bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aggregation‐Induced Emission and Circularly Polarized Luminescence Duality in Tetracationic Binaphthyl‐Based Cyclophanes
Authors: Garci Amine , Abid Seifallah , David Arthur H. G. , Codesal Marcos D. , Đorđević Luka , Young Ryan M. , Sai Hiroaki , Le Bras Laura , Perrier Aurélie , Ovalle Marco , Brown Paige J. , Stern Charlotte L. , Campaña Araceli G. , Stupp Samuel I. , Wasielewski Michael R. , Blanco Victor , Stoddart J. Fraser
Published: July 2022

Here, we report an approach to the synthesis of highly charged enantiopure cyclophanes by the insertion of axially chiral enantiomeric binaphthyl fluorophores into the constitutions of pyridinium‐based macrocycles. Remarkably, these fluorescent tetracationic cyclophanes exhibit a significant AIE compared to their neutral optically active binaphthyl precursors. A combination of theoretical calculations and time‐resolved spectroscopy reveal that the AIE originates from limited torsional vibrations associated with the axes of chirality present in the chiral enantiomeric binaphthyl units and the fine‐tuning of their electronic landscape when incorporated within the cyclophane structure. Furthermore, these highly charged enantiopure cyclophanes display CPL responses both in solution and in the aggregated state. This unique duality of AIE and CPL in these tetracationic cyclophanes is destined to be of major importance in future development of photonic devices and bio‐applications.
Facile Access to Far‐Red Fluorescent Probes with Through‐Space Charge‐Transfer Effects for In Vivo Two‐Photon Microscopy of the Mouse Cerebrovascular System
Authors: Hong Yingjuan , Geng Weihang , Zhang Tian , Gong Guangshuai , Li Chongyang , Zheng Canze , Liu Feng , Qian Jun , Chen Ming , Tang Ben Zhong
Published: July 2022

Much effort has been devoted to the generation of fluorescent probes by synthetic approaches. In this study, we developed a facile strategy to construct far‐red fluorescent probes based on through‐space charge transfer within complexes of acceptors and donors and their “twist+twist” interactions. Owing to their rare two‐photon excitation property, the complexes could be used for in vivo imaging of the mouse cerebrovascular system.
Long‐lasting moisture and anti‐freezing tough organohydrogels based on multi‐functional nano‐micelles for flexible dual‐response sensors
Authors: Sun Yuanna , Lu Shuaishuai , Du Ying , Shi Fenling , Li Qingshan , Zhang Kaiyuan , Song Chen , Shang Yudong , Tian Ruobing , He Xinhai
Published: July 2022

Conductive hydrogels have attracted widespread attention in diverse applications. However, the fragile nature of conducting polymers hinders the long‐time stability of the hydrogels. What's more, hydrogels will lose elasticity and conductivity at room temperature or sub‐zero temperature because of the high water content. Herein, we proposed a long‐term stable and anti‐freezing organohydrogel with high stretchability (up to 1140%), which consist of multi‐functional nano‐micelles (Pluronic F127 diacrylate [F127DA]), Polyacrylamide, and Poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): polystryrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) in a water/glycerin binary solvent system. The gel is thermal tolerant to maintain all the properties under extreme wide temperature spectrum (−40°C or 60°C). More importantly, the organohydrogel possesses excellent recognition capability to multiple stimuli. It is anticipated that this organohydrogel will have great potential in sensing applications.
A flame‐retardant and optically transparent wood composite
Authors: Fan Chuangang , Gao Yuxin , Li Yuhao , Yan Long , Zhuang Yanzhen , Zhang Yi , Wang Zhengyang
Published: July 2022

Transparent wood (TW) is an emerging functional wood composite with attractive advantages and promising applications. The versatile functions of the impregnating polymers offer various properties to the TW, but also threaten its fire safety and restrict its applications. Herein, fire retardant TW (FRTW) is prepared by ultraviolet (UV)‐assisted lignin modification followed by refractive‐index matched transparent fire‐retardant coating (TFRC) impregnation. FRTW has a compact structure with a homogeneous interface between the TFRC and cell wall. It presents excellent optical and structural properties with 95% optical transmittance, 88% UV absorption, 96% high haze, and 154.3 MPa tensile strength. Moreover, FRTW shows great flame retardancy against high‐temperature heating. It has a 68.2% reduced peak mass loss rate and a 2.8‐fold increased char residual than natural wood (NW). Compared to the conventional epoxy‐based TW, FRTW has a weaker combustion behavior with an 81.4% reduced peak heat release rate. The enhanced flame retardancy is due to the synergistic flame retardancy (combining cooling, dilution, insulation and radical capture effects) of the TFRC. FRTW provides a new wood composite alternative with excellent optical properties and flame retardancy, which broadens the application potential of conventional TW with excellent fire safety.
Fine‐scale social and genetic structure of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA
Authors: Speakman Todd R. , Wilcox Lynsey A. , Balmer Brian C. , Barry Kevin P. , Paterson Corinne , Quigley Brian M. , Schwacke Lori H. , Sinclair Carrie , Takeshita Ryan , Vollmer Nicole L. , Zolman Eric S. , Rosel Patricia E.
Published: July 2022

The Barataria Bay Estuarine System (BBES) Stock of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the northern Gulf of Mexico has been a focus of extensive research as a result of the Barataria Basin, Louisiana being one of the most heavily oiled estuaries following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The goal of this study was to build upon previous research to better understand social and genetic structure of BBES dolphins.

