bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Elevated interleukin‐6 in women with binge‐eating spectrum disorders
Authors: Campanile Alexis A. , Eckel Lisa A. , Keel Pamela K. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractObjectiveBinge‐eating spectrum disorders (BESD) involve large eating episodes accompanied by a sense of loss of control that occur in individuals with body weights spanning the full body mass index (BMI) spectrum. While research links BESD with peripheral inflammation, this literature is limited by underpowered studies and a failure to control for confounding variables that could promote inflammation independent of dysregulated eating, specifically elevated body adiposity and depression. Our study examined plasma interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), a marker of peripheral inflammation, in a sample of women with BESD and non‐eating disorder controls, controlling for BMI, body adiposity, and depression.MethodParticipants (N = 94) included women with BESD (n = 73) or no eating disorder (n = 21) who completed structured clinical interviews in a larger study, selected to represent BMI categories ranging from underweight to obese in both groups. Fasting blood samples were processed for plasma IL‐6 concentration via enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. In addition to assessing group differences in plasma IL‐6, exploratory analyses examined associations between IL‐6 and biological and clinical markers of BESD.ResultsSignificantly elevated plasma IL‐6 was found in women with BESD, relative to controls, that was not accounted for by BMI, adiposity, or depression. Plasma IL‐6 was positively correlated with plasma leptin concentration, clinical assessments of eating disorder severity, and participants' largest self‐reported eating episode.DiscussionPeripheral inflammation is specifically linked to presence of dysregulated eating independently from weight, adiposity, and depression in BESD. Future research should probe the potential role of neuroinflammation in altered eating behavior.Public SignificanceThis study provides the first demonstration that inflammation, characterized by elevated plasma IL‐6 concentration, is uniquely associated with dysregulated eating in a transdiagnostic group of individuals with BESD. A better understanding of whether immune factors contribute to dysregulated eating could help identify novel biological targets for intervention.
Deep‐sea meiofaunal communities in the south‐eastern Levantine basin and their shaping factors – Morphological‐taxonomy‐free metabarcoding approach
Authors: Harbuzov Zoya , Farberova Valeria , Tom Moshe , Lubinevsky Hadas 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe <3% dissimilar Amplicon Sequence Variant (ASV) clusters of the 18S‐V4 barcode were used as species‐proxies for the evaluation of ASV composition and ASV diversity indices characterizing the hitherto poorly investigated meiofaunal communities of the south‐eastern part of the Levantine basin. Accompanied by abundance measurements, the relationships of these characteristics with sedimentary and bottom terrain parameters were interpreted. The construction of community composition profiles, namely ASVs' list and their estimated abundances, was done using our previously established procedure (Harbuzov et al., 2022, Marine Genomics 65, 100980), combining metabarcoding with sample reads normalization by the abundance of hard‐bodied meiofaunal taxa. The study province included the 54–1418 m depth range, across vertical sub‐bottom horizons ranging 0–17 cm. Oxygen, hydrogen sulfide and methane concentrations in the pore water, as well as sediment grain size spectra and sedimentary protein and carbohydrate levels, were measured, followed by an evaluation of their involvement in the shaping of the meiofaunal communities' characteristics. Community composition was generally site‐and‐horizon dependent and its abundance decreased with increasing bottom depth and across sub‐bottom horizons, typical to benthic habitats which are nourished by organic carbon from the euphotic zone. The relatively sharply inclined continental slope bottom located in the northern part of the Israeli coast was an exception. Its meiofaunal community characteristics were speculated to be affected by intensive sediment mixing and lateral transport of food from the shelf, in addition to the effect of the euphotic zone‐originated food sources.
