bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Lipid‐Centric Design of Plasma Membrane‐Mimicking Nanocarriers for Targeted Chemotherapeutic Delivery
Authors: Ning Di , Wang Zhi‐Gang , Wang Lei , Tian Yi‐Fan , Jing Fang , Jiang Lin‐Han , Zhang Meng‐Qian , Liu Yang‐Yang , Pang Dai‐Wen , Cho Wonhwa , Liu Shu‐Lin 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe plasma membranes (PM) of mammalian cells contain diverse lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates that are important for systemic recognition and communication in health and disease. Cell membrane coating technology that imparts unique properties of natural plasma membranes to the surface of encapsulated nanoparticles is thus becoming a powerful platform for drug delivery, immunomodulation, and vaccination. However, current coating methods fail to take full advantage of the natural systems because they disrupt the complex and functionally essential features of PMs, most notably the chemical diversity and compositional differences of lipids in two leaflets of the PM. Herein, a new lipid coating approach is reported in which the lipid composition is optimized through a combination of biomimetic and systematic variation approaches for the custom design of nanocarrier systems for precision drug delivery. Nanocarriers coated with the optimized lipids offer unique advantages in terms of bioavailability and efficiency in tumor targeting, tumor penetration, cellular uptake, and drug release. This pilot study provides new insight into the rational design and optimization of nanocarriers for cancer chemotherapeutic drugs and lays the foundation for further customization of cell membrane‐mimicking nanocarriers through systematic incorporation of other components.
POEMS syndrome: Update on diagnosis, risk‐stratification, and management
Authors: Dispenzieri Angela 
Published: September 2023

AbstractDisease OverviewPOEMS syndrome is a life‐threatening condition due to an underlying plasma cell neoplasm. The major criteria for the syndrome are polyradiculoneuropathy, clonal plasma cell disorder, sclerotic bone lesions, elevated vascular endothelial growth factor, and the presence of Castleman disease. Minor features include organomegaly, endocrinopathy, characteristic skin changes, papilledema, extravascular volume overload, and thrombocytosis.DiagnosisThe diagnosis of POEMS syndrome is made with three of the major criteria, two of which must include polyradiculoneuropathy and clonal plasma cell disorder, and at least one of the minor criteria.Risk StratificationBecause the pathogenesis of the syndrome is not well understood, risk stratification is limited to clinical phenotype rather than specific molecular markers. Risk factors include low serum albumin, age, pleural effusion, pulmonary hypertension, and reduced estimated glomerular filtration rate.Risk‐Adapted TherapyFor those patients with a dominant plasmacytoma, first‐line therapy is irradiation. Patients with diffuse sclerotic lesions or disseminated bone marrow involvement should receive systemic therapy. Corticosteroids are temporizing, but alkylators and lenalidomide are the mainstays of treatment, the former either in the form of low‐dose conventional therapy or as high‐dose conditioning for stem cell transplantation. Thalidomide and bortezomib also have activity, but their benefit needs to be weighed against their risk of exacerbating the peripheral neuropathy. Daratumumab combinations also appear promising based on case series. Prompt recognition and institution of both supportive care measures and therapy directed against the plasma cell result in the best outcomes.
Socioeconomic consequences of the COVID‐19 pandemic for people who use drugs
Authors: Walker Shelley , Dietze Paul , Higgs Peter , Ward Bernadette , Treloar Carla , Stoové Mark , Rathnayake Kasun , Doyle Jospeph , Hellard Margaret , Maher Lisa 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe COVID‐19 pandemic triggered widespread socioeconomic hardship, disproportionately impacting disadvantaged populations. People who use illicit drugs are more likely to experience unemployment, homelessness, criminal justice involvement and poorer health outcomes than the general community, yet little is known about the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic on their lives. To address this gap in the literature, we conducted in‐depth interviews with 76 participants from two cohort studies of people who use illicit drugs (people who inject drugs and/or use methamphetamine) in Victoria, Australia. Findings support claims that pandemic‐related Social Security supplementary payments and initiatives to reduce homelessness, although not systemically transforming people's lives, produced temporary relief from chronic socioeconomic hardship. Results also indicate how temporary interruptions to drug supply chains inflated illicit drug prices and produced adverse consequences such as financial and emotional stress, which was exacerbated by drug withdrawal symptoms for many participants. Furthermore, increased community demand for emergency food and housing support during the pandemic appeared to reduce participants' access to these services. Our findings about the unintended consequences of pandemic responses on the socioeconomic lives of a group of people who use illicit drugs provide insights into and opportunities for policy reform to redress their entrenched disadvantage.
