bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Symptomatic androgen deficiency and sexual dysfunctions in male patients receiving alectinib for ALK‐positive advanced non–small cell lung cancer
Authors: Vita Emanuele , Monaca Federico , Milardi Domenico , Mastrantoni Luca , Stefani Alessio , Vergani Edoardo , Russo Jacopo , Barone Diletta , Sparagna Ileana , Vitale Antonio , Scala Alessandro , Occhipinti Denis , Di Salvatore Mariantonietta , Pontecorvi Alfredo , Tortora Giampaolo , Bria Emilio
Published: March 2024

Background

It is reported that treatment with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) induces hypogonadism both in male patients with ALK‐positive cancer and in murine models.

Methods

In this study, three groups, including an experimental group of male patients with ALK‐positive, advanced non–small cell lung cancer (ANSCLC) who were receiving alectinib (cohort A), a control group of female patients with ALK‐positive ANSCLC who were receiving alectinib (cohort B), and a control group of male patients with ALK‐negative ANSCLC (cohort C), prospectively underwent a full hormone assessment for androgen deficiency at 8 weeks after the start of treatment and in case of reported suspected symptoms. Patients with major sexual dysfunctions were referred to an endocrinologist.

Results

Ninety‐five patients were consecutively enrolled onto the study. Among sixty‐eight male patients, both median total testosterone levels (2.93 vs. 4.92 ng/ml; p = .0001) and free testosterone levels (0.11 vs. 0.17 pg/ml; p = .0002) were significantly lower in ALK‐positive ANSCLC patients in cohort A compared with ALK‐negative patients in cohort C; conversely, median FSH (10.32 vs. 17.52 mUI/ml; p = .0059) and LH levels (4.72 vs. 7.49 mUI/ml; p = .0131) were significantly higher in cohort C compared to cohort A. Median inhibin B levels were higher in ALK‐positive male patients (74.3 vs. 44.24 pg/ml; p = .0038), but all patients had inhibin B values within the normal range. The percentage of male patients who had positive scores on the Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males (ADAM) questionnaire was 62% in cohort A and 26.8% in cohort C, including eight patients who reported at least one major symptom and were referred to Andrology Unit. No significant differences in the endocrine assessment were reported between cohorts A and B.

Conclusions

Symptoms of androgen deficiency should be tracked in male patients with ALK‐positive ANSCLC who are receiving alectinib, and testosterone replacement should be considered, as appropriate.
A TRP to Pathological Angiogenesis and Vascular Normalization
Authors: Katari Venkatesh , Dalal Kesha , Adapala Ravi K. , Guarino Brianna D. , Kondapalli Narendrababu , Paruchuri Sailaja , Thodeti Charles K.
Published: March 2024

Uncontrolled angiogenesis underlies various pathological conditions such as cancer, age‐related macular degeneration (AMD), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Hence, targeting pathological angiogenesis has become a promising strategy for the treatment of cancer and neovascular ocular diseases. However, current pharmacological treatments that target VEGF signaling have met with limited success either due to acquiring resistance against anti‐VEGF therapies with serious side effects including nephrotoxicity and cardiovascular‐related adverse effects in cancer patients or retinal vasculitis and intraocular inflammation after intravitreal injection in patients with AMD or PDR. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel strategies which can control multiple aspects of the pathological microenvironment and regulate the process of abnormal angiogenesis. To this end, vascular normalization has been proposed as an alternative for antiangiogenesis approach; however, these strategies still focus on targeting VEGF or FGF or PDGF which has shown adverse effects. In addition to these growth factors, calcium has been recently implicated as an important modulator of tumor angiogenesis. This article provides an overview on the role of major calcium channels in endothelium, TRP channels, with a special focus on TRPV4 and its downstream signaling pathways in the regulation of pathological angiogenesis and vascular normalization. We also highlight recent findings on the modulation of TRPV4 activity and endothelial phenotypic transformation by tumor microenvironment through Rho/YAP/VEGFR2 mechanotranscriptional pathways. Finally, we provide perspective on endothelial TRPV4 as a novel VEGF alternative therapeutic target for vascular normalization and improved therapy. © 2024 American Physiological Society.
Compr Physiol
14:5389‐5406, 2024.
Valuation of forest‐management and wildfire disturbance on water and carbon fluxes in mountain headwaters
Authors: Chung Min Gon , Guo Han , Nyelele Charity , Egoh Benis N. , Goulden Michael L. , Keske Catherine M. , Bales Roger C.
Published: March 2024

