bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pore “Softening” and Emergence of Breathability Effects of New Keplerate Nano‐Containers
Authors: Elliott Alexander , McAllister James , Long De‐Liang , Song Yu‐Fei , Miras Haralampos N. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe self‐assembly of porous molecular nanocapsules offer unique opportunities to investigate a range of interesting phenomena and applications. However, to design nanocapsules with pre‐defined properties, thorough understanding of their structure‐property relation is required. Here, we report the self‐assembly of two elusive members of the Keplerate family, [Mo132Se60O312(H2O)72(AcO)30]42− {Mo132Se60} 1 and [W72Mo60Se60O312(H2O)72(AcO)30]42− {W72Mo60Se60} 2, that have been synthesised using pentagonal and dimeric ([Mo2O2Se2]2+) building blocks and their structures have been confirmed via single crystal X‐ray diffractions. Our comparative study involving the uptake of organic ions and the related ligand exchange of various ligand sizes by the {Mo132Se60} and previously reported Keplerates {Mo132O60}, {Mo132S60} based on the ligand exchange rates, revealed the emergence of increased “breathability” that dominates over the pore size as we transition from the {Mo132S60} to the “softer” {Mo132Se60} molecular nano‐container.
Near‐Stoichiometric and Homogenized Perovskite Films for Solar Cells with Minimized Performance Variation
Authors: Feng Wenhuai , Tao Junlei , Liu Gengling , Yang Guo , Zhong Jun‐Xing , Fang Yuxuan , Gong Li , Yang Shaopeng , Wu Wu‐Qiang 
Published: February 2023

AbstractMixed‐cation, small band‐gap perovskites via rationally alloying formamidinium (FA) and methylammonium (MA) together have been widely employed for blade‐coated perovskite solar cells with satisfied efficiencies. One of the stringent challenges lies in difficult control of the nucleation and crystallization kinetics of the perovskites with mixed ingredients. Herein, a pre‐seeding strategy by mixing FAPbI3 solution with pre‐synthesized MAPbI3 microcrystals has been developed to smartly decouple the nucleation and crystallization process. As a result, the time window of initialized crystallization has been greatly extended by 3 folds (i.e. from 5 s to 20 s), which enables the formation of uniform and homogeneous alloyed‐FAMA perovskite films with designated stoichiometric ratios. The resultant blade‐coated solar cells achieved a champion efficiency of 24.31 % accompanied by outstanding reproducibility with more than 87 % of the devices showing efficiencies higher than 23 %.
Ultrasensitive Imaging of Cells and Sub‐Cellular Entities by Electrochemiluminescence
Authors: Descamps Julie , Colin Camille , Tessier Gilles , Arbault Stéphane , Sojic Neso 
Published: February 2023

AbstractHere we report on a label‐free electrochemiluminescence (ECL) microscopy using exceptionally low concentrations of the [Ru(bpy)3]2+ luminophore. This work addresses the central point of the minimal concentration of the ECL luminophore required to image single entities. We demonstrate the possibility to record ECL images of cells and mitochondria at concentrations down to nM and pM. This is 7 orders of magnitude lower than classically‐used concentrations and corresponds to a few hundreds of luminophores diffusing around the biological entities. Yet, it produces remarkably sharp negative optical contrast ECL images, as demonstrated by structural similarity index metric analyses and supported by predictions of the ECL image covering time. Finally, we show that the reported approach is a simple, fast, and highly sensitive method, which opens new avenues for ultrasensitive ECL imaging and ECL reactivity at the single molecule level.
Feasibility of detecting snake envenomation biomarkers from dried blood spots
Authors: Smith Cara F. , Brandehoff Nicklaus P. , Pepin Lesley , McCabe Maxwell C. , Castoe Todd A. , Mackessy Stephen P. , Nemkov Travis , Hansen Kirk C. , Saviola Anthony J. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractBiofluid proteomics is a sensitive and high throughput technique that provides vast amounts of molecular data for biomarker discovery. More recently, dried blood spots (DBS) have gained traction as a stable, noninvasive, and relatively cheap source of proteomic data for biomarker identification in disease and injury. Snake envenomation is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality worldwide; however, much remains unknown about the systemic molecular response to envenomation and acquiring biological samples for analysis is a major hurdle. In this study, we utilized DBS acquired from a case of lethal rattlesnake envenomation to determine the feasibility of discovering biomarkers associated with human envenomation. We identified proteins that were either unique or upregulated in envenomated blood compared to non‐envenomated blood and evaluated if physiological response pathways and protein markers that correspond to the observed syndromes triggered by envenomation could be detected. We demonstrate that DBS provide useful proteomic information on the systemic processes that resulted from envenomation in this case and find evidence for a massive and systemic inflammatory cascade, combined with coagulation dysregulation, complement system activation, hypoxia response activation, and apoptosis. We also detected potential markers indicative of lethal anaphylaxis, cardiac arrest, and brain death. Ultimately, DBS proteomics has the potential to provide stable and sensitive molecular data on envenomation syndromes and response pathways, which is particularly relevant in low‐resource areas which may lack the materials for biofluid processing and storage.
A highly robust, non‐fluorinated, and economical PDMS‐based superhydrophobic flexible surface with repairable and flame‐retardant properties
Authors: Barthwal Sumit , Barthwal Subodh 
Published: February 2023

