bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Bimetallic Polymerization Network for Effective Increase in Labile Iron Pool and Robust Activation of cGAS/STING Induces Ferroptosis‐Based Tumor Immunotherapy
Authors: Wang Zhenxin , Zhou Peng , Li Yuting , Zhang Dazhen , Chu Fuchao , Yuan Feng , Pan Bin , Gao Fenglei 
Published: December 2023

AbstractDue to the inherent low immunogenicity and immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME) of malignant cancers, the clinical efficacy and application of tumor immunotherapy have been limited. Herein, a bimetallic drug‐gene co‐loading network (Cu/ZIF‐8@U‐104@siNFS1‐HA) is developed that increased the intracellular labile iron pool (LIP) and enhanced the weakly acidic TME by co‐suppressing the dual enzymatic activities of carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) and cysteine desulfurylase (NFS1), inducing a safe and efficient initial tumor immunogenic ferroptosis. During this process, Cu2+ is responsively released to deplete glutathione (GSH) and reduce the enzyme activity of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), achieving the co‐inhibition of the three enzymes and further inducing lipid peroxidation (LPO). Additionally, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) storm in target cells promoted the generation of large numbers of double‐stranded DNA breaks. The presence of Zn2+ substantially increased the expression of cGAS/STING, which cooperated with ferroptosis to strengthen the immunogenic cell death (ICD) response and remodel the immunosuppressive TME. In brief, Cu/ZIF‐8@U‐104@siNFS1‐HA linked ferroptosis with immunotherapy through multiple pathways, including the increase in LIP, regulation of pH, depletion of GSH/GPX4, and activation of STING, effectively inhibiting cancer growth and metastasis.
Facile Synthesis of 2D SiOx‐3D Si Hybrid Anode Materials by Ca Modification Effect for Enhanced Lithium Storage Performance
Authors: Ding Juxuan , Sun Jifei , Li Jingwei , Chen Chen , Jiang Xuesong , Wang Zihan , Zhu Xiaoxiao , Mo Zhangchao , Chen Shuanghong , Ban Boyuan , Chen Jian 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAl‐Si dealloying method is widely used to prepare Si anode for alleviating the issues caused by a drastic volume change of Si‐based anode. However, this method suffers from the problems of low Si powder yield (<20 wt.% Si) and complicated cooling equipment due to the hindrance of large‐size primary Si particles. Here, a new modification strategy to convert primary Si to 2D SiOx nanosheets by introducing a Ca modifier into Al‐Si alloy melt is presented. The thermodynamics calculation shows that the primary Si is preferentially converted to CaAl2Si2 intermetallic compound in Al‐Si‐Ca alloy system. After the dealloying process, the CaAl2Si2 is further converted to 2D SiOx nanosheets, and eutectic Si is converted to 3D Si, thus obtaining the 2D SiOx‐3D Si hybrid Si‐based materials (HSiBM). Benefiting from the modification effect, the HSiBM anode shows a significantly improved electrochemical performance, which delivers a capacity retention of over 90% after 100 cycles and keeps 98.94% capacity after the rate test. This work exhibits an innovative approach to produce stable Si‐based anode through Al‐Si dealloying method with a high Si yield and without complicated rapid cooling techniques, which has a certain significance for the scalable production of Si‐based anodes.
An efficient lightweight authentication scheme for dew‐assisted IoT networks
Authors: Verma Upendra , Sohani Mayank 
Published: December 2023

SummaryThe dew computing is currently considered as one of the promising technology, due to its ability to give data access in the absence of internet. However, dew computing also brings new challenges, particularly security and privacy issues. In dew computing paradigm, authentication and key agreement pose substantial challenges that must be taken into account. In this context, the present work is to provide a secure authentication scheme for Internet of Things and dew server based on elliptic curve cryptography. Moreover, the performance evaluation of proposed scheme has been assessed in terms of communication and computation cost, which shows the proposed scheme outperforms than existing related schemes. The proposed scheme has also been compared with the related schemes in terms of various security features such as location privacy, anonymity, forward secrecy, mutual authentication, key agreement, forgery attack, replay attack, denial of service attack and replay attack. Furthermore, the formal security evaluation has been verified by automated validation internet security protocols and applications (AVISPA) under on‐the‐fly model‐checker (OFMC) and constraint logic based attack searcher (CL‐AtSE) backends. The OFMC backend analyzed 228 visited nodes with four plies using search time of 0.24 s. The CL‐AtSE analyzed three states with translation time of 0.12 s. The OFMC and CL‐AtSE backends have not identified any attack trace. Therefore, the simulation results demonstrate that the proposed scheme is safe against the security threats.
Assessing the auditory effects of oral chelation therapy drug Deferasirox in individuals with β‐thalassemia major
Authors: Tiwana Balwinder S. , Aggarwal Ankita , Bhagat Sanjeev , Singh Harjinder , Sahni Dimple , Yadav Vishav 
Published: December 2023

