bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross‐Plane Thermal Transport in Acceptor‐Doped Thiophene‐Based Polymer Thin Films Investigated by the 3‐Omega Method
Authors: Takayama Kazuki , Ito Goki , Kanazawa Shun , Ikkatai Ryosuke , Noda Kei
Published: May 2023

Thermal transport properties in acceptor‐doped thiophene‐based polymer films such as poly(3‐hexylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl) (P3HT) and poly[2,5‐bis(3‐tetradecylthiophen‐2‐yl)thieno[3,2‐b]thiophene] (PBTTT) are investigated using the cross‐plane 3‐omega method. A bilayer structure consisting of polymer semiconductors sequentially doped with 2,3,5,6‐tetrafluoro‐7,7,8,8‐tetracyanoquinodimethane (F4TCNQ) and poly(methylmethacrylate) (PMMA) on a Si substrate is originally prepared by spin coating and employed to prevent leakage current from a heater wire during the 3‐omega measurements. Nondoped PBTTT thin film reveals an intrinsic cross‐plane thermal conductivity of 0.49 W m−1 K−1, which is higher than that for nondoped P3HT film (0.20 W m−1 K−1). X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis suggests that higher crystallinity of PBTTT films may result in higher thermal conductivity. The intrinsic thermal conductivity of P3HT and the interfacial thermal resistance between PMMA and P3HT are slightly increased at a low doping concentration (0.01 mg mL−1) and decreased at a higher doping concentration of 0.1 mg mL−1, whereas F4TCNQ doping reduces these values monotonously in the case of PBTTT layers. Furthermore, excess doping occurs only for P3HT and increments both intrinsic thermal conductivity and thermal resistance at PMMA/P3HT interface. The observed trend in the cross‐plane thermal transport caused by the sequential doping can be attributed to the differences between P3HT and PBTTT in their crystallinity and effective doping levels.
Spin‐Dependent Reconstruction Induced by Surface Symmetry Breaking in Manganese Spinel Oxides Toward Acidic Oxygen Evolution Reaction
Authors: Pan Jianghong , Li Tinghui , Shan Yun
Published: May 2023

The spin‐related electronic occupation at the catalyst surface plays an important role in determining the acidic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), which can directly affect the bonding interaction and electron transfer with reactants. Herein, a series of manganese spinel oxides with good acidic stability are suggested to regulate the catalytic activity by surface engineering, in which the orbital splitting and electronic reconfiguration are strongly dependent on the surface symmetry breaking. The detailed analysis of electronic structure demonstrates that the magnetic moments of half‐filled 3d metals at surface layers are obviously larger than that at the internal region. This difference in spin electron occupation makes it display a higher catalytic activity in acidic OER. This work suggests a new strategy to enhance catalytic activity by spin‐related surface engineering.
Magnetic‐Field Regulation of Nodal Topological Superconducting States in Monolayer Ising Superconductor NbSe2
Authors: Bao Yinzhong , Li Yizhi , Xia Ke , Meng Lijun
Published: May 2023

The nodal topological superconducting (NTSC) state with Majorana flat bands (MFBs) is an exotic matter of state hosting Majorana fermions that obey non‐Abelian statistics. Recently, monolayer Ising superconductor NbSe2 is shown to be an ideal platform for realizing an NTSC state. Through tight‐binding calculations based on the Bogoliubov–de–Gennes Hamiltonian, it is demonstrated that the in‐plane magnetic field B combined with superconducting pairing Δs, Rashba spin–orbit coupling (SOC) Vr, and chemical potential μ can regulate the topological properties of the NTSC state. First, B larger than Δs effectively induces an NTSC state with nodal points (NPs) located on the high‐symmetry line of the Brillouin zone. The length of the resulting MFBs in the ribbon increases with B. Second, Rashba SOC greatly affects the number and locations of NPs by tilting bands near Fermi level (EF), leading to unidirectional Majorana edge states. Finally, when B > Δs, μ affects the bulk band structure at EF, resulting in an NTSC state with 6, 12, 18, 24 NPs and 0, 2, 3, 4 MFBs. These results are important to clarifying the behavior of the NTSC state under a B and designing a quantum computing platform based on exotic Majorana fermions.
Curcumin suppressed the proliferation and apoptosis of HPV‐positive cervical cancer cells by directly targeting the E6 protein
Authors: Zhao Xingyu , Zhang Ruowen , Song Zitong , Yang Kun , He Han , Jin Lianhai , Zhang Wei
Published: May 2023

