bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ginsenoside Rh2 sensitizes the anti-cancer effects of sunitinib by inducing cell cycle arrest in renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Hwang Hyun Ji , Hong Seong Hwi , Moon Hong Sang , Yoon Young Eun , Park Sung Yul
Published: November 2022

Sunitinib, a VEGF blockade, is used to treat clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). However, the anti-cancer treatment effects of sunitinib do not last long in ccRCC patients. Ginsenoside, a natural medicine extracted from ginseng, has been studied in cancer treatment and shown to have anti-tumor effects and low toxicity. We assessed cell viability and cell cycle analysis in ccRCC cell lines after treatment with ginsenoside and sunitinib. DNA damage was evaluated by measuring 8-OHdG levels and comet assay. ROS levels, reflecting the cause of oxidative stress, were also measured. Ginsenoside significantly enhanced the inhibition of cell viability by sunitinib, a result that was also confirmed in the xenograft model. In cell cycle analysis, combination treatment of ginsenoside and sunitinib enhanced G2M arrest in comparison with single-treatment groups. In addition, DNA damage was increased by ginsenoside and sunitinib according to the comet assay, and the level of 8-OHdG, which reflects oxidative DNA damage, also increased. We verified that ginsenoside enhances the efficacy of sunitinib to inhibit the proliferation of ccRCC cells via induction of oxidative DNA damage. The combination therapy of sunitinib and ginsenoside suggested the possibility of effectively treating ccRCC patients.
Cement augmentation for treatment of high to mid-thoracic osteoporotic compression fractures, high-viscosity cement percutaneous vertebroplasty versus balloon kyphoplasty
Authors: Wu Shiny Chih-Hsuan , Luo An-Jhih , Liao Jen-Chung
Published: November 2022

Whilst the majority of the literature suggests that balloon kyphoplasty (BKP) can relieve pain associated with vertebral compression fractures (VCFs), evidence of high-viscosity cement (HVC) vertebroplasty (VP) or low viscosity cement (LVC) BKP for the treatment of VCFs at the levels of high and mid-thoracic vertebrae remains limited. The purpose of this study was to identify the different outcomes between HVC VP and LVC BKP used to repair high (T4–6) and mid (T7–9)-thoracic VCFs. A total of 114 patients with painful collapsed single-level vertebrae at high to mid-thoracic level who had undergone HVC VP or LVC BKP at a single tertiary medical center was reviewed retrospectively. All patients were divided into the HVC VP group (n = 72) and the LVC BKP group (n = 42). Clinical outcomes including demographic data and visual analogue scale (VAS) were compared. Radiographic data were collected preoperatively, postoperatively, and at final follow-up. More volume (ml) of cement injection was seen in the LVC BKP group (4.40 vs. 3.66, p < 0.001). The operation time (minutes) of the HVC VP group was significantly less than that of the LVC BKP group (33.34 vs. 39.05, p = 0.011). Leakage rate of cement was also fewer in the HVC VP group (26/72 vs. 27/42, p = 0.004). Compared with preoperative data, the VAS was improved after surgery in both groups. The LVC BKP group corrected more middle vertebral body height and local kyphosis angle than the HVC VP group. The outcomes of LVC BKP were not superior to that of HVC VP. HVC VP might be a good alternative to LVC BKP in the treatment of osteoporotic VCFs in high to mid-thoracic spine.
A digital twin for 64Cu production with cyclotron and solid target system
Authors: Isolan Lorenzo , Malinconico Mario , Tieu William , Hollis Courtney , Testa Marco , Melandri Matteo , Brunetti Alessandro , Sumini Marco
Published: November 2022

One method for finding reliable and cost-effective solutions for designing radioisotope production systems is represented by the “digital twin” philosophy of design. Looking at cyclotron solid targets, uncertainties of the particle beam, material composition and geometry play a crucial role in determining the results. The difference between what has been designed and what can be effectively manufactured, where processes such as electroplating are poorly controllable and generate large non-uniformities in deposition, must also be considered. A digital twin, where the target geometry is 3D scanned from real models, can represent a good compromise for connecting “ideal” and “real” worlds. Looking at the 64Ni(p,n)64Cu reaction, different Unstructured-Mesh MCNP6 models have been built starting from the 3D solid target system designed and put into operation by COMECER. A characterization has been performed considering the designed ideal target and a 3D scan of a real manufactured target measured with a ZEISS contact probe. Libraries and physics models have been also tested due to limited cross-section data. Proton spectra in the target volume, 3D proton-neutron-photon flux maps, average energies, power to be dissipated, shut-down dose-rate, 64Cu yield compared with various sources of experimental data and beam axial shifting impact, have been estimated. A digital twin of the 64Ni(p,n)64Cu production device has been characterized, considering the real measured target geometry, paving the way for a fully integrated model suitable also for thermal, structural or fluid-dynamic analyses.
Transcriptome analysis of AAV-induced retinopathy models expressing human VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-6 in murine eyes
Authors: Becker Kolja , Weigelt Carina M. , Fuchs Holger , Viollet Coralie , Rust Werner , Wyatt Hannah , Huber Jochen , Lamla Thorsten , Fernandez-Albert Francesc , Simon Eric , Zippel Nina , Bakker Remko A. , Klein Holger , Redemann Norbert H.
Published: November 2022

