bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bioactivity and molecular docking studies of selected plant compounds
Authors: Alimi Dhouha , Hraoui Manel , Hajri Azhar , Taamalli Wael , Selmi Slimen , Sebai Hichem 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe shortcomings of synthetic pesticides are becoming increasingly evident. In the pursuit of looking for alternative, environmentally friendly pesticides, the potential use of two naturally occurring sesquiterpenes, α‐bisabolol and bisabolol oxide A, as bactericides or acaricides, was investigated against three gram‐positive and three gram‐negative bacteria, and the eggs and larvae of the cattle tick Hyalomma scupense, respectively. The primary targeted site of synthetic insecticides is acetylcholinesterase (AChE), so the inhibitory activity of both sesquiterpenes was evaluated. Then, molecular docking and molecular mechanics generalized Born surface area (MM‐GBSA) studies were performed to gain insight into their binding mode in the AChE active site.RESULTSBisabolol oxide A showed good activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella enteritidis with inhibition zones ranging from 16 to 34 mm and minimal inhibitory concentration (CIM) of 3.125  mg mL−1. Ovicidal and larvicidal assays revealed promising activity of α‐bisabolol and bisabolol oxide A against H. scupense, with bisabolol oxide A being more effective against larval ticks with lethal concentration (LC50) value of 0.78%. Both compounds also displayed potent anti‐AChE activity with inhibition concentration (IC50) values of 37.09 and 28.14 μg mL−1, respectively. Furthermore, α‐bisabolol and bisabolol oxide A exhibited good and comparable docking scores (−7.289 and −7.139 Kcal mol−1, respectively) and were found to accommodate in the active‐site gorge of AChE via hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions.CONCLUSIONBisabolol oxide A and, to a lesser degree, α‐bisabolol are active against bacteria and ectoparasites and may represent an economical and sustainable alternative to toxic synthetic pesticides to control pathogens. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.
Point‐of‐Care Ultrasound in Critical Care Obstetrics
Authors: Martins Juliana G. , Waller Jerri , Horgan Rebecca , Kawakita Tetsuya , Kanaan Camille , Abuhamad Alfred , Saade George 
Published: February 2024

ObjectivesTo synthesize the current evidence of maternal point‐of‐care ultrasound (POCUS) in obstetrics. A scoping review was conducted using PubMed, Clinicaltrials.gov, and the Cochrane library from inception through October 2023.MethodsStudies were eligible for inclusion if they described the use of POCUS among obstetric or postpartum patients. Two authors independently screened all abstracts. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed‐methods studies were eligible for inclusion. Case reports of single cases, review articles, and expert opinion articles were excluded. Studies describing detailed maternal nonobstetric sonograms or maternal first trimester sonograms to confirm viability and rule out ectopic pregnancy were also excluded. Data were tabulated using Microsoft Excel and summarized using a narrative review and descriptive statistics.ResultsA total of 689 publications were identified through the search strategy and 12 studies met the inclusion criteria. Nine studies evaluated the use of lung POCUS in obstetrics in different clinical scenarios. Lung ultrasound (LUS) findings in preeclampsia showed an excellent ability to detect pulmonary edema (area under the receiver operating characteristic 0.961) and findings were correlated with clinical evidence of respiratory distress (21 of 57 [37%] versus 14 of 109 [13%]; P = .001). Three studies evaluated abdominal POCUS, two of the inferior vena cava (IVC) to predict postspinal anesthesia hypotension (PSAH) and fluid receptivity and one to assess the rate of ascites in patients with preeclampsia. Patients with PSAH had higher IVC collapsibility (area under the curve = 0.950, P < .001) and, in patients with severe preeclampsia, there is a high rate of ascites (52%) associated with increased risk of adverse outcomes. There were no studies on the use of subjective cardiac POCUS.ConclusionPOCUS use in the management of high‐risk obstetrics has increased. LUS has been the most studied modality and appears to have a potential role in the setting of preeclampsia complicated by pulmonary edema. Cardiac and abdominal POCUS have not been well studied. Trials are needed to evaluate its clinical applicability, reliability, and technique standardization before widespread use.
Real‐World Adverse Events After Type 2 Biologic use in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps
Authors: Dorling Marisa , Hernaiz‐Leonardo Juan C. , Pascual Athenea , Janjua Arif , Thamboo Andrew , Javer Amin 
Published: February 2024