Most human papillomavirus (HPV) types, including HPV16 and HPV18, are closely related to the occurrence of cervical cancer, predominantly through the action of viral oncoproteins E6 and E7. Curcumin, the active ingredient of the turmeric plant, has been gaining attention over the past two decades as an antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and anticancer agent. In the present study, the HPV‐positive cervical cancer cells HeLa and CaSki were treated with curcumin, and the results showed that curcumin has a dose‐dependent and time‐dependent inhibitory effect on cell viability. In addition, apoptosis induction was further quantitatively confirmed through flow cytometric analysis. Furthermore, the influence of different concentrations of curcumin on the mitochondrial membrane potential was evaluated through JC‐1 staining and found to dramatically decrease the membrane potential in treated HeLa and CaSki cells, suggesting the critical role of the mitochondrial pathway in their apoptosis‐inducing effect. This study also demonstrated the wound‐healing potential of curcumin, and the results of transwell assays showed that curcumin treatment inhibited HeLa and CaSki cell invasion and migration in a dose‐dependent manner compared with the control treatment. Curcumin also downregulated the expression of Bcl‐2, N‐cadherin, and Vimentin and upregulated the expression of Bax, C‐caspase‐3, and E‐cadherin in both cell lines. Further research showed that curcumin also selectively inhibited the expression of the viral oncoproteins E6 and E7, as demonstrated by western blot analysis; moreover, the downregulation of E6 was more significant than that of E7. Our research also showed that coculture with cells infected with siE6 lentivirus (siE6 cells) can inhibit the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of HPV‐positive cells. While the siE6 cells were also treated with curcumin, the effect of curcumin monotherapy was offset. In summary, our research shows that curcumin regulates the apoptosis, migration, and invasion of cervical cancer cells, and the mechanism may be related to its ability to downregulate E6. This study provides a foundation for future research on the prevention and treatment of cervical cancer.
LC‐HRMS‐based metabolomics workflow: An alternative strategy for metabolite identification in the antidoping field
Authors: Leogrande Patrizia , Jartdines Daniel , Martinez‐Brito Dayamin , de la Torre Xavier , Parr Maria Kristina , Botrè Francesco
Published: May 2023

Rationale

The proposed metabolomic workflow, based on coupling high‐resolution mass spectrometry with computational tools, can be an alternative strategy for metabolite detection and identification. This approach allows the extension of the investigation field to chemically different compounds, maximizing the information obtainable from the data and minimizing the time and resources required.

Methods

Urine samples were collected from five healthy volunteers before and after oral administration of 3β‐hydroxyandrost‐5‐ene‐7,17‐dione as a model compound and defining three excretion time intervals. Raw data were acquired in both positive and negative ionization modes using an Agilent Technologies 1290 Infinity II series HPLC coupled to a 6545 Accurate‐Mass Quadrupole Time‐of‐Flight. They were then processed to align peak retention times with the same accurate mass, and the resulting data matrix was subjected to multivariate analysis.

Results

Multivariate analysis (PCA and PLS‐DA models) demonstrated high similarity between samples belonging to the same collection time interval and clear discrimination between different excretion intervals. The blank and long excretion groups were distinguished, suggesting the presence of long excretion markers, which are of remarkable interest in anti‐doping analyses. The correspondence of some significant features with metabolites reported in the literature confirmed the rationale and usefulness of the proposed metabolomic approach.

Conclusions

The presented study proposes a metabolomics workflow for the early detection and characterization of drug metabolites by untargeted urinary analysis to reduce the range of substances still excluded from routine screening. Its application has detected minor steroid metabolites, as well as unexpected endogenous alterations, proving to be an alternative strategy that can allow gathering a more complete range of information in the antidoping field.
N‐Terminal chemical derivatization of peptides with 4‐formyl‐benzenesulfonic acid and electrospray positive and negative tandem mass spectrometry with high abundance of b‐ion series
Authors: Ozdanovac Luka , Dončević Lucija , Hozić Amela , Biba Renata , Svetličić Ema , Janeš Andrea , Cindrić Mario
Published: May 2023

Rationale

Selective derivatization of peptide N‐terminus with 4‐formyl‐benzenesulfonic acid (FBSA) enables chemically activated fragmentation in positive and negative ion modes (ESI+/−) under charge reduction conditions. Overlapped positive and negative tandem mass spectra show b‐ions making the assignment of b‐ion series fragments easy and accurate.

Methods

We developed an FBSA–peptide microwave‐assisted derivatization procedure. Derivatized and nonderivatized bovine serum albumin tryptic peptides and insulin non‐tryptic peptide were compared after tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis in positive and negative ion modes. A high‐quality data set of sulfonated b‐ions obtained in negative tandem mass spectra of singly charged FBSA–peptides were matched to detected b‐ions in positive MS/MS spectra. Moreover, negative spectra signals were converted and matched against y‐ions in positive tandem mass spectra to identify complete peptide sequences.

Results

The FBSA derivatization procedure produced a significantly improved MS/MS data set (populated by high‐intensity signals of b‐ and y‐ions) compared to commonly used N‐terminal sulfonation reagents. Undesired side reactions almost do not occur, and the procedure reduces the derivatization time. It was found that b‐ion intensities comprise 15% and 13% compared to combined ion intensities generated in positive‐ and negative ion modes, respectively. High visibility of b‐ion series in negative ion mode can be attributed to N‐terminal sulfonation that had no negative effect on the production of b‐ and y‐ion series in positive ion mode.

