bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of Microdoses of Incisional Antibiotics on the Rate of Surgical Site Infections in Skin Cancer Surgery
Authors: Goh Maple , Hollewand Clare , McBride Stephen , Ryan Nicola , van der Werf Bert , Mathy Jon A. 
Published: May 2023

ImportanceSurgical site infections (SSIs) represent a costly and preventable complication of cutaneous surgery. However, there is a paucity of randomized clinical trials investigating antibiotic prophylaxis for reducing SSIs in skin cancer surgery, and evidence-based guidelines are lacking. Incisional antibiotics have been shown to reduce the rate of SSIs before Mohs micrographic surgery, but this represents a small subset of skin cancer surgery.ObjectiveTo determine whether microdosed incisional antibiotics reduce the rate of SSIs before skin cancer surgery.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsIn this double-blind, controlled, parallel-design randomized clinical trial, adult patients presenting to a high-volume skin cancer treatment center in Auckland, New Zealand, for any form of skin cancer surgery over 6 months from February to July 2019 were included. Patient presentations were randomized to one of 3 treatment arms. Data were analyzed from October 2021 to February 2022.InterventionsPatients received an incision site injection of buffered local anesthetic alone (control), buffered local anesthetic with microdosed flucloxacillin (500 µg/mL), or buffered local anesthetic with microdosed clindamycin (500 µg/mL).Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe primary end point was the rate of postoperative SSI (calculated as number of lesions with SSI per total number of lesions in the group), defined as a standardized postoperative wound infection score of 5 or more.ResultsA total of 681 patients (721 total presentations; 1133 total lesions) returned for postoperative assessments and were analyzed. Of these, 413 (60.6%) were male, and the mean (SD) age was 70.4 (14.8) years. Based on treatment received, the proportion of lesions exhibiting a postoperative wound infection score of 5 or greater was 5.7% (22 of 388) in the control arm, 5.3% (17 of 323) in the flucloxacillin arm, and 2.1% (9 of 422) in the clindamycin arm (P = .01 for clindamycin vs control). Findings were similar after adjusting for baseline differences among arms. Compared with lesions in the control arm (31 of 388 [8.0%]), significantly fewer lesions in the clindamycin arm (9 of 422 [2.1%]; P &amp;lt; .001) and flucloxacillin (13 of 323 [4.0%]; P = .03) arms required postoperative systemic antibiotics.Conclusions and RelevanceThis study evaluated the use of incisional antibiotics for SSI prophylaxis in general skin cancer surgery and compared the efficacy of flucloxacillin vs clindamycin relative to control in cutaneous surgery. The significant reduction in SSI with locally applied microdosed incisional clindamycin provides robust evidence to inform treatment guidelines in this area, which are currently lacking.Trial Registrationanzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12616000364471
Long‐Term Maintenance of Clinical Responses by Individual Patients With Polyarticular‐Course Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Treated With Abatacept
Authors: Brunner Hermine I. , Tzaribachev Nikolay , Louw Ingrid , Calvo Penades Inmaculada , Avila‐Zapata Francisco , Horneff Gerd , Foeldvari Ivan , Kingsbury Daniel J. , Paz Gastanaga Maria Eliana , Wouters Carine , Breedt Johannes , Wong Robert , Askelson Margarita , Zhuo Joe , Martini Alberto , Lovell Daniel J. , Ruperto Nicolino ,   for the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organisation (PRINTO) and the Pediatric Rheumatology Collaborative Study Group (PRCSG) investigators
Published: May 2023

ObjectiveTo investigate the frequency and trajectories of individual patients with polyarticular‐course juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) achieving novel composite end points on abatacept.MethodsData from a clinical trial of subcutaneous abatacept (NCT01844518) and a post hoc analysis of intravenous abatacept (NCT00095173) in patients with polyarticular‐course JIA were included. Three end points were defined and evaluated: combined occurrence of low disease activity (LDA) measured by the Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score; 50% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria for JIA (ACR50); and patient‐reported outcomes. Patient‐reported outcomes included visual analog scale score of minimal pain (pain‐min) and Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire disability index score of 0 (C‐HAQ DI0). In this post hoc analysis, maintenance of month 13 and 21 end points (LDA+pain‐min, LDA+C‐HAQ DI0, and ACR50+pain‐min) in those who achieved them at month 4 was determined.ResultsComposite end points (LDA+pain‐min, LDA+C‐HAQ DI0, and ACR50+pain‐min) were achieved at month 4 (44.7%, 19.6%, and 58.9% of the 219 patients treated with subcutaneous abatacept, respectively). Of those who achieved LDA+pain‐min at month 4, 84.7% (83 of 98) and 65.3% (64 of 98) maintained LDA+pain‐min at months 13 and 21, respectively. The proportions of patients meeting LDA+pain‐min outcomes increased from 44.7% (98 of 219) at month 4 to 54.8% (120 of 219) at month 21. The frequency of patients who met an LDA+C‐HAQ DI score of 0 increased from 19.6% (43 of 219) at month 4 to 28.8% (63 of 219) at month 21.ConclusionAmong individual patients with polyarticular‐course JIA treated with abatacept who achieved 1 of the combined clinical and patient‐reported outcomes composite end points, many maintained them over 21 months of abatacept treatment.
