bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Acute and Sub-chronic Toxicity Studies on Methanol Stem Bark Extract of Frankincense Tree (Boswellia dalzielii) and Leaves Extract of Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus)
Authors: Salihu S. , Otitolaiye C. A. , Hizbullah M. U. 
Published: January 2021

Aim: Frankincense tree (Boswellia dalzielii) and Kenaf (H. cannabinus) are plants abundantly found in north-western Nigeria. These plants are very popular among the locals as potent sources of ethno medicine. The present study investigates the oral acute toxicity potentials of methanolic stem bark extract of frankincense tree and Kenaf leaves, as well as sub-chronic toxicity potentials of the plants extracts on the kidney and liver of Albino rats.
Study Design: Laboratory-experimental design was used for this study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was carried out between September 2019 and November
2019 at Biochemistry laboratory, Sokoto State University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
Methodology: For the oral acute toxicity study, the revised “Up and Down” test (Limit Dose Test) was used to determine the LD50 of the extracts. For sub-chronic toxicity study, twenty albino rats were used for each plant, and were divided into four groups of five animals each. Group I (control), Group II (received 200 mg extract/kg body weight), Group III (received 400 mg extract/kg body weight) and Group IV (received 800 mg extract/kg body weight). All administrations were given orally for 28 days. Liver and kidney markers were determined using standard methods.
Result: The oral acute toxicity test of the plant extracts at 3000 mg/kg body weight showed no mortality for 24 hours and subsequent 14days of administration. LD50 for both plants is therefore greater than 3000 mg/kg. The result shows no significant differences (p > 0.05) on liver and kidney function biomarkers investigated when Group II, III and IV are compared with control.
Conclusion: This suggests that Frankincense stem bark and kenaf leaves extracts may be safe in rats at doses less than or equal 3000 mg/kg.
Robotization of Tomato Fruits Production to Enhance Food Security
Authors: Idama O. , Uguru H. 
Published: January 2021

The world is facing food insecurity problem due to shortage of workforce and growing world population. Robotization of crop production will help to boost food production, through effective labour conservation. This study was carried out to optimize the performance of tomato fruits’ robotic harvesters, through field practices (pre-harvest treatments). Tomato (Cv. UC82B) was cultivated under four major field practices, which were: control, organic treatment, inorganic treatment using potassium nitrate (KNO3), and combine treatment using the combination of compost manure and KNO3. Tomato fruits were harvested at the pink maturity stage and were subjected to compression test, using the Universal Testing Machine, at three compression speeds of 15 mm/min, 20 mm/min and 25 mm/min. Results obtained from the study showed that, field practices and compression speed significantly (p ≤0.05) affected the failure parameters (failure force, failure energy and deformation) of the tomato fruits. Regardless of the compression speed, the fruits produced with combined treatment had the highest failure parameters; while the control fruits developed the least failure parameters. Tomato fruit produced using the combined treatment developed failure force, failure energy and deformation of 87.60 N, 701.97 N.mm and 16.88 mm respectively. In the terms of the compression speed, the study revealed that the ability of the fruits to absolved compression force declined significantly, as the compression speed increased from 15 mm/min to 25 mm/min, across the four treatments regimes. These results will be useful during the programming and application of automatic tomato fruits harvesting robots, to optimize their efficiency, hence improving food security condition.
Awareness and Practice of Infection Control Protocol Amid Covid-19 Pandemic in Private Dental Clinics in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Ahmed Suhael , Alotaibi Khaled Saad Hamad , Binyahya Fatima Abdullah , Albaijan Ibrahim Abduljalil , Alfaleh Nasser Ahmed , Albaradie Saleem Issam , Almotawa Mohammed Fahd , Alshakaki Nidal Tareef , Softah Nada Ameen , Tabassum Nafeesa , Alafaliq Fajr , Alasmari Rana Saad 
Published: January 2021

