bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
l‐Asparaginase synergizes with etoposide via the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway in Epstein−Barr virus‐positive Burkitt lymphoma
Authors: Sang Wei , Tu Dongyun , Zhang Meng , Qin Yuanyuan , Yin Wenjing , Song Xuguang , Sun Cai , Yan Dongmei , Wang Xiangmin , Zeng Lingyu , Li Zhenyu , Xu Kailin , Xu Linyan 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBurkitt lymphoma (BL) is an aggressive Epstein−Barr virus (EBV)‐driven B‐cell lymphoma characterized by the translocation and rearrangement of the c‐Myc proto‐oncogene. High‐intensity multidrug chemotherapy regimens have a limited effect on the survival of refractory or relapsed BL patients, mainly owing to the high EBV load and drug resistance. l‐asparaginase (
l‐Asp) and etoposide (VP‐16) play a beneficial role in EBV‐related lymphoproliferative diseases; however, their roles and mechanisms in BL remain unclear. In this study, we found that VP‐16 inhibited BL cell proliferation and arrested the cell cycle at the G2/M phase. It also induced autophagy and activated the extrinsic and intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathways in BL cells. Mechanistically, VP‐16 inhibited c‐Myc expression and regulated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Notably, VP‐16 also showed a specific synergistic effect with
l‐Asp to induce apoptosis in EBV‐positive BL cells but not in EBV‐negative BL cells. VP‐16 combined with
l‐Asp further inhibited c‐Myc expression and downregulated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Additionally, we found that VP‐16 inhibited the expression of latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1), and in combination with
l‐Asp further decreased LMP1 expression in Raji cells. Our in vivo data also showed that the dual‐drug combination significantly inhibited the growth of BL tumors and prolonged the survival of mice compared to VP‐16 alone. In conclusion, this study provides new evidence that
l‐Asp may enhance the antitumor effect of VP‐16 by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in EBV‐positive BL cells.
Genomic diversity of SARS‐CoV‐2 in Pakistan during the fourth wave of pandemic
Authors: Umair Massab , Ikram Aamer , Rehman Zaira , Haider Syed A. , Ammar Muhammad , Badar Nazish , Ali Qasim , Rana Muhammad S. , Salman Muhammad 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe emergence of different variants of concern of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) has resulted in upsurges of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) cases around the globe. Pakistan faced the fourth wave of COVID‐19 from July to August 2021 with 314,786 cases. To understand the genomic diversity of circulating SARS‐CoV‐2 strains during the fourth wave of the pandemic in Pakistan, this study was conducted. The samples from 140 COVID‐19‐positive patients were subjected to whole‐genome sequencing using the iSeq Sequencer by Illumina. The results showed that 97% (n = 136) of isolates belonged to the delta variant while three isolates belonged to alpha and only one isolate belonged to the beta variant. Among delta variant cases, 20.5% (n = 28) isolates were showing B.1.617.2 while 23.5% (n = 25), 17.59% (n = 19), 14.81% (n = 16), and 13.89% (n = 15) of isolates were showing AY.108, AY.43 AY.127, and AY.125 lineages, respectively. Islamabad was found to be the most affected city with 65% (n = 89) of delta variant cases, followed by Karachi (17%, n = 23), and Rawalpindi (10%, n = 14). Apart from the characteristic spike mutations (T19R, L452R, T478K, P681R, and D950N) of the delta variant, the sublineages exhibited other spike mutations as E156del, G142D, T95I, A222V, G446V, K529N, N532S, Q613H, and V483A. The phylogenetic analysis revealed the introductions from Singapore, the United Kingdom, and Germany. This study highlights the circulation of delta variants (B.1.617.2 and sublineages) during the fourth wave of pandemic in Pakistan.
Molecular imaging on ACE2‐dependent transocular infection of coronavirus
Authors: Li Danni , Xiong Liyan , Pan Guixia , Wang Tingfang , Li Rou , Zhu Lizhi , Tong Qianqian , Yang Qinqin , Peng Ye , Zuo Changjing , Wang Cong , Li Xiao 
Published: June 2022

