bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research Collaborations With Water and Wastewater Utilities
Authors: Adams Hunter , Eyring Adam , Albert John , Hendricks Adam , Ahmad Rasheed , Wyatt Andrea , Kaymak Baris , Ikehata Keisuke , Isazadeh Siavash , Furatian Laith , Nayak Bina , Norton John , Horne Daniel
Published: July 2023

Key Takeaways

A research program is an important opportunity for a utility to optimize processes, support permitting, and inform more cost‐effective future planning decisions.

A successful utility research program should engage internal and external stakeholders, including government agencies, nonprofits, consultants, and academics.

Starting with a small research project that is affordable and likely to be successful is a way to initiate a utility research program.

Case studies demonstrate the value of research collaboration to shift from a reactive focus toward a preventive, risk‐based approach.
Understanding fundamental principles of enhancer biology at a model locus
Authors: Kassouf Mira , Ford Seren , Blayney Joseph , Higgs Doug
Published: July 2023

Despite ever‐increasing accumulation of genomic data, the fundamental question of how individual genes are switched on during development, lineage‐specification and differentiation is not fully answered. It is widely accepted that this involves the interaction between at least three fundamental regulatory elements: enhancers, promoters and insulators. Enhancers contain transcription factor binding sites which are bound by transcription factors (TFs) and co‐factors expressed during cell fate decisions and maintain imposed patterns of activation, at least in part, via their epigenetic modification. This information is transferred from enhancers to their cognate promoters often by coming into close physical proximity to form a ‘transcriptional hub’ containing a high concentration of TFs and co‐factors. The mechanisms underlying these stages of transcriptional activation are not fully explained. This review focuses on how enhancers and promoters are activated during differentiation and how multiple enhancers work together to regulate gene expression. We illustrate the currently understood principles of how mammalian enhancers work and how they may be perturbed in enhanceropathies using expression of the α‐globin gene cluster during erythropoiesis, as a model.
The neuroprotective effects of Chalcones from Ashitaba on cuprizone‐induced demyelination via modulation of brain‐derived neurotrophic factor and tumor necrosis factor α
Authors: Rowhanirad Soodeh , Taherianfard Mahnaz
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common demyelinating disease of the central nervous system. However, the limitations of available therapeutic strategies are frustrating, both in terms of their low efficacy and multiple side effects. Previous studies showed that natural compounds such as Chalcones possess neuroprotective effects on neurodegenerative disorders. However, few studies have so far been published on the potential effects of Chalcones on treating demyelinating disease. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of Chalcones from Ashitaba (ChA) on cuprizone‐induced noxious changes in the C57BL6 mice model of MS.

Methods

The mice received normal diets (Control group: CNT), or Cuprizone‐supplemented diets either without ChA (Cuprizone group: CPZ) or with low or high (300, 600 mg/kg/day) doses of ChA (ChA‐treated groups: CPZ+ChA300/600). Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) levels, demyelination scores in the corpus callosum (CC), and cognitive impairment were evaluated using the enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, histological, and Y‐maze tests, respectively.

Results

The findings showed that ChA Co‐treatment significantly reduced the extent of demyelination in the CC and the serum and brain levels of TNFα in the ChA‐treated groups compared to the CPZ group. Besides, treatment with a higher dose of ChA significantly improved the behavioral responses and BDNF levels in the serum and brain of the CPZ+ChA600 group when compared with the CPZ group.

Conclusion

The present study provided evidence for the neuroprotective effects of ChA on cuprizone‐induced demyelination and behavioral dysfunction in C57BL/6 mice, possibly by modulating TNFα secretion and BDNF expression.
Evolution of behavioral research on E‐waste management: Conceptual frameworks and future research directions
Authors: Newaz Md Shah , Appolloni Andrea
Published: July 2023

The rapid growth of e‐waste or waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) has garnered significant attention from scholars, particularly in the behavioral domain. This study aims to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis and content analysis to provide a systematic review of WEEE‐behavioral research. Firstly, a bibliometric analysis was performed using Biblioshiny (R packages) on a sample of 293 articles from Scopus and WOS databases. This part addresses the research question: A) How has the WEEE‐behavioral domain evolved over time in terms of key journals, institutions, countries, trending topics, and research streams? Secondly, a content analysis was conducted on 41 relevant articles that were able to address the following research questions: B) What are the main theories utilized and their implications in WEEE‐behavioral research? and C) what are the potential directions for future research? The findings reveal two distinct research categories, namely circular economic behavior and behavioral spillovers, with seven underlying and emerging clusters followed by corresponding research streams. Additionally, the theory of planned behavior (TPB) emerged as the core theory that was extensively utilized and expanded upon. Consequently, this study contributes to 1) understanding the evolution of the WEEE‐behavioral domain, 2) proposing an integrated theoretical framework, 3) identifying the primary research streams and their interconnections, and 4) suggesting avenues for future research, supported by a robust conceptual model for hypothesis generation.
A real‐world study of adjuvant anti‐PD ‐1 immunotherapy on stage III melanoma with BRAF, NRAS, and KIT mutations
Authors: Sun Wei , Xu Yu , Yan WangJun , Wang ChunMeng , Hu Tu , Luo ZhiGuo , Zhang XiaoWei , Liu Xin , Chen Yong
Published: July 2023

Background

Melanoma frequently harbors BRAF, NRAS, or KIT mutations which influence both tumor development and treatment strategies. For example, it is still controversial whether adjuvant anti‐PD‐1 monotherapy or BRAF/MEK inhibitors may better improve the survival for resected BRAF‐mutant melanoma. Furthermore, outcomes for melanoma with NRAS and KIT mutation receiving adjuvant immunotherapy remain unclear.