Identification of low levels of neutral and functional genetic diversity in South African bontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus)
Authors: Mogakala Martin Ratanang , Smith Rae Marvin , Mavimbela Caswell , Dalton Desiré Lee 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBontebok (Damaliscus pygargus pygargus) and blesbok (D. p. phillipsi) are classified as separate sub‐species. The blesbok has a widespread distribution throughout South Africa and is listed as least concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Bontebok on the other hand is endemic within the Cape Floristic Region of the Western Cape in South Africa and has been listed as near‐threatened species on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Bontebok populations experienced a severe bottleneck and were brought back from the brink of extinction in the 1830s. Currently, the subspecies is threatened by hybridisation with blesbok resulting in fertile offspring. To date, molecular investigations using neutral markers have determined that genetic diversity in pure South African bontebok was significantly lower than in pure blesbok. Here, we investigated genetic diversity in bontebok, blesbok and hybrid individuals using microsatellites and an adaptive marker (toll‐like receptor two (TLR2)). The study of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) revealed five mutations in TLR2 in different individuals and subspecies of D. pygargus. This included three non‐synonymous and two synonymous mutations. The three amino acid substitution mutations were predicted to have no effect on protein function. Two of the five mutations, one of which resulted in an amino acid substitution, were not present in bontebok. The other three mutations were present to varying frequencies in the three groups. We confirm low adaptive and neutral diversity in bontebok. These mutations provide insights into the genetic diversity and relationships among the two sub‐species of D. pygargus and may have implications for their conservation and management.
Theoretical Investigation of Structural, Electronic and Optical Properties of Cs3MoO4(HCO3) with NLO Active Functional Units
Authors: Hu Jinyu , Huang Yinsheng , Zhu Hui , Zhao Huiyan , He Chao , Wang Xihu 
Published: March 2024

AbstractEmploying functional building units with microscopic second‐order NLO response has been proposed to explore high performance NLO materials. Herein, structural, electronic and optical properties of non‐centrosymmetric molybdenyl carbonate Cs3MoO4(HCO3) with NLO active functional units have been examined based on density functional theory. Theoretical results are consistent with experimentally mentioned data, confirming the reliable method. Detailed geometric structure, electronic attributes, linear optical properties, and nonlinear optical properties of Cs3MoO4(HCO3) are provided. Analysis of structures, compositions of bands and plots of charge density suggest that asymmetric functional building units [MoO4] and [HCO3] exhibit varying degrees of second‐order Jahn‐Teller distortions, and therefore have a significant impact on the electronic structure and optical properties of Cs3MoO4(HCO3). Maximum absolute value of SHG coefficients at 1064 nm is 0.671 pm/V for d15, which is nearly twice as much as that of KDP. Further researches are needed in future to validate and enhance optical anisotropy characteristic of Cs3MoO4(HCO3) for satisfying the phase matching conditions. Analysis results indicate that microscopic origins of SHG response in Cs3MoO4(HCO3) are complicated, such as geometric environment, induced polar asymmetric functional building units, and electronic properties. Continuous research on structure‐property relationship of NLO materials is needed for exploring more competitive NLO materials.
Photoinduced Generation of Active Intermediates from Unmodified 1,3‐Dicarbonyl Compounds for Organic Transformations
Authors: Li Hao‐Yuan , Niu Xiaoying , Yang Xiu‐Long 
Published: March 2024

AbstractPhotocatalysis utilizes light as the initial driving force for chemical reactions, enabling reactions with high energy barriers in traditionally thermal chemistry to proceed under mild conditions. 1,3‐Dicarbonyl compounds occur as important active molecules in nature and are intermediates in pharmaceutical syntheses. In recent years, there have been numerous studies of these compounds, and it is common practice to pre‐modify them before the reaction, which is, however, unfavorable for the atom economy of the process. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the latest advancements in the site‐specific activation of unmodified 1,3‐dicarbonyl compounds by photoinduction. The focus is on elucidating the mechanisms of these reactions to provide insights and directions for future research in designing novel reactions.