AbstractA transocular infection has been proved as one of the main approaches that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) invades the body, and angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) plays a key role in this procedure. Dynamic and quantitative details on virus distribution are lacking for virus prevention and drug design. In this study, a radiotraceable pseudovirus packed with an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene, 125I‐CoV, was prepared and inoculated in the unilateral eye of humanized ACE2 (hACE2) mice or ACE2‐knockout (ACE2‐KO) mice. Single‐photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography images were acquired at multiple time points to exhibit ACE2‐dependent procedures from invasion to clearance. Positron emission tomography (PET) and western blot were performed to quantify ACE2 expression and verify the factors affecting transocular infection. For the transocular infection of coronavirus (CoV), the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system (RAAS), lungs, intestines, and genital glands were the main targeted organs. Due to the specific anchor to ACE2‐expressed host cells, virus concentrations in genital glands, liver, and lungs ranked the top three most and stabilized at 3.75 ± 0.55, 3.30 ± 0.25, and 2.10 ± 0.55% inoculated dose (ID)/mL at 48 h post treatment. Meanwhile, ACE2‐KO mice had already completed the in vivo clearance. In consideration of organ volumes, lungs (14.50 ± 3.75%ID) and liver (10.94 ± 0.71%ID) were the main in‐store reservoirs of CoV. However, the inoculated eye (5.52 ± 1.85%ID for hACE2, 5.24 ± 1.45%ID for ACE2‐KO, p > 0.05) and the adjacent brain exhibited ACE2‐independent virus infection at the end of 72 h observation, and absolute amount of virus played a key role in host cell infection. These observations on CoV infection were further manifested by infection‐driven intracellular EGFP expression. ACE2 PET revealed an infection‐related systematic upregulation of ACE2 expression in the organs involved in RAAS (e.g., brain, lung, heart, liver, and kidney) and the organ that was of own local renin–angiotensin system (e.g., eye). Transocular infection of CoV is ACE2‐dependent and constitutes the cause of disturbed ACE2 expression in the host. The brain, genital glands, and intestines were of the highest unit uptake, potentially accounting for the sequelae. Lungs and liver were of the highest absolute amount, closely related to the respiratory diffusion and in vivo duplication. ACE2 expression was upregulated in the short term after infection with CoV. These visual and quantitative results are helpful to fully understanding the transocular path of SARS‐CoV‐2 and other CoVs.
Effect of orientation training on employee and firm performance
Authors: Mahmood Monowar , Ostrovskiy Alexandr , Capar Nejat 
Published: June 2022

AbstractConsidering the prevalence and importance of employee orientation training, this study investigates the long‐term impact of employee orientation training on employee and firm performance of multinational corporations in Kazakhstan. The study further investigates employees’ expectations of such learning opportunities to improve the effectiveness of orientation training. Data were collected through a questionnaire survey on 285 employees working in multinational corporations in Kazakhstan. Furthermore, four focus group discussions involving 20 employees from four organizations were arranged to identify employees’ expectations of the content of orientation training. The findings revealed a significant effect of orientation training on long‐term employee performance, such as job satisfaction, learning transfer, intrinsic motivation, and employee commitment, and firm performance, such as profitability, revenue growth, operational efficiency, product or service innovation, and customer satisfaction. The findings further identified gaps between new employees’ expectations and current orientation training content in the post‐Soviet transition economy context. Based on empirical evidence, the study provides some recommendations to improve the effectiveness of orientation training in the future. The findings contribute to the literature on workplace learning integrating the theoretical tenets and empirical evidence in a transition economy context. The study provides new insights about employees’ expectations of orientation training to improve their workplace performance.
Soil science within German cities
Authors: Burghardt Wolfgang , Kneib Wolfram D. , Höke Silke , Lehmann Andreas , Makowsky Lutz , Kocher Birgit , Steinweg Bernd 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe soils of urban areas were belatedly discovered as a research subject, becoming popular for study in the 1970s. With the growth of cities, there were increased requirements for urban soil information to assure the urban quality of life. Thus, the WG Urban Soils (AKS [Arbeitskreis Stadtboeden], today AGUB) within the German Soil Science Society (DBG) was established in 1987. This paper outlines the national and international achievements of AKS/AGUB and the initiated international urban soil network. Particular attention is given to soil mapping and research in Germany.The foundation of AKS/AGUB initiated a high scientific response on the new research field of urban soils. A soil mapping instruction was established. According to the German concept of soil unit “soil form” from the substrate and soil formation, much attention was given to soil material of natural and technic origin, as well as structure and profile composition. The focus of soil formation is on the young age, the effect of artificial landscape construction, and the speed of soil development. For surveying areas of high soil diversity, conceptual maps were developed. A great number of cities were mapped. As in Germany, urban soils were included in several national soil classification systems. Those of Germany, the United States, Russia, France, and the international World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) are compared. A great number of tasks of urban administration concern soil problems, such as pollution, soil sealing, urban greening, stormwater infiltration, heating, dust, and carbon sequestration, so soils were relevant in city government work. Internationally, the WG SUITMA of International Union of Soil Science and the US WG INCOMANTH were dedicated to urban soils. The AKS/AGUB could contribute to the European Commission with concepts of soil functions and soil evaluation and the introduction of Technosols to the WRB.Important future aspects will be the competition of intense rising soil consumption by building activities, and the availability and quality of soils for a sustainable urban life.
Voice Therapy Improves Acoustic and Auditory‐Perceptual Outcomes in Children
Authors: Fujiki Robert Brinton , Braden Maia , Thibeault Susan L. 
Published: June 2022

