bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impaired Interleukin‐18 Signaling in Natural Killer Cells From Patients With Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
Authors: Ohya Takashi , Nishimura Kenichi , Murase Ayako , Hattori Seira , Ohara Asami , Nozawa Tomo , Hara Ryoki , Ito Shuichi 
Published: March 2022

ObjectiveSystemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is characterized by fever, arthritis, rash, hepatosplenomegaly, and macrophage activation syndrome; however, its pathogenesis is still unclear. Elevated serum interleukin (IL)‐18 concentrations and decreased natural killer (NK) cell activity are characteristic of active disease; thus, we examined IL‐18 signaling in NK cells from sJIA.MethodsWe analyzed mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 and nuclear factor κ light chain enhancer of activated B cells (NFκB) p65 phosphorylation in NK cells after in vitro recombinant IL‐18 (rIL‐18) stimulation in 31 patients with sJIA. Associations between clinical features, serum IL‐18, and phosphorylation intensity were analyzed. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of high IL‐18 concentrations on phosphorylation in NK cells.ResultsPatients were divided according to their disease activity: systemic features (n = 8), chronic arthritis (n = 7), remission on medication (n = 10), and remission off medication (n = 6). MAPK p38 and NFκB p65 phosphorylation intensity were the highest in healthy controls, followed by remission off medication, remission on medication (vs. control; MAPK p38, P < 0.01; NFκB p65, P < 0.05), chronic arthritis (P < 0.001, P < 0.001), and systemic features (P < 0.001, P < 0.001). The systemic features group showed a complete defect in phosphorylation. Serum IL‐18 was the highest in the systemic features group followed by chronic arthritis, remission on medication (P < 0.01), remission off medication (P < 0.01), and healthy controls (P < 0.01). Phosphorylation intensity was negatively correlated with serum IL‐18 (MAPK p38, r2 = 0.42; NFκB p65, r2 = 0.54). Furthermore, healthy control NK cells were cultured with rIL‐18; impaired phosphorylation was reproduced in vitro.ConclusionImpaired IL‐18 signaling in NK cells correlated with disease activity in sJIA. High serum IL‐18 exposure induces impaired MAPK and NFκB phosphorylation in NK cells.
Breaking Immunosuppressive Barriers by Engineered Nanoplatforms for Turning Cold Tumor to Hot
Authors: Dong Jingwen , Huang Ying , Zhou Zhanwei , Sun Minjie 
Published: March 2022

AbstractCancer immunotherapy, mainly depending on the immune system, holds enormous potential in treating various cancers and received promising results. However, for most patients, their efficacy is greatly limited by the immunosuppressive barrier in the “cold” tumor microenvironment, resulting in a low response rate in the clinic. Thus, in recent decades, breaking the immunosuppressive barriers by engineered nanoplatforms (ENs) has proved to be a prospective strategy to solve the above issues for enhancing cancer immunotherapy. In this review, the authors summarize the characterizations of diverse immunosuppressive barriers and how ENs break them, focusing on the ENs design, potential modulation targets, and therapeutic strategies. It mainly includes: 1) converting poor immunogenicity by nano‐adjuvant, 2) alleviating tumor fibrosis by nanoscavenger, and 3) reducing immunosuppressive factors by nanoregulator. Moreover, perspectives toward future directions and challenges are presented to understand further and accelerate the clinical translation of these ENs.
Recent Developments in Upscalable Printing Techniques for Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Parida Bhaskar , Singh Arjun , Kalathil Soopy Abdul Kareem , Sangaraju Sambasivam , Sundaray Madhulita , Mishra Satrujit , Liu Shengzhong (Frank) , Najar Adel 
Published: March 2022

AbstractJust over a decade, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been emerged as a next‐generation photovoltaic technology due to their skyrocketing power conversion efficiency (PCE), low cost, and easy manufacturing techniques compared to Si solar cells. Several methods and procedures have been developed to fabricate high‐quality perovskite films to improve the scalability and commercialize PSCs. Recently, several printing technologies such as blade‐coating, slot‐die coating, spray coating, flexographic printing, gravure printing, screen printing, and inkjet printing have been found to be very effective in controlling film formation and improving the PCE of over 21%. This review summarizes the intensive research efforts given for these printing techniques to scale up the perovskite films as well as the hole transport layer (HTL), the electron transport layer (ETL), and electrodes for PSCs. In the end, this review presents a description of the future research scope to overcome the challenges being faced in the printing techniques for the commercialization of PSCs.
