bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
In Quest of Environmentally Stable Perovskite Solar Cells: A Perspective
Authors: Spanopoulos Ioannis , Ke Weijun , Kanatzidis Mercouri G. 
Published: November 2020

AbstractInorganic‐organic halide perovskites pose a once‐in‐a‐generation opportunity to revolutionize photovoltaic technology as they are excellent semiconductor candidates with a combination of many desirable attributes. Specifically, halide perovskite solar cells with extremely high device efficiency are easily fabricated and present great promise for commercialization in the near future. However, their non‐ideal environmental stability under real operating conditions can limit their further development. Both the academic and industrial research communities have been devoting considerable effort to overcome this critical deficiency through material and device engineering. Significant progress has been reported in this direction, and in this perspective, we review the recent strategies that promise to improve solar cell stability focusing on two interwoven topics. The first one is the development of environmentally stable semiconductor materials, while the second one is dedicated to the reported progress in improving solar cell device stability. Although, the currently adopted methods have not resolved the above problems, yet they build a foundation of principles for future advances to overcome them. In this regard, we believe commercial perovskite‐related photovoltaics might indeed be on the horizon, not only replacing the currently commercially available ones, but also improving them.
Clinical characteristics of primary Fallopian tube carcinoma: A single‐institution retrospective study of 57 cases
Authors: Ma Zhihua , Gao Li , Li Han , Li Jie , Zhang Guanjun , Xue Yan 
Published: November 2020

AbstractObjectiveTo analyze the clinical profile and prognosis of primary Fallopian tube cancer (PFTC) in order to improve earlier diagnosis.MethodsIn this retrospective study, 57 women with PFTC were assessed from 2006 to 2016. Pathology, clinical index, recurrence, and survival were analyzed.ResultsMean age was 57.35 ± 9.01 years, and 73% (19/26) of the patients with early‐stage PFTC (I/II) were aged less than 60 years. Of patients who presented with abnormal vaginal bleeding, 75% (9/12) were at an early stage and their condition was often misdiagnosed as endometrial carcinoma preoperatively. In patients with Stages I/II and Stages III/IV PFTC, 59.09% (13/22) and 96.43% (27/28), respectively, had adnexal masses on color Doppler ultrasonography. The 5‐year overall survival (OS) and disease‐free survival rates were 69.23% and 44.23%, respectively, and univariate analysis showed that tumor stage and residual tumor size significantly affected the two survival rates.ConclusionPrimary Fallopian tube cancer is more likely to be misdiagnosed in patients aged less than 60 years or those presenting with vaginal bleeding at the premenopausal stage. Magnetic resonance imaging, cervical smear, and endometrial brush may be helpful for early PFTC diagnosis. Satisfactory cytoreductive surgery is critical because tumor stage and residual tumor size are significantly associated with the OS rate.
Cold atmospheric plasma applications in dermatology: A systematic review
Authors: Gan Lu , Jiang Jian , Duan Jiang Wei , Wu Xue Jing Zi , Zhang Song , Duan Xiao Ru , Song Ji Quan , Chen Hong Xiang 
Published: November 2020

AbstractCold atmospheric plasma (CAP) applications can potentially lead to effective therapy for numerous skin diseases. Our aim is to systematically review the available data and map the use of CAP in dermatology. PubMed, Embase and Web of science were explored before 2020 for studies regarding the use of CAP in dermatology. A total of 166 studies were finally included. 74.1% of these studies used indirect CAP sources. Most studies used plasma jet (67.5%). Argon was the mostly used working gas (48.2%). Plasma application itself could be direct (89.2%) and indirect (16.3%). The proportion of studies with in vivo results remained 57.2%, of which most concerned direct plasma treatment (97.9%). Analyses performed indicate that CAP has been beneficial in many skin disorders. While, most CAP applications were focused on wound healing and melanoma treatment. This study provides a brief overview of CAP sources and relative medical applications in dermatology.
Long noncoding RNA H19 act as a competing endogenous RNA of Let‐7g to facilitate IEC‐6 cell migration and proliferation via regulating EGF
Authors: Li Cuijie , Li Ye , Zhuang Mengmeng , Zhu Bo , Zhang Wenwen , Yan Hao , Zhang Pan , Li Dan , Yang Juan , Sun Yuan , Cui Qingwei , Chen Haijun , Jin Peisheng , Xia Zhaofan , Sun Yong 
Published: November 2020

