bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation, identification, and molecular docking of novel angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitory peptides derived from rice‐based distillers' spent cakes
Authors: Su Hanxing , Fan Wenlai , Xu Yan , Tang Shaopei , Yue Dehong , Liao Zuyue 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDRice‐based distillers' spent cake (RDSC), a by‐product of the Chinese liquor (Baijiu) industry, is a potential source of angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptide. Since ACE plays a crucial role in controlling hypertension, inhibition of ACE has been widely emphasized. The ACE inhibitory active peptide derived from by‐products of food has been recognized as a safer and cheaper inhibitor.RESULTSAimed to discover ACE‐inhibiting active peptides in RDSC. Hydrolysis of RDSC by alcalase for 4 h followed by ultrafiltration yielded low‐molecular‐weight (< 3 kDa) fractions. Subsequently, a comprehensive method using a combination of liquid chromatography quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LC‐Q‐TOF‐MS) and LC‐Q‐Exactive‐MS to identify the novel short peptides (3–5 amino acids residues; n = 7) and medium‐sized peptides (more than 6 amino acids residues; n = 6). In vitro activity assay showed that the peptides KPFFPGL, GFPRPLL, GPPGVF, and VGK exhibited the highest activity with inhibitory concentration of 50% (IC50) of 11.63, 12.34, 19.55, and 33.54 μmol L−1. Molecular docking reveal that the active and inactive sites (Glu123, Asp121, Arg522, and Lys118) play important roles in enhancing the ACE inhibitory activity of peptides.CONCLUSIONHere we report a comprehensive method that effectively extracted and identified the bioactive peptides from RDSC. Four highly active novel peptides may be the most promising candidates for functional foods against hypertension, provide significant information for enhancing value of rice‐based distilled by‐products. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Total meniscus replacement with a 3D printing of network hydrogel composite scaffold in a rabbit model
Authors: Li Jiaran , Zhang Fansheng , Ga Xisijia , Gao Gan , Guo Tao 
Published: March 2024

AbstractPurposeThe aim of this study was to evaluate the role of a novel total meniscal implant in promoting meniscal regeneration and protecting articular cartilage in a rabbit model for 3 and 6 months.MethodsThirty‐six New Zealand rabbits were selected and divided into poly(ɛ‐caprolactone) (PG‐Pg) scaffold group, meniscectomy group and sham group. In this study, it was investigated whether PG‐Pg scaffold can prevent articular cartilage degeneration and promote tissue degeneration, and its mechanical properties at 3 and 6 months after surgery were also explored.ResultThe degree of articular cartilage degeneration was significantly lower in the PG‐Pg scaffold group than in the meniscectomy group. The number of chondrocytes increased in the PG‐Pg scaffold at 3 and 6 months, while a gradual increase in the mechanical properties of the PG‐Pg stent was observed from 6 months.ConclusionThe PG‐Pg scaffold slows down the degeneration of articular cartilage, promotes tissue regeneration and improves biomechanical properties after meniscectomy. This novel meniscus scaffold holds promise for enhancing surgical strategies and delivering superior long‐term results for individuals with severe meniscus tears.Level of EvidenceNA.
Prognosis of Bilateral Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Bhat Akash M. , Nanu Douglas P. , Nguyen Shaun A. , Meyer Ted A. , Labadie Robert F. 
