bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preparation and characterization of pH‐sensitive carboxymethyl cellulose‐based hydrogels for controlled drug delivery
Authors: Pourkhatoun Mina , Kalantari Maryam , Kamyabi Ata , Moradi Ali 
Published: February 2022

AbstractA novel biopolymer‐based hydrogel with pH‐responsive behavior was synthesized by free radical polymerization of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid onto carboxymethylcellulose. The effects of initiator concentration, crosslinker concentration, acrylic acid and methacrylic acid total volume and acrylic acid percentage on water absorbency were studied using central composite design with the response surface method (RSM). The results indicate that the maximum water absorbency in distilled water is 103 g g−1 and the optimum conditions determined using RSM are: initiator concentration, 0.006105 mol L−1; crosslinker concentration, 0.009035 mol L−1; acrylic acid and methacrylic acid total volume, 2 mL; acrylic acid percentage, 50%, in a system of 35 mL total volume. The optimized hydrogel was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis, and its pH‐responsive behavior was also evaluated using acidic and basic solutions for its possible use in control drug delivery. In this respect, ofloxacin was used as a drug model and experimental data showed that the hydrogel is a possible candidate for injectable drug delivery. © 2022 Society of Industrial Chemistry.
Advances in Chiral Gold Nano‐Assemblies and Their Bioapplication Based on Optical Properties
Authors: Zhao Li , Zhou Yi , Niu Guiming , Gao Fucheng , Sun Zhiwei , Li Hui , Jiang Yanyan 
Published: February 2022

AbstractChirality plays mysterious and essential roles in maintaining key biological and physiological processes. The chirality of inorganic nanoparticles has emerged as a popular research field during the last decade. Various chiral inorganic nanoparticles have been reported, such as magnetic, semiconductor, and noble metal nanoparticles, highlighting their importance in both basic research and potential practical applications. Among them, chiral gold nanoparticles and their assemblies have been widely used in biomedical research owing to their diverse morphologies, unique optical properties, and good biocompatibility. This review is a comprehensive overview of chiral gold nano‐assemblies. First, the methodology to prepare chiral gold nano‐assemblies according to their different types is introduced from the perspective of assembling templates. Then, the optical properties of chiral gold nano‐assemblies are reviewed in detail, and their biological applications such as biosensors, bioimaging, and biocompatible therapy reagents are presented. Finally, the challenges and prospects of chiral gold nano‐assemblies are discussed. It is envisioned that chiral gold nano‐assemblies will play increasingly more impactful roles in biomedicine.
Evaluation of the Detonation Characteristics of Aluminized DNAN‐Based Melt‐Cast Explosive by the Detonation Cylinder Test
Authors: Yang Yang , Duan Zhuoping , Li Shurui , Zhang Liansheng , Han Yong , Huang Hui , Huang Fenglei 
Published: February 2022

AbstractTo investigate the detonation characteristics of a new aluminized DNAN‐based melt‐cast explosive RDA‐2 (containing DNAN (2,4‐dinitroanisole), HMX (cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine) and aluminum), a series of cylinder tests were conducted. The LiF (lithium fluoride) explosive of a similar formulation was also tested to study the influence of aluminum on the detonation characteristics of RDA‐2. The cylinder wall expansion velocities were recorded by Photonic Doppler Velocimetry (PDV). From the experimental data, the detonation velocity, the Gurney energy, the detonation energy, and the CJ pressure of the explosives were calculated. Both the detonation velocity and CJ pressure results indicate that the aluminum seems to have no significant influence on the chemical reaction zone of RDA‐2. The experimental data shows that a large amount of aluminum reacts behind the CJ point. Finally, the parameters of the Jones‐Wilkins‐Lee (JWL) equation of the state of the detonation products were determined.
Fabrication of copper nanoparticle composite nanogel for high‐efficiency management of Pseudomonas syringae pv. tabaci on tobacco
Authors: Ma Xiaozhou , Zhu Xin , Qu Saijiao , Cai Lin , Ma Guanhua , Fan Guangjin , Sun Xianchao 
Published: February 2022