Conclusions

The FBSA derivatization and de novo sequencing approach outlined here is a reliable method for accurate peptide sequence assignment. Increased production of b‐ions in positive‐ and negative ion modes greatly improves peak assignment and thus enables accurate sequence reconstruction. Implementation of the named methodology would improve the quality of de novo sequencing data and reduce the number of misinterpreted spectra.
Cooperative output feedback tracking control of stochastic nonlinear heterogeneous multi‐agent systems
Authors: Li Dianqiang , Li Tao
Published: May 2023

We study cooperative output feedback tracking control of stochastic nonlinear heterogeneous leader‐following multi‐agent systems. Each agent has a continuous‐time stochastic nonlinear heterogeneous dynamics with an unmeasurable state, and there are additive and multiplicative noises along with information exchange among agents. We propose admissible distributed observation strategies for estimating the leader's and the followers' states, and admissible cooperative output feedback control strategies based on the certainty equivalence principle. By output regulation theory and stochastic analysis, we show if the dynamics of each agent satisfies the Lipschitz condition, and the product of the leader's Lipschitz coefficient, the intensity of multiplicative measurement noises, and the constant related to the leader's Lipschitz coefficient and dimension is less than the minimum nonzero eigenvalue of graph Laplacian, then there exist admissible distributed observation and cooperative control strategies to ensure mean square bounded output tracking. Finally, the effectiveness of our control strategies is demonstrated by a numerical simulation.
Host selection has a stronger impact on leaf microbiome assembly compared to land‐management practices
Authors: Singh Pankaj K. , Egidi Eleonora , Macdonald Catriona A. , Singh Brajesh K.
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Plant microbiomes contribute directly to plant health and productivity, but mechanisms that underpin plant microbiome assembly in different compartments (e.g., root, leaf) are not fully understood. Identifying environmental and management factors that affect plant microbiome assembly is important to advance understanding of fundamental ecological processes, and to harness microbiome for improved primary productivity and environmental sustainability. Irrigation and fertilization are two common management practices in Australian tree plantations, but little is known about the effects of these treatments on soil, plant host and their microbiome. Here, we investigated the impact of decade‐long irrigation, fertilization and their combined application on soil, plant traits and microbiome of aEucalyptus salignaplantation.

Materials and Methods

Microbial profiling of bulk soil, rhizosphere, root and leaves was performed using amplicon sequencing 16S ribosomal DNA and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) markers for bacteria and fungi, respectively, along with measurements of soil properties and plant traits.

Results

The results indicated that both management practices significantly affected soil properties and soil and root microbiomes. Irrigation increased but fertilizer treatment reduced microbial alpha diversity. However, neither irrigation nor fertilizer treatment impacted the leaf microbiome. Our findings suggest that management practices impact soil edaphic factors, which in turn influence the below‐ground microbiome (soil and root), but the leaf microbiome remains unaffected. In addition, the leaf microbiome was distinct from soil and root microbiomes, and a source tracker analysis suggested that root and bulk soils only contributed to 53% and 10% operational taxonomic units of the leaf bacterial community, suggesting strong and sequential host selection of the leaf microbiome. In addition, management practices had a limited impact on leaf traits and, consequently, the leaf microbiome maintained its distinct composition.

Conclusion

These findings provide mechanistic evidence for ecological processes that drive plant microbiome assembly and indicate that host selection plays a more important role than management practices in the leaf microbiome assembly.
Super‐Macroporous Lightweight Materials Templated from Bicontinuous Intra‐Phase Jammed Emulsion Gels Based on Nanochitin
Authors: Lu Yi , Kamkar Milad , Guo Shasha , Niu Xun , Wan Zhangmin , Xu Junhua , Su Xiaoya , Fan Yimin , Bai Long , Rojas Orlando J.
Published: May 2023

Non‐equilibrium multiphase systems are formed by mixing two immiscible nanoparticle dispersions, leading to bicontinuous emulsions that template cryogels with interconnected, tortuous channels. Herein, a renewable, rod‐like biocolloid (chitin nanocrystals, ChNC) is used to kinetically arrest bicontinuous morphologies. Specifically, it is found that ChNC stabilizes intra‐phase jammed bicontinuous systems at an ultra‐low particle concentration (as low as 0.6 wt.%), leading to tailorable morphologies. The synergistic effects of ChNC high aspect ratio, intrinsic stiffness, and interparticle interactions produce hydrogelation and, upon drying, lead to open channels bearing dual characteristic sizes, suitably integrated into robust bicontinuous ultra‐lightweight solids. Overall, it demonstrates the successful formation of ChNC‐jammed bicontinuous emulsions and a facile emulsion templating route to synthesize chitin cryogels that form unique super‐macroporous networks.
Magnetic Covalent Organic Framework Composites for Wastewater Remediation
Authors: Yang Juan , Huang Lijin , You Jungmok , Yamauchi Yusuke
Published: May 2023

