bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Peptide‐Based Functional Amyloid Hydrogel Enhances Wound Healing in Normal and Diabetic Rat Models
Authors: Shaw Ranjit , Patel Komal , Chimthanawala Niyamat M. A. , Sathaye Sadhana , Maji Samir K 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThe inability to heal on time is a key component of chronic wounds, which can result in economic, psychological, and physiological burdens. Hydrogels based on amyloid can imitate the extracellular matrix and function as scaffolds for healing wounds. In this direction, a wound dressing inspired by peptide‐based amyloid hydrogel is fabricated here. The results demonstrate that the amyloid hydrogel improves the three essential components of skin tissue regeneration: cell migration, proliferation, and collagen remodeling, both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the amyloid hydrogel accelerates wound healing and promotes wound closure within 9 and 15 d in normal and diabetic rats, respectively. Microscopic evaluation of the wound region demonstrates the ultimate stages of regeneration and skin reformation toward normal skin compared to the untreated wound. Hematoxylin and eosin‐stained hydrogel‐treated wound sites reveal faster dermal bridging, angiogenesis, and epidermal repair in both acute and chronic conditions. The hydrogel creates an environment that encourages the growth of dermal fibroblasts and the release of cytokines, decreasing inflammation with concomitant enhancement of collagen production at the site of injury. Thus, these findings suggest that amyloid‐based hydrogel can be a promising candidate for application in acute and chronic wound healing.
Nitrogen‐Doped Ultrananocrystalline Diamond – Optoelectronic Biointerface for Wireless Neuronal Stimulation
Authors: Yao Yue , Ahnood Arman , Chambers Andre , Tong Wei , Prawer Steven 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThis study presents a semiconducting optoelectronic system for light‐controlled non‐genetic neuronal stimulation using visible light. The system architecture is entirely wireless, comprising a thin film of nitrogen‐doped ultrananocrystalline diamond directly grown on a semiconducting silicon substrate. When immersed in a physiological medium and subjected to pulsed illumination in the visible (595 nm) or near‐infrared wavelength (808 nm) range, charge accumulation at the device‐medium interface induces a transient ionic displacement current capable of electrically stimulating neurons with high temporal resolution. With a measured photoresponsivity of 7.5 mA W−1, the efficacy of this biointerface is demonstrated through optoelectronic stimulation of degenerate rat retinas using 595 nm irradiation, pulse durations of 50–500 ms, and irradiance levels of 1.1–4.3 mW mm−2, all below the safe ocular threshold. This work presents the pioneering utilization of a diamond‐based optoelectronic platform, capable of generating sufficiently large photocurrents for neuronal stimulation in the retina.
Dynamic and Reversible Tuning of Hydrogel Viscoelasticity by Transient Polymer Interactions for Controlling Cell Adhesion
Authors: Scott Shane , Villiou Maria , Colombo Federico , la Cruz‐García Angeles De , Tydecks Leon , Toelke Lotta , Siemsen Katharina , Selhuber‐Unkel Christine 
Published: February 2025

AbstractCells are highly responsive to changes in their mechanical environment, influencing processes such as stem cell differentiation and tumor progression. To meet the growing demand for materials used for high throughput mechanotransduction studies, simple means of dynamically adjusting the environmental viscoelasticity of cell cultures are needed. Here, a novel method is presented to dynamically and reversibly control the viscoelasticity of naturally derived polymer hydrogels through interactions with poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG). Interactions between PEG and hydrogel polymers, possibly involving hydrogen bonding, stiffen the hydrogel matrices. By dynamically changing the PEG concentration of the solution in which polymer hydrogels are incubated, their viscoelastic properties are adjusted, which in turn affects cell adhesion and cytoskeletal organization. Importantly, this effects is reversible, providing a cost‐effective and simple strategy for dynamically adjusting the viscoelasticity of polymer hydrogels. This method holds promise for applications in mechanobiology, biomedicine, and the life sciences.
