bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Electrochemiluminescence aptasensor toward femtomolar detection of alpha synuclein oligomer as parkinson's disease marker using CdTe@ZnS quantum dots as luminescent label and graphdiyne@polyaniline as novel co‐reactant
Authors: Bahari Delnia , Babamiri Bahareh , Salimi Abdollah , Nikkhah Maryam , Hallaj Rahman , Mohtasham Hamed , Allahdadi Shiva , Mousavi Sayed Mostafa Modarres 
Published: February 2024

AbstractParkinson's disease (PD) as a progressive health issue effects on the central nervous system. It is well established that soluble ‐synuclein (−syn) oligomers cause neuronal death in the earliest stages of PD. So, development of sensitive and selective method for a‐syn analysis is a challenge. Here an electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptasensor designed for selective and ultrasensitive detection of α‐syn oligomer using graphdiyne@polyaniline with N‐doped active sites (GDY@PANI) as novel coreactant agent combined with CdTe@ZnS QD as luminescent lable for amplified self‐enhanced electrochemiluminescence (ECL) response. For the first time a novel ECL sensing platform based on GDY@PANI/CdTe@ZnS QD composite was designed using new co‐reactant based on GDY. Compared to CdTe@ZnS QD, GDY/CdTe@ZnS QD, CdTe@ZnS QD/tri‐propylamine and PANI/CdTe@ZnS QD, the GDY@PANI/CdTe@ZnS QD composite exhibited amplified ECL emissions and ECL efficiency of the proposed system also increased compared to more QDs based ECL systems. Under the optimal conditions, the proposed ECL aptasensor exhibited a wide linear range of 0.2 fM to 8 nM for α‐syn oligomer determination with a low detection limit of 0.02 fM (S/N=3). The fabricated sensor has advantages of good reproducibility, high sensitivity and stability and being capable of detecting α‐syn oligomer in human blood serum and also lysate of dopaminergic nerve cells. The obtained results confirmed that the GDY@PANI can be used as a novel co‐reactant in development of the ECL based bio devices with great potential applicability for biomarkers analysis, diagnosis and management of Parkinson or other diseases.
3D hierarchical porous N, O co‐doped carbon derived from the waste walnut shell via one‐step carbonization for high‐performance supercapacitor
Authors: Liu Zhentao , Li Linsong , Wang Meilong , Wu Fuzhong , Jin Huixin , Wang Yi 
Published: February 2024

AbstractPorous carbon derived from biomass is considered a promising material for supercapacitors. However, improving the wettability and electrical conductivity of porous carbon materials remains a great challenge. Herein, a bidirectional pore‐creating strategy is proposed to construct N/O‐doped Walnut‐shells‐based hierarchical porous carbon materials (WSC‐N/O‐900). The high specific surface area (981 m2 g−1) and heteroatom content of WSC‐N/O‐900 enhance the wettability and electrical conductivity. Thus, WSC‐N/O‐900 shows a high capacitance of 431 F g−1 at 1.0 A g−1. Additionally, the capacitance retention rate of WSC‐N/O‐900//WSC‐N/O‐900 (SSC) remains 88.4 % after 9000 cycles and achieves an energy density of 14.8 Wh kg−1 with a power density of 300 W kg−1. Overall, this work can provide an effective strategy to prepare advanced biomass derived porous carbon for electrochemical energy storage.
