bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Association between N-terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide and Acute Ischemic Stroke in Male Patients
Authors: Sultana Syeda Aleya , Huq Muhammad Rezeul , Malek Mohammad Abdul , Kawnayn Ghulam , Siddique Rezwana , Haque Md Ziaul , Haque Dewan Mohaimenul , Mila Nusrat Zahan , Hanfa Nurani 
Published: July 2023

Aims: Stroke is among the major cause of mortality and disability globally. Many types of research are ongoing in search of a reliable biomarker for acute ischemic stroke. This study was aimed to see the association of the serum N-terminal proBNP (pro-brain natriuretic peptide) or NT-proBNP with acute ischemic stroke.
Study Design: Case-control study.
Methodology: This case-control study was conducted from January 2023 to June 2023. A total of 30 acute ischemic stroke male patients were enrolled as cases with 30 healthy male controls. Serum NT-proBNP level was measured in all the participants. Clinical features including the National Institute of Health Stroke (NIHSS) scale score were recorded in cases.
Results: The mean ages of the cases and controls were 61 ± 9.22 and 62.40 ± 8.23 years respectively. Among the acute ischemic stroke patients, more than half of the patients (53%) had lacunar stroke. According to the NIHSS score, more than 90% of the patients had minor or moderate stroke (93.3%). The mean NT-proBNP of cases was significantly higher than the controls (266.99 ± 357.88 vs 46.32 ± 18.59) (P = .04). The mean logNT-proBNP level (1.96 ± 0.72) was also significantly higher among the cases than the controls (1.61 ± 0.22) (P = .04). We did not find any association of serum logNTpro-BNP with the duration of stroke (P = .40). There was also no statistically significant association between the NIHSS score and NT-proBNP or logNTpro-BNP levels (P = .36).
Conclusion: Serum NT-proBNP level was significantly higher in acute ischemic stroke patients. There was no association of NT-proBNP level with the stroke severity and duration.
Cephalometric Assessment of the Brain Ventricular System Index Using Computerised Tomography in Sokoto North-Western, Nigeria
Authors: Danjuma Jibrin Usman , Abubakar Bello 
Published: July 2023

Aim: To determine the normal brain ventricular system index of Nigerians using computerized tomography in Sokoto North-Western Nigeria.
Study Design: Retrospective cross- sectional.
Place and Duration of Study: Department of Anatomy Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto and Department of Radiology Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital Sokoto, between January, 2020 and January, 2022.
Methodology: One hundred and seventy-eight normal brain CT scans of subjects from the Radiology Department, whose ages ranged from 1 to 70 years, were recruited for this study.
The Bi-frontal and Bi-occipital indices were calculated as ratios of measured distances of the frontal and occipital horns of the lateral ventricles and the transverse intracranial diameter, at the same level, respectively. The brain ventricular system index was then determined by a ratio of the Bi-frontal index and Bi-occipital index.
Results: The largest brain ventricular system indexes were 7.83cm and 7.68cm in males and females respectively and these were observed between the age of 2-4years for both sexes. While, the smallest brain ventricular system indexes were 7.47cm in males and 7.29cm in females, which were observed in age group 61-70years for both sexes.
Conclusion: This study was conducted to determine the Ventricular Brain System Index and it relation with sex and age in our environment.
Amelioration of Osteoarthritis via Tetrahedral Framework Nucleic Acids Delivering Microrna‐124 for Cartilage Regeneration
Authors: Shi Sirong , Chen Tianyu , Lu Weitong , Chen Yang , Xiao Dexuan , Lin Yunfeng 
Published: July 2023

AbstractMicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate several physiological and pathological processes involved in various diseases, including osteoarthritis (OA). OA is the most common global musculoskeletal disorder, characterized by the irreversible progressive destruction of articular cartilage. Supplementation with exogenous miRNAs may represent a promising therapeutic OA treatment, with miRNA‐124 (miR‐124) being a prime candidate for its anti‐inflammatory ability; however, an effective drug delivery system is urgently required to enhance miR‐124 stability and capacity to enter chondrocytes. To this end, tetrahedral framework nucleic acids’ (tFNAs) self‐assembled 3D DNA nanostructures possess superior inherent biocompatibility, versatile functionality, unsurpassed editability, and strong cellular internalization ability. In this study, tFNAs carrying one or three miR‐124 (T‐miR1 or T‐miR3) are successfully synthesized. T‐miR3 is largely absorbed via induced inflammatory chondrocytes by IL‐1β. With reactive oxygen species’ scavenging ability and inflammation‐suppressive miR‐124 release behavior, T‐miR3 efficiently protects chondrocytes against IL‐1β injury in vitro. Additionally, T‐miR3 effectively prevents OA progression by inhibiting chondrocyte apoptosis, smoothing cartilage surfaces, suppressing extracellular matrix degradation, and increasing synovial thickness, effectively protecting in vivo articular cartilage, and illustrating the therapeutic ability of T‐miR3 in OA treatment. This study provides experimental evidence and novel therapeutic strategies for OA treatment in the clinical setting.
Smoke and Spike: Benzo[a]pyrene Enhances SARS‐CoV‐2 Infection by Boosting NR4A2‐Induced ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Expression
Authors: Liu Wenbin , Zhao Yue , Fan Junyan , Shen Jiaying , Tang Hailin , Tang Wanda , Wu Di , Huang Weijin , Ding Yibo , Qiao Peng , Lin Jiansheng , Li Zishuai , Li Qianqian , Cui Qianqian , Liu Yan , Chen Yifan , Pu Rui , Han Xue , Yin Jianhua , Tan Xiaojie , Cao Guangwen 
Published: July 2023

AbstractCigarette smoke aggravates severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, they show that benzo[a]pyrene in cigarette smoke extract facilitates SARS‐CoV‐2 infection via upregulating angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2). Benzo[a]pyrene trans‐activates the promoters of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 by upregulating nuclear receptor subfamily 4 A number 2 (NR4A2) and promoting its binding of NR4A2 to their promoters, which is independent of functional genetic polymorphisms in ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Benzo[a]pyrene increases the susceptibility of lung epithelial cells to SARS‐CoV‐2 pseudoviruses and facilitates the infection of authentic Omicron BA.5 in primary human alveolar type II cells, lung organoids, and lung and testis of hamsters. Increased expression of Nr4a2, Ace2, and Tmprss2, as well as decreased methylation of CpG islands at the Nr4a2 promoter are observed in aged mice compared to their younger counterparts. NR4A2 knockdown or interferon‐λ2/λ3 stimulation downregulates the expression of NR4A2, ACE2, and TMPRSS2, thereby inhibiting the infection. In conclusion, benzo[a]pyrene enhances SARS‐CoV‐2 infection by boosting NR4A2‐induced ACE2 and TMPRSS2 expression. This study elucidates the mechanisms underlying the detrimental effects of cigarette smoking on SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and provides prophylactic options for coronavirus disease 2019, particularly for the elderly population.
In Situ Neutralization and Detoxification of LPS to Attenuate Hyperinflammation
Authors: Li Xiaoyu , Qu Shaoqi , Song Xiangbin , Wu Congming , Shen Jianzhong , Zhu Kui 
Published: July 2023