Published: March 2024

ObjectivesTo comprehensively examine the characteristics and prognosis of bilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (BSSHL) and its subtypes compared to unilateral sudden sensorineural hearing loss (USSHL).Data SourcesPubMed, Scopus, and CINAHL.Review MethodsDatabases were searched from inception to December 5, 2023, for studies reporting patient characteristics and audiometric outcomes for BSSHL and its simultaneous (Si‐BSSHL) and sequential (Se‐BSSHL) subtypes. Meta‐analysis of continuous measures, proportions (%), mean differences (Δ), and odds ratio (OR) were performed.ResultsEleven studies were included, consisting of 368 patients with BSSHL and 2,705 patients with USSHL. The pooled prevalence among all SSHL cases was 88.1% (95% CI: 81.2%–93.6%) for USSHL and 11.9% (95% CI: 6.4% to 18.8%) for BSSHL. PTA improvement following treatment with steroids was significantly worse in patients with BSSHL (Δ15.3 dB; 95% CI: 14.6 to 15.9; p < 0.0001) compared to patients with USSHL. There was no significant difference in post‐treatment PTA improvement between the BSSHL subtypes. Patients with Si‐BSSHL were significantly less likely to have an idiopathic etiology (OR: 0.4; 95% CI: 0.2 to 0.8; p = 0.01) and significantly more likely to have an autoimmune disease etiology (OR: 27.4; 95% CI: 2.2 to 336.1; p = 0.01), comorbid cardiovascular disease (OR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.1; p = 0.03), and comorbid hypertension (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.6 to 3.8; p < 0.0001) compared to patients with USSHL.ConclusionsBSSHL is a considerably rarer form of SSHL with worse prognosis compared to USSHL. BSSHL, and Si‐BSSHL in particular, has significantly greater associations with systemic pathologies compared to USSHL. Laryngoscope, 134:3883–3891, 2024
Field‐Driven Inverse Design of High‐Performance Polarization‐Multiplexed Meta‐devices
Authors: Bao Hanlin , Zhang Fei , Pu Mingbo , He Qiong , Xu Mingfeng , Guo Yinghui , Li Lanting , Ma Xiaoliang , Li Xiong , Luo Xiangang 
Published: March 2024

AbstractDuring the past few years, metasurface polarization optics has experienced remarkable advances, resulting in revolutionary applications in imaging, sensing, computing, etc. The realization of complex optical operations requires the consideration of both the individual meta‐atoms as well as their intricate couplings. However, conventional design methods face challenges as design degrees of freedom and functionality complexity. Additionally, previous studies are restricted to the local design of single meta‐atoms based on explicit mapping relationships while ignoring interactions, resulting in an inability to meet the on‐demand requirements of complex light‐field operations. Here, a global design strategy based on field‐driven polygon evolution to achieve the inverse design of large‐scale coupled meta‐atoms is proposed. Through two global simulations, it can effectively reshape any given target optical field into an optimal structural distribution of devices without knowing mapping relationship. Near‐perfect spin‐decoupled beam‐splitting and high‐performance focusing, as well as the generation of arbitrary vector optical fields on the Poincaré sphere with a maximal diffraction efficiency closely approaching 100%, are experimentally demonstrated. This strategy opens up a new avenue for a rapid inverse design of large‐scale, high‐performance multifunctional meta‐devices, which can hold significant implications for both classical and quantum information processing domains.
Lack of causal association between cheese intake and risk of peripheral vascular diseases: A two‐sample Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Wen Song , Huang Zehan , He Guodong , Zhang Bin , Huang Yuqing 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackgroundPrevious observational studies have yielded inconclusive findings regarding the potential association between cheese intake and peripheral vascular diseases (PVDs). We sought to systematically investigate the causal link between cheese intake and PVDs.MethodsA two‐sample Mendelian randomization (MR) investigation was undertaken to evaluate the causal link between cheese intake and PVDs. This MR analysis relied on summary statistics derived from published genome‐wide associations studies (GWAS). GWAS summary statistics for cheese intake (N = 451,486), peripheral artery disease (PAD) (N = 361,194), PVD (N = 463,010), pulmonary embolism (PE) (N = 463,010), and deep vein thrombosis (DVT) (N = 6795) were derived from the UK Biobank. GWAS summary statistics for peripheral angiopathy (N = 162,394), aortic dissection (N = 218,792), aortic aneurysm (AA) (N = 218,792), other PVDs (N = 218,792), and arterial embolism and thrombosis of lower extremity artery (N = 218,792) were extracted from the FinnGen. Primary analysis was performed using an inverse variance weighted method. Sensitivity analyses included weighted median, MR Egger, and weighted mode analyses. Results are shown as odd ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsGenetically predicted cheese intake was not associated with PAD (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 1.00–1.00, p = 0.953), PVD (OR = 1.00, 95% CI: 0.99–1.00, p = 0.265), peripheral angiopathy (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.09–3.66, p = 0.566), aortic dissection(OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.19–2.55, p = 0.583), AA(OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.46–1.82, p = 0.809), other PVDs (OR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.44–2.21, p = 0.979), PE (OR = 1.00, 95% CI:1.00–1.00, p = 0.635), DVT (OR = 0.83, 95% CI: 0.62–1.12, p = 0.229), and arterial embolism and thrombosis of lower extremity artery (OR = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.21–2.29, p = 0.5413).ConclusionBased on the results of our two‐sample MR analysis, we found no significant association between cheese intake and the risk of PVDs. We firmly believed that these findings had the potential to enhance the efficacy of prevention strategies for PVDs, at both the national and clinical level, by improving our understanding of the risk factors involved in their development. Low‐sugar, low‐salt and low‐fat cheese may be a good choice for people at high risk of PVDs.
