bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Tissue formation and host remodeling of an elastomeric biodegradable scaffold in an ovine pulmonary leaflet replacement model
Authors: Machaidze Zurab , D'Amore Antonio , Freitas Renata C. C. , Joyce Angelina J. , Bayoumi Ahmed , Rich Kimberly , Brown David W. , Aikawa Elena , Wagner William R. , Rego Bruno V. , Mayer John E. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn pursuit of a suitable scaffold material for cardiac valve tissue engineering applications, an acellular, electrospun, biodegradable polyester carbonate urethane urea (PECUU) scaffold was evaluated as a pulmonary valve leaflet replacement in vivo. In sheep (n = 8), a single pulmonary valve leaflet was replaced with a PECUU leaflet and followed for 1, 6, and 12 weeks. Implanted leaflet function was assessed in vivo by echocardiography. Explanted samples were studied for gross pathology, microscopic changes in the extracellular matrix, host cellular re‐population, and immune responses, and for biomechanical properties. PECUU leaflets showed normal leaflet motion at implant, but decreased leaflet motion and dimensions at 6 weeks. The leaflets accumulated α‐SMA and CD45 positive cells, with surfaces covered with endothelial cells (CD31+). New collagen formation occurred (Picrosirius Red). Accumulated tissue thickness correlated with the decrease in leaflet motion. The PECUU scaffolds had histologic evidence of scaffold degradation and an accumulation of pro‐inflammatory/M1 and anti‐inflammatory/M2 macrophages over time in vivo. The extent of inflammatory cell accumulation correlated with tissue formation and polymer degradation but was also associated with leaflet thickening and decreased leaflet motion. Future studies should explore pre‐implant seeding of polymer scaffolds, more advanced polymer fabrication methods able to more closely approximate native tissue structure and function, and other techniques to control and balance the degradation of biomaterials and new tissue formation by modulation of the host immune response.
Palynological investigation of some Euphorbia L. (Euphorbiaceae) taxa from Turkey using light and scanning electron microscopy
Authors: Şafak Odabaşı Nevin 
Published: September 2023

AbstractEuphorbia L., one of the largest genera of angiosperms, is represented by the subgenera Esula Pers. and Chamaesyce Raf. in Turkey. Subg. Esula is confined mainly to Eurasia, especially in the Mediterranean region, and has not yet been studied in detail palynologically. In the present study, the pollen morphology of 14 taxa belonging to the sections Helioscopia Dumort., Myrsiniteae (Boiss.) Lojac., Pithyusa (Raf.) Lázaro, Patellares (Prokh.) Frajman, Exiguae (Geltman) Riina & Molero, Paralias Dumort., and Esula (Pers) Dumort. of Euphorbia L. subg. Esula Pers. from European Turkey was examined using light and scanning electron microscopy. The pollen grains were found to be trizonocolporate, isopolar, radially symmetrical, medium in size, and oblate spheroidal and suboblate in shape. Ectoapertures were elongated colpi with distinct margins, widened at the equatorial region, and tapered at the ends; margo was present in all samples as a smooth exine surrounding the colpi. The endoapertures were lolongate pori with distinct costae. The exine was tectate‐perforate. The ornamentation was perforate, microreticulate‐perforate, microreticulate‐perforate with rugulose, or microreticulate‐perforate with a heterobrochate pattern. The sexine was generally thicker than the nexine, with some exceptions where the sexine was almost equal to the nexine. Pollen size, pollen shape, and exine ornamentation have taxonomic importance in distinguishing species; however, these features do not provide strong support for grouping or delimitating the taxa at the sectional level.Research Highlights
Pollen size, pollen shape, and exine ornamentation are taxonomically important for distinguishing Euphorbia species.
The exine ornamentation was observed to be perforate, microreticulate‐perforate, microreticulate‐perforate with a rugulose pattern, and microreticulate‐perforate with a heterobrochate pattern.