Retinopathies are multifactorial diseases with complex pathologies that eventually lead to vision loss. Animal models facilitate the understanding of the pathophysiology and identification of novel treatment options. However, each animal model reflects only specific disease aspects and understanding of the specific molecular changes in most disease models is limited. Here, we conducted transcriptome analysis of murine ocular tissue transduced with recombinant Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) expressing either human VEGF-A, TNF-α, or IL-6. VEGF expression led to a distinct regulation of extracellular matrix (ECM)-associated genes. In contrast, both TNF-α and IL-6 led to more comparable gene expression changes in interleukin signaling, and the complement cascade, with TNF-α-induced changes being more pronounced. Furthermore, integration of single cell RNA-Sequencing data suggested an increase of endothelial cell-specific marker genes by VEGF, while TNF-α expression increased the expression T-cell markers. Both TNF-α and IL-6 expression led to an increase in macrophage markers. Finally, transcriptomic changes in AAV-VEGF treated mice largely overlapped with gene expression changes observed in the oxygen-induced retinopathy model, especially regarding ECM components and endothelial cell-specific gene expression. Altogether, our study represents a valuable investigation of gene expression changes induced by VEGF, TNF-α, and IL-6 and will aid researchers in selecting appropriate animal models for retinopathies based on their agreement with the human pathophysiology.
Comparative study for removal of phosphorus from aqueous solution by natural and activated bentonite
Authors: Elgarhy Abdelbaky Hossam , Mahran Belal N. A. , Liu Guanglong , Salem Talaat A. , ElSayed ElSayed ElBastamy , Ibrahim Lubna A.
Published: November 2022

The novelty of the current article is to investigate the adsorption potential of the Egyptian natural and activated bentonite (Na-bentonite) to inorganic and organic phosphorus (IP, OP) in aqueous media. The natural bentonite (NB) was activated to Na-bentonite (Na-B) by a new facile method within 2 h. NB and Na-B were also characterized using XRD, XRF, BET ESM, and FT-IR. The batch experiment has been employed to select the ideal conditions for the removal of inorganic and organic phosphorus (IP, OP) from aqueous solutions. The findings clearly showed that the Na-bentonite is enriched with sodium in the form of Na-montmorillonite with a higher specific area 138.51 m2/g than the value for the natural bentonite 74.21 m2/g. The batch experiment showed maximum absorption for both IP and OP adsorbents occurred at an equilibrium pH = 6, contact time of 40 to 50 min, 40 °C temperature, and a dose rate of 2 mg/L and 1 mg/L, respectively. The equilibrium data displayed better adjustment to Langmuir than the Freundlich, Temkin, and Dubinin-Radushkevich isotherms and adsorption kinetics followed the pseudo-second-order-type kinetic, and the parameters of thermodynamics reveal that adsorption occurs spontaneously and exothermic nature. Na-bentonite proved to be more efficient in removing target material than natural bentonite. The spent bentonites were easily regenerated by chemical methods.
Transport properties of two-dimensional dissipative flow of hybrid nanofluid with Joule heating and thermal radiation
Authors: Alqahtani Aisha M. , Ould Sidi Maawiya , Khan M. Riaz , Elkotb Mohamed Abdelghany , Tag-Eldin Elsayed , Galal Ahmed M.
Published: November 2022

The important feature of the current work is to consider the pressure variation, heat transport, and friction drag in the hydromagnetic radiative two-dimensional flow of a hybrid nanofluid depending on the viscous dissipation and Joule heating across a curved surface. The curved surface has been considered with the binary heating process called as prescribed heat flux and surface temperature. The basic partial differential equation (PDEs) has been converted into the non-dimensional ordinary differential equations (ODEs) by applying some specified dimensionless transformations. The bvp4c built-in package in MATLAB has been considered to find the numerical solution of the consequential equations. The graphical results have been plotted in terms of pressure, friction drag, velocity, temperature, and heat transport. Several important results have also been plotted for the plan level surface $$($$
(
The condition of $$K\to \infty )$$

K
→
∞
)

. It is found that the heat transport rate respectively reduces and enhances with the enhancement of radiation parameter and Hartmann number as well as the friction drag is enhancing with the high-volume fraction of nanoparticles and Hartmann number. Moreover, enhancing curvature parameter, enhances the friction drag and declines the heat transport rate. The current work renders uncountable applications in several engineering and industrial systems like electronic bulbs, electric ovens, geysers, soil pollution, electric kettle, fibrous insulation, etc. Moreover, the heating as well as the cooling systems of electrical, digital, and industrial instruments, are controlled by the heat transport in fluids. Thus, it is important to use such flows in these types of instruments.
Simple one-step synthesis of urchin-like Fe–Mn nanostructures via statistical design and their effects on the morphology
Authors: Naeinimohammadi Saeid , Rahbar-Kelishami Ahmad
Published: November 2022

In the current investigation, a new urchin-like nanostructure using an authorized one-pot precipitation technique was synthesized using Taguchi statistical design. The effect of factors, including the concentration of FeSO4⋅7H2O, KMnO4, NaOH, and reaction temperature, on the diameter-to-length ratio of the nanoneedles and the regularity or irregularity morphology of other samples, was investigated. KMnO4 and FeSO4⋅7H2O, with a contribution of 32.62% and 30.9%, had the most substantial effect on the nanoneedles' diameter. The surface morphology and chemical composition of the as-prepared samples were studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX) analyses. The length and needle diameter was obtained 140 and 17 nm, respectively. The result of BET analysis for the highest and the lowest value of D/L shows that the smallest ratio of diameter to length has a high specific surface area. The results show that sample S4 has a particular surface area of 74 m2/g, much more than S3 (25 m2/g). The estimated crystallite size in synthesized S3 and S4 samples are 41.64 and 26.49 nm, respectively.
Investigation of Ti/Al2O3 + TiO2 and Ti + TiO2/Al2O3 + TiO2 hybrid coatings as protection of ultra-light Mg–(Li)–Al–RE alloys against corrosion
Authors: Staszuk Marcin , Pakuła Daniel , Reimann Łukasz , Musztyfaga-Staszuk Małgorzata , Socha Robert , Tański Tomasz
Published: November 2022