Synergistic ligand mediated anion exchange of CsPbI3 quantum dots for high performance white LED and anti‐counterfeiting
Authors: Chang Yajing , Tong Guoqing , Liu Liping , Li Junchun , Yang Jingting , Chen Zongsheng , Li Zhigang , Zhang Shaobo , Zhou Ru , Jiang Yang 
Published: March 2024

AbstractAnion exchange is an effective strategy to regulate the composition and optoelectronic properties of perovskite quantum dots (PQDs). Though promising, it is more desirable to synthesize PQDs to avoid the decrease of photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). Herein, we developed a ligand mediated anion exchange approach, in which the phase transition from CsPbBr3 QDs to CsPbI3 QDs was observed with the introduction of N‐Acetyl‐l‐cysteine (NAC) and 1,3‐dimethylimidazolium iodide (DMII) aqueous solution in CsPbBr3 QDs solution. NAC is expected to create more halogen vacancies in CsPbBr3 QDs, which provides sufficient adsorption sites for I− ions, resulting in accelerating the anion exchange rate in the process of DMII incorporation. Benefiting from the synergistic ligand mediated anion exchange, high PLQY of 97% and remarkable stability of CsPbI3 QDs are obtained. Furthermore, a white light‐emitting diode (WLED) with a lumen efficiency (LE) of 116.82 lm/W is constructed, showing remarkable stability under continuous operation.image
Momentary physiological indices related to eating disorders: A systematic and methodological review
Authors: Ralph‐Nearman Christina , Osborn Kimberly D. , Chang Rose Seoyoung , Barber Kathryn E. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractEating disorders (ED) are serious psychiatric illnesses, with no everyday support to intervene on the high rates of relapse. Understanding physiological indices that can be measured by wearable sensor technologies may provide new momentary interventions for individuals with ED. This systematic review, searching large databases, synthesises studies investigating peripheral physiological (PP) indices commonly included in wearable wristbands (heart rate [HR], heart rate variability [HRV], electrodermal activity [EDA], peripheral skin temperature [PST], and acceleration) in ED. Inclusion criteria included: (a) full peer‐reviewed empirical articles in English; (b) human participants with active ED; and (c) containing one of five wearable physiological measures. Kmet risk of bias was assessed. Ninety‐four studies were included (Anorexia nervosa [AN; N = 4418], bulimia nervosa [BN; N = 916], binge eating disorder [BED; N = 1604], other specified feeding and eating disorders [OSFED; N = 424], and transdiagnostic [N = 47]). Participants with AN displayed lower HR and EDA and higher HRV compared to healthy individuals. Those with BN showed higher HRV, and lower EDA and PST compared to healthy individuals. Other ED and Transdiagnostic samples showed mixed results. PP differences are indicated through various assessments in ED, which may suggest diagnostic associations, although more studies are needed to validate observed patterns. Results suggest important therapeutic potential for PP in ED, and larger studies including diverse participants and diagnostic groups are needed to fully uncover their role in ED.
The influence of methylammonium iodide concentration on the properties of perovskite solar cells
Authors: Elangovan Naveen Kumar , Kannadasan Raju , Savio Max F. , Vinson Joshua S. , Faheem Muhammad 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis study focuses on improving the quality of MAPbI3‐based perovskite films by adjusting the concentration ratios of the methylammonium iodide (MAI) precursor using a two‐step sequential deposition method. The primary objective is to explore how altering the MAI concentration influences the microstrain, dislocation density, perovskite film quality, and their subsequent impact on the performance of perovskite solar cells. The examined device configuration CdS/MAPbI3/Spiro‐OMeTAD demonstrates impressive power conversion efficiency of 12.05%, Voc of 1.02 V, Jsc of 16.2 mA cm−2, and fill factor of 0.73. X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope analyses show improved crystal quality and surface characteristics with reduced microstrain, dislocation density, larger crystal grains, and minimized pinholes. The investigation of MAPbI3's optical and electrical characteristics provides in‐depth insights, facilitating the optimization of MAI precursor concentrations for improved perovskite film development and enhanced solar cell performance.