AbstractHyperinflammation elicited by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that derives from multidrug‐resistant Gram‐negative pathogens, leads to a sharp increase in mortality globally. However, monotherapies aiming to neutralize LPS often fail to improve the prognosis. Here, an all‐in‐one drug delivery strategy equipped with bactericidal activity, LPS neutralization, and detoxification is shown to recognize, kill pathogens, and attenuate hyperinflammation by abolishing the activation of LPS‐triggered acute inflammatory responses. First, bactericidal colistin results in rapid bacterial killing, and the released LPS is subsequently sequestered. The neutralized LPS is further cleared by acyloxyacyl hydrolase to remove secondary fatty chains and detoxify LPS in situ. Last, such a system shows high efficacy in two mouse infection models challenged with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. This approach integrates direct antibacterial activity with in situ LPS neutralizing and detoxifying properties, shedding light on the development of alternative interventions to treat sepsis‐associated infections.
State‐of‐the‐Art Electronic Materials for Thin Films in Bioelectronics
Authors: Gablech Imrich , Głowacki Eric Daniel 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThis review is dedicated to electronics materials enabling thin‐film‐based neural interface and bioelectronics devices. First‐generation bioelectronic medicine devices feature hand‐crafted bulk interface electrodes, wires and interconnects, and insulators. This review discusses how modern materials science, especially know‐how repurposed from semiconductor and microdevice technologies, enables next‐generation bioelectronics. Those are divided into two subgroups: second and third generation. The former refers to rigid microscaled devices, while the latter is defined as soft, ultrathin, and flexible microdevices. A critical assessment of different biointerface electrodes, conductors for interconnects, and insulators for substrates, passivation, and encapsulation layers is made. The goal is not to give an exhaustive account of every use‐example of given materials, but to point out specific aspects that are relevant to making the right choices for materials for a given device or application. Unique advantages of specific materials are highlighted, while also focusing on weaker points and caveats that those materials may have. The goal is to have an up‐to‐date handbook for persons entering the field which also points out tips and tricks as well as challenging problems that researchers can be inspired to confront and overcome.
A staffing perspective on barriers to and facilitators of temporary worker safety and health
Authors: Menger‐Ogle Lauren M. , Baker Devin , Guerin Rebecca J. , Cunningham Thomas R. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractBackgroundResearch has documented occupational health disparities, including higher rates of work‐related injuries, among temporary workers compared with workers in standard employment arrangements. According to guidance from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), both staffing companies and host employers are responsible for protecting the occupational safety and health (OSH) of temporary workers. To date, there has been little qualitative research on temporary worker OSH in the United States and a lack of evidence‐based OSH programs designed to meet the needs of temporary workers. The aim of this study was to better understand the barriers to and facilitators of temporary worker OSH from the perspective of US staffing companies.MethodsIn‐depth interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of representatives from 15 US staffing companies. Interviews were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed through a three‐step process.ResultsCommonly mentioned barriers to temporary worker OSH include differential treatment of temporary workers by host employers; lack of understanding among host employers and staffing companies of joint OSH responsibilities; and workers' fear of job loss or other negative repercussions if they report an injury or illness or voice OSH concerns. Commonly mentioned facilitators of temporary worker OSH include conducting client assessments and site visits and fostering strong communication and relationships with both host employers and temporary workers.ConclusionsThese findings can help inform the tailoring of OSH programs to promote health equity in temporary workers.
The Influence of Spin‐Orbit Interaction on the Electron‐Phonon Coupling in Tl‐Rich Cubic AuCu3‐Type Superconductors: Comparison with La3Tl
Authors: Baǧcı Sadık , Yarar Halime , Uzunok Hüseyin Yasin 
Published: July 2023

AbstractIn this work, the role of spin‐orbit coupling (SOC) in ATl3 (A = Ca, Y, La, and Th) and La3Tl is investigated by theoretical investigation of their structural, electronic, elastic, mechanical, phonon, and electron–phonon interaction properties. The effect of SOC on the electronic band structures of these compounds is that some of the degeneracies at the high symmetry points that would exist in a scalar relativistic calculation without SOC are removed by considering this coupling. The replacement of La and Tl atoms in LaTl3 increases the value of the density of states at the Fermi level N() by a factor of 2.1. Furthermore, this replacement makes almost all phonon modes in La3Tl softer than those in LaTl3. Both softer phonon modes and higher N() make the electron–phonon interaction in La3Tl much stronger than in LaTl3. The presence of SOC increases the values of LaTl3 by 34% (from 1.151 to 1.542 K) and of ThTl3 by 65% (from 0.479 to 0.793 K), resulting in good agreement with the corresponding experimental values of 1.63 and 0.87 K. The inclusion of SOC also improves the agreement with the experiment for values of CaTl3, YTl3, and La3Tl.
Compatibilization of immiscible polymer blends by reactive polymer grafted graphene with interfacial crosslinking
Authors: Nasrollah Gavgani Jaber , Goharpey Fatemeh 
Published: July 2023