Rational design of unrestricted pRN1 derivatives and their application in the construction of a dual plasmid vector system for Saccharolobus islandicus
Authors: Zhao Pengpeng , Bi Xiaonan , Wang Xiaoning , Feng Xu , Shen Yulong , Yuan Guanhua , She Qunxin 
Published: March 2024

AbstractSaccharolobus islandicus REY15A represents one of the very few archaeal models with versatile genetic tools, which include efficient genome editing, gene silencing, and robust protein expression systems. However, plasmid vectors constructed for this crenarchaeon thus far are based solely on the pRN2 cryptic plasmid. Although this plasmid coexists with pRN1 in its original host, early attempts to test pRN1‐based vectors consistently failed to yield any stable host–vector system for Sa. islandicus. We hypothesized that this failure could be due to the occurrence of CRISPR immunity against pRN1 in this archaeon. We identified a putative target sequence in orf904 encoding a putative replicase on pRN1 (target N1). Mutated targets (N1a, N1b, and N1c) were then designed and tested for their capability to escape the host CRISPR immunity by using a plasmid interference assay. The results revealed that the original target triggered CRISPR immunity in this archaeon, whereas all three mutated targets did not, indicating that all the designed target mutations evaded host immunity. These mutated targets were then incorporated into orf904 individually, yielding corresponding mutated pRN1 backbones with which shuttle plasmids were constructed (pN1aSD, pN1bSD, and pN1cSD). Sa. islandicus transformation revealed that pN1aSD and pN1bSD were functional shuttle vectors, but pN1cSD lost the capability for replication. These results indicate that the missense mutations in the conserved helicase domain in pN1c inactivated the replicase. We further showed that pRN1‐based and pRN2‐based vectors were stably maintained in the archaeal cells either alone or in combination, and this yielded a dual plasmid system for genetic study with this important archaeal model.
Advancing additive manufacturing: 3D‐printing of hybrid natural fiber sandwich (Nona/Soy‐PLA) composites through filament extrusion and its effect on thermomechanical properties
Authors: Vinod A. , Tengsuthiwat Jiratti , Vijay R. , Sanjay M. R. , Siengchin Suchart 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe additive manufacturing technique represents a technological advancement post the industrial revolution, enabling the development of intricate products with minimal waste. In the automotive sector, polymer extrusion‐based additive manufacturing is predominantly employed for part customization. Recently, reinforced polymer matrices have been used to enhance structural integrity, primarily utilizing synthetic materials. Due to environmental concerns, some recent studies have explored the incorporation of natural fiber reinforcement in polymer matrices for 3D‐printed products. Most research has focused on filler reinforcement, limiting investigations to a single type of reinforcement. To bridge this gap and enhance composite performance, our research introduces a novel method for 3D printing composites. This involves stacking sequences using two different natural fiber‐reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) filaments, namely Nona and Soy, respectively. Mechanical testing reveals that the stacking sequence significantly influences the mechanical properties of the 3D‐printed composites. The 3D‐printed composite with Soy/PLA skin stacks exhibits the highest tensile strength of 74.82 MPa. Thermal analysis shows minor changes in glass transition temperature (Tg) and a consistent degree of crystallinity (10.01%). Notable differences in thermal expansion are observed due to the stacking sequence. Fatigue analysis demonstrates the durability of hybrid composites, enduring over 42,000 cycles with minimal deformation compared with to pure fiber‐reinforced 3D‐printed composites. Morphological analysis reveals excellent fiber–matrix interaction and bonding between stacks. The observations confirm that the developed material can be potentially used for developing structurally enhanced composites for lightweight applications. Moreover, the proposed methodology can be adapted for different 3D printing matrices, including robotic printing with multiple axes, making it suitable for various industrial sectors.Highlights
Utilization of 3D printing technology for the development of agro‐waste fiber products.