Organocatalytic C−H Functionalization of Simple Alkanes
Authors: Su Fen , Lu Fengfei , Tang Kun , Lv Xiaokang , Luo Zhongfu , Che Fengrui , Long Hongyan , Wu Xingxing , Chi Yonggui Robin 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe direct functionalization of inert C(sp3)‐H bonds to form carbon‐carbon and carbon‐heteroatom bonds offers vast potential for chemical synthesis and therefore receives increasing attention. At present, most successes come from strategies using metal catalysts/reagents or photo/electrochemical processes. The use of organocatalysis for this purpose remains scarce, especially when dealing with challenging C−H bonds such as those from simple alkanes. Here we disclose the first organocatalytic direct functionalization/acylation of inert C(sp3)‐H bonds of completely unfunctionalized alkanes. Our approach involves N‐heterocyclic carbene catalyst‐mediated carbonyl radical intermediate generation and coupling with simple alkanes (through the corresponding alkyl radical intermediates generated via a hydrogen atom transfer process). Unreactive C−H bonds are widely present in fossil fuel feedstocks, commercially important organic polymers, and complex molecules such as natural products. Our present study shall inspire a new avenue for quick functionalization of these molecules under the light‐ and metal‐free catalytic conditions.
Disorder‐Enhanced Charge‐Transfer‐Mediated Room‐Temperature Phosphorescence in Polymer Media
Authors: Cheng Aoyuan , Su Hao , Gu Xuewen , Zhang Wei , Zhang Baicheng , Zhou Meng , Jiang Jun , Zhang Xuepeng , Zhang Guoqing 
Published: September 2023

AbstractRoom‐temperature phosphorescence (RTP) polymers have important applications for biological imaging, oxygen sensing, data encryption, and photodynamic therapy. Despite the many advantages polymeric materials offer such as great control over gas permeability and processing flexibility, disorder is traditionally considered as an intrinsic negative impact on the efficiency for embedded RTP luminophores, as various allowed thermal motions could quench the emitting states. However, we propose that such disorder‐enabled freedoms of microscopic motions can be beneficial for charge‐transfer‐mediated RTP, which is facilitated by molecular conformational changes among different electronic transition states. Using the “classic” pyrene‐aniline exciplex as an example, we demonstrate the mutual enhancement of red/near‐infrared and green RTP emissions from the pyrene and aniline moieties, respectively, upon doping the aniline polymer with trace pyrene derivatives. In comparison, a pyrene‐doped crystal formed with the same aniline structure exhibits only charge‐transfer fluorescence with no red or green RTP observed, suggesting that order suppresses the RTP channels. The proposed polymerization strategy may be used as a unified method to generate multi‐emissive polymeric RTP materials from a vast pool of known and unknown exciplexes and charge‐transfer complexes.
Nickel(II) Analogues of Phosphorescent Platinum(II) Complexes with Picosecond Excited‐State Decay
Authors: Ogawa Tomohiro , Wenger Oliver S. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractSquare‐planar NiII complexes are interesting as cheaper and more sustainable alternatives to PtII luminophores widely used in lighting and photocatalysis. We investigated the excited‐state behavior of two NiII complexes, which are isostructural with two luminescent PtII complexes. The initially excited singlet metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (1MLCT) excited states in the NiII complexes decay to metal‐centered (3MC) excited states within less than 1 picosecond, followed by non‐radiative relaxation of the 3MC states to the electronic ground state within 9–21 ps. This contrasts with the population of an emissive triplet ligand‐centered (3LC) excited state upon excitation of the PtII analogues. Structural distortions of the NiII complexes are responsible for this discrepant behavior and lead to dark 3MC states far lower in energy than the luminescent 3LC states of PtII compounds. Our findings suggest that if these structural distortions could be restricted by more rigid coordination environments and stronger ligand fields, the excited‐state relaxation in four‐coordinate NiII complexes could be decelerated such that luminescent 3LC or 3MLCT excited states become accessible. These insights are relevant to make NiII fit for photophysical and photochemical applications that relied on PtII until now.