AbstractNature‐inspired artificial superhydrophobic surfaces have attracted tremendous attention due to their potential applications in various fields. However, the use of toxic chemicals and expensive nanoparticles with limited durability has restricted the practical applications of these surfaces. Here, we proposed a novel and non‐fluorinated technique to fabricate robust and flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)‐based superhydrophobic surface. Fabrication involved two simple steps: preparation of superhydrophobic nanoparticles by burning PDMS, and fabrication of flexible superhydrophobic PDMS surface (SPS) by dispersing particles in a solvent containing PDMS solution and curing agent. Effect of PDMS particle content on morphology and wettability was examined and 10 wt.% PDMS nanoparticles demonstrated superior superhydrophobicity with a water contact angle of 156° and sliding angle of ~6°. The SPS displayed excellent mechanical robustness in a sandpaper abrasion test and showed no apparent wettability deterioration even when stretched by up to 50%. Additionally, surface maintained outstanding superhydrophobicity even after 300 cycles of mechanical deformation. Impressively, damaged surface can restore its superhydrophobicity after removing the damaged layer using sandpaper abrasion and displayed exceptional chemical, thermal, flame‐retardant, and long‐lasting superhydrophobic properties. The work provides an innovative, low‐cost, and environment‐friendly strategy for designing robust and flexible superhydrophobic surfaces that can be used in real‐life applications.
Effect of thermal treatments and UV radiation on green soy protein isolated crosslinked electrospun mats
Authors: Popov Pereira da Cunha Matthäus Davi , Ponce Alejandra Graciela , Abraham Gustavo Abel 
Published: February 2023

AbstractPlant‐derived proteins continue to draw great interest due to their high availability, biodegradability, and biological properties. Among them, soy protein isolate (SPI) has been explored for the development of different sustainable and biodegradable materials in many bionanotechnological fields. In addition, the electrospinning technique has gained interest as a versatile platform for designing synthetic/biopolymer‐based nanofibrous mats for a huge variety of bionanotechnological fields. However, the water stability of SPI mats is low, and the sterilization procedures and conditions are not well established. In this work, oxidized sucrose (OS) was used as a green and inexpensive crosslinker for electrospun SPI mats. The sugar oxidation process was optimized by varying hydrogen peroxide concentration and reaction temperature. SPI‐OS solutions were electrospun using acetic acid as a benign solvent and the resulting mats were thermally treated at mild temperatures and different times. The crosslinked structures were fully characterized in terms of fiber morphology, and physicochemical and thermal properties. Interestingly, uniform bead‐free nanofibrous SPI‐OS membranes that retained their fibrous morphology after 7 days of immersion in phosphate‐buffered saline were successfully obtained. In addition, bilayered SPI‐OS/polycaprolactone mats were also produced by green electrospinning and sterilized by UV radiation for different exposure times. Finally, the effect of sterilization on the relevant properties was presented and discussed. UV radiation demonstrated to be an effective method for sterilizing crosslinked SPI‐based nanofibrous structures.
Computational framework to understand the clinical stages of COVID‐19 and visualization of time course for various treatment strategies
Authors: Sharma Surbhi , Sarkar Rahuldeb , Mitra Kishalay , Giri Lopamudra 
Published: February 2023