PurposeThis study employed acoustic measures as well as auditory‐perceptual assessments to examine the effects of voice therapy in children presenting with benign vocal fold lesions.MethodsA retrospective, observational cohort design was employed. Sustained vowels produced by 129 children diagnosed with benign vocal fold lesions were analyzed, as well as connected speech samples produced by 47 children. Treatment outcome measures included Consensus of Auditory‐Perceptual Evaluation of Voice (CAPE‐V), jitter, shimmer, Noise‐to‐Harmonic Ratio (NHR), cepstral peak prominence (CPP), and Low‐to‐High Ratio (LHR) on sustained vowels, and CPP and LHR on connected speech.ResultsFollowing voice therapy, significant improvements in CAPE‐V ratings (p < 0.001) were observed. Additionally, jitter (p = 0.041), NHR (p = 0.019), and CPP (p < 0.01) on sustained vowels, and CPP (p = 0.002), and LHR (p = 0.008) on connected speech significantly improved following voice therapy. CPP increased with age in males but did not change in females. CAPE‐V ratings and perturbation measures indicated that dysphonia was more severe in younger children pre and post‐therapy.ConclusionsAuditory‐perceptual and acoustic measures demonstrated improved voice quality following voice therapy in children with dysphonia. CPP effectively quantified voice therapy gains and allowed for analysis of connected speech, in addition to sustained vowels. These findings demonstrate the value of CPP as a tool in assessing therapy outcomes and support the efficacy of voice therapy for children presenting with vocal fold lesions.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 133:977–983, 2023
Automated Design of Li+‐Conducting Polymer by Quantum‐Inspired Annealing
Authors: Hatakeyama‐Sato Kan , Adachi Hiroki , Umeki Momoka , Kashikawa Takahiro , Kimura Koichi , Oyaizu Kenichi 
Published: June 2022

AbstractAutomated molecule design by computers is an essential topic in materials informatics. Still, generating practical structures is not easy because of the difficulty in treating material stability, synthetic difficulty, mechanical properties, and other miscellaneous parameters, often leading to the generation of junk molecules. The problem is tackled by introducing supervised/unsupervised machine learning and quantum‐inspired annealing. This autonomous molecular design system can help experimental researchers discover practical materials more efficiently. Like the human design process, new molecules are explored based on knowledge of existing compounds. A new solid‐state polymer electrolyte for lithium‐ion batteries is designed and synthesized, giving a promising room temperature conductivity of 10−5 S cm−1 with reasonable thermal, chemical, and mechanical properties.
A case of congenital fiber‐type disproportion syndrome presenting dilated cardiomyopathy with ACTA1 mutation
Authors: Matsumoto Ayumi , Tsuda Hidetoshi , Furui Sadahiro , Kawada‐Nagashima Masako , Anzai Tatsuya , Seki Mitsuru , Watanabe Kazuhisa , Muramatsu Kazuhiro , Osaka Hitoshi , Iwamoto Sadahiko , Nishino Ichizo , Yamagata Takanori 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundActin, alpha, skeletal muscle 1 (ACTA1) is one of the causative genes of nemaline myopathy (NM) and congenital fiber‐type disproportion (CFTD). CFTD is characterized by type 1 fiber atrophy and distinguished from NM in the absence of rods. Eight patients with CFTD, including one patient with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), have previously been reported. Herein, we report the case of a 10‐year‐old boy presenting with CFTD and DCM.MethodsWe performed exome sequencing and analyzed the effect of Met327Lys mutations on cultured C2C12 muscle cells compared with that seen in the wild type (WT, ACTA1) and previously identified Asp294Val mutations associated with a severe phenotype of CFTD without cardiomyopathy.ResultsExome sequencing revealed a de novo mutation, c.980 T > A, p.(Met327Lys), in ACTA1 (NM_001100.4). C2C12 cells transfected with the WT plasmid expressed ACTA1 in the nucleus and cytoplasm. Cells with the Asp294Val mutant showed needle‐like structures in the cytoplasm, whereas the expression of the Met327Lys mutant resulted in few aggregations but many apoptotic cells.ConclusionApoptosis induced in Met327Lys‐transfected muscle cells supports the pathogenicity of the mutation and can be implicated as one of the histopathological features associated with CFTD, as in NM.
Fully automatic quantification of transient severe respiratory motion artifact of gadoxetate disodium–enhanced MRI during arterial phase
Authors: Jang Jinseong , Chung Yong Eun , Kim Sungwon , Hwang Dosik 
Published: June 2022