Low corrosion resistance is a significant problem of magnesium alloys, particularly ultra-light magnesium-lithium alloys. Surface treatment is one way to improve their corrosion resistance. The paper presents the results of tests of Ti/Al2O3 + TiO2 and Ti + TiO2/Al2O3 + TiO2 coatings obtained in a hybrid process combining PVD and ALD methods and ALD coating of Al2O3 + TiO2 type obtained on AE42 (Mg–4Li–2RE) and LAE442 (Mg–4Li–4Al–2RE). Structural studies were performed using scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM), atomic force microscopy and EDS and XPS spectroscopic methods. Potentiodynamic tests and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy EIS in 0.05 M NaCl solution were performed to determine the electrochemical properties of the tested materials. Moreover, tests of surface wettability and tribological properties using the ball-on-disc method were performed. Based on the analysis of anodic polarisation curves and Tafel analysis, it was found that the Ti + TiO2/Al2O3 + TiO2 coating showed the best potentiodynamic properties on both substrates. In particular, on the magnesium-lithium substrate, the value of the polarisation resistance of this hybrid coating is Rpol = 14 × 103 Ω × cm2, and the value of the corrosion current is jcorr = 0.4 µA/cm2. For the uncoated LAE442 substrate, the polarisation resistance is Rpol = 1.05 × 103 Ω × cm2, and the corrosion current value is jcorr = 5.49 µA/cm2. This improvement is due to the synergistic effect of the combined PVD and ALD technologies. The study confirmed the impact of hybrid coatings on improving the anti-corrosion and tribological properties of ultra-light magnesium alloys.
Anti-counterfeiting system based on luminescent varnish enriched by NIR- excited nanoparticles for paper security
Authors: Przybylska D. , Grzyb T. , Erdman A. , Olejnik K. , Szczeszak A.
Published: November 2022

Up-converting nanoparticles can be a demand for requirements in many areas, including bioimaging and conversion of energy, but also in the battle against counterfeiting. The properties of lanthanide ions make falsification difficult or even impossible using appropriately designed systems. The proposition of such an approach is the NaErF4:Tm3+@NaYF4 core@shell up-converting nanoparticles combined with transparent varnishes. Given the spectroscopic properties of Er3+ ions present in the fluoride matrix, the obtained up-converting nanoparticles absorb light by 808 and 975 nm wavelengths. The intentionally co-doped Tm3+ ions enable tuning characteristic green Er3+ emission to red luminescence, particularly desirable in anti-counterfeiting applications. The article includes a thorough analysis of structural and morphological properties. Moreover, this work shows that exclusive luminescent properties of NaErF4:Tm3+@NaYF4 NPs can be given to the transparent varnish, providing an excellent anti-counterfeiting system, revealing red emission under two different excitation wavelengths.
RAB27A promotes the proliferation and invasion of colorectal cancer cells
Authors: Li Qingyan , Zhao Huixia , Dong Weiwei , Guan Na , Hu Yanyan , Zeng Zhiyan , Zhang He , Zhang Fengyun , Li Qiuwen , Yang Jingwen , Xiao Wenhua
Published: November 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer types worldwide. Despite significant advances in prevention and diagnosis, CRC is still one of the leading causes of cancer-related mortality globally. RAB27A, the member of RAB27 family of small GTPases, is the critical protein for intracellular secretion and has been reported to promote tumor progression. However, it is controversial for the role of RAB27A in CRC progression, so we explored the exact function of RAB27A in CRC development in this study. Based on the stable colon cancer cell lines of RAB27A knockdown and ectopic expression, we found that RAB27A knockdown inhibited proliferation and clone formation of SW480 colon cancer cells, whereas ectopic expression of RAB27A in RKO colon cancer cells facilitated cell proliferation and clone formation, indicating that RAB27A is critical for colon cancer cell growth. In addition, our data demonstrated that the migration and invasion of colon cancer cells were suppressed by RAB27A knockdown, but promoted by RAB27A ectopic expression. Therefore, RAB27A is identified as an onco-protein in mediating CRC development, which may be a valuable prognostic indicator and potential therapeutic target for CRC.
Diversity of gammacoronaviruses and deltacoronaviruses in wild birds and poultry in Russia
Authors: Marchenko Vasily , Danilenko Alexey , Kolosova Natalia , Bragina Maria , Molchanova Marina , Bulanovich Yuliya , Gorodov Vladimir , Leonov Sergey , Gudymo Andrey , Onkhonova Galina , Svyatchenko Svetlana , Ryzhikov Alexander
Published: November 2022

