bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Excellent Outcome in Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Treating Patients With Acute‐on‐Chronic Liver Failure
Authors: Wang Yu‐Chen , Yong Chee‐Chien , Lin Chih‐Che , Alam Humaira , Naseer Faisal , Lin Yu‐Hung , Yeh Cheng‐Hsi , Wang Shih‐Ho , Lin Tsan‐Shiun , Lin Ting‐Lung , Lee Wei‐Feng , Chan Yi‐Chia , Wang Chih‐Chi , Chen Chao‐Long 
Published: May 2021

Acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) is a fatal condition, and liver transplantation (LT) is a vital option for these patients. However, the result of living donor LT (LDLT) for ACLF is not well investigated. This study investigated the outcomes of LDLT in patients with ACLF compared with patients without ACLF. This was a single‐center, retrospective, matched case‐control study. From July 2002 to March 2017, a total of 112 patients with ACLF who underwent LDLT were enrolled according to the consensus of the Asian Pacific Association for the Study of the Liver. A total of 224 patients were selected for control comparison (non‐ACLF) with demographic factors (sex, age, and body mass index) matched (1:2). Patients with ACLF were stratified into ACLF 1, 2, and 3 categories according to the number of organ failures based on the Chronic Liver Failure–Sequential Organ Failure Assessment score. Survival and surgical outcomes after LDLT were analyzed. The Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease and Child‐Turcotte‐Pugh scores in the ACLF group were significantly higher than those in the non‐ACLF group (P < 0.001). The 90‐day, 3‐year, and 5‐year survival rates in the ACLF and non‐ACLF groups were 97.3%, 95.5%, 92.9%, respectively, and 96.9%, 94.2%, and 91.1%, respectively (P = 0.58). There was more intraoperative blood loss in the ACLF group than in the non‐ACLF group (P < 0.001). The other postoperative complications were not significantly different between the groups. A total of 20 patients (17.9%) in the ACLF group presented with 3 or more organ system dysfunctions (ACLF 3), and the 90‐day, 3‐year, and 5‐year survival rates were comparable with those of ACLF 1 and ACLF 2 (P = 0.25). In carefully selected patients, LDLT gives excellent outcomes in patients with ACLF regardless of the number of organs involved. Comprehensive perioperative care and timely transplantation play crucial roles in saving the lives of patients with ACLF.
Three‐dimensional assessment of brain arterial compliance: Technical development, comparison with aortic pulse wave velocity, and age effect
Authors: Li Yang , Lim Chantelle , Schär Michael , Jiang Dengrong , Qiao Ye , Pillai Jay J. , Lu Hanzhang 
Published: May 2021

PurposeThe ability to measure cerebral vascular compliance (VC) is important in the evaluation of vascular diseases. Additionally, quantification of arterial wall pulsation in the brain may be useful for understanding the driving force of the recently discovered glymphatic system. Our goal is to develop an MRI technique to measure VC and arterial wall pulsation in major intracranial vessels.MethodsA total of 17 healthy subjects were studied on a 3T MRI system. The technique, called VaCom‐PCASL, uses pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling (PCASL) to obtain pure blood vessel signal, uses a 3D radial acquisition, and applies a golden‐angle radial sparse parallel (GRASP) algorithm for image reconstruction. The k‐space data were retrospectively sorted into different cardiac phases. The GRASP algorithm allows the reconstruction of 5D (three spatial dimensions, one control/label dimension, and one cardiac‐phase dimension) data simultaneously. The proposed technique was optimized in terms of reconstruction parameters and labeling duration. Intracranial VC was compared with aortic pulse wave velocity measured with phase‐contrast MRI. Age differences in VC were studied.ResultsThe VaCom‐PCASL technique using 10 cardiac phases and GRASP sparsity constraints of λlabel/control = 0.05 and λcardiac = 0.05 provided the highest contrast‐to‐noise ratio. A labeling duration of 800 ms was found to yield signals comparable to those of longer duration (P > .2), whereas 400 ms yielded significant overestimation (P < .005). A significant correlation was observed between intracranial VC and aortic pulse wave velocity (r = −0.73, P = .038, N = 8). Vascular compliance in the older group was lower than that in the younger group.ConclusionThe VaCom‐PCASL‐MRI technique represents a promising approach for noninvasive assessment of arterial stiffness and pulsatility.
Role of hydration and micellar shielding in tuning the structure of single crystalline iron oxide nanoparticles for designer applications
Authors: Arbi Ramis , Ibrahim Amr , Goldring‐Vandergeest Liora , Liang Kunyu , Hanta Greg , Hui Lok Shu , Turak Ayse 
Published: May 2021

