situ coordinate with the tridentate chelators generated between pyridine and triazine groups to yield unique Fe‐N3 single‐atom active sites in Fe‐CTF. Abundant few‐layer crystalline nanosheets (Fe‐CTF NSs) could be prepared through simple ball‐milling exfoliation of the bulk layered Fe‐CTF and exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with a half‐wave potential and onset potential up to 0.902 and 1.02 V respectively, and extraordinary Zn‐air battery performance with an ultrahigh specific capacity and power density of 811 mAh g−1 and 230 mW cm−2 respectively. By combining operando X‐ray absorption spectroscopy with density functional theory calculations, we revealed a dynamic and reversible evolution of Fe‐N3 to Fe‐N2 during the electrocatalytic process, which could further accelerate the electrocatalytic reaction.
Self‐reporting and Biodegradable Thermosetting Solid Polymer Electrolyte
Authors: Zhou Ya‐Nan , Yong Haiyang , Guo Rui , Wang Kaixuan , Li Zhili , Hua Weibo , Zhou Dezhong
Published: December 2023

To date, significant efforts have been dedicated to improve their ionic conductivity, thermal stability, and mechanical strength of solid polymer electrolytes (SPEs). However, direct monitoring of physical and chemical changes in SPEs is still lacking. Moreover, existing thermosetting SPEs are hardly degradable. Herein, by overcoming the limitation predicted by Flory theory, self‐reporting and biodegradable thermosetting hyperbranched poly(β‐amino ester)‐based SPEs (HPAE‐SPEs) are reported. HPAE is successfully synthesized through a well‐controlled “A2+B4” Michael addition strategy and then crosslinked it in situ to produce HPAE‐SPEs. The multiple tertiary aliphatic amines at the branching sites confer multicolour luminescence to HPAE‐SPEs, enabling direct observation of its physical and chemical damage. After use, HPAE‐SPEs can be rapidly hydrolysed into non‐hazardous β‐amino acids and polyols via self‐catalysis. Optimized HPAE‐SPE exhibits an ionic conductivity of 1.3×10−4 S/cm at 60 °C, a Na+ transference number (
) of 0.67, a highly stable sodium plating‐stripping behaviour and a low overpotential of ≈190 mV. This study establishes a new paradigm for developing SPEs by engineering multifunctional polymers. The self‐reporting and biodegradable properties would greatly expand the scope of applications for SPEs.
A Catalytic Method to Activate Nitromethane by the Cooperation of Homo‐ and Heterogeneous Catalysis
Authors: Wang Weijin , Liu Jianzhong , Yang Licheng , Song Song , Jiao Ning
Published: December 2023

The achievement of directly activating and utilizing bulk small molecules has remained a longstanding objective in the field of chemical synthesis. The present work reports a catalytic activation method for bulk chemical nitromethane (MeNO2). This method combines homogeneous Lewis acid with recyclable heterogeneous Brønsted acid catalysis, featuring practicality, sustainability, and low cost, thus solving the inherent drawbacks of previous Nef processes where stoichiometric reductants or activators were required. By combining the advantages of both homo‐ and heterogeneous catalysts, this chemistry may not only offer new opportunities for the further development of MeNO2 as a nitrogen source for organic synthesis, but also promote the catalysis design in synthetic chemistry.
Structural Element of Vitamin U‐Mimicking Antibacterial Polypeptide with Ultrahigh Selectivity for Effectively Treating MRSA Infections
Authors: Zhang Zhenyan , Wang Xiaodan , Liu Jiaying , Yang Huawei , Tang Haoyu , Li Jing , Luan Shifang , Yin Jinghua , Wang Lei , Shi Hengchong
Published: December 2023