AbstractIntestinal mucosal injury is one of the most significant complications of burns. In our previous study, it was found that autophagy could alleviate burn‐induced intestinal injury, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. Irregular expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) is present in many diseases, including burns. However, the relationship between lncRNAs and intestinal mucosal injury requires further elucidation. In this study, we established a burn mice model and detected the expression level of autophagy‐related proteins. Then, H19 content after autophagy intervention was tested in vitro and in vivo. The interaction of H19 with Let‐7g and that of Let‐7g with epidermal growth factor (EGF) were verified by dual‐luciferase reporter assays. We found that the expression of the autophagy‐associated proteins LC3‐II and Beclin‐1 was raised in the intestinal tract of the burn mice model. Similarly, the transfection of H19 raised autophagy levels. H19 was elevated after autophagy intervention in vitro and in vivo. H19 overexpression was able to promote IEC‐6 cell migration and proliferation. Let‐7g was suppressed by the overexpression of H19 and the combination of Let‐7g mimic was able to abolish the physiological effect of H19. Moreover, the suppression of Let‐7g increased the expression of EGF protein, which heightened IEC‐6 cell migration and proliferation. Besides this, dual‐luciferase assays revealed that Let‐7g was a direct target of H19 as well as the EGF gene. Taken together, autophagy‐mediated H19 increases in mouse intestinal tract after severe burn and functions as a sponge to Let‐7g to regulate EGF, which suggests that H19 serves as a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for intestinal mucosal injury after burns.
Celastrol acts synergistically with afatinib to suppress non‐small cell lung cancer cell proliferation by inducing paraptosis
Authors: Dai Chun‐Hau , Zhu Li‐Rong , Wang Yi , Tang Xing‐Ping , Du Yong‐Jie , Chen Yong‐Chang , Li Jian 
Published: November 2020

AbstractNon‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with wild‐type epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is intrinsic resistance to EGFR‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), such as afatinib. Celastrol, a natural compound with antitumor activity, was reported to induce paraptosis in cancer cells. In this study, intrinsic EGFR‐TKI‐resistant NSCLC cell lines H23 (EGFR wild‐type and KRAS mutation) and H292 (EGFR wild‐type and overexpression) were used to test whether celastrol could overcome primary afatinib resistance through paraptosis induction. The synergistic effect of celastrol and afatinib on survival inhibition of the NSCLC cells was evaluated by CCK‐8 assay and isobologram analysis. The paraptosis and its modulation were assessed by light and electron microscopy, Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescence. Xenografts models were established to investigate the inhibitory effect of celastrol plus afatinib on the growth of the NSCLC tumors in vivo. Results showed that celastrol acted synergistically with afatinib to suppress the survival of H23 and H292 cells by inducing paraptosis characterized by extensive cytoplasmic vacuolation. This process was independent of apoptosis and not associated with autophagy induction. Afatinib plus celastrol‐induced cytoplasmic vacuolation was preceded by endoplasmic reticulum stress and unfolded protein response. Accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial Ca2+ overload may be initiating factors of celastrol/afatinib‐induced paraptosis and subsequent cell death. Furthermore, Celastrol and afatinib synergistically suppressed the growth of H23 cell xenograft tumors in vivo. The data indicate that a combination of afatinib and celastrol may be a promising therapeutic strategy to surmount intrinsic afatinib resistance in NSCLC cells.
Attaining interprofessional competencies by connecting oral health to overall health
Authors: Haber Judith , Hartnett Erin , Cipollina Jessamin , Allen Kenneth , Crowe Ruth , Roitman Janna , Feldman Lauren , Fletcher Jason , Ng Grace 
Published: November 2020

AbstractPurposeThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an annual oral‐systemic health interprofessional education (IPE) clinical simulation and case study experience with nurse practitioner/midwifery (NP/MW), dental (DDS), medical (MD), and pharmacy (PharmD) students.MethodsThe Interprofessional Collaborative Competency Attainment Scale (ICCAS) was used to measure students’ self‐reported attainment of interprofessional competencies before and after the IPE experience. Pre‐ and post‐test surveys were completed by NP/MW, DDS, MD, and PharmD student cohorts from 2017 to 2019. Students also had the opportunity to provide qualitative feedback about their experience at post‐test. Data were collected from IPE faculty facilitators to assess their perception of the value of the Teaching Oral‐Systemic Health (TOSH) program.ResultsStudent ICCAS results demonstrated statistically significant improvement in self‐reported interprofessional competencies among all types of students across all 3 years (P < 0.001); qualitative student comments reflected positive experiences with the TOSH program. Survey data from IPE faculty facilitators supported the value of the IPE experience for all students.ConclusionsThe findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the TOSH program in using oral‐systemic health as a clinical exemplar to develop interprofessional competencies. The 2017–2019 data reinforce the credibility of scaling the TOSH model for developing interprofessional competencies with students from different health professions.
Evaluation of seven commercial RT‐PCR kits for COVID‐19 testing in pooled clinical specimens
Authors: Garg Atul , Ghoshal Ujjala , Patel Sangram S. , Singh D. V. , Arya Akshay K. , Vasanth Shruthi , Pandey Ankita , Srivastava Nikki 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThere are more than 350 real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) coronavirus disease‐2019 (COVID‐19) testing kits commercially available but these kits have not been evaluated for pooled sample testing. Thus, this study was planned to compare and evaluate seven commercially available kits for pooled samples testing. Diagnostic accuracy of (1) TRUPCR SARS‐CoV‐2 Kit (Black Bio), (2) TaqPath RT‐PCR COVID‐19 Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific), (3) Allplex 2019‐nCOV Assay (Seegene), (4) Patho detect COVID‐19 PCR kit (My Lab), (5) LabGun COVID‐19 RT‐PCR Kit (Lab Genomics, Korea), (6) Fosun COVID‐19 RT‐PCR detection kit (Fosun Ltd.), (7) Real‐time Fluorescent RT‐PCR kit for SARS CoV‐2 (BGI) was evaluated on precharacterised 40 positive and 10 negative COVID‐19 sample pools. All seven kits detected all sample pools with low Ct values (<30); while testing weak positive pooled samples with high Ct value (>30); the TRUPCR Kit, TaqPath Kit, Allplex Assay, and BGI RT‐PCR kit showed 100% sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy. However, the Fosun kit, LabGun Kit, and Patho detect kit could detect only 90%, 85%, and 75% of weakly positive samples, respectively. We conclude that all seven commercially available RT‐PCR kits included in this study can be used for routine molecular diagnosis of COVID‐19. However, regarding performing pooled sample testing, it might be advisable to use those kits that performed best regarding positive identification in samples' pool, that is TRUPCR SARS‐CoV‐2 Kit, TaqPath RT‐PCR COVID‐19 Kit, Allplex 2019‐nCOV Assay, and BGI Real‐time RT‐PCR kit for detecting SARS CoV‐2.
Viscosity Reduction of Indian Heavy Crude Oil by Emulsification to O/W Emulsion Using Polysorbate‐81
Authors: Vegad Girish D. , Jana Arun Kumar 
Published: November 2020

AbstractPipeline transportation is the most convenient means of transportation of crude oil continuously and economically from production site to refinery. However, transportation of heavy crude oil (HCO) through pipelines is difficult due to its high viscosity. The high viscosity of heavy crude oil is mainly due to the presence of poly‐aromatic compounds like resins and asphaltenes. Emulsification of HCO using surfactant is believed to be the most favorable technique to reduce the viscosity of HCO for efficient pipeline transport. In the present study, oil‐in‐water (O/W) emulsion has been formulated using a non‐ionic surfactant Polyoxyethylene (5) sorbitan monooleate (PS‐81) at different pH, surfactant concentration, and oil content. Box–Behnken response surface method has been used to optimize two responses, apparent viscosity and emulsion stability index (ESI). The optimal values of the parameters found are 75%v/v oil content, 2.5%w/v surfactant concentration, and pH value of 7 at which experimental value of emulsion viscosity is 0.2162 Pa·s, at 150 RPM, with a reduction of viscosity by 95.8% and having ESI of 98.16 after 24 h at 30°C.
Effect of Momordica saponin‑ and Cyclocarya paliurus polysaccharide‐enriched beverages on oxidative stress and fat accumulation in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Lin Chunxiu , Lin Yizi , Xiao Jie , Lan Yaqi , Cao Yong , Chen Yunjiao 
Published: November 2020