AbstractDifferent physicochemical properties of nanoscale iron oxides have been useful in enabling various applications. Desirable biochemical, magnetic, and catalytic properties result from the structure and size of the iron oxide polymorph particles. To produce monodispersed single crystalline particles, PS‐b‐P2VP reverse micelle templating has proven to be a convenient low temperature method. Here, Raman spectroscopy and quantitative nanomechanical mapping analysis are used to provide a full picture of the formation and transformation processes that occur within the reverse micelle templates. Surprisingly, shielding of the hygroscopic FeCl precursor salt against hydration rather than complexation with the pyridine is responsible for the formation of ‐FeO particles. Additionally, micelle shielded nanoparticles not only exhibited a uniform size distribution and ordered dispersion, but also an increased transition temperature for the to ‐phase transition, up to 700 C, making them much more stable than traditional nanoparticles. Using these key understandings of particle formation, nanoparticles can be tuned with composition ranging from a purely spinel (‐FeO, FeO) to a purely hexagonal phase (‐FeO), and varying ratios of the three phases, while maintaining a fixed particle size. Modifying parameters offer intriguing opportunities to tailor designer iron oxide nanoparticles for targeted applications with a facile and scalable technique.
Poly(vinylidene fluoride) separators for next‐generation lithium based batteries
Authors: Liu Rong , Yuan Botao , Zhong Shijie , Liu Jipeng , Dong Liwei , Ji Yuanpeng , Dong Yunfa , Yang Chunhui , He Weidong 
Published: May 2021

AbstractLithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) have become star products in wireless electronic equipment, new energy vehicles and many other fields due to their advantages of high energy density, light weight, good stability, high charging‐discharging efficiency, long service life and environmental friendliness. The separator is an indispensable part of batteries that does not participate in electrochemical reactions, separating the anode and cathode. It has a microporous structure, which can store electrolyte and allow ions to transfer freely. Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)‐based separators are characterized by strong polarity, high dielectric constant, stable electrochemical performance, excellent tensile properties and mechanical strength, favorable thermal stability and wettability. Therefore, they are proposed to be potential candidates for novel separators in the field of LIBs. This review introduces the recent researches and advances in PVDF‐based separators for LIBs, with the characterizations and requirements for separators. It is mainly divided into the two types including monolayer and multilayer separators. Furthermore, the performance of the PVDF‐based separators is summarized, and the challenges and prospects in their practical application are briefly analyzed.
Malnutrition is associated with hyperinflammation and immunosuppression in COVID‐19 patients: A prospective observational study
Authors: Liu Heng , Zhou Liang , Wang Hugen , Wang Xiaobo , Qu Guangbo , Cai Jing , Zhang Hong 
Published: May 2021

BackgroundCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is spreading globally and has caused many deaths. This study investigated, for the first time, COVID‐19 patients’ nutrition status and its effects on their inflammatory and immune responses.MethodsForty‐seven COVID‐19 patients were recruited for this prospective study. According to the subjective global assessment at admission, patients were divided into the normal nutrition (NN), risk of malnutrition (RMN), or MN group. Serum cytokines and whole blood T‐cell subpopulations were measured to assess the inflammatory and immune responses in COVID‐19 patients. Analysis of covariance and χ2 tests were used.ResultsOn admission, the incidences of MN and the RMN in COVID‐19 patients were 17.0% and 38.3%, respectively. The MN group had a higher proportion with severe/critical COVID‐19 and a longer hospitalization duration than the NN group. Serum interleukin (IL) 6 concentrations were elevated in 97.9% of the patients and were the highest in malnourished patients. The IL‐4 and IL‐10 levels were elevated in 46.8% and 48.9% of the patients, respectively. The proportion of CD8+ T cells was significantly lower in the MN group than in the NN group.ConclusionA high proportion of COVID‐19 patients are malnourished or at risk of malnuourishment, especially those with severe disease. MN is associated with hyperinflammation and immunosuppression in COVID‐19 patients, and it may contribute to disease progression.
Characterizing the mechanical properties of nanocomposites with aligned graphene
Authors: Su Lin‐Shiang , Tsai Jia‐Lin 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThis study fabricated nanocomposites with aligned graphene platelets and examined their mechanical properties. Both reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and functionalized graphene (FG) were used in this study. Graphene platelets were incorporated into epoxy matrix through mechanical mixing, followed by sonication for homogeneous dispersion. To align the graphene platelets, before curing, an electric field was applied to the epoxy–graphene compound. Real‐time microscopic observation revealed that under an electric field, the graphene platelets rotated, translated, and eventually formed a chain‐like microstructure along the electric field. Tensile tests were conducted on the nanocomposites with aligned graphene, and failure mechanisms were identified using scanning electrical microscopy of the fracture surfaces. For comparison, nanocomposites with randomly oriented graphene were prepared and then subjected to tensile loading. Moreover, the moduli of the graphene nanocomposites were characterized using the modified Mori–Tanaka micromechanical model. The experimental results indicated that the nanocomposites with aligned graphene exhibited higher tensile moduli and tensile strength than those with randomly oriented graphene. Moreover, the nanocomposites with FG had superior interfacial properties and thus superior mechanical properties compared with those with RGO.
Simultaneous quantitative analysis of ten bioactive flavonoids in Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride (Qing Pi) by ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography and high‐resolution mass spectrometry combined with chemometric methods
Authors: He Xiaofang , Huang Sisi , Wu Mengmei , Wu Menghua , Zhang Ying , Ma Zhiguo , Liu Li , Cao Hui 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIntroductionCitri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride (Qing Pi in Chinese) is a clinically effective Chinese herb, which contains biologically valuable flavonoids. Qing Pi is divided into two commodity specifications, Si Hua Qing Pi (SHQP) and Ge Qing Pi (GQP), based on the harvesting time. The flavonoid contents in Qing Pi from different origins and commodity specifications may vary significantly, which will affect their therapeutic functions. Thus, it is crucial to set up a reliable and comprehensive quality evaluation method for flavonoid analysis in Qing Pi.ObjectivesWe aimed to establish a rapid and sensitive ultrahigh‐performance liquid chromatography method coupled with diode‐array detection and high‐resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC‐DAD‐HRMS) for identification and quantification of ten flavonoids in Qing Pi. Chemometric methods were further applied to distinguish Qing Pi of different origins and specifications.MethodologyAn UPLC‐DAD‐HRMS method was developed for the simultaneous separation and quantification of ten flavonoids in 46 batches of Qing Pi samples from different sources in China. Chemometric approaches were applied to discriminate Qing Pi from different origins and commodity specifications.ResultsThe chemometric procedures (i.e., hierarchical clustering analysis and principal component analysis) were employed to identify the differences of Qing Pi samples with different origins and commodity specifications. The results showed that the contents of ten flavonoids in Qing Pi samples of different origins were significantly different, and the same results were found out between SHQP and GQP.ConclusionsThis study provides a chemical basis for quality control of Qing Pi.
Assessment of anthropogenic pollution using multiple hydrogeochemical tools and statistical analysis in rural plain basins of the Argentinian Pampean Plain
Authors: Borzi Guido , Idaszkin Yanina L. , Tanjal Carolina , Galliari Julieta , Carol Eleonora 
Published: May 2021