Methods

One hundred seventy‐four stage III melanoma patients who underwent radical surgery in Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center (FUSCC) during January 2017 to December 2021 were included in this real‐world study. Patients were followed up until death or May 30th, 2022. Pearson's chi‐squared test or Fisher's exact test was performed for univariable analysis of the different category groups. Log‐rank analysis was used to identify the prognostic factors for disease‐free survival (DFS).

Results

There were 41 (23.6%) patients with BRAF mutation, 31 (17.8%) with NRAS mutation, 17 (9.8%) with KIT mutation, and 85 (48.9%) wild‐type patients without either genomic alteration of those three genes. Most ( n  = 118, 67.8%) of them were acral melanoma, while 45 (25.9%) were cutaneous subtype, and 11 were (6.3%) primary unknown. Among them, 115 (66.1%) patients received pembrolizumab or toripalimab monotherapy as adjuvant therapy; 22 (12.6%) patients received high‐dose interferon (IFN), and 37 (21.3%) patients were just for observation. There was no statistical difference in clinicopathologic factors between anti‐PD‐1 group and IFN/OBS group. Of all the enrolled patients, anti‐PD‐1 group had a better DFS than IFN/OBS group ( p  = 0.039). In anti‐PD‐1 group, patients with BRAF or NRAS mutations had poorer DFS than wild‐type group. No survival difference was found among patients harboring different gene mutations in IFN/OBS group. In wild‐type patients, anti‐PD‐1 group had a better DFS than IFN/OBS group ( p  = 0.003), while no survival benefits were found for patients with BRAF, NRAS, or KIT mutations.

Conclusion

Although anti‐PD‐1 adjuvant therapy provides a better DFS in the general population and in wild‐type patients, patients with BRAF, KIT or, especially, NRAS mutation may not benefit further from immunotherapy than conventional IFN treatment or observation.
Incidence and prognostic impact of U2AF1 mutations and other gene alterations in myelodysplastic neoplasms with isolated 20q deletion
Authors: Castillo Martín I. , Ribate Villamón E. , Muñoz Calabuig M. , Santillana Sanz G. , Taboada Such E. , Casterá Mora E. , Abinzano Calasanz M. J. , Barranco Irigoyen A. , Nieto Collado R. , Pampliega Vara M. , Blanco M. L. , de Andrés Álvarez S. , de Oteyza Pérez J. , del Castillo Bernal T. , Font Granada I. , Cayuela Jerez A. , Díez‐Campelo M. , Sánchez Abellán R. , Vercet Solano C. , Díaz Tormo M. ,   Grupo Español de Síndromes Mielodisplásicos (GESMD)
Published: July 2023

Background

In myelodysplastic neoplasms (MDS), the 20q deletion [del(20q)] is a recurrent chromosomal abnormality that it has a high co‐occurrence with U2AF1 mutations. Nevertheless, the prognostic impact of U2AF1 in these MDS patients is uncertain and the possible clinical and/or prognostic differences between the mutation type and the mutational burden are also unknown.

Methods

Our study analyzes different molecular variables in 100 MDS patients with isolated del(20q).

Results & Conclusions

We describe the high incidence and negative prognostic impact of U2AF1 mutations and other alterations such as in ASXL1 gene to identify prognostic markers that would benefit patients to receive earlier treatment.
Primary resistance to nivolumab plus ipilimumab therapy in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Numakura Kazuyuki , Sekine Yuya , Hatakeyama Shingo , Muto Yumina , Sobu Ryuta , Kobayashi Mizuki , Sasagawa Hajime , Kashima Soki , Yamamto Ryohei , Nara Taketoshi , Akashi Hideo , Tabata Ryuji , Sato Satoshi , Saito Mitsuru , Narita Shintaro , Ohyama Chikara , Habuchi Tomonori
Published: July 2023

Background

Nivolumab plus ipilimumab (NIVO+IPI) is the first‐line treatment for patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC). Approximately 40% of patients achieve a durable response; however, 20% develop primary resistant disease (PRD) to NIVO+IPI, about which little is known in patients with mRCC. Therefore, this investigation aimed to evaluate the clinical implication of PRD in patients with mRCC to select better candidates in whom NIVO+IPI can be initiated as first‐line therapy.

Methods

This multi‐institutional retrospective cohort study used data collected between August 2015 and January 2023. In total, 120 patients with mRCC treated with NIVO+IPI were eligible. Associations between immune‐related adverse events and progression‐free survival, overall survival (OS), and objective response rate were analyzed. The relationship between other clinical factors and outcomes was also evaluated.

Results

The median observation period was 16 months (interquartile range, 5–27). The median age at NIVO+IPI initiation was 68 years in the male‐dominant population (n = 86, 71.7%), and most patients had clear cell histology (n = 104, 86.7%). PRD was recorded in 26 (23.4%) of 111 investigated patients during NIVO+IPI therapy. Patients who experienced PRD showed worse OS (hazard ratio: 4.525, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.315–8.850, p < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that lymph node metastasis (LNM) (odds ratio: 4.274, 95% CI: 1.075–16.949, p = 0.039) was an independent risk factor for PRD.