AbstractBACKGROUNDAs an edible and medicinal herb in Chinese folk medicine, Cyclocarya paliurus (Batal.) Iljinskaja leaves are traditionally widely used in the treatment of metabolic disorders. The vegetable Momordica charantia L. has been consumed worldwide for thousands of years as a traditional drug due to its activities against obesity and diabetes. In view of the therapeutic value of Momordica saponins (MSs) and C. paliurus polysaccharides (CPPs), an independently developed MSs‑ and CPPs‐containing beverage (MC) was evaluated for its efficacy in controlling oxidative stress and obesity in Caenorhabditis elegans.RESULTSFirst, we found that MC could promote the nuclear localization of DAF‐16 and the translation of SOD‐3. Further exploring its antioxidant properties, the oxidative stress by‐products reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and nonesterified fatty acids were significantly inhibited in C. elegans. Moreover, damage due to diseases related to oxidative stress (age pigments and neurodegenerative diseases) was alleviated. Furthermore, fat accumulation was significantly reduced in normal and high‐fat models. Finally, the lipid‐lowering effects of MC might involve reductions in the size and number of lipid droplets without impairing basic physiological functions in C. elegans.CONCLUSIONThese results provide promising data indicating MC as an innovative health beverage for the pharmacological management of oxidative stress and obesity. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.
The Effect of Dupilumab on Intractable Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps in Japan
Authors: Fujieda Shigeharu , Matsune Shoji , Takeno Sachio , Asako Mikiya , Takeuchi Makiko , Fujita Hiroyuki , Takahashi Yoshinori , Amin Nikhil , Deniz Yamo , Rowe Paul , Mannent Leda 
Published: November 2020

Objectives/HypothesisDupilumab, which blocks the shared receptor component for interleukin‐4 and interleukin‐13, reduced polyp size, sinus opacification, and symptom severity, and was well tolerated in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) in the SINUS‐52 study (NCT02898454). We assessed dupilumab in patients enrolled at Japanese centers.MethodsPatients on a background of mometasone furoate nasal spray, received dupilumab 300 mg every 2 weeks (q2w) for 52 weeks (Arm A); dupilumab 300 mg q2w for 24 weeks, followed by every 4 weeks (q4w) for 28 weeks (Arm B); or placebo (Arm C). Co‐primary endpoints were week 24 nasal polyp score (NPS), nasal congestion (NC) score, and sinus Lund–Mackay CT (LMK‐CT) scores. Symptoms, sense of smell, health‐related quality of life, and safety were assessed during the 52‐week treatment period.ResultsOf 49 patients enrolled in Japan, 45 completed the study. Week 24 least squares (LS) mean improvement versus placebo were as follows: NPS (Arm A: −3.1, P < .0001; Arm B: −2.1, P = .0011); NC score (Arm A: −1.2, P < .0001; Arm B: −0.9, P < .0001); and LMK‐CT (Arm A: −5.1, P = .0005; Arm B: −2.8, P = .0425). The most common treatment‐emergent adverse event in dupilumab and placebo‐treated patients was nasopharyngitis.ConclusionDupilumab provided rapid, significant, and clinically meaningful improvements for patients with CRSwNP in Japan. Dupilumab was well tolerated, and safety and efficacy were consistent with the overall study population.Level of Evidence2 Laryngoscope, 131:E1770–E1777, 2021
Electrodeposition of B, Ni co‐doped diamond‐like carbon films on AZ91D magnesium alloy: Corrosion and wear resistance
Authors: Ma Min , Sun Wan‐Chang , Dong Ya‐Ru , Zhang Ya‐Gang , Liu Yu‐Wan , Tian Sha‐Sha , Xiao Yan 
Published: November 2020

AbstractDiamond‐like carbon (DLC) possesses brilliant and excellent properties, including excellent corrosion resistance as well as outstanding wear resistance. Ni and B co‐doped DLC films were deposited on AZ91D magnesium alloy by electrodeposition under mild conditions (300 V and 25°C). Uniform and dense morphology of co‐doped DLC films were observed, and Ni and B were uniformly incorporated into the carbon‐based films. Among all the electrodeposits, the appearance of D and G peaks near 1330 and 1570 cm−1 revealed that the as‐deposited films were typical DLC films. As the addition of Ni was increased to 0.05 g, the highest microindentation hardness, the lowest friction coefficient, and wear loss were achieved to be 164.5 HV, 0.3, and 0.6 × 10−5 kg/m, respectively. The amorphous carbon films fabricated at 0.05 g Ni had the lowest corrosion current density and the most positive corrosion potential, which was mainly due to the small and dense granular structure effectively hindering the penetration of corrosion media.
Hydrophilic (AB)n Segmented Copolymers for Melt Extrusion‐Based Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Mechau Jannik , Frank Andreas , Bakirci Ezgi , Gumbel Simon , Jungst Tomasz , Giesa Reiner , Groll Jürgen , Dalton Paul D. , Schmidt Hans‐Werner 
Published: November 2020