Aim: The purpose of our research was to assess the knowledge and awareness regarding infection control practice against coronavirus infection in various dental clinics in Saudi Arabia.
Methodology: A descriptive survey was conducted amongst 200 dentists. The study was conceptualised in riyadh elm university, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and inlcuded dentists from various dental clinics across kingdom of saudi arabia in the month of november,2020. A questionnaire consisting of 12 questions was distributed, based upon knowledge of COVID-19, transmission as well as prevention strategies that can be implemented in dental clinics for stopping the chain of outbreak of this pandemic. The data was analyzed with the help of descriptive statistics using SPSS 25 software.
Results: 71% of study participants felt the need for using N-95 masks routinely during patient treatment. An astounding number of participants (92%), believed that there have been significant changes in infection control after COVID-19 pandemic. 65% of participants believed that High volume evacuators (HVE) suction devices, as well as High efficiency articulate air (HEPA) filters, need to be used to control aerosol spread so as to prevent COVID-19 infection.
Conclusion: Dentists in Saudi Arabia showed satisfactory knowledge and positive attitude towards COVID-19. Improving dentists’ level of knowledge could be achieved through increasing their accessibility to materials provided by dental health care authorities, which specifies the best and safest approaches for dealing with patients during and after the outbreak.
Preoperative C-reactive Protein as a Prognostic Factor in Stage IV Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Kondo Hiroka , Hirano Yasumitsu , Ishii Toshimasa , Ishikawa Shintaro , Fujii Takatsugu , Asari Masahiro , Kataoka Atsuko , Kataoka Masahiro , Shimamura Satoshi , Yamaguchi Shigeki 
Published: January 2021

Background
A prognosis for stage IV colorectal cancer is generally poor. As a result, the development of an appropriate treatment strategy for each individual with this disease within a limited time frame is important. Few studies have been made of C-reactive protein (CRP) in stage IV cases of colorectal cancer, so it is unclear whether CRP is a useful prognostic marker for this disease. Thus, the purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between the preoperative CRP level and the prognosis of stage IV colorectal cancer.

Patients and methods
Between April 2007 and December 2015, a total of 384 patients with stage IV colorectal cancer who underwent primary resection were included. Patients were divided into high (HCG) and low (LCG) CRP groups based on a preoperative CRP cutoff value of 1.0 mg/dL. Postoperative short- and long-term results were examined retrospectively.

Results
The 5-year survival rate was 24.6% for HCG and 36.7% for LCG, indicating the survival rate for HCG was lower. The study was limited to patients who were unable to undergo R0 surgery. Preoperative CEA levels were higher in HCG, whereas the postoperative chemotherapy induction rate was lower. HCG also showed a significantly lower survival rate than LCG. Multivariate analysis showed that CRP levels above 1.0 mg/dL, poorly differentiated histopathology, and the absence of chemotherapy were risk factors affecting overall survival.