Layer‐By‐Layer Assembly of Asymmetric Linkers into Non‐Centrosymmetric Metal Organic Frameworks: A Thorough Theoretical Treatment
Authors: Liu Modan , Elsing David , Esmaeilpour Meysam , Kozlowska Mariana , Wenzel Wolfgang , Wöll Christof 
Published: May 2023

AbstractLayer‐by‐layer synthesis of surface‐coordinated metal–organic frameworks (SURMOF) enables the assembly of asymmetric, dipolar linkers into non‐centrosymmetric pillar‐layered structures. Using appropriate substrate terminations can yield oriented growth with the dipoles aligned perpendicular to the surface. The aligned pillar linkers give rise to a built‐in electrostatic field. In addition, the non‐centrosymmetric structure of the SURMOF gives rise to intriguing nonlinear optical features, such as second harmonic generation. Previous research with methyl‐functionalized bipyridine pillar linkers have demonstrated that this approach works in principle, but so far the total degree of alignment is only very small. Herein, a multiscale modelling approach is presented for in‐silico SURMOF assembly to identify and overcome limitations in the growth of pillar‐layered SURMOFs and to develop a strategy to maximize linker alignment. Using master equation models and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, it is found that the formation of a highly ordered state corresponding to the thermodynamic equilibrium is often prevented by long‐lasting transient effects. Based on ab initio binding energies for a wide selection of hypothetical pillar linkers, a fast‐binding, slow‐relaxation scheme is able to be identified during the SURMOF growth for a range of different pillar linkers. These observations allow them to derive a rational strategy for the design of novel linkers to yield SURMOF‐based non‐centrosymmetric materials with substantially improved properties.
Tissue‐Adhesive Piezoelectric Soft Sensor for In Vivo Blood Pressure Monitoring During Surgical Operation
Authors: Wang Chan , Hu Yiran , Liu Ying , Shan Yizhu , Qu Xuecheng , Xue Jiangtao , He Tianyiyi , Cheng Sijing , Zhou Hong , Liu Weixin , Guo Zi Hao , Hua Wei , Liu Zhuo , Li Zhou , Lee Chengkuo 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe reliable function in vivo of self‐powered implantable bioelectric devices (iBEDs) requires biocompatible, seamless, effective interactions with biological tissues. Herein, an implantable tissue‐adhesive piezoelectric soft sensor (TPSS), in which the piezoelectric sensor converts biomechanical signals into electrical signals, and the adhesive hydrogel (AH) strengthens this conversion by seamlessly adhering the sensor on the wet and curvilinear surface, is proposed. The optimized AH exhibits strong adhesion to various organic or inorganic surfaces, including six commonly used engineering materials and three biological tissues. As a pressure sensor, TPSS proves good in vitro electrical performance with a high output of 8.3 V, long‐term stability of over 6000 cycles, and high energy power density of 186.9 µW m−2. In a large animal experiment, TPSS seamlessly adheres to the right‐side internal carotid artery of a Yorkshire pig to monitor blood pressure during a surgical operation. Compared to commercial sensors that work by inserting into tissues, TPSS does not cause any damage and can be peeled off after service. The integration of adhesive hydrogel and self‐powered pressure sensors enables biocompatible, seamless, and more efficient interactions between the biological system and iBEDs, which also contributes to next‐generation implantable bioelectronics with features of battery‐free, intelligent, and accurate.