Reflections on the concept of optimality of single decision point treatment regimes
Authors: Tran Trung Dung , Abad Ariel Alonso , Verbeke Geert , Molenberghs Geert , Van Mechelen Iven 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIn many areas, applied researchers as well as practitioners have to choose between different solutions for a problem at hand; this calls for optimal decision rules to settle the choices involved. As a key example, one may think of the search for optimal treatment regimes (OTRs) in clinical research, that specify which treatment alternative should be administered to each patient under study. Motivated by the fact that the concept of optimality of decision rules in general and treatment regimes in particular has received so far relatively little attention and discussion, we will present a number of reflections on it, starting from the basics of any optimization problem. Specifically, we will analyze the search space and the to be optimized criterion function underlying the search of single decision point OTRs, along with the many choice aspects that show up in their specification. Special attention is paid to formal characteristics and properties as well as to substantive concerns and hypotheses that may guide these choices. We illustrate with a few empirical examples taken from the literature. Finally, we discuss how the presented reflections may help sharpen statistical thinking about optimality of decision rules for treatment assignment and to facilitate the dialogue between the statistical consultant and the applied researcher in search of an OTR.
Biochemical characterization of an acid‐thermostable glucoamylase from Aspergillus japonicus with potential application in the paper bio‐deinking
Authors: Pasin Thiago Machado , Betini Jorge Henrique Almeida , de Lucas Rosymar Coutinho , Polizeli Maria de Lourdes Teixeira de Moraes 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAspergillus species have been highlighted in enzyme production looking for industrial applications, notably, amylases are one of the most interesting enzymes. They are capable of hydrolyzing α‐glycosidic linkages of starch and widely used in industrial processes to produce ethanol, glucose, and fructose syrup as well as in the textiles, detergents, and paper industries applications. In this context, this work aimed at the biochemical characterization of the glucoamylase from Aspergillus japonicus and its application in the bio‐bleaching process of recycled paper. The optimum temperature and pH for the glucoamylase assay were standardized as 50°C and 5.5. After 1 h of incubation, glucoamylase retained 90% of its activity at 30–50°C. It also kept 70% of its activity in the pH range of 4.0–6.5 after an hour of incubation. The enzyme led to an increase of 30% in the relative whiteness of 10 dry grams of sulfite paper and magazine paper when applied along with commercial cellulase and 10 mM MnCl2. In addition, after the treatments, the glucoamylase recovered activity was 30%–32%, which indicates a prolonged availability of the enzyme and can considerably curtail the redundant downstream process of the recycled paper bio‐bleaching. Thus, the glucoamylase from A. japonicus has a significant role in bio‐bleaching recycled paper, reducing the necessity of hard chemicals, and improving the industrial process in an interesting economic and ecological mode.
Research on the big data analysis of MOOCs in a flipped classroom based on attention mechanism in deep learning model
Authors: Li Chengxin , Zhao Kaiyue , Yan Mingduo , Zou Xiuguo , Xiao Maohua , Qian Yan 
Published: September 2023

AbstractEngineering education can be improved through the implementation of a flipped classroom, an instructional approach that allows students to learn theory online and practice it offline. However, the flipped classroom approach does not directly solve the challenge of the high dropout rate in online distance education, such as massive open online courses (MOOCs). Actually, distance education lacks the convenience of face‐to‐face communication and supervision. This study considers a deep learning model based on an attention mechanism in addition to some other common traditional machine learning models in an engineering MOOC with a flipped classroom design. The aim is to predict students' future performance and assist teachers in discovering the important learning stages that affect the prediction, thus improving teaching and learning performance. Our model performs better than other commonly used models. It is found that the middle and final learning stages, where specific knowledge is taught, are important, offering a new approach to analyzing and promoting distance engineering education.