Alkaline Adjuvant Regulates Proteolytic Activity of Macrophages for Antigen Cross‐Presentation and Potentiates Radioimmunotherapy
Authors: Li Bei , Tan Yan , Lei Josh Haipeng , Deng Min , Yu Xinwang , Wang Xinyi , Lei Lek Man , He Lin , Deng Chu‐Xia , Dai Yunlu 
Published: February 2025

AbstractFailures of radiotherapy (RT) in adaptive antitumor immunomodulation often associate with recruited tissue‐repairing macrophages. Although training these macrophages to phagocytose post‐RT cancer cells reverses their protumoral performance, engulfed tumor antigens are severely underrated. In fact, regulating the processing and presentation of tumor antigens, a key determinant of tumor immunogenicity, can fundamentally affect adaptive immune responses. Here it is reported that a simple Alum‐like adjuvant (MgAl‐based hydrotalcite, bLDH) improves radioimmunotherapy via inducing antigen cross‐presentation by macrophages, independent of phenotypes. It is identified that cytidine monophosphate guanosine oligodeoxynucleotide engenders macrophages to phagocytose irradiated cancer cells. However, as semiprofessional antigen‐presenting cells, macrophages possess powerful proteolytic function that is detrimental to antigen presentation. The administration of alkaline bLDH intriguingly relieves the activity of phagolysosomal proteases with acidic pH optima by preventing phagosomal acidification resulting from the vacuolar‐type ATPase proton pump. The adjuvant‐modulated phagolysosomes thus limit antigen degradation and enhance tumor antigen cross‐presentation over tenfold. To examine from an in vivo breast tumor model, trained macrophages successfully cross‐prime antigen‐specific CD8+ T cells and curb RT‐associated metastasis. The findings propose to pay close attention to the effect of adjuvants on precision immunotherapy and highlight the positive contribution of cross‐presenting macrophages in radioimmunotherapy.
Spheroid‐on‐a‐Chip Platforms for Tumor Microenvironment and Drug Development
Authors: Uzabakiriho Pierre Claver , Jiajun Fan , Nguchu Benedictor Alexander , Iqbal Sajid , Manishimwe Clarisse , Shaw Peter 
Published: February 2025

AbstractDespite significant advancements in oncology research and therapeutic interventions, cancer continues to be the leading cause of mortality worldwide. The key challenge in addressing this pressing issue lies in the lack of precision diagnosis and a limited understanding of the nature and how the tumor microenvironment responds to therapeutic interventions. Research focusing on understanding the impact of tumor microenvironment (TME) heterogeneity on the response to cancer drugs is crucial to ensure efficient therapy. Conventional models exhibit significant constraints, including the inability to accurately imitate tumors’ complex 3D architecture and dynamic microenvironment. Recent developments in Spheroid‐On‐a‐Chip (SoC) technology provide a significant alternative, offering a tumor microenvironment closer to that of human tissue. This review explores the recent developments in SoC modeling, highlighting key spheroid formation mechanisms and techniques. The applications of the SoC platform to mimic the essential features of the tumor microenvironment and their potential role in anticancer drug development are summarized. The advantages and challenges of the technologies behind SoC devices compared to traditional in vitro models are further discussed. Lastly, future directions for transforming cancer research and improving drug development are suggested.
The Impact of Channel Geometry and Flow Regime on Endothelial Orientation and Morphology in Vessel‐on‐Chip
Authors: Jouybar Mohammad , van der Kallen Sophie , Sahebali Sheen , Bouten Carlijn , den Toonder Jaap M.J. 
