bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protocolo de Investigación del proyecto “Desarrollo Positivo Juvenil en Estudiantes Universitarios Españoles"
Authors: Gomez Baya Diego , Mendoza Berjano Ramón , Morales Marente Elena , Paíno Quesada Susana , Salinas Pérez José Alberto , Martín Gómez Carmen , Palacios Gálvez Marisol , Sánchez López Álvaro , Jean Grasmeijer Anne , Gaspar de Matos Margarida , Wiium Nora
Published: October 2022

Se presenta el protocolo de Investigación del proyecto “Desarrollo Positivo Juvenil en Estudiantes Universitarios Españoles: Análisis de las Fortalezas Evolutivas relacionadas con la Salud, el Bienestar Psicológico y la Contribución Social” (Programa FEDER Andalucía 2014-2020, UHU-1259711). El objetivo general de este proyecto fue analizar en qué medida se encuentran satisfechas las dimensiones de desarrollo positivo juvenil en los universitarios españoles, así como examinar las fortalezas evolutivas asociadas y los correlatos en salud, contribución social y bienestar psicológico. El procedimiento de recogida de datos siguió una metodología mixta, con un estudio cuantitativo y otro cualitativo. El estudio cuantitativo consistió en un estudio longitudinal siguiendo una metodología de encuesta online. Respecto al estudio cualitativo, se siguió una metodología de grupos focales. La recogida de datos se llevó a cabo en invierno y primavera de 2021.
Regulatory network of ginsenoside biosynthesis under Ro stress in the hairy roots of Panax ginseng revealed by RNA sequencing
Authors: Meng Xiangru , Zhang Tao , Chen Changbao , Li Qiong , Liu Jingwan
Published: October 2022

P. ginseng C.A. Meyer is a valuable Chinese herbal medicine that belongs to the Araliaceae family. Major obstacles to the continuous cropping of ginseng have severely restricted the sustainable development of the ginseng industry. The allelopathic effects of triterpenoid saponins play an important role in disorders related to continuous cropping; however, the mechanisms underlying the allelopathic autotoxicity of triterpenoid ginsenosides remain unknown. In this study, we performed mRNA and miRNA sequencing analyses to identify candidate genes and miRNAs that respond differentially to ginsenoside Ro stress in ginseng and their targets. The growth of the ginseng hairy roots was significantly inhibited under Ro stress (0.5 mg/L, Ro-0.5). The inhibition of root growth and injury to root-tip cells promoted the accumulation of the endogenous hormones indole-3-acetic acid and salicylic acid and inhibited the accumulation of abscisic acid and jasmonate acid. The accumulation of ginsenosides, except Rg3, was significantly inhibited under Ro-0.5 stress. An mRNA analysis of the Ro-0.5 and control groups showed that differentially expressed genes were mostly concentrated in the hormone signal transduction pathway. ARF7 and EFM were upregulated, whereas XTH23 and ZOX1 were downregulated. These genes represent important potential candidates for hormone-responsive continuous cropping diseases. In total, 74 differentially expressed miRNAs were identified based on the miRNA sequencing analysis, of which 22 were upregulated and 52 were downregulated. The target genes of ptc-miR156k_L + 1, mtr-miR156b-5p, gma-miR156a_R + 1, and mtr-miR156e all belonged to TRINITY_DN14567_c0_g4, which is a gene in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway. These four miRNAs were all negatively correlated with mRNA, indicating their likely involvement in the response of ginseng to continuous cropping disorders and the regulation of ginsenoside synthesis. Our findings provide useful insights for removing the barriers to continuous ginseng cropping and have important implications in the genetic engineering of plant stress responses.
Optimization of growth of Levilactobacillus brevis SP 48 and in vitro evaluation of the effect of viable cells and high molecular weight potential postbiotics on Helicobacter pylori
Authors: Cimini Donatella , D’ambrosio Sergio , Stellavato Antonietta , Fusco Alessandra , Corsaro Maria Michela , Dabous Azza , Casillo Angela , Donnarumma Giovanna , Giori Andrea Maria , Schiraldi Chiara
Published: October 2022

Several Levilactobacillus brevis strains have the potential to be used as probiotics since they provide health benefits due to the interaction of live cells, and of their secreted products, with the host (tissues). Therefore, the development of simple fermentation processes that improve cell viability to reduce industrial production costs, and at the same time the characterization and biological evaluation of cell-free postbiotics that can further promote application, are of great interest. In the present study, small scale batch fermentations on semi defined media, deprived of animal derived raw materials, were used to optimize growth of L. brevis SP48, reaching 1.2 ± 0.4 × 1010 CFU/ml of viable cells after 16 h of growth. Displacement, competition, and inhibition assays compared the effect, on Helicobacter pylori, of L. brevis cells to that of its partially purified potentially postbiotic fraction rich in exopolysaccharides and proteins. The expression of pro and anti-inflammatory biochemical markers indicated that both samples activated antimicrobial defenses and innate immunity in a gastric model. Moreover, these compounds also acted as modulators of the inflammatory response in a gut in vitro model. These data demonstrate that the high molecular weight compounds secreted by L. brevis SP48 can contrast H. pylori and reduce inflammation related to intestinal bowel disease, potentially overcoming issues related to the preservation of probiotic viability.
Improving the ex vivo expansion of human tumor-reactive CD8 + T cells by targeting toll-like receptors
Authors: Qiu Chenli , Wang Jing , Zhu Lingyan , Cheng Xiaobo , Xia Bili , Jin Yanling , Qin Ran , Zhang LinXia , Hu Huiliang , Yan Jia , Zhao Chen , Zhang Xiaoyan , Xu Jianqing
Published: October 2022