Photo‐identification data from 2010–2019 were analysed with SOCPROG to identify dolphin social clusters. Genetic analyses were conducted on samples obtained during remote biopsy surveys and health assessments (2010–2018) to assess if identified social clusters were congruent with genetic clustering results, and to evaluate relatedness and gene flow within and between social and genetic clusters. Spatial analyses of the cumulative photo‐identification sighting histories from each cluster were also used to determine their geographic range and degree of overlap within the Barataria Basin.

Social analyses identified four distinct clusters with some degree of geographic overlap and similar utilization distributions as the three identified genetic clusters. Dolphins in the Barataria Basin were confirmed to be genetically differentiated from those in adjacent coastal waters.

In general, genetic analyses differentiate distinct dolphin communities established through long‐term (generational) preferential breeding behaviour. In contrast, social associations can be more fluid over the short‐term, may change in response to habitat or predator/prey changes, and strong associations can be formed between a mix of related and unrelated individuals. The combination of genetic and social methodologies is valuable for developing a better understanding of complex dolphin social interactions and provides unique insights into dolphin behaviour that can be important for developing effective management strategies.
Rapid analysis of components in Qizhiweitong tablets and plasma after oral administration in rats by UPLC–Q‐TOF–MS/MS based on a self‐developed database
Authors: Qi Bing , Bao Yongrui , Wang Shuai , Li Tianjiao , Meng Xiansheng
Published: July 2022

Qizhiweitong is a famous traditional Chinese prescription medicine. It has been used to treat various stomach disorders, such as functional dyspepsia, chronic gastritis and intestinal stress syndrome, for a long time and gives favorable therapeutic effects in clinical settings. However, its chemical composition and possible bioactive components are not completely known. In the present study, we used ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–QTOF–MS) and qualitatively analyzed the chemical composition of Qizhiweitong tablet extract and the absorbed prototype constituents along with corresponding metabolites in rat plasma following oral administration of Qizhiweitong tablet on the basis of our self‐developed component database that was established accurately and rapidly. We detected a total of 119 compounds and 61 xenobiotics in the Qizhiweitong tablet, which included 32 prototypes and 28 metabolites. The results of the present study laid a solid foundation for quality marker screening and an integrative pharmacology‐based study on the Qizhiweitong tablet.
RP‐HPLC method development, validation and pharmacokinetic applicability in preclinical evaluation of rhein treated with novel diacerein eutectics
Authors: Patel Rajeshri D. , Raval Mihir K. , Pethani Trupesh M. , Waghela Bhargav N. , Shukla Riddhi H. , Buch Prakruti R. , Vadalia Jigna M. , Sharma Tejas P. , Airao Vishal A.
Published: July 2022

The current study represents a bioanalytical method for the estimation of rhein (Rh, an active metabolite of diacerein, DIA) in rats treated with novel DIA eutectics to investigate the pharmacokinetics of DIA. A simple protein precipitation technique was used to extract Rh and the internal standard (IS), p‐aminobenzoic acid, injected into a Phenomenex Gemini C18 column. The separation was achieved by a gradient elution comprising ammonium acetate (10 mm; pH 3.0) and acetonitrile in an 18 min run time at a flow rate of 0.8 ml/min with retention times of 11.8 min (Rh) and 5.9 min (IS). The results revealed that the proposed method is linear over a range of 200–20,000 ng/ml (r2 > 0.9988) of Rh and is precise and accurate. The method was fully validated as per the US Food and Drug Administration guidelines and a pharmacokinetic study in rats was performed for Rh following oral administration of the pure DIA and newly developed eutectics. Therefore, the present method could be used to estimate DIA to illustrate a comparative pharmacokinetic analysis. This can also be applied to its related multicomponent formulations for future studies.
Differences between novel hybrid mode flaps and traditional perforator flaps at the level of metabolites using LC–MS
Authors: Li Shi , Luo Xiaobin , Zhang Zhe , Raza Mazhar Ali , Jin Zeyuan , Yao Chenglun , Yan Hede
Published: July 2022

The multi‐territory perforator flaps are widely used in plastic surgery. However, partial necrosis flap in the potential territory remains a challenge to plastic surgeons. We raised a novel “hybrid nourished mode” (HNM) flap based on the multi‐territory deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flap to improve flap survival. Thirty‐two rabbits were randomly divided into DIEP and HNM groups. Untargeted metabolic mechanisms between the DIEP and HNM groups were performed using LC–MS under the filter criteria of fold change >20.0 times or <0.05, and variable importance in projection (VIP) value was set at ≥1, P < 0.05. Between the two groups, flap survival, perfusion, microvasculature, histopathology, and immunohistochemistry of CD31 were assessed on post‐operative day 7. We screened 16 different metabolites that mainly participated in biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, aminoacyl transfer RNA biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, among others. The results of the HNM flaps were higher than those of the DIEP flaps (P < 0.05) in the aspects of flap survival, flap perfusion, and microvasculature. Compared with the DIEP flaps, HNM has a stronger advantage in tissue metabolism. This study provided us with a better understanding and strong evidence in terms of metabolites on how HNM achieves the survival of large multi‐territory perforator flaps.
Preparation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural from Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill by high‐speed counter‐current chromatography: Comparison of conventional and consecutive separation
Authors: Liu Shuo , Tang Shanshan , Gu Dongyu , Wang Yi , Wang Dazhi , Yang Yi
Published: July 2022