AbstractPurposeIt is important to fully automate the evaluation of gadoxetate disodium–enhanced arterial phase images because the efficient quantification of transient severe motion artifacts can be used in a variety of applications. Our study proposes a fully automatic evaluation method of motion artifacts during the arterial phase of gadoxetate disodium–enhanced MR imaging.MethodsThe proposed method was based on the construction of quality‐aware features to represent the motion artifact using MR image statistics and multidirectional filtered coefficients. Using the quality‐aware features, the method calculated quantitative quality scores of gadoxetate disodium–enhanced images fully automatically. The performance of our proposed method, as well as two other methods, was acquired by correlating scores against subjective scores from radiologists based on the 5‐point scale and binary evaluation. The subjective scores evaluated by two radiologists were severity scores of motion artifacts in the evaluation set on a scale of 1 (no motion artifacts) to 5 (severe motion artifacts).ResultsPearson's linear correlation coefficient (PLCC) and Spearman's rank–ordered correlation coefficient (SROCC) values of our proposed method against the subjective scores were 0.9036 and 0.9057, respectively, whereas the PLCC values of two other methods were 0.6525 and 0.8243, and the SROCC values were 0.6070 and 0.8348. Also, in terms of binary quantification of transient severe respiratory motion, the proposed method achieved 0.9310 sensitivity, 0.9048 specificity, and 0.9200 accuracy, whereas the other two methods achieved 0.7586, 0.8996 sensitivities, 0.8098, 0.8905 specificities, and 0.9200, 0.9048 accuraciesConclusionsThis study demonstrated the high performance of the proposed automatic quantification method in evaluating transient severe motion artifacts in arterial phase images.
Accelerated dual‐venc 4D flow MRI with variable high‐venc spatial resolution for neurovascular applications
Authors: Aristova Maria , Pang Jianing , Ma Yue , Ma Liliana , Berhane Haben , Rayz Vitaliy , Markl Michael , Schnell Susanne 
Published: June 2022

PurposeDual‐velocity encoded (dual‐venc or DV) 4D flow MRI achieves wide velocity dynamic range and velocity‐to‐noise ratio (VNR), enabling accurate neurovascular flow characterization. To reduce scan time, we present interleaved dual‐venc 4D Flow with independently prescribed, prospectively undersampled spatial resolution of the high‐venc (HV) acquisition: Variable Spatial Resolution Dual Venc (VSRDV).MethodsA prototype VSRDV sequence was developed based on a Cartesian acquisition with eight‐point phase encoding, combining PEAK‐GRAPPA acceleration with zero‐filling in phase and partition directions for HV. The VSRDV approach was optimized by varying z, the zero‐filling fraction of HV relative to low‐venc, between 0%–80% in vitro (realistic neurovascular model with pulsatile flow) and in vivo (n = 10 volunteers). Antialiasing precision, mean and peak velocity quantification accuracy, and test–retest reproducibility were assessed relative to reference images with equal‐resolution HV and low venc (z = 0%).ResultsIn vitro results for all z demonstrated an antialiasing true positive rate at least 95% for = 2 and 5, with no linear relationship to z (p = 0.62 and 0.13, respectively). Bland–Altman analysis for z = 20%, 40%, 60%, or 80% versus z = 0% in vitro and in vivo demonstrated no bias >1% of venc in mean or peak velocity values at any . In vitro mean and peak velocity, and in vivo peak velocity, had limits of agreement within 15%.ConclusionVSRDV allows up to 34.8% scan time reduction compared to PEAK‐GRAPPA accelerated DV 4D Flow MRI, enabling large spatial coverage and dynamic range while maintaining VNR and velocity measurement accuracy.
Interlocking degradation of vinyl polymers via main‐chain CC bonds scission by introducing pendant‐responsive comonomers
Authors: Yamamoto Sota , Kubo Tomohiro , Satoh Kotaro 
Published: June 2022