AbstractObjectiveOur study aimed to investigate the ototoxicity associated with the iron chelator deferasirox in patients with β‐thalassemia major, who were receiving regular transfusion therapy, along with evaluating the data on audiological tests using appropriate statistical tests.MethodsA cross‐sectional observational study was conducted on 100 transfusion‐dependent β‐thalassemia major patients on oral iron chelating agent‐deferasirox. Pure tone audiometry (PTA) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) was carried out in all patients to assess the auditory side effects of the drug. Data was collected, compiled, and analyzed statistically using appropriate statistical tests. The relationship between ototoxicity and various demographic parameters such as age, sex, hemoglobin (Hb) level, S. ferritin, duration, and dose of chelation therapy was also assessed.ResultsSixteen patients had abnormal DPOAE and the number of patients with pure tone average above 25 dB HL which was taken as hearing deficit on PTA was 13. No statistically significant relationship between hearing loss and age, gender, S. ferritin, duration of therapy, cumulative dose, Hb levels were found.ConclusionDespite being a lifesaving drug, the advantages of chelating agent‐Deferasirox must be weighed against its probable ototoxic effects. We could not find a relationship of ototoxicity with variable parameters (age, gender, Hb level, Ferritin level, duration, and cumulative dose of drug), thus future research is encouraged to form a definitive basis.
Synthesis, structures and optical properties of mononuclear La, Eu and Tb complexes supported by calix[4]arene ligands bearing three pendant salicylaldiminato arms
Authors: Günzel Lennart , Börner Martin , Kersting Berthold 
Published: December 2023

AbstractThe synthesis and complexation behaviour of a new calix[4]arene ligand H4L3 bearing three pendant salicylaldimine arms towards selected lanthanide ions has been investigated. Reaction of H4L3 with Ln(NO3)3⋅6H2O in MeOH in the presence of NEt3 provides monomeric complexes of composition [Ln(HL3)] (Ln=La3+ (4), Eu3+ (5), Tb3+ (6)). An X‐ray crystallographic analysis for 4 reveals that only two of the three ligand arms are involved in the coordination of the lanthanide ions, to give eight‐coordinated Ln3+ ions in a distorted square‐antiprismatic N2O6 environment. UV‐vis spectrophotometric titrations show that such monomeric species prevail in CH2Cl2/MeOH (1/1 v/v) solution. The apparent stability constants determined by UV‐vis spectrophotometric titration are log K=6.8(2) for 5 and log K=5.8(1) for 6. The Eu and Tb complexes luminesce only weakly at 77 K with luminescence lifetimes of 0.469 and 0.306 s.
On Continuities. Migration and Institutional (Non-)Change
Authors: Jurkiewicz Joanna , Schneider Jens 
Published: December 2023

AbstractMigration as a driver of cultural change has led not only to reflexions about the role of cultural institutions in producing narratives on belonging or nations but also to criticism of the institutional structures themselves. Manifold approaches have evolved that discuss how cultural institutions can more aptly represent the diversity of migration societies. These have inspired artistic projects, educational programmes and sometimes also institutional change. However, in Germany, these promising developments still seem to be exceptional. While the debates have been around for quite some years and seem to be all-encompassing and happening in various cultural institutions in diverse forms, we hardly notice any change in institutional structures. The chapter aims to identify reasons for this discrepancy based on two case studies of qualitative research in the middle-sized town of Sindelfingen and in Hamburg.
Breath-Hold-Triggered BOLD fMRI in Drug-Resistant Nonlesional Focal Epilepsy—A Pilot Study
Authors: Boßelmann Christian M. , Kegele Josua , Zerweck Leonie , Klose Uwe , Ethofer Silke , Roder Constantin , Grimm Alexander M. , Hauser Till-Karsten 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Individuals with drug-resistant epilepsy may benefit from epilepsy surgery. In nonlesional cases, where no epileptogenic lesion can be detected on structural magnetic resonance imaging, multimodal neuroimaging studies are required. Breath-hold-triggered BOLD fMRI (bh-fMRI) was developed to measure cerebrovascular reactivity in stroke or angiopathy and highlights regional network dysfunction by visualizing focal impaired flow increase after vasodilatory stimulus. This regional dysfunction may correlate with the epileptogenic zone. In this prospective single-center single-blind pilot study, we aimed to establish the feasibility and safety of bh-fMRI in individuals with drug-resistant non-lesional focal epilepsy undergoing presurgical evaluation.