Engineering Extracellular Matrix‐Bound Nanovesicles Secreted by Three‐Dimensional Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Liu Chang , Chen Xingchi , Liu Yuan , Sun Li , Yu Zhibin , Ren Yi , Zeng Changchun , Li Yan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractExtracellular matrix (ECM) in the human tissue contains vesicles, which are defined as matrix‐bound nanovesicles (MBVs). MBVs serve as one of the functional components in ECM, recapitulating part of the regulatory roles and in vivo microenvironment. In this study, extracellular vesicles from culture supernatants (SuEVs) and MBVs are isolated from the conditioned medium or ECM, respectively, of 3D human mesenchymal stem cells. Nanoparticle tracking analysis shows that MBVs are smaller than SuEVs (100–150 nm). Transmission electron microscopy captures the typical cup shape morphology for both SuEVs and MBVs. Western blot reveals that MBVs have low detection of some SuEV markers such as syntenin‐1. miRNA analysis of MBVs shows that 3D microenvironment enhances the expression of miRNAs such as miR‐19a and miR‐21. In vitro functional analysis shows that MBVs can facilitate human pluripotent stem cell‐derived forebrain organoid recovery after starvation and promote high passage fibroblast proliferation. In macrophage polarization, 2D MBVs tend to suppress the pro‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐12β, while 3D MBVs tend to enhance the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10. This study has the significance in advancing the understanding of the bio‐interface of nanovesicles with human tissue and the design of cell‐free therapy for treating neurological disorders such as ischemic stroke.
Tunable Gold Nanoring Arrays by Electrodeposition
Authors: Clarke Thomas B. , Colón Guillermo S. , Dick Jeffrey E. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractGold has many exciting properties that justify its use in a wide range of applications. While gold nanoparticles are frequently used, nanorings offer an interesting new geometry. Unfortunately, few technologies exist to fabricate nanorings, which are often created by multistep lithographic methods. Furthermore, nanoring arrays are even more difficult to achieve. Herein, a one‐step, one‐pot electrodeposition method to realize arrays of gold nanorings with tunable parameters is demonstrated. It is shown that the electrodeposition of gold nanoring arrays can be easily achieved when one submerges a water droplet containing HAuCl4 into an oil‐phase containing a quaternary ammonium salt. These conditions allow for the spontaneous emulsification at the water|oil interface. The nanorings can be deposited at the edges of the emulsion droplets that become adsorbed to the electrode. Changing the concentrations of species, submersion time, and electrodeposition parameters allows us to tune relevant parameters of the array of nanorings, including the thickness and size of the rings.
The Importance of Electrode Material in Bioelectronic Electrophoretic Ion Pumps
Authors: Nguyen Tiffany , Asefifeyzabadi Narges , Li Houpu , Luo Le , Rolandi Marco 
Published: May 2023

AbstractBioelectronic ion pumps deliver ions and biomolecules from a source to a target biological system with high spatiotemporal control for bioengineering and regenerative medicine applications. A voltage between a working electrode and a reference/counter electrode delivers the charged ions and biomolecules from a source to the desired target. The source and the target are separated by an ion exchange membrane so that only the charged molecules of interest are delivered. Future wearable and implantable applications require high efficiency of delivery to minimize power consumption. The majority of recent efforts on improving ion pump efficiency have focused on optimizing the ion exchange membrane. However, the contribution of the working electrode material to the ion pump efficiency has been mostly overlooked. This work identifies how changing the working electrode material greatly affects the efficiency of delivery in ion pumps. With an electrical circuit model analysis, voltammetry studies on silver, platinum, and palladium hydride working electrodes, and implementation of the Butler–Volmer equation, results show that the material‐dependent equilibrium potential at the working electrode surface has a large impact on ion pump efficiency. With this knowledge, a simple predictive model to optimize the working electrode material for delivering each specific ion or molecule of interest is designed.