AbstractChemistry of surface water and groundwater can be conditioned by geology, anthropic influence, and exchange of flow between them. The Pampean Plain located in Argentina has gaining streams and mainly rural activities. An increase in the concentration of chemical values of surface waters with respect to groundwater can be attributed to the anthropogenic contribution. The aim of this work was to identify the natural and/or anthropic processes that determine the chemistry of surface water and groundwater in a sector of the Pampean Plain of Argentina through the analysis of major and trace elements, 18O and 2H isotopes, and statistical tools. A surface water and groundwater sampling network was designed, where physicochemical parameters were measured, and samples were taken to determine major and trace elements and stable isotopes of water. The results indicate that dissolution, cation exchange, and evaporation are the main processes that determine the chemistry of the major elements associated with natural processes without showing evidence of anthropic involvement. Some trace elements that are statistically associated with major ions evidence water‐sediment interaction within the aquifer. On the other hand, trace elements, as heavy metals, present a higher concentration in surface water compared to groundwater. This fact, evidences an anthropogenic contribution attributable to anthropic activities. The multivariate statistical analysis allowed discriminating between those trace elements associated with natural processes from those influenced by anthropic activity, even when these elements' concentration was very low.
Electrochemical Sensor for Detection of Paracetamol Based on Pendent Nitrogen Heterocyclic Ring‐Functionalized Polyterthiophene Derivatives
Authors: Jamal Ruxangul , Liu Yingcheng , Abdurexit Abdukeyum , Sawut Nurbiye , Yan Yinqiang , Ali Ahmat , Abdiryim Tursun 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn this work, the donor‐acceptor (D−A) type conducting polymer with pendent nitrogen heterocycle (pyridine or pyrimidine) grafted polyterthiophene derivatives based electro‐chemical sensor for paracetamol (PAR) was proposed. The structure of polymer materials was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR), UV‐vis spectroscopy (UV‐vis), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis methods. The electrochemical performance of polymer modified electrodes was investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) methods. The effect of pendent nitrogen heterocycles on the structure and electrochemical performance of polymers were studied. The results showed that the non‐covalent interactions (hydrogen bonding and π‐π stacking) between the polymers and PAR could improve the electrochemical behavior. Compared with that of pyridine, the pyrimidine grafted polymer exhibited better electrochemical performance with a minimum detection concentration of 0.16 μM, a linear range of 0.16 μM–1300 μM, and a minimum detection limit of 0.06 μM.
Characterization Study of Cytotoxicity of Green Synthesized ZnO Nanoparticles Loaded with Anti‐Cancer Doxorubicin Drug
Authors: Gomathi Rajagopal , Suhana Harindran , Paradesi Deivanayagam 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe green synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticle (ZnO) was filled with a commercially available anti‐cancer drug, Doxorubicin (DoX). The loading of the drug into ZnO was validated using UV‐Visible and Raman spectroscopy. X‐ray diffraction data showed the wurtzite structure of the nanoparticles of ZnO. Scanning electron microphotography images detected the encapsulation of DoX drugs into ZnO nanoparticles. Fourier transformer infrared spectrum of DoX loaded ZnO showed a single band at 478 cm−1 attributed to the ZnO vibrational band and the carbonyl group peak at 1578 cm−1, suggesting the loading of DoX into ZnO. In addition, in vitro cytotoxicity of DoX, ZnO and ZnO‐DoX against HeLa cells was studied using the MTT colorimetric cell viability assay, which showed 99.4 % inhibition of ZnO‐DoX cells at a concentration of 100 μg/mL. The findings thus provide compelling evidence for green biosynthesized ZnO, which could serve as a promising nano‐drug carrier for the targeted drug delivery system.
Synthesis, Antifungal Activity and 3D‐QSAR Study of Novel (E)‐Longifolene‐Derived Tetralone Oxime Ethers
Authors: Zhang Qianan , Lin Guishan , Duan Wengui , Zhao Shuyan , He Jiamin , Lei Fuhou 
Published: May 2021

AbstractIn search of novel antifungal agents from natural renewable biomass resources, twenty‐two (E)‐longifolene‐derived tetralone oxime ether compounds were synthesized. Their structures were confirmed by IR, 1H‐NMR, 13C‐NMR, ESI‐MS and elemental analysis. The preliminary evaluation of in vitro antifungal activity showed that, at the concentration of 50 μg/mL, eight target compounds exhibited better antifungal activity than that of the positive control commercial fungicide chlorothalonil against Gibberella zeae, in which compound 5 a held excellent inhibition rate of 85.6 % against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cucumerinu, and compound 5 d displayed a good and broad‐spectrum antifungal activity. Furthermore, a preliminary three‐dimensional quantitative structure‐activity relationship (3D‐QSAR) study was carried out by the CoMFA method for the inhibitory activity of the target compounds with aromatic R substituents against G. zeae, and a reasonable and effective 3D‐QSAR model (r2=0.992, q2=0.523) was established.
One‐Pot, Multi‐Component Synthesis of Novel 2‐Amino‐[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxamide Derivatives as Antiproliferative Agents
Authors: Huo Xiansen , Ma Yufeng , Chen Zhiru , Yuan Lili , Zheng Xiaolan , Li Xiongli , Fengting  , Liang  , You Wenwei , Zhao Peiliang 
Published: May 2021