AbstractBACKGROUNDCopper nanoparticles (CuNPs) can release copper ions (Cu2+) to control bacterial diseases on crops. However, the high concentration of the CuNPs applied in disease controlling can highly limit their application. In this work, by in situ reducing CuNPs in alginate nanogels and coated with cetyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (CTAC), a CuNP composite nanogel was fabricated as a new nanopesticide with low copper content.RESULTSData showed that the CTAC coating would affect the antibacterial activity and leaf surface adhesion of the nanogel, while CuNP content could also influence the membrane damage ability of the gel. The nanogel could depress the growth of bacteria by rupturing its membrane and show a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) as low as 500 μg mL−1, which only contain 58 μg mL−1 CuNP, and achieve a 64% of therapeutic efficiency (with 1000 μg mL−1 nanogel) in in vivo experiments, higher than that of commercial bactericide thiodiazole copper. Furthermore, the application of the nanogel can also perform a growth‐promoting effect on the plant, which may be due to the supplement of copper element provided by CuNP.CONCLUSIONThe CuNP composite nanogel fabricated in this work performed high leaf disease controllability and safety compared to the commercial bactericide thiodiazole copper. We hope this nanogel can provide a potential high‐efficiency nano‐bactericide that can be used in the leaf bacterial disease control.
Advancing drug safety science by integrating molecular knowledge with post‐marketing adverse event reports
Authors: Soldatos Theodoros G. , Kim Sarah , Schmidt Stephan , Lesko Lawrence J. , Jackson David B. 
Published: February 2022

AbstractPromising drug development efforts may frequently fail due to unintended adverse reactions. Several methods have been developed to analyze such data, aiming to improve pharmacovigilance and drug safety. In this work, we provide a brief review of key directions to quantitatively analyzing adverse events and explore the potential of augmenting these methods using additional molecular data descriptors. We argue that molecular expansion of adverse event data may provide a path to improving the insights gained through more traditional pharmacovigilance approaches. Examples include the ability to assess statistical relevance with respect to underlying biomolecular mechanisms, the ability to generate plausible causative hypotheses and/or confirmation where possible, the ability to computationally study potential clinical trial designs and/or results, as well as the further provision of advanced features incorporated in innovative methods, such as machine learning. In summary, molecular data expansion provides an elegant way to extend mechanistic modeling, systems pharmacology, and patient‐centered approaches for the assessment of drug safety. We anticipate that such advances in real‐world data informatics and outcome analytics will help to better inform public health, via the improved ability to prospectively understand and predict various types of drug‐induced molecular perturbations and adverse events.
Systematic review of the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of MF59® adjuvanted seasonal influenza vaccines for the prevention of laboratory‐confirmed influenza in individuals ≥18 years of age
Authors: O Murchu Eamon , Comber Laura , Jordan Karen , Hawkshaw Sarah , Marshall Liam , O’Neill Michelle , Ryan Máirín , Teljeur Conor , Carnahan Annasara , Pérez Jaime Jesús , Robertson Anna Hayman , Johansen Kari , Jonge Jorgen de , Krause Tyra , Nicolay Nathalie , Nohynek Hanna , Pavlopoulou Ioanna , Pebody Richard , Penttinen Pasi , Soler‐Soneira Marta , Wichmann Ole , Harrington Patricia 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe most effective means of preventing seasonal influenza is through vaccination. In this systematic review, we investigated the efficacy, effectiveness and safety of MF59® adjuvanted trivalent and quadrivalent influenza vaccines to prevent laboratory‐confirmed influenza. A systematic literature search was conducted in electronic databases and grey literature sources up to 7 February 2020. Randomised controlled trials and non‐randomised studies of interventions (NRSIs) were eligible for inclusion. The search returned 28,846 records, of which 48 studies on MF59® adjuvanted vaccines met our inclusion criteria. No efficacy trials were identified. In terms of vaccine effectiveness (VE), MF59® adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccines were effective in preventing laboratory‐confirmed influenza in older adults (aged ≥65 years) compared with no vaccination (VE = 45%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 23%–61%, 5 NRSIs across 3 influenza seasons). By subtype, significant effect was found for influenza A(H1N1) (VE = 61%, 95% CI 44%–73%) and B (VE = 29%, 95% CI 5%–46%), but not for A(H3N2). In terms of relative VE, there was no significant difference comparing MF59® adjuvanted trivalent vaccines with either non‐adjuvanted trivalent or quadrivalent vaccines. Compared with traditional trivalent influenza vaccines, MF59® adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccines were associated with a greater number of local adverse events (RR = 1.90, 95% CI 1.50–2.39) and systemic reactions (RR = 1.18, 95% CI 1.02–1.38). In conclusion, MF59® adjuvanted trivalent influenza vaccines were found to be more effective than ‘no vaccination’. Based on limited data, there was no significant difference comparing the effectiveness of MF59® adjuvanted vaccines with their non‐adjuvanted counterparts.
Optimal output consensus of second‐order uncertain nonlinear systems on weight‐unbalanced directed networks
Authors: Zhang Jin , Liu Lu , Ji Haibo 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThis article investigates the distributed optimal output consensus problem of second‐order uncertain nonlinear multiagent systems over weight‐unbalanced directed networks. Under the standard assumption that local cost functions are strongly convex with globally Lipschitz gradients, a novel distributed dynamic state feedback controller is developed such that the outputs of all the agents reach the optimal solution to minimize the global cost function which is the sum of all the local cost functions. The controller design is based on a two‐layer strategy, where a distributed optimal coordinator and a reference‐tracking controller are proposed to address the challenges arising from unbalanced directed networks and uncertain nonlinear functions respectively. A key feature of the proposed controller is that the nonlinear functions containing the uncertainties and disturbances are not required to be globally Lipschitz. Furthermore, by exploiting adaptive control technique, no prior knowledge of the uncertainties or disturbances is required either. Two simulation examples are finally provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
t‐BuOK‐Mediated Transition‐Metal‐Free Direct Olefination and Alkylation of Methyl N‐Heteroarenes with Primary Alcohols under Control of Temperature
Authors: Su Fangyao , Lai Miao , Zhao Mingqin , Song Mingzhou , Hu Xin , Zhang Junqin 
Published: February 2022