Hybridizing the 3D‐printed composite enhanced the fatigue life.
New additive manufacturing technique for developing structurally enhanced composites.
Optimization of 3D printed bioinspired helicoidal composites using Gaussian process regression
Authors: Li Runzhi , Wu Xiaodong , Jia Ziting , An Lianhao , Wang Ke , Li Zhiqiang 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis work focuses on optimization of 3D printed bioinspired helicoidal composites in design space of helicoidal angle and brick aspect ratio under dynamic three‐point bending loading by performing gaussian process regression‐based Bayesian optimization method. Firstly, the impact responses and crack modes of helicoidal structures under dynamic three‐point bending loading were studied through experiments and simulations. Then, the helicoidal composites with better dynamic mechanical properties were obtained by iterations of Bayesian optimization based on gaussian process regression. Finally, the crack propagation modes of the optimized helicoidal structures under dynamic loading were investigated by analyzing the interlayer stress of the structure. The results show that the interlaminar shear stress of the optimized model is large, which is more prone to produce mixed mode I + II cracks. The mixed mode cracks cause crack deflection, which improving the fracture toughness of the structure.Highlights
Bioinspired 3D printed helicoidal composites are optimized by machine learning.
The helicoidal composites with better dynamic mechanical properties are obtained.
The crack propagation modes of the optimized helicoidal structures are investigated.
The mixed mode I + II cracks cause crack deflection.
Long‐acting release of small molecules achieved by barrier effect of nano‐brick
Authors: Shen Guohong , Li Biao , Zhang Jian , Jin Lan , Tian Qiang , Yang Zeya , Wang Kai‐Jie , Han Jingbin 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe long‐acting sustained‐release of active molecules is of great importance in chemical production, food preservative, drug delivery in vivo, and so on. However, the problems of initial‐burst release and short release time (dominated by Fick's lows) commonly exist in sustained‐release materials. Herein, we designed and fabricated two types of film materials to achieve slow, continuous, and long‐term release of small molecules using methyl orange (MO) as a target release substance. B‐MO@polymer films were obtained by embedding MO into polylactic acid/polyethylene glycol (PLA/PEG) substrate and then assembling a layered double hydroxide (LDH)/carboxymethyl chitosan (CMC) barrier layer on the substrate surface. Another type of film (LDH&MO@polymer) was prepared by blending LDH and MO into the PLA/PEG polymer matrix. These films show high loading capacities of ~500 μg/cm2 for MO and display long‐acting sustained‐release property arising from the barrier effect of LDH nano‐brick. Specifically, for the B‐MO@polymer film, the release time of 50% MO is 10 days and the release time of 80% MO can be extended to 30 days. Ultimately, the time for complete release (>96%) reaches over 60 days. By using LDH‐embedded polymer as carriers for active molecules, the zero‐order release of MO was realized for LDH&MO@polymer films, achieving sustained release within as long as 145 days. This work provides a new paradigm to achieve the long‐acting sustained‐release of active molecules through the barrier effect of 2D nano‐bricks.Highlight
Two types of films were obtained to achieve long‐term release of small molecules.
The films show high loading capacities for active molecules.
The long‐acting property is derived from the barrier effect of 2D nano‐brick.
The films can be produced in a large scale and have good application prospects.
