bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of a Novel Molecularly Imprinted Polyvinylimidazole/Functionalized Carbon Black Nanocomposite‐based Paste Electrode for Electrochemical Sensing of Imazethapyr in Rice Samples
Authors: Angelis Pedro Nunes , Casarin Juliana , Gonçalves Júnior Affonso Celso , Rocha Luana Rianne , Prete Maiyara Carolyne , Tarley César Ricardo Teixeira 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThis paper reports the development of a simple electroanalytical method for imazethapyr (IMT) determination in rice samples based on molecularly imprinted polymer and functionalized carbon black paste electrode (MIP‐fCBPE). Carbon black (CB) was functionalized by the insertion of oxygenated functional groups upon acid treatment with HNO3 and H2SO4. The functionalized carbon black (fCB) presented higher performance for IMT determination than the CB without functionalization. The insertion of molecularly imprinted polyvinylimidazole (MIP‐VN) in the fCBPE promoted a significant increase in the cathodic peak current even at low proportions (7.5 % w/w) due to the specific binding sites for IMT recognition. For IMT determination, DPV parameters were optimized by the Doehlert matrix applying 0.1 V for 60 s as pre‐treatment in acetate buffer solution (pH 3.0) as supporting electrolyte. The proposed method showed low limit of detection (0.03 μmol L−1), a wide linear range (0.10–70.00 μmol L−1), and good precision in terms of repeatability of intraday measures (RSD%=3.6). The method was applied in rice samples after microwave‐assisted extraction of IMT and the accuracy of the method was evaluated by addition/recovery assays (96.3–105.7 %), being statistically attested using HPLC‐DAD as reference technique.
A New Electrochemical Sensor Based on Carbon Black Modified With Palladium Nanoparticles for Direct Determination of 17α‐Ethinylestradiol in Real Samples
Authors: dos Santos Fernandes Juliana , Fernandes Julia Oliveira , Bernardino Cassiano Augusto Rolim , Mahler Claudio Fernando , Braz Bernardo Ferreira , Santelli Ricardo Erthal , Cincotto Fernando Henrique 
Published: December 2021

AbstractElectrochemical sensors to quantify concentrations of emerging pollutants have attracted great attention from the industry and scientific community. Nanomaterials such as carbon black have been applied in sensors to identify substances that are toxic to the environment and human health due to their excellent electroanalytical properties. The aim of the study was to develop a novel electrochemical sensor for the endocrine disruptor hormone determination. To our knowledge, for the first time the synthesis of material based on carbon black containing immobilized palladium nanoparticles, with the application for the hormone ethinylestradiol, is reported in the literature. The material was synthesized, characterized, and applied to the determination in tap water and human urine of the synthetic hormone 17α‐ethinylestradiol (EE2), which is currently considered an emerging pollutant. The morphology, structure and electrochemical performance of the sensors were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and cyclic voltammetry (CV). Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) in sodium phosphate buffer solution at pH 5.0 allowed the generation of a method to quantify the concentration of 17α‐ethinylestradiol in a linear range of 0.5–119.0 μmol L−1, obtaining 81.0 nmol L−1 of calculated limit of detection (LOD). The system was efficient in detecting 17α‐ethinylestradiol in real urine samples and showed no interferences for ascorbic acid, uric acid, progesterone, and dopamine. It is noteworthy that the results obtained showed good recovery values, considering that the urine samples were not previously treated or pre‐concentrated, which suggests the development of an electrochemical sensor that works in situ and in real time to monitor relevant substances in the control clinical and environmental, with the possibility of point‐of‐care analyses.
Passifloroideae from coastal Piauí, Brazil
Authors: da Silva Kaylhitta Lima , dos Santos Alessandra Souza , Silva Maria Francilene Souza , Mayo Simon Joseph , de Andrade Ivanilza Moreira 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIn this floristic study, four species of Passiflora (Passiflora cincinnata, P. foetida, P. misera, P. subrotunda) were recorded in the coastal region of the Brazilian State of Piauí. The taxa occur in habitats with moist, muddy, sandy and stony substrates. The most prevalent species were P. foetida and P. subrotunda. An identification key is provided, together with descriptions of the species and data on their occurrence and distribution in the study region.