The edge‐connectivity of vertex‐transitive hypergraphs
Authors: Burgess Andrea C. , Luther Robert D. , Pike David A. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractA graph or hypergraph is said to be vertex‐transitive if its automorphism group acts transitively upon its vertices. A classic theorem of Mader asserts that every connected vertex‐transitive graph is maximally edge‐connected. We generalise this result to hypergraphs and show that every connected linear uniform vertex‐transitive hypergraph is maximally edge‐connected. We also show that if we relax either the linear or uniform conditions in this generalisation, then we can construct examples of vertex‐transitive hypergraphs which are not maximally edge‐connected.
Long‐term dynamic shifts in genomic base content and evolutionary trajectories of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants
Authors: Li Xinjie , Zhang Yuqi , Wang Jie , Han Jun , Shen Tao 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe rapid spread and remarkable mutations of SARS‐CoV‐2 variants, particularly Omicron, necessitate an understanding of their evolutionary characteristics. In this study, we analyzed representative high‐quality whole‐genome sequences of 2008 SARS‐CoV‐2 variants to explore long‐term dynamic changes in genomic base (especially GC) content and variations during viral evolution. Our results demonstrated a highly negative correlation between GC content and variant emergence time (r = −0.765, p < 2.22e−16). Major gene partitions (S, N, ORF1ab) displayed similar trends. Omicron exhibited a significantly lower GC content than non‐Omicron variants (p < 2.22e−16). Notably, we observed a robust negative correlation between C and T content (r = −0.778, p < 2.22e−16) and between G and A content (r = −0.773, p < 2.22e−16). Among all strains, Omicron showed the greatest base variation, with C‐>T mutations being the most frequent (median [interquartile range [IQR]]: 29 (27, 31), 37.67%), succeeded by G‐>A mutations (11 (9, 13), 14.63%). Over a 3‐year span, an annual decline rate of 0.12% in SARS‐CoV‐2 GC content was observed and could become more pronounced in future emerging variants. These findings provided insights into the evolutionary trajectory of SARS‐CoV‐2, underscoring the significance of continuous genomic surveillance for effective prediction of and response to future variants.
miR‐199a/214 cluster enhances prostate cancer sensitiveness to nimotuzumab via targeting TBL1XR1
Authors: Hu Sheng , Zhou Qiang , Lu Qiang , Guo Xi , Wang Yong , Duan Yi‐Xing 
Published: September 2023

AbstractProstate cancer (PCa) is a significant health concern affecting men worldwide. Previous studies have shown that nimotuzumab, a drug targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), can effectively inhibit cancer progression. Here, we aimed to explore the role of miR‐199a/214 cluster in mediating the inhibitory effect of nimotuzumab on the development of PCa. In this study, we conducted an MTT assay to assess cell proliferation and utilized flow cytometry to evaluate cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of nimotuzumab on prostate cancer development, we focused on the miR‐199a‐5p and miR‐214‐3p miRNA clusters. The TargetScan Human database was used to predict the binding sites between miR‐199a‐5p or miR‐214‐3p and the 3'‐UTR of the transducin (β)‐like 1 X‐linked receptor 1 (TBL1XR1) mRNA. To confirm the direct interaction and binding between miR‐199a‐5p or miR‐214‐3p and the 3'‐UTR of TBL1XR1 mRNA, we performed luciferase reporter assays. Our findings demonstrated that nimotuzumab exerted a significant dosage‐dependent suppression of PCa cell proliferation and facilitated PCa cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Concurrently, nimotuzumab obviously impeded the activity of Wnt/β‐catenin and EGFR signaling pathways in PCa cells. We also observed downregulation of miR‐199a‐5p and miR‐214‐3p in PCa cells. Overexpression of miR‐199a/214 cluster inhibited PCa cell viability and enhanced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, we found that miR‐199a/214 cluster augmented the inhibitory effect of nimotuzumab on PCa cell proliferation and promoted its ability to induce apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. This effect was reversed upon TBL1XR1 overexpression, indicating that TBL1XR1 is involved in the regulatory pathway of miR‐199a/214 and nimotuzumab in PCa cells. We further revealed that TBL1XR1 was overexpressed in PCa and was identified as a downstream target of the miR‐199a/214 cluster. In nimotuzumab‐treated PCa cells, the overexpression of miR‐199a/214 markedly inhibited Wnt/β‐catenin and EGFR signaling, and this effect was also rescued by TBL1XR1 overexpression. In summary, our data indicated that miR‐199a/214 cluster play a crucial role in enhancing the inhibitory effect of nimotuzumab on PCa development by downregulating TBL1XR1 and modulating Wnt/β‐catenin and EGFR signaling pathways. These findings offer a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of prostate cancer.