Methods
In this prospective study, 10 consecutive individuals undergoing presurgical evaluation for drug-resistant focal epilepsy were recruited after case review at a multidisciplinary patient management conference. Electroclinical findings and results of other neuroimaging were used to establish the epileptogenic zone hypothesis. To calculate significant differences in cerebrovascular reactivity in comparison to the normal population, bh-fMRIs of 16 healthy volunteers were analyzed. The relative flow change of each volume of interest (VOI) of the atlas was then calculated compared to the flow change of the whole brain resulting in an atlas of normal cerebral reactivity. Consequently, the mean flow change of every VOI of each patient was tested against the healthy volunteers group. Areas with significant impairment of cerebrovascular reactivity had decreased flow change and were compared to the epileptogenic zone localization hypothesis in a single-blind design.

Results
Acquisition of bh-fMRI was feasible in 9/10 cases, with one patient excluded due to noncompliance with breathing maneuvers. No adverse events were observed, and breath-hold for intermittent hypercapnia was well tolerated. On blinded review, we observed full or partial concordance of the local network dysfunction seen on bh-fMRI with the electroclinical hypothesis in 6/9 cases, including cases with extratemporal lobe epilepsy and those with nonlocalizing 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET).

Conclusion
This represents the first report of bh-fMRI in individuals with epilepsy undergoing presurgical evaluation. We found bh-fMRI to be feasible and safe, with a promising agreement to electroclinical findings. Thus, bh-fMRI may represent a potential modality in the presurgical evaluation of epilepsy. Further studies are needed to establish clinical utility.
A Closer Look at the Expressive Power of Logics Based on Word Equations
Authors: Day Joel , Ganesh Vijay , Grewal Nathan , Konefal Matthew , Manea Florin 
Published: December 2023

AbstractWord equations are equations $$\alpha \doteq \beta $$

α
≐
β

where $$\alpha $$
α
and $$\beta $$
β
are words consisting of letters from some alphabet $$\Sigma $$
Σ
and variables from a set X. Recently, there has been substantial interest in the context of string solving in logics combining word equations with other kinds of constraints on words such as (regular) language membership (regular constraints) and arithmetic over string lengths (length constraints). We consider the expressive power of such logics by looking at the set of all values a single variable might take as part of a satisfying assignment for a given formula. Hence, each formula-variable pair defines a formal language, and each logic defines a class of formal languages. We consider logics arising from combining word equations with either length constraints, regular constraints, or both. We also consider word equations with visibly pushdown language membership constraints as a generalisation of the combination of regular and length constraints. We show that word equations with visibly pushdown membership constraints are sufficient to express all recursively enumerable languages and hence satisfiability is undecidable in this case. We then establish a strict hierarchy involving the other combinations. We also provide a complete characterisation of when a thin regular language is expressible by word equations (alone) and some further partial results for regular languages in the general case.
Robust Feedback Stabilization of Interacting Multi-agent Systems Under Uncertainty
Authors: Albi Giacomo , Herty Michael , Segala Chiara 
Published: December 2023

AbstractWe consider control strategies for large-scale interacting agent systems under uncertainty. The particular focus is on the design of robust controls that allow to bound the variance of the controlled system over time. To this end we consider $${\mathcal {H}}_\infty $$

H
∞

control strategies on the agent and mean field description of the system. We show a bound on the $${\mathcal {H}}_\infty $$