Boosting the performance of aqueous zinc‐ion battery by regulating the electrolyte solvation structure
Authors: Wu Xingxing , Xia Yufan , Chen Shuang , Luo Zhen , Zhang Xuan , Shahzad Muhammad Wakil , Xu Ben Bin , Pan Hongge , Yan Mi , Jiang Yinzhu 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe practical implementation of aqueous Zn‐ion batteries (ZIBs) for large‐scale energy storage is impeded by the challenges of water‐induced parasitic reactions and uncontrolled dendrite growth. Herein, we propose a strategy to regulate both anions and cations of electrolyte solvation structures to address above challenges, by introducing an electrolyte additive of 3‐hydroxy‐4‐(trimethylammonio)butyrate (HTMAB) into ZnSO4 electrolyte. Consequently, the deposition of Zn is significantly improved leading to a highly reversible Zn anode with paralleled texture. The Zn/Zn cells with ZnSO4/HTMAB exhibit outstanding cycling performance, showcasing a lifespan exceeding 7500 h and an exceptionally high accumulative capacity of 16.47 Ah cm−2. Zn/NaV3O8·1.5H2O full cell displays a specific capacity of ~130 mAh g−1 at 5 A g−1 maintaining a capacity retention of 93% after 2000 cycles. This work highlights the regulation on both cations and anions of electrolyte solvation structures in optimizing interfacial stability during Zn plating/stripping for high performance ZIBs.image
Robust approach to earnings forecast: A comparison
Authors: Yu Xiaojian , Zhang Xiaoqian , Lien Donald 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis paper applies three robust approaches, namely, the MM estimation, the Theil–Sen estimation, and the quantile regression, to generate earnings forecasts in Chinese financial market and evaluates the forecast accuracy of these three methods based on three forecasting criteria. We examine six forecasting models where the predicted variables include earnings per share, net income, and three profitability measures. We show that the three robust methods significantly outperform the OLS method. Moreover, the MM estimation and the quantile regression have better forecast accuracy than the Theil–Sen approach.
Assessing the effects of free fall conditions on damage to chickpea seeds: A comprehensive examination of seed deterioration
Authors: Delfan Farzad , Shahbazi Feizollah , Eisvand Hamid Reza , Shahbazi Saba 
Published: February 2024

AbstractImpact damage is the most destructive effect on the seeds during harvesting, handling, and storage, both on‐farm and off‐farm. The chickpea seeds' dicotyledonous characteristics and large mass and size make them susceptible to mechanical damage under impact loading. Tests were conducted to determine the extent of damage to chickpea seeds due to the impact caused by free fall. The extent of internal damage to the chickpea seeds was determined, which included the measurement of seed deterioration by the accelerated aging method (percentage loss in germination in the accelerated aging test) and the measurement of electrical conductivity. Three independent variables were used in the test, namely: (a) drop height (3, 6, 9, and 12 m), (b) impact surface (concrete, metal, plywood and seeds on seeds), and (c) seed moisture content (10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% w.b). The results showed that drop height, impact surface, and moisture content had significant effects (p < .01) on the loss in germination percentage and change in electrical conductivity of chickpea seeds. In terms of loss in germination, the highest damage to seeds occurred at the metal impact surface (41.96%) and the least at the seed on the seed (29.71%). The highest amount of electrical conductivity was related to the seeds dropped on the metal (36.09 μS cm−1 g−1) and the lowest was related to seed‐on‐seed contact (21.68 μS cm−1 g−1). By increasing the drop height from 3 to 12 m, the loss in germination and electrical conductivity of seeds increased from 27.74% to 48.08% and from 18.72 to 40.47 μS cm−1 g−1, respectively. Increasing the moisture content of chickpea seeds from 10 to 25% causes a decrease in the amount of damage to the seeds in terms of electrical conductivity (from 38.40 to 21.18 μS cm−1 g−1), but increases the damage in the form of a loss in the percentage germination in the accelerated aging test (from 29.22% to 42.88%). To reduce the impact damage to peas caused by free fall, the height of the fall should be limited to about 6 m, and they should be prevented from hitting hard and rough surfaces.
Dihydromyricetin regulates KEAP1‐Nrf2 pathways to enhance the survival of ischemic flap
Authors: Tao Xianyao , Pan Xiaoyun , Zhao Gang , Xue Mingyu , Rui Yongjun 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn clinical flap practice, there are a lot of studies being done on how to promote the survival of distal random flap necrosis in the hypoxic and ischemic state. As a traditional Chinese medicine, dihydromyricetin (DHM) is crucial in preventing oxidative stress and apoptosis in a number of disorders. In this work, we examined the impact of DHM on the ability to survive of ischemia flaps and looked into its fundamental mechanism. Our results showed that DHM significantly increased the ischemic flaps' survival area, encouraged angiogenesis and blood flow, reduced oxidative stress and apoptosis, and stimulated KEAP1‐Nrf2 (Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1‐nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor) signaling pathways. Adeno‐associated virus (AAV) upregulation of KEAP1 expression also negated the favorable effects of DHM on flap survival. By activating KEAP1‐Nrf2 signaling pathways, DHM therapy promotes angiogenesis while reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis.