Facilitating Machine Learning‐Guided Protein Engineering with Smart Library Design and Massively Parallel Assays
Authors: Chu Hoi Yee , Wong Alan S. L. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractProtein design plays an important role in recent medical advances from antibody therapy to vaccine design. Typically, exhaustive mutational screens or directed evolution experiments are used for the identification of the best design or for improvements to the wild‐type variant. Even with a high‐throughput screening on pooled libraries and Next‐Generation Sequencing to boost the scale of read‐outs, surveying all the variants with combinatorial mutations for their empirical fitness scores is still of magnitudes beyond the capacity of existing experimental settings. To tackle this challenge, in‐silico approaches using machine learning to predict the fitness of novel variants based on a subset of empirical measurements are now employed. These machine learning models turn out to be useful in many cases, with the premise that the experimentally determined fitness scores and the amino‐acid descriptors of the models are informative. The machine learning models can guide the search for the highest fitness variants, resolve complex epistatic relationships, and highlight bio‐physical rules for protein folding. Using machine learning‐guided approaches, researchers can build more focused libraries, thus relieving themselves from labor‐intensive screens and fast‐tracking the optimization process. Here, we describe the current advances in massive‐scale variant screens, and how machine learning and mutagenesis strategies can be integrated to accelerate protein engineering. More specifically, we examine strategies to make screens more economical, informative, and effective in discovery of useful variants.
Maternal caregiving representations of the infant in the first year of life: Associations with prenatal and concurrent reflective functioning
Authors: Alismail Fatimah , Stacks Ann M. , Wong Kristyn , Brown Suzanne , Beeghly Marjorie , Thomason Moriah 
Published: December 2021

AbstractFew studies have examined whether maternal caregiving representations are associated with maternal reflective functioning (MRF), especially when MRF is evaluated longitudinally beginning in pregnancy. This study addresses this gap by evaluating whether prenatal and postnatal MRF are associated with mothers’ caregiving representations assessed at 7 months postpartum, and by exploring theoretically unexpected MRF scores in each of the representational categories. Forty‐seven mothers were recruited during their last trimester of pregnancy from an obstetrics clinic at a university hospital located in a large mid‐western city in the United States. During pregnancy, mothers completed the Pregnancy Interview, and at 7 months postpartum they completed the Parent Development Interview (PDI) and the Working Model of the Child Interview. Results indicate that higher prenatal and postnatal MRF increased the odds of being classified as balanced versus disengaged. At 7 months, MRF also increased the odds of being balanced vs. distorted. Ten mothers who were classified as balanced or distorted had unexpected prenatal MRF scores, and six mothers had unexpected MRF scores when representations were assessed concurrently. Mothers classified as balanced with low MRF scores tended to have a low level of education, whereas mothers classified as distorted with high MRF scores had responses that were hostile, helpless, and role‐reversed.
Msi2‐mediated MiR7a‐1 processing repression promotes myogenesis
Authors: Yang Wenjun , Yang Lele , Wang Jianhua , Zhang Yuanyuan , Li Sheng , Yin Qi , Suo Jinlong , Ma Ruimiao , Ye Yuzhen , Cheng Hong , Li Jinsong , Hui Jingyi , Hu Ping 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBackgroundMost of the microRNAs (MiRs) involved in myogenesis are transcriptional regulated. The role of MiR biogenesis in myogenesis has not been characterized yet. RNA‐binding protein Musashi 2 (Msi2) is considered to be one of the major drivers for oncogenesis and stem cell proliferation. The functions of Msi2 in myogenesis have not been explored yet. We sought to investigate Msi2‐regulated biogenesis of MiRs in myogenesis and muscle stem cell (MuSC) ageing.MethodsWe detected the expression of Msi2 in MuSCs and differentiated myotubes by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT‐qPCR) and western blot. Msi2‐binding partner human antigen R (HuR) was identified by immunoprecipitation followed by mass spectrometry analysis. The cooperative binding of Msi2 and HuR on MiR7a‐1 was analysed by RNA immunoprecipitation and electrophoresis mobility shift assays. The inhibition of the processing of pri‐MiR7a‐1 mediated by Msi2 and HuR was shown by Msi2 and HuR knockdown. Immunofluorescent staining, RT‐qPCR and immunoblotting were used to characterize the function of MiR7a‐1 in myogenesis. Msi2 and HuR up‐regulate cryptochrome circadian regulator 2 (Cry2) via