bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantitative evaluation of Danqi tablet by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry integrated with bioassay
Authors: Fu Rui‐Jia , Wang Wen‐Xiao , Tao Hui‐Juan , Wang Mei , Chen Yan‐Yan , Gao Huan , Yue Shi‐Jun , Tang Yu‐Ping 
Published: January 2021

AbstractDanqi tablet composed of the dried roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Panax notoginseng is a well‐known Chinese patent medicine commonly used for the treatment of cardio‐cerebrovascular diseases such as coronary heart disease and myocardial ischemia. Numerous chemical constituents belonging to S. miltiorrhiza and P. notoginseng were detectable in Danqi tablet. Here, we established and validated a rapid and sensitive ultra‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry method for simultaneous quantification of 23 components in Danqi tablet and then successfully applied to assay 12 batches of samples from ten manufacturers. Our results demonstrated that the contents of 23 components in 12 batches of Danqi tablets varied significantly and their quality indeed existed differently based on the principal component analysis. According to the quantitative data and the loading plot of principal component analysis, five abundant compounds in Danqi tablet were selected as characteristic chemical markers possibly responsible for the quality assessment. Among them, salvianolic acid B and ginsenoside Rg1 were further chosen to be combined at 2:5 ratio to evaluate the anti‐thrombotic activity on phenylhydrazine‐induced zebrafish heart thrombosis model. Expectedly, this component combination increased the heart red blood cells intensity compared with the model group and the median effective concentration was 123.4 µg/mL, suggestive of its well anti‑thrombotic effect. This study contributed to the quantitative evaluation of Danqi tablet and indicated the combination of salvianolic acid B and ginsenoside Rg1 may be capable of reflecting the effect of Danqi tablet, thereby providing a reference for further investigations on the improvement of quality control and clinical application of Danqi tablet.
Microbiomics of irrigation with xylitol or Lactococcus lactis in chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Lambert Paul A. , Gill Ann L. , Gill Steven R. , Allen Paul D. , Man Li‐Xing 
Published: January 2021

AbstractObjectiveTopical sinonasal rinse therapies may alter the local microbiome and improve disease control in chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The objective of this study was to examine microbiome changes in post‐surgical CRS patients when rinsing with commercially available products containing xylitol or Lactococcus lactis.MethodsA crossover‐type protocol with a washout period was designed. Swab samples from anterior ethmoid cavities of CRS patients were collected prospectively at baseline. Subjects were provided packets containing either L. lactis W136 or xylitol in non‐blinded fashion and instructed to add it to their rinse bottles daily for 28 days, after which another swab was taken. A saline wash‐out period was completed and a third swab taken. A final 28‐day regimen of the opposite product was followed by a final swab. DNA extraction and sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene allowed for global microbiome analysis.ResultsWe enrolled 25 subjects with CRS and 10 controls resulting in 70 adequate samples. Increased detection of Lactococcus was observed after use of L. lactis. No significant trends in alpha or beta diversity as a result of treatment were observed. SNOT‐22 score did not change significantly following treatment with xylitol, L. lactis, or saline.ConclusionWe did not detect any major clinical or microbiome‐level effect due to treatment with two topical rinse products. Further research is needed to elucidate their clinical utility and possible probiotic effect.Level of Evidence3.
A Clinical Perspective on the Automated Analysis of Reflectance Confocal Microscopy in Dermatology
Authors: Mehrabi Joseph N. , Baugh Erica G. , Fast Alexander , Lentsch Griffin , Balu Mihaela , Lee Bonnie A. , Kelly Kristen M. 
Published: January 2021