Opening the Door: Rethinking “Difficult Conversations” about Living and Dying with Dementia
Authors: Buchbinder Mara , Berlinger Nancy 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis essay looks closely at metaphors and other figures of speech that often feature in how Americans talk about dementia, becoming part of cultural narratives: shared stories that convey ideas and values, and also worries and fears. It uses approaches from literary studies to analyze how cultural narratives about dementia may surface in conversations with family members or health care professionals. This essay also draws on research on a notable social effect of legalizing medical aid in dying: patients may find it easier to bring up a range of concerns, regardless of whether they have any interest in hastening their own death. The essay proposes that health care professionals rethink an idea prominent within their own culture: that conversations about the end of a person's life are inherently difficult. This framing may make it hard for people facing dementia to bring up their concerns about what lies ahead. We suggest a different way to think about these conversations, using the metaphor of “opening the door” to represent inviting a patient to bring up issues of deepest concern.
Too Soon or Too Late: Rethinking the Significance of Six Months When Dementia Is a Primary Diagnosis
Authors: Cain Cindy L. , Quill Timothy E. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractCultural narratives shape how we think about the world, including how we decide when the end of life begins. Hospice care has become an integral part of the end‐of‐life care in the United States, but as it has grown, its policies and practices have also imposed cultural narratives, like those associated with the “six‐month rule” that the majority of the end of life takes place in the final six months of life. This idea is embedded in policies for a range of care practices and reimbursement processes, even though six months is not always a meaningful marker. In the case of people living with advanced dementia, six months is both too early in the trajectory to facilitate conversations and too late in the trajectory to ensure decision‐making capacity. This essay encourages scholars and policy‐makers to consider how cultural narratives may limit what they think is possible in care for people living with dementia.
Guiding the Future: Rethinking the Role of Advance Directives in the Care of People with Dementia
Authors: Gaster Barak , Pope Thaddeus Mason 
Published: February 2024

AbstractWhen people lose capacity to make a medical decision, the standard is to assess what their preferences would have been and try to honor their wishes. Dementia raises a special case in such situations, given its long, progressive trajectory during which others must make substituted judgments. The question of how to help surrogates make better‐informed decisions has led to the development of dementia‐specific advance directives, in which people are given tools to help them communicate what their preferences are while they are still able. Such directives allow the perspective of the person to play a clearer role in guiding decisions about their care. Dementia directives can never serve as rigid algorithms. Rather, they can be used to help inform conversations, to help surrogates make decisions that are better aligned with the preferences the person would have had. This essay lays out the proposed utility of dementia‐specific directives and addresses some of the criticisms raised about them.
What Makes a Better Life for People Facing Dementia? Toward Dementia‐Friendly Health and Social Policy, Medical Care, and Community Support in the United States
Authors: Gaster Barak , Largent Emily A. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractTaking steps to build a more dementia‐friendly society is essential for addressing the needs of people experiencing dementia. Initiatives that improve the quality of life for those living with dementia are needed to lessen controllable factors that can negatively influence how people envision a future trajectory of dementia for themselves. Programs that provide better funding and better coordination for care support would lessen caregiver burden and make it more possible to imagine more people being able to live what they might consider a “good life” with dementia. Specific proposals, such as payment for dementia care managers and new systems to support high‐quality, symptom‐based palliative care beyond the hospice benefit of only six months, would improve and reframe how many people in the United States experience a dementia illness. Such changes should be incorporated into discussions about improving and respecting preferences in the later stages of dementia.