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are important pattern recognition receptor(s) known to mediate the sensing of invading pathogens and subsequent immune responses. In this study, we investigate whether TLRs could be explored for the preparation of human CD8+ T cell products used in adoptive cell therapy (ACT). Following characterization of TLRs expression on human CD8+ T cells, we screened TLR-specific agonists for their ability to act in concert with anti-CD3 to stimulate the proliferation of these cells and corroborated the observed co-stimulatory effect by transcriptional profiling analyses. Consequently, we developed an optimal formulation for human CD8+ T cell amplification by combining CD3/CD28 antibody, interleukin 7 (IL-7), interleukin 15 (IL-15), and three agonists respectively targeting TLR1/2, TLR2/6, and TLR5. This new formulation performed better in amplifying PD-1+CD8+ T cells, a potential repertoire of tumor-reactive CD8+ T cells, from tumor patients than the conventional formulation. Importantly, the expanded CD8+ T cells showed restored functionality and consequently a robust anti-tumor activity in an in vitro co-culturing system. Together, our study established the utility of TLR agonists in ex vivo expansion of tumor-targeting CD8+ T cells, thus providing a new avenue toward a more effective ACT.
Biomechanical and clinical evaluation of interlocking hip screw in Pauwels Ⅲ femoral neck fractures: A comparison with inverted triangle cannulated screws
Authors: Zhang Jian , Jiang Haozheng , Dai Wei , Hersi Salad Abdirahman , Chun tien chui wan Cheong John , Chu Zhenchen , Lou Zhiyuan , Zhang Deqiang , Liu Changjian , Tian Kang , Tang Xin
Published: October 2022

Purpose: To compare biomechanical and clinical properties of the novel internal fixation Interlocking Hip Screw (IHS) and conventional inverted triangle cannulated screws (ITCS) for treatment of Pauwels Ⅲ femoral neck fractures.

Methods: Twenty synthetic femurs were osteotomized to simulate 70° Pauwels Ⅲ femoral neck fractures and randomly divided into two groups: Group IHS and Group ITCS. Specimens were loaded in quasi-static ramped and cyclical compression testing in 25° adduction to analyze for axial stiffness, failure load, and interfragmentary displacement. 21 matched patients with Pauwels Ⅲ femoral neck fracture who received closed reduction and internal fixation from January 2020 to January 2021 in both Group IHS and Group ITCS. Demographic data, time to surgery, operating duration, intraoperative blood loss, number of fluoroscopies, length of hospital stay, fracture healing time, Harris Hip Score (HHS), the score of Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and complications such as nonunion, avascular necrosis, and femoral neck shortening were compared.

Results: All specimens in the two groups survived in the axial and cyclical compression test. The axial stiffness was significantly higher for Group IHS (277.80 ± 26.58 N/mm) versus Group ITCS (205.33 ± 10.46 N/mm), p < 0.05. The maximum failure loading in Group IHS performed significantly higher than in Group ITCS (1,400.48 ± 71.60 N versus 996.76 ± 49.73 N, p < 0.05). The interfragmentary displacement of the cyclic loading test for Groups IHS and Group ITCS was 1.15 ± 0.11 mm and 1.89 ± 0.14 mm, respectively, p < 0.05. No significant difference was found in terms of demographic data, time to surgery, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay and the occurrence of nonunion and avascular necrosis between groups. Shorter operating duration and fewer intraoperative fluoroscopic views were noticed using IHS compare to ITCS, p < 0.05. The HHS was 72.14 ± 5.76 and 86.62 ± 5.01 in Group IHS, and was 67.29 ± 5.27 and 81.76 ± 5.13 in Group ITCS at 3-month and 6-month follow-up, respectively, p < 0.05. The magnitude of femoral neck shortening was significantly lower in Group IHS compared to Group ITCS (4.80 ± 1.03 mm versus 5.56 ± 1.21 mm, p < 0.05).

Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that IHS provided better biomechanical and clinical performance due to its unique biological and biomechanical mechanisms, compared with ITCS. Thus, IHS is a feasible alternative to ITCS for the fixation of Pauwels Ⅲ femoral neck fractures.
Biomineralized hybrid nanodots for tumor therapy via NIR-II fluorescence and photothermal imaging
Authors: Niu Xuegang , Wei Penghui , Sun Jiangnan , Lin Yuanxiang , Chen Xiaoyong , Ding Chenyu , Zhu Yang , Kang Dezhi
Published: October 2022