Background and ObjectivesNon‐invasive optical imaging has the potential to provide a diagnosis without the need for biopsy. One such technology is reflectance confocal microscopy (RCM), which uses low power, near‐infrared laser light to enable real‐timein vivovisualization of superficial human skin from the epidermis down to the papillary dermis. Although RCM has great potential as a diagnostic tool, there is a need for the development of reliable image analysis programs, as acquired grayscale images can be difficult and time‐consuming to visually assess. The purpose of this review is to provide a clinical perspective on the current state of artificial intelligence (AI) for the analysis and diagnostic utility of RCM imaging.Study Design/Materials and MethodsA systematic PubMed search was conducted with additional relevant literature obtained from reference lists.ResultsAlgorithms used for skin stratification, classification of pigmented lesions, and the quantification of photoaging were reviewed. Image segmentation, statistical methods, and machine learning techniques are among the most common methods used to analyze RCM image stacks. The poor visual contrast within RCM images and difficulty navigating image stacks were mediated by machine learning algorithms, which allowed the identification of specific skin layers.ConclusionsAI analysis of RCM images has the potential to increase the clinical utility of this emerging technology. A number of different techniques have been utilized but further refinements are necessary to allow consistent accurate assessments for diagnosis. The automated detection of skin cancers requires more development, but future applications are truly boundless, and it is compelling to envision the role that AI will have in the practice of dermatology. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2020 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Does the Time of Onset of Urinary Symptoms Affect Microablative Fractional CO2 Laser Efficacy in Postmenopausal Women?
Authors: Ruffolo Alessandro F. , Casiraghi Arianna , Marotta Elena , Degliuomini Rebecca , Parma Marta , Athanasiou Stavros , Benini Vittoria , Candiani Massimo , Salvatore Stefano 
Published: January 2021

Background and ObjectiveTo evaluate the safety and efficacy of transvaginal fractional microablative CO2 laser therapy (MLT) on urinary symptoms in postmenopausal women with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM) in relation to the timing of their onset; if prior to or after menopause. Secondary, the efficacy of MLT on vulvovaginal atrophy (VVA)‐related symptoms.Study Design/Materials and MethodsThis is a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data. Postmenopausal women affected by at least one urinary symptom (urinary frequency, urgency incontinence, stress urinary incontinence) and VVA symptom each (dryness, dyspareunia, itching, burning) were enrolled. Our population was divided into two groups in relation to the onset of urinary symptoms, prior to or after menopause. Women were treated with three CO2 MLT laser sessions, administered at a 4‐week interval. For urinary symptoms evaluation, we used the following disease‐specific questionnaires previously validated in Italy: the Urogenital Distress Inventory score (UDI‐6) and the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire‐Short Form (ICIQ‐SF). For each single VVA symptom, we assessed patient's severity perception with a 10‐point visual analog scale. Time points of the study were at entry (T0) and at 16 weeks since the first treatment (T1). Collected data were analyzed with the Pearson χ
2 test for categorical variables and the Wilcoxon rank‐sum test (for non‐normally distributed data), and statistical significance was defined with a P‐value <0.05.ResultsSixty‐one women were enrolled in this study. Overall, at T1 MLT brought to a significant improvement in urinary symptoms (P < 0.05) in women with urinary symptoms started after the menopause (Group B), contrary to the ones with urinary symptoms started before the menopause (Group A). Specifically, urinary frequency significantly improved only in Group B (P < 0.05), while urgency incontinence, significantly reduced in both groups (P < 0.05). Stress urinary incontinence did not significantly improve in both groups (P > 0.05). Secondary, all VVA symptoms showed a statistically significant improvement (P < 0.05) at 16 weeks from baseline; no differences were registered between groups. No adverse events were recorded.ConclusionThis study confirms the safety and efficacy of CO2 MLT for GSM symptoms. When urinary symptoms are considered, it seems that MLT might have a higher efficacy when symptoms started after menopause, in particular when they are part of the OAB syndrome. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC
Nanocomposites of PEDOT:PSS with Graphene and its Derivatives for Flexible Electronic Applications: A Review
Authors: Adekoya Gbolahan Joseph , Sadiku Rotimi Emmanuel , Ray Suprakas Sinha 
Published: January 2021

AbstractRapid technological advancements in flexible nanoelectronics have fueled the need for high‐performance materials with advanced structural architectures and superior properties. In this regard, conducting polymer nanocomposites are at the forefront of current innovative research owing to their excellent properties. Among these sets of unique materials, poly(3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene)‐poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) nanocomposites continue to pave the way in several applications including those entailing thermoelectricity, transparent electrodes, photovoltaics, technical coatings, lighting, sensing, bioelectronics, hole transport layers, interconnectors, electroactive layers, and motion‐sensing conductors. The versatility and intriguing properties of these composites, particularly with 2D nanomaterials, have garnered significant attention from academia as well as industry. Therefore, in this review, the latest developments in PEDOT:PSS nanocomposites with graphene and its derivatives are focused on. First, the synthesis and fabrication of PEDOT:PSS nanocomposites with emphasis on recent techniques developed to overcome the challenges associated with direct production is discussed. Thereafter, the characterization and thermoelectric properties of the materials are explained. This provides detailed insights into the characteristic features of various nanocomposites and the influence of individual nanoparticles in the PEDOT:PSS matrix. Then, a conclusion, including a critical summary of the extensive applications of the PEDOT:PSS/graphene nanocomposites for electrochemical, electrostatic, optoelectronic, and thermoelectric devices, is provided.
Transition probability estimates for subordinate random walks
Authors: Cygan Wojciech , Šebek Stjepan 
Published: January 2021

