bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Nonlocal Dielectric Metasurfaces: Tuning Collective Lattice Resonances via Substrate–Superstrate Permittivity Contrast
Authors: Allayarov Izzatjon , Evlyukhin Andrey B. , Roth Diane J. , Chichkov Boris , Zayats Anatoly V. , Calà Lesina Antonio
Published: October 2023

Contrary to local resonances of single nanostructures, collective (or nonlocal) resonances in periodic metasurfaces, such as surface lattice resonances (SLRs), can significantly enhance light–matter interaction, leading to higher spectral selectivity. The dynamic control of such nonlocal response represents an emerging field of research. While tuning of SLRs has been demonstrated in plasmonic metasurfaces, the use of dielectric metasurfaces provides additional conditions to control both reflectance and transmittance, with minimum absorption effects. A close‐to‐homogeneous environment is usually required to guarantee the excitation of SLRs. Here, we propose theoretically and demonstrate experimentally a practical strategy for the tuning of SLRs in dielectric metasurfaces when an arbitrary index mismatch is considered between substrate and superstrate. The approach is based on a generalized lattice sum theory that accounts for the presence of a substrate. Dynamic tuning of the SLRs in silicon metasurfaces placed on a substrate is achieved with a changeable superstrate via an optofluidic process. Two tuning mechanisms are revealed corresponding to shifting and damping of the SLR, depending on the superstrate–substrate refractive index contrast. The demonstrated dynamic manipulation of transmission and reflection may be exploited in dielectric metasurfaces for tunable spectral selectivity, sensing, or novel display technologies.
BPTF Drives Gastric Cancer Resistance to EGFR Inhibitor by Epigenetically Regulating the C‐MYC/PLCG1/Perk Axis
Authors: Li Fangyuan , Yu Junxian , Pan Tao , Feng Haoran , Li Jianfang , Yu Beiqin , Fan Zhiyuan , Sang Qingqing , Chen Mengdi , Zang Mingde , Hou Junyi , Wu Xiongyan , Yu Yingyan , Li Yuan‐Yuan , Yan Chao , Zhu Zhenggang , Su Liping , Liu Bingya
Published: October 2023

Erlotinib, an EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor, is used for treating patients with cancer exhibiting EGFR overexpression or mutation. However, the response rate of erlotinib is low among patients with gastric cancer (GC). The findings of this study illustrated that the overexpression of bromodomain PHD finger transcription factor (BPTF) is partially responsible for erlotinib resistance in GC, and the combination of the BPTF inhibitor AU‐1 with erlotinib synergistically inhibited tumor growth both in vivo and in vitro. AU‐1 inhibited the epigenetic function of BPTF and decreased the transcriptional activity of c‐MYC on PLCG1 by attenuating chromosome accessibility of the PLCG1 promoter region, thus decreasing the expression of p‐PLCG1 and p‐Erk and eventually improving the sensitivity of GC cells to erlotinib. In patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) models, AU‐1 monotherapy exhibited remarkable tumor‐inhibiting activity and is synergistic anti‐tumor effects when combined with erlotinib. Altogether, the findings illustrate that BPTF affects the responsiveness of GC to erlotinib by epigenetically regulating the c‐MYC/PLCG1/pErk axis, and the combination of BPTF inhibitors and erlotinib is a viable therapeutic approach for GC.
Simple One‐Step Molten Salt Method for Synthesizing Highly Efficient MXene‐Supported Pt Nanoalloy Electrocatalysts
Authors: Wang Ya , Li Lili , Shen Miao , Tang Rui , Zhou Jing , Han Ling , Zhang Xiuqing , Zhang Linjuan , Kim Guntae , Wang Jian‐Qiang
Published: October 2023

MXene‐supported noble metal alloy catalysts exhibit remarkable electrocatalytic activity in various applications. However, there is no facile one‐step method for synthesizing these catalysts, because the synthesis of MXenes requires a strongly oxidizing environment and the preparation of platinum nanoalloys requires a strongly reducing environment and high temperatures. Hence, achieving coupling in one step is extremely challenging. In this paper, a straightforward one‐step molten salt method for preparing MXene‐supported platinum nanoalloy catalysts is proposed. The molten salt acts as the reaction medium to dissolve the transition metals and platinum ions at high temperatures. Transition metal ions oxidize the A‐site element from its MAX precursor at high temperatures, and the resulting transition metals further reduce platinum ions to form alloys. By coupling Al oxidation and platinum ion reduction using a molten salt solvent, this method directly converts Ti3AlC2 to a Pt‐M@Ti3C2Tx catalyst (where M denotes the transition metal). It further offers the possibility of extending the Pt‐M phase to binary, ternary, or quaternary platinum‐containing nanoalloys and converting the Al‐containing MAX phase to Ti2AlC and Ti3AlCN. Due to the strong interfacial interaction, the as‐prepared Pt‐Co@Ti3C2Tx is superior to commercial Pt/C (20 wt.%) in the hydrogen evolution reaction.
Pneumonia vaccine response in individuals with Down syndrome at three specialty clinics
Authors: Santoro Stephanie L. , Baloh Carolyn H. , Hart Sarah J. , Horick Nora , Kishnani Priya S. , Krell Kavita , Oreskovic Nicolas M. , Shaffer Mikayla , Talib Nasreen , Torres Amy , Spiridigliozzi Gail A. , Skotko Brian G.
Published: October 2023