Sustainable, Flexible, and Biocompatible Enhanced Piezoelectric Chitosan Thin Film for Compliant Piezosensors for Human Health
Authors: de Marzo Gaia , Mastronardi Vincenzo M. , Algieri Luciana , Vergari Federica , Pisano Filippo , Fachechi Luca , Marras Sergio , Natta Lara , Spagnolo Barbara , Brunetti Virgilio , Rizzi Francesco , Pisanello Ferruccio , De Vittorio Massimo 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe necessity to continuously and seamlessly monitor human health is calling for compliant, comfortable, and safe wearables. The employment of piezoelectric biopolymers in form of thin film perfectly matches with these needs due to their inherent flexibility, sensitivity, and biocompatibility. Among them, chitosan is a low cost, highly sustainable, and biocompatible material with a great potential for applications in compliant wearables. However, chitosan and biopolymers in general show relatively low piezoelectric coefficients and processing difficulties. Here, it is shown a facile approach to increase more than twice the piezoelectric coefficient of thin chitosan film and to process this promising biomaterial for the fabrication of the first set of thin chitosan film‐based ultrasound transducers. This work leverages the exploitation of environmental‐friendly biopolymers in the development of compliant wearable transducers and thus represents a step forward in the development of completely biodegradable, transparent, thin, and flexible piezoelectric macro‐ and microtransducers.
Access to health care and rural worker productivity
Authors: Deller Steven C. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAccess to health care and worker productivity is examined using US county data with a focus on rural–urban differences. Using an embedded variable approach framework, access to health care indirectly affects worker productivity through health outcomes. The data support the central hypothesis, and the access‐productivity relationship is strongest in metro areas. Results suggest that a 1% increase in the number of physicians per 100,000 persons in the region could result in an increase in earnings per worker of between $68.21 and $81.10, depending on the measure of health. The increase for metro areas, however, is nearly 10 times higher than for nonmetro areas.
A biosocial return to race? A cautionary view for the postgenomic era
Authors: Meloni Maurizio , Moll Tessa , Issaka Ayuba , Kuzawa Christopher W. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractRecent studies demonstrating epigenetic and developmental sensitivity to early environments, as exemplified by fields like the Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) and environmental epigenetics, are bringing new data and models to bear on debates about race, genetics, and society. Here, we first survey the historical prominence of models of environmental determinism in early formulations of racial thinking to illustrate how notions of direct environmental effects on bodies have been used to naturalize racial hierarchy and inequalities in the past. Next, we conduct a scoping review of postgenomic work in environmental epigenetics and DOHaD that looks at the role of race/ethnicity in human health (2000–2021). Although there is substantial heterogeneity in how race is conceptualized and interpreted across studies, we observe practices that may unwittingly encourage typological thinking, including: using DNA methylation as a novel marker of racial classification; neglect of variation and reversibility within supposedly homogenous racial groups; and a tendency to label and reify whole groups as pathologized or impaired. Even in the very different politico‐economic and epistemic context of contemporary postgenomic science, these trends echo deeply held beliefs in Western thinking which claimed that different environments shape different bodies and then used this logic to argue for essential differences between Europeans and non‐Europeans. We conclude with a series of suggestions on interpreting and reporting findings in these fields that we feel will help researchers harness this work to benefit disadvantaged groups while avoiding the inadvertent dissemination of new and old forms of stigma or prejudice.