AbstractLet be a symmetric simple random walk on the integer lattice . For a Bernstein function ϕ we consider a random walk which is subordinated to . Under a certain assumption on the behaviour of ϕ at zero we establish global estimates for the transition probabilities of the random walk . The main tools that we apply are a parabolic Harnack inequality and appropriate bounds for the transition kernel of the corresponding continuous time random walk.
Construction of a risk map to understand the vulnerability of various types of cancer patients to COVID‐19 infection
Authors: He Jian , Yang Xufang , Wang Hui 
Published: January 2021

AbstractCOVID‐19 is leading to a global pandemic and invades human cells via ACE2. ACE2 was found to be abundantly expressed in many organs and cells. However, there is no evidence about the potential risk of various types of cancer patients vulnerable to the infection of COVID‐19. To obtain a risk map that indicates the novel coronavirus vulnerability of different types of cancer, we analyzed in this work the RNA sequencing datasets of cancer patients. By interrogating the datasets, we not only identified the cancer types vulnerable to COVID‐19 attacks, but also we reported that variations in the mRNA expression level of ACE2 correlate to various prognosis phenomenon in different types of cancer cohorts, and illustrated the underlying mechanism involved or may be related to lymphocytes infiltration. From these discoveries, we constructed an infection risk map, which indicates the vulnerability of different types of cancer to COVID‐19 infection, also elucidated the correlationship between ACE2 and the prognosis of cancer. We found that high ACE2 expression levels lead to high risk of COVID‐19 infection and poor prognosis of breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA), while better prognosis in ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OV) patient cohorts. Moreover, our study demonstrated that this different pattern may correlate with the immune infiltration level.
Identification of voids and interlaminar shear strengths of polymer‐matrix composites by optical microscopy experiment and deep learning methodology
Authors: Luo Ling , Zhang Boming , Lei Yongpeng , Zhang Guowei , Zhang Zhenchong , Meng Bangke , Liu Zhen 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe internal void defects induced during the manufacturing process of polymer‐matrix composites can significantly degrade the mechanical properties of the composite, particularly the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). In this study, we developed an innovative integrated methodology based on a deep learning semantic segmentation algorithm, named DeepLabV3+, and a theoretically driven equation to automatically identify voids in optical images and investigate the relationship between the microscopic voids and macroscopic ILSS parameters of the composite laminates. Results suggest that for the best fine‐tuned DeepLabV3+ framework, the corresponding mean pixel accuracy and intersection over union scores on the testing set were 99.84% and 90.82%, respectively, thereby indicating the potential of the generalized trained model. In addition, detailed experiments revealed that the proposed method can successfully obtain the ILSS values of laminates with different void contents. In addition, the ILSS values of the carbon/epoxy laminates decreased by approximately 27% with an increase in the void content from 0.07% to 3.14%.
(Nano)Fibrillar morphology development in biobased poly(butylenesuccinate‐co‐adipate)/poly(amide‐11) blown films
Authors: Dadouche Tarek , Yousfi Mohamed , Samuel Cédric , Lacrampe Marie‐France , Soulestin Jérémie 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThin films with (nano)fibrillar morphologies were successfully obtained in fully‐biobased poly(butylene succinate‐co‐adipate)/poly(amide‐11) blends (PBSA/PA11, 85/15 wt/wt) using an extrusion‐blowing process. Impacts of PA11 grade and take‐up ratio on the morphology of PBSA/PA11 were particularly highlighted. Scanning electron microscopy analyses indicated that PA11 with high melt volume‐flow rates are beneficial to the development of (nano)fibrillar morphologies in PBSA/PA11 blown film. On the contrary, unstable film blowing processing without fibrillar morphologies was attested for PA11 with low melt volume‐flow rates. Increasing the take‐up ratio during extrusion‐blowing of PBSA/PA11 clearly generates finer PA11 (nano)fibrils into PBSA. Fibril diameters down to 300 nm could be reached with an optimal PA11 grade promoting enhanced mechanical properties (higher ductility and toughness). The formation of stable PA11 (nano)fibrils into PBSA is discussed via rheological assessments of viscosity/elasticity ratio. A specific attention was finally paid to the PBSA strain‐hardening behavior in PBSA/PA11 using elongational rheological tests. PA11 (nano)fibrillation helps maintaining the strong PBSA strain‐hardening and thus play a major role on the processability of PBSA/PA11 blends by extrusion blowing. As a conclusion, the PA11 grade represents a crucial parameter to control the production of PBSA/PA11 blown films with refined (nano)fibrillar structures and enhanced physico‐chemical properties.
Flexible poly(dimethyl siloxane) composites enhanced with 3D porous interconnected three‐component nanofiller framework for absorption‐dominated electromagnetic shielding
Authors: Mandal Avinandan , Zheng Yuanyuan , Cui Jian , Yan Yehai 
Published: January 2021