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have been particularly impacted by respiratory conditions, such as pneumonia. However, the description of co‐occurring recurrent infections, the response to pneumococcal immunization, and the association of these was previously unknown. We screened individuals with DS using an 11‐item screener and prospectively collected pneumococcal titers and laboratory results. We found that the screener did not successfully predict which individuals with DS who would have inadequate pneumococcal titers. Thirty four of the 55 individuals with DS (62%) had abnormal pneumococcal titers demonstrating an inadequate response to routine immunization. In the absence of a valid screener, clinicians should consider screening all individuals with DS through the use of pneumococcal titers to 23 serotypes to assess vaccine response.
Comprehensive characterization and evaluation of the process chain and products from Euphausia superba exocuticles to chitosan
Authors: Hahn Thomas , Egger Jeannine , Krake Simon , Dyballa Michael , Stegbauer Linus , von Seggern Nils , Bruheim Inge , Zibek Susanne
Published: October 2023

Antarctic krill (Euphausia superba) is a source for compounds of high nutritive value. Within that process of extraction, exocuticles (shells) accumulate which are currently disposed. A valorization of the compounds of the exocuticle such as chitosan would be beneficial to avoid waste and to obtain a versatile polymer at the same time. In contrast to previous investigations focusing on chitosan production from whole krill, we applied and optimized process stages of the chitosan production from the exocuticles, performing a comprehensive analytical evaluation of the whole process, the side streams and the products for the first time. Degreasing was the first step resulting in a krill oil yield of 6.2% using ethanol. The fatty acid profile exhibited high contents of phospholipids (21.2%). Citric acid offered a demineralization efficiency of 93%. Deproteinization investigation revealed 2 M NaOH and 90°C for 2.5 h to be the best parameters, resulting in a deproteinization efficiency of 99.9% and a chitin content of 92.8%. The spectroscopic investigation indicated that the chitin has a crystallinity index of 76% and an acetylation degree of 88%. The deacetylation degrees of the resulting chitosans is determined to be 74%–88%, the molecular weight ranges from 102 to 126 kDa.
Fabrication of cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) starch‐based ultrafine fibers: Investigation of fundamental and antimicrobial properties
Authors: Cao Meiyi , Lin Songqin , Geng Meixuan , Zhang Yongna , Ren Jingjing , Yang Bin , Li Xianglong
Published: October 2023

Micro/nano‐based fibrous membranes loaded with antibacterial agents have been widely studied in the medical field. In this research, we describe the development of a new environmentally friendly medical dressing based on centrifugally spun cassava starch‐based ultrafine fibers loaded with nanosilver (Ag). For this purpose, the spinnability of amylopectin‐rich native cassava starch in a centrifugal spinning system was investigated. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) was applied to improve the water stability and mechanical properties of the starch‐based fibers, and the water stability of the fibers was further improved by posttreatment with formic acid. The morphology, structure, thermal, and tensile properties were studied. The results indicated that the native cassava starch showed excellent spinnability in the centrifugal spinning system. The tensile strength and water stability of the obtained fibrous membranes were improved by adding PVA and further improved after the posttreatment. The antibacterial properties of fibers loaded with Ag were evaluated through a bacteriostatic zone test, and the results showed that the fibers presented good antibacterial properties against Escherichia coli. Therefore, the obtained fibers have great potential for application in the medical dressing field.
Chemical recycling of polymer composites induced by selective variable frequency microwave heating
Authors: Vichare Preksha , Engler Anthony , Schwartz Jared , Kohl Paul A.
Published: October 2023

The application of variable frequency microwave (VFM) heating to achieve rapid thermal depolymerization of polymer composites is reported for the first time. The thermal and chemical influence of composite additives on polymer decomposition has been studied for a set of chemically recyclable polymers, including polyphthalaldehyde, polypropylene carbonate, two polyhydroxyalkanoates, and nylon 6. Carbon‐based additives, specifically nanocarbon particles, were used as effective microwave absorbers to controllably degrade the surrounding polymer matrix into valuable, monomeric compounds. Depolymerization and byproduct confirmation were quantified by gel permeation chromatography and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Synergistic effects can be leveraged from pre‐treating composite samples to further reduce the total microwave energy required to depolymerize composite samples. This study establishes the use of VFM heating for chemical recycling of polymer composites that can be leveraged toward a plastic circular economy.
Energiegewinn und Energieeinspeicherung des Prototyps eines neuartigen Wärmespeicher‐ und Energieerzeugungssystems
Authors: Schröter Birke , Spiegel Jonas , Carrigan Svenja , Kornadt Oliver , Friedrich Thomas , Wißbach Michael , Platzek Dieter , Büscher Wolfgang
Published: October 2023