Recent drought, wildfires and rising temperatures in the western US highlight the urgency of increasing resiliency in overstocked forests. However, limited valuation information hinders the broader participation of beneficiaries in forest management. We assessed how historical disturbances in California's Central Sierra Nevada affected live biomass, forest water use and carbon uptake and estimated marginal values of these changes. On average, low‐severity wildfire caused greater declines in forest evapotranspiration (ET), gross primary productivity (GPP) and live biomass than did commercial thinning. Low‐severity wildfires represent proxies for prescribed burns and both function as biomass removal to alleviate overstocked conditions. Increases in potential runoff over 15 years post‐disturbance were valued at $108,000/km2 for commercial thinning versus $234,000/km2 for low‐severity wildfire, based on historical water prices. Respective declines in GPP were valued at −$305,000 and −$1,317,000/km2, based on an average social cost of carbon. Considering biomass levels created by commercial thinning and low‐severity fire as more‐sustainable management baselines for overstocked forests, carbon uptake over 15 years post‐disturbance can be viewed as a benefit rather than loss. Realizing this benefit upon management re‐entry may require sequestering thinned material. High‐severity wildfire and clearcutting resulted in greater declines in ET and thus greater potential water benefits but also substantial declines in GPP and live carbon. These lessons from historical disturbances indicate what benefit ranges from fuels treatments can be expected from more‐sustainable management of mixed‐conifer forests and the importance of setting an appropriate baseline.
Twelve‐year trends in unprotected left main coronary artery occlusion: insights from a real‐world multicentre study
Authors: Alexandre André , Campinas Andreia , Brochado Bruno , Braga Marta , Sá‐Couto David , Santos Mariana , Ribeiro Diana , Brandão Mariana , Silva Marisa Passos , de Morais Gustavo Pires , Calvão João , Silva João Carlos , Baggen‐Santos Raquel , Luz André , Silveira João , Torres Severo
Published: March 2024

Aims

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) resulting from unprotected left main coronary artery (LMCA) occlusion and subtotal occlusion is a life‐threatening condition. Although AMI management has improved in the past two decades, there is limited information on recent trends in patient characteristics, management, and outcomes for acute unprotected LMCA‐related AMI. This study aims to assess such trends over a 12 year period.

Methods and results

This retrospective multicentre study includes patients with unprotected LMCA occlusion/subtotal occlusion admitted to three tertiary hospitals between 2008 and 2020. The patients were divided into two groups based on the chronology of presentation: a ‘past group’ (January 2008 to December 2014) and a ‘contemporary group’ (January 2015 to December 2020). The study compares clinical characteristics, management approaches, and outcomes between the two groups. The study includes 128 patients, with 51 (40%) in the ‘past group’ and 77 (60%) in the ‘contemporary group’. Baseline risk factors did not show statistically significant differences between the two groups, except for hypertension (49% vs. 74%; P = 0.005). Chest pain was more frequent in the ‘past group’ (98% vs. 89%; P = 0.014), and a trend towards more cardiac arrests was observed in the ‘contemporary group’ (18% vs. 31%; P = 0.087). Revascularization type did not differ significantly (P = 0.419), but manual thrombectomy was less frequently used (41% vs. 23%; P = 0.032) and stent implantation showed a trend towards higher rates (66% vs. 78%; P = 0.150) in the ‘contemporary cohort’. There was a gradual shift from bare‐metal to drug‐eluting stents, with a significantly higher percentage of ticagrelor/prasugrel loading in the ‘contemporary cohort’ (5% vs. 79%; P < 0.001). The use of mechanical circulatory support (MCS), although not statistically significant, was higher among patients in the ‘past group’ (67% vs. 51%; P = 0.073). The type of MCS differed significantly between groups, with a decrease in intra‐aortic balloon pump use (67% vs. 42%; P = 0.005) and an increase in veno‐arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (4% vs. 22%; P = 0.005) and Impella system (0% vs. 3%) over time. Survival analysis showed no significant differences (P = 0.599; log‐rank test) in all‐cause mortality between the different time groups, with the long‐term survival rate being approximately 30%.

Conclusions

In our real‐world population, despite the progressive use of newer drugs and more advanced devices over time, patients with unprotected LMCA occlusion/subtotal occlusion remain a subpopulation with poor prognosis.
Intravenous iron and SGLT2 inhibitors in iron‐deficient patients with heart failure and reduced ejection fraction
Authors: Docherty Kieran F. , McMurray John J.V. , Kalra Paul R. , Cleland John G.F. , Lang Ninian N. , Petrie Mark C. , Robertson Michele , Ford Ian
Published: March 2024

Aims

To explore the potential interaction between use of SGLT2 inhibitors and the increase in haemoglobin in patients randomized to intravenous iron or the control group in the IRONMAN (Effectiveness of Intravenous Iron Treatment versus Standard Care in Patients with Heart Failure and Iron Deficiency) trial.

Methods and results

This was a post hoc exploratory analysis of the IRONMAN trial which randomized patients with heart failure, a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) ≤ 45% and iron deficiency (transferrin saturation <20% or ferritin <100 μg/L) to open label intravenous ferric derisomaltose or usual care. Of the 1137 randomized patients, 29 (2.6%) were taking an SGLT2 inhibitor at baseline. The mean (SD) change in haemoglobin from baseline at 4 weeks in those taking an SGLT2 inhibitor at baseline was 1.3 (1.2) g/dL in patients randomized to ferric derisomaltose and 0.1 (0.7) g/dL in the usual care group; between‐group difference = 1.0 g/dL (95% CI 0.1, 1.8). The equivalent numbers in the no SGLT2 inhibitor group were 0.6 (0.9) g/dL in those randomized to ferric derisomaltose and 0.1 (0.8) g/dL in the usual care group; between‐group difference = 0.4 g/dL (95% CI 0.3, 1.6); interaction P value = 0.10. No patient receiving an SGLT2 inhibitor at baseline developed polycythaemia during follow‐up (defined as haemoglobin >16.5 g/dL [men] or >16 g/dL [women]).