Juggling risks: A social representations investigation of women, pregnancy and COVID‐19 vaccination
Authors: Walker‐Jones Shayleigh , Moloney Gail , Hutchinson Marie 
Published: September 2023

AbstractPregnant women are at disproportionate risk of harm from contracting COVID‐19, but pregnant women in regional Australia have been less likely to be vaccinated than their non‐pregnant counterparts. This longitudinal research drew from social representations theory to investigate emerging social knowledge associated with the COVID‐19 virus and COVID‐19 vaccination concerning women and pregnancy in regional Australia: One wave of data collected at the start of the COVID‐19 vaccination rollout in June–August 2021 and another wave in January–February 2022. An online survey comprised risk and benefit scales and one of two‐word association tasks completed by 304 participants in Wave One (Mage = 38.75, SD = 12.63) and 20 women in Wave Two (Mage = 40.00, SD = 11.32). Mean scale scores suggest women considering pregnancy and pregnant women perceived themselves as at disproportionate risk of COVID‐19 and the AstraZeneca vaccine. Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) suggested a negative, emerging representational field associated with COVID‐19 vaccination. MDS, HCA and thematic analysis suggested emerging contradiction in women's social knowledge of women, pregnancy and COVID‐19 vaccination in Waves One and Two. These findings reflect how pregnant women navigated a rapidly evolving context of COVID‐19 and vaccination when vaccines became available.
Recent Advances in Chemical Synthesis of Structural Domains of Lipopolysaccharides from the Commensal Gut‐Associated Microbiota
Authors: Wang Xiufang , Xiao Guozhi 
Published: September 2023

AbstractLipopolysaccharides from the commensal gut‐associated microbiota are interesting biomolecules for the treatment of various inflammatory diseases. Different from pathogenic lipopolysaccharides, commensal lipopolysaccharides have distinct chemical structures and mediate beneficial homeostasis with the immune system of the host. However, the accessibility issues of homogenous and pure commensal lipopolysaccharides hampered the in‐depth studies of their functions. In this concept article, we highlight the recent synthesis of lipopolysaccharides from gut‐associated lymphoid‐tissue‐resident Alcaligenes faecalis and Bacteroides vulgatus, which hopes to inspire the more efforts devoting to these fantastic biomolecules.
Assisted reproductive technology use and outcomes in childhood cancer survivors
Authors: Keefe Kimberly W. , Lanes Andrea , Stratton Kayla , Green Daniel M. , Chow Eric J. , Oeffinger Kevin C. , Barton Sara , Diller Lisa , Yasui Yutaka , Leisenring Wendy M. , Armstrong Gregory T. , Ginsburg Elizabeth S. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractBackgroundTreatment exposures for childhood cancer reduce ovarian reserve. However, the success of assisted reproductive technology (ART) among female survivors is not well established.MethodsFive‐year survivors of childhood cancer in the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study were linked to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology Clinic Outcome Reporting System, which captures national ART outcomes. The authors assessed the live birth rate, the relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs), and associations with treatment exposure using generalized estimating equations to account for multiple ovarian stimulations per individual. Siblings from a random sample of survivors were recruited to serve as a comparison group.ResultsAmong 9885 female survivors, 137 (1.4%; median age at diagnosis, 10 years [range, 0–20 years]; median years of follow‐up after age 18 years, 11 years [range, 2–11 years]) underwent 224 ovarian stimulations using autologous or donor eggs and/or gestational carriers (157 autologous ovarian stimulation cycles, 67 donor ovarian stimulation cycles). In siblings, 33 (1.4%) underwent 51 autologous or donor ovarian stimulations. Of those who used embryos from autologous eggs without using gestational carriers, 97 survivors underwent 155 stimulations, resulting in 49 live births, for a 31.6% chance of live birth per ovarian stimulation (vs. 38.3% for siblings; p = .39) and a 43.9% chance of live birth per transfer (vs. 50.0%; p = .33). Prior treatment with cranial radiation therapy (RR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.20–0.97) and pelvic radiation therapy (RR, 0.33; 95% CI, 0.15–0.73) resulted in a reduced chance of live birth compared with siblings. The likelihood of live birth after ART treatment in survivors was not affected by alkylator exposure (cyclophosphamide‐equivalent dose, ≥8000 mg/m2 vs. none; RR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.52–2.05).ConclusionsChildhood cancer survivors are as likely to undergo treatment using ART as sibling controls. The success of ART treatment was not reduced after alkylator exposure. The results from the current study provide needed guidance on the use of ART in this population.