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT) is an emerging and promising therapeutic strategy that suppresses tumor growth by catalytically converting intracellular hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into highly-reactive hydroxyl radicals (•OH). However, the inherent substrate of H2O2 is relatively insufficient to achieve desirable CDT efficacy. Therefore, searching for integrated therapeutic methods with synergistic therapeutic modality is especially vital to augment therapeutic outcomes. Herein, we reported nanodot- CuxMnySz @BSA@ICG (denoted as CMS@B@I) and bovine serum albumin (BSA)-based biomineralization CuxMnySz (CMS) loaded with photodynamic agent-indocyanine green (ICG). CMS@B@I converts endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) into highly active hydroxyl radical (•OH) via Fenton reaction, and effectively produces reactive oxygen species (ROS) after being exposed to 808 nm laser irradiation, attributable to the excellent photodynamic agent-ICG. This results in eliciting a ROS storm. Additionally, CMS@B@I exhibits a superior photothermal effect under NIR-II 1064 nm laser irradiation to enhance tumor CDT efficacy. The NIR-II fluorescence imaging agent of ICG and the excellent photothermal effect of CMS@B@I are highly beneficial to NIR-II fluorescence and infrared thermal imaging, respectively, resulting in tracing the fate of CMS@B@I. This study attempts to design a bimodal imaging-guided and photothermal-enhanced CDT nanoagent for augmenting tumor catalytic therapy.
An enzyme-activatable dual-readout probe for sensitive β-galactosidase sensing and Escherichia coli analysis
Authors: Huang Yifang , Feng Weiwei , Zhang Guo-Qiang , Qiu Yuling , Li Linlin , Pan Liqiu , Cao Nannan
Published: October 2022

Rapid and accurate sensing of β-galactosidase (β-gal) activity is particularly critical for the early detection of many diseases and has become a topic of interest in recent years. However, most traditional probes for β-gal sensing often suffer from the disadvantages of narrow dynamic range, low reaction efficiency and are only employed with either colorimetric or fluorescence sensing. Furthermore, β-galactosidase sensing based assay for efficient detection and antibiotic resistance analysis of Escherichia coli (E.coli) is not available. Here, an enzyme-induced probe assay was reported for dual sensitive fluorescence and colorimetric measurement of β-gal activity, and was further employed for detection of Escherichia coli and their antibiotic resistance analysis. The DCM-βgal probe was virtually non-emissive in aqueous solution, while it could be activated by β-gal to produce bright emission. Under optimized conditions, DCM-βgal displayed high sensitivity, selectivity and rapid response to β-gal with a low detection limit of 1.5 × 10−3 U ml−1. Importantly, this assay was successfully applied to sensitive detection of E. coli cells with a fast detection process within 5 h and a low detection concentration of 1 × 103 CFU ml−1. Furthermore, the enzyme-activatable assay was also successfully applied for high throughput E. coli antibiotic resistance analysis. The DCM-βgal strategy is applied for the first time on the detection of E. coli cells and their antibiotic resistance analysis. It is provided with the advantages of high selectively, a simple operation, low cost and rapid detection. The detection platform can also be extended to analyze the level of β-gal in other types of cells or biological samples. Overall, the simple, effective and dual-readout assay holds promise for efficient sensing of β-gal activity and provides a potential tool for E. coli detection and their antibiotic resistance analysis.
Lipid-mRNA nanoparticles landscape for cancer therapy
Authors: Li Yin , Fang Hengtong , Zhang Tao , Wang Yu , Qi Tingting , Li Bai , Jiao Huping
Published: October 2022

Intracellular delivery of message RNA (mRNA) technique has ushered in a hopeful era with the successive authorization of two mRNA vaccines for the Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic. A wide range of clinical studies are proceeding and will be initiated in the foreseeable future to treat and prevent cancers. However, efficient and non-toxic delivery of therapeutic mRNAs maintains the key limited step for their widespread applications in human beings. mRNA delivery systems are in urgent demand to resolve this difficulty. Recently lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) vehicles have prospered as powerful mRNA delivery tools, enabling their potential applications in malignant tumors via cancer immunotherapy and CRISPR/Cas9-based gene editing technique. This review discusses formulation components of mRNA-LNPs, summarizes the latest findings of mRNA cancer therapy, highlights challenges, and offers directions for more effective nanotherapeutics for cancer patients.
Non-invasive brain-spine interface: Continuous control of trans-spinal magnetic stimulation using EEG
Authors: Insausti-Delgado Ainhoa , López-Larraz Eduardo , Nishimura Yukio , Ziemann Ulf , Ramos-Murguialday Ander
Published: October 2022

Brain-controlled neuromodulation has emerged as a promising tool to promote functional recovery in patients with motor disorders. Brain-machine interfaces exploit this neuromodulatory strategy and could be used for restoring voluntary control of lower limbs. In this work, we propose a non-invasive brain-spine interface (BSI) that processes electroencephalographic (EEG) activity to volitionally control trans-spinal magnetic stimulation (ts-MS), as an approach for lower-limb neurorehabilitation. This novel platform allows to contingently connect motor cortical activation during leg motor imagery with the activation of leg muscles via ts-MS. We tested this closed-loop system in 10 healthy participants using different stimulation conditions. This BSI efficiently removed stimulation artifacts from EEG regardless of ts-MS intensity used, allowing continuous monitoring of cortical activity and real-time closed-loop control of ts-MS. Our BSI induced afferent and efferent evoked responses, being this activation ts-MS intensity-dependent. We demonstrated the feasibility, safety and usability of this non-invasive BSI. The presented system represents a novel non-invasive means of brain-controlled neuromodulation and opens the door towards its integration as a therapeutic tool for lower-limb rehabilitation.
Modelling and simulation of extreme wave heights around agatti island of lakshadweep, west coast of India
Authors: Dinakaran Shyamala Varthini , Alluri Kiran Raju , Joseph K Jossia , Murthy M V Ramana , Venkatesan Ramasamy
Published: October 2022