Grain size characteristics of surface sediment in the Jilantai Salt Lake Protection System after long‐term wind‐sand activities
Authors: Guan Xuewei , Wang Ji , Liu Guangming , Xiao Meng , Ding Yanlong , Chen Jinlin 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn order to explore the influence of vegetation on homogeneity of surface particle size distribution (PSD) and heterogeneity of soil structure, observations, theory, and multifractal results were synthesized to highlight the evolution of the soil particle composition in the Jilantai Salt Lake Protection System (Jilantai system) after long‐term wind‐sand activities and its soil structure characteristics. From flowing sand dune to saline‐alkali wasteland areas, the mean grain size and surface particle sorting degree gradually increased and decreased, respectively, whereas the shape of the particle frequency curve gradually changed from extremely positive deviation to negative deviation, and the peak shape of the curve gradually changed from narrow to wide. Furthermore, the inhomogeneity of the soil particle composition gradually decreased, whereas the range of the soil PSD gradually increased, and the soil increasingly became fine‐grained. Therefore, the contents of clay and silt in shelterbelt soil increased by 16% and 18.36%, respectively, over 1986 levels. Additionally, clay and silt play a vital role in determining soil particle parameters such as standard deviation (SD), skewness (SKI), and monofractal (D), while vegetation factors are the main controlling factors of clay and silt. In conclusion, the Jilantai system could increase heterogeneity and homogeneity and decrease the concentration of soil PSD by changing the sedimentary environment, while this affect depends largely on the fractional vegetation cover, vegetation height, and light penetrating porosity. Moreover, the multifractal and particle parameters could describe the soil structure characteristics and sedimentary process, respectively, after long‐term wind‐sand activities.
Disentangled Higher‐Orbital Bands and Chiral Symmetric Topology in Confined Mie Resonance Photonic Crystals
Authors: Li Jing , Wang Hongfei , Jia Shiyin , Zhan Peng , Lu Minghui , Wang Zhenlin , Chen Yanfeng , Xie Biye 
Published: September 2023

AbstractTopological phases based on tight‐binding models have been extensively studied in recent decades. By mimicking the linear combination of atomic orbitals in tight‐binding models based on the evanescent couplings between resonators in classical waves, numerous experimental demonstrations of topological phases have been successfully conducted. However, in dielectric photonic crystals, the Mie resonances' states decay too slowly as , leading to intrinsically different physics between tight‐binding models and dielectric photonic crystals. Here, a confined Mie resonance photonic crystal is proposed by embedding perfect electric conductors between dielectric rods, creating the chiral symmetric band structure which ideally matches tight‐binding models with nearest‐neighbour couplings. As a consequence, disentangled band structure spanned by higher atomic orbitals is observed. Moreover, the result provides an effective route to achieve a 3D photonic crystal with a complete photonic bandgap and third‐order topology. The implementation offers a versatile platform for studying exotic higher‐orbital bands and achieving tight‐binding‐like 3D topological photonic crystals.
Diversifying the workplace in nonprofit organizations: Discourses and perspectives on ethnic diversity
Authors: Elloukmani Sara , Oosterlynck Stijn , Raeymaeckers Peter 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThis study analyses the perspectives of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) on workplace diversity. Organizational diversity is a well‐established research topic in both profit management and organization studies, as well as in nonprofit scholarship. However, diversity is often discussed from a managerial point of view and, particularly in nonprofits, with little attention to workplace diversity. Using interview data from 25 Belgian NPOs, we explore how leaders in different types of nonprofits approach workplace diversity, discursively and in their organizational practices. Our analysis is centered around Maier and Meyer's typology on nonprofit governance and aims to understand how workplace diversity is perceived in organizations with a domestic, professionalist, grassroots, and civic discourse. We outline the main diversity perspectives underlying these governance discourses. Our study reveals that the way NPO leaders approach workplace diversity is shaped by their overall governance, resulting in differing discourses that go beyond business or social justice rationales. We conclude that there are various ways in which NPOs differentiate diversity, making it important not only to go beyond a managerial/business and social justice discourse, but also to unpack the different forms in which civic or grassroots discourses for example manifest themselves in the nonprofit sector.