AbstractA novel series of 2‐amino‐[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxamide derivatives has been achieved successfully via an efficient one‐pot three‐component Biginelli‐like heterocyclization reaction between different benzaldehydes, 1H‐1,2,4‐triazole‐3,5‐diamine, and N‐substituted acetoacetamides in the presence of p‐toluenesulfonic acid as a catalyst. Moreover, the effects of different conditions on the reaction were well investigated. In addition, cancer cell growth inhibition activity for these target compounds was also explored, and analogue 5 l demonstrated the most potent cytotoxic activity against different cancer cells. These finds indicat that 2‐amino‐[1,2,4]triazolo[1,5‐a]pyrimidine‐6‐carboxamide core could be well worth further optimization as a potential scaffold for development of anticancer agents.
One‐Pot Synthesis of Xanthone by Carbonylative Suzuki Coupling Reaction
Authors: Loureiro Daniela R. P. , Soares José X. , Maia Ana , Silva André M. N. , Rangel Maria , Azevedo Carlos M. G. , Hansen Steffen V. , Ulven Trond , Pinto Madalena M. M. , Reis Salette , Afonso Carlos M. M. 
Published: May 2021

AbstractXanthone derivatives have a dibenzo‐y‐pyrone scaffold which has gained great interest in Medicinal Chemistry due to their diverse biological activities. Usually, its synthesis requires multi‐step synthetic routes using harsh conditions and high catalyst loadings. In this communication, we report for the first time a one‐pot synthesis of the xanthone scaffold based on a carbonylative Suzuki coupling. Iodophenol and (2‐methoxyphenyl)boronic acid were coupled under carbon monoxide, generated from a carbon monoxide surrogate. An experimental data‐based model was built to guide the reaction optimization. The optimized conditions were 1 mol% of a pincer complex as palladium catalyst, 5 equivalents of K2CO3 as base, and DMF:water (7 : 3) as solvent. The robustness of the synthetic method, namely in terms of the reactants scope, was also evaluated. This approach provided the xanthone scaffold in high yields and provided a deep insight into the carbonylative Suzuki couplings.
Self‐Organizing Microdroplet Protocells Displaying Light‐Driven Oscillatory and Morphological Evolution
Authors: Cheng Gong , Lin Chenyu , Perez‐Mercader Juan 
Published: May 2021

AbstractThe development of synthetic systems that enable the sustained active self‐assembly of molecular blocks to mimic the complexity and dynamic behavior of living systems is of great interest in elucidating the origins of life, understanding the basic principles behind biological organization, and designing active materials. However, it remains a challenge to construct microsystems with dynamic behaviors and functions that are connected to molecular self‐assembly processes driven by external energy. Here, an active self‐assembly of microdroplet protocells with dynamic structure and high structural complexity through living radical polymerization under constant energy flux is reported. The active microdroplet protocells exhibit nonlinear behaviors including oscillatory growth and shrinkage. This relies on the transient stabilization of molecular assembly, which can channel the inflow of energy through noncovalent interactions of pure synthetic components. The intercommunication of microdroplet protocells through stochastic fusion leads to the formation of a variety of dynamic and higher‐order biomimetic microstructures. This work constitutes an important step toward the realization of autonomous and dynamic microsystems and active materials with life‐like properties.
Nonhalide Materials for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Chen Jiangzhao , Park Nam‐Gyu 
Published: May 2021

AbstractPerovskite solar cells (PSCs) have witnessed great advancements in power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability. Over the past several years, various nonhalide materials have been extensively developed to enhance both PCE and stability by including them in perovskite compositions, perovskite precursor materials, additives, post‐treatment reagents, dopants for charge transport materials (CTMs), CTMs, and interfacial modifiers. In this review, various nonhalide materials reported for PSCs are described and the dependence of the photovoltaic performance on anions (or in part cations) in nonhalide materials is investigated. This review highlights the importance of synergistic and rational engineering of anions and cations of the nonhalide materials in order to maximize both PCE and stability of PSCs.