Conclusions

PRD was strongly correlated with worse survival rates. LNM was independently associated with PRD in patients with mRCC receiving NIVO+IPI as first‐line therapy and might indicate that a candidate will not benefit from NIVO+IPI.
Flattery will get you somewhere, sometimes? The effect of flattery and hotel segments on a hotel guests' green behavior
Authors: Kang Eun Yeon , Atkinson Lucy , Sung Yoon Hi
Published: July 2023

Considering the importance of the hotel guests' behavioral support for the hotels' green corporate social responsibility (CSR), this research examined the persuasive power of flattery in promoting guests' green behaviors. Study 1 revealed that a flattery message significantly increased the hotel guests' towel reuse intentions during their stay and this effect was mediated by their perceptions of the hotel's CSR motives. Study 2 further showed that a feeling of guilt served as another key mediator in the relationship between a flattery message and the guests' responses (i.e., perceived CSR motives, hotel image, attitudes toward a hotel, towel reuse intentions), which was moderated by hotel segment (economy vs. mid‐priced vs. luxury). This research provides meaningful insights into the understanding of the consumers' pro‐environmental decisions in the service consumption context and explains the underlying cognitive process. Moreover, this research offers an empirical message strategy by hotel segments to effectively promote the hotel guests' green behavior and achieve successful marketing outcomes.
Rare root canal morphology of maxillary second molars: A report of three cases
Authors: Nagahara Takayoshi , Takeda Katsuhiro , Wada Keinoshin , Naruse Tomoya , Shiba Hideki
Published: July 2023

Key Clinical Message

Endodontists should be aware that some maxillary second molars can have more than three roots. If any unusual anatomical features are detected during dental radiography or endodontic procedures, it is necessary to conduct cone‐beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning to prevent procedural mishaps.

CBCT can provide three‐dimensional reconstructed images of the root canal system. With the help of CBCT, variations in tooth root number and root canal morphology, such as extra canals, apical ramifications, apical deltas, and lateral canals, can be identified. Knowledge of the variations is very important for the success of endodontic treatment. This report suggests that endodontists must not assume that a MSM has only three tooth roots, which is the most prevalent number.
A rare case report of diverticulum of the buccal mucosa
Authors: Koike Kazushige , Mori Hinako , Ogi Kazuhiro , Jin Makiya , Ohwada Satoshi , Iwamoto Takahiro , Sugita Shintaro , Hasegawa Tadashi , Miyazaki Akihiro
Published: July 2023

Key Clinical Message

We report a case of diverticulum of the buccal mucosa. A 56‐year‐old man had a small pouch‐shaped lesion behind the parotid papilla that caused pain and food impaction. After resection, the lesion was histopathologically diagnosed as diverticulum without buccal muscle tear. There has been no recurrence during 1 year postoperatively.
Effect of Surface Temperature on the Distribution and Reactivity of Rh Active Sites for CO Oxidation
Authors: Çınar Volkan , Dannar Audrey , Hunt Adrian , Schilling Alex C. , Wang Yicheng , Hannagan Ryan T. , Korotkin Jessica , Waluyo Iradwikanari , Sykes E. Charles H.
Published: July 2023

Single‐atom catalysts are a fast‐emerging area in which late‐transition metal atoms are supported on oxides, metals, and carbonaceous supports. They show great promise for selective chemical reactions due to their well‐defined active sites, and significantly reduce precious metal loading. However, oxide‐supported single‐atom catalysts have drawbacks such as deactivation due to sintering, and there are on‐going debates about the exact nature of the active sites. Herein we report a model system where the surface temperature during Rh deposition on a copper oxide support dictates the Rh size distribution. Our temperature‐programmed desorption experiments reveal that Rh clusters perform CO oxidation at lower temperature than single atoms, and isotopic labelling demonstrates differences in the mechanism in that the C−O bond is broken and reformed on clusters, as opposed to a pure Mars van Krevelen mechanism for CO oxidation at the single‐atom Rh sites. We further examine the cluster size distributions with scanning tunneling microscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy which confirm the presence of both clusters and single atoms for the lower temperature deposition and only single atoms for the higher temperature deposition. Together, these results provide a fundamental understanding of the differences in the CO oxidation mechanism on Rh atoms and clusters.
Reduction of Dinitrobenzene Derivatives in Ethaline: Hydrogen‐Bonding Interactions through the Inversion of Potentials in a Deep Eutectic Solvent
Authors: Zhen Fangchen , Hapiot Philippe
Published: July 2023