MiR7a‐1 was confirmed by the luciferase assay and western blot. The post‐transcriptional regulatory cascade was further confirmed by RNAi and overexpressing of Msi2 and HuR in MuSCs, and the in vivo function was characterized by histopathological and molecular biological methods in Msi2 knockout mice.ResultsWe identified a post‐transcription regulatory cascade governed by a pair of RNA‐binding proteins Msi2 and HuR. Msi2 is enriched in differentiated muscle cells and promotes MuSC differentiation despite its pro‐proliferation functions in other cell types. Msi2 works synergistically with another RNA‐binding protein HuR to repress the biogenesis of MiR7a‐1 in an Msi2 dose‐dependent manner to regulate the translation of the key component of the circadian core oscillator complex Cry2. Down‐regulation of Cry2 (0.6‐fold, vs. control, P < 0.05) mediated by MiR7a‐1 represses MuSC differentiation. The disruption of this cascade leads to differentiation defects of MuSCs. In aged muscles, Msi2 (0.3‐fold, vs. control, P < 0.01) expression declined, and the Cry2 protein level also decreases (0.5‐fold, vs. control, P < 0.05), suggesting that the disruption of the Msi2‐mediated post‐transcriptional regulatory cascade could attribute to the declined ability of muscle regeneration in aged skeletal muscle.ConclusionsOur findings have identified a new post‐transcriptional cascade regulating myogenesis. The cascade is disrupted in skeletal muscle ageing, which leads to declined muscle regeneration ability.
Facile precipitation microfluidic synthesis of Monodisperse and inorganic hollow microspheres for Photocatalysis
Authors: Li Chunlin , Wang Zhiyu , Xie Hua , Bao Jun , Wei Yingxu , Lin Bingcheng , Liu Zhongmin 
Published: December 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDHollow microspheres have potential applications for wide‐range fields, especially photocatalysis, attracting tremendous attention in material science. However, conventional synthesis of hollow microspheres involves complicated procedures, high cost and poor yields, greatly impeding their development. Due to the limitations of raw material for the polymerization or hydrolysis routes so far the hollow materials prepared in a microfluidics chip were limited to some specific substances.RESULTSHerein, a controllable precipitating reaction strategy in droplets was presented to form the hollow structure from easily accessible industrial chemical materials (such as nitrates of Zinc, Copper and Cobalt, and Ferrous sulfate). After generating monodisperse droplets and followed introducing precipitant into the droplets in a microfluidics chip, the spherical shell was constructed through the accumulation of precipitated particles at the oil/water interface of droplets and further particle growth on the inner shell. As a result, hollow microspheres with a Janus shell of different inner and outer morphology were formed. The photocatalytic activities of these hollow microspheres were evaluated for RhB photodegradation oxidation based on heterogeneous photo‐Fenton. The photocatalytic activities of the fresh hollow samples showed better than their solid samples or their oxidized hollow samples.CONCLUSIONWith microfluidic technology, the transition‐metallic inorganic hollow microspheres can be rapid, low‐costly manufactured through direct precipitation reaction in droplets. The prepared α‐Co(OH)2 hollow microspheres showed promising photocatalytic activity. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Cryoprecipitate as an alternative to platelet transfusion in thrombocytopenia
Authors: Crispin Philip , Hicks Sarah , Coupland Lucy A. , Ali Sidra , Gardiner Elizabeth E. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPlatelet transfusions are not always available for bleeding in severe thrombocytopenia, as storage outside of major centers is limited by their short shelf‐life. Data are lacking to support alternative available blood products; however, additional fibrinogen has been shown to enhance clot formation in vitro. To test the hypothesis that cryoprecipitate supplementation could improve clot formation in severe thrombocytopenia, eight hematological malignancy patients with platelet counts under 10 × 109/L each had 10 units of apheresis cryoprecipitate transfused prior to planned prophylactic platelet transfusions. The primary endpoint of thromboelastometry amplitude at 20 min increased by a mean of 5.1 mm (p < 0.01) following cryoprecipitate transfusion despite persisting thrombocytopenia. Thromboelastometry clotting times reduced by a mean of 7.8 s (p < 0.05) and alpha angle increased by a mean of 10.6⁰ (p < 0.01). These results are consistent with cryoprecipitate enhancing the strength of the fibrin/platelet meshwork within the forming thrombus. While platelet transfusion remains the standard of care, where platelet supplies are limited, these data provide a rationale for the use of cryoprecipitate to obtain hemostasis in bleeding thrombocytopenic patients.