Comparison of the arm‐lowering performance between Gorilla and Homo through musculoskeletal modeling
Authors: van Beesel Julia , Hutchinson John R. , Hublin Jean‐Jacques , Melillo Stephanie 
Published: March 2022

AbstractObjectivesContrary to earlier hypotheses, a previous biomechanical analysis indicated that long‐documented morphological differences between the shoulders of humans and apes do not enhance the arm‐raising mechanism. Here, we investigate a different interpretation: the oblique shoulder morphology that is shared by all hominoids but humans enhances the arm‐lowering mechanism.Materials and methodsMusculoskeletal models allow us to predict performance capability to quantify the impact of muscle soft‐tissue properties and musculoskeletal morphology. In this study, we extend the previously published gorilla shoulder model by adding glenohumeral arm‐lowering muscles, then comparing the arm‐lowering performance to that of an existing human model. We further use the models to disentangle which morphological aspects of the shoulder affect arm‐lowering capacity and result in interspecific functional differences.ResultsOur results highlight that arm‐lowering capacity is greater in Gorilla than in Homo. The enhancement results from greater maximum isometric force capacities and moment arms of two important arm‐lowering muscles, teres major, and pectoralis major. More distal muscle insertions along the humerus together with a more oblique shoulder configuration cause these greater moment arms.DiscussionThe co‐occurrence of improved arm‐lowering capacity and high‐muscle activity at elevation angles used during vertical climbing highlight the importance of a strong arm‐lowering mechanism for arboreal locomotor behavior in nonhuman apes. Therefore, our findings reveal certain skeletal shoulder features that are advantageous in an arboreal context. These results advance our understanding of adaptation in living apes and can improve functional interpretations of the hominin fossil record.
Chemoselective and Diastereoselective Intramolecular (3+2) Cycloadditions of Epoxy and Aziridinyl Enolsilanes
Authors: Chen Yueyao , Ling Jesse , Keto Angus B. , He Yun , Low Kam‐Hung , Krenske Elizabeth H. , Chiu Pauline 
Published: March 2022

AbstractEpoxy and aziridinyl enolsilanes react as oxyallylic cation equivalents in highly chemo‐ and diastereoselective intramolecular (3+2) cycloadditions with a range of dienes and olefins. With acyclic dienes, the (3+2) cycloaddition outcompetes the (4+3) pathway traditionally observed in this kind of system almost exclusively. With both conjugated dienes and isolated olefins, excellent diastereoselectivities are observed, and cycloadducts can be obtained in optically‐enriched forms. Computational studies indicate that the stepwise (3+2) cycloaddition involves an activated epoxy/aziridinyl intermediate and the conformational flexibility of the intermediate determines the preference for (3+2) cycloadduct formation. Further transformations of the (3+2) cycloadducts produce densely functionalized trans‐hydrindane scaffolds.
A Pyrene‐Triazacyclononane Anchor Affords High Operational Stability for CO2RR by a CNT‐Supported Histidine‐Tagged CODH
Authors: Contaldo Umberto , Curtil Mathieu , Pérard Julien , Cavazza Christine , Le Goff Alan 
Published: March 2022

AbstractAn original 1‐acetato‐4‐(1‐pyrenyl)‐1,4,7‐triazacyclononane (AcPyTACN) was synthesized for the immobilization of a His‐tagged recombinant CODH fromRhodospirillum rubrum(RrCODH) on carbon‐nanotube electrodes. The strong binding of the enzyme at the Ni‐AcPyTACN complex affords a high current density of 4.9 mA cm−2towards electroenzymatic CO2reduction and a high stability of more than 6×106 TON when integrated on a gas‐diffusion bioelectrode.
Effect of matrix deformability on the fracture properties of epoxy resins modified with core–shell and cross‐linked rubber particles
Authors: Imanaka Makoto , Narita Ichihito , Nakamura Yoshinobu , Hisaka Shigeki , Yoshida Shun , Hara Keisuke 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe effect of matrix deformability on the mechanical and fracture properties of epoxies containing dispersed core–shell rubber (CSR) and cross‐linked rubber (CLR) particles was studied. The deformability of the matrix phase was varied using two types of curing agents, dicyandiamide (DICY) and piperidine, wherein the matrix phase cured with DICY has lower deformability than that cured with piperidine. Tensile and compression tests were conducted for the DICY‐ and piperidine‐cured epoxies. Under tensile load conditions, typical for CSR‐ and CLR‐modified epoxies, the DICY‐cured epoxies were brittle, whereas the piperidine‐cured epoxies failed under plastic deformation. Under compression loads, the 0.2% proof stresses of both rubber‐modified epoxies cured by DICY were higher than those cured by piperidine, wherein the proof stresses for both the DICY‐ and piperidine‐cured epoxies decreased with increasing rubber content. The results of fracture toughness tests for both types of cured epoxies indicated that the J‐integral (Jc) values of the DICY‐cured epoxy containing rubber particles were ~0.3–0.5 times that of the piperidine‐cured epoxy, which implied that the fracture toughness of the rubber‐modified epoxies decreased with decreasing deformability of the matrix phase. In addition, the ratio of Jc for CLR‐modified epoxies to those of Jc for CSR‐modified epoxies for piperidine cured epoxies were about 1.5 times greater than those of DICY cured ones. Microscopy observations were conducted to explore the effect of the deformability of the matrix phase on the fracture mechanism.