Conclusions

In the IRONMAN trial, there was a trend to a greater increase in haemoglobin with ferric derisomaltose in iron‐deficient patients taking an SGLT2 inhibitor at baseline, as compared with those not taking one.
Advances in Enzymatic Incorporation of Small Fluorine Modules
Authors: Lin Yuqi , Xue Wanqing , Li Hechen , Su Bingmei , Lin Juan , Ye Ke‐Yin
Published: March 2024

Organofluorine compounds find extensive application in the fields of agrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, materials science, and molecular imaging. Introducing fluorine atoms can provide organic compounds with unique physicochemical properties or improve their biological activity. Although significant progress has been made in the chemical synthesis of fluorine‐containing compounds, achieving selective fluorination under mild conditions remains extremely challenging. Introducing biocatalytic approaches in organofluorine chemistry is an important strategy given their high efficiency, selectivity, and environmental friendliness. In this review, we present the discovery of fluorinated natural products and fluorinases, the crystal structure and the directed evolution of fluorinases, with a focus on recent advances in the enzymatic synthesis of fluorine‐containing compounds in recent years. It is hoped that this review will help to promote the field of biocatalytic organofluorine compound synthesis.
Mainstream acculturation in superdiverse settings: The beneficial role of intergroup contact with ‘other‐cultures’ individuals
Authors: Doucerain Marina M. , Medvetskaya Anna , Benkirane Sarah , Bragoli‐Barzan Léa , Gouin Jean‐Philippe
Published: March 2024

This work focuses on migrants’ ‘other‐cultures’ intergroup contact – contact with individuals belonging to neither their heritage ingroup nor the mainstream outgroup. We test the overarching hypothesis that other‐cultures contact is positively associated with mainstream acculturation, especially when contact in the mainstream group is scarce. Study 1 results show that frequent other‐cultures contact is positively associated with mainstream identification among Maghrebi migrants to Quebec. This effect is stronger for participants with infrequent, versus frequent, mainstream contact. In Study 2, conducted among Russian migrants to Canada, having more other‐cultures friends is positively related to mainstream acculturation only for participants with few mainstream friends. Further, the entry of other‐cultures friends into migrants’ network takes place later than heritage friends but earlier than mainstream friends. The current work expands the traditional mainstream–heritage acculturation framework by moving away from binary conceptualizations of intergroup relations and considering other‐cultures contact in superdiverse contexts.
Gas supply apparatus using rotational motion of shaking incubator for flask culture of aerobic microorganisms
Authors: Jung Minseo , Lee Jinwon , Park Si Jae , Na Jeong‐Geol
Published: March 2024

Shake flask cultivation, a cornerstone in bioprocess research encounters limitations in supplying sufficient oxygen and exchanging gases, restricting its accuracy in assessing microbial growth and metabolic activity. In this communication, we introduce an innovative gas supply apparatus that harnesses the rotational motion of a shaking incubator to facilitate continuous air delivery, effectively overcoming these limitations. We measured the mass transfer coefficient (kLa) and conducted batch cultures of Corynebacterium glutamicum H36LsGAD using various working volumes to assess its performance. Results demonstrated that the gas supply apparatus significantly outperforms conventional silicone stoppers regarding oxygen delivery, with kLa values of 2531.7 h−1 compared to 20.25 h−1 at 230 rpm. Moreover, in batch cultures, the gas supply apparatus enabled substantial improvements in microbial growth, maintaining exponential growth even at larger working volumes. Compared to the existing system, an increase in final cell mass by a factor of 3.4‐fold was observed when utilizing 20% of the flask's volume, and a remarkable 9‐fold increase was achieved when using 60%. Furthermore, the gas supply apparatus ensured consistent oxygen supply and efficient gas exchange within the flask, overcoming challenges associated with low working volumes. This approach offers a simple yet effective solution to enhance gas transfer in shake flask cultivation, bridging the gap between laboratory‐scale experiments and industrial fermenters. Its broad applicability holds promise for advancing research in bioprocess optimization and scale‐up endeavors.
A panoramic view of the virosphere in three wastewater treatment plants by integrating viral‐like particle‐concentrated and traditional non‐concentrated metagenomic approaches
Authors: Zhang Jiayu , Tang Aixi , Jin Tao , Sun Deshou , Guo Fangliang , Lei Huaxin , Lin Lin , Shu Wensheng , Yu Pingfeng , Li Xiaoyan , Li Bing
Published: March 2024

Wastewater biotreatment systems harbor a rich diversity of microorganisms, and the effectiveness of biotreatment systems largely depends on the activity of these microorganisms. Specifically, viruses play a crucial role in altering microbial behavior and metabolic processes throughout their infection phases, an aspect that has recently attracted considerable interest. Two metagenomic approaches, viral‐like particle‐concentrated (VPC, representing free viral‐like particles) and non‐concentrated (NC, representing the cellular fraction), were employed to assess their efficacy in revealing virome characteristics, including taxonomy, diversity, host interactions, lifestyle, dynamics, and functional genes across processing units of three wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). Our findings indicate that each approach offers unique insights into the viral community and functional composition. Their combined use proved effective in elucidating WWTP viromes. We identified nearly 50,000 viral contigs, with Cressdnaviricota and Uroviricota being the predominant phyla in the VPC and NC fractions, respectively. Notably, two pathogenic viral families, Asfarviridae and Adenoviridae, were commonly found in these WWTPs. We also observed significant differences in the viromes of WWTPs processing different types of wastewater. Additionally, various phage‐derived auxiliary metabolic genes (AMGs) were active at the RNA level, contributing to the metabolism of the microbial community, particularly in carbon, sulfur, and phosphorus cycling. Moreover, we identified 29 virus‐carried antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) with potential for host transfer, highlighting the role of viruses in spreading ARGs in the environment. Overall, this study provides a detailed and integrated view of the virosphere in three WWTPs through the application of VPC and NC metagenomic approaches. Our findings enhance the understanding of viral communities, offering valuable insights for optimizing the operation and regulation of wastewater treatment systems.
Reliability of an ultrasound imaging acquisition procedure for examining osteoarthritis in the first metatarsophalangeal joint
Authors: Molyneux Prue , Bowen Catherine , Ellis Richard , Rome Keith , Fitzgerald Kate , Clark Phillip , Carroll Matthew
Published: March 2024