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with high specific surface area, tailored structure, easy functionalization, and excellent chemical stability have been extensively exploited as fantastic materials in various fields. However, in most cases, COFs prepared in powder form suffer from the disadvantages of tedious operation, strong tendency to agglomerate, and poor recyclability, greatly limiting their practical application in environmental remediation. To tackle these issues, the fabrication of magnetic COFs (MCOFs) has attracted tremendous attention. In this review, several reliable strategies for the fabrication of MCOFs are summarized. In addition, the recent application of MCOFs as outstanding adsorbents for the removal of contaminants including toxic metal ions, dyes, pharmaceuticals and personal care products, and other organic pollutants is discussed. Moreover, in‐depth discussions regarding the structural parameters affecting the practical potential of MCOFs are highlighted in detail. Finally, the current challenges and future prospects of MCOFs in this field are provided with the expectation to boost their practical application.
Low Detection Limit Circularly Polarized Light Detection Realized by Constructing Chiral Perovskite/Si Heterostructures
Authors: Wu Jianbo , Zhang Xinyuan , You Shihai , Zhu Zeng‐Kui , Zhu Tingting , Wang Ziyang , Li Ruiqing , Guan Qianwen , Liang Lishan , Niu Xinyi , Luo Junhua
Published: May 2023

Chiral perovskites have been demonstrated as promising candidates for direct circularly polarized light (CPL) detection due to their intrinsic chirality and excellent charge transport ability. However, chiral perovskite‐based CPL detectors with both high distinguishability of left‐ and right‐handed optical signals and low detection limit remain unexplored. Here, a heterostructure, (R‐MPA)2MAPb2I7/Si (MPA = methylphenethylamine, MA = methylammonium) is constructed, to achieve high‐sensitive and low‐limit CPL detection. The heterostructures with high crystalline quality and sharp interface exhibit a strong built‐in electric field and a suppressed dark current, not only improving the separation and transport of the photogenerated carriers but also laying a foundation for weak CPL signals detection. Consequently, the heterostructure‐based CPL detector obtains a high anisotropy factor up to 0.34 with a remarkably low CPL detection limit of 890 nW cm−2 under the self‐driven mode. As a pioneering study, this work paves the way for designing high‐sensitive CPL detectors that simultaneously have great distinguishing capability and low detection limit of CPL.
Experimental study on basic and drying creep for an alkali‐activated slag concrete and comparison with existing creep models
Authors: Caron Richard , Patel Ravi A. , Dehn Frank
Published: May 2023

Slag is a by‐product of the steel industry that can be activated using alkali solutions to form concrete. This study presents new experimental results of basic and drying creep behavior of alkali‐activated slag (AAS) concrete. Different parameters affecting creep such as loading age, sample size and creep stress‐strength ratio were varied for experimental studies. The results show that the basic creep of AAS concrete is higher than that of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) concrete. The drying creep of AAS is lower than for OPC and this could be explained by a higher internal drying during the activation of slag. The experimental results were used to check the applicability of two existing engineering models, the fib MC 2010 and the B4s model, for AAS concrete. It was found that both models could be extended to predict the basic creep of AAS concrete. For drying creep, the B4s could better capture the creep behavior. For the fib MC 2010, a new formulation for drying creep would be required.
Gossypin exert lipopolysaccharide induced lung inflammation via alteration of Nrf2/HO‐1 and NF‐κB signaling pathway
Authors: Huang Hao , Wang Jian , Hussain Shaik Althaf , Gangireddygari Venkata Subba Reddy , Fan Yingying
Published: May 2023

Acute Lung Injury (ALI) is a critical medical condition that induces the injury into the lung tissue, resulting in decreased the oxygen levels in the circulation and finally causes the respiratory failure. In this study, we try to made effort for scrutinized the preventive effect of gossypin against lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced lung inflammation and explore the underlying mechanism. LPS (7.5 mg/kg) was used for induction the lung inflammation in the rats and rats were received the oral administration of gossypin (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg). The wet to dry weight lung ratio and lung index were estimated. The bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected to determination the inflammatory cells, total protein, macrophages and neutrophils. ELISA kits were used for the estimation of antioxidant, inflammatory cytokines, inflammatory parameters, nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) parameters. Finally, we used the lung tissue for scrutinize the alteration in the lung histopathology. Gossypin treatment significantly (p < .001) reduced the W/D ratio of lung tissue and lung index. Gossypin significantly (p < .001) decreased the total cells, neutrophils, macrophages and total protein in BALF. It is also altered the level of inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant and inflammatory parameters, respectively. Gossypin improved the level of Nrf2 and HO‐1 at dose dependent manner. Gossypin treatment remarkably enhance the ALI severity via balancing the structural integrity of lung tissue, decrease the thickness of the alveolar wall, decline the pulmonary interstitial edema, and number of inflammatory cells in the lung tissue. Gossypin is a promising agent for the treatment of LPS induced lung inflammation via altering Nrf2/HO‐1 and NF‐κB.
Hydroquinone‐induced endoplasmic reticulum stress affects TK6 cell autophagy and apoptosis via ATF6‐mTOR
Authors: Li Boxin , Yang Hui , Wu Haipeng , Wang Huanhuan , Ye Zhongming , Wu Yao , Chen Yuting , Tang Huanwen
Published: May 2023