AbstractA new poly(dimethyl siloxane) (PDMS) composite was developed based on the 3D porous interconnected framework that is fabricated from reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and Dy2O3 decorated single‐walled carbon nanotube (Dy2O3@SWNT). Despite merely containing ~0.6 wt% fillers, the composite prepared by backfilling 3D framework (3D‐Dy2O3@SWNT‐rGO) with PDMS prepolymer acquires as high as 32.9 dB of absorption‐dominated (92.3%–96.9%) electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness in X‐band, and up to 47% and 52% increments of respective compressive strength and modulus at 50% strain relative to PDMS. These performances result from the excellent combination of electrical conductivity (up to 0.317 S cm−1), magnetism (up to 7.1 × 10−5 emu g−1 of susceptibility), and mechanical toughness (complete recovery after 80% compression) in a single three‐component filler system of 3D‐Dy2O3@SWNT‐rGO. Moreover, the organic integration of mechanical flexibility of PDMS with shape‐tunable ability of 3D‐Dy2O3@SWNT‐rGO enables PDMS composites developed here to EMI‐shield any shape surfaces.
Ensemble Kalman filter for nonconservative moving mesh solvers with a joint physics and mesh location update
Authors: Sampson Christian , Carrassi Alberto , Aydoğdu Ali , Jones Chris K.R.T 
Published: January 2021

AbstractNumerical solvers using adaptive meshes can focus computational power on important regions of a model domain capturing important or unresolved physics. The adaptation can be informed by the model state or external information, or made to depend on the model physics. In this latter case, one can think of the mesh configuration as part of the model state. If observational data are to be assimilated into the model, the question of updating the mesh configuration with the physical values arises. Adaptive meshes present significant challenges when using popular ensemble data assimilation (DA) methods. We develop a novel strategy for ensemble‐based DA, for which the adaptive mesh is updated along with the physical values. This involves including the node locations as a part of the model state itself, allowing them to be updated automatically at the analysis step. This poses a number of challenges, which we resolve to produce an effective approach that promises to apply with some generality. We evaluate our strategy with two testbed models in one dimension (1‐d), comparing them with a strategy we previously developed that does not update the mesh configuration. We find that updating the mesh improves the fidelity and convergence of the filter. An extensive analysis on the performance of our scheme beyond just the root‐mean‐squared error (RMSE) is also presented.
Authenticating bioplastics using carbon and hydrogen stable isotopes – An alternative analytical approach
Authors: Rogers Karyne M. , Turnbull Jocelyn C. , Dahl Jenny , Phillips Andy , Bridson Jamie H. , Raymond Laura G. , Liu Zhi , Yuan Yuwei , Hill Stefan J. 
Published: January 2021