AbstractWe investigate reactive compatibilization by applying two multifunctional polymers grafted on a graphene surface, which leads to crosslinked interphase at immiscible polymer blends. Reactive compatibilizer‐grafted graphene (RCG) nanoparticles were synthesized through esterification and amidation reactions between oxidative groups of graphene oxide and reactive multifunctional groups of polymers. Polymer blends of polyisoprene (PI) and polydimethysiloxane (PDMS) with PI:PDMS ratio of 30:70 or 70:30 and RCG nanoparticle loadings from 0.1 and 1 wt% were evaluated by optical microscopy and rheometry. The results indicated that the blend with 0.1 wt% RCG showed unusual characteristics including nonspherical and bridged droplets, while those containing 1 wt% RCG showed usual droplet‐matrix morphology. The rheological results are also asymmetric: the blend with 0.1 wt% RCG displayed gel‐like behavior in the dynamic oscillatory tests, high viscosity, slow interfacial relaxation during startup shear flow, and divergence in the transient stress response due to coalesced and bridged droplets. However, the latter blend containing 1 wt% RCG reveals liquid‐like behavior, low viscosity, and convergence in the transient stress response due to stabilized droplet‐matrix morphology. Overall, it was suggested that these asymmetries are attributable to interfacial crosslinked interphase formed through an in‐situ reaction between multifunctional polymers grafted on graphene sheets.
An ethico‐political analysis of a national teacher competence framework: Unravelling a ‘preferred’ teacher identity
Authors: Carswell Desmond , Conway Paul F. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractIn recent years, as evidenced in the transnational proliferation of codified competence frameworks for teacher education purposes, we have seen the increased politicisation and regulation of the task of teaching and what it means to be a teacher. Making the case for an ethico‐political conceptualisation of teacher identity and, using a Foucauldian‐based framework of ethico‐political identity, we apply a discourse analysis approach to unravel a ‘preferred’ teacher identity construction using Ireland's national teacher competence framework, theInitial Teacher Education Criteria and Guidelines for Programme Providersas an illustrative case. Findings illuminate this identity as: (i) telos vis‐à‐vis embodying national objectives via critical engagement underpinned by knowledge surfaces and a temporal appreciation of policy; (ii) ethical substance vis‐à‐vis seven modes of engagement animated in two interdependent phases with unique practice dynamics and policy emphases; (iii) discursive authority sources that utilise three major modes of sense‐making; and (iv) self‐practices as confessional dialogue and self‐writing. Considering codified teacher competence frameworks as politics of truth in teacher education, we make the case for macro ethico‐political identity work as a valuable analytical tool for policy analysis in teaching and teacher education.
A functional approach to borderline personality disorder
Authors: Echevarría‐Escalante Daniel , Pereira Gladis Lee , Estal‐Muñoz Víctor , Froxán‐Parga María Xesús 
Published: July 2023

AbstractDialectical behavior therapy (DBT) can be considered the most effective treatment when attending to problem behaviors that define borderline personality disorder (BPD). This therapy employs chain analysis as the tool for accounting of contextual variables that maintain these behaviors. However, these detected variables are descriptive and temporal rather than strictly functional. That is, the role of contextual variables is analyzed regarding temporal relations with problem behavior but not in terms of contingency relations that allow showing their function. Thus, a functional approach to hypothesize these contingency relations between responses and the variables that control them was carried out. Behavior functional analysis was employed as a tool and functional hypotheses of the DSM‐5‐TR criteria for BPD were conducted. The conclusion is that the proposed approach can be combined with DBT chain analysis to elaborate more accurate functional hypotheses about cases displaying the behaviors defined in the diagnosis.
Analytical method for urinary homovanillic acid and 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels using HPLC with electrochemical detection applied to evaluate children environmentally exposed to manganese
Authors: Cardoso Mariana Silva , Rocha Andrea Rebouças , Souza‐Júnior José Antônio , Menezes‐Filho José Antonio 
Published: July 2023