Durch die Auswirkungen des fortschreitenden Klimawandels und den daraus resultierenden Forderungen nach einem klimaneutralen Gebäudebestand ist es von großer Bedeutung, einen Großteil des Energiebedarfs durch die Nutzung erneuerbarer Energien decken zu können. Dazu wird im Rahmen eines Forschungsprojekts ein neuartiges Wärmespeicher‐ und Energieerzeugungssystem für Gebäude entwickelt, welches die Energieerzeugung und ‐speicherung in autarken „Energiepfählen“ anstrebt. Ziel der vorliegenden Analyse war die Auswertung eines ersten Prototyps, der im Zuge des Projekts entwickelt und experimentell untersucht wurde. Bei der Untersuchung standen die Energiegewinnung, die Energieeinspeicherung und die Dauer der Entladung des neuen Systems im Vordergrund. Es konnte gezeigt werden, dass die Energiegewinnung des Prototyps gut funktioniert und vergleichbar mit bestehenden Solarthermiekollektoren ist. Allerdings wurde mit Unterstützung einer Gebäudesimulation gezeigt, dass die Energieeinspeicherung nicht ausreicht, um den gesamten Nutzenergiebedarf für die thermische Konditionierung eines Beispielgebäudes wirtschaftlich durch den Energiepfahl zu decken. Die Untersuchungen zeigen, dass der Prototyp großes Potenzial besitzt, aber eine Weiterentwicklung notwendig ist, um eine wirtschaftliche Option darzustellen.
Energetische Gewinne von Solarabsorbern im Verbund mit Eisspeichern
Authors: Goeke Johannes
Published: October 2023

Die Speicherung von Energie ist in der Wärmeversorgung von Gebäuden ein lange bekanntes Prinzip zur Sicherstellung optimaler Effizienz und im Falle der Einbeziehung erneuerbarer Energie eine Notwendigkeit. Eine neue Form des Eisspeichers als erdvergrabenes Wasserreservoir ist in den letzten Jahren vermehrt zum Einsatz gekommen. Da in vielen Fällen Unklarheit über die solaren Energieflüsse bei der Beladung und bei der Entladung herrschen, werden in dieser Studie die Wärmeübertragungsbedingungen von Solarabsorbern als Wärmequelle sowohl für die Wärmepumpe als auch für den Eispeicher aus Strahlung und Umgebungsluft analysiert. Es werden die thermodynamischen Randbedingungen diskutiert, die den Wärmeertrag dominieren und exemplarisch Wärmemengen ermittelt. Dazu werden in einer Simulation die Wärmegewinne eines Solarröhrenabsorbers in Funktion mit einem Eisspeicher, Wärmepumpe und der Wärmelast des VDI Musterhauses (VDI 6009) dargestellt.
Survival outcomes of different neoadjuvant treatment regimens in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer and MRI‐detected extramural venous invasion
Authors: Chen Mo , Ma Yan , Song Yi‐wen , Huang Jinhua , Gao Yuan‐hong , Zheng Jian , He Fang
Published: October 2023

Purpose

MRI‐detected extramural venous invasion (mrEMVI) is associated with poor survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). An mrEMVI‐positive status is considered a strong indication for neoadjuvant treatment, but the optimal regimen is unknown.

Patients and Methods

We retrospectively compared pathological and survival outcomes of 584 patients diagnosed with mrEMVI‐positive rectal cancer between January 2013 and October 2021, and receiving either neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) alone, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) alone, or nCRT plus NCT, prior to total mesorectal excision. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to balance clinical bias between groups, which were compared using chi‐square testing and Kaplan–Meier curves.

Results

Median follow‐up was 33.9 (range, 10.2–100.4) months. The 3‐year overall survival (OS), disease‐free survival (DFS), distant metastasis‐free survival (DMFS), and locoregional relapse‐free survival (LRFS) rates for all patients were 90.4%, 57.5%, 61.1%, and 85.7%, respectively. Of 584 mrEMVI‐positive patients at the time of diagnosis, 457 (78.3%) were EMVI‐negative on surgical pathology, and they had significantly better 3‐year OS, DMFS, DFS, and LRFS rates (all p < 0.001) than patients who remained EMVI‐positive. After PSM was applied, patients receiving nCRT alone had significantly better 3‐year OS (96.8% vs. 86.5%, p = 0.005) and DMFS (67.1% vs. 53.5%, p = 0.03) rates than those receiving NCT alone. Patients receiving NCT plus nCRT had higher pathological complete response (PCR) (10.8% vs. 2.7%, p = 0.04) and downstaging (33.8% vs. 5.3%, p < 0.001) rates than those receiving nCRT alone, but survival rates did not differ (all p > 0.05).

Conclusion

Most EMVI‐positive patients with LARC converted to EMVI‐negative after neoadjuvant treatment, resulting in improved OS and DFS. Patients receiving nCRT had more favorable survival outcomes than those receiving NCT, suggesting the importance of including neoadjuvant radiotherapy. Patients receiving NCT in addition to nCRT had higher rates of PCR and downstaging, but their survival rates were not better.
Design, Synthesis, Anticancer Evaluation, and Molecular Docking Studies of Oxazole‐Incorporated Naphthyridine Derivatives
Authors: Rangaswamy Singamsetty , Sreenivasulu Reddymasu , Babu Vankayala Ramesh , Syed Tasqeeruddin , Kapavarapu Ravi Kumar , Jayaprakash Hulikunte Veeranna , Abbaraju Venkata Durga Nagendra Kumar
Published: October 2023