AbstractCoronavirus disease 2019 is known to be regulated by multiple factors such as delayed immune response, impaired T cell activation, and elevated levels of proinflammatory cytokines. Clinical management of the disease remains challenging due to interplay of various factors as drug candidates may elicit different responses depending on the staging of the disease. In this context, we propose a computational framework which provides insights into the interaction between viral infection and immune response in lung epithelial cells, with an aim of predicting optimal treatment strategies based on infection severity. First, we formulate the model for visualizing the nonlinear dynamics during the disease progression considering the role of T cells, macrophages and proinflammatory cytokines. Here, we show that the model is capable of emulating the dynamic and static data trends of viral load, T cell, macrophage levels, interleukin (IL)‐6 and TNF‐α levels. Second, we demonstrate the ability of the framework to capture the dynamics corresponding to mild, moderate, severe, and critical condition. Our result shows that, at late phase (>15 days), severity of disease is directly proportional to pro‐inflammatory cytokine IL6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α levels and inversely proportional to the number of T cells. Finally, the simulation framework was used to assess the effect of drug administration time as well as efficacy of single or multiple drugs on patients. The major contribution of the proposed framework is to utilize the infection progression model for clinical management and administration of drugs inhibiting virus replication and cytokine levels as well as immunosuppressant drugs at various stages of the disease.
In vitro glycation of a tissue‐engineered wound healing model to mimic diabetic ulcers
Authors: Lemarchand Mathias , Thouin Kiefer , De Serres‐Bérard Thiéry , Bellenfant Sabrina , Cadau Sébastien , Berthod François 
Published: February 2023

AbstractDiabetic foot ulcers are a major complication of diabetes that occurs following minor trauma. Diabetes‐induced hyperglycemia is a leading factor inducing ulcer formation and manifests notably through the accumulation of advanced glycation end‐products (AGEs) such as N‐carboxymethyl‐lysin. AGEs have a negative impact on angiogenesis, innervation, and reepithelialization causing minor wounds to evolve into chronic ulcers which increases the risks of lower limb amputation. However, the impact of AGEs on wound healing is difficult to model (both in vitro on cells, and in vivo in animals) because it involves a long‐term toxic effect. We have developed a tissue‐engineered wound healing model made of human keratinocytes, fibroblasts, and endothelial cells cultured in a collagen sponge biomaterial. To mimic the deleterious effects induced by glycation on skin wound healing, the model was treated with 300 µM of glyoxal for 15 days to promote AGEs formation. Glyoxal treatment induced carboxymethyl‐lysin accumulation and delayed wound closure in the skin mimicking diabetic ulcers. Moreover, this effect was reversed by the addition of aminoguanidine, an inhibitor of AGEs formation. This in vitro diabetic wound healing model could be a great tool for the screening of new molecules to improve the treatment of diabetic ulcers by preventing glycation.
Engineering active lysostaphin variants that incorporate noncanonical amino acids and characterizing the effects of site‐specific PEGylation
Authors: Batugal Troy , Pendyala Geetanjali , Tomasovic Luke , Varner Chad , Caplin Jeremy D. , Page Alexander M. , Davis Michelle , Satola Sarah W. , García Andrés J. , Kane Ravi S. 
Published: February 2023

AbstractWe describe a facile strategy to identify sites for the incorporation of noncanonical amino acids into lysostaphin—an enzyme that degrades the cell wall of Staphylococcus aureus—while retaining stapholytic activity. We used this strategy to generate active variants of lysostaphin incorporating para‐azidophenylalanine. The incorporation of this “reactive handle” enabled the orthogonal site‐specific modification of the enzyme variants with polyethylene glycol (PEG) using copper‐free click cycloaddition. PEGylated lysostaphin variants could retain their stapholytic activity, with the extent of retention depending on the site of modification and the PEG molecular weight. The site‐specific modification of lysostaphin could be useful not only for PEGylation to improve biocompatibility but also for the incorporation of the enzyme into hydrogels and other biomaterials and for studies of protein structure and dynamics. Moreover, the approach described herein could be readily applied to identify suitable sites for the incorporation of reactive handles into other proteins of interest.
H2O2‐responsive multifunctional nanocomposite for the inhibition of amyloid‐β and Tau aggregation in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Qiao Luying , Shen Yang , Zhang Shiyu , Wang Man , Lv Guanglei , Dou Qingqing , Li Chunxia 
Published: February 2023

