bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of para‐Substituents on meso‐Functionalized Oxidovanadium(IV) Porphyrins as Catalysts for Oxygen Atom Transfer Mediated Oxidation of Benzoin to Benzil under Mild Conditions
Authors: Maurya Mannar R. , Prakash Ved , Yadav Inderpal , Sankar Muniappan 
Published: July 2023

AbstractSystematic analysis of the effect of para‐substituents (H, Cl, Br and OMe) on the meso‐phenyl group in vanadyl meso‐tetraphenylporphyrins ([VIVO(TPP)] (R=H, 1), [VIVO(TCPP)] (R=Cl, 2), [VIVO(TBPP)] (R=Br, 3) and [VIVO(TMPP)] (R=OMe, 4)) on their properties and catalytic oxygen atom transfer (OAT) for oxidation of benzoin to benzil using DMSO as well as 30 % aqueous H2O2 as the sacrificial oxygen source have been studied. Electrochemical and theoretical (density functional theory) studies are in good agreement with the influence of these substituents on the catalytic property of these complexes. Complex [VIVO(TCPP)] (2) displayed the best catalytic activity for the conversion (92 %) of benzoin to benzil in 30 h with >99 % product selectivity when DMSO was used as an oxygen source, whereas excellent conversion (~100 %) of benzoin to benzil was noticed in 18 h with 95 % product selectivity when 30 % aqueous H2O2 was used as a source of oxygen. Furthermore, among these complexes, the electron‐withdrawing nature of the chloro substituent at the p‐position of meso‐phenyl group significantly influences the oxygen atom transfer. Experimental and simulated EPR studies confirmed the +4 oxidation of vanadium in these complexes. The structure of 2, 3 and 4, confirmed by single crystal X‐ray diffraction method, are domed in shape, and the displacement of V(IV) ion from the mean porphyrin plane follows the order: 2 (0.458 Å) <3 (0.459 Å) <4 (0.479 Å). We observed that the electron‐withdrawing nature of chloro substituent at the p‐position of meso‐phenyl group influence the oxygen atom transfer from vanadyl porphyrin to dimethyl sulfide much.
5'‐O‐(2‐Isopropoxyprop‐2‐yl)‐protected Phosphoramidite Building Blocks in the Liquid Phase Oligonucleotide Synthesis
Authors: Liang Zehong , Rosenqvist Petja , Pajuniemi Ella , Ora Mikko , Heinonen Petri , Virta Pasi , Oivanen Mikko 
Published: July 2023

Abstract5'‐O‐(2‐isopropoxyprop‐2‐yl) (IIP)‐protection was introduced to 5’‐OH function of nucleosides in high yields by an acid‐catalysed transacetalization with 2,2‐diisopropoxypropane. The applicability of this temporal 5’‐O‐protecting group was demonstrated in the liquid phase oligonucleotide synthesis (LPOS) using the corresponding phosphoramidite building blocks (dA, dG, dC and dT) and a tetrapodal precipitative soluble support. Standard protecting groups were used on nucleobases. Tetrazole as an activator, followed by oxidation using m‐chloroperbenzoic acid, was used for the coupling. The IIP was shown to be a capable choice to the 5’‐O protection in solution phase synthesis. It could be readily removed with formic acid (t1/2<10 s in 6 % HCOOH in dichloromethane/methanol (2/1) at RT), resulting in volatile byproducts (acetone and isopropanol).
Long‐term effect associated with seizures and dynamic effect associated with treatment on cognitive dysfunction of adult patients with focal epilepsy as evaluated by the Trail Making Test
Authors: Hasegawa Naoya , Annaka Hiroki 
Published: July 2023