Schisandra chinensis is a plant with high medicinal value, which contains many medicinal ingredients, including 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural. In the present study, an efficient method based on high‐speed counter‐current chromatography was established for the preparation of 5‐hydroxymethylfurfural from Schisandra chinensis. Petroleum ether–ethyl acetate–methanol–water (2:5:2:5, v/v) was selected as the solvent system for high‐speed counter‐current chromatography. In order to improve the yield of single separation, the sample size was continuously optimized and improved. The results showed that 1,250 mg was the most suitable sample size, and 41 mg of the target compound with 97% purity was obtained in a single run. To further improve the yield, consecutive high‐speed counter‐current chromatography was introduced and compared with the results of a high‐speed counter‐current chromatography single run. The results showed that although the purity was reduced to 92%, 430 mg of the target compound was obtained from 12.5 g of ethanol extract within 670 min after 10 consecutive injections. This indicated that consecutive separation not only increased the yield of the target compound, but also saved the separation time and greatly improved the separation efficiency of high‐speed counter‐current chromatography.
Neuropsychological effects of COVID‐19: A review
Authors: Maresca Giuseppa , Latella Desiree , Carnazza Lara , Corallo Francesco , Formica Caterina
Published: July 2022

Objective

The purpose of this review is to examine review literature on the psychological effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic.

Methods

Studies were identified by an online search of the PubMed database. We selected studies published from January to May 2020 (during the COVID‐19 emergency).

Results

We found that psychological effects of COVID‐19 remain serious among the most of the population, in particular for people with mental disorders, adolescents, healthcare workers, and the general population that experienced high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms, with possible long‐term psychological implications.

Conclusion

Findings revealed that living in urban areas, having economic stability, and living with parents were protective factors against anxiety for youth groups, whereas a risk factor was represented by the presence of COVID‐19 infection that involved family members.
PTPRO represses colorectal cancer tumorigenesis and progression by reprogramming fatty acid metabolism
Authors: Dai Weixing , Xiang Wenqiang , Han Lingyu , Yuan Zixu , Wang Renjie , Ma Yanlei , Yang Yongzhi , Cai Sanjun , Xu Ye , Mo Shaobo , Li Qingguo , Cai Guoxiang
Published: July 2022

Background

Abnormal expression of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) has been reported to be a crucial cause of cancer. As a member of PTPs, protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type O (PTPRO) has been revealed to play tumor suppressive roles in several cancers, while its roles in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains to be elucidated. Hence, we aimed to explore the roles and mechanisms of PTPRO in CRC initiation and progression.

Methods

The influences of PTPRO on the growth and liver metastasis of CRC cells and the expression patterns of different lipid metabolism enzymes were evaluated in vitro and in vivo. Molecular and biological experiments were conducted to uncover the underpinning mechanisms of dysregulated de novo lipogenesis and fatty acid β‐oxidation.

Results

PTPRO expression was notably downregulated in CRC liver metastasis compared to the primary cancer, and such a downregulation was associated with poor prognosis of patients with CRC. PTPRO silencing significantly promoted cell growth and liver metastasis. Compared with PTPRO wild‐type mice, PTPRO‐knockout mice developed more tumors and harbored larger tumor loads under treatment with azoxymethane and dextran sulfate sodium. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that PTPRO downregulation was significantly associated with the fatty acid metabolism pathways. Blockage of fatty acid synthesis abrogated the effects of PTPRO silencing on cell growth and liver metastasis. Further experiments indicated that PTPRO silencing induced the activation of the AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling axis, thus promoting de novo lipogenesis by enhancing the expression of sterol regulatory element‐binding protein 1 (SREBP1) and its target lipogenic enzyme acetyl‐CoA carboxylase alpha (ACC1) by activating the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Furthermore, PTPRO attenuation decreased the fatty acid oxidation rate by repressing the expression of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha (PPARα) and its downstream enzyme peroxisomal acyl‐coenzyme A oxidase 1 (ACOX1) via activating the p38/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway.

Conclusions

PTPRO could suppress CRC development and metastasis via modulating the AKT/mTOR/SREBP1/ACC1 and MAPK/PPARα/ACOX1 pathways and reprogramming lipid metabolism.
Framework Nucleic Acids Enabled Pulmonary Artery Endothelial Cell Growth Inhibition by Targeting microRNA‐152
Authors: You Zaichun , Huang Qiuhong , Xu Lilin , Liu Xueping , Fu Juan , Li Boxuan , Yang Yi , Li Shuyi , Qian Hang , Wang Guansong
Published: July 2022