Small islands experience variation in wave energy regime along shorter shoreline due to refraction, diffraction and variability in direction of wave travel. Nearshore wave climate around these islands is quite complex due to wave transformation associated with configuration of islands, and high steepness in the bathymetry. Understanding wave energy will help in identifying suitable locations for coastal structures, wave energy devices and sediment budgeting. Assessment of extreme wave climate around the islands play a crucial role in the design and survival of coastal infrastructure for any developmental activities in islands. This study investigates the extreme wave climate around the Agatti island of Union Territory of Lakshadweep located in west coast of India. The spatial variability of wave power distribution around the Agatti island is analyzed based on 10 years of wave hindcast data from spectral wave modelling for the period between 2011 and 2020 using spectral wave model. In this study, third-generation spectral wave model was used to simulate the wave climate over the Arabian Sea. Regional model was established using ECMWF model winds and the offshore wave parameters were validated with deep water ocean observations AD07 and AD09 deployed in the Arabian Sea. To understand the nearshore wave transformation along the Agatti island, local wave model of fine resolution was established using high resolution bathymetry and is validated using the coastal buoy (CB02) deployed near Agatti. Nearshore wave parameters such as Significant wave height, Peak wave period (Tp) and Mean wave direction (θm) were analyzed. The wave power distribution around the island was quantified and demarcated for siting of offshore structures for developmental activities. The study reveals that the south zone of the island is more energetic with annual mean wave power of 8–12 kW/m and during monsoon, wave power more than 28 kW/m is observed. The extreme value theory based on Generalized Extreme Value distribution is applied to the extreme wave height estimate based on modelled wave data around the Agatti island. The extreme wave heights for different return periods were estimated around the Agatti island for design and analysis of coastal infrastructure.
How osteogenic is dexamethasone?—effect of the corticosteroid on the osteogenesis, extracellular matrix, and secretion of osteoclastogenic factors of jaw periosteum-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells
Authors: Umrath Felix , Pfeifer Achim , Cen Wanjing , Danalache Marina , Reinert Siegmar , Alexander Dorothea , Naros Andreas
Published: October 2022

Dexamethasone (dexa) is commonly used to stimulate osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (MSCs) in vitro. However, it is paradoxical that glucocorticoids (GCs) such as dexa lead to bone loss and increased fracture risk in patients undergoing glucocorticoid therapy, causing glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). In a recent publication, we demonstrated that osteogenic differentiation of progenitor cells isolated from jaw periosteal tissue (JPCs) does not depend on dexa, if the medium is supplemented with human platelet lysate (hPL) instead of fetal bovine serum (FBS). This allows the in vitro conditions to be much closer to the natural situation in vivo and enables us to compare osteogenic differentiation with and without dexa. In the present study, we demonstrate that the absence of dexa did not reduce mineralization capacity, but instead slightly improved the osteogenic differentiation of jaw periosteal cells. On the other hand, we show that dexa supplementation strongly alters the gene expression, extracellular matrix (ECM), and cellular communication of jaw periosteal cells. The secretome of periosteal cells previously treated with an osteogenic medium with and without dexa was used to investigate the changes in paracrine secretion caused by dexa. Dexa altered the secretion of several cytokines by jaw periosteal cells and strongly induced osteoclast differentiation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). This study demonstrates how dexa supplementation can influence the outcome of in vitro studies and highlights a possible role of periosteal cells in the pathogenesis of glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. The methods used here can serve as a model for studying bone formation, fracture healing, and various pathological conditions such as (glucocorticoid-induced) osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, bone cancer, and others, in which the interactions of osteoblasts with surrounding cells play a key role.
Developmental atlas of the indirect-developing sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus: From fertilization to juvenile stages
Authors: Formery Laurent , Wakefield Axel , Gesson Maeva , Toisoul Ludovic , Lhomond Guy , Gilletta Laurent , Lasbleiz Régis , Schubert Michael , Croce Jenifer C.
Published: October 2022

The sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus has been used as a model system in biology for more than a century. Over the past decades, it has been at the center of a number of studies in cell, developmental, ecological, toxicological, evolutionary, and aquaculture research. Due to this previous work, a significant amount of information is already available on the development of this species. However, this information is fragmented and rather incomplete. Here, we propose a comprehensive developmental atlas for this sea urchin species, describing its ontogeny from fertilization to juvenile stages. Our staging scheme includes three periods divided into 33 stages, plus 15 independent stages focused on the development of the coeloms and the adult rudiment. For each stage, we provide a thorough description based on observations made on live specimens using light microscopy, and when needed on fixed specimens using confocal microscopy. Our descriptions include, for each stage, the main anatomical characteristics related, for instance, to cell division, tissue morphogenesis, and/or organogenesis. Altogether, this work is the first of its kind providing, in a single study, a comprehensive description of the development of P. lividus embryos, larvae, and juveniles, including details on skeletogenesis, ciliogenesis, myogenesis, coelomogenesis, and formation of the adult rudiment as well as on the process of metamorphosis in live specimens. Given the renewed interest for the use of sea urchins in ecotoxicological, developmental, and evolutionary studies as well as in using marine invertebrates as alternative model systems for biomedical investigations, this study will greatly benefit the scientific community and will serve as a reference for specialists and non-specialists interested in studying sea urchins.
Rational design of adhesives for effective underwater bonding
Authors: Li Sidi , Ma Chuao , Hou Bin , Liu Hongliang
Published: October 2022