AbstractObjectiveThis study was performed to clarify the utility of the Trail Making Test (TMT) in evaluating the effects of the course of epilepsy on cognitive function by evaluating the course of epileptic seizures and the results of the TMT over time.MethodsWe performed the TMT twice at a 1‐year interval for each patient with focal epilepsy. We performed multiple regression analyses with the first TMT scores as dependent variables and clinical features as independent variables. Next, we performed a multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) to evaluate the difference between the first and second TMT scores for patients in each seizure prognosis group.ResultsWe enrolled 132 adult patients in this study. Multiple regression analyses showed that longer active seizure periods were associated with worse first TMT‐B performance (β = .318, p < .001) and B–A (β = .377, p < .001) and that the number of antiseizure medicines was associated with worse first TMT‐A performance (β = .186, p = .025). In addition, topiramate and zonisamide adversely affected TMT performance. MANCOVA showed an interaction between the prognosis of TMT‐B performance and the seizure prognosis [F(2, 120) = 3.68, p = .028]. Subeffect tests revealed that the second TMT‐B performance improved only in the seizure improvement group [F(1, 10) = 10.07, p = .01].SignificanceEpileptic seizures were shown to be associated with both long‐term and dynamic adverse effects on cognitive function evaluated with the TMT in adult patients with focal epilepsy. Seizure control is important for improving the cognitive function of patients with epilepsy; however, the potential adverse effects of polypharmacy and some antiseizure medicines such as zonisamide and topiramate on cognitive function should be considered.
miR‐99a‐5p as a biomarker for lymph node metastasis prediction in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients
Authors: Cousseau Cristiane Pereira Vargas , Sorroche Bruna Pereira , de Jesus Teixeira Renan , de Carvalho Ana Carolina , Melendez Matias Eliseo , de Castro Capuzzo Renato , Laus Ana Carolina , da Silva Luciane Sussuchi , de Menezes Nei Soares , Carvalho André Lopes , Arantes Lidia Maria Rebolho Batista 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBackgroundMetastatic lymph node involvement influences therapy decisions and serves as a prognostic indicator in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). However, many early‐stage patients with clinically negative lymph nodes exhibit no metastasis upon surgical staging. This study aimed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs capable of distinguishing pathologically positive (pN+) from negative (pN0) nodes in OSCC patients without clinical evidence of lymph node metastases (cN0).MethodsExpression levels of 798 miRNAs were assessed in tumor samples from 10 pN+ and 10 pN0 patients using the Nanostring nCounter platform. Validation was performed in an independent cohort of 15 pN+ and 24 pN0 patients through RT‐qPCR.ResultsEight miRNAs exhibited differential expression between pN0 and pN+ patients. Notably, hsa‐miR‐99a‐5p demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity in predicting patients at higher risk of positive lymph nodes.ConclusionsThese findings highlight hsa‐miR‐99a‐5p as a potential biomarker for detecting lymph node metastasis in primary OSCC tumors.
Ebola outbreak in DRC and Uganda; an East African public health concern
Authors: Sospeter Sospeter Berling , Udohchukwu Okereke Promise , Ruaichi Juvenali , Nchasi Goodluck , Paul Innocent Kitandu , Kanyike Andrew Marvin , Dewey Rebecca Susan 
Published: July 2023

AbstractOn August 21, 2022, healthcare authorities in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) announced an outbreak of Ebola virus disease in North Kivu Province, bringing the total to 15 outbreaks nationwide. On September 20, 2022, Uganda's authorities declared an outbreak of the Sudan strain of the Ebola virus following a confirmed a case in Mubende district. As of October 6, 2022, the reported numbers of cases were 63, with 29 deaths in Uganda and 1 case with 1 death in DRC, respectively. Ebola virus causes an acute and severely fatal illness, resulting in death within a very short time if left untreated. In addition, these outbreaks in DRC and Uganda pose a major threat to the health and socioeconomic well‐being of the people of East Africa due to multiple cross‐border activities. Adequate preparations need to be made by the healthcare authorities of the nations concerned; the government, healthcare workers, and the East‐African community as a whole have important roles to play in the effective prevention and control of the spread of Ebola virus within and across their borders.
HCIU: Hybrid clustered inception‐basedUNETfor the automatic segmentation of organs at risk in thoracic computed tomography images
Authors: Ashok Malvika , Gupta Abhishek , Pandey Mohit 
Published: July 2023

AbstractAutomatic segmentation is the most effective and fast method to plan radiotherapy treatment in thoracic computed tomography (CT), as manual segmentation takes time and produces variability in the results. This article proposes a hybrid HCIU method to segment the thoracic organs at risk (OAR) using prior localization techniques. The dataset of 40 Patients containing 7420 slices of thoracic CT has been used to perform the experiment on the Google Colab Pro+ framework. HCIU constitutes a hybrid deep learning model for features extraction, a K‐mean algorithm to form the clusters based on the extracted features, and the ensemble UNET InceptionV3 model trained on the data of each cluster for the segmentation of OAR. With HCIU, we achieved an average dice score of 92.05%, 97.39%, 95.75%, and 96.45% for the esophagus, heart, trachea, and aorta. The average sensitivity and specificity values achieved were 98.38% and 97.43% on the test dataset. Also, statistical tests have been applied to each organ's pixel values for analyzing the model's segmented results. A hybrid method has been proposed to improve the localization in thoracic OAR segmentation in CT. The proposed method achieved precise accuracy in segmenting the four organs compared with the other state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Nudging farmers towards low‐pesticide practices: Evidence from a randomized experiment in viticulture
Authors: Zachmann Lucca , McCallum Chloe , Finger Robert 
Published: July 2023