A novel series of oxazole incorporated naphthyridine (21 a–j) derivatives were designed and, synthesized followed by screening of their anticancer activity profiles against human breast cancer (MCF‐7), human lung cancer (A549) and human prostate (PC3 & DU‐145) cancer cell lines by employing MTT [3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐2H‐tetrazolium bromide] assay using etoposide as the positive control. Of these compounds, N‐(6‐chloro‐3‐(4‐(3,4,5‐trimethoxyphenyl)oxazol‐2‐yl)‐1,5‐naphthyridin‐4‐yl)oxazol‐2‐amine with 3,4,5‐trimethoxy substituent on the aryl moiety attached to oxazole ring showed potent anticancer activity against PC3, A549, MCF‐7, and DU‐145 cell lines with IC50 values of 0.13±0.095 μM; 0.10±0.084 μM; 0.18±0.087 μM and 0.15±0.076 μM respectively. Apart from this, compounds N‐(6‐chloro‐3‐(4‐(3,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)oxazol‐2‐yl)‐1,5‐naphthyridin‐4‐yl)oxazol‐2‐amine, N‐(6‐chloro‐3‐(4‐(4‐methoxyphenyl)oxazol‐2‐yl)‐1,5‐naphthyridin‐4‐yl)oxazol‐2‐amine, and N‐(6‐chloro‐3‐(4‐(3,5‐dimethylphenyl)oxazol‐2‐yl)‐1,5‐naphthyridin‐4‐yl)oxazol‐2‐amine also showed better anticancer activities against four cancer cell lines screened for. These activities were also validated through the molecular docking simulations, which further indicated demonstration of better interaction energy and profile by these compounds.
J‐Aggregate‐Triggering BODIPYs: an Ultrasensitive Chromogenic and Fluorogenic Sensing Platform for Perfluorooctanesulfonate
Authors: Cho Siyoung , Kim Youngmi
Published: October 2023

Contamination of water supplies by polyfluoroalkyl substances, notably perfluorooctanesulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), has serious health and environmental consequences. Therefore, the development of straightforward and effective means of monitoring and removing PFASs is urgently required. In this study, we report a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of PFOS and PFOA in water that rely on the J‐aggregate formation of meso‐ester‐BODIPY dyes. The dye C10‐mim, which contains a hydrophilic methylimidazolium group and a hydrophobic alkylated BODIPY, self‐assembles in water into weakly green‐emissive micellar assemblies. Upon binding to PFOS or PFOA, a spontaneous disassembly and reorganization forms orange‐emissive J‐aggregates. The rapid formation (≤5 s) of J‐aggregates and the accompanying spectral shifts provide a superior sensing performance, with excellent sensitivity (limit of detection=0.18 ppb for PFOS) and distinct chromogenic and fluorogenic “turn‐on” responses.
Divergent and Nucleophile‐Assisted Rearrangement in the Construction of Pyrrolo[2,1‐b][3]benzazepine and Pyrido[2,1‐a]isoquinoline Scaffolds
Authors: Obydennik Arina Y. , Titov Alexander A. , Listratova Anna V. , Borisova Tatiana N. , Sokolova Irina L. , Rybakov Victor B. , Van der Eycken Erik V. , Voskressensky Leonid G. , Varlamov Alexey V.
Published: October 2023

Under microwave (MW) irradiation at 150 °C in toluene and in the presence of nucleophiles (DMAP, triphenylphosphine and tetrahydrothiophene) 1‐substituted 1‐ethynyl‐2‐vinyldi‐ and tetrahydroisoquinolines undergo [3,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement providing pyrrolo[2,1‐b][3]benzazepines in good yields. The replacement of toluene with acetonitrile directs the rearrangement towards the formation of 7,11b‐dihydro‐6H‐pyrido[2,1‐a]isoquinolines.
A step towards the final frontier: Lessons learned from acceptance testing of the first HPE/Cray EX 3000 system at ORNL
Authors: Melesse Vergara Verónica G. , Budiardja Reuben , Peltz Paul , Niles Jeffery , Zimmer Christopher , Dietz Daniel , Fuson Christopher , Liu Hong , Newman Paul , Simmons James , Muzyn Christopher
Published: October 2023

In this article, we summarize the deployment of the Air Force Weather (AFW) HPC11 system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) including the process followed to successfully complete acceptance testing of the system. HPC11 is the first HPE/Cray EX 3000 system that has been successfully released to its user community in a federal facility. HPC11 consists of two identical 800‐node supercomputers, Fawbush and Miller, with access to two independent and identical lustre parallel file systems. HPC11 is equipped with Slingshot 10 interconnect technology and relies on the HPE Performance Cluster Manager software for system configuration. ORNL has a clearly defined acceptance testing process used to ensure that every new system deployed can provide the necessary capabilities to support user workloads. We worked closely with HPE and AFW to develop a set of tests that used the United Kingdom's Meteorological Office's Unified Model and 4‐dimensional variational data assimilation. We also included benchmarks and applications from the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility portfolio to fully exercise the HPE/Cray programming environment and evaluate the functionality and performance of the system. Acceptance testing of HPC11 required parallel execution of each element on Fawbush and Miller. In addition, careful coordination was needed to ensure successful acceptance of the newly deployed lustre file systems alongside the compute resources. In this work, we present test results from specific system components and provide an overview of the issues identified, challenges encountered, and the lessons learned along the way.
Examining the impact of social media advertising using ANOVA analysis
Authors: Meena Zenith N. , Radhika R.
Published: October 2023