AbstractSeveral manufacturing technologies beneficially involve processing from the melt, including extrusion‐based printing, electrospinning, and electrohydrodynamic jetting. In this study, (AB)n segmented copolymers are tailored for melt‐processing to form physically crosslinked hydrogels after swelling. The copolymers are composed of hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol)‐based segments and hydrophobic bisurea segments, which form physical crosslinks via hydrogen bonds. The degree of polymerization was adjusted to match the melt viscosity to the different melt‐processing techniques. Using extrusion‐based printing, a width of approximately 260 µm is printed into 3D constructs, with excellent interlayer bonding at fiber junctions, due to hydrogen bonding between the layers. For melt electrospinning, much thinner fibers in the range of about 1–15 µm are obtained and produced in a typical nonwoven morphology. With melt electrowriting, fibers are deposited in a controlled way to well‐defined 3D constructs. In this case, multiple fiber layers fuse together enabling constructs with line width in the range of 70 to 160 µm. If exposed to water the printed constructs swell and form physically crosslinked hydrogels that slowly disintegrate, which is a feature for soluble inks within biofabrication strategies. In this context, cytotoxicity tests confirm the viability of cells and thus demonstrating biocompatibility of this class of copolymers.
Rate‐Limited Reaction in TEMPO/Laccase/O2 Oxidation of Cellulose
Authors: Jiang Jie , Chen Huangjingyi , Yu Juan , Liu Liang , Fan Yimin , Saito Tsuguyuki , Isogai Akira 
Published: November 2020

AbstractThe environment‐friendly oxidation of cellulose by the 2,2,6,6‐tetramethyl‐1‐piperidinyloxy (TEMPO)/laccase/O2 system is an alternative route with huge potential to prepare cellulose nanofibers. It is found that the concentration of TEMPO significantly affects the oxidation efficiency. An effective method for improving the oxidation effect is to increase the TEMPO concentration and prolong the oxidation time. To clarify the rate‐limited step of TEMPO/laccase/O2 oxidation of cellulose, the academically accepted oxidation process is divided into individual pathways. A series of experiments is conducted with laccase and the three forms of organocatalyst (TEMPO, oxoammonium (TEMPO+), and hydroxylamine (TEMPOH)) to simulate individual reactions and calculate the reaction rates. The concentrations of TEMPO and oxoammonium are monitored by EPR spectroscopy. The oxidation rate of TEMPO by laccase varies at different pH conditions, and laccase activity is much higher at pH 4.5. Other reactions without laccase involved express a higher reaction rate when the pH value increased. TEMPO is mainly regenerated through a comproportionation reaction between oxoammonium and hydroxylamine. The acceleration of TEMPO regeneration by laccase is not obvious. The results indicate that the rate‐limited reaction in TEMPO/laccase/O2 oxidation is cellulose oxidation by TEMPO+.
Cine and late gadolinium enhancement MRI registration and automated myocardial infarct heterogeneity quantification
Authors: Guo Fumin , Krahn Philippa R. P. , Escartin Terenz , Roifman Idan , Wright Graham 
Published: November 2020

PurposeTo develop an approach for automated quantification of myocardial infarct heterogeneity in late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac MRI.MethodsWe acquired 2D short‐axis cine and 3D LGE in 10 pigs with myocardial infarct. The 2D cine myocardium was segmented and registered to the LGE images. LGE image signal intensities within the warped cine myocardium masks were analyzed to determine the thresholds of infarct core (IC) and gray zone (GZ) for the standard‐deviation (SD) and full‐width‐at‐halfmaximum (FWHM) methods. The initial IC, GZ, and IC + GZ segmentations were postprocessed using a normalized cut approach. Cine segmentation and cine‐LGE registration accuracies were evaluated using dice similarity coefficient and average symmetric surface distance. Automated IC, GZ, and IC + GZ volumes were compared with manual results using Pearson correlation coefficient (r), Bland‐Altman analyses, and intraclass correlation coefficient.ResultsFor n = 87 slices containing scar, we achieved cine segmentation dice similarity coefficient = 0.87 ± 0.12, average symmetric surface distance = 0.94 ± 0.74 mm (epicardium), and 1.03 ± 0.82 mm (endocardium) in the scar region. For cine‐LGE registration, dice similarity coefficient was 0.90 ± 0.06 and average symmetric surface distance was 0.72 ± 0.39 mm (epicardium) and 0.86 ± 0.53 mm (endocardium) in the scar region. For both SD and FWHM methods, automated IC, GZ, and IC + GZ volumes were strongly (r > 0.70) correlated with manual measurements, and the correlations were not significantly different from interobserver correlations (P > .05). The agreement between automated and manual scar volumes (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.85‐0.96) was similar to that between two observers (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.81‐0.99); automated scar segmentation errors were not significantly different from interobserver segmentation differences (P > .05).ConclusionsOur approach provides fully automated cine‐LGE MRI registration and LGE myocardial infarct heterogeneity quantification in preclinical studies.