H
∞

norm for a stabilizing controller independent on the number of agents. Furthermore, we compare the new control with existing approaches to treat uncertainty by generalized polynomial chaos expansion. Numerical results are presented for one-dimensional and two-dimensional agent systems.
Disparities in indications and outcomes reporting for pediatric tethered cord surgery: The need for a standardized outcome assessment tool
Authors: Findlay Matthew C. , Tenhoeve Samuel , Terry Skyler A. , Iyer Rajiv R. , Brockmeyer Douglas L. , Kelly Michael P. , Kestle John R. W. , Gonda David , Ravindra Vijay M. 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Tethered cord syndrome (TCS) is characterized by abnormal attachment of the spinal cord neural elements to surrounding tissues. The most common symptoms include pain, motor or sensory dysfunction, and urologic deficits. Although TCS is common in children, there is a significant heterogeneity in outcomes reporting. We systematically reviewed surgical indications and postoperative outcomes to assess the need for a grading/classification system.

Methods
PubMed and EMBASE searches identified pediatric TCS literature published between 1950 and 2023. Studies reporting surgical interventions, ≥ 6-month follow-up, and ≥ 5 patients were included.

Results
Fifty-five studies representing 3798 patients were included. The most commonly reported non-urologic symptoms were nonspecific lower-extremity motor disturbances (36.4% of studies), lower-extremity/back pain (32.7%), nonspecific lower-extremity sensory disturbances (29.1%), gait abnormalities (29.1%), and nonspecific bowel dysfunction/fecal incontinence (25.5%). Urologic symptoms were most commonly reported as nonspecific complaints (40.0%). After detethering surgery, retethering was the most widely reported non-urologic outcome (40.0%), followed by other nonspecific findings: motor deficits (32.7%), lower-extremity/back/perianal pain (18.2%), gait/ambulation function (18.2%), sensory deficits (12.7%), and bowel deficits/fecal incontinence (12.7%). Commonly reported urologic outcomes included nonspecific bladder/urinary deficits (27.3%), bladder capacity (20.0%), bladder compliance (18.2%), urinary incontinence/enuresis/neurogenic bladder (18.2%), and nonspecific urodynamics/urodynamics score change (16.4%).

Conclusion
TCS surgical literature is highly variable regarding surgical indications and reporting of postsurgical outcomes. The lack of common data elements and consistent quantitative measures inhibits higher-level analysis. The development and validation of a standardized outcomes measurement tool—ideally encompassing both patient-reported outcome and objective measures—would significantly benefit future TCS research and surgical management.
Association between bacterial resistance profile and the development of intra-abdominal abscesses in pediatric patients with perforated appendicitis: cohort study
Authors: Garzon-González Luz Nélida , Padilla Laura Tatiana , Patiño Felipe , Hernández María Alejandra , Valero Juan , Molina Iván Dario , Ávila Fernando Fierro , Camacho-Moreno German 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Purpose
The objective of this study was to determine the association between the presence of a microorganism resistant to the antibiotic used in empirical therapy and the development of intra-abdominal abscesses in children with perforated appendicitis.

Methods
A prospective cohort study was conducted in patients under 18 years of age who underwent laparoscopic appendectomy between November 1, 2019, and September 30, 2020, in whom perforated appendicitis was documented intraoperatively. Peritoneal fluid samples were taken for bacteria culture purposes, and clinical and microbiological data were collected from all patients.

Results
A total of 232 patients were included in the study. The most isolated microorganisms were Escherichia coli (80.14%) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (7.45%). In addition, 5.31% of E. coli isolates were classified as ESBL-producing organisms. No association was found between a germ resistant to empiric antimicrobial therapy and the development of a postoperative intra-abdominal abscess. Multivariate analysis showed that being a high-risk patient on admission (OR 2.89 (p = 0.01)) was associated with the development of intra-abdominal abscesses postoperatively.

Conclusion
E. coli was the most commonly isolated microorganism, with a low rate of ESBL-producing isolates. No association between resistance and risk of postoperative intra-abdominal abscess was found. However, it was identified that being a high-risk patient on admission was associated with this complication.

Type of study
Prognosis study.