Objective

Given the ability of ultrasound imaging (USI) to depict tissue‐specific morphological changes before the onset of pain and before the point of irreversible structural damage, USI could play a fundamental role in earlier detection and assessment of foot osteoarthritis (OA). The current guidelines require further refinement of anatomical landmarks to establish a standardized imaging procedure to improve the interpretability and reproducibility between studies evaluating the first metatarsophalangeal joint (MTPJ). The aims were to develop an USI acquisition procedure and grading system to examine OA features in the first MTPJ and to determine intra‐examiner and inter‐examiner reliability of a newly developed USI acquisition procedure.

Design

Thirty participants with first MTPJ OA confirmed radiographically with the use of the La Trobe Foot Atlas were included. An experienced sonographer applied a newly developed USI procedure to examine the following features: joint effusion, synovial hypertrophy, synovitis, joint space narrowing, osteophytes, and cartilage thickness. A semiquantitative grading system was applied to all features. A continuous measure was also examined for osteophyte size, joint space narrowing, and cartilage thickness. To determine the intra‐examiner and inter‐examiner reliability, an experienced radiologist and sonographer applied the developed grading system to the images acquired from two imaging sessions. Intra‐examiner and inter‐examiner reliability were calculated using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs).

Results

ICCs for intra‐examiner between session reliability ranged from 0.58 to 0.92 for semiquantitative grading and 0.39 to 0.94 for continuous measures. Joint effusion and osteophytes achieved the highest intra‐examiner reliability (ICC = 0.78–0.94). ICCs for session one inter‐examiner reliability ranged from 0.61 to 1.0 for semiquantitative grading; all continuous measures had an ICC of 1. ICCs for session two inter‐examiner reliability ranged from 0.55 to 1.0 for semiquantitative grading and 0.9 to 0.97 for continuous measures. Inter‐examiner reliability was good for grading joint effusion (ICC = 0.55–0.62) and was excellent for all other USI features (ICC = 0.77–1.0).

Conclusion

The USI acquisition procedure and grading system are reliable in evaluating first MTPJ OA features in participants with radiologically confirmed OA. The study will inform the methodological development of an ultrasound atlas for grading the degree of osteoarthritic change in the first MTPJ.
Insights into the genomic features and lifestyle of B1 subcluster mycobacteriophages
Authors: Das Ritam , Arora Ritu , Nadar Kanika , Saroj Saroj , Singh Amit K. , Patil Shripad A. , Raman Sunil K. , Misra Amit , Bajpai Urmi
Published: March 2024

Bacteriophages infecting Mycobacterium smegmatis mc2155 are numerous and, hence, are classified into clusters based on nucleotide sequence similarity. Analyzing phages belonging to clusters/subclusters can help gain deeper insights into their biological features and potential therapeutic applications. In this study, for genomic characterization of B1 subcluster mycobacteriophages, a framework of online tools was developed, which enabled functional annotation of about 55% of the previously deemed hypothetical proteins in B1 phages. We also studied the phenotype, lysogeny status, and antimycobacterial activity of 10 B1 phages against biofilm and an antibiotic‐resistant M. smegmatis strain (4XR1). All 10 phages belonged to the Siphoviridae family, appeared temperate based on their spontaneous release from the putative lysogens and showed antibiofilm activity. The highest inhibitory and disruptive effects on biofilm were 64% and 46%, respectively. This systematic characterization using a combination of genomic and experimental tools is a promising approach to furthering our understanding of viral dark matter.
Leu promotes C2C12 cell differentiation by regulating the GSK3β/β‐catenin signaling pathway through facilitating the interaction between SESN2 and RPN2
Authors: Liu Yifan , Li Jinping , Ding Cong , Tong Huili , Yan Yunqin , Li Shuang , Li Shufeng , Cao Yunkao
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Leucine (Leu) is an essential amino acid that facilitates skeletal muscle satellite cell differentiation, yet its mechanism remains underexplored. Sestrin2 (SESN2) serves as a Leu sensor, binding directly to Leu, while ribophorin II (RPN2) acts as a signaling factor in multiple pathways. This study aimed to elucidate Leu's impact on mouse C2C12 cell differentiation and skeletal muscle injury repair by modulating RPN2 expression through SESN2, offering a theoretical foundation for clinical skeletal muscle injury prevention and treatment.