One‐step preparation of binder‐free nickel‐containing graphene foam electrode for supercapacitors
Authors: Siyahjani Gultekin Sirin , Karimi Aziz Ahmad , Can Mustafa , Demic Serafettin 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn this study, a nickel hydroxide (Ni(OH)2)‐modified reduced graphene oxide (rGO) foam electrode for supercapacitor application is presented. The electrode was prepared without using a binder through a one‐step process with three different ratios (NirGO1, NirGO2, and NirGo3). To compare the supercapacitor performance of the obtained graphene foam electrodes, rGO and rGO:carbon black (CB) standard electrodes with PVDF‐HFP binder were also prepared. All electrodes were then characterized structurally (XPS, EDS, RAMAN, XRD, and FT‐IR) and morphologically (SEM). Structural characterizations demonstrated that the Ni‐containing electrodes were in α‐Ni(OH)2:rGO structure. In addition, NirGO3 exhibited a specific capacitance of 800 F g−1 which is relatively the highest performance between the foam electrodes, while rGO:CB presented a specific capacitance of 900 F g−1. The results demonstrated that with the method proposed for electrode development, it was possible to obtain comparable results with the standard electrode rGO:CB.
A self‐assembled, genetically engineered, irradiated tumor cell debris vaccine
Authors: Sun Yajie , Hu Yan , Geng Yuanyuan , Wan Chao , Liu Yang , Liao Yifei , Shi Xiujuan , Lovell Jonathan F. , Yang Kunyu , Jin Honglin 
Published: March 2024

AbstractVaccine‐based therapeutics for cancers face several challenges including lack of immunogenicity and tumor escape pathways for single antigen targets. It has been reported that radiotherapy has an in situ vaccine effect that provides tumor antigens following irradiation, helping to activate antigen‐presenting cells (APCs). Herein, a new vaccine approach is developed by combining genetically engineered irradiated tumor cell debris (RTD) and hyaluronic acid (HA), termed HA@RTD. A cancer cell line is developed that overexpresses granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF). A hydrogel was developed by covalent conjugation of HA with RTD proteins that acted as a potent vaccine system, the effects which were probed with T cell receptor sequencing. The engineered vaccine activated antitumor immunity responses and prevented tumor growth in mice even with a single immunization. HA@RTD vaccine efficacy was also assessed in therapeutic settings with established tumors and in combination with immune checkpoint blockade.
Human‐based new approach methodologies to accelerate advances in nutrition research
Authors: Cassotta Manuela , Cianciosi Danila , Elexpuru‐Zabaleta Maria , Pascual Inaki Elio , Cano Sandra Sumalla , Giampieri Francesca , Battino Maurizio 
Published: March 2024

AbstractMuch of nutrition research has been conventionally based on the use of simplistic in vitro systems or animal models, which have been extensively employed in an effort to better understand the relationships between diet and complex diseases as well as to evaluate food safety. Although these models have undeniably contributed to increase our mechanistic understanding of basic biological processes, they do not adequately model complex human physiopathological phenomena, creating concerns about the translatability to humans. During the last decade, extraordinary advancement in stem cell culturing, three‐dimensional cell cultures, sequencing technologies, and computer science has occurred, which has originated a wealth of novel human‐based and more physiologically relevant tools. These tools, also known as “new approach methodologies,” which comprise patient‐derived organoids, organs‐on‐chip, multi‐omics approach, along with computational models and analysis, represent innovative and exciting tools to forward nutrition research from a human‐biology‐oriented perspective. After considering some shortcomings of conventional in vitro and vivo approaches, here we describe the main novel available and emerging tools that are appropriate for designing a more human‐relevant nutrition research. Our aim is to encourage discussion on the opportunity to explore innovative paths in nutrition research and to promote a paradigm‐change toward a more human biology‐focused approach to better understand human nutritional pathophysiology, to evaluate novel food products, and to develop more effective targeted preventive or therapeutic strategies while helping in reducing the number and replacing animals employed in nutrition research.