Pulmonary artery vascular endothelial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the occurrence and progression of pulmonary vascular remodeling (PVR). To address this, aberrantly expressed non‐coding microRNAs (miRNAs) are excellent therapeutic targets in human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs). Here, we discovered and validated the overexpression of miRNA‐152 in HPAECs under hypoxia and its role in endothelial cell dysfunction. We constructed a framework nucleic acid nanostructure that harbors six protruding single‐stranded DNA segments that can fully hybridize with miRNA‐152 (DNT‐152). DNT‐152 was efficiently taken up by HPAECs with increasing time and concentration; it markedly induced apoptosis, and inhibited HPAEC growth under hypoxic conditions. Mechanistically, DNT‐152 silenced miRNA‐152 expression and upregulated its target gene Meox2, which subsequently inhibited the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. These results indicate that miRNA‐152 in HPAECs may be an excellent therapeutic target against PVR, and that framework nucleic acids with carefully designed sequences are promising nanomedicines for noncancerous cells and diseases.
Directed Palladium Catalyzed C−H (Ethoxycarbonyl)difluoromethylthiolation Reactions
Authors: Doche Floriane , Escudero Julien , Petit‐Cancelier Fabien , Xiong Heng‐Ying , Couve‐Bonnaire Samuel , Audisio Davide , Poisson Thomas , Besset Tatiana
Published: July 2022

The unprecedented Pd‐catalyzed (ethoxycarbonyl)difluoromethylthiolation reaction of various unsaturated derivatives was studied. In the presence of the (ethoxycarbonyl)difluoromethylsulfenamide reagentIand under mild reaction conditions (60 °C), both 2‐(hetero)aryl and 2‐(α‐aryl‐vinyl)pyridine derivatives were smoothly functionalized with this methodology (37 examples, up to 87 % yield). Moreover, the synthetic interest of this fluorinated moiety was further showcased by its conversion into various original fluorinated residues. Finally, a plausible mechanism for this transformation was suggested.
A nonneglectable stereochemical factor in drug development: Atropisomerism
Authors: Yang Ya‐Dong , Yang Bei‐Bei , Li Li
Published: July 2022

Chirality is one of the key factors affecting the medicinal efficacy of compounds. In addition to central chirality, sterically hindered chiral axes commonly appear in drugs and the resulting chirality is known as atropisomerism. With developments in medicinal chemistry, atropisomerism has attracted increasing attention. This review discusses the classification, biological activity, pharmacokinetics, toxicity and side effects of atropisomers, and can serve as a reference in the research and development of potential chiral drugs.
Patient‐facing communication for cytopathologists: A framework for disclosing diagnostic error
Authors: Harris Cynthia K. , Darrell Caitlin M. , VanderLaan Paul A. , Heher Yael K.
Published: July 2022

Medical errors are a major source of harm to patients. Regulatory bodies mandate and patient safety experts advocate the disclosure of medical errors to patients to promote transparency and to create accountability for improving health care processes. Although pathologists regularly report errors—either to pathology or clinical colleagues or via internal safety reporting systems—few pathologists directly disclose those errors to patients. Yet many pathologists are interested in participating in the direct disclosure of medical errors to patients and may even be mandated to do so. When surveyed on why they do not directly disclose errors to patients, pathologists commonly cite a lack of confidence and a lack of training. Another barrier cited is the lack of a preexisting relationship between the pathologist and the patient. With respect to this last barrier, cytopathologists have a distinct advantage over surgical or clinical pathologists, as many cytopathologists regularly interact with and develop a rapport with patients when they are performing fine‐needle aspiration (FNA) procedures. To improve the safety culture in pathology, direct error disclosure practices must be developed, supported, and strengthened. It is critical for cytopathologists to be comfortable with disclosing errors to patients. Being comfortable with disclosing an error, however, requires training, practice, and advance reflection. Using a practical, case‐based format centered around FNA examples, this article addresses how to disclose a medical error to a patient. It provides a framework, heuristic principles, and structured conversation systems and talking points to guide the inexperienced pathologist to find his or her voice in a challenging disclosure conversation.
An effective model for predicting agricultural crop yield on remote sensing hyper‐spectral images using adaptive logistic regression classifier
Authors: Sathiyamoorthi Velayutham , Harshavardhanan Pon , Azath Hussain , Senbagavalli Marimuthu , Viswa Bharathy Ayyappillai Mallika , Chokkalingam Bala Subramanian
Published: July 2022

In today's world, agriculture can be a major significant source of endurance as well as an essential aspect in the development of the world economy. Hyper‐spectral (HS) imaging plays a vital role in remote sensing to support the agriculture environment where the satellite communication technology is utilized to provide improved accessibility of HS imagery demands the assessment of precision agriculture application. The historical statistical information may not be helpful in the prediction of agriculture yield. Therefore, in this research, a novel HS image processing technique has been implemented using remote sensing technology to achieve an efficient and accurate prediction of crop yield. Primarily, the preprocessing technique called 2D‐adaptive anisotropic diffusion filter is implemented to eradicate the speckle noise from HS images and then enhanced by applying a new edge preservation‐contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization technique. Afterward, the fast fuzzy C means algorithm has been incorporated in the proposed method to cluster the agriculture crop's gradient intensity pixels from HS images. Finally, the optimum features are learned and then fed into the adaptive logistic regression classifier to classify the different agricultural crops. The simulation results manifest that the proposed methodology efficiently predicts the agricultural crops with superior accuracy of 99.27% and specificity of 99% as compared with existing state‐of‐the‐art techniques.
Genetic markers in Andean Puya species (Bromeliaceae) with implications on plastome evolution and phylogeny
Authors: Liu Lu , Zhang Yu‐Qu , Tumi Liscely , Suni Mery L. , Arakaki Mónica , Burgess Kevin S. , Ge Xue‐Jun
Published: July 2022