Social media has become a significant part of daily life and nowadays it has started to turn out to be common practice for consumers and companies to employ social media to form, establish, and connect relationships. In addition, social media is based on web and mobile‐based technologies for creating highly interactive paradigms by which communities and individuals co‐create, share, modify and discuss user‐generated content. However, it is never easy for businesses to create social media advertising that attracts people and encourages them to buy their products. This article intends to present a statistical analysis that focuses on social media marketing among people of different ages. Six categories—personal profile, usage, assessment, higher‐order data, trustworthiness, and elements of social media ads—are included in the analysis of social media marketing. The initial phase focuses on questionnaire preparation depending on social media advertising. Subsequently, the planned questionnaire is collected from diverse respondents at various educational levels utilizing a Google form. Then, these respondents' responses are collected for examination. To determine whether the outcomes of the experiment are meaningful, the evaluation in this piece of study is based on an ANOVA analysis.
Solvent‐Directed Construction of a Nanoporous Metal‐Organic Framework with Potential in Selective Adsorption and Separation of Gas Mixtures Studied by Grand Canonical Monte Carlo Simulations
Authors: Salimi Saeideh , Akhbari Kamran , Farnia S. Morteza F. , Tylianakis Emmanuel , Froudakis Georg E. , White Jonathan M.
Published: October 2023

In this report, a microporous metal–organic framework of [Ca(TDC)(DMA)]n (1) and a two‐dimensional coordination polymer of [Ca(TDC)(DMF)2]n (2), (TDC2−=Thiophene‐2,5‐dicarboxylate, DMA=N, N'‐dimethylacetamide and DMF=N, N'‐dimethylformamide) based on Ca(II) were designed by the effect of solvent, and X‐ray analysis was performed for the single crystals of 1 and 2. Then, compound 1 was synthesized in three different methods and identified with a set of analyses. Compared to other adsorbents, MOFs are widely used in the field of adsorption and separation of various gases due to a series of distinctive features such as diverse and adjustable structures pores with different dimensions, high porosity and surface area with regular distribution of active sites. Therefore, the ability of 1 to uptake single gases (CH4, CO2, C2H2, H2, and N2) and separation of several binary mixtures of gases (CO2/CH4, CO2/N2, CO2/H2 and CO2/C2H2), were investigated using Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulations. Volumetric and gravimetric adsorption isotherms in various operating conditions, the isosteric heat of adsorption (qst), the chemical potential for each thermodynamic state, and snapshots during the simulation process were reported in all cases. The results obtained from the adsorption simulation indicate that compound 1 has a high capacity for uptake of H2 (16 mmol g−1) and N2 (12.5 mmol g−1), CO2 (6.6 mmol g−1), C2H2 (5 mmol g−1) and CH4 (1.5 mmol g−1) gases at 1 bar. It also performs well in separating CO2 in binary mixtures, which can be attributed to the presence of open metal sites in nodes of 1 and their electrostatic tendency to interact with CO2 containing the higher quadrupole dipole moment compared to other components of the mixture.
The progression of disclosures in the basic materials industry of South Africa
Authors: du Toit Elda , Delport Pieter Willem Jacobus
Published: October 2023

Considering debates surrounding the usefulness of integrated reporting for decision‐making, this exploratory study uses objective measures to investigate the quality of disclosures other than financial in the basic materials industry of South Africa. Annual and integrated reports for the basic materials and consumer discretionary industries are evaluated over 12 years, from 2008 to 2020 for a total of 1204 firm‐year observations to investigate whether (1) integrated reporting brought positive change and (2) whether reporting improved over time. Readability and narrative tone analyses are conducted, and non‐parametric Kruskal‐Wallis tests are used to investigate the development of these measures over time. The results show that corporate reports in the basic materials industry decreased in quality over time in that the reports have become longer, less readable, and use specific narrative tones, which can create biases. The findings reveal that the declining quality of reports in the basic materials industry could mislead or deter investors, challenge regulatory oversight, and ultimately, impact firms' social licence to operate. Thus, they offer actionable insights for firms to improve disclosure by reducing complexity and length and adopting a neutral narrative tone to mitigate biases, thereby making these reports more accessible and useful for a wider stakeholder audience. In addition, investors ought to demand better reporting, and regulators should tighten guidelines.
PACMan: A software package for automated single‐cell chlorophyll fluorometry
Authors: Pontén Olle , Xiao Linhong , Kutter Jeanne , Cui Yuan , Wählby Carolina , Behrendt Lars
Published: October 2023

Microalgae, small photosynthetic unicells, are of great interest to ecology, ecotoxicology and biotechnology and there is a growing need to investigate the ability of cells to photosynthesize under variable conditions. Current strategies involve hand‐operated pulse‐amplitude‐modulated (PAM) chlorophyll fluorimeters, which can provide detailed insights into the photophysiology of entire populations‐ or individual cells of microalgae but are typically limited in their throughput. To increase the throughput of a commercially available MICROSCOPY‐PAM system, we present the PAM Automation Control Manager (‘PACMan’), an open‐source Python software package that automates image acquisition, microscopy stage control and the triggering of external hardware components. PACMan comes with a user‐friendly graphical user interface and is released together with a stand‐alone tool (PAMalysis) for the automated calculation of per‐cell maximum quantum efficiencies (= Fv/Fm). Using these two software packages, we successfully tracked the photophysiology of >1000 individual cells of green algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii) and dinoflagellates (genus Symbiodiniaceae) within custom‐made microfluidic devices. Compared to the manual operation of MICROSCOPY‐PAM systems, this represents a 10‐fold increase in throughput. During experiments, PACMan coordinated the movement of the microscope stage and triggered the MICROSCOPY‐PAM system to repeatedly capture high‐quality image data across multiple positions. Finally, we analyzed single‐cell Fv/Fm with the manufacturer‐supplied software and PAMalysis, demonstrating a median difference <0.5% between both methods. We foresee that PACMan, and its auxiliary software package will help increase the experimental throughput in a range of microalgae studies currently relying on hand‐operated MICROSCOPY‐PAM technologies.
Robust Q‐learning‐based multi‐objective sheep flock optimizer with a Cauchy operator for effective path planning in unmanned aerial vehicles
Authors: Kumar Vikash , Saha Seemanti
Published: October 2023