AbstractAmyloid‐β (Aβ) and Tau proteins are the main components of Aβ plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and their abnormal aggregation is closely related to the pathogenesis of AD. The production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the aggregation of Aβ and Tau form a vicious circle, which leads to the aggravation of AD. However, inhibiting the aggregation of Aβ and Tau or scavenging ROS is not able to effectively reverse the progression of AD. Herein, we prepared a H2O2 responsive multifunctional nanocomposite UCNPs@mSiO2‐MB@AuNPs (abbreviated as USMA) to inhibit the aggregation of Aβ and Tau. In this system, USMA could respond to H2O2 to detach gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and lead to the release of methylene blue (MB) from mesoporous silica (mSiO2), where AuNPs and MB can inhibit Aβ and Tau aggregation, respectively. Furthermore, USMA could consume H2O2 by reacting with them. Meanwhile, upconversion luminescence of UCNPs can be used to track USMA and monitor MB release, which could provide information on the content of MB in the lesion area. Importantly, the USMA can effectively reduce the cytotoxicity induced by Aβ and Tau aggregation. This work opens up a possibility to improve therapeutic efficacy for the treatment of AD.
Impact of COVID‐19 infection on cognition and its association with neurological symptoms
Authors: Almeria Marta , Cejudo Juan Carlos , Sanz‐Santos Jose , Deus Joan , Krupinski Jerzy 
Published: February 2023

AbstractObjective: To characterize the cognitive profile following COVID‐19 infection and its possible association to clinical symptoms, emotional disturbance, biomarkers, and disease severity.Methods: This was a single‐center cross‐sectional cohort study. Subjects between 20‐ and 60‐year old with confirmed COVID‐19 infection were included. Evaluation was performed between April 2020 and July 2021. Patients with previous cognitive impairment and other neurological or severe psychiatric disorders were excluded. Demographic and laboratory data were extracted from the medical records.Results: Altogether 200 patients were included, 85 subjects were female (42.3%), and mean age was 49.12 years (SD: 7.84). Patients were classified into four groups: nonhospitalized (NH, n = 21), hospitalized without intensive care unit (ICU) nor oxygen therapy (HOSP, n = 42), hospitalized without ICU but with oxygen therapy (OXY, n = 107), and ICU (ICU, n = 31) patients. NH group was younger (p = .026). No significant differences were found in any test performed attending severity of illness (p > .05). A total of 55 patients reported subjective cognitive complaints (SCC). Subjects with neurological symptoms (NS) performed worse in trail making test B (p = .013), digits backwards (p = .006), letter&numbers (p = .002), symbol digit modalities test (p = .016), and Stroop color (p = .010) tests.Conclusions: OXY patients and females referred more SCC associated with symptoms of anxiety and depression. Objective cognitive performance was unrelated to SCC. No cognitive impairment was found regarding the severity of COVID‐19 infection. Results suggest that NS such as headache, anosmia, and dysgeusia during infection were a risk factor for later cognitive deficits. Tests assessing attention, processing speed, and executive function were the most sensitive in detecting cognitive changes in these patients.
Adoption and use of smart devices as clickers in classrooms in higher education
Authors: Demeke Wegene 
Published: February 2023

AbstractThe availability of students' smartphones, tablets, and laptops, known as bring your own devices (BYOD), used as clickers rather than the custom devices provided by institutions is increasing. Introducing BYOD as clickers and the level of adoption by students is not explored in the literature. Another element that is not reported in the literature is students' negative perception of the use of clickers. This paper reports on the factors of the adoption of BYOD and the impact of the use of BYOD for engagement and active learning. The study used mixed‐method data analysis. A questionnaire was used to collect qualitative and quantitative data from 78 students. The technology acceptance model (TAM3) was used to develop a partial least square‐structural equation modeling (PLS‐SEM) model to test hypotheses on the factors affecting the adoption of BYOD by students as clickers. PLS‐SEM was used to test the proposed hypotheses based on TAM3 factors. The qualitative data analysis indicates that BYOD has a role as a facilitator of active learning and engagement. Job relevance has a weak positive relationship with output quality; result demonstrability has a negative weak relationship with resistance to adoption. Incompatibility of BYOD as a clicker acts as a factor for the nonadoption of the technology. This research suggested the inclusion of the BYOD technology compatibility factor for analyzing the perception of usefulness. The findings have particular implications for curriculum planners and educators.
Combination therapy with bevacizumab and a CCR2 inhibitor for human ovarian cancer: An in vivo validation study
Authors: Zhai Tianyue , Mitamura Takashi , Wang Lei , Kubota Shimpei I. , Murakami Masaaki , Tanaka Shinya , Watari Hidemichi 
Published: February 2023