Coronaviruses of the genera Gammacoronavirus and Deltacoronavirus are globally widespread and circulate primarily in wild and domestic birds. Prior studies have established frequently occurring crossover events from avian to mammalian reservoirs. However, there is limited understanding of the diversity and geographical distribution of coronaviruses among birds. In this study, the surveillance of coronaviruses in birds in Russia during 2020 revealed the presence of coronaviruses in 12% of samples from birds. Targeted NGS approach was used for the evaluation of genetic diversity based on RdRp gene. While gammacoronviruses were found in both wild birds and poultry, deltacoronaviruses were found in wild birds only and represent the first detections for Russia. A number of cases with the simultaneous detection of gamma- and deltacoronaviruses in one bird was reported. The results of this study highlight the importance of further research concerning the spread and diversity of coronaviruses among birds within and migrating throughout the territory of Russia across the globe.
Structure-guided insights into potential function of novel genetic variants in the malaria vaccine candidate PfRh5
Authors: Mangou Khadidiatou , Moore Adam J. , Thiam Laty Gaye , Ba Aboubacar , Orfanó Alessandra , Desamours Ife , Ndegwa Duncan Ndungu , Goodwin Justin , Guo Yicheng , Sheng Zizhang , Patel Saurabh D. , Diallo Fatoumata , Sene Seynabou D. , Pouye Mariama N. , Faye Awa Thioub , Thiam Alassane , Nunez Vanessa , Diagne Cheikh Tidiane , Sadio Bacary Djilocalisse , Shapiro Lawrence , Faye Ousmane , Mbengue Alassane , Bei Amy K.
Published: November 2022

The recent stall in the global reduction of malaria deaths has made the development of a highly effective vaccine essential. A major challenge to developing an efficacious vaccine is the extensive diversity of Plasmodium falciparum antigens. While genetic diversity plays a major role in immune evasion and is a barrier to the development of both natural and vaccine-induced protective immunity, it has been under-prioritized in the evaluation of malaria vaccine candidates. This study uses genomic approaches to evaluate genetic diversity in next generation malaria vaccine candidate PfRh5. We used targeted deep amplicon sequencing to identify non-synonymous Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in PfRh5 (Reticulocyte-Binding Protein Homologue 5) in 189 P. falciparum positive samples from Southern Senegal and identified 74 novel SNPs. We evaluated the population prevalence of these SNPs as well as the frequency in individual samples and found that only a single SNP, C203Y, was present at every site. Many SNPs were unique to the individual sampled, with over 90% of SNPs being found in just one infected individual. In addition to population prevalence, we assessed individual level SNP frequencies which revealed that some SNPs were dominant (frequency of greater than 25% in a polygenomic sample) whereas most were rare, present at 2% or less of total reads mapped to the reference at the given position. Structural modeling uncovered 3 novel SNPs occurring under epitopes bound by inhibitory monoclonal antibodies, potentially impacting immune evasion, while other SNPs were predicted to impact PfRh5 structure or interactions with the receptor or binding partners. Our data demonstrate that PfRh5 exhibits greater genetic diversity than previously described, with the caveat that most of the uncovered SNPs are at a low overall frequency in the individual and prevalence in the population. The structural studies reveal that novel SNPs could have functional implications on PfRh5 receptor binding, complex formation, or immune evasion, supporting continued efforts to validate PfRh5 as an effective malaria vaccine target and development of a PfRh5 vaccine.
Development of truncated elastin-like peptide analogues with improved temperature-response and self-assembling properties
Authors: Sumiyoshi Shogo , Suyama Keitaro , Tanaka Naoki , Andoh Takumi , Nagata Akihiko , Tomohara Keisuke , Taniguchi Suguru , Maeda Iori , Nose Takeru
Published: November 2022

Functional peptides, which are composed of proteinogenic natural amino acids, are expected to be used as biomaterials with minimal environmental impact. Synthesizing a functional peptide with a shorter amino acid sequence while retaining its function is a easy and economical strategy. Furthermore, shortening functional peptides helps to elucidate the mechanism of their functional core region. Truncated elastin-like peptides (ELPs) are peptides consisting of repetitive sequences, derived from the elastic protein tropoelastin, that show the thermosensitive formation of coacervates. In this study, to obtain shortened ELP analogues, we synthesized several (Phe-Pro-Gly-Val-Gly)n (FPGVG)n analogues with one or two amino acid residues deleted from each repeat sequence, such as the peptide analogues consisting of FPGV and/or FPG sequences. Among the novel truncated ELP analogues, the 16-mer (FPGV)4 exhibited a stronger coacervation ability than the 25-mer (FPGVG)5. These results indicated that the coacervation ability of truncated ELPs was affected by the amino acid sequence and not by the peptide chain length. Based on this finding, we prepared Cd2+-binding sequence-conjugated ELP analogue, AADAAC-(FPGV)4, and found that it could capture Cd2+. These results indicated that the 16-mer (FPGV)4 only composed of proteinogenic amino acids could be a new biomaterial with low environmental impact.
Use of probabilistic fastener velcro as a friction-induced vibration damping treatment
Authors: Kwon Semin , Jeon Jonghoon , Yoo Seungjeok , Park Junhong
Published: November 2022

Probabilistic fasteners are biologically inspired clamping devices that are interlocked by stems on each surface. Due to dynamic characteristics of fastening mechanism, friction inevitably occurs between stems in a vibrating environment. The use of the probabilistic fastener as a vibration reduction component were investigated with advantages from friction-induced damping in this study. The dynamic stiffness and loss factor of the probabilistic fastener were derived from the vibration interaction with a mechanical structure. This allowed determination of energy dissipation due to the friction in hook and loop from the wave propagation analysis. As the vibration amplitude increased, the loss factor of the fastener gradually increased because the friction between multiple stems increased. With the probabilistic fastener application, the vibration generation and transmission were reduced compared to the bolted joint due to the inherent frictional contacts. With this unique advantage, the probabilistic fastener has potential applications when large damping is required with additional benefit on the reduced weight.
Winding loss analysis of planar spiral coil and its structure optimization technique in wireless power transfer system
Authors: Chen Qingbin , Zhang Xu , Chen Wei , Wang Cong
Published: November 2022