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) exhibit mighty antibacterial properties without inducing drug resistance. Achieving much higher selectivity of AMPs towards bacteria and normal cells has always been a continuous goal to be pursued. Herein, a series of sulfonium‐based polypeptides with different degrees of branching and polymerization were synthesized by mimicking the structure of vitamin U. The polypeptide, G2‐PM‐1H+, shows both potent antibacterial activity and the highest selectivity index of 16000 among the reported AMPs or peptoids (e.g., the known index of 9600 for recorded peptoid in “Angew. Chem. Int. Ed., 2020, 59, 6412.”), which can be attributed to the high positive charge density of sulfonium and the regulation of hydrophobic chains in the structure. The antibacterial mechanisms of G2‐PM‐1H+ are primarily ascribed to the interaction with the membrane, production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and disfunction of ribosomes. Meanwhile, altering the degree of alkylation leads to selective antibacteria against either gram‐positive or gram‐negative bacteria in a mixed‐bacteria model. Additionally, both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that G2‐PM‐1H+ exhibited superior efficacy against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) compared to vancomycin. Together, these results show that G2‐PM‐1H+ possesses high biocompatibility and is a potential pharmaceutical candidate in combating bacteria significantly threatening human health.
Voice, capacity, awareness: Early career ocean professionals’ perspectives on the equitable implementation of the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Agreement
Authors: Caldeira Mariana , Ferreira Lopes Vanessa
Published: December 2023

The urgent need for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean has come into focus as an international concern over the last decade, prompting negotiations for a new legally binding instrument under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea to conserve and sustainably use marine biodiversity of areas beyond national jurisdiction: the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction (BBNJ) Agreement. After almost 15 years of debate, the BBNJ Agreement was concluded in March 2023.

This paper is an opinion piece that showcases our perspectives as two early career ocean professionals from developing countries (Brazil and Cabo Verde) who participated as observers in the Fifth Intergovernmental Conference for the development of the BBNJ Agreement, held in 2022 and 2023. We identified factors that affected the equitable participation of professionals from developing countries in the BBNJ Agreement process. We offer our reflections on the underrepresentation of some countries in negotiations, as well as in science, and the factors hindering capacity to express their own needs and concerns.

We present three suggestions for creating more equitable participation of countries in such negotiations and enabling the future implementation of the BBNJ Agreement by developing countries: (1) Increase professional opportunities and develop capacity of early researchers from developing countries; (2) fair participation in implementation of BBNJ Agreement; and (3) enabling capacity in developing countries to be sustained in the long term.
Association of Combined Anti‐Ro52/TRIM21 and Anti‐Ro60/SSA Antibodies With Increased Sjögren Disease Severity Through Interferon Pathway Activation
Authors: Bettacchioli Eléonore , Saraux Alain , Tison Alice , Cornec Divi , Dueymes Maryvonne , Foulquier Nathan , Hillion Sophie , Roguedas‐Contios Anne‐Marie , Benyoussef Anas‐Alexis , Alarcon‐Riquelme Marta E. , Pers Jacques‐Olivier , Devauchelle‐Pensec Valérie ,   PRECISESADS Clinical Consortium, and PRECISESADS Sjögren Consortium
Published: December 2023

Objective

The biologic diagnosis of primary Sjögren disease (SjD) mainly relies on anti‐Ro60/SSA antibodies, whereas the significance of anti‐Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies currently remains unclear. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinical, serological, biologic, transcriptomic, and interferon profiles of patients with SjD according to their anti‐Ro52/TRIM21 antibody status.

Methods

Patients with SjD from the European PRECISESADS (n = 376) and the Brittany Diagnostic Suspicion of primitive Sjögren's Syndrome (DIApSS); (n = 146) cohorts were divided into four groups: double negative (Ro52−/Ro60−), isolated anti‐Ro52/TRIM21 positive (Ro52+), isolated anti‐Ro60/SSA positive (Ro60+), and double‐positive (Ro52+/Ro60+) patients. Clinical information; EULAR Sjögren Syndrome Disease Activity Index, a score representing systemic activity; and biologic markers associated with disease severity were evaluated. Transcriptome data obtained from whole blood by RNA sequencing and type I and II interferon signatures were analyzed for PRECISESADS patients.