Hydroquinone (HQ), one of the main active metabolites of benzene in vivo, 7is commonly used as a surrogate for benzene in in vitro studies and has been shown to be cytotoxic. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) in HQ‐induced autophagy and apoptosis in human lymphoblastoid cells (TK6) and how activating transcription factor 6 (ATF‐6) is involved. We treated TK6 cells with HQ to establish a cytotoxicity model and found that HQ induced cellular ERS, autophagy and apoptosis by Western blot, flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy. In addition, inhibition of both reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ERS inhibited cellular autophagy and apoptosis, suggesting that ERS may be induced by ROS, which in turn affects autophagy and apoptosis. Our study also found that HQ could inhibit ATF6 expression and mTOR activation. Knockdown of ATF6 enhanced autophagy and apoptosis levels and further inhibited mTOR activation; activation of ATF6 by AA147 enhanced cellular activity, suggesting that ATF6 may affect cellular autophagy and apoptosis through mTOR. In conclusion, our data suggest that ROS mediated ERS may promote autophagy and apoptosis by inhibiting ATF6‐mTOR pathway after HQ treatment of TK6 cells.
Cadmium accelerates autophagy of osteocytes by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway
Authors: Song Ruilong , He Shuangjiang , Cao Ying , Lu Yicheng , Peng Yunwen , Zou Hui , Tong Xishuai , Ran Di , Ma Yonggang , Liu Zongping
Published: May 2023

Cadmium (Cd) can damage bone cells and cause osteoporosis. Osteocytes are the most numerous bone cells and also important target cells for Cd‐induced osteotoxic damage. Autophagy plays important role in the progression of osteoporosis. However, osteocyte autophagy in Cd‐induced bone injury is not well characterized. Thus, we established a Cd‐induced bone injury model in BALB/c mice and a cellular damage model in MLO‐Y4 cells. Aqueous Cd exposure for 16 months showed an increase in plasma alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and increase in urine calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) concentrations in vivo. Moreover, expression level of autophagy‐related microtubule‐associated protein 1A/1B‐light chain 3 II (LC3II) and autophagy‐related 5 (ATG5) proteins were induced, and the expression of sequestosome‐1 (p62) was reduced, along with Cd‐induced trabecular bone damage. In addition, Cd inhibited the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), protein kinase B (AKT), and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (PI3K). In vitro, 80 μM Cd concentrations exposure upregulated LC3II protein expression, and downregulated of p62 protein expression. Similarly, we found that treatment with 80 μM Cd resulted in a reduction in the phosphorylation levels of mTOR, AKT, and PI3K. Further experiments revealed that addition of rapamycin, an autophagy inducer, enhanced autophagy and alleviated the Cd‐induced damage to MLO‐Y4 cells. The findings of our study reveal for the first time that Cd causes damage to both bone and osteocytes, as well as induces autophagy in osteocytes and inhibits PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling, which could be a protective mechanism against Cd‐induced bone injury.
Extension of the HKLL bulk reconstruction for small ∆
Authors: Aoki Sinya , Balog János
Published: May 2023

Abstract

We re-analyse the bulk reconstruction for a scalar field in Lorentzian AdS spacetime, both for the case of even and odd dimensions, for an extended range of conformal dimensions where the original HKLL reconstruction has to be modified. We also discuss the use of space-like Green’s functions in the bulk reconstruction. We demonstrate that in the extended range also the singular part of the Green’s function, omitted in the original papers, has be included. The results are particularly simple and physically interesting for integer conformal dimensions below the range considered in the original HKLL papers.
Complete NLO operators in the Higgs effective field theory
Authors: Sun Hao , Xiao Ming-Lei , Yu Jiang-Hao
Published: May 2023

Abstract

We enumerate the complete and independent sets of operators at the next-to-leading order (NLO) in the Higgs effective field theory (HEFT), based on the Young tensor technique on the Lorentz, gauge, and flavor structures. The operator-amplitude correspondence tells a type of operator forms the on-shell amplitude basis, and for operators involved in Nambu-Goldstone bosons, the amplitude basis is further reduced to the subspace satisfying the Adler zero condition in the soft momentum limit. Different from dynamical fields, the spurion should not enter into the Lorentz sector, instead, it only plays the role of forming the SU(2) invariant together with other dynamical fields. With these new treatments, for the first time, we could obtain the 224 (7704) operators for one (three) generation fermions, 295 (11307) with right-handed neutrinos, and find there were 8 (11) terms of operators missing and many redundant operators can be removed in the effective theory without (with) right-handed neutrinos.
Utilising of water hammer effect for surface roughening of Ti6Al4V
Authors: Klichova Dagmar , Nag Akash , Poloprudský Jakub , Foldyna Josef , Pude Frank , Sitek Libor , Hloch Sergej
Published: May 2023