ObjectiveTo investigate the frequency and nature of adverse events related to type 2 biologic use in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP), including dupilumab and mepolizumab.MethodsThis is a single‐institution retrospective study of real‐world patient data. Patients were included if they have a diagnosis of CRSwNP, have undergone at least one endoscopic sinus surgery, and have taken at least two doses of dupilumab or mepolizumab between January 1, 2016, and July 1, 2023. Data collected include clinicodemographic information and past medical/surgical history. The primary outcomes are the incidence and types of adverse events. Adjusted odds ratio was calculated to compare the biologics using logistic regression. Risk factors for developing adverse events were investigated.ResultsEighty‐seven patients on dupilumab and 51 patients on mepolizumab were included. Thirty‐nine (45%) and 10 (20%) patients respectively encountered adverse events, which differed from phase 3 trial data. The adjusted odds ratio for adverse event rates between these two treatment groups was 3.8 (95% CI, 1.5–10.5). The most common adverse events for dupilumab were arthralgia (16%), rash (14%), and conjunctivitis or xerophthalmia (10%). The main adverse events for mepolizumab were headache (6%) and fatigue (6%). Seven dupilumab and three mepolizumab patients discontinued therapy due to adverse events. The average duration of treatment was 22.5 (range: 1–77) months for mepolizumab and 15.9 (range: 1–35) months for dupilumab.ConclusionDupilumab and mepolizumab have distinct adverse event profiles. This study contributes to informing clinicians' decisions regarding the use of type 2 biologics in CRSwNP patients.Level of Evidence3 Laryngoscope, 134:3054–3059, 2024
Impact of spruce deadwood logs on physical properties of a loamy sand Podzol in a steep temperate forest
Authors: Nazari Meisam , Lamandé Mathieu , Weber Peter Lystbæk , Sharififar Amin , Iversen Bo V. , Arthur Emmanuel 
Published: February 2024

AbstractThinned steep forests are particularly vulnerable to soil physical degradation. Retaining deadwood logs from thinning operations on the forest floor can potentially mitigate soil physical degradation by modifying its physical properties through increased carbon content in steep regions. We aimed to investigate the effect of spruce deadwood logs from thinning operations on the physical properties of a loamy sand Podzol soil in a steep (30°) temperate spruce forest in Bavaria, Germany. The soil organic carbon (SOC) content was 56% higher under deadwood logs compared to the control areas (p‐value = 0.097). Deadwood logs also increased the soil water repellency by 13% (p‐value = 0.269), while decreasing the soil shear strength by 35% (p‐value = 0.001). Shear strength and water repellency strongly correlated with SOC content, with r = −0.87 and r = 0.86, respectively. Although retaining deadwood logs seems a promising carbon sequestration strategy, it can adversely affect soil shear strength and water repellency and potentially lead to soil degradation. Therefore, the choice to keep deadwood logs on the forest floor may align with specific management goals.
Environmental sustainability in high‐income countries: Does natural resource protection, financial inclusion, and energy innovation matters?
Authors: Regmi Rupesh , Zhang Zhuo , Zhang Hongpeng 
Published: February 2024

AbstractEnvironmental sustainability (ES) is critical for high‐income countries (HICs) because of their high ecological footprints. They are responsible for global environmental problems as they consume more natural resources, produce more output, and generate more greenhouse gases than other countries, which could have severe consequences for land degradation. In the context of resource conservation and land development policies, this study examined the impact of natural resource protection (i.e., land, water, and biodiversity), financial institution inclusion, financial market inclusion, and energy innovation (EI) on the enhancement of ES in 15 HICs from 1995 to 2020. The study applied Feasible GLS and Prais–Winsten regression to consider cross‐sectional dependence, autocorrelation, heteroscedasticity, and slope heterogeneity problems for unbiased and robust findings along with 2nd generation cointegration tests and the JKS Granger non‐causality test. Natural resource protection, financial institution inclusion, financial market inclusion, and EI have positive effects on ES, along with green energy and environmental regulations. It was also found that an increase in real income negatively impacts ES, as it increases the use of natural resources and energy and generates more waste and pollution which further accelerates land degradation. Cointegration and causality also exist between variables of interest. This shows that protecting natural resources, increasing financial inclusion, and EI can be successful strategies for fostering a green transition, reducing environmental impacts, and embracing more sustainable practices and laws to meet development goals and develop sustainable land use policies. This study suggests that HICs should protect land, water, and biodiversity, promote green financing, digital payments, EI, energy diversification, and environmental protection to achieve ES which is critically important to reduce land degradation.
Unlocking The Inherent Luminescence of Eu2+/Eu3+ by Light‐Induced Oxidation for Invisible Optical Storage
Authors: Zhang Qiwei , Li Peng , Xu Ziyi , Zhang Zhihao , Sun Haiqin , Peng Dengfeng 
Published: February 2024