Results

In the DIApSS cohort, Ro52+/Ro60+ patients showed significantly more parotidomegaly (33.3% vs 0%–11%) along with higher β2‐microglobulin (P = 0.0002), total immunoglobulin (P < 0.0001), and erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels (P = 0.002) as well as rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity (66.2% vs 20.8%–25%) compared to other groups. The PRECISESADS cohort corroborated these observations, with increased arthritis (P = 0.046), inflammation (P = 0.005), hypergammaglobulinemia (P < 0.0001), positive RF (P < 0.0001), leukopenia (P = 0.004), and lymphopenia (P = 0.009) in Ro52+/Ro60+ patients. Cumulative EULAR Sjögren Syndrome Disease Activity Index results further confirmed these disparities (P = 0.002). Transcriptome analysis linked anti‐Ro52/TRIM21 antibody positivity to interferon pathway activation as an underlying cause for these clinical correlations.

Conclusion

These results suggest that the combination of anti‐Ro52/TRIM21 and anti‐Ro60/SSA antibodies is associated with a clinical, biologic, and transcriptional profile linked to greater disease severity in SjD through the potentiation of the interferon pathway activation by anti‐Ro52/TRIM21 antibodies.

image
Synthesis of Boronic Esters from Organometallic Reagents and Bis(pinacolato)diboron
Authors: Paul Swagata , Panda Santanu
Published: December 2023

Synthesis of alkyl, aryl, and vinyl boronic esters carrying various chiral and achiral diol‐protecting groups were synthesized starting from the corresponding alkyl, aryl, and vinyl lithium or Grignard reagents. Good to excellent yields were obtained for a large range of substrates. The reaction can be conducted in a gram scale to obtain the product over 80 % yield. This approach provides direct access to neopentyl, pinene, and other boronic esters that are difficult to achieve. Using trimethoxyborane or 2‐isopropoxy pinacolboronic ester. Detailed mechanistic studies have been conducted to understand the mechanism behind the formation of boronic ester starting from organometallic reagents.
Associations of unintended pregnancy with autism spectrum disorders and the modification of folic acid supplements
Authors: Chen Qian , Liu Xing‐Lian , Lin Li‐zi , Wang Xin , Li Ming‐Hui , Dai Mei‐Xia , Cao Mu‐Qing , Li Xiu‐Hong , Jin Jing , Xu Hai‐Qing , Cai Li
Published: December 2023

There is limited evidence on the associations of unintended pregnancy with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study aimed to examine this relationship and the modification of pre‐conceptional and prenatal folic acid supplements. Six thousand and five toddlers aged 16 to 30 months from seven cities of six provinces in China were eligible for participation. Information on unintended pregnancy and folic acid supplements was obtained via questionnaires from caregivers of toddlers. The diagnosis of ASD was based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM‐5) and the Chinese version of the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS). Of the 6005 toddlers in the study (3337 boys and 2668 girls), 71 (1.18%) received the diagnosis of ASD. Generalized linear models with a logit link function showed unintended pregnancy was positively associated with ASD (odds ratios [OR] = 1.69, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05–2.79). Stratified estimates indicated that the association remained stable among toddlers of mothers without pre‐conceptional and prenatal folic acid supplements (OR = 2.75, 95% CI, 1.04–7.27; n = 1243, 20.70%). Unintended pregnancy was associated with higher odds of ASD in 16–30 months of toddlers, and the association was consistent among toddlers of mothers without prenatal folic acid supplements. Our findings emphasize the need to raise awareness of the risk of unintended pregnancy and the benefits of folic acid supplements among Chinese women.
Title IX ruling offers valuable guidance for addressing off‐campus violence
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: December 2023

There has been another installment in the long line of court cases examining whether colleges and universities are liable for off‐campus misconduct by students. Traditionally, these cases have involved tort/negligence claims and explored whether there is a special (legal) relationship between postsecondary institutions and their students. Such cases are finding new life in Title IX law, specifically deliberate indifference claims.
Crystal, Solution, and Computational Study of the Structure of Ortho‐Lithium N,N‐Diisopropyl‐P,P‐Diphenylphosphinothioic Amide
Authors: Belmonte‐Sánchez Eva , García‐López Jesús , Navarro Yolanda , Iglesias María José , Fernández Ignacio , López‐Ortiz Fernando
Published: December 2023