Overlapping representations of observed actions and action‐related features
Authors: Kabulska Zuzanna , Zhuang Tonghe , Lingnau Angelika 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe lateral occipitotemporal cortex (LOTC) has been shown to capture the representational structure of a smaller range of actions. In the current study, we carried out an fMRI experiment in which we presented human participants with images depicting 100 different actions and used representational similarity analysis (RSA) to determine which brain regions capture the semantic action space established using judgments of action similarity. Moreover, to determine the contribution of a wide range of action‐related features to the neural representation of the semantic action space we constructed an action feature model on the basis of ratings of 44 different features. We found that the semantic action space model and the action feature model are best captured by overlapping activation patterns in bilateral LOTC and ventral occipitotemporal cortex (VOTC). An RSA on eight dimensions resulting from principal component analysis carried out on the action feature model revealed partly overlapping representations within bilateral LOTC, VOTC, and the parietal lobe. Our results suggest spatially overlapping representations of the semantic action space of a wide range of actions and the corresponding action‐related features. Together, our results add to our understanding of the kind of representations along the LOTC that support action understanding.
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation modulates the processing of interoceptive prediction error signals and their role in allostatic regulation
Authors: Ventura‐Bort Carlos , Weymar Mathias 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIt has recently been suggested that predictive processing principles may apply to interoception, defined as the processing of hormonal, autonomic, visceral, and immunological signals. In the current study, we aimed at providing empirical evidence for the role of cardiac interoceptive prediction errors signals on allostatic adjustments, using transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) as a tool to modulate the processing of interoceptive afferents. In a within‐subject design, participants performed a cardiac‐related interoceptive task (heartbeat counting task) under taVNS and sham stimulation, spaced 1‐week apart. We observed that taVNS, in contrast to sham stimulation, facilitated the maintenance of interoceptive accuracy levels over time (from the initial, stimulation‐free, baseline block to subsequent stimulation blocks), suggesting that vagus nerve stimulation may have helped to maintain engagement to cardiac afferent signals. During the interoceptive task, taVNS compared to sham, produced higher heart‐evoked potentials (HEP) amplitudes, a potential readout measure of cardiac‐related prediction error processing. Further analyses revealed that the positive relation between interoceptive accuracy and allostatic adjustments—as measured by heart rate variability (HRV)—was mediated by HEP amplitudes. Providing initial support for predictive processing accounts of interoception, our results suggest that the stimulation of the vagus nerve may increase the precision with which interoceptive signals are processed, favoring their influence on allostatic adjustments.
Parafoveal vision reveals qualitative differences between fusiform face area and parahippocampal place area
Authors: Kreichman Olga , Gilaie‐Dotan Sharon 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe center‐periphery visual field axis guides early visual system organization with enhanced resources devoted to central vision leading to reduced peripheral performance relative to that of central vision (i.e., behavioral eccentricity effect) for many visual functions. The center‐periphery organization extends to high‐order visual cortex where, for example, the well‐studied face‐sensitive fusiform face area (FFA) shows sensitivity to central vision and the place‐sensitive parahippocampal place area (PPA) shows sensitivity to peripheral vision. As we have recently found that face perception is more sensitive to eccentricity than place perception, here we examined whether these behavioral findings reflect differences in FFA's and PPA's sensitivities to eccentricity. We assumed FFA would show higher sensitivity to eccentricity than PPA would, but that both regions' modulation by eccentricity would be invariant to the viewed category. We parametrically investigated (fMRI, n = 32) how FFA's and PPA's activations are modulated by eccentricity (≤8°) and category (upright/inverted faces/houses) while keeping stimulus size constant. As expected, FFA showed an overall higher sensitivity to eccentricity than PPA. However, both regions' activation modulations by eccentricity were dependent on the viewed category. In FFA, a reduction of activation with growing eccentricity (“BOLD eccentricity effect”) was found (with different amplitudes) for all categories. In PPA however, qualitatively different BOLD eccentricity effect modulations were found (e.g., at 8° mild BOLD eccentricity effect for houses but a reverse BOLD eccentricity effect for faces and no modulation for inverted faces). Our results emphasize that peripheral vision investigations are critical to further our understanding of visual processing.