Incidence and trends of middle ear cholesteatoma surgery and mastoidectomy in Australia—A national hospital morbidity database analysis
Authors: Li Jonathan , Jufas Nicholas , Forer Martin , Patel Nirmal 
Published: December 2021

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the incidence of middle ear cholesteatoma surgery and assess trends in mastoidectomy procedures in Australia.Study designCross‐sectional population‐based study using data from the National Hospital Morbidity Database.MethodsAdmitted care episodes containing the principal diagnosis of middle ear cholesteatoma were analyzed for two 12‐month periods of 2007–2008 and 2017–2018. Surgical admissions involving mastoidectomy were identified by procedure codes. Incidence rate per 100,000 person‐years were compared between study periods.ResultsOf the 3855 middle ear cholesteatoma admissions, 3558 (92.3%) involved surgery, with the incidence rate for cholesteatoma surgical admissions estimated at 8.6 per 100,000 (95% CI: 8.2–9.0) and 8.1 per 100,000 (95% CI: 7.7–8.5) for 2017–2018 and 2007–2008, respectively. Population aged 10–19 years had the highest age‐specific incidence rate at 12.5 per 100,000 (95% CI: 11.3–13.9) for 2017–2018. The 60 years and over age groups had the highest decennial percentage increase. Mastoidectomy procedures were consistently used in over half of all surgical admissions. An increase in the rate of canal wall up (CWU) mastoidectomy procedure related admissions was observed (rate ratio of 1.62 [95%CI: 1.41–1.86], P <.001) and was offset by a decreased rate of canal wall down (CWD) procedure associated admissions (0.69 [95% CI: 0.61–0.78], P <.001]).ConclusionsThe incidence rate of cholesteatoma surgery in Australia is estimated at 8.6 per 100,000. Mastoidectomy continues to play an essential role in cholesteatoma surgery with a trend favoring CWU over CWD mastoidectomy.Level of evidence: 4
The impact of genotype on outcomes in individuals with Duchenne muscular dystrophy: A systematic review
Authors: Szabo Shelagh M. , Gooch Katherine L. , Mickle Alexis T. , Salhany Renna M. , Connolly Anne M. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDuchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is associated with progressive muscle weakness, loss of ambulation (LOA), and early mortality. In this review we have synthesized published data on the clinical course of DMD by genotype. Using a systematic search implemented in Medline and Embase, 53 articles were identified that describe the clinical course of DMD, with pathogenic variants categorizable by exon skip or stop‐codon readthrough amenability and outcomes presented by age. Outcomes described included those related to ambulatory, cardiac, pulmonary, or cognitive function. Estimates of the mean (95% confidence interval) age at LOA ranged from 9.1 (8.7‐9.6) years among 90 patients amenable to skipping exon 53 to 11.5 (9.5‐13.5) years among three patients amenable to skipping exon 8. Although function worsened with age, the impact of genotype was less clear for other outcomes (eg, forced vital capacity and left ventricular ejection fraction). Understanding the distribution of pathogenic variants is important for studies in DMD, as this research suggests major differences in the natural history of disease. In addition, specific details of the use of key medications, including corticosteroids, antisense oligonucleotides, and cardiac medications, should be reported.
A peptidoform based proteomic strategy for studying functions of post‐translational modifications
Authors: Liu Yansheng 
Published: December 2021

AbstractProtein post‐translational modifications (PTMs) generate an enormous, but as yet undetermined, expansion of the produced proteoforms. In this Viewpoint, we firstly reviewed the concepts of proteoform and peptidoform. We show that many of the current PTM biological investigation and annotation studies largely follow a PTM site‐specific rather than proteoform‐specific approach. We further illustrate a potentially useful matching strategy in which a particular “modified peptidoform” is matched to the corresponding “unmodified peptidoform” as a reference for the quantitative analysis between samples and conditions. We suggest this strategy has the potential to provide more directly relevant information to learn the PTM site‐specific biological functions. Accordingly, we advocate for the wider use of the nomenclature “peptidoform” in future bottom‐up proteomic studies.