Published: February 2025

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of channel geometry and applied flow on the orientation and morphology of endothelial cells (ECs) within vessel‐on‐chip (VoC) models. Traditional organ‐on‐chip models often utilize rectangular cross‐section channels, resulting in flat walls, sharp corners, and non‐uniform wall shear stress profiles, which do not accurately mimic physiological conditions. Tubular channels with circular cross‐sections provide a more in vivo‐like geometry and result in a physiological uniform wall shear stress. Here, tubular channels fabricated using sugar 3D‐printing are compared with rectangular channels made via stereolithography 3Dprinting. The results show that ECs from both blood and lymph vessels exhibit more uniform coverage and circumferential alignment in tubular channels than in rectangular channels. Unidirectional or bidirectional flow conditions align ECs parallel to the flow, overruling the circumferential alignment induced by curvature in tubular channels. Pulsatile flow enhances circumferential orientation in tubular channels, while alignment along the flow is maintained in rectangular channels. Additionally, EC orientation induced by flow impacts monocyte rolling velocities, crucial for understanding immune cell motility. This study underlines the importance of the combined effect of channel geometry and flow conditions in VoC models, and advocates for the continued development of advanced organ‐on‐chip systems that better replicate human physiology.
Development of Pectin/Gelatin/Glutathione/Calcium Chloride Crosslinked Hybrid Composite Antioxidant Edible Coatings for the Preservation of Local Butter
Authors: Al‐Ibresam Orass T. , Al‐Ali Rawdah M. , Al‐Temimi Anfal A. , Dinh Le N. M. , Yao Yin , Al‐Hilifi Sawsan A. , Agarwal Vipul 
Published: February 2025

AbstractGiven the vulnerability of butter to rancidity there continues to be a drive to develop active edible coatings to preserve the characteristics and prolong shelf‐life of butter. In this work, inspiration is taken from biomedical and pharmaceutical research and crosslinked pectin‐based edible composite coatings are developed for the preservation of butter. Pectin is blended with gelatin and glutathione to induce antioxidant characteristics and crosslinked with calcium chloride to overcome the problem of moisture sensitivity of neat pectin‐based coatings. The blended active edible coatings exhibit significant preservation characteristics in coated butter in terms of peroxide, acid, and fatty acid values during the 60 days storage period with 15 days examination intervals in a calcium chloride dose dependent response. Furthermore, the developed coatings exhibit significantly improved antioxidant properties as assessed from β‐carotene and 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) activity in coated samples compared to control prolonging the shelf‐life of coated butter. For the first time, it is demonstrated that pectin can be crosslinked to prepare edible coatings and extent of crosslinking can directly influence coating performance in food preservation. The obtained results are believed to be significant to the field and have the potential to disrupt the status quo in edible coating research and inspire commercial development of such coatings.
Full Recovery of Polyimide Wastes Into High‐Value Products Through Break and Reconstruction of Imide Ring
Authors: Chen Haodi , Liu Xuehui , Zhang Shouqin , Xu Shimei , Fu Teng , Wang Yu‐Zhong 
Published: February 2025

AbstractPolyimide (PI) is a promising engineering plastic but difficult to recycle due to its aromatic heterocyclic structures, especially for thermosetting PI. Herein, an ingenious cascade pathway for high‐value and full recovery of thermosetting PI under mild conditions is presented. Specifically, the imide ring is first broken through aminolysis to degrade PI and is reconstructed under following hydrolysis to achieve excellent thermal stability in subsequent products. When recycling thermoplastic PI, the yield of 91% and 82% appears in diamines and polyhydroxylated compounds, respectively. As focusing on the recovery of thermosetting PI, aside from the efficient recovery of diamines, the crosslinked component is converted into hyperbranched flame retardant carbonizers for preparing copolyester, and it correspondingly achieves good flame retardant effect with an addition of merely 4 wt.%. The success of this work capitalizes on the unique structure and properties of the raw material, stimulating innovative pathways in the field of thermoset waste recovery and new material design.