The first crystal structure of an ortho‐lithium phosphinothioic amide complexed with tetramethylethylenediamine 12 is reported. The complex consists of a spirane in which the spiro‐lithium is N,N‐ and C,S‐chelated by the diamine and organophosphorus ligands, respectively. The analogous ortho anion 14 obtained by Sn(IV)/Li transmetallation in THF has also been synthesized. Nuclear magnetic resonance study of both anions showed that they exist as monomers in solution and are involved in dynamic processes including the restricted rotation around the P−N bond. 14 is converted at room temperature by nucleophilic cyclization to the dearomatized anion 15, which evolves after a few hours to the benzophosphindole sulfide 16. Density functional theory calculations supported the aggregation state in solution and were used to explore the conformational space of anion 12, the mechanism of ortho‐lithiation directed by P(X)−N (X=O, S) groups, and the mechanism of formation of 15.
Stable organic polymer anode for high rate and fast charge sodium based dual‐ion battery
Authors: Liu Xuan , Wu Hongzheng , Xuan Zipei , Li Li , Fang Yaobing , Yuan Wenhui
Published: December 2023

Considering the extensive resources, flexible structural designability, and abundant active sites, organic electrodes have been considered as the ideal sodium storage materials. However, organic materials generally face the limitations of unstable and dissolved characteristic, leading to a poor cyclic stability. In this work, we proposed a carbon nanotube (CNT) modified polyimide as the anode for sodium‐based dual‐ion battery (SDIB). The polyimide remains well the structure and morphology of monomer with a stable conjugated structure and high degree of crystallinity, effectively enhancing the electrochemical performance of the SDIBs. Also, the cooperation with CNT particularly improves the ion conductivity of the anode and advances the rate performance. Combined with an ionic liquid electrolyte, the constructed dual‐ion battery exhibits excellent rate capability, high specific discharge capacity and stable cycling performance. It delivers a specific discharge capacity of 119.3 mA h g−1 at 0.2 C (1 C=100 mA g−1) and still has a specific discharge capacity of 82.3 mA h g−1 even after 1000 cycles at 10 C. Besides, the system displays a low self‐discharge rate and stable fast charging performance, which is expected to be applied in the large‐scale electrochemical energy storage devices and inspire the future development of SDIBs.
“Locals v. Cosmopolitans”: the roles of visiting faculty on your campus
Authors: Fatzinger Jim , Darville Dub
Published: December 2023

“One‐third of higher education's professoriate will retire within the next ten to fifteen years, and within twenty‐five years,” according to Gabelnick et al. (1990), “the entire faculty of 700,000 will replace itself.” Today, some three generations of faculty serve in higher education leadership roles. “Millennial faculty,” as noted by Strawser (2019), “may require in many ways a new way of thinking.”
Student leadership: A tool for accessibility beyond the classroom
Authors: Chen Doniqua S. , Fitzgerald Kelly Hawk
Published: December 2023

Complete access to the college experience includes being a part of the campus culture and equitable opportunities to interact with peers beyond the classroom. While professional disability service providers can remove barriers in classrooms, residence halls, and beyond, there are corners of the campus experience best reached by students.
Help students learn effective study strategies
Authors: Hamblet Elizabeth C.
Published: December 2023

Some students who request a memory aid as an accommodation may not be eligible for one, and even students who received approved memory aid accommodations may not be able to use them on every test. You may want to provide students with study strategies that can help make them feel more confident going into classes and may improve their retention.
Efficient capture and separation of CO2‐Boosted carbon neutralization enabled by tailorable metal‐organic frameworks: A review
Authors: Zhang Hao , Zhou Zihui , Yin Yanan , Xu Hong , Wang Yimeng , Yang Kai , Zhang Zhijun , Wang Jianlong , He Xiangming
Published: December 2023

The long‐term development of fossil energy has led to the destruction of carbon balance. Carbon capture technology needs to be used to reduce carbon emissions before clean energy completely replaces fossil energy. Metal‐organic frameworks (MOFs), a porous crystalline material, show great potential in gas adsorption and has attracted great attention. The predictability of MOFs' structure and function also make it possible to use computational methods to advance and accelerate research. This review gives a brief overview of carbon dioxide capture and separation by MOFs, including adsorption and membrane separation. In the future, membrane separation technology is expected to be a crucial area of research for carbon capture applications due to its favorable characteristics such as high treatment efficiency and low carbon footprint, while mixed matrix membranes (MMMs) have been given more attention by scholars due to their lower cost and better separation performance. In summary, developing high‐performance MOFs or MOF derivatives and researching more efficient separation methods, such as the application of MOF‐based MMMs, should be the focus of future research by scholars in this field.
Musculoskeletal co‐morbidities in patients with transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy: a systematic review
Authors: Formiga Francesc , Baeza Laia Saumell , Chivite David , Yun Sergi
Published: December 2023