AbstractDegradation of vinyl polymers remains a challenge because of the robust main‐chain CC bonds. In this study, we designed novel pendant‐responsive comonomers with a carbon–halogen bond, which can be copolymerized with vinyl monomers to enable facile degradation of the CC backbone upon triggering stimulus. The comonomer unit was designed to induce interlocking degradation, that is, it first generates side‐chain radical upon trigger, subsequently provides a main‐chain radical via intramolecular 1,5‐shift, and then finally causes the main‐chain cleavage via β‐scission. A remarkable decrease in molecular weight was observed when the obtained copolymer was treated with a copper catalyst, and the effect of polymer structure was assessed on the interlocking degradation behavior.
Protein structure prediction improves the quality of amino‐acid sequence alignment
Authors: Lesk Arthur M. , Konagurthu Arun S. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe basic operation in analysis of protein evolution is alignment: the specification of residue‐residue correspondences. A structural alignment is a specification of residue‐residue correspondences based on the atomic positions in the structures of two or more proteins. It is well‐known that structural alignments are more accurate, over a much wider range of divergence, than pairwise alignments based solely on sequences—for instance computed with the Needleman–Wunsch algorithm with affine gap penalties. Given the amino‐acid sequences of two proteins, alignments based solely on the sequences fall into “daylight”, “twilight”, and “midnight” zones, in which the fidelity of the correspondences diminishes in accuracy, and in strength of ability to distinguish true homology from noise. The success of AlphaFold2 in template‐free modeling of three‐dimensional structures from one‐dimensional amino‐acid sequence information implies that: given the amino‐acid sequences of two or more proteins, in the absence of experimentally determined structures, reliable alignments—even for very highly diverged proteins—could in many cases be achieved by applying AlphaFold2 to the sequences, and performing structural alignments of the models.
China's place attractivity, population mobility and its mechanisms: Perspectives from a full spectrum of spatial analyses
Authors: Danlin Yu , Yaojun Zhang 
Published: June 2022

AbstractUnderstanding the potential mechanisms of population mobility is important in population studies. The current study calculates a place attractivity score and collects 12 socioeconomic and natural condition factors at the prefecture‐level in China. A full spectrum of spatial autoregression and eigenfunction‐based spatial filtering models are employed to investigate the relationship between place attractivity and the factors at the global level, which assumes the relationship stays the same everywhere. A random‐effects eigenfunction‐based spatial filtering spatially varying coefficient model is used to check the relationships at local level, which admits that relationships might be different in different locations. Results suggest that the eigenvector spatial filtering analysis models perform better than other models. China's population mobility is primarily driven by economic push‐pull factors. Accessibility, job opportunity, temperature and terrain also play roles in determining a prefecture's attractivity. Local analysis suggests that the relationships are likely only true in large migration destinations.
Multimodal Potentials of Gold Nanoparticles for Bone Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine: Avenues and Prospects
Authors: Gupta Archita , Singh Sneha 
Published: June 2022

AbstractOsseous tissue repair has advanced due to the introduction of tissue engineering. The key elements required while engineering new tissues involve scaffolds, cells, and bioactive cues. The macrostructural to the nanostructural framework of such complex tissue has engrossed the intervention of nanotechnology for efficient neo‐bone formation. Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have recently gained interest in bone tissue regeneration due to their multimodal functionality. They are proven to modulate the properties of scaffolds and the osteogenic cells significantly. GNPs also influence different metabolic functions within the body, which directly or indirectly govern the mechanism of bone regeneration. Therefore, this review highlights nanoparticle‐mediated osteogenic development, focusing on different aspects of GNPs ranging from scaffold modulation to cellular stimulation. The toxic aspects of gold nanoparticles studied so far are critically explicated, while further insight into the advancements and prospects of these nanoparticles in bone regeneration is also highlighted.