RationaleA combination of stable carbon (δ13C) and hydrogen (δ2H) isotope ratios and carbon content (% C) was evaluated as a rapid, low‐cost analytical approach to authenticate bioplastics, complementing existing radiocarbon (14C) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analytical methods.MethodsPetroleum‐ and bio‐based precursor materials and in‐market plastics were analysed and their δ13C, δ2H and % C values were used to establish isotope criteria to evaluate plastic claims, and the source and biocontent of the samples. 14C was used to confirm the findings of the isotope approach and FTIR analysis was used to vertify the plastic type of the in‐market plastics.ResultsDistinctive carbon and hydrogen stable isotope ratios were found for authentic bio‐based and petroleum‐based precursor plastics, and it was possible to classify in‐market plastics according to their source materials (petroleum, C3, C4, and mixed sources). An estimation of C4 biocontent was possible from a C4‐petroleum isotope mixing model using δ13C which was well correlated (R2 = 0.98) to 14C. It was not possible to establish a C3‐petroleum isotope mixing model due to δ13C isotopic overlap with petroleum plastics; however, the addition of δ2H and % C was useful to evaluate if petroleum‐bioplastic mixes contained C3 bioplastics, and PLS‐DA modelling reliably clustered each plastic type.ConclusionsA combined dual stable isotope and carbon content approach was found to rapidly and accurately identify C3 and C4 bio‐based products from their petroleum counterparts, and identify instances of petroleum and bio‐based mixes frequently found in mislabelled bioplastics. Out of 37 in‐market products labelled as bioplastic, 19 were found to contain varying amounts of petroleum‐based plastic and did not meet their bio‐based claims.
Internal standard application strategies in mass spectrometry imaging by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Perez Consuelo J. , Ifa Demian R. 
Published: January 2021

RationaleWe developed a model case study to evaluate three internal standard (IS) application strategies (methods I–III) using the psycholeptic phenobarbital (PB) and the isotopically labelled IS phenobarbital‐D5 (PB‐D5) from in vitro dosed tissues of the golden apple snail (Pomacea diffusa) by desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI‐MSI).MethodsIn method I, the IS was deposited as microspots on top of 10 μm thick snail tissues; in method II, a thin IS film was applied; and in method III, the IS was spiked into the DESI solvent spray. DESI‐MSI analyses were performed using a Thermo LTQ mass spectrometer equipped with a custom‐built DESI source and two‐dimensional moving stage. PB (m/z 231) and PB‐D5 (m/z 236) were monitored in selected ion monitoring mode between m/z 227 and 239.ResultsThe analytical performance of two IS strategies (methods I and II) in DESI‐MSI was evaluated based on an intra‐ and inter‐day precision assay, an accuracy assessment, and statistical analysis. In the inter‐day DESI‐MSI assay, method I exhibited better precision (6.5%–7.4%) than method II (10.7%–17.6%) between 10 and 100 ng/μL. In the accuracy assessment, PB quality controls of 75 ng/μL were back‐calculated as 71 ± 4 and 83 ± 9 ng/μL, resulting in relative errors of −5% and 11% for methods I and II, respectively. Method III did not work under the experimental design and was not evaluated.ConclusionsThree IS application strategies were investigated and compared for a routine quantitative DESI‐MSI approach. Methods I and II were not statistically significantly different as shown by a Bland–Altman plot, suggesting that these two methods can be used interchangeably. However, method III requires further research for future quantitative DESI‐MSI analyses.
Novel 1‐Triazolylpyranopyrazoles as Highly Potent Anticancer Agents Obtained via MW‐Assisted Synthesis
Authors: Kumar Rakesh , Yadav Neha , Leekha Ankita , Bawa Rashim , Gahlyan Parveen , Bhandari Mamta , Arora Ritu , Kamra Verma Anita , Kakkar Rita 
Published: January 2021

AbstractA series of novel 1‐triazolylpyranopyrazole derivatives has been designed and synthesized using microwave irradiation, with the purpose of obtaining repositioned pharmaceutics. The newly synthesized 1‐triazolylpyranopyrazoles (7 a–7 n), along with their precursor alkyne (5), have been screened for their in‐vitro anti‐tumor activity against Hep3B and HEK cell lines. The majority of triazolylpyranopyrazoles elicited outstanding anti‐cancer activity on Hep3B cell lines even at concentrations as low as 25μg/mL. Further, molecular docking of these active compounds against Topoisomerase IIa substantiated a plausible target site for the compounds inhibiting Hep3B cells effectively. The biological assay results for the triazolylpyranopyrazole even surpassed the activity of the reference drug i. e. Doxorubicin, thereby appearing to be potent anticancer agents.