The Andean plant endemic Puya is a striking example of recent and rapid diversification from central Chile to the northern Andes, tracking mountain uplift. This study generated 12 complete plastomes representing nine Puya species and compared them to five published plastomes for their features, genomic evolution, and phylogeny. The total size of the Puya plastomes ranged from 159,542 to 159,839 bp with 37.3%–37.4% GC content. The Puya plastomes were highly conserved in organization and structure with a typical quadripartite genome structure. Each of the 17 consensus plastomes harbored 133 genes, including 87 protein‐coding genes, 38 tRNA (transfer RNA) genes, and eight rRNA (ribosomal RNA) genes; we found 69–78 tandem repeats, 45–60 SSRs (simple sequence repeats), and 8–22 repeat structures among 13 species. Four protein‐coding genes were identified under positive site‐specific selection in Puya. The complete plastomes and hypervariable regions collectively provided pronounced species discrimination in Puya and a practical tool for future phylogenetic studies. The reconstructed phylogeny and estimated divergence time for the lineage suggest that the diversification of Puya is related to Andean orogeny and Pleistocene climatic oscillations. This study provides plastome resources for species delimitation and novel phylogenetic and biogeographic studies.
Construction and application of exclusive flavour fingerprints from fragrant rice based on gas chromatography – ion mobility spectrometry (GC‐IMS)
Authors: Chen Tong , Li Haiyu , Chen Xinyu , Wang Yong , Cheng Qianwei , Qi Xingpu
Published: July 2022

Fragrant rice has unique aroma characteristics appreciated by many consumers. In order to extract exclusive flavour fingerprints from Guangxi fragrant rice and to further verify its effectiveness by allowing the rapid identification of fragrant rice from two main production regions (Guangxi and Wuchang), gas chromatography‐ion mobility spectrometry (GC‐IMS) technology was applied to analyse flavour components of 53 fragrant rice samples. Based on the two‐dimensional GC‐IMS map, characteristic variables of flavour components from Guangxi fragrant rice were screened via image pretreatment and automatic threshold segmentation algorithm. The extracted variables were further processed by using principal component analysis and quadratic discriminant analysis to establish a non‐linear model for discriminating two types of fragrant rice. The results showed that a total of 46 characteristic variables were extracted from Guangxi fragrant rice, and the first two principal components showed that the two types of rice samples had their own corresponding regions. 2‐Butanone, 2‐heptanone, pinene, 1‐heptanal, 2‐methyl‐1‐butanol acetate and octanal were the key different flavour components. The established model had an excellent recognition rate, which could be used to determine the geographical region of fragrant rice. The proposed method could achieve quick, non‐destructive and accurate analysis of fragrant rice geographical properties. It can be further applied in feature extraction from the two‐dimensional fingerprint map generated by other similar combined instruments.
Heterologous adenovirus‐vector/messenger RNA regimen is associated with improved severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 humoral response in liver transplant recipients
Authors: Mendizabal Manuel , Ducasa Nicolás , Benencio Paula , Anders Margarita , Cairo Fernando , Barbero Manuel , Etcheves Patricia , Alter Adriana , Scarton Giampaolo , Abraldes Juan G. , Biglione Mirna , Mauro Ezequiel
Published: July 2022

Knowledge of the immunogenicity of vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) in liver transplant recipients (LTRs) is mainly limited to messenger RNA (mRNA)‐based types. We aimed to evaluate the humoral response in LTRs and to address the use of different doses of mycophenolate (MMF) on the probability of developing anti‐spike immunoglobulin G (IgG). In this prospective cohort study, SARS‐CoV‐2 anti‐spike IgG, neutralizing antibodies (NAs), and nucleocapsid protein (N) were evaluated in LTRs and healthy volunteers 21–90 days after receiving the second vaccine dose of either ChAdOx1 (AstraZeneca), rAd26‐rAd5 (Sputnik V), inactivated BBIBP‐CorV (Sinopharm), or the heterologous combination rAd26/mRNA‐1273 (Sputnik V/Moderna). We collected information regarding clinical data and vaccine side effects. After excluding three LTRs due to a positive N test, 120 LTRs and 27 controls were analyzed. No significant differences were found among groups. Overall, 24 (89%) controls and 74 (62%) LTRs were positive for anti‐spike IgG (p = 0.007). Among LTRs, those immunized with rAd26/mRNA‐1273 presented significantly higher positive serology and NAs when compared with the homologous regimens (91% vs. 55%, p = 0.001; and 1182 IU/ml vs. 446 IU/ml, p = 0.002; respectively). In the multivariate analysis, humoral response was significantly reduced in LTRs who received higher doses of MMF (odds ratio [OR], 0.1; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.03–0.3; p < 0.001) and with increased BMI (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2–0.7; p = 0.005); and it was significantly higher in those immunized with rAd26/mRNA‐1273 (OR, 13.1; 95% CI, 2.3–72.9; p = 0.003). In LTRs anti‐spike IgG concentrations showed a very good correlation with NA titers (R
2 = 0.949; 95% CI, 0.919–0.967; p < 0.001). No serious adverse events were reported in either group. Conclusion: In LTRs, rAd26/mRNA‐1273 was independently associated with higher antibody response. Future studies are necessary to evaluate whether combining different vaccine platforms and MMF reduction may lead to a better booster response.
Reduction in gut‐derived MUFAs via intestinal stearoyl‐CoA desaturase 1 deletion drives susceptibility to NAFLD and hepatocarcinoma
Authors: Ducheix Simon , Piccinin Elena , Peres Claudia , Garcia‐Irigoyen Oihane , Bertrand‐Michel Justine , Fouache Allan , Cariello Marica , Lobaccaro Jean‐Marc , Guillou Hervé , Sabbà Carlo , Ntambi James M. , Moschetta Antonio
Published: July 2022