AbstractPlanting fungus‐resistant grapevines is an effective way to reduce pesticide use in grapevine production, but their uptake remains low. We explore whether providing personalized or general information on growers' use of environmentally toxic fungicides changes their planting intentions of fungus‐resistant varieties (i.e., salience nudging), conducting a randomized experiment with 436 grapevine growers in Switzerland. We find no effect of providing personalized or general information on the intended plantation share of fungus‐resistant varieties. However, exploratory analyses suggest that growers' perceptions about fungus‐resistant varieties may cause the null result, with growers having noncompliant environmental perceptions being particularly prone to boomerang effects.
Biological mechanism of ZnO nanomaterials
Authors: Li Yuanyuan , Li Jingjing , Li Mei , Sun Jiwen , Shang Xiaofen , Ma Yonghua 
Published: July 2023

AbstractModern nanotechnology has made zinc oxide nanomaterials (ZnO NMts) multifunctional, stable, and low cost, enabling them to be widely used in commercial and biomedical fields. With its wide application, the risk of human direct contact and their release into the environment also increases. This review aims to summarize the toxicity studies of ZnO NMts in vivo, including neurotoxicity, inhalation toxicity, and reproductive toxicity. The antibacterial and antiviral mechanisms of ZnO NMts in vitro and the toxicity to eukaryotic cells were summarized. The summary found that it was mainly related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced by oxidative stress. It also discusses the potential harm to body and the favorable prospects of the widespread use of antibacterial and antiviral in the future medical field. The review also emphasizes that the dosage and use method of ZnO NMts will be the focus of future biomedical research.
MIR663AHG as a competitive endogenous RNA regulating TGF‐β‐induced epithelial proliferation and epithelial–mesenchymal transition in benign prostate hyperplasia
Authors: Tong Shiyu , Mo Miao , Hu Xiheng , Wu Longxiang , Chen Minfeng , Zhao Cheng 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBenign prostate hyperplasia (BPH) is the most commonly seen disease among aging males. Transforming growth factor(TGF)‐β‐mediated epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and epithelial overproliferation might be central events in BPH etiology and pathophysiology. In the present study, long noncoding RNA MIR663AHG, miR‐765, and FOXK1 formed a competing endogenous RNAs network, modulating TGF‐β‐mediated EMT and epithelial overproliferation in BPH‐1 cells. miR‐765 expression was downregulated in TGF‐β‐stimulated BPH‐1 cells; miR‐765 overexpression ameliorated TGF‐β‐mediated EMT and epithelial overproliferation in BPH‐1 cells. MIR663AHG directly targeted miR‐765 and negatively regulated miR‐765; MIR663AHG knockdown also attenuated TGF‐β‐induced EMT and epithelial overproliferation in BPH‐1 cells, whereas miR‐765 inhibition attenuated MIR663AHG knockdown effects on TGF‐β‐stimulated BPH‐1 cells. miR‐765 directly targeted FOXK1 and negatively regulated FOXK1. FOXK1 knockdown attenuated TGF‐β‐induced EMT and epithelial overproliferation and promoted autophagy in BPH‐1 cells, and partially attenuated miR‐765 inhibition effects on TGF‐β‐stimulated BPH‐1 cells. In conclusion, this study provides a MIR663AHG/miR‐765/FOXK1 axis modulating TGF‐β‐induced epithelial proliferation and EMT, which might exert an underlying effect on BPH development and act as therapeutic targets for BPH treatment regimens.
Anti‐cancer potential of selenium‐chitosan‐polyethylene glycol‐carvacrol nanocomposites in multiple myeloma U266 cells
Authors: Zhang Haixi , Zhao Jie , Chinnathambi Arunachalam , Meganathan Velmurugan , Gu Xuezhong 
Published: July 2023