The reduction of dinitro‐benzene derivatives have been examined in Ethaline containing a low amount of water (less than 0.2 %) chosen as a prototypical example of Type III‐DES. Analyses of the voltammograms reveal a situation of potential inversion (i. e. the second electron transfer is easier and occurs at a least negative potential) for the reductions of 1,2‐ and 1,4‐dinitrobenzene contrarily to the reduction of dinitrobenzene in a classical organic solvent. This is ascribed to H‐Bond interactions in Ethaline that are different for a delocalized radical anion and the dianion in a molecule bearing two conjugated redox groups. Indeed, the inversion of potential is not observed for the 1,3‐dinitrobenzene reduction. Reduction potentials in Ethaline are less negative than those in organic solvent (acetonitrile, DMF), that falls in line with the H‐bonding stabilization of the electrogenerated charged species in Ethaline. The potential inversion is not observed in ethylene glycol (with 0.2 mol L−1 Et4N+ Cl−) that is one of the components of Ethaline suggesting that choline chloride plays a major role in the H‐bonding/ion‐pairing stabilization. Interestingly and despite these stabilizations, the charge transfer kinetics remain comparable with those measured in common organic solvents (ks around 0.13 cm s−1).
Sugar‐Assisted Kinetic Resolutions in Metal/Chiral Amine Co‐Catalyzed α‐Allylations and [4+2] Cycloadditions: Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of Sugar and Chromane Derivatives
Authors: Zhang Kaiheng , Carmo Chrislaura , Deiana Luca , Grape Erik Svensson , Inge A. Ken , Córdova Armando
Published: July 2023

Functionalized triose‐, furanose and chromane‐derivatives were synthesized by the titled reactions. The sugar‐assisted kinetic resolution/C−C bond‐forming cascade processes generate a functionalized sugar derivative with a quaternary stereocenter in a highly enantioselective fashion (up to >99 % ee) by using a simple combination of metal and chiral amine co‐catalysts. Notably, the interplay between the chiral sugar substrate and the chiral amino acid derivative allowed for the construction of a functionalized sugar product with high enantioselectivity (up to 99 %) also when using a combination of racemic amine catalyst (0 % ee) and metal catalyst.
Longitudinal imaging in Kleefstra syndrome—Brief report and literature review
Authors: Castellucci Giovanni , Juhasz Csaba , Luat Aimee F.
Published: July 2023

Background

Kleefstra syndrome (KS) is a rare genetic condition affecting the euchromatic histone methyltransferase 1 (EHMT1) gene, typically presenting with developmental delay, generalized hypotonia, distinctive facial dysmorphisms, and neuropsychiatric anomalies.

Methods

We collected longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data of a child with KS and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) dissection over 16 years and reviewed the literature focusing on articles reporting MRI findings in KS based on a PubMed search.

Results

An 18‐year‐old female with KS presented with developmental delay at age 18 months and seizures at age 10 years. At age 23 months, MRI showed ventriculomegaly. Follow‐up MRI nine years later showed CSF dissection from the right lateral ventricle, which progressed similarly in the contralateral side 3 years later and stabilized over time. To date, only 20 articles report MRI findings from 49 patients with KS. The brain imaging findings range from normal (about 25%) to various abnormalities, including ventriculomegaly, white matter signal abnormalities, and dysmorphic corpus callosum and brainstem structures. CSF dissection was not found in any cases with white matter or other abnormalities.

Conclusions

CSF dissection may be a rare neuroimaging finding of KS. Its etiology is unclear, but we speculate that epigenetic mutations could indirectly affect the development and integrity of ependymal cell lining along the ventricles. Alternatively, the long‐standing hydrocephalus may have caused the development of pseudodiverticula and subsequent CSF dissection.
Aging variations in Ishihara test plates
Authors: Plutino Alice , Armellin Luca , Mazzoni Andrea , Marcucci Roberta , Rizzi Alessandro
Published: July 2023

The Ishihara test plates are designed to offer a rapid and usable instrument to diagnose color deficiency. The original test, as well as other pseudo‐isochromatic plates (PIP), is composed of physical charts produced following proprietary and standard printing procedures. In this work, we aim to measure and assess the color shifts that the aging of the plates may introduce. This work aims to raise the scientific and medical community's awareness of the risks that may occur in using an aged or damaged test, which may still appear in good condition but has been subjected to deterioration over time.
Hepatocellular carcinoma treated with radical resection after endoscopic diagnosis of the extent of bile duct invasion: A case report
Authors: Sato Yudai , Tadokoro Tomoko , Yamana Hiroki , Akai Hiraki , Takuma Kei , Fujita Naoki , Nakahara Mai , Oura Kyoko , Fujita Koji , Tani Joji , Kamada Hideki , Morishita Asahiro , Kobara Hideki , Kagawa Seiko , Haba Reiji , Okano Keiichi , Masaki Tsutomu
Published: July 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma invasion of the bile duct is rare and has a poor prognosis. A 77‐year‐old man presented at the emergency department with persistent pain in the right hypochondrium. Blood tests and imaging studies revealed a 70‐mm occupying lesion in the right lobe of the liver and dilated intrahepatic bile ducts. He was diagnosed with obstructive jaundice and cholangitis. Imaging studies showed an internal mass with poor contrast effects. A liver biopsy was performed to confirm the diagnosis and hepatocellular carcinoma was suspected. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic ultrasound, and peroral cholangioscopy were performed to determine the treatment strategy. The bile duct invasion did not extend to the porta hepatis; therefore, right hepatic lobectomy and radical resection were performed. Bile duct invasion in hepatocellular carcinoma is rare and often difficult to diagnose by computed tomography or conventional endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. However, endoscopic ultrasound and peroral cholangioscopy enable safe and accurate diagnosis of the extent of invasion.
LC‐MS/MS analysis of erythrocyte phosphatidylethanol in haematocrit‐corrected whole blood versus isolated erythrocytes: Results of an inter‐laboratory comparison
Authors: White Daniel , Fitzpatrick Michael , McWhinney Brett , Salman Sam , Joyce David A.
Published: July 2023