RESULTS

Leu addition promoted C2C12 cell differentiation compared to the control, enhancing early differentiation via myogenic determinant (MYOD) up‐regulation. Sequencing revealed SESN2 binding to and interacting with RPN2. RPN2 overexpression up‐regulated MYOD, myogenin and myosin heavy chain 2, concurrently decreased p‐GSK3β and increased nuclear β‐catenin. Conversely, RPN2 knockdown yielded opposite results. Combining RPN2 knockdown with Leu rescued increased p‐GSK3β and decreased nuclear β‐catenin compared to Leu absence. Hematoxylin and eosin staining results showed that Leu addition accelerated mouse muscle damage repair, up‐regulating Pax7, MYOD and RPN2 in the cytoplasm, and nuclear β‐catenin, confirming that the role of Leu in muscle injury repair was consistent with the results for C2C12 cells.

CONCLUSION

Leu, bound with SESN2, up‐regulated RPN2 expression, activated the GSK3β/β‐catenin pathway, enhanced C2C12 differentiation and expedited skeletal muscle damage repair. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Use of mushrooms as antioxidants in a lipid oxidation model under indirect and direct oxidation tests: ethanolic extracts of Ganoderma resinaceum and Phlebopus bruchii
Authors: Mariani Maria Elisa , Juncos Nicolle Stefani , Grosso Nelson Rubén , Olmedo Rubén Horacio
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

Foods contain lipids that are easily susceptible to oxidation, which can modify their sensory properties. Although these compounds provide characteristic flavours and odours, there are also unwanted compounds, such as volatile secondary oxidation products, representing a recurring problem for both the industry and consumers. Synthetic antioxidants are often employed to prevent this but their chronic consumption can be detrimental to human health. The present study evaluates the antioxidant potential of ethanolic extracts from Ganoderma resinaceum and Phlebopus bruchii using an accelerated oxidation test.

RESULTS

The composition profile of the extracts was investigated, identifying the presence of tryptophan, quinic acid, caffeic acid and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylglycol‐phenolic acid. The antioxidant capacity of the extracts was compared with that of butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in sunflower oil that was oven‐heated at 60 °C. Chemical (peroxide value, p‐anisidine value and conjugated dienes) and volatile (2‐octenal, 2‐heptenal and 2,4‐decadienal) indicators were measured over 28 days. The peroxide value decreased for both extracts at a similar level to that of BHT 0.02% w/w, and conjugate dienes decreased in the presence of G. resinaceum 0.1% w/w. Meanwhile, p‐anisidine exhibited a slightly greater decrease for P. bruchii 0.1% w/w than for BHT. The sample with 0.1% w/w of extracts showed a reduction in volatile secondary oxidation compounds, indicating significant antioxidant activity.

CONCLUSION

Based on these results, both extracts could be proposed as potential antioxidants in foods with a high lipid content. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Biochemical profiling and antioxidant activity analysis of commercially relevant seaweeds from northwest Europe
Authors: McDonnell Adam , Luck Tobias , Nash Róisín , Touzet Nicolas
Published: March 2024

BACKGROUND

The drive towards ensuring the sustainability of bioresources has been linked with better valorising primary materials and developing biorefinery pipelines. Seaweeds constitute valuable coastal resources with applications in the bioenergy, biofertiliser, nutrition, pharmaceutical and cosmetic sectors. Owing to the various sought‐after metabolites they possess, several seaweed species are commercially exploited throughout Western Europe, including Ireland. Here, four commercially relevant brown (Fucus serratus and Fucus vesiculosus) and red (Chondrus crispus and Mastocarpus stellatus) seaweed species were sampled during a spring tide in July 2021 on moderately exposed shores across three coastal regions in the west of Ireland.

RESULTS

Significant regional differences were identified when specimens were analysed for carbohydrates (max. 80.3 μg glucose eq mg−1 DW), proteins (max. 431.3 μg BSA eq. mg−1 DW), lipids (max. 158.6 mg g−1 DW), pigment signature and antioxidant potential. Protein content for F. serratus recorded a twofold difference between northern and southern specimens. The antioxidant potential of F. vesiculosus and M. stellatus returned greater activity compared to F. serratus and C. crispus, respectively. Multivariate analysis showed a clear latitudinal pattern across the three western coastal regions (north, west and south) for both F. vesiculosus and F. serratus.

CONCLUSION

F. vesiculosus thalli from the northwest were richer in pigment content while the F. serratus thalli from the northwest were richer in antioxidants. Such biogeographic patterns in the biochemical make‐up of seaweeds need consideration for the development of regional integrated aquaculture systems and the optimisation of the biomass content for targeted downstream applications. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Perioperative Delta Weight and Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Resolution after Adenotonsillectomy
Authors: Dang Quynh‐Chi L. , Ulualp Seckin , Mitchell Ron B. , Johnson Romaine F.
Published: March 2024

Objective(s)

The first‐line treatment for pediatric obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is adenotonsillectomy. Post‐operative weight gain is a well‐documented phenomenon. We hypothesized that higher peri‐adenotonsillectomy delta weight correlates with lower rates of OSA resolution in pediatric patients.

Methods

This was a retrospective cohort study consisting of 250 patients from 2 to 17 years of age at a tertiary academic medical center between January 2021 and December 2022. Polysomnography results and body mass index (BMI) changes were collected through the electronic health record. Univariate and multivariate logistical regression analyses were performed, adjusting for confounding factors.

Results

Perioperative delta weight and pre‐operative baseline AHI values were significant predictors of residual OSA. For every 1‐kilogram gain in weight, the odds of residual OSA (AHI >5) increase by 6.0% (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.02–1.10, p < 0.002), and the odds of residual severe OSA (AHI > 10) increase by 8% (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04–1.12, p < 0.001). Increased AHI, Black/African American race, and male sex were also factors associated with incomplete OSA resolution.