Underwater adhesives hold great promises in our daily life, biomedical fields and industrial engineering. Appropriate underwater bonding can reduce the huge cost from removing the target substance from water, and greatly lift working efficiency. However, different from bonding in air, underwater bonding is quite challenging. The existence of interfacial water prevents the intimate contact between the adhesives and the submerged surfaces, and water environment makes it difficult to achieve high cohesiveness. Even so, in recent years, various underwater adhesives with macroscopic adhesion abilities were emerged. These smart adhesives can ingeniously remove the interfacial water, and enhance cohesion by utilizing their special physicochemical properties or functional groups. In this mini review, we first give a detail introduction of the difficulties in underwater bonding. Further, we overview the recent strategies that are used to construct underwater adhesives, with the emphasis on how to overcome the difficulties of interfacial water and achieve high cohesiveness underwater. In addition, future perspectives of underwater adhesives from the view of practical applications are also discussed. We believe the review will provide inspirations for the discovery of new strategies to overcome the obstacles in underwater bonding, and therefore may contribute to designing effective underwater adhesives.
Limitation of room temperature phosphorescence efficiency in metal organic frameworks due to triplet-triplet annihilation
Authors: Zhao Tonghan , Busko Dmitry , Richards Bryce S. , Howard Ian A.
Published: October 2022

The effect of triplet-triplet annihilation (TTA) on the room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is studied in benchmark RTP MOFs based on Zn metal centers and isophthalic or terephthalic acid linkers (ZnIPA and ZnTPA). The ratio of RTP to singlet fluorescence is observed to decrease with increasing excitation power density. Explicitly, in ZnIPA the ratio of the RTP to fluorescence is 0.58 at 1.04 mW cm−2, but only 0.42 at (the still modest) 52.6 mW cm−2. The decrease in ratio is due to the reduction of RTP efficiency at higher excitation due to TTA. The density of triplet states increases at higher excitation power densities, allowing triplets to diffuse far enough during their long lifetime to meet another triplet and annihilate. On the other hand, the shorter-lived singlet species can never meet an annihilate. Therefore, the singlet fluorescence scales linearly with excitation power density whereas the RTP scales sub-linearly. Equivalently, the efficiency of fluorescence is unaffected by excitation power density but the efficiency of RTP is significantly reduced at higher excitation power density due to TTA. Interestingly, in time-resolved measurements, the fraction of fast decay increases but the lifetime of long tail of the RTP remains unaffected by excitation power density. This may be due to the confinement of triplets to individual grains, leading decay to be faster until there is only one triplet per grain left. Subsequently, the remaining “lone triplets” decay with the unchanging rate expressed by the long tail. These results increase the understanding of RTP in MOFs by explicitly showing the importance of TTA in determining the (excitation power density dependent) efficiency of RTP. Also, for applications in optical sensing, these results suggest that a method based on long tail lifetime of the RTP is preferable to a ratiometric approach as the former will not be affected by variation in excitation power density whereas the latter will be.
Catalytic dye degradation by novel phytofabricated silver/zinc oxide composites
Authors: Bloch Khalida , Mohammed Shahansha M. , Karmakar Srikanta , Shukla Satyajit , Asok Adersh , Banerjee Kaushik , Patil-Sawant Reshma , Mohd Kaus Noor Haida , Thongmee Sirikanjana , Ghosh Sougata
Published: October 2022

Phytofabrication of the nanoparticles with exotic shape and size is an attractive area where nanostructures with noteworthy physicochemical and optoelectronic properties that can be significantly employed for photocatalytic dye degradation. In this study a medicinal plant, Plumbago auriculata leaf extract (PALE) was used to synthesize zinc oxide particles (ZnOPs) and silver mixed zinc oxide particles (ZnOAg1Ps, ZnOAg10Ps, ZnO10Ag1Ps) by varying the concentration of the metal precursor salts, i.e. zinc acetate and silver nitrate. The PALE showed significantly high concentrations of polyphenols, flavonoids, reducing sugar, starch, citric acid and plumbagin up to 314.3 ± 0.33, 960.0 ± 2.88, 121.3 ± 4.60, 150.3 ± 3.17, 109.4 ± 2.36, and 260.4 ± 8.90 μg/ml, respectively which might play an important role for green synthesis and capping of the phytogenic nanoparticles. The resulting particles were polydispersed which were mostly irregular, spherical, hexagonal and rod like in shape. The pristine ZnOPs exhibited a UV absorption band at 352 nm which shifted around 370 in the Ag mixed ZnOPs with concomitant appearance of peaks at 560 and 635 nm in ZnO10Ag1Ps and ZnOAg1Ps, respectively. The majority of the ZnOPs, ZnOAg1Ps, ZnOAg10Ps, and ZnO10Ag1Ps were 407, 98, 231, and 90 nm in size, respectively. Energy dispersive spectra confirmed the elemental composition of the particles while Fourier transform infrared spectra showed the involvement of the peptide and methyl functional groups in the synthesis and capping of the particles. The composites exhibited superior photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye, maximum being 95.7% by the ZnOAg10Ps with a rate constant of 0.0463 s−1 following a first order kinetic model. The present result clearly highlights that Ag mixed ZnOPs synthesized using Plumbago auriculata leaf extract (PALE) can play a critical role in removal of hazardous dyes from effluents of textile and dye industries. Further expanding the application of these phytofabricated composites will promote a significant complementary and alternative strategy for treating refractory pollutants from wastewater.
Supramolecular association studied by Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy
Authors: Novo Mercedes , Al-Soufi Wajih
Published: October 2022