Phosphatidylethanol (PEth) is a non‐oxidative metabolite of alcohol (ethanol), which is a sensitive and specific indicator of historic ethanol consumption. Although PEth production from ethanol is catalysed by the ubiquitous enzyme phospholipase D, it resides mainly within the erythrocyte compartment of the blood. PEth analysis has been reported in different preparations of whole blood, representing one of the barriers of inter‐laboratory comparisons. We previously reported that expressing PEth concentrations in terms of blood erythrocyte content is more sensitive than whole blood volume, and haematocrit‐corrected liquid whole blood calculations of erythrocyte PEth and isolated erythrocyte PEth concentrations are comparable when assayed under identical analytical conditions. Acceptance of a clinical diagnostic assay by accreditation bodies requires proficiency testing with a third‐party analytical facility. To explore different blood preparations within the same inter‐laboratory program, 60 matched isolated erythrocyte or liquid whole blood specimens were tested at three laboratories. Laboratories measured PEth by liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS), two using isolated erythrocytes, while the third used liquid whole blood, which underwent haematocrit correction before comparison with isolated erythrocyte PEth concentrations. There was acceptable consensus (87%) among laboratories to detect PEth around a cut‐off of 35 μg/L of erythrocytes. Each laboratory correlated well with the group average PEth concentration (R > 0.98) for each specimen above the cut‐off. Differences were observed between laboratories in bias, which did not affect comparable sensitivity at the selected cut‐off. This work demonstrates the feasibility of an inter‐laboratory comparison for erythrocyte PEth analysis across different LC‐MS/MS methodologies and different blood preparations.
Scavenging patterns of an inbred wolf population in a landscape with a pulse of human‐provided carrion
Authors: Wikenros Camilla , Di Bernardi Cecilia , Zimmermann Barbara , Åkesson Mikael , Demski Maike , Flagstad Øystein , Mattisson Jenny , Tallian Aimee , Wabakken Petter , Sand Håkan
Published: July 2023

Scavenging is an important part of food acquisition for many carnivore species that switch between scavenging and predation. In landscapes with anthropogenic impact, humans provide food that scavenging species can utilize. We quantified the magnitude of killing versus scavenging by gray wolves (Canis lupus) in Scandinavia where humans impact the ecosystem through hunter harvest, land use practices, and infrastructure. We investigated the cause of death of different animals utilized by wolves, and examined how the proportion of their consumption time spent scavenging was influenced by season, wolf social affiliation, level of inbreeding, density of moose (Alces alces) as their main prey, density of brown bear (Ursus arctos) as an intraguild competitor, and human density. We used data from 39 GPS‐collared wolves covering 3198 study days (2001–2019), including 14,205 feeding locations within space–time clusters, and 1362 carcasses utilized by wolves. Most carcasses were wolf‐killed (80.5%) while a small part had died from other natural causes (1.9%). The remaining had either anthropogenic mortality causes (4.7%), or the cause of death was unknown (12.9%). Time spent scavenging was higher during winter than during summer and autumn. Solitary wolves spent more time scavenging than pack‐living individuals, likely because individual hunting success is lower than pack success. Scavenging time increased with the mean inbreeding coefficient of the adult wolves, possibly indicating that more inbred individuals resort to scavenging, which requires less body strength. There was weak evidence for competition between wolves and brown bears as well as a positive relationship between human density and time spent scavenging. This study shows how both intrinsic and extrinsic factors drive wolf scavenging behavior, and that despite a high level of inbreeding and access to carrion of anthropogenic origin, wolves mainly utilized their own kills.
Effect of Elettaria cardamomum L. on hormonal changes and spermatogenesis in the propylthiouracil‐induced hypothyroidism male BALB/c mice
Authors: Atabaki Bahar , Mirazi Naser , Hosseini Abdolkarim , Sarihi Abdolrahman , Izadi Zahra , Nourian Alireza
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Spermatogenesis is significantly influenced by the thyroid gland. Thyroid disorders can be caused by a variety of factors. Traditionally, Ellettaria cardamomum has been used to treat a variety of ailments. The effects of E. cardamomum extract (ECE) on spermatogenesis in hypothyroid mice were investigated in this study.

Methods

In this study 42 male mice, weighing (25–35 g) were randomly divided in six groups: control group (taking normal saline, 0.5 mL/day, by oral gavage [P.O.]), hypothyroid group (taking 0.1% propylthiouracil in drinking water for 2 weeks), hypothyroid groups treated by levothyroxine (15 mg/kg/day, P.O.) and hypothyroid groups treated by ECE (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg/day, P.O.). After the end of experiments the mice were anaesthetised and blood samples were collected for hormonal analysis.

Results

The sperm count and microscopic studies of testes were done also. Our results showed that the T3, T4, testosterone levels and spermatogenesis in hypothyroid animals decreased and thyroid‐stimulating hormone, follicle‐stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone increased compared with control group. Treatment by ECE reverse these effects in comparison with hypothyroid group.