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is defined by a set of hepatic conditions ranging from steatosis to steatohepatitis (NASH), characterized by inflammation and fibrosis, eventually predisposing to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Together with fatty acids (FAs) originated from adipose lipolysis and hepatic lipogenesis, intestinal‐derived FAs are major contributors of steatosis. However, the role of mono‐unsaturated FAs (MUFAs) in NAFLD development is still debated. We previously established the intestinal capacity to produce MUFAs, but its consequences in hepatic functions are still unknown. Here, we aimed to determine the role of the intestinal MUFA‐synthetizing enzyme stearoyl‐CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1) in NAFLD. We used intestinal‐specific Scd1‐KO (iScd1
−/−) mice and studied hepatic dysfunction in different models of steatosis, NASH, and HCC. Intestinal‐specific Scd1 deletion decreased hepatic MUFA proportion. Compared with controls, iScd1
−/− mice displayed increased hepatic triglyceride accumulation and derangement in cholesterol homeostasis when fed a MUFA‐deprived diet. Then, on Western diet feeding, iScd1
−/− mice triggered inflammation and fibrosis compared with their wild‐type littermates. Finally, intestinal‐Scd1 deletion predisposed mice to liver cancer. Conclusions: Collectively, these results highlight the major importance of intestinal MUFA metabolism in maintaining hepatic functions and show that gut‐derived MUFAs are protective from NASH and HCC.
Special issue “The advance of solid tumor research in China”: Discoidin domain receptor 2 promotes colorectal cancer metastasis by regulating epithelial mesenchymal transition via activating AKT signaling
Authors: Xu Xiaoxiao , Duan Xiaofan , Wang Shunli , Zhang Yumei , Gao Yuan , Xu Xiaolin , Yeerkenbieke Gaoshaer , Zhou Jiuli , Li Jin
Published: July 2022

Tumor metastasis is one of the main reasons for the high mortality rate associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). However, its underlying mechanisms have not been fully understood. Here, we reported that the expression of discoidin domain receptor 2 (DDR2) was significantly upregulated in CRC tissues compared to that in normal adjacent tissues. The expression level of DDR2 was negatively associated with prognosis of CRC patients. Therefore, DDR2 may play an oncogenic role in CRC development. Furthermore, DDR2 induced epithelial mesenchymal transition in CRC cells and regulated their invasive and metastatic capacity in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, increased DDR2 expression level activated the AKT/GSK‐3β/Slug signaling pathway. In conclusion, these findings showed that DDR2 promoted CRC metastasis and DDR2 inhibition might represent an effective therapeutic strategy for local advanced and metastatic CRC treatment.
Evaluating peer‐implemented video feedback to improve weight training form
Authors: Cochrane Emma , Miltenberger Raymond , Concepcion Anthony
Published: July 2022

This study evaluated the effectiveness of behavioral skills training (BST) to teach peer‐trainers to implement video feedback (Study 1) and evaluated the effectiveness of peer‐implemented video feedback to increase proper deadlifting form across 3 participants (Study 2). A nonconcurrent, multiple baseline design across participants was employed to evaluate BST and peer implemented video feedback. Results demonstrate that BST was effective for teaching peer‐trainers to implement video feedback and video feedback led to improvement of deadlifting form across all participants.
Indocyanine green for targeted imaging of the gall bladder and fluorescence navigation
Authors: Wang Zhidong , Yang Xiao , Mei Lin , Jiang Tiantian , Sun Tingkai , Chen HaiYan , Wu YouShen , Ji Yuanyuan
Published: July 2022

Researchers nowadays have devoted extra attention to the different biomedical applications of indocyanine green (ICG), a US Food and Drug Administration‐approved fluorescent compound in the fields such as drug delivery, medical imaging and disease diagnosis. In addition, hepatic function evaluation could be conducted by using ICG before surgical procedures and angiographic assessment of blood. Therefore, ICG will be expected to be excellent imaging and targeting agent in various preclinical and clinical model systems. However, whether ICG possesses the potential for the gall bladder's intraoperative imaging guidance needs to be further explored in vivo animal experiments. Herein, near‐infrared fluorophores ICG can display the specific uptake by the gall bladder cells and tissues. The dynamic process of biodistribution and the clearance of ICG in vivo in mice are clearly shown in real‐time live‐body imaging. Furthermore, ICG was rapidly excreted into the bile and lately biodistributed to the stomach after treatment in mice. Meanwhile, the signal‐to‐background ratio of the gall bladder demonstrated a tremendously higher level compared to other organs (stomach, heart, liver, lung, pancreas, spleen, intestine and duodenum). In conclusion, fluorescence navigation using ICG fluorescence imaging will provide good visualization and detection of the target lesions (gall bladder) in clinics such as diagnostic medical imaging and intraoperative navigation.
Measured weight loss as a precursor to cancer diagnosis: retrospective cohort analysis of 43 302 primary care patients
Authors: Nicholson Brian David , Thompson Matthew James , Hobbs Frederick David Richard , Nguyen Matthew , McLellan Julie , Green Beverly , Chubak Jessica , Oke Jason Lee
Published: July 2022

Background

Unexpected weight loss is a presenting feature of cancer in primary care. Data from primary care are lacking to quantify how much weight loss over what period should trigger further investigation for cancer. This research aimed to quantify cancer diagnosis rates associated with measured weight change in people attending primary care.