Circular planar spiral coils are wildly used for the magnetic coupling system in a high-frequency wireless power transfer system. The loss of the magnetic coupling system usually takes dominance in the whole system. This paper built the calculation model of magnetic field strength and coil loss, the proposed calculation model can effectively consider the mutual influence between the transmitter and receiver coil and accurately calculated the AC loss of WPT coils. Then, the effect of turn spacing on the AC resistance of coil is analyzed. It reveals that the proximity effect loss is greater when the coil is tightly wound, and the AC loss can be optimized by designing the turn spacing. Based on the above analysis, a double-layer coil method is proposed. This method can reduce the AC loss and improve the quality factor (Q) without changing the mutual inductance and footprint of coil at high frequency. The AC resistance of the double-layer coil method can be greatly reduced compared with the general method through simulation and experiment. The work efficiency of WPT system is increased by 4.3%, which verifies the accuracy and flexibility of theoretical analysis.
Obesity downregulates lipid metabolism genes in first trimester placenta
Authors: Rasool Aisha , Mahmoud Taysir , Mathyk Begum , Kaneko-Tarui Tomoko , Roncari Danielle , White Katharine O. , O’Tierney-Ginn Perrie
Published: November 2022

Placentas of obese women have low mitochondrial β-oxidation of fatty acids (FA) and accumulate lipids in late pregnancy. This creates a lipotoxic environment, impairing placental efficiency. We hypothesized that placental FA metabolism is impaired in women with obesity from early pregnancy. We assessed expression of key regulators of FA metabolism in first trimester placentas of lean and obese women. Maternal fasting triglyceride and insulin levels were measured in plasma collected at the time of procedure. Expression of genes associated with FA oxidation (FAO; ACOX1, CPT2, AMPKα), FA uptake (LPL, LIPG, MFSD2A), FA synthesis (ACACA) and storage (PLIN2) were significantly reduced in placentas of obese compared to lean women. This effect was exacerbated in placentas of male fetuses. Placental ACOX1 protein was higher in women with obesity and correlated with maternal circulating triglycerides. The PPARα pathway was enriched for placental genes impacted by obesity, and PPARα antagonism significantly reduced 3H-palmitate oxidation in 1st trimester placental explants. These results demonstrate that obesity and hyperlipidemia impact placental FA metabolism as early as 7 weeks of pregnancy.
Electronic fluctuation difference between trimethylamine N-oxide and tert-butyl alcohol in water
Authors: Kuroki Nahoko , Uchino Yukina , Funakura Tamon , Mori Hirotoshi
Published: November 2022

Although small organic molecules in cells have been considered important to control the functions of proteins, their electronic fluctuation and the intermolecular interaction, which is physicochemical origin of the molecular functions, under physiological conditions, i.e., dilute aqueous solutions (0.18 mol L−1), has never been clarified due to the lack of observation methods with both accuracy and efficiency. Herein, the time evolutions of the interactions in dilute aqueous trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) solutions were analyzed via ab initio molecular dynamics simulations accelerated with the fragment molecular theory. It has been known that TMAO and TBA have similar structures, but opposite physiological functions to stabilize and destabilize proteins. It was clarified that TMAO induced stable polarization and charge-transfer interactions with water molecules near the hydrophilic group, and water molecules were caught even near the CH3– group. Those should affect protein stabilization. Understanding the solution dynamics will contribute to artificial chaperone design in next generation medicine.
Temporal characterization of biocycles of mycelium-bound composites made from bamboo and Pleurotus ostreatus for indoor usage
Authors: Gan Jun Ken , Soh Eugene , Saeidi Nazanin , Javadian Alireza , Hebel Dirk E. , Le Ferrand Hortense
Published: November 2022

Mycelium-bound composites (MBCs) are materials obtained by growing fungi on a ligno-cellulosic substrate which have various applications in packaging, furniture, and construction industries. MBCs are particularly interesting as they are sustainable materials that can integrate into a circular economy model. Indeed, they can be subsequently grown, used, degraded, and re-grown. Integrating in a meaningful biocycle for our society therefore demands that MBCs fulfil antagonistic qualities which are to be at the same time durable and biodegradable. In this study, we conduct experiments using MBCs made from the fungus species Pleurotus ostreatus grown on bamboo microfibers substrate. By measuring the variations of the mechanical properties with time, we provide an experimental demonstration of a biocycle for such composites for in-door applications. We found that the biocycle can be as short as 5 months and that the use of sustainable coatings is critical to increase the durability of the composites while maintaining biodegradability. Although there are many scenarios of biocycles possible, this study shows a tangible proof-of-concept example and paves the way for optimization of the duration of each phase in the biocycle depending on the intended application and resource availability.
Hydrogenation of pyrolysis gasoline by novel Ni-doped MOF derived catalysts from ZIF-8 and ZIF-67
Authors: Baghban Alireza , Ezedin Nejadian Hossein , Habibzadeh Sajjad , Zokaee Ashtiani Farzin
Published: November 2022