Conclusions

According to our findings, the ECE may stimulates thyroid gland function and increases testosterone and spermatogenesis.
Prediction models for heart failure in the community: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Nadarajah Ramesh , Younsi Tanina , Romer Elizabeth , Raveendra Keerthenan , Nakao Yoko M. , Nakao Kazuhiro , Shuweidhi Farag , Hogg David C. , Arbel Ronen , Zahger Doron , Iakobishvili Zaza , Fonarow Gregg C. , Petrie Mark C. , Wu Jianhua , Gale Chris P.
Published: July 2023

Aims

Multivariable prediction models can be used to estimate risk of incident heart failure (HF) in the general population. A systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed to determine the performance of models.

Methods and results

From inception to 3 November 2022 MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for studies of multivariable models derived, validated and/or augmented for HF prediction in community‐based cohorts. Discrimination measures for models with c‐statistic data from ≥3 cohorts were pooled by Bayesian meta‐analysis, with heterogeneity assessed through a 95% prediction interval (PI). Risk of bias was assessed using PROBAST. We included 36 studies with 59 prediction models. In meta‐analysis, the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) risk score (summary c‐statistic 0.802, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.707–0.883), GRaph‐based Attention Model (GRAM; 0.791, 95% CI 0.677–0.885), Pooled Cohort equations to Prevent Heart Failure (PCP‐HF) white men model (0.820, 95% CI 0.792–0.843), PCP‐HF white women model (0.852, 95% CI 0.804–0.895), and REverse Time AttentIoN model (RETAIN; 0.839, 95% CI 0.748–0.916) had a statistically significant 95% PI and excellent discrimination performance. The ARIC risk score and PCP‐HF models had significant summary discrimination among cohorts with a uniform prediction window. 77% of model results were at high risk of bias, certainty of evidence was low, and no model had a clinical impact study.

Conclusions

Prediction models for estimating risk of incident HF in the community demonstrate excellent discrimination performance. Their usefulness remains uncertain due to high risk of bias, low certainty of evidence, and absence of clinical effectiveness research.
An interpretable ensemble method for deep representation learning
Authors: Jiang Kai , Xiong Zheli , Yang Qichong , Chen Jianpeng , Chen Gang
Published: July 2023

In representation learning domain, the mainstream methods for model ensemble include “implicit” ensemble approaches, such as using techniques like dropout, and “explicit” ensemble methods, such as voting or weighted averaging based on multiple model outputs. Compared to implicit ensemble techniques, explicit ensemble methods allow for more flexibility in combining models with different structures to obtain different perspectives on representations. However, the representations obtained from different models do not guarantee a linear relationship, and simply linearly combining multiple model outputs may result in a degraded performance. Meanwhile, employing non‐linear fusion mechanisms such as distillation and meta‐learning can be uninterpretable and time‐consuming. To this end, we propose the hypothesis of linear fusion based on the output representations of deep learning models, and design a interpretable linear fusion method based on this hypothesis. This method applies a transform layer to map the output representations of different models to the same classification center. Experimental results demonstrate that compared to directly averaging the representations, our method achieves better performance. Additionally, our method retains the convenience of direct averaging while offering improved performance in terms of time and computational efficiency compared to non‐linear fusion. Furthermore, we test the applicability of our method in both computer vision and natural language processing representation tasks using supervised and semi‐supervised approaches.
Optimal Fractional‐Order Proportion Integration Differentiation Control of Proton Exchange Membrane Electrolyzer for Offshore Wind Power Hydrogen Production System
Authors: Tong Fan , Wei Wuqing , Jin Mingyue , Sun Xi , Wang Qiuyuan , Luo Qin
Published: July 2023

Offshore wind power is mostly of strong randomness and unpredictability, which brings a great challenge to proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis‐based hydrogen production. Besides, volatile temperature and pressure tend to impose prominent impacts on electrolyzer parameters as well. By analyzing the electrochemical characteristics of PEM electrolyzers, the electrochemical model of PEM electrolyzer in offshore wind power generation hydrogen production system is established. To ensure the control performance of PEM electrolyzers, the fractional‐order proportion integration differentiation (FOPID) control strategy and the improved firefly algorithm (IFA) are introduced, and the relevant parameters are optimized according to the overshoot and stability time as evaluation indicators. In order to adapt to the FOPID control requirements, a step‐type inertia weighting factor is employed to improve the classical firefly algorithm to avoid local optimum, and a mutation mechanism is used to expand the search range. Verification results show that the proposed IFAFOPID controller is superior to the traditional PID controller with a smaller overshoot and a shorter transition time subject to different disturbances, and thus is more beneficial to achieve precise voltage control and obtain stable hydrogen output.
Multi‐channel response reconstruction using transformer based generative adversarial network
Authors: Zheng Wenhao , Li Jun , Li Qilin , Hao Hong
Published: July 2023