Methods

Retrospective cohort study of primary care electronic health records data linked to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results cancer registry (Integrated healthcare delivery system in Washington State, United States). Multivariable Cox regression incorporating time varying covariates using splines to model non‐linear associations (age, percentage weight change, and weight change interval). Fifty thousand randomly selected patients aged 40 years and over followed for up to 9 years (1 January 2006 to 31 December 2014). Outcome measures are hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals) to quantify the association between percentage weight change and cancer diagnosis for all cancers combined, individual cancer sites and stages; percentage risk of cancer diagnosis within 6 months of the end of each weight change episode; and the positive predictive value for cancer diagnosis.

Results

There were 43 302 included in the analysis after exclusions. Over 287 858 patient‐years of follow‐up, including 24 272 (56.1%) females, 23 980 (55.4%) aged 40 to 59 years, 15 113 (34.9%) 60 to 79 years, and 4209 (9.7%) aged 80 years and over. Adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence interval) for cancer diagnosis in a 60 years old ranged from 1.04 (1.02 to 1.05, P < 0.001) for 1% weight loss to 1.44 (1.23 to 1.68, P < 0.001) for 10%. An independent linear association was observed between percentage weight loss and increasing cancer risk. The absolute risk of cancer diagnosis increased with increasing age (up to 85 years) and as the weight change measurement interval decreased (<1 year). The positive predictive value for a cancer diagnosis within 1 year of ≥5% measured weight loss in a 60 to 69 years old was 3.41% (1.57% to 6.37%) in men and 3.47% (1.68% to 6.29%) in women. The risk of cancer diagnosis was significantly increased for pancreatic, myeloma, gastro‐oesophageal, colorectal, breast, stage II and IV cancers.

Conclusions

Weight loss is a sign of undiagnosed cancer regardless of the interval over which it occurs. Guidelines should resist giving an arbitrary cut‐off for the interval of weight loss and focus on the percentage of weight loss and the patient's age. Future studies should focus on the association between diagnostic evaluation of weight change and risk of cancer mortality.
Tall cell carcinoma with reversed polarity of breast: Sonographic and magnetic resonance imaging findings
Authors: Lee Na Young , Chang Yun‐Woo , Lee Eun Ji , Jin Yoon Mi
Published: July 2022

Tall cell carcinoma with reversed polarity (TCCRP) of breast is a rare subtype of breast cancer, which show tall and columnar cells with nuclei of reversed polarity, resembles tall cell variant in papillary thyroid cancer. Only 78 cases in 20 published studies had been reported by 2021. TCCRP was recently included as a separate subgroup of rare tumors in the World Health Organization Blue Book Classification of breast tumors (5th edition). We describe a TCCRP case in a 64‐year‐old woman with detailed radiologic features including quantitative ultrasonography.
Retrospective analysis of 2054 cases from 24 hospitals underwent ultrasonic consultation in a tertiary prenatal diagnosis center in Beijing, China
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Han Jingjing , Li Lin , Wang Li , Wu Qingqing
Published: July 2022

Objectives

To investigate the practices of prenatal ultrasound consultation in a region of the China and to describe the rate of concordance between the suspected anomaly and the final diagnosis of the referral examination.

Methods

Retrospective study with all cases referred from 24 hospitals (Beijing, China) to a tertiary prenatal diagnosis center for ultrasonic consultation in 2018. The concordance between the suspected ultrasonic signs of fetal abnormalities of the referrer and the ultrasonic consultation results were evaluated and divided into full concordance, partial concordance, and discordance.

Results

From 1938 patients with suspected ultrasonic signs, 2054 ultrasound consultation records were obtained. The most frequent anomalies for consultation in the first trimester (348, 91.3%) were cystic hygroma (CH), nuchal translucency (NT), or nuchal fold (NF) thickening, followed by signs of brain abnormalities in the second (173, 22.4%) and the third (182, 34.1%) trimester. The discordant rates of the first single signs were 19.8% for the first trimester, 41.6% for the second trimester, and 37.4% for the third trimester, respectively.

Conclusions

Our study demonstrated that the discordance of the first single signs was relatively low in the first trimester and higher in the second and third trimesters. The number of sonographers could be increased to ensure timeliness, strengthen training for those with poor concordance rates by referring to appropriate guidelines, and reduce ultrasonic consultation for those with high consistency after further research to save medical resources.
Tau protein is differentially phosphorylated in young‐ and old‐aged rats with experimentally induced hyperthyroidism
Authors: Tan Burak , Babur Ercan , Toy Nihal , Günaydın Buse , Dursun Nurcan , Süer Cem
Published: July 2022

Aim

Aging involves progressive physiological changes, including thyroid dysfunction; thus, changes in plasma thyroid hormone (TH) level may affect neuronal function such as synaptic plasticity and Tau phosphorylation. However, how Tau protein is modulated in hyperthyroidism with aging is not clear. To clarify this issue, long‐term potentiation (LTP) and accompanying phosphorylation of Tau protein in different residues were investigated in the hippocampus of young and old rats with experimentally induced hyperthyroidism.