Pyrolysis gasoline is the valuable byproduct of the thermal breakdown of heavier oil fractions in an olefin unit with high aromatic content. To separate such aromatic components, firstly, this product should be hydrogenated. In this contribution, new nanostructure catalysts derived from the zeolitic metal–organic framework, namely ZIF-8 and ZIF-67, were used to investigate their hydrogenation capability. Owing to its great hydrogenation capability of Nickle, the structures of the ZIF-8 and ZIF-67 were improved by Nickle through in situ synthesis. Moreover, to enhance the pore size of catalysts and their electronic properties, the synthesized catalysts were pyrolyzed under nitrogen media at 450 °C, and five catalysts, namely Co/NC, ZnCo/NC, ZnNi/NC, CoNi/NC, and ZnCoNi/NC were created. Results indicated that the CoNi/NC showed a superior hydrogenation performance (69.5% conversion of total olefins) to others. In addition, the synthesized catalysts without the carbonization process had no conversion in the hydrogenation process because there is no active site in these structures. The current synthesized catalysts can compete with the costly Pt or Pd-based hydrogenation catalysts due to their high surface area and great electronic properties.
Comparative visual performance of diffractive bifocal and rotationally asymmetric refractive intraocular lenses
Authors: Tanabe Hirotaka , Shojo Tomohiro , Yamauchi Tomofusa , Takase Kosuke , Akada Masahiro , Tabuchi Hitoshi
Published: November 2022

We compared the visual performance of a diffractive bifocal intraocular lens (IOL) with + 4.0 D near addition (ZMB00 [Johnson & Johnson Surgical Vision]) and a rotationally asymmetric refractive IOL with + 1.5 D near addition (LS-313 MF15 [Teleon Surgical BV]) 10 weeks after cataract patients’ last surgery for bilateral ZMB00 or LS-313 MF15 implantation between 2011 and 2020, with the lenses of each eye implanted within 3 months of each other. The ZMB00 and LS-313 MF15 groups comprised 1326 eyes of 663 patients (age: 67.0 ± 7.8 years; females/males, 518/145) and 448 eyes of 224 patients (73.6 ± 7.0 years; females/males, 125/99), respectively. A linear mixed-effects model using data for both eyes, with strict adjustments for sex, age, subjective refraction spherical equivalent, subjective refraction cylinder, corneal astigmatism, axial length, corneal higher-order aberrations, and pupil diameter, ensured statistical validity. Compared to LS-313 MF15, ZMB00 achieved significantly superior uncorrected near visual acuity, reduced higher-order aberrations (ocular/internal, scaled to a 4-mm pupil; Wavefront_4_post_Ocular_Total Higher-Order Aberration/Third/Fourth/Trefoil/Coma/Tetrafoil/Spherical, Wavefront_4_post_Internal_Astigmatism/Total Higher-Order Aberration/Third/Trefoil/Coma/Tetrafoil/Spherical), and superior distance and near spectacle independence (p < 0.00068, Wald test). Contrast sensitivity, measured without (visual angle of the test target: 6.3°/4.0°/2.5°/1.6°/1.0°/0.7°) or with glare (4.0°/2.5°/1.6°/1.0°/0.7°), was significantly better in the LS-313 MF15 than the ZMB00 group (p < 0.00068, Wald test).
Effects of optogenetic inhibition of a small fraction of parvalbumin-positive interneurons on the representation of sensory stimuli in mouse barrel cortex
Authors: Yeganeh Fahimeh , Knauer Beate , Guimarães Backhaus Roberta , Yang Jenq-Wei , Stroh Albrecht , Luhmann Heiko J. , Stüttgen Maik C.
Published: November 2022

Inhibitory interneurons play central roles in the modulation of spontaneous network activity and in processing of neuronal information. In sensory neocortical areas, parvalbumin-positive (PV+) GABAergic interneurons control the representation and processing of peripheral sensory inputs. We studied the functional role of PV+ interneurons in the barrel cortex of anesthetized adult PVCre mice by combining extracellular multi-electrode recordings with optogenetic silencing of a small fraction of PV+ interneurons. In all cortical layers, optogenetic inhibition caused an increase in spontaneous network activity from theta to gamma frequencies. The spatio-temporal representation of sensory inputs was studied by stimulating one or two whiskers at different intervals and analyzing the resulting local field potential (LFP) and single unit (SU) response. Silencing PV+ interneurons caused an increase in LFP response to sensory stimulation and a decrease in temporal discrimination of consecutive whisker deflections. The combined effect of whisker deflection and optogenetic inhibition was highly similar to the linear sum of the individual effects of these two manipulations. SU recordings revealed that optogenetic silencing reduced stimulus detectability by increasing stimulus-evoked firing rate by a constant offset, suggesting that PV+ interneurons improve signal-to-noise ratio by reducing ongoing spiking activity, thereby sharpening the spatio-temporal representation of sensory stimuli.
Climate service driven adaptation may alleviate the impacts of climate change in agriculture
Authors: Toreti Andrea , Bassu Simona , Asseng Senthold , Zampieri Matteo , Ceglar Andrej , Royo Conxita
Published: November 2022

Building a resilient and sustainable agricultural sector requires the development and implementation of tailored climate change adaptation strategies. By focusing on durum wheat (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) in the Euro-Mediterranean region, we estimate the benefits of adapting through seasonal cultivar-selection supported by an idealised agro-climate service based on seasonal climate forecasts. The cost of inaction in terms of mean yield losses, in 2021–2040, ranges from −7.8% to −5.8% associated with a 7% to 12% increase in interannual variability. Supporting cultivar choices at local scale may alleviate these impacts and even turn them into gains, from 0.4% to 5.3%, as soon as the performance of the agro-climate service increases. However, adaptation advantages on mean yield may come with doubling the estimated increase in the interannual yield variability.
Single-cell imaging of α and β cell metabolic response to glucose in living human Langerhans islets
Authors: Azzarello Fabio , Pesce Luca , De Lorenzi Valentina , Ferri Gianmarco , Tesi Marta , Del Guerra Silvia , Marchetti Piero , Cardarelli Francesco
Published: November 2022