AbstractColor‐tunable luminescent materials are increasingly recognized for their potential applications in high‐security anticounterfeiting and optical storage technologies. However, luminescent materials with high‐contrast photoswitching behavior that change their luminescence properties in response to external stimuli are extremely scarce. In this study, a time‐dependent color‐tunable luminescent material, Na2BaSiO4:Eu2+ (NBSO:Eu), is introduced. This material leverages the inherent luminescence of Eu2+/Eu3+ through a light stimulus. Under 365 nm irradiation, the blue luminescence of Eu2+ gradually degraded over time, reaching a luminescence contrast of up to 88%. This degradation is accompanied by a color change of the emitted light from blue to red (Eu3+). These color changes can be reversibly tuned by alternating light or thermal stimuli. Experimental investigations revealed that the photogenerated Eu3+ ions and defects, acting as killer centers, induced multicolor luminescent switching behavior. Owing to their unique optical properties, NBSO:Eu offers exciting opportunities for designing advanced dynamic anticounterfeiting and invisible optical storage.
Wavefront‐Reversal, Low‐Threshold, and Enhanced Stimulated Brillouin Scattering for Arbitrary Structured Light
Authors: Qi Tong , Chen Yi‐Zhe , Yan Ding , Gao Wei 
Published: February 2024

AbstractStructured light with multiple degrees of freedom has inspired many advanced applications, and its nonlinear control plays an important role in the interactions between light and matter. Stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS) based on light–sound coupling can be used to realize wavefront‐reversal nonlinear reflection of ordinary light; consequently, it is used to correct wavefront aberrations in high‐power laser systems. However, high‐fidelity wavefront reversal of structured light with orbital angular momentum and high‐reflectivity single‐end SBS of weak incident waves remain challenging. Here, the authors propose a cross‐pump focused SBS scheme that enables wavefront reversal with high fidelity, low threshold, and high reflectivity for arbitrary structured light . The authors demonstrate the capability of this approach to perform conformal and enhanced SBS reflections with a fidelity of >95% and reflectivity of >100%. Compared with the conventional focused SBS configuration, the SBS threshold is reduced by more than ten times, and wavefront reversal of weakly structured light is realized. This proof‐of‐principle study provides a high‐performance SBS platform with potential implications for high‐power structured lasers, high signal‐to‐noise‐ratio microscopy imaging, and the development of nonlinear optics with structured light.
Amorphous Copolyester with Ultrahigh Glass Transition Temperatures Based on 2,6‐Naphthalenedicarboxylic Acid and Bis[4‐(2‐Hydroxyethoxy) Phenyl] Sulfone‐Derived Building Blocks
Authors: Hu Yang , Pu Xinming , Wang Jinggang , Zhang Hongdong , Yang Liping 
Published: February 2024

AbstractHigh performance copolyesters with ultrahigh glass transition temperature (Tg) are crucial in emerging technology fields such as electronic devices, automotives, and coatings. In this paper, a series of poly(ethylene bis[4‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy) phenyl] sulfone 2,6‐naphthalate) (PESNs) with high Tg are synthesized by the copolymerization of 2,6‐naphthalenedicarboxylic acid (2,6‐NDA), bis[4‐(2‐hydroxyethoxy) phenyl] sulfone (BHEBS), and ethylene glycol (EG). The chemical structure and compositions of prepared copolymers are confirmed by hydrogen nuclear magnetic spectra (1H NMR). Tg of copolyesters (121.1–152.2 °C) depends on composition and is comparable to that of polyetheretherketone (PEEK: 143 °C), increasing as the amount of BHEBS units is increased. The Fox, Gordon–Taylor, and Kwei equations are employed to evaluate the variation of Tg with respect to the composition of PESNs, respectively. In these three equations, the data calculated by Kwei equation fit the actual results best, attributed to the peculiar dielectric properties. In addition, PESNs show good solubility in 1,1,2,2‐tetrachloroethane, DMF, and DMSO, which is conducive to meet the needs of polyester coating.
Inhibition of Photoaging by Anthocyanin Metabolites Derived from Rose Petal Extract
Authors: Sim Woo‐Jin , Lee Eunjung , Lee Gakyung , Lim Wonchul , Lim Tae‐Gyu 
Published: February 2024