The prevalence of transthyretin‐associated amyloidosis cardiomyopathy (ATTR‐CM) has grown because of newer non‐invasive diagnosis tools. Detecting the presence of extra‐cardiac ATTR manifestations such as musculoskeletal pathologies considered ‘red flags’, when there is minimal or non‐cardiac clinical involvement is primordial to carry out an early diagnosis. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the prevalence of musculoskeletal, ATTR‐deposition‐related co‐morbidities in patients already diagnosed with ATTR‐CM, specifically carpal tunnel syndrome, ruptured biceps tendon, spinal stenosis, and trigger finger. We performed a systematic review using PRISMA guidelines. Inclusion criteria were all studies in English and Spanish language and participants had to be patients diagnosed with ATTR‐CM, by any diagnostic method, with the musculoskeletal co‐morbidities subject of this review. The quality of the studies was based on the Risk of Bias Tool. This systematic review included 22 studies for final analysis. Carpal tunnel syndrome is reported in 21 studies, brachial biceps tendon rupture is reported in three, and spinal stenosis in eight studies. No articles that accomplished all the inclusion criteria for trigger finger were found. Regarding to the quality of the studies, all of them were categorized as being of high and moderate quality. The frequent association between ATTR‐CM and carpal tunnel syndrome, ruptured biceps tendon, and lumbar spinal is confirmed, and the onset of these co‐morbidities usually precedes the diagnosis of by years. This association defines them as red flags that should be search proactively due to the current treatment possibilities and the severity of the presentation of cardiac amyloidosis.
Real‐world candidacy to mavacamten in a contemporary hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy population
Authors: Bertero Edoardo , Chiti Chiara , Schiavo Maria Alessandra , Tini Giacomo , Costa Paolo , Todiere Giancarlo , Mabritto Barbara , Dei Lorenzo‐Lupo , Giannattasio Alessia , Mariani Davide , Lofiego Carla , Santolamazza Caterina , Monda Emanuele , Quarta Giovanni , Barbisan Davide , Mandoli Giulia Elena , Mapelli Massimo , Sguazzotti Maurizio , Negri Francesco , De Vecchi Simona , Ciabatti Michele , Tomasoni Daniela , Mazzanti Andrea , Marzo Francesca , de Gregorio Cesare , Raineri Claudia , Vianello Pier Filippo , Marchi Alberto , Biagioni Giulia , Insinna Eleonora , Parisi Vanda , Ditaranto Raffaello , Barison Andrea , Giammarresi Andrea , De Ferrari Gaetano Maria , Priori Silvia , Metra Marco , Pieroni Maurizio , Patti Giuseppe , Imazio Massimo , Perugini Enrica , Agostoni Piergiuseppe , Cameli Matteo , Merlo Marco , Sinagra Gianfranco , Senni Michele , Limongelli Giuseppe , Ammirati Enrico , Vagnarelli Fabio , Crotti Lia , Badano Luigi , Calore Chiara , Gabrielli Domenico , Re Federica , Musumeci Giuseppe , Emdin Michele , Barbato Emanuele , Musumeci Beatrice , Autore Camillo , Biagini Elena , Porto Italo , Olivotto Iacopo , Canepa Marco
Published: December 2023

Aims

In the EXPLORER‐HCM trial, mavacamten reduced left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) and improved functional capacity of symptomatic hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy (HOCM) patients. We sought to define the potential use of mavacamten by comparing real‐world HOCM patients with those enrolled in EXPLORER‐HCM and assessing their eligibility to treatment.