There are many technological ways to activate biocompatible surfaces, but in some cases, there are not reliable for elderly patients. It has been found that surfaces created using pulsating water jets have a structure similar to trabecular bone structures. Such a similar shape to the endoprosthesis stems would enable faster fixation. The paper presents a novel way of utilizing the water hammer effect caused by forced multiple droplet impingement with a spatial frequency of 40,000 i/s on Ti6Al4V titanium alloy surface under different technological conditions. The objective was to create a structured surface with desired values of surface profile parameters Ra and Rz to increase the possible potential for implant osseointegration, fixation and stability. Pulsating water jet was generated at pressures from 20 to 100 MPa using a circular nozzle with a diameter of 1.32 mm. Two different strategies of the jet trajectory, namely linear and cross-hatch strategy, were investigated. Results were compared with grit blasted followed by plasma spray-coated femoral stem for cementless total hip arthroplasty. It has been found that variation in the input parameters results in significant changes in the surface generated. Samples whose surfaces were generated using energy intensity lower than 5 KJ/mm2 and have surface roughness in the range Ra = 4 – 8 μm were selected for surface topography and morphology analysis along with the commercial femoral stem. SEM analysis revealed the absence of foreign contamination and steeper surface heights on pulsating water jet treated samples compared to standard femoral prosthetic. The cross-section images showed the presence of sub-surface voids and craters of different sizes due to the jet's action. Surface topology is similar to trabecular shape. This indicates that roughening the surface increases the surface area and thus has potential bone tissue ingrowth during osseointegration.
Growth and morphology of Critically Endangered green sawfish Pristis zijsron in globally important nursery habitats
Authors: Lear Karissa O. , Fazeldean Travis , Bateman Rebecca L. , Inglebrecht Jack , Morgan David L.
Published: May 2023

Understanding growth rates and other basic life-history information of imperilled species is essential to assessing the extent of threats to a population, but often difficult due to limited access to study subjects. Here we used mark-recapture data to estimate growth rates of juvenile Critically Endangered green sawfish (Pristis zijsron) in a globally important nursery in the eastern Indian Ocean (Western Australia). Our results suggest that growth of juvenile sawfish in this part of the central Western Australian coast is significantly slower compared to populations on the north-eastern coast of Australia. Additionally, growth rates differed between nearby areas within the nursery region, potentially due to differential productivity or anthropogenic effects. Morphological relationships between total length, rostral length, mouth gape, and clasper length are presented, which will allow for greater accuracy in estimating biological parameters in this species, while updated information on size at maturity (> 3200 mm) and size at birth (approximately 750–900 mm) will help to clarify life-history parameters for this data-poor species. Furthermore, there were distinct differences in the number of rostral teeth of green sawfish between this eastern Indian Ocean population and other populations throughout their current distribution, indicating substantial genetic differentiation in this species globally. These results will help to accurately assess growth trajectories and potential impacts of fisheries and other threats to green sawfish. Additionally, results highlight the importance of assessing population-specific growth rates in threatened species and of considering potential long-term life-history impacts of anthropogenic developments and activities.
Application of MALDI-TOF MS for enumerating bacterial constituents of defined consortia
Authors: Coryell Michael P. , Sava Rosa L. , Hastie Jessica L. , Carlson Paul E.
Published: May 2023

Characterization of live biotherapeutic product (LBP) batches typically includes a measurement of viability, such as colony forming units (CFU). However, strain-specific CFU enumeration assays can be complicated by the presence of multiple organisms in a single product with similar growth requirements. To overcome specific challenges associated with obtaining strain-specific CFU values from multi-strain mixtures, we developed a method combining mass spectrometry-based colony identification with a traditional CFU assay. This method was assessed using defined consortia made from up to eight bacterial strains. Among four replicate batches of an eight-strain mixture, observed values differed from expected values by less than 0.4 log10 CFU among all strains measured (range of differences, -0.318 to + 0.267). The average difference between observed and expected values was + 0.0308 log10 CFU, with 95% limits of agreement from -0.347 to 0.408 (Bland–Altman analysis). To estimate precision, a single batch of eight-strain mixture was assayed in triplicate by three different users, for a total of nine measurements. Pooled standard deviation values ranged from 0.067 to 0.195 log10 CFU for the eight strains measured, and user averages did not differ significantly. Leveraging emerging mass-spectrometry-based colony identification tools, a novel method for simultaneous enumeration and identification of viable bacteria from mixed-strain consortia was developed and tested. This study demonstrates the potential for this approach to generate accurate and consistent measurements of up to eight bacterial strains simultaneously and may provide a flexible platform for future refinements and modifications.

Key points

• Enumeration of live biotherapeutics is essential for product quality and safety.

• Conventional CFU counting may not differentiate between strains in microbial products.

• This approach was developed for direct enumeration of mixed bacterial strains simultaneously.
Machine learning identifies multi-parametric functional PET/MR imaging cluster to predict radiation resistance in preclinical head and neck cancer models
Authors: Boeke Simon , Winter René M. , Leibfarth Sara , Krueger Marcel A. , Bowden Gregory , Cotton Jonathan , Pichler Bernd J. , Zips Daniel , Thorwarth Daniela
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Tumor hypoxia and other microenvironmental factors are key determinants of treatment resistance. Hypoxia positron emission tomography (PET) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are established prognostic imaging modalities to identify radiation resistance in head-and-neck cancer (HNC). The aim of this preclinical study was to develop a multi-parametric imaging parameter specifically for focal radiotherapy (RT) dose escalation using HNC xenografts of different radiation sensitivities.