AbstractBackgroundAnti‐angiogenic therapy with bevacizumab (BEV), an anti‐VEGF antibody, plays a critical role in the treatment of ovarian cancer. However, despite an encouraging initial response, most tumors become resistant to BEV over time, and a new strategy that enables sustainable treatment using BEV is therefore needed.MethodsTo overcome the resistance to BEV in patients with ovarian cancer, we performed a validation study of combination therapy with BEV (10 mg/kg) and the CCR2 inhibitor BMS CCR2 22 (20 mg/kg) (BEV/CCR2i) using 3 consecutive patient‐derived xenografts (PDXs) of immunodeficient mice.ResultsBEV/CCR2i demonstrated a significant effect of growth suppression in the BEV‐resistant serous PDX and BEV‐sensitive serous PDX compared with BEV (30.4% after the second cycle and 15.5% after the first cycle, respectively), and treatment cessation did not attenuate this effect. Tissue clearing and immunohistochemistry with an anti‐α‐SMA antibody suggested that BEV/CCR2i suppressed angiogenesis from the host mice more than BEV. In addition, human CD31 immunohistochemistry revealed that BEV/CCR2i decreased microvessels originating from the patients to a significantly greater degree than BEV. Regarding the BEV‐resistant clear cell PDX, the effect of BEV/CCR2i was unclear during the first five cycles, but the following two cycles of increased‐dose BEV/CCR2i (CCR2i 40 mg/kg) significantly suppressed tumor growth compared with BEV (28.3%) by inhibiting the CCR2B‐MAPK pathway.ConclusionsBEV/CCR2i showed a sustained anticancer immunity‐independent effect in human ovarian cancer that was more significant in serous carcinoma than in clear cell carcinoma.
Two New Enantiomers of Phenylethanoid and Their Anti‐Inflammatory Activities
Authors: Jia Qi , Yang Pei‐Yuan , Li Ya‐Ling , Yao Guo‐Dong , Song Shao‐Jiang , Huang Xiao‐Xiao 
Published: February 2023

AbstractIn this phytochemical investigation, two pairs of new phenylethanoid derivative enantiomers (1a/1b and 2a/2b), a new phenylethanoid derivative 3b, and seven known compounds (3a, 4–9) were isolated from the leaves of Picrasma quassioides. Spectroscopic techniques were used for the elucidation of their chemical structures, and the absolute configurations were determined by a comparison between the experimental and calculated ECD data, as well as the application of Snatzke's method. Compounds (1a/1b–3a/3b) were measured for their production of NO levels in LPS‐induced BV‐2 microglial cells. The results showed that all compounds exhibited potential inhibitory effects, and compound 1a showed stronger activity than the positive control.
The Effect of SnO2 Surface Properties on CO2 Photoreduction to Higher Hydrocarbons
Authors: Torres Juliana A. , Nogueira André E. , da Silva Gelson T. S. T. , Ribeiro Caue 
Published: February 2023

AbstractSeveral photocatalysts have been developed for applications in reduction reactions, including tin oxide‐based semiconductors. Although its band structure is unfavorable for CO2 reduction reactions, strategies to modify its surface properties directly impacted its activity and selectivity during these reactions. Here, we analyze the influence of heat treatment and decoration of SnO2 with gold nanoparticles on the gas phase CO2 photoreduction process. In both cases, a deleterious effect was observed during reactions under UV radiation (with a drop of 59.81 % and 51.45 % in CH4 production for SnO2_150 °C and SnO2/Au_cop, respectively, compared to SnO2_cop), which is directly related to the availability of surface hydroxyl groups that play a crucial role in CO2 adsorption. Under visible radiation, the gold plasmonic resonance took place in the production of methane (0.33 μmol g−1 for SnO2/Au_cop and 0.29 μmol g−1 for SnO2/Au_150 °C), with small amounts of carbon monoxide (0.06 μmol g−1 for SnO2/Au_cop and 0.03 μmol g−1 for SnO2/Au_150 °C). These results demonstrate that, though the SnO2 band structure does not indicate a good semiconductor for CO2 reduction, its surface characteristics are responsible for its catalytic activity.