Clinical application of high‐LET radiotherapy combined with immunotherapy in malignant tumors
Authors: Meng Kexin , Lu Haijun 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe superior physical and biological properties of high linear energy transfer (LET), as opposed to traditional low‐LET rays, underscore the advantage of proton therapy (PRT) and carbon ion radiotherapy (CIRT) are better than traditional photon radiotherapy (XRT). With the advancements in science, an increasing number of hospitals have introduced new technologies. However, radiotherapy is primarily used for local treatment, which means that if the tumor has metastasized to distant sites, it is often necessary to combine it with systemic therapies such as immunotherapy. In recent years, the combination of high‐LET radiotherapy and immunotherapy has emerged as a promising treatment option in oncology and many studies have confirmed its efficacy for both local and distant metastases. In this review, we summarize the effects of PRT and CIRT on the immune system in detail, followed by an introduction to preclinical and clinical studies of PRT and CIRT in combination with immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICIs) therapy. We also briefly introduce some preclinical studies on CIRT in combination with dendritic cells (DCs) and Treg inhibitor therapies.
Key learnings from concordant systematic biopsies in prostate‐specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography‐guided prostate biopsies: Enhancing targeting accuracy
Authors: Büttner Thomas , Gärtner Florian , Essler Markus , Weiten Richard , Kristiansen Glen , Ellinger Jörg , Ritter Manuel , Krausewitz Philipp 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBackgroundProstate cancer (PCa) diagnosis and staging have evolved with the advent of 68Ga‐Prostate‐specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PSMA‐PET/CT). This study investigates the role of complementary systematic biopsies (SB) during PSMA‐PET/CT‐guided targeted prostate biopsies (PET‐TB) for PCa detection, grading, and distribution. We address the uncertainty surrounding the necessity of SB in conjunction with PET‐TB.MethodsWe analyzed PCa grading and distribution in 30 men who underwent PET‐TB and SB because of contraindication to magnetic resonance imaging or high clinical suspicion of PCa. Tumor distribution was assessed in relation to the PET‐highlighted lesions. Standardized reporting schemes, encompassing SUVmax, PRIMARY score, and miTNM classification, were evaluated.Results80% of patients were diagnosed with PCa, with 70% classified as clinically significant (csPCa). SB detected more csPCa cases than PET‐TB, but the differences were not statistically significant. Discordant results were observed in 25% of cases, where SB outperformed PET‐TB. Spatial analysis revealed that tumor‐bearing cores from SB were often located in close proximity to the PET‐highlighted region. Reporting schemes showed potential for csPCa detection with significantly increased SUVmax in csPCA patients. Subsequent follow‐up data underscored the importance of SB in precise PCa grading and staging.ConclusionsWhile PET‐TB can simplify prostate biopsy and reduce invasiveness by core number, SB cannot be omitted yet due to potential PET‐TB targeting errors. Factors such as limited spatial resolution and fusion inaccuracies contribute to the need for SB. Standardization in reporting schemes currently cannot compensate for targeting errors highlighting the need for refinement.
Economic optimization of Wolbachia‐infected Aedes aegypti release to prevent dengue
Authors: Hollingsworth Brandon D. , Cho Chanheung , Vella Michael , Roh Hyeongyul , Sass Julian , Lloyd Alun L. , Brown Zachary S. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDDengue virus, primarily transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, is a major public health concern affecting ≈3.83 billion people worldwide. Recent releases of Wolbachia‐transinfected Ae. aegypti in several cities worldwide have shown that it can reduce dengue transmission. However, these releases are costly, and, to date, no framework has been proposed for determining economically optimal release strategies that account for both costs associated with disease risk and releases.RESULTSWe present a flexible stochastic dynamic programming framework for determining optimal release schedules for Wolbachia‐transinfected mosquitoes that balances the cost of dengue infection with the costs of rearing and releasing transinfected mosquitoes. Using an ordinary differential equation model of Wolbachia and dengue in a hypothetical city loosely describing areas at risk of new dengue epidemics, we determined that an all‐or‐nothing release strategy that quickly brings Wolbachia to fixation is often the optimal solution. Based on this, we examined the optimal facility size, finding that it was inelastic with respect to the mosquito population size, with a 100% increase in population size resulting in a 50–67% increase in optimal facility size. Furthermore, we found that these results are robust to mosquito life‐history parameters and are mostly determined by the mosquito population size and the fitness costs associated with Wolbachia.CONCLUSIONSThese results reinforce that Wolbachia‐transinfected mosquitoes can reduce the cost of dengue epidemics. Furthermore, they emphasize the importance of determining the size of the target population and fitness costs associated with Wolbachia before releases occur. © 2024 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.