ScopeRose petal extract (RPE) shows a significant antioxidant effect through its anthocyanin content. However, the mechanism underlying the anti‐aging effects of orally administered RPE remains unclear. This study aims to describe the anti‐aging effect and mechanism of action of orally administered RPE in ultraviolet (UV)B‐induced skin aging.Methods and resultsThis study evaluates the protein expression of collagen type I alpha 1 (COL1A1) and matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP‐1) and the mRNA expression of hyaluronic synthase 2 (HAS2) in human dermal fibroblasts. In addition, the hyaluronidase and collagenase inhibitory activities of RPE are confirmed. To evaluate the anti‐aging effects of RPE, SKH‐1 hairless mice are administered RPE daily for 12 weeks. Wrinkle formation, transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and skin moisture loss induced by UVB irradiation are suppressed in the dorsal skin of SKH‐1 hairless mice orally administered RPE. Oral administration of RPE suppresses UVB irradiation‐induced collagen disruption and reduction of hyaluronic acid. To find the bioactive compound in the RPE, serum protocatechuic acid (PCA), an anthocyanin metabolite, is analyzed using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry (LC‐MS/MS).ConclusionAnthocyanins in RPE are metabolized to PCA in the body and circulated through the bloodstream to exhibit anti‐aging effects on the skin.
A novel wideband compact circularly‐polarized metasurface antenna for modern vehicular communication systems
Authors: Chen Dongxu , Chin Kuo‐Sheng , Yang Wanchen , Jin Huayan , Cao Yue , Chen Jiaqi , Cao Ning 
Published: February 2024

AbstractIn this work, a wideband compact circularly polarized (CP) antenna using a novel polarization‐rotated metasurface (MS) structure is presented. First, the polarization‐rotated MS structure is designed by using a complementary L‐shaped MS unit cell. By optimizing the width of diagonal gap and radius of corners, the amplitude and phase of its surface impedances along ±45° can be adjusted respectively, and then a large polarization‐rotated bandwidth of 44.4% can be obtained. Secondly, the modal behaviors of the proposed MS are also investigated by adopting characteristic mode analysis (CMA) to explore feasible CP radiation. Furtherly, the proposed MS is applied to construct a wideband CP MS‐based antenna by combining with a coupling slot. The experimental results show a large 3‐dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidth (~31.1%), a large 10‐dB impedance bandwidth (~41.8%) and a compact size of 0.63λ0 × 0.63λ0 × 0.08λ0, verifying that the proposed antenna can be applied to realize a high‐quality vehicular communication.
Technical note: Errors introduced when using Dose Voxel Kernels for estimating absorbed dose from radiopharmaceutical therapies involving alpha emitters
Authors: Tranel Jonathan , Palm Stig , Feng Felix Y. , St. James Sara , Hope Thomas A. 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundIn radiopharmaceutical therapies (RPT) involving beta emitters, absorbed dose (Dabs) calculations often employ the use of dose voxel kernels (DVK). Such methods are faster and easier to implement than Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. Using DVK methods implies a non‐stochastic distribution of particles. This is a valid assumption for betas where thousands to tens of thousands of particles traversing the cell nucleus are required to achieve cell kill. However, alpha particles have linear energy transfers (LET) that are ∼500 times higher than LETs of betas. This results in a significant probability of killing a cell from even a single traversal through its nucleus. Consequently, the activity used for therapy involving alphas is very low, and the use of DVKs for estimating Dabs will generate results that may be erroneous.PurposeThis work aims at illustrating how use of DVKs affect the resulting Dabs in small tumors when irradiated with clinically relevant amounts of beta‐ and alpha‐emitters. The results are compared with those from using a Monte Carlo method where the energy deposition from individual tracks is simulated.MethodsTo illustrate the issues associated with DVK for alpha radiopharmaceutical therapies at the microscale, a tumor cluster model was used to compare beta (177Lu) and alphas (211At, 225Ac, and 227Th) irradiations. We used 103 beta particles and 20 alpha particles per cell, which is within the range of the required number of particle traversals through its nucleus to sterilize a cell. Results from using both methods were presented with Dabs histograms, dose volume histograms, and Dabs error maps.ResultsFor beta‐emitter (177Lu) irradiating the modeled tumor cluster, resulting Dabs was similar for both DVK and MC methods. For all alpha emitters, the use of DVK led to an overestimation of Dabs when compared to results generated using a MC approach.ConclusionsOur results demonstrate that the use of DVK methods for alpha emitters can lead to an overestimation in the calculated Dabs. The use of DVKs for therapies involving alpha emitters may therefore not be appropriate when only referring to the mean Dabs metric.
CycleSeg: Simultaneous synthetic CT generation and unsupervised segmentation for MR‐only radiotherapy treatment planning of prostate cancer
Authors: Luu Huan Minh , Yoo Gyu Sang , Park Won , Park Sung‐Hong 
Published: February 2024