Toward Improving Initial Therapy of Acute Graft Versus Host Disease
Authors: Mehta Ansh Krishnachandra , Koreth John 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTAcute graft versus host disease (aGVHD) is a major complication of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation; it results from donor‐derived immune response against host tissues and typically involves the liver, skin and the GI tract. The incidence of acute GVHD is declining due to the advances in HLA typing, reduced intensity conditioning and GVHD prophylaxis. However, corticosteroids remain the mainstay frontline treatment of aGVHD for many decades and as the number of allogeneic transplants continues to increase, there remains a large unmet need to improve frontline treatment for aGVHD. In this review, we outline risk factors, epidemiology and pathogenesis of aGVHD. We discuss the evolving risk stratification, beginning from the initial Gluckesberg system to more recent biomarker‐based strategies. We summarize the completed trials that underpin current frontline management and outline future directions.
The Synergistic Effect of Ammonium Polyphosphate and a N/P/Si‐Containing Intumescent Flame Retardant on the Flame‐Retardant Properties of Polylactic Acid
Authors: Xu Feijing , Yin Nian , Gao Shanjun , Shen Chunhui 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTAmmonium polyphosphate (APP) and intumescent flame‐retardant di‐(3‐amin‐opropyltriethoxysilane) spirocyclic pentaerythritol diphosphate (PDAP) were prepared as an intumescent flame retardant with synergistic effect, and polylactic acid (PLA) was modified by melt blending. The flame retardancy of PLA/PDAP/APP was evaluated by limiting oxygen index (LOI), vertical combustion test (UL‐94), and cone calorimetry test (CCT), and the thermal stability of PLA/PDAP/APP was studied by thermogravimetric analysis and thermogravimetry‐Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The possible flame‐retardant mechanisms of PLA/PDAP/APP were analyzed based on the results of laser Raman spectroscopy and FTIR. When PDAP:APP = 2:1 and the addition amount of PDAP/APP is 20 wt%, the LOI value of PLA/IFR‐modified material is as high as 43%, and the UL‐94 test reaches V‐0 level, and in the CCT, the PHRR and THR of PLA/PDAP/APP (2:1)‐modified material are reduced by 80.7% and 76.8%, respectively, compared with pure PLA, and the carbon residue is as high as 62.01%. The results show that the compound APP/PDAP has an excellent flame‐retardant effect on PLA, which provides a good research case for PLA flame‐retardant‐modified plastic materials.
Choosing Words to Limit Stigma: The Use of Person‐First Language in Birth Defects Research
Authors: Bascom Jacqueline T. , Agopian A. J. 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTBackgroundBirth defects are associated with psychosocial stress and stigma, in addition to increased mortality and lifelong disabilities. The language and phrasing used to describe individuals with birth defects in scientific writing can affect attitudes that contribute to stigma. Using a “person‐first” writing structure (e.g., “infants with Down syndrome”) instead of “identity‐first” language (e.g., “Down syndrome infants”) is intended to promote respect and inclusivity. Our work aims to enhance awareness and advocacy of person‐first language among researchers and professionals in birth defects research, with the goal of reducing stigma and adopting language that prioritizes dignity for individuals and their families.MethodsWe analyzed 52 population‐based birth defects articles published by the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) between 2002 and 2024, which we expect to exemplify writing practices among U.S. birth defects epidemiologists. We evaluated the use of person‐first and identity‐first language in population‐based birth defects research and advocated for increased consideration of person‐first language in the field.ResultsAmong 52 NBDPN articles reviewed, seven (13%) articles used person‐first language only, N = 6 (12%) used identity‐first language only, 38 (73%) used both, and one (2%) used neither.ConclusionWe encourage researchers to consider using person‐first language when describing individuals with birth defects in epidemiologic studies and in training birth defects epidemiologists, while acknowledging that some communities may also prefer an identity‐first framework (e.g., the “Deaf community”).
A Survey on the Criteria Used to Judge (Fake) News in Italian Population
Authors: Battista Fabiana , Lanciano Tiziana , Curci Antonietta 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTIntroductionFake news detection falls within the field of deception detection and, consequently, can be problematic due to no consensus on which cues increase the detection accuracy and because people's ability to detect is poor.MethodsThe present study aimed to investigate the criteria used by general population to establish if a given news item is true or fake by surveying a sample of the Italian population. We recruited 329 participants who had to reply to some questions on which criteria they used to conclude a given news item was true. The same questions were also asked to investigate the ones used for fake news judgments.Results and ConclusionOur results showed that, overall, people use similar criteria (e.g., reliability of the source and presence of scientific references) to conclude that news is true versus fake, although their use rates differ for true and fake news.