A comprehensive description of a supramolecular system involves a full understanding of its thermodynamic and dynamic properties, as well as detailed knowledge of its structure. Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy (FCS) constitutes a powerful technique to acquire this information. Fluorescence correlation curves show a characteristic diffusion term that is related to the binding equilibrium constant or other thermodynamic properties of the supramolecular system. The association and dissociation rate constants of the binding process can be determined in FCS when the relaxation time of the binding is faster than the observation time—a regime called fast-exchange dynamics - in opposition to the slow-exchange regime. In all cases, structural information can be inferred from the diffusional properties of the supramolecular complexes. A short overview of the use of FCS for the study of supramolecular systems is given with examples which belong to the fast and slow regime.
Technical success, clinical efficacy, and insight into the causes of restenosis after the percutaneous coronary intervention of de novo coronary artery lesions using a paclitaxel-coated balloon with citrate ester excipient
Authors: Tervo Jerry , Kärkkäinen Jussi M. , Rissanen Tuomas T.
Published: October 2022

Objectives

The aim of this all-comers registry study was to investigate the technical success, clinical efficacy, and safety of a drug-coated balloon (DCB) with paclitaxel combined with citrate ester excipient (CEE) in percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) of de novo coronary lesions in an all-comers population.

Materials and methods

A total of 338 consecutive PCIs using the DCB (CEE)-only approach comprising 406 de novo lesions were included in the study. Technical success was determined by the successful delivery of the device and no need for bailout stenting.

Results

The mean follow-up time was 25 ± 12 months. The mean age of patients was 71 ± 11 years, and 48% had the acute coronary syndrome. A total of 55% of the patients were at risk of factor bleeding. The delivery of DCB was successful in 98% of cases. The overall technical success rate was 83%. Bailout stenting was used in 9% of lesions. Rotational atherectomy was used in 11% of cases before the DCB-only approach. The mean diameter of the DCBs used was 2.7 ± 0.5 mm and 38% of DCBs were large (≥3.0 mm). The 12-month MACE rates were 5.4 ± 1.7 and 18.3 ± 3.1% in stable CAD and in ACS, respectively. The respective target lesion revascularization (TLR) rates were 3.0 ± 1.3 and 8.5 ± 2.3%. Unacceptable acute recoil (>30%) was found in 74% of cases that needed repeat revascularization. No acute vessel closures occurred after DCB treatment.

Conclusion

The DCB-only strategy using a paclitaxel-coated (CEE) device was technically feasible, safe, and effective in an all-comers population. Acute recoil was found as a significant cause of restenosis after the DCB-only strategy.
Impaired heart rate variability in patients with arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy: A multicenter retrospective study in China
Authors: Zhang Baowei , Zhou Chunjiang , Liu Jinqiu , Zhang Jinlin , Jiang Chenyang , Tang Min , Xie Jiaxi , Wu Yizhang , Xie Xin , Li Xiaorong , Yu Jinbo , Wang Xuecheng , Cheng Dian , Zhou Jian , Chen Zijun , Fan Fenghua , Zhou Xiujuan , Tao Aibin , Yang Bing
Published: October 2022

Background

Cardiac sympathetic nerve system (SNS) might play an important role in arrhythmogenesis of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (ACM). This study aims to assess the activity of cardiac SNS in ACM patients by heart rate variability (HRV), and to investigate its predictive value for sustained ventricular tachycardia (sVT).

Methods

A total of 88 ACM patients and 65 sex- and age- matched healthy participants were enrolled. The time domain measures were used to evaluate the activity of cardiac SNS. An independent cohort with 48 ACM patients was as the validation cohort.

Results

ACM patients had lower levels of standard deviation of all NN intervals (SDNN) [118.0 (90.3, 136.8) vs. 152.0 (132.5, 174.5) ms,p< 0.001] compared with healthy participants. Further analysis showed ACM patients with sVT had lower levels of SDNN than those without sVT (105.0 ± 28.1 vs. 131.8 ± 33.1 ms,p< 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed SDNN was independently associated with sVT in ACM patients [odds ratio (OR) 0.59, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.45–0.78),p< 0.001]. Receiver operating characteristics curve demonstrated SDNN had clinical values in predicting sVT in ACM patients [area under the curve (AUC) = 0.73, 95% CI (0.63–0.84),p< 0.001], which was verified in the validation cohort.