Tough and self‐healable carrageenan‐based double network microgels enhanced physical hydrogels for strain sensor
Authors: Sun Huan , Li Shitong , Li Ke , Liu Yanhua , Tang Cheng , Liu Zhuangzhuang , Zhu Lin , Yang Jia , Qin Gang , Chen Qiang 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDouble network hydrogels (DN gels) demonstrate extremely high strength and toughness; however, conventional DN gels are fully chemically crosslinked, which are often softening and lack self‐healing. Here, a new type of fully physical DN (P‐DN) gels, that is, K+ ions crosslinked κ‐carrageenan (K+C) microgel (MG) composite hydrophobically crosslinked polyacrylamide (HPAAm) gels or K+C‐MG/HPAAm gels, in which the HPAAm gel was physically crosslinked by hydrophobic interactions as well as topologically crosslinked by P‐DN microgels, were prepared by a facile one‐pot method. At the optimal condition, K+C‐MG/HPAAm gel exhibited high strength (0.36 MPa) and high toughness (968 J/m2). In addition, it can rapidly recover from softening and display good fatigue resistance. Notably, K+C‐MG/HPAAm gel also demonstrated self‐healing properties on account of its physical nature. Because there are anionic κ‐carrageenan and KCl, K+C‐MG/HPAAm gels are ionic conductive, which were used as strain sensors to monitor the human motions. We believe our K+C‐MG/HPAAm gels provide a new insight in the field of DN gels.
Modeling the stimulation by glutathione of the steady state kinetics of an adenosine triphosphate binding cassette transporter
Authors: Fan Chengcheng , Rees Douglas C. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractWe report the steady state ATPase activities of the ATP Binding Cassette (ABC) exporter NaAtm1 in the absence and presence of a transported substrate, oxidized glutathione (GSSG), in detergent, nanodiscs, and proteoliposomes. The steady state kinetic data were fit to the “nonessential activator model” where the basal ATPase rate of the transporter is stimulated by GSSG. The detailed kinetic parameters varied between the different reconstitution conditions, highlighting the importance of the lipid environment for NaAtm1 function. The increased ATPase rates in the presence of GSSG more than compensate for the modest negative cooperativity observed between MgATP and GSSG in lipid environments. These studies highlight the central role of the elusive ternary complex in accelerating the ATPase rate that is at the heart of coupling mechanism between substrate transport and ATP hydrolysis.
Toroidal & Orbifold Compactifications at Large D and D‐Duality
Authors: Lüst Dieter 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIn this paper I will further investigate the spectrum of quantum gravity or string theories at large number of dimensions. We will see that volumes of certain orbifolds shrink at large D. It follows that the mass spectra of the leading Kaluza‐Klein towers and also of wrapped brane states on these orbifolds possess a non‐trivial dependence on D: KK modes become heavy at large D, whereas wrapped branes become light. This observation can be used either to apply the Large Dimension Conjecture or, as we will do, to investigate the possibility of a D‐duality symmetry, which relates in gravity compactifications of different dimensions. We will set up the general rules for D‐duality in higher dimensional gravity. However due to existence of the critical dimensions, D‐duality is quite restricted in string theory. As simple tests for D‐duality in string theory, we will discuss the duality between M‐theory on a two‐dimensional orbifold, namely the Möbius strip, and an IIB S‐fold on a circle, which corresponds to the heterotic CHL string, as well the duality between a (truncated) 12‐dimensional theory on a three‐dimensional orbifold and another IIB S‐fold compactification. Finally I also comment on the possible existence of exotic theories at large D.
Crystal structure of O‐ureidoserine racemase found in the d‐cycloserine biosynthetic pathway
Authors: Oda Kosuke , Sakaguchi Takemasa , Matoba Yasuyuki 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe O‐ureidoserine racemase (DcsC) is an enzyme found from the biosynthetic gene cluster of antitubercular agent d‐cycloserine. Although DcsC is homologous to diaminopimelate epimerase (DapF) that catalyzes the interconversion between ll‐ and dl‐diaminopimelic acid, it specifically catalyzes the interconversion between O‐ureido‐l‐serine and its enantiomer. Here we determined the crystal structure of DcsC at a resolution of 2.12 Å, implicating that the catalytic mechanism of DcsC shares similarity with that of DapF. Comparing the structure of the active center of DcsC to that of DapF, Thr72, Thr198, and Tyr219 of DcsC are likely to be involved in the substrate specificity.