“Fun slipping into the doctor's role”—The relationship between sonoanatomy teaching and professional identity formation before and during the Covid‐19 pandemic
Authors: Darici Dogus , Missler Markus , Schober Anna , Masthoff Max , Schnittler Hans , Schmitz Martina 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe various psychological dimensions of professional identity formation (PIF) are an important aspect of the study course for undergraduate medical students. Anatomical learning environments have been repeatedly shown to play a critical role in forming such an identity; however, relevance of PIF during sonoanatomical training remains underexplored. At the end of their basic anatomy studies, third‐semester medical students took part in a four‐day block course on anatomy and imaging. Anatomical content was revised in small groups using peer teaching and imaging methods, including one hour of hands‐on sonoanatomy sessions each day. On‐site sonoanatomy was identified as an excellent format to support students' transition from the pre‐clinical to clinical phase as medical experts‐to‐be. Students enjoyed practical exercises and the clinical input, which increased their interest in the medical profession and their academic studies. This study further examined the effects of the transition into an online‐only format, necessitated by the current Covid‐19 pandemic. A comparison was made between the quantitative and qualitative evaluation data, and the written results of examinations of several on‐site (n = 1096, mean age = 22.4 years ± 2.18), and online‐only cohorts (n = 230, mean age = 22.6 years ± 2.21). The online‐only transition led to a reduction of all PIF‐related variables measured, losing identity‐related variables, increasing students' stress levels, and reducing their long‐term academic performance. Together, this study demonstrates presence of PIF in undergraduate sonoanatomy teaching, and cautions against the uncritical online‐only substitution of hands‐on learning environments.
H∞optimal preview tracking control problem with disturbance attenuation
Authors: Liu Tao , Liu Ling , Lu Yanrong 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIn this paper, theH∞optimal preview tracking control problem of continuous‐time linear system with external disturbance is studied, where the reference signal is previewed and its amplitude does not decay. First, an augmented system with error vector, original system state derivative, and internal model state derivative is constructed, which transforms the tracking problem into theH∞optimal output regulation problem. Second, theH∞optimal control method is used to design the controller, and the output regulation of the augmented system is achieved by finding the upper bound of the discount factor. Then the optimal controller, including error integral, preview feed‐forward compensation, and internal model compensation, is obtained for the original problem, and meanwhile the sufficient conditions are also provided to guarantee the existence of the controller. Finally, both theoretical and simulation results show that under the proposed controller, the closed‐loop system can achieve asymptotic tracking and has robustness against the disturbance.