Methods and results

We collected information on HOCM patients followed up at 25 Italian HCM outpatient clinics and with significant LVOTO (i.e. gradient ≥30 mmHg at rest or ≥50 mmHg after Valsalva manoeuvre or exercise) despite pharmacological or non‐pharmacological therapy. Pharmacological or non‐pharmacological therapy resolved LVOTO in 1044 (61.2%) of the 1706 HOCM patients under active follow‐up, whereas 662 patients (38.8%) had persistent LVOTO. Compared to the EXPLORER‐HCM trial population, these real‐world HOCM patients were older (62.1 ± 14.3 vs. 58.5 ± 12.2 years, p = 0.02), had a lower body mass index (26.8 ± 5.3 vs. 29.7 ± 4.9 kg/m2, p < 0.0001) and a more frequent history of atrial fibrillation (21.5% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.027). At echocardiography, they had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, 66 ± 7% vs. 74 ± 6%, p < 0.0001), higher left ventricular outflow tract gradients at rest (60 ± 27 vs. 52 ± 29 mmHg, p = 0.003), and larger left atrial volume index (49 ± 16 vs. 40 ± 12 ml/m2, p < 0.0001). Overall, 324 (48.9%) would have been eligible for enrolment in the EXPLORER‐HCM trial and 339 (51.2%) for treatment with mavacamten according to European guidelines.

Conclusions

Real‐world HOCM patients differ from the EXPLORER‐HCM population for their older age, lower LVEF and larger atrial volume, potentially reflecting a more advanced stage of the disease. About half of real‐world HOCM patients were found eligible to mavacamten.
Construction of 2‐Methylindoles Using Solid Calcium Carbide as a Substitute for Gaseous Acetylene
Authors: Wang Zhiqiang , Liu Zhenrong , Wang Botao , Li Zheng
Published: December 2023

An efficient method for the construction of 2‐methyl‐1‐sulfonylindoles and 2,3‐dimethyl‐1‐sulfonylindoles using solid calcium carbide as an alkyne source and o‐sulfonamidobenzaldehyde hydrazones or o‐sulfonamidoacetophenone hydrazones as starting materials is described. This protocol has the salient feature of the use of an inexpensive, abundant and easy‐to‐handle solid alkyne source, effectively avoiding the use of flammable and explosive gaseous acetylene as an original alkyne source. Noble‐metal‐free conditions, wide substrate scope, high yield, and simple workup procedures are advantages of this method. The transformation can also be carried out on a gram scale.
The more things change in higher education, the more they stay the same
Authors: Dennis Marguerite J.
Published: December 2023

Richard Chaite, Executive Director of the National Center for Postsecondary Governance and Finance at the University of Maryland, wrote the following in September 1989:
Learn about the DOJ and ED's joint “Dear Colleague” letter regarding web page accessibility
Authors: Masinter Michael R.
Published: December 2023

On May 19, 2023, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Education Department released a joint “Dear Colleague” letter outlining the Section 504 and Americans With Disabilities Act accessibility obligations that govern educational institutions’ public‐facing webpages. Although the Dear Colleague letter reiterates that all public‐facing web pages should be accessible to low vision, hearing impaired, and limited motor control users, it offers little new guidance on compliance timelines, suggesting instead that the Departments will afford some flexibility to institutions that have not yet come into compliance. Thus, while institutions already should have ensured as a matter of self‐interest that critical public‐facing web pages — including those related to applications, marketing, and news announcements — are accessible, institutions need not scour all public‐facing web pages to immediately root out inaccessible archival material.
The content audit: A high‐level overview of an important exercise
Authors: Talarico Donna
Published: December 2023

This year, I’ve performed content audits for a number of agency and institutional clients, each project different in size and scope than the next. Some entailed sprawling spreadsheets, rating and reviewing thousands of pages on various criteria. Others were on the leaner side, delivering high‐level reports that analyzed a cross‐section of pages in key sections.
A Comparative Biodegradation Study to Assess the Ultimate Fate of Novel Highly Functionalized Hydrofluoroether Alcohols in Wastewater Treatment Plant Microcosms and Surface Waters
Authors: Folkerson Andrew P. , Mabury Scott A.
Published: December 2023