Here we use a combination of two-photon Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging Microscopy (FLIM) of NAD(P)H free/bound ratio in living HIs with post-fixation, immunofluorescence-based, cell-type identification. FLIM allowed to measure variations in the NAD(P)H free/bound ratio induced by glucose; immunofluorescence data allowed to identify single α and β cells; finally, matching of the two datasets allowed to assign metabolic shifts to cell identity. 312 α and 654 β cells from a cohort of 4 healthy donors, 15 total islets, were measured. Both α and β cells display a wide spectrum of responses, towards either an increase or a decrease in NAD(P)H free/bound ratio. Yet, if single-cell data are averaged according to the respective donor and correlated to donor insulin secretion power, a non-random distribution of metabolic shifts emerges: robust average responses of both α and β cells towards an increase of enzyme-bound NAD(P)H belong to the donor with the lowest insulin-secretion power; by contrast, discordant responses, with α cells shifting towards an increase of free NAD(P)H and β cells towards an increase of enzyme-bound NAD(P)H, correspond to the donor with the highest insulin-secretion power. Overall, data reveal neat anti-correlation of tissue metabolic responses with respect to tissue insulin secretion power.
Nearly compensated ferrimagnetic behaviour and giant exchange bias of hexagonal Mn2PtAl: experimental and theoretical studies
Authors: Patel Akhilesh Kumar , Samatham S. Shanmukharao , Lukoyanov Alexey V. , Babu P. D. , Suresh K. G.
Published: November 2022

We have investigated the Mn2PtAl Heulser alloy to unravel its structural, magnetic, calorimetric and electronic structure properties.
The organic co-crystals formed using naphthalenediimide-based triangular macrocycles and coronene: intermolecular charge transfers and nonlinear optical properties
Authors: Wang Li , Liu Yan-Li , Wang Mei-Shan
Published: November 2022

The second hyperpolarizability γtot values of NDI-COR and NDI-2COR were significantly greater than those of their components, indicating that the formation of organic co-crystals between COR and NDI is an effective way to improve their NLO properties.
Variability in X-ray induced effects in [Rh(COD)Cl]2 with changing experimental parameters
Authors: Fernando Nathalie K. , Boström Hanna L. B. , Murray Claire A. , Owen Robin L. , Thompson Amber L. , Dickerson Joshua L. , Garman Elspeth F. , Cairns Andrew B. , Regoutz Anna
Published: November 2022

Subjecting [Rh(COD)Cl]2 to different X-ray settings during diffraction studies leads to varied radiation-induced structural change, highlighting the importance of choosing setups which minimise dose whilst maximising diffraction resolution.
Mixed-ligand strategy for synthesizing water-soluble chiral gold clusters with phosphine ligands
Authors: Ajioka Hiyori , Komada Mayuko , Yao Hiroshi
Published: November 2022

We demonstrate a mixed-ligand strategy for the facile synthesis of atomically precise, water-soluble chiral Au clusters protected by phosphines.
Coupled plasmons in aluminum nanoparticle superclusters
Authors: Muhammed Mufasila Mumthaz , Alrebdi Tahani A. , Chamkha Ali J. , Mokkath Junais Habeeb
Published: November 2022

Transition contribution maps for the photo-absorption decomposition of FCC superclusters.
Heteroatom-doped carbon sheets as metal-free electrocatalysts for promoting the oxygen reduction reaction in Zn–air batteries
Authors: Deng Yuanqing , Zhang Hongyu , Lin Yuxuan , Ying Qi , Yu Fengjiao , Yang Yang
Published: November 2022

Ultrathin S–N–C sheets display a record ORR activity with an E1/2 of 0.89 V, far exceeding that of most carbon-based catalysts, and deliver outstanding performance in Zn–air batteries.
Plastic waste generation and emissions from the domestic open burning of plastic waste in Guatemala
Authors: Bardales Cruz Michelle , Saikawa Eri , Hengstermann Mayari , Ramirez Alexander , McCracken John P. , Thompson Lisa M.
Published: November 2022

Domestic, or household-level, open burning of plastic waste is a substantial source of air pollutants and greenhouse gases that are often neglected in Guatemala.
Effect of pre-treatment of herbaceous feedstocks on behavior of inorganic constituents under chemical looping gasification (CLG) conditions
Authors: Lebendig Florian , Müller Michael
Published: November 2022

Biomass chemical looping gasification (BCLG) is a promising key technology for producing carbon neutral liquid biofuels.
Social support and continuing motivation in chemistry: the mediating roles of interest in chemistry and chemistry self-efficacy
Authors: Huangfu Qian , Wei Nana , Zhang Ruli , Tang Yuefan , Luo Guixu
Published: November 2022