Exome sequencing identifies variants in infants with sacral agenesis
Authors: Pitsava Georgia , Feldkamp Marcia L. , Pankratz Nathan , Lane John , Kay Denise M. , Conway Kristin M. , Hobbs Charlotte , Shaw Gary M. , Reefhuis Jennita , Jenkins Mary M. , Almli Lynn M. , Moore Cynthia , Werler Martha , Browne Marilyn L. , Cunniff Chris , Olshan Andrew F. , Pangilinan Faith , Brody Lawrence C. , Sicko Robert J. , Finnell Richard H. , Bamshad Michael J. , McGoldrick Daniel , Nickerson Deborah A. , Mullikin James C. , Romitti Paul A. , Mills James L. ,   UW Center for Mendelian Genomics, NISC Comparative Sequencing Program and the National Birth Defects Prevention Study
Published: March 2022

AbstractBackgroundSacral agenesis (SA) consists of partial or complete absence of the caudal end of the spine and often presents with additional birth defects. Several studies have examined gene variants for syndromic forms of SA, but only one has examined exomes of children with non‐syndromic SA.MethodsUsing buccal cell specimens from families of children with non‐syndromic SA, exomes of 28 child–parent trios (eight with and 20 without a maternal diagnosis of pregestational diabetes) and two child–father duos (neither with diagnosis of maternal pregestational diabetes) were exome sequenced.ResultsThree children had heterozygous missense variants in ID1 (Inhibitor of DNA Binding 1), with CADD scores >20 (top 1% of deleterious variants in the genome); two children inherited the variant from their fathers and one from the child's mother. Rare missense variants were also detected in PDZD2 (PDZ Domain Containing 2; N = 1) and SPTBN5 (Spectrin Beta, Non‐erythrocytic 5; N = 2), two genes previously suggested to be associated with SA etiology. Examination of variants with autosomal recessive and X‐linked recessive inheritance identified five and two missense variants, respectively. Compound heterozygous variants were identified in several genes. In addition, 12 de novo variants were identified, all in different genes in different children.ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study reporting a possible association between ID1 and non‐syndromic SA. Although maternal pregestational diabetes has been strongly associated with SA, the missense variants in ID1 identified in two of three children were paternally inherited. These findings add to the knowledge of gene variants associated with non‐syndromic SA and provide data for future studies.
Bio‐analytically fluorimetric method for estimation of ertapenem in real human plasma and commercial samples; application to pharmacokinetics study
Authors: Salman Baher I. , Saraya Roshdy E. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractErtapenem (EPM) has been recently approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (US‐FDA) as an antimicrobial drug. EPM has a broad spectrum of action against different bacterial strains and is most commonly prescribed in Egypt for the treatment of Klebsiella pneumonia. In this study, EPM was estimated using a sensitive and selective spectrofluorimetric method for human plasma and pharmaceutical vials. The measured fluorescence (at 540 nm) was obtained from reaction of EPM with 0.05% w/v benzofurazan (NBD‐Cl) using 0.1 M borate buffer pH 8.8 after excitation at 460 nm. The fluorometric linear range was stable from 10 to 350 ng ml−1. The lower limit of detection and the lower limit of quantitation were found to be 2.13 and 6.47 ng ml−1 respectively. Many factors such as pH, temperature, heating time, and NBD‐Cl concentration were optimized. The presented work was validated according to International Council for Harmonisation guidelines and bio‐analytically validated using FDA recommendations. The significant finding of this study, sensitivity, was successfully applied in Egypt for a pharmacokinetic application and commercial vials. Pharmacokinetic parameters were studied and the result, recorded as Cmax of EPM, was found to be 83.60 μg ml−1 after infusion of 0.5 g of Invanz® for 30 min. AUC0‐∞ was found to be 320 ± 30.2 μ.h ml−1.
A gadolinium‐based magnetic ionic liquid for supramolecular dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction followed by HPLC/UV for the determination of favipiravir in human plasma
Authors: Abdallah Inas A. , Hammad Sherin F. , Bedair Alaa , Abdelaziz Mohamed A. , Danielson Neil D. , Elshafeey Ahmed H. , Mansour Fotouh R. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractFavipiravir is a potential antiviral medication that has been recently licensed for Covid‐19 treatment. In this work, a gadolinium‐based magnetic ionic liquid was prepared and used as an extractant in dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) of favipiravir in human plasma. The high enriching ability of DLLME allowed the determination of favipiravir in real samples using HPLC/UV with sufficient sensitivity. The effects of several variables on extraction efficiency were investigated, including type of extractant, amount of extractant, type of disperser and disperser volume. The maximum enrichment was attained using 50 mg of the Gd‐magnetic ionic liquid (MIL) and 150 μl of tetrahydrofuran. The Gd‐based MIL could form a supramolecular assembly in the presence of tetrahydrofuran, which enhanced the extraction efficiency of favipiravir. The developed method was validated according to US Food and Drug Administration bioanalytical method validation guidelines. The coefficient of determination was 0.9999, for a linear concentration range of 25 to 1.0 × 105 ng/ml. The percentage recovery (accuracy) varied from 99.83 to 104.2%, with RSD values (precision) ranging from 4.07 to 11.84%. The total extraction time was about 12 min and the HPLC analysis time was 5 min. The method was simple, selective and sensitive for the determination of favipiravir in real human plasma.