Inverse Altermagnetic Spin Splitting Effect‐Induced Terahertz Emission in RuO2
Authors: Liu Yu , Bai Hua , Song Yuna , Ji Zhihao , Lou Shitao , Zhang Zongzhi , Song Cheng , Jin Qingyuan 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe relativistic inverse spin Hall effect (ISHE) plays a pivotal role in terahertz (THz) emission in magnet/heavy metal bilayers. Here, THz emission from RuO2/Py bilayers is reported due to not only the relativistic ISHE but also the nonrelativistic inverse altermagnetic spin splitting effect (IASSE) in RuO2. For the (100)‐oriented RuO2/Py bilayers, the THz emission is greatly enhanced owing to IASSE once the polarization direction of the spin current (from the Py layer induced by pump laser) is parallel to the Néel vector of RuO2, producing the anisotropic THz emission with twofold symmetry. In contrast, the RuO2(110)/Py bilayer only exhibits isotropic THz emission because of the absence of IASSE‐induced spin‐charge conversion in the (110)‐oriented RuO2 films. Apart from the fundamental significance of exploring the IASSE‐induced spin‐to‐charge conversion, the finding also enriches the physical mechanism and modulation method of THz emission in spintronic systems.
Urinary cytokine measurements do not reflect surgery‐induced inflammation in rhesus macaques
Authors: Higham James P. , Cooper Eve B. , Whalen Connor , Stahl‐Hennig Christiane , Giavedoni Luis D. , Heistermann Michael 
Published: May 2023

AbstractMeasurement of the health and disease status of free‐ranging primates is often limited by a lack of available biomarkers of immune activation and inflammation that can be applied noninvasively via the measurement of urine or fecal samples. Here, we evaluate the potential usefulness of noninvasive urinary measurements of a number of cytokines, chemokines, and other markers of inflammation and infection. We took advantage of surgery‐associated inflammation in seven captive rhesus macaques, collecting urine samples before and after the medical interventions. We measured these urine samples for 33 different markers of inflammation and immune activation that are known to be responsive to inflammation and infection in rhesus macaque blood samples, via the Luminex platform. We also measured all samples for concentrations of the soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR), which we had validated in a prior study as an effective biomarker of inflammation. Despite urine samples being collected in captivity under ideal conditions (clean, no contamination with feces or soil, frozen quickly), 13/33 biomarkers measured via Luminex were found at concentrations below detection limits in >50% of samples. Of the remaining 20 markers, only 2 showed significant increases in response to surgery—IL18 and MPO (myeloperoxidase). However, suPAR measurements of the same samples show a consistent marked increase in response to surgery that is absent from the patterns of IL18 and MPO measurement. Given that our samples were collected under conditions that are greatly preferable to those usually encountered in the field, urinary cytokine measurements via the Luminex platform seem overall unpromising for primate field studies.
Optimized assay for the measurement of caspase‐1 expression, release, and activity in murine macrophages
Authors: Börmel Lisa , Kluge Stefan , Liao Sijia , Schubert Tina , Lorkowski Stefan , Wallert Maria 
Published: May 2023

AbstractCaspase‐1 is a central component of the cellular inflammatory response, in particular with respect to its key role in the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome pathway. Activation of caspase‐1 ensures the cleavage and release of the pro‐inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)‐1β and IL‐18, as well as the initiation of pyroptosis, that is a distinct form of programmed cell death. Hence, a wide‐ranging analysis of caspase‐1 in cellular systems is of special interest. To meet this requirement, we improved a commercial luminescence‐based caspase‐1 activity assay and combined it with the determination of the expression and release of caspase‐1 protein, using murine J774A.1 macrophages as a model system for in vitro studies. The presented assay procedure offers additional options over commercially available caspase‐1 activity assays as it allows for: (i) The simultaneous analysis of caspase‐1 activity and protein expression (both intracellular as well as secreted protein in supernatant) out of the same cell sample. (ii) A more economical use of valuable compounds and materials and improves the informative value of each measurement, since all results are generated from the same cell sample. Our optimized assay is therefore suitable for an efficient and reliable screening of modulatory effects of compounds of interest at various regulatory stages of the caspase‐1 system.