Continuing motivation in science can promote science literacy, identity, and lifelong learning, which has received considerable attention. As a crucial part of the science discipline, the study on continuing motivation in chemistry has also become a research hotspot. Yet, we have little knowledge about how to improve students’ continuing motivation in chemistry. Due to this situation, the present study was designed to explore the mechanisms of students’ perceived social support (parents support, teacher support and peer support), interest and self-efficacy in continuing motivation in the context of chemistry, further offering suggestions to the progress of students’ continuing motivation in chemistry. Measures were collected from 1260 Chinese high school students aged 15 to 17 years. Structural equation modelling (SEM) tested the hypothesized direct and mediated relations between these variables. The results showed that (1) parents support significantly negatively predicted students’ continuing motivation in chemistry; teacher support, peer support, interest in chemistry and chemistry self-efficacy significantly positively predicted students’ continuing motivation in chemistry; (2) both interest in chemistry and chemistry self-efficacy played mediating roles in the relationship between social support and continuing motivation in chemistry, respectively. We concluded by discussing the main findings of this study, highlighting their educational implications, acknowledging their limitations, and proposing lines of future research on chemistry education.
Retracted: Aspect‐based sentiment analysis employing linguistics content over social media for Web of Things
Authors: Jindal Latika , Kumar Sumit , Kaushal Chetna , Bhende Manisha , Thakare Anuradha , Shabaz Mohammad
Published: November 2022

The above article from IET Communications, published online on 12 November 2022 in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), has been retracted by agreement between the Interim Editor‐in‐Chief, Jian Ren, the Institution of Engineering and Technology (the IET) and John Wiley and Sons Ltd. This article was published as part of a Guest Edited special issue. Following an investigation, the IET and the journal have determined that the article was not reviewed in line with the journal's peer review standards and there is evidence that the peer review process of the special issue underwent systematic manipulation. Accordingly, we cannot vouch for the integrity or reliability of the content. As such we have taken the decision to retract the article. The authors have been informed of the decision to retract.
Underwater gripping control with waterproof glove for robot hand
Authors: Choi Myoung‐Su , Nam Dongwoo , Jun Bureum , Bae Ji‐Hun , Ahn Bummo
Published: November 2022

With the expansion of robots, researchers have focused on robot tasks with waterproof functions. Although numerous underwater‐robot studies have been published recently, there has been minimal research on the waterproofing of robotic hands. The aim of this study is to develop an underwater gripping control strategy for a robot hand using a waterproof glove. By using a silicone‐rubber‐based waterproof glove, the robot hand finished the underwater gripping task. However, an error occurred during the gripping task because of the resistance force of the glove. To reduce the error, torque control experiments were conducted in two ways. In the first, a grooved glove was fabricated to reduce the resistance force. In the second, a modified control model with torque compensation was employed. In the experiments, it was observed that the torque compensation control model was more feasible than improving the shape of the glove for underwater gripping.
Quadratic stability of flux limiters
Authors: Després Bruno
Published: November 2022

We propose a novel approach to study the quadratic stability of 2D flux limiters for non expansive transport equations. The theory is developed for the constant coefficient case on a cartesian grid. The convergence of the fully discrete nonlinear scheme is established in 2D with a rate not less than O(Δx½) in quadratic norm. It is a way to bypass the Goodman–Leveque obstruction Theorem. A new nonlinear scheme with corner correction is proposed. The scheme is formally second-order accurate away from characteristics points, satisfies the maximum principle and is proved to be convergent in quadratic norm. It is tested on simple numerical problems.
Gesundheitszustand des Endoskopiepersonals in Österreich
Authors: Weilguny-Schöfl Gerlinde , Dolak Werner , Fellinghauer Martina , Schober Theresia , Schöfl Rainer
Published: November 2022

Hintergrund Die Arbeit in der Endoskopie ist mit physischen und psychischen Herausforderungen verbunden, es gibt jedoch kaum Daten, ob dadurch die Gesundheit der Betroffenen beeinflusst wird. Ziel der Erhebung war, den Gesundheitszustand von Österreichs Endoskopie-Personal zu evaluieren und Vergleiche anzustellen.

Methode 2019 wurde an Ärzt*innen (n=236) und Pflegepersonen (n=324) in österreichischen gastrointestinalen Endoskopien ein standardisierter Fragebogen des Hogrefe Verlags und ein selbst entworfener SurveyMonkey Fragebogen online versendet. Die Rücklaufquote betrug 17,9%. Die Daten wurden mit einer Normbevölkerung, mit einer ähnlichen älteren Erhebung aus 2004 und nationalen Krankenstandsdaten verglichen.

Ergebnisse Im Vergleich mit einer Normbevölkerung gleichen Alters und Geschlechtsverteilung hat österreichisches Endoskopiepersonal mehr gesundheitliche Beschwerden. Im Vergleich mit den Ärzt*innen geben Pflegepersonen mehr Beeinträchtigungen an, am deutlichsten Müdigkeit und übermäßiges Schlafbedürfnis (p=0,001), Schweregefühl in den Beinen (p=0,001) sowie Wärme- (p<0,001) und Kälte-Überempfindlichkeit (p=0,002). Pflegepersonen sind etwas häufiger im Krankenstand als Ärzt*innen, die Krankenstandstage haben sich gegenüber 2004 vermehrt, liegen aber deutlich niedriger als im österreichischen Durchschnitt. Lebensstil übt wenig Einfluss auf die Symptome aus.

Schlussfolgerung Die Umfrageergebnisse zeigen, dass Arbeiten in der Endoskopie im Vergleich mit der Normbevölkerung mit gering stärkeren gesundheitlichen Problemen einhergeht. Pflegepersonen sind stärker belastet als Ärzt*innen. Diese Daten können Grundlage für gezielte Maßnahmen zur Prävention darstellen.