AbstractMultiple myeloma (MM) is an incurable cancer that is characterized by malignant plasma cell proliferation. Approximately 10% of all blood cancers are MM, and there is no standard curative therapy. In this work, we intended to synthesize, characterize, and assess the anticancer effects of selenium/chitosan/polyethylene glycol–carvacrol nanocomposites (SCP‐Car‐NCs) on MM U266 cells in vitro. Various characterization techniques were used to characterize the synthesized SCP‐Car‐NCs. Several in vitro free radical scavenging experiments were conducted to test the ability of synthesized SCP‐Car‐NCs to scavenge the different free radicals. The cytotoxicity of SCP‐Car‐NCs was assessed on Vero and U266 cells using the 3‐[4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl]‐2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. By using various fluorescence staining techniques, the amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, MMP, and apoptosis were measured. Using commercial test kits, the levels of oxidative stress and apoptotic biomarkers in control and treated U266 cells were assessed. The highest peak in the UV spectral analysis was found to be at 271 nm, demonstrating the development of SCP‐Car‐NCs. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that the synthesized SCP‐Car‐NCs contained a variety of stretching and bonding. The X‐ray diffraction study confirmed the crystallinity of SCP‐Car‐NCs. The dynamic light scattering analysis showed that the SCP‐Car‐NCs had an average size of 171 nm. The different free radicals, such as the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl, hydroxyl, and peroxyl radicals, were significantly scavenged by the SCP‐Car‐NCs. According to the MTT assay results, the SCP‐Car‐NCs decreased the viability of U266 cells while having no impact on the proliferation of Vero cells. The SCP‐Car‐NCs significantly boosted ROS production, decreased the MMP level, and promoted apoptosis, as evidenced by the fluorescence staining experiments. In U266 cells treated with SCP‐Car‐NCs, the level of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances increased while superoxide dismutases and glutathione levels were reduced. In the SCP‐Car‐NCs treated U266 cells, it was found that the Bax, caspase‐3, and −9 activities had increased while the Bcl‐2 level had decreased. In conclusion, our findings show that SCP‐Car‐NCs treatment reduced the viability and increased apoptosis in the U266 cells, providing a new insight on SCP‐Car‐NCs' potential for usage in the future to treat MM.
A new approach for the synthesis of α‐ketothioamides from methyl ketone, pyrrolidine/piperidine and elemental sulfur using recyclable magnetic catalyst
Authors: Le Ngoc‐Phuong Thi , Nguyen Thien‐Hang Thi , Nguyen Thy Khanh , Tran Phuong‐Khanh Bich , Tran Phuong Hoang 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBACKGROUNDα‐Ketothioamides play a vital role in the fields of medicine and biology. There are many α‐ketothioamide synthesis pathways, but in general, most current methods involve either conventional heating in solvent conditions or using non‐recyclable catalysts. Thus, our work investigated the preparation of α‐ketothioamides under solvent‐free sonication using magnetic nanoparticle‐immobilized chlorozincate ionic liquid as a catalyst. The desired products were purified by chromatography columns and characterized using 1H NMR and 13C NMR.RESULTSIn this study, Lewis acidic ionic liquid grafted onto magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4@IL‐ZnCl2) was used as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for the generation of a variety of α‐ketothioamide derivatives. The optimized conditions were methyl ketone (1.0 mmol), amine (1.2 mmol), S8 (1.2 mmol) and Fe3O4@IL‐ZnCl2 (15 mg) under solvent‐free sonication at 80 °C for 5 h, and the crude products were obtained in a 34–94% isolated yield. Then, this procedure was successfully applied to a wide range of aryl and alkyl ketone compounds. Besides, there was only a slight loss in catalytic activity in three consecutive cycles, indicating the reusability and stability of the catalytic system.CONCLUSIONSWe have successfully designed a novel protocol for the generation of α‐ketothioamide derivatives from aryl/alkyl methyl ketones, amines, and elemental sulfur catalyzed by chlorozincate ionic liquid‐coated magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The reaction proceeded via a mild, efficient, solvent‐free sonication accompanied by a well‐reactive catalyst, which is easily separated and reusable. Besides, a feasible mechanism is presented. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.
Design, synthesis, antifungal activity, and molecular docking of novel trifluoromethyl pyrimidine derivatives containing 1,3,4‐oxadiazole and thioether moieties as potential succinate dehydrogenase inhibitors
Authors: Pan Nianjian , Wu Ruirui , Yan Chang , Zhou Mei , Fei Qiang , Li Pei , Wu Wenneng 
Published: July 2023