Pomegranate peel: Bioactivities as antimicrobial and cytotoxic agents
Authors: Abu‐Niaaj Lubna F. , Al‐Daghistani Hala I. , Katampe Ibrahim , Abu‐Irmaileh Bashaer , Bustanji Yasser K. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis is a comparative study to evaluate the effectiveness of six pomegranate peel extracts (PPEs) as antibacterial and antiproliferative agents. The Six PPEs were prepared using four solvent systems and each filtrate was concentrated to a gummy material to be used in the evaluation. The well‐diffusion method was used to evaluate their antimicrobial activity against bacteria typically associated with food spoilage: Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and three Bacillus species. The 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐5‐(3‐carboxymethoxyphenyl)‐2‐(4‐sulfophenyl)‐2H‐tetrazolium (MTT) was used to evaluate the cytotoxicity against colorectal carcinoma cells (HCT116), prostate adenocarcinoma (PC3), ovarian cancer cells (SKOV‐3), and fibroblasts (MRC‐5). The antioxidant evaluation was done using the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl‐hydrate (DPPH) assay. The pH of the water‐containing extracts was acidic and almost the same over 6 weeks. The six PPEs inhibited the bacterial growth in a comparable level to standard antibiotics. The effectiveness of each extract was dependent on the bacterial strain, and the Listeria showed a remarkable inhibition when exposed to the aqueous extract prepared at room temperature (RT). The aqueous (RT) and methanol PPEs had a significant antioxidant scavenging capability and a remarkable cytotoxic activity against the PC3 with half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 0.1 μg/mL. The boiled aqueous extract exhibited antiproliferative activity against HCT116 with an IC50 of 21.45 μg/mL. The effect on SKOV‐3 and fibroblasts was insignificant. With the exception of butanol, the antioxidant screening shows an inverse correlation between the polarity of the extraction solvent and the IC50 exhibited by the PPEs. The variation in the effectiveness of PPEs is suggested to be due to variable soluble bioactive compounds that may interact differently with different cells, though water‐containing extracts are promising antibacterial agents. The findings clearly show that pomegranate peel possessed the potential to be an eco‐friendly novel source for natural compounds that can be implemented in the food industry as a natural antimicrobial and natural food additive to prevent foodborne illnesses.
Oily fish reduces the risk of acne by lowering fasting insulin levels: A Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Cheng Ting , Yu Dongdong , Liu Bingqing , Qiu Xingying , Tang Qi , Li Geng , Zhou Li , Wen Zehuai 
Published: March 2024

AbstractMeat intake, particularly from oily fish, has been associated with various chronic diseases. However, its relationship with acne has always been controversial. Therefore, we have adopted Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to investigate the causal relationship between different types of meat intake and acne. The exposure and outcome datasets for this study were obtained from the Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU) Open GWAS project. Seven datasets on meat intake were included, which consisted of non‐oily fish, oily fish, lamb/mutton, poultry, pork, beef, and processed meat. The main methods used for MR analysis were inverse variance weighted, weighted median, and MR‐egger. To ensure the accuracy of the results, heterogeneity, pleiotropy, and Mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR‐PRESSO) analyses were conducted. Additionally, an analysis of four risk factors (fasting insulin, insulin resistance, total testosterone level, and estradiol level) was performed to investigate the underlying mechanisms linking statistically significant meat intake to acne. Oily fish intake was found to be a protective factor for acne (OR: 0.22, 95% CI: 0.10–0.49, p < .001), and it was also observed that oily fish intake can reduce the level of fasting insulin by the IVW method (OR: 0.89, 95% CI: 0.81–0.98, p = .02). No causal relationship was identified between other types of meat intake and acne. The intake of oily fish reduces the risk of acne by lowering fasting insulin levels.