Materials and methods

The study was performed in vivo under urethane anesthesia on 2‐ and 12‐month‐old Wistar albino male rats. Field potentials, composed of a field of excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) and a population spike (PS), occurring in the hippocampal dentate gyrus region, were recorded by applying high‐frequency stimulation (HFS) to the perforant pathway (100 Hz, four times at 5‐min intervals) to induce LTP. Total‐Tau and phosphorylated‐Tau were measured in HFS‐induced hippocampus by using western blotting.

Results

The TH suppressed hippocampal somatic LTP (PS) was suppressed with aging, and treatment improved this suppression in aged rats without any changes in synaptic LTP (fEPSP). The phosphorylation of Tau at Ser202/Thr205 and Thr231 residues was increased in aged control rats. Treatment of aged rats with l‐thyroxine reduced the phosphorylation of Tau at these residues to the young control condition.

Conclusion

Impaired LTP that occurs with aging may be among the underlying causes of dementia in relatively older ages, and l‐thyroxine treatment restores this impaired LTP. In addition, the phosphorylation level of Tau epitopes known to play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease may support a critical role in the modulation of synaptic plasticity in hyperthyroidism.
Role of thigh circumference, calf circumference, subjective global assessment, and handgrip strength as diagnostic modalities of sarcopenia in women inflammatory bowel disease patients
Authors: Pribadi Rabbinu Rangga , Simadibrata Marcellus , Sulaiman Andri Sanityoso , Abdullah Murdani
Published: July 2022

Background and Aim

Sarcopenia is a problem affecting inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) outcome and should be evaluated by measuring muscle mass (using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry [DXA]), muscle strength, and physical performance. DXA has drawbacks as it is expensive, not covered by a national program, and requires a technician. Other inexpensive and simple examinations are needed. The objective is to explore cutoff point and diagnostic accuracy of thigh circumference (TC), calf circumference (CC), subjective global assessment (SGA), and handgrip strength (HGS) to identify sarcopenia in IBD patients.

Methods

The study was conducted in Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital during November 2020–June 2021. Analysis was performed to discover the cutoff point and diagnostic accuracy of TC, CC, SGA, and HGS to identify sarcopenia.

Results

As assessed by DXA, 7 of 60 women (11.7%) with IBD had sarcopenia. Using CC cutoff ≤31 cm, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), positive likelihood ration (PLR), and negative likelihood ratio (NLR) were 100%, 60.38%, 25%, 100%, 2.52, and 0, respectively. Using TC cutoff ≤50 cm, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, PLR, and NLR were 100%, 83.02%, 43.75%, 100%, 5.90, and 0, respectively. SGA has sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV, PLR, and NLR of 42.86%, 84.91%, 27.27%, 91.84%, 2.84, and 0.67, respectively. The area under curve of HGS was 33.3%.

Conclusion

In this survey of Indonesian women with IBD, the frequency of sarcopenia was 11.7%. When compared with DXA, TC and CC values over 50 cm and 31 cm, respectively, were helpful to exclude the diagnosis of sarcopenia. SGA and HGS were of lesser value for the identification of a decrease in muscle mass.
The effect of tree species on soil organic carbon recovery in a restoration project is associated with vegetation biomass: Evidence from the Pingshuo Mine reclaimed ecosystem, North China
Authors: Yuan Ye , Zhao Yifang , Gao Yuan , Gao Guoqing , Ren Yingxiang , Hou Fen
Published: July 2022

Vegetation and soil surveys were made within three mixed forests and four monoculture forests on opencast coal mine spoils in the Loess Plateau (China) to reveal the tree species effect on reclaimed mine soil (RMS) and carbon (C) sequestration. Results showed that tree biomass, annual litter biomass, and reserved litter biomass varied among forests, withRobinia pseudoacaciaL.‐Pinus tabuliformisCarr. recording the highest tree biomass, leaf C, and leaf nitrogen (N) values. The greatest C and N contents in RMS were recorded in theR. pseudoacacia‐P. tabuliformisforest in both small macroaggregate (250–2000 μm) and large macroaggregate (>2000 μm) fractions. However, no significant differences among forests were observed in microaggregate (53–250 μm) and silt+clay (<53 μm) associate C and N. Significant positive correlations were observed among soil C and vegetation biomass and vegetation biomass associated C. It was in line with the C isotope analysis, which indicated that C flowed in the order: leaf→litter/root→soil macroaggregate→soil microaggregate/silt+clay. Moreover, negative correlations between soil C and soil δ15N in large and small macroaggregate fraction were recorded, indicating C sequestration in macroaggregate was potentially associated with soil N cycling. Overall, Tree species effect on soil C sequestration was derived from the amount and quality of the vegetation biomass and it was mediated by soil N cycling to some extent.R. pseudoacacia‐ andP. tabuliformismixed forest could be proposed as a favourable reclamation choice, due to these species prominent C sequestration ability.