Conclusion

The present study suggests that HRV is impaired in patients with ACM, and the SDNN level has a moderate value in risk stratification for sVT in ACM patients. In addition, the finding might provide new target for the further management of ACM with integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine.
Nucleolar stress: Friend or foe in cardiac function?
Authors: Yan Daliang , Hua Lu
Published: October 2022

Studies in the past decades have uncovered an emerging role of the nucleolus in stress response and human disease progression. The disruption of ribosome biogenesis in the nucleolus causes aberrant nucleolar architecture and function, termed nucleolar stress, to initiate stress-responsive pathways via nucleolar release sequestration of various proteins. While data obtained from both clinical and basic investigations have faithfully demonstrated an involvement of nucleolar stress in the pathogenesis of cardiomyopathy, much remains unclear regarding its precise role in the progression of cardiac diseases. On the one hand, the initiation of nucleolar stress following acute myocardial damage leads to the upregulation of various cardioprotective nucleolar proteins, including nucleostemin (NS), nucleophosmin (NPM) and nucleolin (NCL). As a result, nucleolar stress plays an important role in facilitating the survival and repair of cardiomyocytes. On the other hand, abnormalities in nucleolar architecture and function are correlated with the deterioration of cardiac diseases. Notably, the cardiomyocytes of advanced ischemic and dilated cardiomyopathy display impaired silver-stained nucleolar organiser regions (AgNORs) and enlarged nucleoli, resembling the characteristics of tissue aging. Collectively, nucleolar abnormalities are critically involved in the development of cardiac diseases.
Application of convex hull analysis for the evaluation of data heterogeneity between patient populations of different origin and implications of hospital bias in downstream machine-learning-based data processing: A comparison of 4 critical-care patient datasets
Authors: Sharafutdinov Konstantin , Bhat Jayesh S. , Fritsch Sebastian Johannes , Nikulina Kateryna , E. Samadi Moein , Polzin Richard , Mayer Hannah , Marx Gernot , Bickenbach Johannes , Schuppert Andreas
Published: October 2022

Machine learning (ML) models are developed on a learning dataset covering only a small part of the data of interest. If model predictions are accurate for the learning dataset but fail for unseen data then generalization error is considered high. This problem manifests itself within all major sub-fields of ML but is especially relevant in medical applications. Clinical data structures, patient cohorts, and clinical protocols may be highly biased among hospitals such that sampling of representative learning datasets to learn ML models remains a challenge. As ML models exhibit poor predictive performance over data ranges sparsely or not covered by the learning dataset, in this study, we propose a novel method to assess their generalization capability among different hospitals based on the convex hull (CH) overlap between multivariate datasets. To reduce dimensionality effects, we used a two-step approach. First, CH analysis was applied to find mean CH coverage between each of the two datasets, resulting in an upper bound of the prediction range. Second, 4 types of ML models were trained to classify the origin of a dataset (i.e., from which hospital) and to estimate differences in datasets with respect to underlying distributions. To demonstrate the applicability of our method, we used 4 critical-care patient datasets from different hospitals in Germany and USA. We estimated the similarity of these populations and investigated whether ML models developed on one dataset can be reliably applied to another one. We show that the strongest drop in performance was associated with the poor intersection of convex hulls in the corresponding hospitals' datasets and with a high performance of ML methods for dataset discrimination. Hence, we suggest the application of our pipeline as a first tool to assess the transferability of trained models. We emphasize that datasets from different hospitals represent heterogeneous data sources, and the transfer from one database to another should be performed with utmost care to avoid implications during real-world applications of the developed models. Further research is needed to develop methods for the adaptation of ML models to new hospitals. In addition, more work should be aimed at the creation of gold-standard datasets that are large and diverse with data from varied application sites.
Contribution of water rejuvenation induced by climate warming to evapotranspiration in a Siberian boreal forest
Authors: Park Hotaek , Hiyama Tetsuya , Suzuki Kazuyoshi
Published: October 2022

Water age is a useful metric to evaluate the influence of anthropogenic and natural forcings on the terrestrial water cycle. Current climate warming is enhancing the warming of permafrost soil in the Arctic. Although permafrost is a crucial component of the Arctic terrestrial water cycle, its influence on processes regulating the fluxes and ages of Arctic terrestrial water, particularly soil storage and evapotranspiration, is not well understood. In this study, a water age calculation scheme was implemented into the coupled hydrological and biogeochemical model (CHANGE) to assess the mechanisms through which climate warming affects the soil water storage–evapotranspiration–water age feedback cycle in a boreal forest. Continuous air temperature increase from 1980 to 2016 caused earlier snowmelt and soil thawing, inducing decreasing age trends in snow- and rain-sourced water. The younger water contributed to higher spring evapotranspiration. In summer, the higher evapotranspiration dried the surface soil layer. In turn, the drier surface layer increased the loss of fresh rainwater. Autumn precipitation, preserved in the frozen winter soil until the following spring, became an additional source of water and enhanced plant transpiration in the following summer. This increase accounted for 4.2% of the annual total transpiration. These results suggest that permafrost warming, characterized by earlier soil thawing and later freezing, induced higher evapotranspiration, thereby shortening the residence time of precipitation-sourced water in the active layer and further rejuvenating water in soil layers and in evapotranspiration. Under future climate warming conditions, this effect is expected to intensify and the water cycle will accelerate.
Dynamics of the interaction between adults and a preschool child with autism: Transition from segregated to inclusive settings
Authors: André Amael , Despois Julien , Amiot Leslie , Deneuve Pascale
Published: October 2022