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) path planning can be treated as a nondeterministic polynomial (NP) hard concern or an optimization problem. The conventional approaches are unable to effectively handle these issues due to discontinuity, non‐linearity, multi‐modality, and inseparability. On the other hand, meta‐heuristic algorithms are effective at tackling these issues because they are simple, adaptable, and derivation free. To enhance the performance in a variety of challenging circumstances, this paper proposes a novel Q‐learning‐based multi‐objective sheep flock optimizer with a Cauchy operator (Q‐MOSFO‐CA) to solve the constrained UAV path planning issues. The multi‐objective functions considered here are costs and constraints (threat, terrain, turning, climbing, and gliding constraints) to determine the feasible and optimal path. To avoid the probability of falling into the local optimum and to address the shortcoming of unbalanced convergence and also to maintain the exploitation and exploration capability, the Cauchy operator (CA) is integrated with the sheep flock optimization (SFO) algorithm. The Q‐learning model is introduced to balance both the global and local searches. Here, the exploration model performs the global search whereas the exploitation model performs the local search to attain an optimal solution. In the simulation scenario, the statistical analysis is conducted under two scenarios, and some essential measures such as the number of iterations at convergence (NIC), evaluation time (ET), energy consumption, and convergence analysis are determined. The proposed method obtains NIC of 1305 and 1436, ET of 12.8 and 15.2 s, and energy consumption of 20,600 and 21,465 J for both Scenarios 1 and 2, respectively.
Advanced membrane‐based electrode engineering toward efficient and durable water electrolysis and cost‐effective seawater electrolysis in membrane electrolyzers
Authors: Tang Jiayi , Su Chao , Shao Zongping
Published: October 2023

Researchers have been seeking for the most technically‐economical water electrolysis technology for entering the next‐stage of industrial amplification for large‐scale green hydrogen production. Various membrane‐based electrolyzers have been developed to improve electric‐efficiency, reduce the use of precious metals, enhance stability, and possibly realize direct seawater electrolysis. While electrode engineering is the key to approaching these goals by bridging the gap between catalysts design and electrolyzers development, nevertheless, as an emerging field, has not yet been systematically analyzed. Herein, this review is organized to comprehensively discuss the recent progresses of electrode engineering that have been made toward advanced membrane‐based electrolyzers. For the commercialized or near‐commercialized membrane electrolyzer technologies, the electrode material design principles are interpreted and the interface engineering that have been put forward to improve catalytic sites utilization and reduce precious metal loading is summarized. Given the pressing issues of electrolyzer cost reduction and efficiency improvement, the electrode structure engineering toward applying precious metal free electrocatalysts is highlighted and sufficient accessible sites within the thick catalyst layers with rational electrode architectures and effective ions/mass transport interfaces are enabled. In addition, this review also discusses the innovative ways as proposed to break the barriers of current membrane electrolyzers, including the adjustments of electrode reaction environment, and the feasible cell‐voltage‐breakdown strategies for durable direct seawater electrolysis. Hopefully, this review may provide insightful information of membrane‐based electrode engineering and inspire the future development of advanced membrane electrolyzer technologies for cost‐effective green hydrogen production.
The influence of baseline sleep on exercise‐induced cognitive change in cognitively unimpaired older adults: A randomised clinical trial
Authors: Sewell Kelsey R. , Rainey‐Smith Stephanie R. , Peiffer Jeremiah , Sohrabi Hamid R. , Doecke James , Frost Natalie J. , Markovic Shaun J. , Erickson Kirk , Brown Belinda M.
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Observational studies consistently demonstrate that physical activity is associated with elevated cognitive function, however, there remains significant heterogeneity in cognitive outcomes from randomized exercise interventions. Individual variation in sleep behaviours may be a source of variability in the effectiveness of exercise‐induced cognitive change, however this has not yet been investigated. The current study aimed to (1) investigate the influence of a 6‐month exercise intervention on sleep, assessed pre‐ and post‐intervention and, (2) investigate whether baseline sleep measures moderate exercise‐induced cognitive changes.

Methods

We utilised data from the Intense Physical Activity and Cognition (IPAC) study (n = 89), a 6‐month moderate intensity and high intensity exercise intervention, in cognitively unimpaired community‐dwelling older adults aged 60–80 (68.76 ± 5.32). Exercise was supervised and completed on a stationary exercise bicycle, and cognitive function was measured using a comprehensive neuropsychological battery administered pre‐ and post‐intervention. Sleep was measured using the Pittsburgh sleep quality index. There was no effect of the exercise intervention on any sleep outcomes from pre‐ to post‐intervention.

Results

There was a significant moderating effect of baseline sleep efficiency on both episodic memory and global cognition within the moderate intensity exercise group, such that those with poorer sleep efficiency at baseline showed greater exercise‐induced improvements in episodic memory.