Level of evidence
Level I.
Parasites of firebugs in Austria with focus on the “micro”-diversity of the cosmopolitan trypanosomatid Leptomonas pyrrhocoris
Authors: Kostygov Alexei Yu. , Chmelová Ľubomíra , Reichl Julia , Jászayová Alexandra , Votýpka Jan , Fuehrer Hans-Peter , Yurchenko Vyacheslav 
Published: December 2023

AbstractIn this work, we investigated parasites of the firebug Pyrrhocoris apterus in Austria and demonstrated that in addition to the extensively studied Leptomonas pyrrhocoris, it can also be infected by Blastocrithidia sp. and by a mermithid, which for the first time has been characterized using molecular methods. This diversity can be explained by the gregarious lifestyle, as well as the coprophagous and cannibalistic behavior of the insect hosts that makes them susceptible to various parasites. In addition, we showed no tight association of the L. pyrrhocoris haplotypes and geographical locations (at least, considering the relatively small scale of locations in Austria) implying that the natural populations of L. pyrrhocoris are mixed due to the mobility of their firebug hosts.
HIV-1 Vif protein sequence variations in South African people living with HIV and their influence on Vif-APOBEC3G interaction
Authors: Williams Monray Edward 
Published: December 2023

Abstract
Purpose
Despite extensive research, HIV-1 remains a global epidemic with variations in pathogenesis across regions and subtypes. The Viral Infectivity Factor (Vif) protein, which neutralizes the host protein APOBEC3G, has been implicated in differences in clinical outcomes among people living with HIV (PLHIV). Most studies on Vif sequence diversity have focused on subtype B, leaving gaps in understanding Vif variations in HIV-1C regions like South Africa. This study aimed to identify and compare Vif sequence diversity in a cohort of 51 South African PLHIV and other HIV-1C prevalent regions.

Methods
Sanger sequencing was used for Vif analysis in the cohort, and additional sequences were obtained from the Los Alamos database. Molecular modeling and docking techniques were employed to study the influence of subtype-specific variants on Vif-APOBEC3G binding affinity.

Results
The findings showed distinct genetic variations between Vif sequences from India and Uganda, while South African sequences had wider distribution and closer relatedness to both. Specific amino acid substitutions in Vif were associated with geographic groups. Molecular modeling and docking analyses consistently identified specific residues (ARGR19, LYS26, TYR30, TYR44, and TRP79) as primary contributors to intermolecular contacts between Vif and APOBEC3G, essential for their interaction. The Indian Vif variant exhibited the highest predicted binding affinity to APOBEC3G among the studied groups.

Conclusions
These results provide insights into Vif sequence diversity in HIV-1C prevalent regions and shed light on differential pathogenesis observed in different geographical areas. The identified Vif amino acid residues warrant further investigation for their diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic potential.
The phenotypic and genetic characteristics of Pseudomonas anguilliseptica strains associated with mortalities in farmed sea bream and sea bass
Authors: Tawfeek Walaa S. , Kassab Amina S. , Okasha Lamiaa A. , Abdelsalam Mohamed , Sherif Ahmed H. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractTo investigate the presence of Pseudomonas anguilliseptica, one hundred specimens of sea bream (Sparus aurata) and sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) were collected alongside water samples during episodes of widespread fish mortality in marine fish farms located in the northern region of Egypt. This study documented the clinical and postmortem manifestations observed in moribund sea bream and sea bass, thus providing evidence for the occurrence of a septicemic-hemorrhagic bacterial disease. Fourteen strains of P. anguilliseptica were isolated and characterized from both sea bream and sea bass specimens. The conventional bacteriology methods were employed to retrieve the causative bacterial agent and subsequently evaluate its phenotypic traits. Moreover, sequencing of the 16 S rRNA was conducted to characterize the identified microorganism. Furthermore, multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) was employed to confirm the identity of P. anguilliseptica and elucidate the phylogenetic interrelationship among various strains. Regardless of their source or the fish species from which the strains were obtained, these isolates showed a high level of phenotypic homogeneity. MLSA displayed a genetic homogeneity among isolates despite their different geographic origins. Antibiogram revealed the sensitivity of some P. anguilliseptica strains for antibiotics (florfenicol, trimethoprim, sulfamethoxazole, cefotaxime, and ciprofloxacin). Isolated strains were harboring some antibiotic-resistant genes, with the most prevalent being tetA gene, followed by ermB gene. Water physico-chemical parameters (low temperature and salinity fluctuation) were convenient for bacterial growth. In addition, P. anguilliseptica strains could resist several antibiotics and harbored antibiotic-resistant genes, resulting in difficulties in fish treatment.