Disruption of transmission of plant pathogens in the insect order Hemiptera using recent advances in RNA interference biotechnology
Authors: Niebres Charlene , Alviar Karen B. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThe review discusses current RNA interference (RNAi) biotechnological innovations for crop protection. Special attention is given to the management of insect pests in the order Hemiptera. This insect order has the most members of insects which transmit pathogens on economically important crops. It first briefly summarizes the characteristics of the insects in this order and the type of transmission mechanisms for viral and bacterial plant pathogens. RNAi products developed for other insects are also analyzed. Emphasis was made on the need for innovative management approaches to offset the threat of resistance by both the insect vector to insecticides and the pathogens to microbicides. Subsequently, the RNAi technology is described, which is particularly an ingenious method currently utilized in itself or in combination with other modern biotechnological innovations for managing important vector insects that could provide an additional powerful tool for use in integrated pest control programs. The requirements and recent advances for performing RNAi assays are detailed and an overview is given on how to produce cheaper double‐stranded RNA as the main component of RNAi‐based biopesticide. Examples of agricultural companies that use RNAi biotechnology in their product development were also discussed.
Aptamer‐functionalized quantum dots as theranostic nanotools against cancer and bacterial infections: A comprehensive overview of recent trends
Authors: Davodabadi Fatemeh , Mirinejad Shekoufeh , Fathi‐Karkan Sonia , Majidpour Mahdi , Ajalli Narges , Sheervalilou Roghayeh , Sargazi Saman , Rozmus Dominika , Rahdar Abbas , Diez‐Pascual Ana M. 
Published: May 2023

AbstractAptamers (Apts) are synthetic nucleic acid ligands that can be engineered to target various molecules, including amino acids, proteins, and pharmaceuticals. Through a series of adsorption, recovery, and amplification steps, Apts are extracted from combinatorial libraries of synthesized nucleic acids. Using aptasensors in bioanalysis and biomedicine can be improved by combining them with nanomaterials. Moreover, Apt‐associated nanomaterials, including liposomes, polymeric, dendrimers, carbon nanomaterials, silica, nanorods, magnetic NPs, and quantum dots (QDs), have been widely used as promising nanotools in biomedicine. Following surface modifications and conjugation with appropriate functional groups, these nanomaterials can be successfully used in aptasensing. Advanced biological assays can use Apts immobilized on QD surfaces through physical interaction and chemical bonding. Accordingly, modern QD aptasensing platforms rely on interactions between QDs, Apts, and targets to detect them. QD‐Apt conjugates can be used to directly detect prostate, ovarian, colorectal, and lung cancers or simultaneously detect biomarkers associated with these malignancies. Tenascin‐C, mucin 1, prostate‐specific antigen, prostate‐specific membrane antigen, nucleolin, growth factors, and exosomes are among the cancer biomarkers that can be sensitively detected using such bioconjugates. Furthermore, Apt‐conjugated QDs have shown great potential for controlling bacterial infections such as Bacillus thuringiensis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Acinetobacter baumannii, Campylobacter jejuni, Staphylococcus aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium. This comprehensive review discusses recent advancements in the design of QD‐Apt bioconjugates and their applications in cancer and bacterial theranostics.
Teaching Fourier series with tone experiments based on smartphone applications
Authors: Wang Chau‐Shing 
Published: May 2023

AbstractThis study proposes a tone experiment using multiple smartphones or tablets to assist Fourier series teaching combined with a pedagogical strategy of the Visible Thinking framework. Fourier analysis is widely applied in many fields; therefore, it is an important subject in many professional courses of colleges, especially in engineering. While Fourier analysis is the core theoretical foundation of various experimental techniques, undergraduate courses often teach Fourier analysis from a mathematical perspective, leaving students with little intuition about how Fourier analysis works. The proposed tone experiment requires teamwork for students to manipulate smartphones to synthesize harmonic tones to simulate a periodic wave so that students can intuitively understand the physical meaning of the Fourier series formula. In addition, we conducted a pedagogical study on this course to evaluate the effects. The proposed method successfully improved the learning outcomes of beginner students and reduced the anxiety associated with learning Fourier analysis. Compared with the class that did not use the proposed tone experiment, the quiz scores improved by an average of 3.77 points. The students gave positive feedback and comments on the proposed experiments and teaching methods.