Accurate measurement data are a basic prerequisite for effective structural health monitoring (SHM). However, data loss are inevitable in the long‐term monitoring of large‐scale structures. To solve this problem, this research proposes a transformer‐based generative adversarial network (GAN) to reconstruct lost measurements from observed measurements. The generator of GAN is an encoder‐decoder structure using transformer as the backbone combined with discrete wavelet transform. Skip connections are used between the encoder part and decoder part to promote multi‐scale information flow. A novel discriminator is designed to assess the reality of wavelet spectra of reconstructed samples. To deceive the discriminator, the generator must generate samples that are accurate over the full frequency band. The developed model is used to reconstruct linear responses of a footbridge under pedestrian excitations and nonlinear responses of a suspension bridge under typhoon events. Experimental results demonstrate that lost responses can be reconstructed accurately, even when a large proportion of data are lost. The effectiveness of the proposed method is further verified by comparing the reconstruction accuracy of the proposed model with those of other three state‐of‐the‐art models. The results demonstrate that an improved performance of applying the proposed approach for dynamic structural response reconstruction is achieved and validated with in‐field testing data under ambient and extreme excitation conditions.
Mechanism of flavonoids inhibiting xanthine oxidase and alleviating hyperuricemia from structure–activity relationship and animal experiments: A review
Authors: Xue Hui , Xu Meng , Gong Deming , Zhang Guowen
Published: July 2023

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is a metabolic disease caused by excessive uric acid in patients. Flavonoids have attracted extensive attention due to their safety, effectiveness, and little side effects in the treatment of HUA and inhibition of xanthine oxidase (XO) activity. In this paper, the studies on the treatment of HUA and the inhibition of XO activity by flavonoids (including flavones, flavonols, flavanones, flavanols, isoflavonoids, anthocyanins, and chalcones) were comprehensively reviewed from the aspects of structure–activity relationship and animal experiments. Results showed that hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions were the two most important forces involved in the interaction between flavonoids and XO. Flavonoids could combine with the hydrophobic cavity of XO to cause changes in XO structure and influence the action of enzyme and substrate, thereby decreasing the catalytic activity of XO. Moreover, flavonoids undergo a series of metabolic reactions in the organism, which plays a role in alleviating HUA by affecting the expression of related genes and proteins (e.g., glucose transporter 9, urate transporter 1, and organic anion transporter 1) in the kidneys, liver, and intestinal tract of the organism and changing the internal environment in organs. In addition, this paper provides new perspectives on the shortcomings of the current research, to promote the in‐depth development and application of flavonoids.
Escherichia coli O157:H7 beef carcass contamination and its antibiotic resistance in Awi Zone, Northwest Ethiopia
Authors: Tarekegn Aschalew Ayisheshim , Mitiku Birhan Agimas , Alemu Yeshwas Ferede
Published: July 2023

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is a cause of foodborne disease and global public health issues especially in developing countries like Ethiopia. A cross‐sectional study was done from January 2022 to July 2022 in Awi Zone to assess the occurrence and antibiograms of E. coli O157:H7. Abattoirs and butcher shops were selected purposively, whereas a systematic random and purposive sampling technique was employed to select study units in abattoirs and butcher shops, respectively. A total of 248 swab samples were collected, isolated, and confirmed using bacteriological culture, biochemical tests, and latex agglutination tests. Escherichia coli O1157:H7 antibiogram tests were performed using Kirby–Bauer disk diffusion method. Logistic regression was used to analyze and measure the degree of association between the presumed risk factors and E. coli O157:H7 occurrence. The overall occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 was estimated to be 8.87% and a relative higher (11.29%) occurrence of E. coli O157:H7 was recorded at butcher shops when compared to abattoirs (6.45%). All isolates were susceptible to gentamicin followed by chloramphenicol (81.81%). About 81.81% of the isolates were resistant to ampicillin and 77.23% of isolates developed resistance to two and more than two antibiotics (MDR). In conclusion, E. coli O157:H7 was detected in the study area. Thus, educating abattoir and butcher shop workers, and consumers, on hygienic handling practices and safe consumption of meat could eliminate foodborne infection associated with E. coli O157:H7 occurrence.
The suppression of the differentiation of adipocytes with Mallotus furetianus is regulated through the posttranslational modifications of C/EBPβ
Authors: Nakano Touko , Sasaki Yutaro , Norikura Toshio , Hosokawa Yusuke , Kasano Mayu , Matsui‐Yuasa Isao , Huang Xuedan , Kobayashi Yoshinori , Kojima‐Yuasa Akiko
Published: July 2023

Obesity is a major risk factor for various chronic diseases, especially lifestyle‐related diseases. Therefore, finding a protective substance against obesity and elucidating its molecular mechanism is one of the most important problems for improving human health. In this study, we investigated the antiobesity effect of Mallotus furetianus extract (MFE). The aim of the study was to examine the in vivo and in vitro effects of MFE on lipid synthesis. We examined the effect using an in vivo experimental system with obesity model mice and an in vitro experimental system with 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes. We found that the treatment of MFE significantly suppressed the increase in body weight and adipose tissue weight and morphological changes in the liver and adipose tissue of the obesity model mice. In the in vitro experimental system, we revealed that MFE treatment suppressed the expression of transcription factors such as C/EBPα, C/EBPβ, and PPARγ, which are involved in the early differentiation of 3T3‐L1 preadipocytes. As a result, the ability to synthesize triacylglycerol was suppressed. An interesting finding in this study was the clarification that MFE decreases the expression of C/EBPβ through post‐translation modifications (PTMs), followed by the transcriptional suppression of PPAR𝛾 and C/EBP𝛼.
A retrospective study of 222 patients with newly diagnosed primary central nervous system lymphoma—Outcomes indicative for improved survival overtime
Authors: Bairey Osnat , Lebel Eyal , Buxbaum Chen , Porges Tzvika , Taliansky Alisa , Gurion Ronit , Goldschmidt Neta , Shina Tzahala Tzuk , Zektser Miri , Hofstetter Liron , Siegal Tali
Published: July 2023