AbstractBackgroundMR‐only radiotherapy treatment planning is an attractive alternative to conventional workflow, reducing scan time and ionizing radiation. It is crucial to derive the electron density map or synthetic CT (sCT) from MR data to perform dose calculations to enable MR‐only treatment planning. Automatic segmentation of relevant organs in MR images can accelerate the process by preventing the time‐consuming manual contouring step. However, the segmentation label is available only for CT data in many cases.PurposeWe propose CycleSeg, a unified framework that generates sCT and corresponding segmentation from MR images without access to MR segmentation labelsMethodsCycleSeg utilizes the CycleGAN formulation to perform unpaired synthesis of sCT and image alignment. To enable MR (sCT) segmentation, CycleSeg incorporates unsupervised domain adaptation by using a pseudo‐labeling approach with feature alignment in semantic segmentation space. In contrast to previous approaches that perform segmentation on MR data, CycleSeg could perform segmentation on both MR and sCT. Experiments were performed with data from prostate cancer patients, with 78/7/10 subjects in the training/validation/test sets, respectively.ResultsCycleSeg showed the best sCT generation results, with the lowest mean absolute error of 102.2 and the lowest Fréchet inception distance of 13.0. CycleSeg also performed best on MR segmentation, with the highest average dice score of 81.0 and 81.1 for MR and sCT segmentation, respectively. Ablation experiments confirmed the contribution of the proposed components of CycleSeg.ConclusionCycleSeg effectively synthesized CT and performed segmentation on MR images of prostate cancer patients. Thus, CycleSeg has the potential to expedite MR‐only radiotherapy treatment planning, reducing the prescribed scans and manual segmentation effort, and increasing throughput.
Population genomics of coastal Pacific Hake
Authors: Longo Gary C. , Head Melissa A. , Parker-Stetter Sandy L. , Taylor Ian G. , Tuttle Vanessa J. , Billings Alicia A. , Gauthier Stéphane , McClure Michelle M. , Nichols Krista M. 
Published: February 2024

Abstract

Objective
Understanding the genetic structure of harvested fishery species is crucial for accurate stock assessments and effective management strategies. There have been several rangewide population genetic analyses of Pacific Hake Merluccius productus; however, a thorough focus on the heavily harvested coastal stock off the west coast of North America is missing. Recent observations of spatial–temporal variability in life history and migratory patterns of the coastal population have brought into question whether this variation may be related to genetic differentiation.

Methods
Here, we used restriction site-associated DNA sequencing markers to thoroughly assess the potential for spatial–temporal genetic differentiation in the coastal stock of Pacific Hake. We sampled during different seasons from British Columbia down to the U.S.–Mexico border over multiple years on what traditionally have been thought to constitute spawning and feeding grounds, resulting in the most comprehensive assessment of coastal Pacific Hake population structure to date.

Result
Generally, our results suggest very weak to no structure among coastal spatial–temporal sites and corroborate previous findings of strong differentiation between coastal and Salish Sea populations. The lack of structure among coastal sites is likely due to significant amounts of gene flow in this highly migratory population.

Conclusion
These findings align with the ongoing management strategy for coastal Pacific Hake, which is based on an annual stock assessment that considers the coastal stock homogenous and distinct from the Salish Sea population. The understanding that management units indeed match genetic populations provides managers with additional confidence in existing management strategy.