Conclusions

Increased peri‐adenotonsillectomy delta weight is associated with higher rates of residual OSA in children. Patients and families should be counseled about appropriate weight loss and control methods before adenotonsillectomy.

Level of Evidence

IV Laryngoscope, 134:4141–4147, 2024
Peptide Sequence Variations Govern Hydrogel Stiffness: Insights from a Multi‐Scale Structural Analysis of H‐FQFQFK‐NH2Peptide Derivatives
Authors: De Maeseneer Tess , Cauwenbergh Thibault , Gardiner James , White Jacinta F. , Thielemans Wim , Martin Charlotte , Moldenaers Paula , Ballet Steven , Cardinaels Ruth
Published: March 2024

Throughout the past decades, amphipathic peptide‐based hydrogels have proven to be promising materials for biomedical applications. Amphipathic peptides are known to adopt β‐sheet configurations that self‐assemble into fibers that then interact to form a hydrogel network. A fundamental understanding of how the peptide sequence alters the structural properties of the hydrogels would allow for a more rational design of novel peptides for a variety of biomedical applications in the future. Therefore, the current work investigates how changing the type of amino acid, the amphipathic pattern, and the peptide length affects the secondary structure, fiber characteristics, and stiffness of peptide‐based hydrogels. Hereto, seven amphipathic peptides of different sequence and length, four of which have not been previously reported, based on and including the hexapeptide H‐Phe‐Gln‐Phe‐Gln‐Phe‐Lys‐NH2, are synthesized and thoroughly characterized by circular dichroism (CD), Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Wide Angle X‐ray Scattering (WAXS), Small Angle X‐ray Scattering (SAXS), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), and Thioflavin T (ThT) fibrillization assays. The results show that a high amount of regularly spaced β‐sheets, a high amount of fibers, and fiber bundling contribute to the stiffness of the hydrogel. Furthermore, a study of the time‐dependent fibril formation process reveals complex transient dynamics. The peptide strands structure through an intermediate helical state prior to β‐sheet formation, which is found to be concentration‐ and time‐dependent.
Drug procurement and coordination decision under non‐directed donation behavior
Authors: Shan Renbang , Luo Li
Published: March 2024

The frequent occurrence of public emergencies seriously threatens human health. As the supplier of drugs, besides producing drugs, pharmaceutical manufacturers also actively launch drug donations. However, whether this donation will affect the procurement decisions of hospital pharmacies and help relieve the supply pressure is worthy of attention. This paper aims to analyze the procurement and donation decisions under non‐directed donation scenario. Besides, we extend the application of collaborative decisions in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Our results point out that donations made by the pharmaceutical manufacturer always benefit the hospital pharmacy and the pharmaceutical supply chain system, and only in certain circumstances can it make itself more profitable. In non‐directed donation scenario, drug donation and procurement quantities under centralized decision are always higher than that under decentralized decision. The social collaborative decision has more advantages in improving members' decisions and profits. The coordination effect of collaborative decisions is often better when there are significant fluctuations in the wholesale price. Through our analysis, it can provide a reference for pharmacies and pharmaceutical manufacturers to make appropriate procurement and donation decisions.
Genomic investigation and nationwide tracking of pediatric invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella in China
Authors: Ke Yefang , Teng Lin , Zhu Zhe , Lu Wenbo , Liu Wenyuan , Zhou Haiyang , Yu Qi , Ye Lina , Zhu Pan , Zhao Guoping , Yue Min
Published: March 2024

Impact Statement

Invasive nontyphoidal Salmonella (iNTS) causes significant concern with ~15% morbidity, affecting populations mainly in African countries. However, iNTS infections among the Chinese pediatric population remain largely unknown. Here, we conducted a genomic investigation to study pediatric iNTS infections in a Chinese hospital. iNTS isolates accounted for 15.2% (18/119) of all nontyphoidal Salmonella (NTS) strains. Compared to non‐iNTS isolates, iNTS isolates harbored a lower prevalence of antimicrobial‐resistant genes of fluoroquinolones and β‐lactams, as well as disinfectant determinants and plasmids, but carried a significantly higher prevalence of cdtB, faeCDE, and tcpC genes. Importantly, we detected an emerging serovar Goldcoast as the predominant iNTS serovar locally. By integrating 320 global Goldcoast genomes based on the One Health samplings, we conducted nationwide phylogenomic tracking and detected repeated human‐to‐human transmission events among iNTS cases caused by an underestimated serovar Goldcoast. Together, our exploratory genomic approach highlights a new trend in pediatric iNTS infections.
Stability of steady‐state solutions of a class of Keller–Segel models with mixed boundary conditions
Authors: Feng Zefu , Jia Jing , Zhou Shouming
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we investigate the existence and stability of non‐trivial steady‐state solutions of a class of chemotaxis models with zero‐flux boundary conditions and Dirichlet boundary conditions on a one‐dimensional bounded interval. By using upper–lower solution and the monotone iteration scheme method, we get the existence of the steady‐state solution of the chemotaxis model. Moreover, by adopting the “inverse derivative” technique and the weighted energy method, we prove the stability of the steady‐state solution of this chemotaxis model.
Bilanz Sanofi 2023: Für Haut und Lungen
Authors: Bulmahn Maren
Published: March 2024