Conclusions

These results suggest that those with poorer sleep may have the greatest exercise‐induced cognitive benefits and that baseline sleep behaviours may be an important source of heterogeneity in previous exercise interventions targeting cognitive outcomes.
The effect of prescription drug insurance on the incidence of potentially inappropriate prescribing: Evidence from Medicare Part D
Authors: Lee Donghoon , Kim SangJune , Dugan Jerome A.
Published: October 2023

The Medicare Part D program has been documented to increase the affordability and accessibility of drugs and improve the quality of prescription drug use; however, less is known about the equity impact of the Part D program on potentially inappropriate prescribing—specifically, incidences of polypharmacy and potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use based on different racial/ethnic groups. Using a difference in the regression discontinuity design, we found that among Whites, Part D was associated with increases in polypharmacy and “broadly defined” PIM use, while the use of “always avoid” PIM remained unchanged. Conversely, Blacks and Hispanics reported no changes in such drug utilization patterns.
Recent advances of liquid biopsy: Interdisciplinary strategies toward clinical decision‐making
Authors: Bao Han , Min Li , Bu Fanqin , Wang Shutao , Meng Jingxin
Published: October 2023

Liquid biopsy has emerged as a promising avenue for non‐invasive and rapid retrieval of pathological information from patient body fluids. Over the years, liquid biopsy has garnered significant attention for clinically treating cancer by selecting appropriate biomarkers such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and extracellular vesicles (EVs). Further integration of advanced technologies has facilitated the efficient capture of biomarkers for liquid biopsy, revolutionizing clinical decision‐making in the multiple processes and stages of cancer patients. Underscoring the intersection of different disciplines, this review provides a holistic summary of recent breakthroughs specifically designed for the capture and application of distinctive biomarkers to blend real‐world clinical decision‐making with material science. Firstly, we focus on the main principles of liquid biopsy and recent technologies that facilitate the capture and release of biomarkers (e.g., CTCs and EVs), leveraging their physicochemical properties. Then, the clinical applications of biomarkers are summarized, highlighting their potential for providing comprehensive clinical information. Later, the incorporation of machine learning is also emphasized for enhancing clinical applications and enabling deeper insights in the design of next‐generation platforms for specific biomarker isolation. Finally, future opportunities for clinical decision‐making are explored by combining advanced nanotechnologies and artificial intelligence, thereby offering inconceivable possibilities for improving patient care.
Down but not out: Using restorying to imagine beyond the constraints of mandated texts for critical thinking, empathy, and identity work
Authors: Torres Francisco L. , Pytash Kristine E.
Published: October 2023

In this paper, we highlight how restorying with preservice secondary English language arts teachers can encourage them to explore what is possible with mandated texts, like those found in the canon, for diverse world building centered in empathy, self‐exploration, and justice. Findings highlight the critical reflective process preservice teachers engaged in as they restoryed canonical texts. These findings highlight and how preservice teachers can use restorying as a way to engage the self and others for more inclusive storytelling. Finally, the authors argue that in oppressive spaces that seek to silence marginalized voices, restorying can act as a subversive tool to engage in work that bends toward justice.
Population Pharmacokinetics of Atorvastatin in High‐Altitude and Plain Patients with Hyperlipidemic
Authors: Li Yu , Huang Qin , Zeng Xianghai , Wang Rong , Li Wenbin
Published: October 2023

The pharmacokinetic (PK) characteristics of drugs were altered under high‐altitude hypoxia. We aim to describe the population PK of atorvastatin (ATV) to identify patient characteristics that are predictive of variability in the PK parameters of the ATV and investigate the effects of high‐altitude hypoxia on the blood concentration of ATV in patients with hyperlipidemia. A total of 160 plasma concentrations were collected from 40 patients with hyperlipidemia in plateau areas and 40 in plain areas. The population pharmacokinetic model of patients with hyperlipidemia in plateau and plain areas of China was established by a nonlinear mixed‐effects model. The PK of ATV were described by a 1‐compartment model with first‐order elimination. The main PK parameters of ATV were the first‐order absorption rate (0.76 hour−1 fixed); clearance (174.22 L/h) and apparent volume of distribution (1119.62 L). The values of area and age were identified as significant covariates for the clearance, area, age, and urea for the volume of distribution. The steady‐state peak concentration in the plateau area was higher than that in the plain area. This study may suggest dose reduction is necessary for patients with hyperlipidemia in high altitudes.
Promoting the integration of genetic counseling education and research across the spectrum of learners at a large academic institution
Authors: MacFarlane Ian M. , Zierhut Heather
Published: October 2023

Genetic counselors are valuable members of research teams and are increasingly taking leadership roles in major research trials. While the field of genetic counseling has explored a doctoral degree several times, the terminal degree is still a master's level. Genetic counseling training programs provide research training, but many genetic counselors desire additional opportunities to develop expertise. To address the gaps in the availability of research training before and after obtaining genetic counseling degrees, we applied for and received a grant centered around three aims: (1) develop an undergraduate minor in genomics and human health with a research component, (2) promote a rigorous genetic counseling research program for training to practice genetic counselors, and (3) initiate a combined PhD program in Molecular, Cellular, Developmental Biology, and Genetics (MCDB&G) with a track in genetic counseling. We describe each of these components and early progress toward these aims. As each individual aim is bearing fruit, the next challenges are implementing more crossover between people in each aim and distilling the lessons learned to see if this program could be replicated at other sites.
Arginase deficiency masked by cerebral palsy and coagulopathy—Three varied presentations of Latin American origin
Authors: Mills Shelby L. , Roberts Paige , Ashfaq Myla , Leal Kathryn , Northrup Hope , Brown Deborah L. , Rodriguez‐Buritica David , Farach Laura S.
Published: October 2023