Methods

A total of eight human HNC xenograft models were implanted into 68 immunodeficient mice. Combined PET/MRI using dynamic [18F]-fluoromisonidazole (FMISO) hypoxia PET, diffusion-weighted (DW), and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI was carried out before and after fractionated RT (10 × 2 Gy). Imaging data were analyzed on voxel-basis using principal component (PC) analysis for dynamic data and apparent diffusion coefficients (ADCs) for DW-MRI. A data- and hypothesis-driven machine learning model was trained to identify clusters of high-risk subvolumes (HRSs) from multi-dimensional (1-5D) pre-clinical imaging data before and after RT. The stratification potential of each 1D to 5D model with respect to radiation sensitivity was evaluated using Cohen’s d-score and compared to classical features such as mean/peak/maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmean/peak/max) and tumor-to-muscle-ratios (TMRpeak/max) as well as minimum/valley/maximum/mean ADC.

Results

Complete 5D imaging data were available for 42 animals. The final preclinical model for HRS identification at baseline yielding the highest stratification potential was defined in 3D imaging space based on ADC and two FMISO PCs ($$p<0.001$$

p
<
0.001

). In 1D imaging space, only clusters of ADC revealed significant stratification potential ($$p=0.002$$

p
=
0.002

). Among all classical features, only ADCvalley showed significant correlation to radiation resistance ($$p=0.006$$

p
=
0.006

). After 2 weeks of RT, FMISO_c1 showed significant correlation to radiation resistance ($$p=0.04$$

p
=
0.04

).

Conclusion

A quantitative imaging metric was described in a preclinical study indicating that radiation-resistant subvolumes in HNC may be detected by clusters of ADC and FMISO using combined PET/MRI which are potential targets for future functional image-guided RT dose-painting approaches and require clinical validation.
Drivers and consequences of female reproductive competition in an egalitarian, sexually monomorphic primate
Authors: Prox Lea , Fichtel Claudia , Kappeler Peter M.
Published: May 2023

Even after the 150th anniversary of sexual selection theory, the drivers and mechanisms of female sexual selection remain poorly studied. To understand demographic circumstances favoring female-female competition, trade-offs with kin selection and interactions with male reproductive strategies, we investigated female evictions in redfronted lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons). Based on 24 years of demographic data of known individuals, we show that female redfronted lemurs target close female kin for forcible, permanent, and presumably lethal eviction, even though groups contain multiple unrelated males whose voluntary emigration actually mitigated the probability of future female evictions. Female eviction and male emigration were predicted by group size, but male emigration was primarily driven by a proportional increase of male rivals. Female evictions were more likely than male emigrations when there were more juvenile females in a group, but the identity of evicted females was not predicted by any intrinsic traits. While birth rates were reduced by the number of juvenile females, they were higher when there were more adult females in a group and in years with more rainfall. Early infant survival was reduced with increasing numbers of juvenile females, but variation in female lifetime reproductive success was not related to any of the predictors examined here. Thus, there seems to be a limit on female group size in this lemur species. More generally, our study demonstrates a balanced interplay between female reproductive competition, competition over group membership between both sexes, and kin selection, contributing new insights into the causes and consequences of female competition in animal societies.

Significance statement

The evolutionary causes of female competition in vertebrate societies remain poorly known. Evictions represent an extreme form of female competition because even close kin are evicted when same-sized unrelated males are theoretically also available as victims. We studied drivers and consequences of evictions in redfronted lemurs (Eulemur rufifrons) using 24 years of demographic data from multiple groups. We show that while voluntary male emigration mitigates the probability of future female evictions, females nonetheless appear to accept the fitness costs of evicting female kin. While group size seems to be the main driver of departures by either sex, the number of juvenile females present in groups is the key variable triggering eviction events as well as physiological responses that could be interpreted as female reproductive restraint. Our study therefore revealed that competition does trump cooperation under some circumstances in the intricate interplay between sexual selection and kin selection on females.
Comparative biochemical kinase activity analysis identifies rivoceranib as a highly selective VEGFR2 inhibitor
Authors: Jang Seong , Strickland Bill , Finis Lynda , Kooijman Jeffrey J. , Melis Janneke J. T. M. , Zaman Guido J. R. , Van Tornout Jan
Published: May 2023