Optimal control problem governed by a highly nonlinear singular Volterra equation: Existence of solutions and maximum principle
Authors: Idczak Dariusz 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWe consider a Lagrange optimal control problem for a Volterra integral equation of fractional potential type. We prove a theorem on the existence of an optimal solution and derive a maximum principle. The proof of the existence theorem is based on the lower closure theorem for orientor fields due to Cesari and Filippov‐type selection theorem due to Rockafellar. The proof of the maximum principle is based on an extremum principle for smooth problems proved in Idczak and Walczak (Games. 2020;11:56).
Public policy toward professional sports stadiums: A review
Authors: Bradbury John Charles , Coates Dennis , Humphreys Brad R. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThis article informs public policy toward professional sports stadiums, which state and local governments routinely subsidize. Our analysis provides a history of stadium construction and funding in the U.S., documenting trends that portend a forthcoming new wave of stadiums. Despite robust evidence that stadiums are not economic development catalysts and confer limited social benefits, public outlays persist and exhibit a positive growth trajectory, which could prove costly to government budgets in coming decades. We review contemporary justifications for public subsidies, focusing on proposed salutary development and budgeting strategies. Economic research continues to demonstrate that stadiums remain poor public investments, and optimal public funding of professional sports venues is substantially less than typical subsidy levels. We examine economic, political, and institutional factors that contribute to the disconnect between research and policy, and we provide recommendations to promote sound public policy.
Approximate postbuckling analysis of shear deformable laminates
Authors: Schilling Jakob Christian , Mittelstedt Christian 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn the lightweight design of aircraft, spacecraft and marine vessels, often advanced materials are utilised. Advanced materials such as laminated composites made of fibre‐reinforced plastics show transverse shear deformations if they are considered “thick” or possess little transverse shear stiffness. In most cases, the effect of the shear deformations is neglected, and few computational models exist that consider the closed‐form approximate analysis of the postbuckling behaviour. Thus, a new computational model based on high‐order shear deformation theories is introduced. The solution is derived based on the principle of the minimum of the total elastic potential and is evaluated in comparison to finite element analyses. The highly efficient approximate computational model is developed to offer a valuable tool for the preliminary design of lightweight structures utilising shear deformable advanced materials.
A hybrid finite element/neural network solver and its application to the Poisson problem
Authors: Kapustsin Uladzislau , Kaya Utku , Richter Thomas 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWe analyze a hybrid method that enriches coarse grid finite element solutions with fine scale fluctuations obtained from a neural network. The idea stems from the Deep Neural Network Multigrid Solver (DNN‐MG) which embeds a neural network into a multigrid hierarchy by solving coarse grid levels directly and predicting the corrections on fine grid levels locally (e.g., on small patches that consist of several cells) by a neural network. Such local designs are quite appealing, as they allow a very good generalizability. In this work, we formalize the method and describe main components of the a‐priori error analysis. Moreover, we numerically investigate how the size of training set affects the solution quality.