Conclusion
These results suggest that the preoperative CRP level may be a useful biomarker for the prognosis of incurable stage IV colorectal cancer.
Self‐Assembly and Mechanical Properties of Engineered Protein Based Multifunctional Nanofiber for Accelerated Wound Healing
Authors: Augustine George , Aarthy Mayilvahanan , Thiagarajan Hemalatha , Selvaraj Sowmya , Kamini Numbi Ramdu , Shanmugam Ganesh , Ayyadurai Niraikulam 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe present work reports a new route for preparing tunable multifunctional biomaterials through the combination of synthetic biology and material chemistry. Genetically encoded catechol moiety is evolved in a nanofiber mat with defined surface and secondary reactive functional chemistry, which promotes self‐assembly and wet adhesion property of the protein. The catechol moiety is further exploited for the controlled release of boric acid that provides a congenial cellular microenvironment for accelerated wound healing. The presence of 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine in the nanofiber mat act as a stimulus to trigger cell proliferation, migration, and vascularization to accelerate wound healing. Electron paramagnetic resonance, NMR, FTIR, and circular dichroism spectroscopy confirm the structural integrity, antioxidant property, and controlled release of boric acid. Fluorescent and scanning electron microscopy reveals the 3D architecture of nanofiber mat, which favors fibroblast growth, endothelial cell attachment, and tube formation, which are the desirable properties of a wound‐healing material. Animal studies in the murine wound healing model assert that the multifunctional biomaterial significantly improve re‐epithelialization and accelerate wound closure.
Catalytic Asymmetric Aza‐Diels‐Alder Reaction: Pivotal Milestones and Recent Applications to Synthesis of Nitrogen‐Containing Heterocycles
Authors: Vinogradov Maxim G. , Turova Olga V. , Zlotin Sergei G. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIn this review, the pivotal achievements and recent advances in catalytic asymmetric aza‐DAR reported up to 2020 are retrospectively considered and their potency for enantioselective synthesis of useful chiral piperidine, quinoline, pyridazine, oxazine and oxadiazine derivatives and fused compounds of higher molecular complexity bearing these pharmacology‐relevant heterocyclic scaffolds is demonstrated. The reported data are systematized according both to key electron transfer modes (normal or invers electron demand reactions) and to main types of attainable heterocyclic products. Of significant attention are an analysis of activation strategies (complexation, enamine or enolate formation, H‐bonding, etc.) applicable to reactions with particular types of dienes and dienophiles and identification of plausible reaction pathways (either concerted or stepwise) over stereoselective cyclization processes. The review contains 310 references and 122 synthetic schemes.magnified image
Use of Imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridin‐3‐ylidene as a Platform for Metal‐Imidazole Cooperative Catalysis: Silver‐Catalyzed Cyclization of Alkyne‐Tethered Carboxylic Acids
Authors: Rawat Vishal Kumar , Higashida Kosuke , Sawamura Masaya 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSilver complexes with 5‐(4‐(tert‐butyl)‐1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)‐imidazo[1,5‐a]pyridin‐3‐ylidene ligands were synthesized as metal‐imidazole acid‐base cooperative catalysts. Single crystal XRD analysis revealed that the silver atom was located in the vicinity of the imidazole ring and that cationic silver complexes formed dimers through coordination between the silver metal and the imidazole pendant. These cationic silver complexes served as catalysts for cyclization of alkyne‐tethered carboxylic acids. NMR experiments indicated that the dimeric cationic silver complex dissociated to a monomer upon protonation of the imidazole moiety, resulting in coordination of an acetonitrile to the silver atom. DFT calculations supported the acid‐base cooperative action of the silver‐imidazole for the efficient alkyne‐carboxylic acid cyclization.magnified image
Perovskite Nanosheet Hydrogels with Mechanochromic Structural Color
Authors: Yang Wenqi , Yamamoto Shinya , Sueyoshi Keiichiro , Inadomi Takumi , Kato Riki , Miyamoto Nobuyoshi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractStructural color colloidal sols of perovskite nanosheets were synthesized and were immobilized in a polymer hydrogel film by in situ photopolymerization, leading to a novel mechanochromic material. Visible absorption spectroscopy, polarized optical microscopy and small‐angle X‐ray scattering revealed that the nanosheets are aligned parallel to the film surface with the periodic distance of up to ca. 300 nm, giving the structural color tunable over full color range. The present structural color gel showed reversible mechanochromic response that detects weak stress of 1 kPa with the quick response time less than 1 ms as well as high mechanical toughness (compressive breaking stress of up to 3 MPa). These excellent properties are suitable for applications for mechano‐sensors and displays.
Vacancy‐Enabled O3 Phase Stabilization for Manganese‐Rich Layered Sodium Cathodes
Authors: Xiao Biwei , Wang Yichao , Tan Sha , Song Miao , Li Xiang , Zhang Yuxin , Lin Feng , Han Kee Sung , Omenya Fredrick , Amine Khalil , Yang Xiao‐Qing , Reed David , Hu Yanyan , Xu Gui‐Liang , Hu Enyuan , Li Xin , Li Xiaolin 
Published: January 2021