Arginase deficiency (ARG1‐D) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of metabolism that is often misdiagnosed. Classic presentation of ARG1‐D includes progressive symptoms of spasticity, delayed development, cognitive impairment, protein avoidance, and seizures. Patients who present atypically may evade diagnosis and require a thoughtful diagnostic workup. Here, we discuss three females of Latin American origin with differing clinical presentations, but who all have the same intronic pathogenic variant in ARG1. Importantly, we found that each case included elevated coagulopathy on laboratory testing and discussed one case in particular with manifestation of bleeding. When diagnosed early, treatment is favorable and can prevent progressive decline. While many states have added ARG1‐D to their expanded newborn screening panels, still many states and countries do not screen for ARG1‐D, and it can be missed in a healthy newborn. We aim to bring awareness to not only the classic presentation as a necessary consideration for otherwise unexplained spastic diplegia but also to the varied presentations of ARG1‐D.
A brief account of evolution of assays to study carbohydrate—protein interaction
Authors: Ballal Suhas
Published: October 2023

Molecular recognition remains one of the most desirable means of cellular communication. Each cell offers a unique surface pattern of biomolecules that makes it very specific about the nature of molecules that interact with the cell. Protein–glycan interaction has been one of the most common forms of cell signaling. Glycans expressed on the cell surface interact with an exogenous protein, and in many cases lead to a physiological response. These carbohydrate‐binding proteins, commonly known as lectins, are very specific to the glycan they bind to. An exogenous lectin interacting with an animal cell surface glycan is generally studied using the classical hemagglutination assay. However, this method presents certain challenges that make it imperative to design and develop novel methods that are more specific and efficient in their interaction. In the last decade, a few methods have been developed to analyze more diverse reactions and use a lesser amount of sample. In some cases, the processing of the sample is also reduced. This review discusses how the methods have evolved over the decades and how they have reduced error while becoming more efficient.
Handling Missing MRI Data in Brain Tumors Classification Tasks: Usage of Synthetic Images vs. Duplicate Images and Empty Images
Authors: Moshe Yael H. , Buchsweiler Yuval , Teicher Mina , Artzi Moran
Published: October 2023

Background

Deep‐learning is widely used for lesion classification. However, in the clinic patient data often has missing images.

Purpose

To evaluate the use of generated, duplicate and empty(black) images for replacing missing MRI data in AI brain tumor classification tasks.

Study Type

Retrospective.

Population

224 patients (local‐dataset; low‐grade‐glioma (LGG) = 37, high‐grade‐glioma (HGG) = 187) and 335 patients (public‐dataset (BraTS); LGG = 76, HGG = 259). The local‐dataset was divided into training (64), validation (16), and internal‐test‐data (20), while the public‐dataset was an independent test‐set.

Field Strength/Sequence

T1WI, T1WI+C, T2WI, and FLAIR images (1.5T/3.0T‐MR), obtained from different suppliers.

Assessment

Three image‐to‐image translation generative‐adversarial‐network (Pix2Pix‐GAN) models were trained on the local‐dataset, to generate T1WI, T2WI, and FLAIR images. The rating‐and‐preference‐judgment assessment was performed by three human‐readers (radiologist (MD) and two MRI‐technicians). Resnet152 was used for classification, and inference was performed on both datasets, with baseline input, and with missing data replaced by 1) generated images; 2) duplication of existing images; and 3) black images.

Statistical Tests

The similarity between the generated and the original images was evaluated using the peak‐signal‐to‐noise‐ratio (PSNR) and the structural‐similarity‐index‐measure (SSIM). Classification results were evaluated using accuracy, F1‐score and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and distance.

Results

For baseline‐state, the classification model reached to accuracy = 0.93,0.82 on the local and public‐datasets. For the missing‐data methods, high similarity was obtained between the generated and the original images with mean PSNR = 35.65,32.94 and SSIM = 0.87,0.91 on the local and public‐datasets; 39% of the generated‐images were labeled as real images by the human‐readers. The classification model using generated‐images to replace missing images produced the highest results with mean accuracy = 0.91,0.82 compared to 0.85,0.79 for duplicated and 0.77,0.68 for use of black images;

Data Conclusion

The feasibility for inference classification model on an MRI dataset with missing images using the Pix2pix‐GAN generated images, was shown. The stability and generalization ability of the model was demonstrated by producing consistent results on two independent datasets.

Level of Evidence

3

Technical Efficacy

Stage 5
Scabies‐induced perforating dermatosis successfully treated with low dose methotrexate
Authors: Ippoliti Elena , Gori Niccolò , Chiricozzi Andrea , Di Stefani Alessandro , Peris Ketty
Published: October 2023

We report the case of an 82‐year‐old diabetic patient, affected by a severe form of scabies‐induced acquired reactive perforating dermatosis, who was successfully treated with low‐dose methotrexate. Acquired reactive perforating dermatosis is a rare cutaneous disease, characterized by the extrusion of abnormal collagen through the epidermis and/or follicular units, mostly occurring in adult patients affected by systemic disorders, sharing itch as a symptom (e.g., diabetes, chronic kidney disease). The induction of acquired perforating dermatosis by scabies has been rarely reported in literature, and in almost all cases occurred in diabetic patients. Several lines of evidence suggest that skin traumatism induced by scratch could elicit perforating disorders in patients with diabetic dermal microangiopathy.