This study explores the dynamics of the interaction between the engagement of a preschool child with autism spectrum disorder and the participation of adults, notably during the child’s transition from a segregated to inclusive setting. Nine classroom sessions were filmed over an 8-month period with a focus on two types of activities: free play and adult-led gross motor activities. Our results showed that the interactions evolved differently over time for the two activities. During gross motor activities, the active engagement of the child associated with the passive participation of adults, which increased in the segregated setting, continued to develop in the inclusive setting leading to the emergence of active engagement with peers at the end of the school year. During free-play, the child engagement progressed in the segregated setting. Though initially in a state of passive observation, the child became independently active, either with or without the guidance of adults. The transition from the segregated setting to the inclusive setting without adult participation leads to a momentary drop in the child’s active engagement before the reemergence of independent active engagement. The results of this study question the methods used and the resources invested in preschools to favor the inclusion of young children with autism. They highlight the importance of adults’ participation during the transition between segregated and inclusive settings. In addition, they encourage adults to accept the temporary regression in child engagement in order to attain desirable outcomes such as independent engagement at a later time.
Bone and mineral metabolism in patients with primary aldosteronism: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Wang Anning , Wang Yuhan , Liu Hongzhou , Hu Xiaodong , Li Jiefei , Xu Huaijin , Nie Zhimei , Zhang Lingjing , Lyu Zhaohui
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) tend to exhibit a high prevalence of osteoporosis (OP) that may vary by whether PA is unilateral or bilateral, and responsive to PA treatment. To explore relationships between bone metabolism, PA subtypes, and treatment outcomes, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Methods

The PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases were searched for clinical studies related to PA and bone metabolism markers. Articles that met the criteria were screened and included in the systematic review; the data were extracted after evaluating their quality. R software (ver. 2022-02-16, Intel Mac OS X 11.6.4) was used for the meta-analysis.

Results

A total of 28 articles were subjected to systematic review, of which 18 were included in the meta-analysis. We found that PA patients evidenced a lower serum calcium level (mean difference [MD] = –0.06 mmol/L, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.10 ~ −0.01), a higher urine calcium level (MD = 1.29 mmol/24 h, 95% CI: 0.81 ~ 1.78), and a higher serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) level (MD = 2.16 pmol/L, 95% CI: 1.57 ~ 2.75) than did essential hypertension (EH) subjects. After medical treatment or adrenal surgery, PA patients exhibited a markedly increased serum calcium level (MD = –0.08 mmol/L, 95% CI: –0.11 ~ –0.05), a decreased urine calcium level (MD = 1.72 mmol/24 h, 95% CI: 1.00 ~ 2.44), a decreased serum PTH level (MD = 2.67 pmol/L, 95% CI: 1.73 ~ 3.62), and an increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-OHD) level (MD = –6.32 nmol/L, 95% CI: –11.94 ~ –0.70). The meta-analysis showed that the ser um PTH level of unilateral PA patients was significantly higher than that of bilateral PA patients (MD = 0.93 pmol/L, 95% CI: 0.36 ~ 1.49) and the serum 25-OHD lower than that of bilateral PA patients (MD = –4.68 nmol/L, 95% CI: –7.58 ~ 1.77). There were, however, no significant differences between PA and EH patients of 25-OHD, or BMD of femoral neck and lumbar spine. BMDs of the femoral neck or lumbar spine did not change significantly after treatment. The meta-analytical results were confirmed via sensitivity and subgroup analyses.

Conclusion

Excess aldosterone was associated with decreased serum calcium, elevated urinary calcium, and elevated PTH levels; these effects may be enhanced by low serum 25-OHD levels. The risks of OP and fracture might be elevated in PA patients, especially unilateral PA patients, but could be reduced after medical treatment or adrenal surgery. In view, however, of the lack of BMD changes, such hypothesis needs to be tested in further studies.
Durability of glucose-lowering effect of dulaglutide in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A real-world data study
Authors: Kim Hwi Seung , Cho Yun Kyung , Kim Myung Jin , Jung Chang Hee , Park Joong-Yeol , Lee Woo Je
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a chronic, progressive disease requiring lifelong treatment, and durable medication is essential for maintaining stable glycemic control. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term efficacy of dulaglutide in participants who have continued the drug for more than one year.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study on 605 participants, who used dulaglutide for over one year between 2016 and 2020. Changes in glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose, and bodyweight from baseline to last prescription day were assessed. Adherence was evaluated by the proportion of days covered (PDC), and a PDC value ≥ 0.80 was considered adherent.

Results

The mean age was 54.0 ± 11.1 years, and 46.1% were female. The mean baseline HbA1c, bodyweight, and duration of diabetes were 8.8% (72.7 mmol/mol), 75.6 kg, and 12.2 years, respectively. During the mean follow-up of 33.1 months, HbA1c and bodyweight decreased by 1.28% (14 mmol/mol, P < 0.001) and by 3.19 kg (P < 0.001), respectively. The participants were highly adherent with PDC ≥ 0.80 in 92.4% of the participants.

Conclusion

In T2DM patients, long-term dulaglutide treatment was effective in maintaining HbA1c and weight reduction. Dulaglutide could be a favorable option of long-term treatment in real-world clinical practice.