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of chemicals present in a wide range of commercial and consumer products due to their water-repellency, nonstick, or surfactant properties, resulting from their chemical and thermal stability. This stability, however, often leads to persistence in the environment when they are inevitability released. We utilized microbial microcosms from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) sludge to determine how employing different functional groups such as heteroatom linkages, varying chain lengths, and hydrofluoroethers (HFEs) will impact the ultimate fate of these novel PFAS structures. A suite of five novel fluorosurfactant building blocks (F7C3OCHFCF2SCH2CH2OH (FESOH), F3COCHFCF2SCH2CH2OH (MeFESOH), F7C3OCHFCF2OCH2CH2OH (ProFdiEOH), F7C3OCHFCF2CH2OH (ProFEOH), and F3COCHFCF2OCH2CH2OH (MeFdiEOH)) and their select transformation products, were incubated in WWTP aerobic microcosms to determine structure–activity relationships. The HFE alcohol congeners with a thioether (FESOH and MeFESOH) were observed to transform faster than the ether congeners, while also producing second-generation HFE acid products (F7C3OCHFC(O)OH (2H-3:2 polyfluoroalkyl ether carboxylic acid [PFECA]) and F3COCHFC(O)OH (2H-1:2 PFECA). Subsequent biodegradation experiments with 2H-1:2 PFESA and 2H-1:2 PFECA displayed no further transformation over 74 days. Surface water Photofate experiments compared 2H-1:2 PFECA, and 2H-1:2 polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (PFESA) with their fully fluorinated ether acid counterparts, and demonstrated the potential for both HFE acid species to completely mineralize over extended periods of time, a fate that highlights the value of studying novel PFAS functionalization. Environ Toxicol Chem 2024;43:2297–2305. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Individual differences in preschoolers' spatial thinking: Comprehension of dimensional adjectives and their relation to children's performance on non‐verbal spatial tasks
Authors: Odean Rosalie , Abad Carla , Ralph Yvonne , Pruden Shannon M.
Published: December 2023

The current study explores whether individual differences in the dimensional adjectives (e.g., big, tall) children understand, relates to individual differences in two non‐verbal spatial abilities, spatial scaling and mental transformations, in bilingual children. The inclusion of English–Spanish bilingual children broadens the work in this area which has previously focused strictly on English language. Ninety‐two English–Spanish bilingual children between 37.65 and 71.87 months (42 male) participated in the study. Results show number of dimensional adjectives preschool children comprehend utilizing a new interactive, tablet‐based task relates to performance on non‐verbal spatial tasks. This research supports hypothesized relations between spatial language comprehension and spatial abilities, introduces an effective tool for examining spatial language comprehension in young children, and improves generalizability by including a bilingual sample and testing comprehension in both English and Spanish.
Uncertainty analysis and updated user guidance for interspecies correlation estimation models and low toxicity compounds
Authors: Raimondo Sandy , Lilavois Crystal , Nelson Shannon A.
Published: December 2023

Interspecies correlation estimation (ICE) models are log-linear relationships of acute sensitivity between two species that estimate the sensitivity of an untested species from the known sensitivity of a surrogate. As ICE model use increases globally, additional user guidance is required to ensure consistent use across chemicals and applications. The present study expands ICE uncertainty analyses and user guidance with a focus on low toxicity compounds whose acute values (i.e., reported as mg/L) can be greater than those used to develop a model. In these cases, surrogate values may be outside the ICE model domain and require additional extrapolations to predict acute toxicity. We use the extensive, standardized acute toxicity database underlying ICE models to broadly summarize inter-test variability of acute toxicity data as a measure by which model prediction accuracy can be evaluated. Using the data and models found on the USEPA Web-ICE (www3.epa.gov/webice), we created a set of “truncated” models from data corresponding to the lower 75th percentile of surrogate toxicity. We predicted toxicity for chemicals in the upper 25th percentile as both μg/L beyond the model domain and converted to mg/L (i.e., “scaled” value) and compared these predictions with those from cross-validation of whole ICE models and to the measured value. For ICE models with slopes in the range 0.66–1.33, prediction accuracy of scaled values did not differ from the accuracy of the models when data were entered as μg/L within or beyond the model domain. An uncertainty analysis of ICE confidence intervals was conducted and an interval range of two orders of magnitude was determined to minimize type I and II errors when accepting or rejecting ICE predictions. We updated the ICE user guidance based on these analyses to advance the state of the science for ICE model application and interpretation. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2024;20:1554–1565. Published 2023. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Key Points