AbstractManganese‐rich layered oxide materials hold great potential as low‐cost and high‐capacity cathodes for Na‐ion batteries. However, they usually form a P2 phase and suffer from fast capacity fade. In this work, an O3 phase sodium cathode has been developed out of a Li and Mn‐rich layered material by leveraging the creation of transition metal (TM) and oxygen vacancies and the electrochemical exchange of Na and Li. The Mn‐rich layered cathode material remains primarily O3 phase during sodiation/desodiation and can have a full sodiation capacity of ca. 220 mAh g−1. It delivers ca. 160 mAh g−1 specific capacity between 2–3.8 V with >86 % retention over 250 cycles. The TM and oxygen vacancies pre‐formed in the sodiated material enables a reversible migration of TMs from the TM layer to the tetrahedral sites in the Na layer upon de‐sodiation and sodiation. The migration creates metastable states, leading to increased kinetic barrier that prohibits a complete O3‐P3 phase transition.
Observation of Transition from Ferroelasticity to Ferroelectricity by Solvent Selective Effect in Anilinium Bromide
Authors: Fu Da‐Wei , Gao Ji‐Xing , Huang Pei‐Zhi , Ren Rui‐Ying , Shao Ting , Han Li‐Jun , Liu Jia , Gong Jun‐Miao 
Published: January 2021

AbstractOrganic ferroelectrics are highly desirable for their light weight, mechanical flexibility and biocompatibility. However, the rational design of organic ferroelectrics has always faced great challenges. Anilinium bromide (AB) has two structures reported in the Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre, which might be an mmmF2/m type ferroelastic (AB‐1). When we studied its ferroelasticity, we were surprised to discover that there was another crystal (AB‐2) in H2O besides this one, and they were very difficult to separate. By changing the solvent, we found that AB‐1 crystals could be formed in ethanol, where ferroelastic domains were visualized by polarized light microscopy, and AB‐2 crystals could be obtained from various crystallization solvents of methanol, isopropanol, N‐butanol, acetonitrile, dimethyl sulfoxide, and N,N‐dimethylformamide, which undergo a ferroelectric phase transition with mm2Fm, showing clear ferroelectricity in two phases. To our knowledge, the regulation of ferroelasticity to ferroelectricity by solvent selective effect is unprecedented in the field of ferroelectrics. This work reveals the important role of solvent effect in organic ferroelectrics.
Improvements of the structural, thermal, and mechanical properties of structural adhesive with functionalized boron nitride nanoparticles
Authors: Gültekin Kürşat , Uğuz Gediz , Özel Adnan 
Published: January 2021

AbstractInvestigations on the production and development of nanoparticle‐reinforced polymer materials have been attracted attention by researchers. Various nanoparticles have been used to improve the mechanical, chemical, thermal, and physical properties of polymer matrix composites. Boron compounds come to the fore to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of polymers. In this study, mechanical, thermal, and structural properties of structural adhesive have been examined by adding nano hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) to epoxy matrix at different percentages (0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5%). For this purpose, nano h‐BN particles were functionalized with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) to disperse the h‐BN nanoparticles homogeneously in epoxy matrix and to form a strong bond at the matrix interface. Two‐component structural epoxy adhesive was modified by using functionalized h‐BN nanoparticles. The structural and thermal properties of the modified adhesives were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersion X‐ray spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis techniques. Tensile test and dynamic mechanical analysis were performed to determine the mechanical properties of the adhesives. When the results obtained from analysis were examined, it was seen that the nano h‐BN particles functionalized with APTES were homogeneously dispersed in the epoxy matrix and formed a strong bond. In addition that, it was concluded from the experimental results that the thermal and mechanical properties of adhesives were improved by adding functionalized nano h‐BN particles into epoxy at different ratios.
Rational design of vapor‐deposited self‐crosslinking polymer for transparent flexible oxygen barrier coatings
Authors: Sheng Weijie , Chen Ying , Mao Haizhuo , Li Yanshuo , Xiao Xinle , Wang Chunting , Ye Yumin , Liu Wenna 
Published: January 2021