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2), a key regulator of tumor angiogenesis, is highly expressed across numerous tumor types and has been an attractive target for anti-cancer therapy. However, clinical application of available VEGFR2 inhibitors has been challenged by limited efficacy and a wide range of side effects, potentially due to inadequate selectivity for VEGFR2. Thus, development of potent VEGFR2 inhibitors with improved selectivity is needed. Rivoceranib is an orally administered tyrosine kinase inhibitor that potently and selectively targets VEGFR2. A comparative understanding of the potency and selectivity of rivoceranib and approved inhibitors of VEGFR2 is valuable to inform rationale for therapy selection in the clinic. Here, we performed biochemical analyses of the kinase activity of VEGFR2 and of a panel of 270 kinases to compare rivoceranib to 10 FDA-approved kinase inhibitors (“reference inhibitors”) with known activity against VEGFR2. Rivoceranib demonstrated potency within the range of the reference inhibitors, with a VEGFR2 kinase inhibition IC50 value of 16 nM. However, analysis of residual kinase activity of the panel of 270 kinases showed that rivoceranib displayed greater selectivity for VEGFR2 compared with the reference inhibitors. Differences in selectivity among compounds within the observed range of potency of VEGFR2 kinase inhibition are clinically relevant, as toxicities associated with available VEGFR2 inhibitors are thought to be partly due to their effects against kinases other than VEGFR2. Together, this comparative biochemical analysis highlights the potential for rivoceranib to address clinical limitations associated with off-target effects of currently available VEGFR2 inhibitors.
Hypermobility prevalence, measurements, and outcomes in childhood, adolescence, and emerging adulthood: a systematic review
Authors: Blajwajs Liron , Williams Joanne , Timmons Wendy , Sproule John
Published: May 2023

General Joint Hypermobility (GJH) is a common condition found in 2–57% of the population. Of those with GJH, 10% suffer from accompanying physical and/or psychological symptoms. While the understanding of GJH in the general population is unfolding, its implication in a cohort of children, adolescents and young adults are not yet understood. This systematic review explored GJH’s prevalence, tools to measure it, its physical and psychosocial symptoms, with a special interest in aesthetic sports. The CINHAL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, SPORTDiscus and Scopus databases were searched for relevant studies. Inclusion criteria were (1) Age range of 5–24; (2) Participants had GJH; (3) A measurement for GJH; (4) Studies written in English language. Study screening for title, abstract and full text (when needed) and quality assessment were performed by two independent individuals. 107 studies were included in this review and were thematically grouped into six clusters expressing different foci: (1) GJH’s Core Characteristics; (2) Orthopedic; (3) Physical Other; (4) Psychosocial; (5) Treatment and (6) Aesthetic Sports. The review revealed a growing interest in GJH in this cohort in the last decade, especially regarding non-musculoskeletal physical implications and psychosocial aspects. Prevalence varied between different ethnic groups and as a parameter of age, gender and measurement. The most widespread tool to measure GJH was the Beighton scale, with a cut-off varying between 4 and 7. Children show fewer, but similar GJH implication to those in the general population, however, more research on the topic is warranted, especially regarding psychosocial aspects and treatment.
Millimeter wave array-HIS antenna for imaging applications
Authors: Flórez Berdasco A. , de Cos Gómez M. E. , Fernández Álvarez H. , Las-Heras F.
Published: May 2023

The combination of a patch array antenna with a High Impedance Surface (HIS) metasurface at mmWave frequencies has been studied. The antenna is intended for a collision avoidance imaging application, which will help blind or visually impaired people in their daily lives. A compact and cost-effective uniplanar design, operating in the mmWave unlicensed frequency band (24.05–24.25 GHz), has been reached. Multiple arrangements and dispositions of the HIS unit-cells with the array have been explored in order to improve the radiation parameters of the basic design. Both, the basic array and the array-HIS combination, have been manufactured using laser micromachining. Prototypes have been measured in an anechoic chamber and measurement results have been confronted with the simulation ones in terms of bandwidth and radiation properties. A comparison with the state-of-the-art antennas at 24 GHz has been performed to endorse the achievements of this work.
Smoking as a risk factor for colorectal neoplasms in young individuals? A systematic meta-analysis
Authors: Li Qiang , Weitz Jutta , Li Chao , Schardey Josefine , Weiss Lena , Wirth Ulrich , Zimmermann Petra , Bazhin Alexandr V. , Werner Jens , Kühn Florian
Published: May 2023

Background and aims

Early-onset colorectal neoplasms (EoCRN) include both benign and malign colorectal tumors, which occur before the age of 50. The incidence of EoCRN is rising worldwide. Tobacco smoking has previously been proven to be related to the development of various tumor types. However, its relationship with EoCRN is not clearly defined. Hence, we carried out a systematic review and a meta-analysis to evaluate the relationship between smoking status and the risk of EoCRN.

Methods

A systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science up to September 7, 2022, was performed for studies that evaluated the association of smoking status with EoCRN. The quality of the case–control study was evaluated with the Newcastle‒Ottawa Scale. The quality of the cross-sectional studies was evaluated with the American Health Care Research and Quality checklist. Fixed-effects models were used to pool odds ratios (ORs) to evaluate the relationship between the risk of developing EoCRN and smoking status. The meta-analyses were performed with Review Manager version 5.4, and funnel plots and publication bias tests were produced by STATA software.

Results

A total of six studies were included in this meta-analysis. After pooling the results of these six studies, we found that current smokers carry a relatively high risk of developing EoCRN (OR, 1.33; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–1.52) compared to never-smokers. Ex-smokers were not at a significantly increased risk for developing EoCRN (OR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.86–1.18).

Discussion

Smoking behavior is significantly associated with an increased risk for developing EoCRN and might be one of the reasons for the increasing incidence. Ex-smokers who quit are not at significant risk of developing EoCRN.