Beim französischen Pharmakonzern Sanofi hat sich der Umsatz im Jahr 2023 verglichen mit dem Vorjahr kaum geändert, die Geschäftsführung in Deutschland dagegen schon.
Durch Traditionenbrechen zu Familienglück und Berufserfolg
Authors: Tietze Alexandra
Published: March 2024

Steve Waitschat ist Wirtschaftschemiker und hat zwei Söhne. Bei seiner Arbeit ist ihm Flexibilität wichtig.
Wo befinden wir uns in der digitalen Transformation wirklich?
Authors: Ortmeyer Jochen , Hausen Daniela , Herres‐Pawlis Sonja
Published: March 2024

Damit der Übergang ins Zeitalter der digitalen Chemie gelingt, ist ein kultureller Wandel in der Community notwendig. Forschungsdaten entstehen zum Beispiel bei der Synthese von Substanzen, der Aufnahme von Spektren oder beim Anwenden quantenchemischer Methoden und müssen dokumentiert, archiviert und zur Nachnutzung verfügbar gemacht werden – doch wie behandeln Chemiker:innen ihre Forschungsdaten tatsächlich?
Nachruf: Jens Volker Kratz (1944 – 2024)
Authors: Walther Clemens
Published: March 2024

Jens Volker Kratz war Mitherausgeber des Fachorgans Radiochimica Acta. Er gehörte sieben Jahre dem Vorstand der Fachgruppe Nuklearchemie an, zwei davon als deren Vorsitzender.
Dynamic mobility and handover management in software‐defined networking‐based fifth‐generation heterogeneous networks
Authors: Khan Adil , Ahmad Shabeer , Ali Ihsan , Hayat Babar , Tian Yanan , Liu Weixing
Published: March 2024

The adoption and application of mobile communication technology have rapidly escalated, leading to a significant upsurge in the demand of data traffic. Ultra‐densification stands as one of the network solutions within the realm of 5G and beyond technologies, aimed to enhance data rates and network capacity. Heterogeneous networks (HetNets) are deployed with different types of small cells (SCs) in mobile networks to provide high capacity, data rate, throughput, and low latency communication. HetNet solves the problem of network densification at the expense of mobility management problems such as ping‐pong handover, unnecessary handovers, handover delay, and cell load. This paper introduces an enhanced optimal cell selection technique employing software‐defined networking (SDN) to tackle the challenges of handover and mobility management in 5G and beyond 5G (B5G) HetNet. The proposed SDN‐based cell selection scheme leverages linear programming (LP) to manage the mobility of users dynamically, facilitating the selection of the optimal cell for user equipment (UE) handover. This selection is based on multi‐attribute decision‐making criteria, which include user direction, received signal strength (RSS) value, cell load, and dwell time. By applying LP, computational overhead during cell selection is significantly reduced. The results indicate that the proposed scheme leads to a 39% reduction in number of handovers. This reduction signifies a substantial advancement in mitigating issues associated with frequent and unnecessary handovers, ultimately leading to minimized signaling overhead between UE and cells. Moreover, the proposed solution outperformed the existing scheme in terms of system's throughput and selects an optimal target cell with a lower cell load.
Collaborative transportation for attended home deliveries
Authors: Elting Steffen , Ehmke Jan Fabian , Gansterer Margaretha
Published: March 2024

Attended home deliveries (AHDs) are characterized by dynamic customer acceptance and narrow customer‐specific delivery time windows. Both impede efficient routing and thus make AHDs very costly. In this article, we explore how established horizontal collaborative transportation planning methods can be adapted to render AHDs more efficient. The general idea is to enable request reallocation between multiple collaborating carriers after the order capture phase. We use an established centralized reallocation framework that allows participating carriers to submit delivery requests for reallocation. We extend this framework for AHD specifics such as the dynamic arrival of customer requests and information about delivery time windows. Using realistic instances based on the city of Vienna, we quantify the collaboration savings by solving the underlying routing and reallocation problems. We show that narrow time windows can lower the savings obtainable by the reallocation by up to 15%. Therefore, we suggest enhancing the decision processes of request selection and request bundling using information about delivery time windows. Our findings demonstrate that adapting methods of request selection and bundle generation to environments with narrow time windows can increase collaboration savings by up to 25% and 35%, respectively in comparison to methods that work well only when no time windows are imposed.
Research autopsy programmes in oncology: shared experience from 14 centres across the world
Authors: Geukens Tatjana , Maetens Marion , Hooper Jody E , Oesterreich Steffi , Lee Adrian V , Miller Lori , Atkinson Jenny M , Rosenzweig Margaret , Puhalla Shannon , Thorne Heather , Devereux Lisa , Bowtell David , Loi Sherene , Bacon Eliza R , Ihle Kena , Song Mihae , Rodriguez‐Rodriguez Lorna , Welm Alana L , Gauchay Lisa , Murali Rajmohan , Chanda Pharto , Karacay Ali , Naceur‐Lombardelli Cristina , Bridger Hayley , Swanton Charles , Jamal‐Hanjani Mariam , Kollath Lori , True Lawrence , Morrissey Colm , Chambers Meagan , Chinnaiyan Arul M , Wilson Allecia , Mehra Rohit , Reichert Zachery , Carey Lisa A , Perou Charles M , Kelly Erin , Maeda Daichi , Goto Akiteru , Kulka Janina , Székely Borbála , Szasz A Marcell , Tőkés Anna‐Mária , Van Den Bogaert Wouter , Floris Giuseppe , Desmedt Christine
Published: March 2024