AbstractSuccinate dehydrogenase (SDH), a pivotal enzyme linking the respiratory electron transport chain and tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, has been identified as an ideal target for developing effective fungicides. In this study, 20 novel trifluoromethyl pyrimidine derivatives containing 1,3,4‐oxadiazole and thioether moieties were prepared and characterized their structures by 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and HRMS. Bioassay results showed that some of the target compounds revealed moderate to good in vitro antifungal activities toward Rhizoctonia solani (R. solani), Botryosphaeria dothidea (B. dothidea), Phomopsis sp., Botrytis cinerea (B. cinerea), Fusarium oxysporum (F. oxysporum), Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (S. sclerotiorum), Phytophthora infestans (P. infestans), and Magnaporthe oryzae (M. oryzae). In particular, compounds 6g and 6i had better in vitro antifungal activity against B. cinerea, with the EC50 values of 19.43 and 28.22 μg/mL, respectively, than that of Pyrimethanil (57.30 μg/mL). As well, compound 6r exhibited good in vitro antifungal activity against F. oxysporum, with the EC50 value of 3.61 μg/mL, which were lower than that of Boscalid (0.40 μg/mL). In addition, the molecular docking simulation revealed that compound 6r interacted with GLN‐150, ASP‐153, LYS‐151, GLY‐154, and GLY‐228 of SDH through hydrogen bond, which could explain the probable mechanism of action between the target compounds and SDH. This is the first report on the antifungal activity of novel trifluoromethyl pyrimidine derivatives containing 1,3,4‐oxadiazole and thioether moieties as potential SDH inhibitors.
Traditional Chinese medicine invigorating the spleen and kidney promotes HBsAg seroclearance in the mouse model
Authors: Zeng Dan‐Yi , Chen Zhan , Hong Mei‐Zhu , Jiang Ling‐Ping , Chen Xiao‐Ning , Xue Han‐Xin , Pan Jin‐Shui , Zhu Yueyong 
Published: July 2023

AbstractTraditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is often used as an adjuvant or alternative therapy for abnormal liver biochemistry or liver fibrosis associated with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, the role of TCM in HBsAg seroclearance remains unclear. We aimed at exploring the role and possible mechanisms of TCM in HBsAg seroclearance. Fifteen widely used TCM granules invigorating the spleen and kidneys were screened. C57BL/6J mice were administered daily with TCM granules by gavage for 1 week. The effect of TCM on the M1 polarization of macrophages was measured using a CD86 assay. According to the principles of formulating prescriptions, three single TCM with the most noticeable effect on M1 polarization, accompanied by two other TCM granules, were used to develop a TCM formula. The hepatitis B virus‐expressing mouse model was constructed by hydrodynamic injection of the pAAV/HBV1.2 plasmid. Hepatitis B virus‐expressing mice were gavaged daily with phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS), TCM formula, or Codonopsis Radix, for 1 week. HBsAg, HBeAg, and hepatitis B virus DNA levels were measured. In addition, gut microbiota was profiled using 16S rDNA sequencing. Several TCM granules showed significant effects on M1 polarization. The TCM formula accelerated HBsAg seroclearance compared with the Codonopsis Radix and PBS groups. Intrahepatic M1 polarization, as indicated by flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry, was induced in the TCM formula and Codonopsis Radix groups. The abundance of Alloprevotella significantly increased in the TCM formula and Codonopsis Radix groups. These results demonstrate that the TCM formula for invigorating the spleen and kidney can accelerate HBsAg seroclearance. This effect can be attributed, at least in part, to M1 polarization of intrahepatic macrophages.
Azvudine therapy of common COVID‐19 in hemodialysis patients
Authors: Shang Shunlai , Fu Bo , Geng Yanqiu , Zhang Jian , Zhang Dawei , Xiao Fenglin , Sheng Zhaojun , Zhai Jingbo , Li Wenge , Chen Xiangmei , Zheng Chunfu , Li Qinggang 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThere is no antiviral study on hemodialysis patients infected with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), especially on the application of 2′‐deoxy‐2′‐β ‐fluoro‐4′‐azidocytidine (Azvudine, FNC) antiviral therapy. We conducted a multicenter observational study involving 1008 hemodialysis patients. After matching for age, sex, and other factors, 182 patients in the basic treatment group and 182 in the FNC group were included. The negative nucleic acid conversion rate of the FNC group was significantly higher than that of the basic treatment group, and viral loads, interleukin‐6, and C‐reactive protein were significantly lower than those of the basic treatment group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in liver function, renal function, or the number of adverse events between the two groups (p > 0.05). In conclusion, our study has provided novel evidence suggesting that the FNC scheme may be safe and effective compared to the basic treatment of hemodialysis patients with common COVID‐19.