Effects of Low Intensity Focused Ultrasound Stimulation Combined With Functional Electrical Stimulation on Corticospinal Excitability and Upper Extremity Fine Motor Function
Authors: Desai Naaz , Grippe Talyta , Arora Tarun , Bhattacharya Amitabh , Gunraj Carolyn , Chen Robert 
Published: February 2025

AbstractIntroductionFunctional electrical stimulation (FES) is used to retrain motor function in neurological disorders but typically requires multiple sessions and shows limited benefits in chronic cases. Low‐intensity transcranial focused ultrasound stimulation (TUS) is a noninvasive brain stimulation (NIBS) method offering greater focality and deeper penetration than current NIBS techniques. TUS delivered in a theta burst pattern (tbTUS) for 80 s produces neuroplastic changes with long‐term potentiation‐like effects lasting up to 60 min in healthy adults. Since tbTUS increases cortical excitability, combining it with FES may enhance neuroplasticity. We hypothesized that combining tbTUS with FES would result in increased corticospinal excitability compared to FES alone and lead to greater improvement in fine motor skills as assessed by Nine‐Hole Peg Test (NHPT) scores.MethodsFifteen healthy participants underwent two study visits consisting of real or sham tbTUS of the left motor cortex immediately followed by 30 min of FES of the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and the opponens pollicis (OP) muscles for fine motor function training of the right hand. Motor‐evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from the right FDI, OP, and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscles at baseline (BL), immediately after real or sham tbTUS (T0), immediately after 30 min of FES training (T45), and at 15 (T65) and 30 min (T80) post‐FES. NHPT was delivered at BL and at T80.ResultsData from 14 participants were analyzed. It showed a significant decrease in MEP amplitudes of FDI and OP at T45 following only real tbTUS+FES with a return to BL at T80. No significant changes were seen in the NHPT scores in either condition.ConclusionReal tbTUS+FES combined with voluntary movement results in immediate corticospinal inhibition with a return to BL at ∼20 min post‐stimulation suggestive of homeostatic metaplasticity. These findings highlight the potential of tbTUS+FES as a neuromodulatory intervention, warranting further exploration in neurological conditions for therapeutic applications.
Effect of Mind Mapping Combined With Behavior Rating Scale on Medical Compliance Behavior of Atrial Fibrillation Patients Underwent Radiofrequency Ablation
Authors: Xu Huan , Qiu Yuncheng , Wang Yanshan , Song Kunqing , Guo Xuemin , Wang Li , Zhang Yonglou 
Published: February 2025

ABSTRACTBackground:Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients undergoing radiofrequency ablation require diligent postoperative care for optimal outcomes. This study investigated the impact of combining mind mapping with behavior rating scales on medical compliance behavior in this population.Methods:A total of 108 AF patients post‐radiofrequency ablation were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 54) or an intervention group (n = 54). Both groups received standard education, while the intervention group additionally received education using mind mapping and behavior rating scales. Compliance was assessed using a medical compliance behavior scale at baseline, discharge, and 1‐ to 3‐month follow‐ups.Results:The intervention group demonstrated significantly higher medication compliance rates at discharge (86.9% vs. 65.9%, p = 0.027), 1 month (73.9% vs. 46.8%, p = 0.011), and 3 months (60.9% vs. 36.2%, p = 0.023) compared to the control group. They also scored higher in medical compliance behavior across all dimensions and had improved quality of life scores at 3 months post‐discharge.Conclusions:Integrating mind mapping with behavior rating scales into post‐radiofrequency ablation care significantly enhances medication compliance, medical compliance behavior, and quality of life among AF patients.