While there is a great clinical need to understand the biology of metastatic cancer in order to treat it more effectively, research is hampered by limited sample availability. Research autopsy programmes can crucially advance the field through synchronous, extensive, and high‐volume sample collection. However, it remains an underused strategy in translational research. Via an extensive questionnaire, we collected information on the study design, enrolment strategy, study conduct, sample and data management, and challenges and opportunities of research autopsy programmes in oncology worldwide. Fourteen programmes participated in this study. Eight programmes operated 24 h/7 days, resulting in a lower median postmortem interval (time between death and start of the autopsy, 4 h) compared with those operating during working hours (9 h). Most programmes (n = 10) succeeded in collecting all samples within a median of 12 h after death. A large number of tumour sites were sampled during each autopsy (median 15.5 per patient). The median number of samples collected per patient was 58, including different processing methods for tumour samples but also non‐tumour tissues and liquid biopsies. Unique biological insights derived from these samples included metastatic progression, treatment resistance, disease heterogeneity, tumour dormancy, interactions with the tumour micro‐environment, and tumour representation in liquid biopsies. Tumour patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) or organoid (PDO) models were additionally established, allowing for drug discovery and treatment sensitivity assays. Apart from the opportunities and achievements, we also present the challenges related with postmortem sample collections and strategies to overcome them, based on the shared experience of these 14 programmes. Through this work, we hope to increase the transparency of postmortem tissue donation, to encourage and aid the creation of new programmes, and to foster collaborations on these unique sample collections. © 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Polyketide synthase positive Escherichia coli one‐time measurement in stool is not informative of colorectal cancer risk in a screening setting
Authors: de Klaver Willemijn , de Wit Meike , Bolijn Anne , Tijssen Marianne , Delis‐van Diemen Pien , Lemmens Margriet , Spaander Manon CW , Dekker Evelien , van Leerdam Monique E , Coupé Veerle MH , van Boxtel Ruben , Clevers Hans , Carvalho Beatriz , Meijer Gerrit A
Published: March 2024

Environmental factors like the pathogenicity island polyketide synthase positive (pks+) Escherichia coli (E. coli) could have potential for risk stratification in colorectal cancer (CRC) screening. The association between pks+ E. coli measured in fecal immunochemical test (FIT) samples and the detection of advanced neoplasia (AN) at colonoscopy was investigated. Biobanked FIT samples were analyzed for both presence of E. coli and pks+ E. coli and correlated with colonoscopy findings; 5020 CRC screening participants were included. Controls were participants in which no relevant lesion was detected because of FIT‐negative results (cut‐off ≥15 μg Hb/g feces), a negative colonoscopy, or a colonoscopy during which only a nonadvanced polyp was detected. Cases were participants with AN [CRC, advanced adenoma (AA), or advanced serrated polyp (ASP)]. Existing DNA isolation and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) procedures were used for the detection of E. coli and pks+ E. coli in stool. A total of 4542 (90.2%) individuals were E. coli positive, and 1322 (26.2%) were pks+ E. coli positive. The prevalence of E. coli in FIT samples from individuals with AN was 92.9% compared to 89.7% in FIT samples of controls (p = 0.010). The prevalence of pks+ E. coli in FIT samples from individuals with AN (28.6%) and controls (25.9%) was not significantly different (p = 0.13). The prevalences of pks+ E. coli in FIT samples from individuals with CRC, AA, or ASP were 29.6%, 28.3%, and 32.1%, respectively. In conclusion, the prevalence of pks+ E. coli in a screening population was 26.2% and did not differ significantly between individuals with AN and controls. These findings disqualify the straightforward option of using a snapshot measurement of pks+ E. coli in FIT samples as a stratification biomarker for CRC risk. © 2024 The Authors. The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
Application of machine learning methods in the analysis of interface bonding strength for overmolded hybrid thermoset‐thermoplastic composites
Authors: Yin Yulong , Zhai Zhanyu , Ding Yudong
Published: March 2024

The focus of this study is to apply finite element method (FEM) and machine learning methods to investigate the interfacial bonding strength of continuous fiber reinforced thermoset composite (TSC)‐thermoplastic structures manufactured through co‐curing and overmolding processes, with polyamide 6 (PA 6) as the thermoplastic material. A model for interfacial healing degree in TSC‐PA 6 structures was developed. Then, FEM was employed to study the influence of various injection overmolding process parameters on the interfacial bonding strength of TSC‐PA 6 structures. The results show that there is a strong correlation between the degree of interface healing and the bonding strength. Subsequently, six machine learning methods were employed to correlate interfacial healing degree with diverse injection molding process parameters. Simulation data were utilized for training, calibration, and validation of the six machine learning models. Based on the results of simulation and machine learning predictions, a quantitative analysis of the significance of injection molding process parameters on healing degree was conducted. These parameters are ranked in descending order of importance as follows: insert temperature, melt temperature, and injection rate.

Highlights

The interfacial healing degree model of PA 6 was established and validated through the integration FEM and experiment.

Six machine learning models were built to predict the interfacial healing degree.

Grad boosting performed best in predicting the interfacial healing degree.

Insert temperature had the greatest impact on the interface healing degree.