Biofilm Models: Different Ways of Biofilm Characterization and Drug Discovery
Authors: Kher Lopamudra , Santoro Domenico 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe ability of bacteria to develop biofilms and its added effect on antimicrobial resistance have been a concern for both animal and human medicine. The need to understand biofilm biology has been addressed with the help of three biofilm models, i.e., in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. Due to the implications of animal welfare involved in in vivo models, this article is mainly focused on in vitro and ex vivo study models to analyze biofilm biology. In in vitro biofilm models, the microtiter plate and Calgary biofilm device are the most commonly used techniques for biofilm analysis. Quantification of the biofilm biomass generated by these two techniques can be assessed with the help of a crystal violet assay. Although in vitro biofilm models help advance understanding of the biology of biofilm and are easy to perform, they fail to address certain important questions, such as the importance of the substrate on which biofilm grows and the interaction between the organisms and the substrate. To address this concern, an ex vivo model can be utilized to characterize the behavior and characteristics of biofilms on different substrates. Ex vivo biofilm models are considered a bridge between the in vitro and in vivo biofilm models. Although neither of the currently available biofilm assessment models is considered the gold standard, they have significantly increased understanding of biofilm behavior. Further studies are warranted to develop more refined biofilm models. © 2023 Wiley Periodicals LLC.Basic Protocol 1: In vitro biofilm models for microtiter plate/crystal violet assay for biofilm growth assessmentBasic Protocol 2: Crystal violet assay/tissue culture plate method for testing of antibiofilm agentsAlternate Protocol: Calgary biofilm device to determine biofilm susceptibility to antimicrobial agentsBasic Protocol 3: Ex vivo biofilm skin models: canine/porcine skin explants
Prey availability and foraging activity by tundra‐nesting sea ducks: Strong preference for specific wetland types
Authors: Miller Micah W. C. , Lovvorn James R. , Graff Nathan R. , Stellrecht Neesha C. , Plesh Steven P. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractWetlands in Arctic tundra support abundant breeding waterbirds. Wetland types differing in area, depth, vegetation, and invertebrate biomass density may vary in importance to birds, and in vulnerability to climate change. We studied availability and use of different wetland types by prelaying females of four species of sea ducks (Mergini) breeding on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska, USA: long‐tailed ducks (Clangula hyemalis) and Steller's (Polysticta stelleri), spectacled (Somateria fischeri), and king eiders (Somateria spectabilis). All four species preferred shallow vegetated wetlands versus deeper lakes. The ducks spent almost all their active time feeding, but their occurrence in different wetland types was not affected by the relative biomass density of known prey or of all invertebrates that we sampled combined. Sea ducks strongly preferred wetlands dominated by emergent and submersed Arctophila fulva over those dominated by the sedge Carex aquatilis, despite the much greater number, total area, and invertebrate biomass density of Carex wetlands. The hens depend heavily on local invertebrate prey for protein to produce eggs; thus, their preference for Arctophila wetlands likely reflects greater accessibility of prey in the near‐surface canopy and detritus of Arctophila. Such shallow wetlands decreased substantially in number (−17%) and area (−30%) over 62 years before 2013 and appear highly susceptible to further declines with climate warming. Impacts on sea ducks of climate‐driven changes in availability of important wetland types will depend on their adaptability in exploiting alternative wetlands.