AbstractHomovanillic acid (HVA) and 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA) are the urinary metabolites of dopamine (DA) and serotonin (5‐HA), respectively. We aimed to develop an extraction method for the determination of HVA and 5‐HIAA, using strong anionic exchange cartridges combined with HPLC with electrochemical detection, and apply it to measure the levels of HVA and 5‐HIAA in children living near a ferro‐manganese alloy plant in Simões Filho, Brazil. The validated method showed good selectivity, sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. The limits of detection (LOD) were 4 and 8 μmol/L for 5‐HIAA and HVA, respectively, in urine. Recoveries ranged from 85.8 to 94%. The coefficients of determination (R2) of the calibration curves were greater than 0.99. Spot urine samples of 30 exposed children and 20 nonexposed ones were processed accordingly. The metabolite levels in exposed and reference children were within the physiological ranges. The medians (range) for 5‐HIAA and HVA of the exposed ones were 36.4 μmol/L (18.4–58.0) and 32.9 μmol/L (<LOD—91.9), respectively. There was no significant difference between the values presented by children in the reference group: 25.7 μmol/L (19.9–81.4) and 35.2 μmol/L (<LOD—67.6) for 5‐HIAA and HVA, respectively. These results suggest that the quantification of the urinary metabolites possibly does not reflect the interference of manganese in the metabolism of DA and 5‐HA in the central nervous system.
Sheltering Mono‐P‐Ligated Metal Complexes in Porous Polystyrene Monolith: Effect of Aryl Pendant Stabilizers on Catalytic Durability
Authors: Matsumoto Hikaru , Hoshino Yu , Iwai Tomohiro , Sawamura Masaya , Miura Yoshiko 
Published: July 2023

AbstractMetal centers that can generate coordinatively unsaturated metals in accessible and stable states have been developed using synthetic polymers with sophisticated ligand and scaffold designs, which required synthetic efforts. Herein, we report a simple and direct strategy for producing polymer‐supported phosphine‐metal complexes, which stabilizes mono‐P‐ligated metals by modulating the electronic properties of the aryl pendant groups in the polymer platform. A three‐fold vinylated PPh3 was copolymerized with a styrene derivative and a cross‐linker to produce a porous polystyrene‐phosphine hybrid monolith. Based on the Hammett substituent constants, the electronic properties of styrene derivatives were modulated and incorporated into the polystyrene backbone to stabilize the mono‐P‐ligated Pd complex via Pd‐arene interactions. Through NMR, TEM, and comparative catalytic studies, the polystyrene‐phosphine hybrid, which induces selective mono‐P‐ligation and moderate Pd‐arene interactions, demonstrated high catalytic durability for the cross‐coupling of chloroarenes under continuous‐flow conditions.
Hydrogen Peroxide Production of Individual Nanosecond Pulsed Discharges Submerged in Water of Elevated Conductivity
Authors: Rataj Raphael , Werneburg Matthias , Below Harald , Kolb Juergen F. 
Published: July 2023

AbstractThe production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a key parameter for the performance of pulsed discharges submerged in water utilized as advanced oxidation process. So far, any related assessment of the underlying mechanism was conducted for the application of several hundred discharges, which did not allow for a correlation with physical processes. Moreover, the production was rarely investigated depending on water conductivity as one of the most important parameters for the development of submerged discharges. Accordingly, hydrogen peroxide generation was investigated here for individual single discharge events instigated with 100 ns high‐voltage pulses in water with three different conductivities and was associated with the discharge development, i. e. spatial expansion and dissipated electrical energy. The approach necessitated the improvement of an electrochemical flow injection analysis based on the reaction of Prussian blue with H2O2. Hydrogen peroxide concentrations were quadratically increasing with propagation time and stable for different water conductivities. H2O2 production per unit volume of a discharge was constant over time with an estimated rate constant of 3.2 mol ⋅ m−1 s−1, averaged over the crosssectional area of all discharge filaments. However, the individually dissipated energy increased with conductivity, hence, the production efficiency decreased from 6.1 g ⋅ kWh−1 to 1.4 g ⋅ kWh−1, which was explained by increased resistive losses within the bulk liquid.