Tumor microenvironment in thyroid cancer: Immune cells, patterns, and novel treatments
Authors: Febrero Beatriz , Ruiz‐Manzanera Juan José , Ros‐Madrid Inmaculada , Hernández Antonio Miguel , Orenes‐Piñero Esteban , Rodríguez José Manuel 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThe tumor immune microenvironment of thyroid cancer is the heterogeneous histological space in which tumor cells coexist with host cells. Published data from this review were identified by search and selection database of Pubmed, Elsevier, and Science Direct. Searching was made in two steps using different keywords. In thyroid pathology, the inflammatory response is very important, and might have a key role finding new diagnostic and therapeutic methods, particularly in thyroid cancer. Different immune cells may be more or less present in different types of thyroid cancer and may even have different functions, hence the importance of knowing their presence in different thyroid tumor pathologies. Cancer‐related inflammation could be a useful target for new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies by analyzing peritumoral and intratumoral immune cells in different types of thyroid tumors. Moreover, novel strategies for thyroid cancer treatments, such as monoclonal antibodies targeting checkpoint inhibitors, are emerging as promising alternatives.
Monoamine oxidase B inhibits epithelial‐mesenchymal transition and trigger apoptosis via targeting ERK1/2 signaling pathway in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Qi Yibo , Shao Weihua , Gao Jing , Ni Nan , Xue Feifei , Wang Tianxiao , Wang Yuli , Fan Yi , Yuan Hua 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundMonoamine oxidase B (MAOB), a flavin monoamine oxidase, regulates biogenic and xenobiotic amine oxidative deaminization. We demonstrate MAOB expression in head and neck epithelium and its biological importance in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) development.MethodsFirst, we found a possible MAOB downregulation in HNSCC using bioinformatic analysis. Second, we validated MAOB expression changes in vitro and assessed its tumorigenicity in HNSCC. Finally, preclinical xenograft models further confirmed our findings.ResultsResults proved that MAOB was significantly reduced in HNSCC tissues and cell lines. By comparing MAOB localization in patient specimens, we found that epithelial basal cells express MAOB and that it changes throughout HNSCC development. We observed that MAOB overexpression inhibited HNSCC cell malignancy via lentiviral transfection. We additionally discovered that selegiline partly counter‐regulated MAOB overexpression‐induced phenotypes in HNSCC cells.ConclusionsWe found that MAOB is a potent biomarker and a unique and essential indication of HNSCC carcinogenesis.
Maximizing energy via solar‐powered smart irrigation: An approach utilizing a single‐axis solar tracking mechanism
Authors: Ismail Firas Basim , Rahmat Muhammad Aqil Afham , Kazem Hussein A. , Al‐Obaidi Abdulkareem Sh. Mahdi , Ridwan Muhammad Syauqi 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThis study presents and assesses the novelty of a cutting‐edge solar‐powered automated irrigation system that incorporates a single‐axis solar tracker. The research entails the meticulous development of a prototype, followed by comprehensive experimental scrutiny spanning 3 days, from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. In a unique approach, we benchmark the findings against previous research endeavours, highlighting the transformative potential of our innovative design.Our innovative system harnesses a singular‐axis solar tracking mechanism alongside moisture sensors and a water pump relay module, resulting in the creation of an autonomous irrigation system perpetually powered by solar energy. The results are noteworthy, showcasing the capability of a solar panel equipped with single‐axis tracking to significantly boost photovoltaic output power. This configuration attains a remarkable 65% increase in total output power and a substantial improvement over the modest 52%–53% performance of fixed solar panels. This substantial divergence translates to a noteworthy 12%–13% difference in efficacy, underscoring the pioneering nature of our research.The zenith of power output, ranging between 3.16 and 3.68 W, transpires from noon to 2:00 PM, further illustrating the system's viability. The integrated water pump exhibits commendable efficiency, attaining levels as high as 75%. This revelation underscores the transformative potential of automated irrigation systems endowed with single‐axis solar tracking technology, auguring amplified system performance and heralding a new era of sustainable agricultural practices.