AbstractTransparent flexible barrier coatings consisting of a copolymer of 2‐isocyanatoethyl methacrylate and 4‐aminostyrene were fabricated using a facile vapor‐based initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) method. The isocyanate and amino groups were well reserved during deposition and reacted on the substrate surface, inducing self‐crosslinking. The resultant coating showed a fairly smooth pinhole‐free surface with more than 99% light transmittance across the visible range. With a proper compositional ratio, the synthesized coating demonstrated oxygen permeability 26 and 8 times lower than commercial PET and PVDF barrier films, respectively. The achieved barrier performance is attributed to the designed molecular structure, where interchain crosslinks are produced between a combination of both rigid and flexible side chains. Such combination enabled efficient packing of space while avoiding loose structures with low permeation resistance. The crosslinked network with rather flexible urea linkages also imparted excellent mechanical strength and high flexibility to the coating. Furthermore, the reported method is compatible with current industrial manufacturing process, thus expecting great potential in flexible electronics encapsulation.
Understanding the Effects of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions: A Project AIM Meta‐analysis
Authors: Crank Jenna E. , Sandbank Micheal , Dunham Kacie , Crowley Shannon , Bottema‐Beutel Kristen , Feldman Jacob , Woynaroski Tiffany G. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractWe examined the quality of evidence supporting the effects of Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions (NBDIs) for facilitating change in young children with autism. We also investigated whether effects varied as a function of specific features of the intervention, samples, and outcomes measured. Twenty‐seven studies testing the effects of NDBIs were extracted from data collected for the Autism Intervention Meta‐analysis (Project AIM), a comprehensive meta‐analysis of group design, nonpharmacological intervention studies for children with autism aged 0–8 years. We extracted effect sizes for 454 outcomes from these studies for use in meta‐regression analyses testing associations between intervention effects and mean participant chronological age, language age, autism symptomatology, percentage of sample reported as male, cumulative intervention intensity, interventionist, outcome boundedness, outcome proximity, and risk of parent/teacher training correlated measurement error. The extant literature on NDBIs documents effects on social communication, language, play, and cognitive outcomes. However, our confidence in the positive and significant summary effects for these domains is somewhat limited by methodological concerns. Intervention effects were larger for context‐bound outcomes (relative to generalized), and for proximal outcomes (relative to distal). Our results indicate that NDBIs have promise as an approach for supporting development for some, but not all of the core and related features of autism in early childhood. Confidence in summary effect estimates is limited by study quality concerns, particularly an overreliance on measures subject to high detection bias. The results of this review support the use of proximity and boundedness as indicators of the limits of intervention effects.Lay summaryNaturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions may increase language, social communication, play skills, and cognition in young children with autism, but these increases are largest for skills directly targeted by the intervention, and in contexts that are similar to that of the intervention. These conclusions are tempered by some concerns regarding research design across the studies that have been conducted to date. Autism Res 2021, 14: 817–834. © 2021 International Society for Autism Research and Wiley Periodicals LLC
Fragment‐Based Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Screen against a Regulator of G Protein Signaling Identifies a Binding “Hot Spot”
Authors: Hayes Michael P. , O'Brien Joseph B. , Crawford Rachel A. , Fowler C. Andrew , Yu Liping , Doorn Jonathan A. , Roman David L. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractRegulator of G protein signaling (RGS) proteins have attracted attention as a result of their primary role in directing the specificity as well as the temporal and spatial aspects of G protein‐coupled receptor signaling. In addition, alterations in RGS protein expression have been observed in a number of disease states, including certain cancers. In this area, RGS17 is of particular interest. It has been demonstrated that, while RGS17 is expressed primarily in the central nervous system, it has been found to be inappropriately expressed in lung, prostate, breast, cervical, and hepatocellular carcinomas. Overexpression of RGS17 leads to dysfunction in inhibitory G protein signaling and an overproduction of the intracellular second messenger cAMP, which in turn alters the transcription patterns of proteins known to promote various cancer types. Suppressing RGS17 expression with RNA interference (RNAi) has been found to decrease tumorigenesis and sufficiently prevents cancer cell migration, leading to the hypothesis that pharmacological blocking of RGS17 function could be useful in anticancer therapies. We have identified small‐molecule fragments capable of binding the RGS homology (RH) domain of RGS17 by using a nuclear magnetic resonance fragment‐based screening approach. By chemical shift mapping of the two‐dimensional 15N,1H heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) spectra of the backbone‐assigned 15N‐labeled RGS17‐RH, we determined the fragment binding sites to be distant from the Gα interface. Thus, our study identifies a putative fragment binding site on RGS17 that was previously unknown.