Investigations of flexible cycloalkyl substituents on pyridine‐imine based nickel(II)‐ and palladium(II)‐catalyzed ethylene oligomerization
Authors: Peng Hongwei , Ji Mingjun , Li Jiaxing , Shen Shuo , Wang Wanjuan , Chen Mengyu , He Guoshan , Guo Lihua 
Published: September 2023

AbstractCycloalkyls show rich conformational change. According to our previous work, the flexible cycloalkyl substituted α‐diimine system generated polyethylene with good elastic properties and much higher branching densities. In this contribution, we introduce the cycloalkyls into the pyridine‐imine catalytic system. A series of novel pyridine‐imine ligands and the corresponding nickel(II) and palladium(II) complexes with cycloalkyl and phenyl substituents for ethylene oligomerization were designed, synthesized and characterized. The nickel(II) complexes with cycloalkyl substituent showed high oligomerization activity (up to 5.90 × 106 g mol−1 h−1) and generated ethylene oligomers with low to moderate branching density (17–57/1000C). The palladium(II) complexes showed moderate oligomerization activity (up to 8.33 × 103 g mol−1 h−1) and can yield high branching density (107–187/1000C) oligomers. In addition, compared to the catalyst with rigid phenyl substituent, the catalysts with flexible cycloalkyl substituents exhibited higher oligomerization activity and yielded ethylene oligomers with higher branching density under the same conditions. © 2023 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Challenges of polymer‐based pH sensing in soil
Authors: Ebadati Esmat , Switalska Eliza , Lombi Enzo , Warren‐Smith Stephen C. , Evans Drew 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIt is well established that plants need a range of soil nutrients to grow. In farming, these nutrients are generally added to the soil in the form of fertilizers. However, depending on the soil conditions (such as temperature, water content, pH, and soil type), nutrients may not be in the right form for plant uptake. Determining the availability of nutrients in the soil for plant growth is therefore critical for the yield and productivity of modern farming. A considerable amount of research and knowledge has been developed that shows the importance of the soil pH on the availability (or not) of nutrients. Furthermore, pH plays a crucial role in controlling the availability of potential toxic elements, such as aluminum and manganese. This review article discusses recent research aimed at real‐time and continuous soil pH measurement in‐situ. More specifically, it focuses on the development of polymer materials that will ultimately enable pH measurements for the specific application of in‐ground pH sensing. Given the breadth of the polymeric sensor research field, this review has a narrowed focus on optical and electrochemical transduction methods.
In silico protein dynamics in the human cytoplasm: Partial folding, misfolding, fold switching, and non‐native interactions
Authors: Russell Premila P. Samuel , Rickard Meredith M. , Boob Mayank , Gruebele Martin , Pogorelov Taras V. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWe examine the influence of cellular interactions in all‐atom models of a section of the Homo sapiens cytoplasm on the early folding events of the three‐helix bundle protein B (PB). While genetically engineered PB is known to fold in dilute water box simulations in three microseconds, the three initially unfolded PB copies in our two cytoplasm models using a similar force field did not reach the native state during 30‐microsecond simulations. We did however capture the formation of all three helices in a compact native‐like topology. Folding in vivo is delayed because intramolecular contact formation within PB is in direct competition with intermolecular contacts between PB and surrounding macromolecules. In extreme cases, intermolecular beta‐sheets are formed. Interactions with other macromolecules are also observed to promote structure formation, for example when a PB helix in our simulations is shielded from solvent by macromolecular crowding. Sticking and crowding in our models initiate sampling of helix/sheet structural plasticity of PB. Relatedly, in past in vitro experiments, similar GA domains were shown to switch between two different folds. Finally, we also observed that stickiness between PB and the cellular environment can be modulated in our simulations through the reduction in protein hydrophobicity when we reversed PB back to the wild‐type sequence. This study demonstrates that even fast‐folding proteins can get stuck in non‐native states in the cell, making them useful models for protein–chaperone interactions and early stages of aggregate formation relevant to cellular disease.
Plants with cosmetic uses
Authors: Mansoor Kenza , Aburjai Talal , Al‐Mamoori Farah , Schmidt Mathias 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe use of plants as a source of active principles for cosmetics has significantly increased in the last few years. Safety, compatibility with all types of skin, fewer side effects, and availability are among the advantages of herbal cosmetics above synthetic ingredients. The present review aims to explore the most important plants used in cosmetics. A literature search was carried out in several electronic databases with the following phrases: skincare and plants; cosmetics and plants; natural and cosmetics; and natural and skincare. Furthermore, more detailed filters such as clinical studies, meta‐analyses, and systemic reviews were applied to positive results. Various plants and plant extracts currently used in skin care, scaring, whitening, and aging, as well as in sun protection, acne, eczema, and others, have been included in this review. The effectiveness of these plants is based mainly on preclinical research, and to a lesser extent on clinical studies. Some plant extracts or oils have been tested clinically, such as onions, aloe, and tea tree oil, more than other plant extracts. Despite many studies on natural products to improve dermal needs, proper clinical cosmeceutical trials are much fewer than expected. Therefore, more clinical trials are needed to evaluate appropriate efficacy. Furthermore, new formulation technologies might enhance the cosmeceutical benefits, but more work is warranted.