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is a rare disease with an incidence of 0.4/per 100,000 person‐years. As there is a limited number of prospective randomized trials in PCNSL, large retrospective studies on this rare disease may yield information that might prove useful for the future design of randomized clinical trials. We retrospectively analyzed the data of 222 newly diagnosed PCNSL patients treated in five referral centers in Israel between 2001 and 2020. During this period, combination therapy became the treatment of choice, rituximab has been added to the induction therapy, and consolidation with irradiation was largely laid off and was mostly replaced by high‐dose chemotherapy with or without autologous stem cell transplantation (HDC‐ASCT). Patients older than 60 comprised 67.5% of the study population. First‐line treatment included high‐dose methotrexate (HD‐MTX) in 94% of patients with a median MTX dose of 3.5 g/m2 (range 1.14–6 g/m2) and a median cycle number of 5 (range 1–16). Rituximab was given to 136 patients (61%) and consolidation treatment to 124 patients (58%). Patients treated after 2012 received significantly more treatment with HD‐MTX and rituximab, more consolidation treatments, and autologous stem cell transplantation. The overall response rate was 85% and the complete response (CR)/unconfirmed CR rate was 62.1%. After a median follow‐up of 24 months, the median progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 21.9 and 43.5 months respectively with a significant improvement since 2012 (PFS: 12.5 vs. 34.2 p = 0.006 and OS: 19.9 vs. 77.3 p = 0.0003). A multivariate analysis found that the most important factors related to OS were obtaining a CR followed by rituximab treatment and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status. The observed improvement in outcomes may be due to multiple components such as an intention to treat all patients regardless of age with HD‐MTX‐based combination chemotherapy, treatment in dedicated centers, and more aggressive consolidation with the introduction of HDC‐ASCT.
Brain photobiomodulation therapy on neurological and psychological diseases
Authors: Chamkouri Hossein , Liu Qi , Zhang Yuqin , Chen Changchun , Chen Lei
Published: July 2023

Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy is an innovative treatment for neurological and psychological conditions. Complex IV of the mitochondrial respiratory chain can be stimulated by red light, which increases ATP synthesis. In addition, the ion channels' light absorption causes the release of Ca2+, which activates transcription factors and changes gene expression. Neuronal metabolism is improved by brain PBM therapy, which also promotes synaptogenesis and neurogenesis as well as anti‐inflammatory. Its depression‐treating potential is attracting attention for other conditions, including Parkinson's disease and dementia. Giving enough dosage for optimum stimulation using the transcranial PBM technique is challenging because of the rapidly increasing attenuation of light transmission in tissue. Different strategies like intranasal and intracranial light delivery systems have been proposed to overcome this restriction. The most recent preclinical and clinical data on the effectiveness of brain PBM therapy are studied in this review article.
Detection of fibrotic changes in the progression of liver diseases by label‐free multiphoton imaging
Authors: Huang Xingxin , Lian Yuan‐E , Qiu Lida , Yu XunBin , Zhan Zhenlin , Zhang Zheng , Zhang Xiong , Lin Hongxin , Xu Shuoyu , Chen Jianxin , Bai Yannan , Li Lianhuang
Published: July 2023

Collagen fibers play an important role in the progression of liver diseases. The formation and progression of liver fibrosis is a dynamic pathological process accompanied by morphological changes in collagen fibers. In this study, we used multiphoton microscopy for label‐free imaging of liver tissues, allowing direct detection of various components including collagen fibers, tumors, blood vessels, and lymphocytes. Then, we developed a deep learning classification model to automatically identify tumor regions, and the accuracy reaches 0.998. We introduced an automated image processing method to extract eight collagen morphological features from various stages of liver diseases. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between them, indicating the potential use of these quantitative features for monitoring fibrotic changes during the progression of liver diseases. Therefore, multiphoton imaging combined with automatic image processing method would hold a promising future in rapid and label‐free diagnosis of liver diseases.
Metal–organic frameworks for energy storage applications: Recent advances
Authors: Irshad Tasmia , Saeed Muhammad , Aiman Vaneeza , Ali Muntaha , Ahsan Hadia , Ameen Shahzad , Munir Mamoona
Published: July 2023

Background

Metal–Organic Frameworks (MOFs) have emerged as promising materials for next‐generation batteries due to their unique properties such as high surface area, tuneable pore size, and composition.

Objective

This review explored the comprehensive summary of MOF‐based electrode materials, their synthetic ways and applications for batteries.

Methods

For example, solvothermal synthesis is commonly used for generating large MOF crystals, while hydrothermal synthesis is often used for synthesizing highly porous MOFs for energy storage devices. Herein, the synthetic strategies and applications of MOFs and their composites in batteries and supercapacitors are introduced.

Results

Our findings demonstrate that MOFs have the potential to revolutionize the field of batteries and open new possibilities for designing next‐generation batteries with improved performance and safety.

Conclusion

However, further research is needed to overcome the challenges and fully realize the potential of MOFs in batteries and it will contribute to forward advancement of pristine MOFs with excellent electrochemical behavior.