Interspecies correlation estimation (ICE) models estimate acute toxicity and increase biodiversity in toxicity datasets. Interspecies correlation estimation models are validated for low toxicity compounds in which input is beyond model domain and has the same accuracy as traditional model use. User guidance for ICE model applications is updated to include recommendations for model input and confidence intervals. Interspecies correlation estimation models provide robust alternatives to animal test data for data-limited compounds.
Deep learning‐based survival prediction of brain tumor patients using attention‐guided 3D convolutional neural network with radiomics approach from multimodality magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Mazher Moona , Qayyum Abdul , Puig Domenec , Abdel‐Nasser Mohamed
Published: December 2023

Automatic survival prediction of gliomas from brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumes is an essential step for a patient's prognosis analysis. Radiomics research delivers beneficial feature information from MRI imaging which is substantially required by clinicians and oncologists for predicting disease prognosis for precise surgical treatment and planning. In recent years, the success of deep learning has been vast in the field of medical imaging, and it shows state‐of‐the‐art performance in applications like segmentation, classification, regression, and detection. Therefore, in this paper, we proposed a collective method using deep learning and radiomics techniques for the survival prediction of brain tumor patients. We first propose a hierarchical channel attention (HAM) module and a multi‐scale‐aware feature enhancement (MSAFE) to efficiently fuse adjacent hierarchical features in the proposed segmentation model. After segmentation, deep/latent features (LCNN) are extracted from the bottom layer of the proposed segmentation model. Later, we extracted selected radiomics features (histogram, location, and shape) using input images and segmented masks from the proposed segmentation model. Further, the 3D deep learning regressor has been trained for 3D regressor‐based deep feature extraction. We proposed the method of overall survival prediction for the brain tumor patients by combining all the meaningful features including clinical features (age) that also favorably contribute to the survival days prediction for the glioma's patients. To predict the survival days for each patient, the selected features are trained to analyze the performance of various regression techniques like random forest (RF), decision tree (DT), and XGBoost. Our proposed combined feature‐based method achieved the highest performance for survival days prediction over the state‐of‐the‐art methods. We also perform extensive experiments to show the effectiveness of each feature extraction method. The experimental results infer that deep learning‐based features along with radiomic features and clinical features are truly vital paradigms to estimate survival days.
Development of radiotracers for riboflavin transporter 3 imaging in diseases—A brief overview
Authors: Li Jindian , Zhang Xianzhong
Published: December 2023

Riboflavin (RF, vitamin B2) plays a key role in metabolic oxidation–reduction reactions, especially in the mitochondrial reprogramming of energy metabolism. Riboflavin transporter 3 (RFVT3) is a vital section of the mitochondrial network and involved in riboflavin homeostasis and production of adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The abnormal expression of RFVT3 is closely associated with the occurrence and progression of multiple diseases. Therefore, it is vital to understand the riboflavin internalization pathway under pathological conditions by addressing the abnormal expression of RFVT3, which could be a highly valuable biomarker for the early diagnosis and effective therapy of various diseases.
Prototyping an ionization source for non‐engineers
Authors: Knizner Kevan T. , Eisenberg Seth M. , Muddiman David C.
Published: December 2023

Novel mass spectrometry (MS) based analytical platforms have enabled scientists to detect and quantify molecules within biological and environmental samples more accurately. Novel MS instrumentation starts as a prototype and, after years of development, can become a commercial product to be used by the larger MS community. Without the initial prototype, many MS‐based instruments today would not be produced. Additionally, biotechnology companies are the main drivers for research, development, and production of novel instruments, but the tools for prototyping instrumentation have never been more accessible. Here, we present a tutorial on prototyping instrumentation through the case study of developing the Next Generation IR‐MALDESI source to show that an engineering degree is not required to design and construct a prototype instrument with modern hardware and software. We discuss the prototyping process, the necessary skills required for efficient prototyping, and information about common hardware and software used within initial prototypes.