AbstractTransition‐metal‐free, temperature‐controlled chemoselectivities of alkenylazaarenes and alkylazaarenes through t‐BuOK/18‐crown‐6 promoted functionalization reaction of methyl‐substituted N‐heteroarenes with primary alcohols has been established. Following the methodology, a variety of olefinated and alkylated N‐heteroarenes have been efficiently obtained. To understand the mechanism of the reactions, various control and kinetic experiments were carried out.
Antibacterial Copolypeptoids with Potent Activity against Drug Resistant Bacteria and Biofilms, Excellent Stability, and Recycling Property
Authors: Zhang Bo , Zhang Meng , Lin Min , Dong Xinzhe , Ma Xutao , Xu Yuanhong , Sun Jing 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe preparation of a type of innovative cationic copolypeptoid antimicrobials containing various hydrophobic moieties that resemble both structure and membrane‐lytic antibacterial mechanism of natural antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) is reported. By finely tuning the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance, the polypeptoids exhibit a wide spectrum of antibacterial activity against both Gram‐positive bacteria and Gram‐negative bacteria with the lowest minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at only 2 µg mL−1, whereas they also show low haemolytic properties. In particular, high selectivity (>128) is achieved from the polymers with butyl moieties. Moreover, the polypeptoids can readily inhibit the formation of biofilms and effectively eradicate the bacteria embedded in the mature biofilms, which is superior to many natural AMPs and vancomycin. Unlike conventional antibiotics, the polypeptoids possess potent activity against drug‐resistant bacteria without visible resistance development after repeated usage. Notably, the polypeptoid antimicrobials not only have inherently fast bactericidal properties and excellent stability against incubation with human plasma, but also show excellent in vivo antibacterial effect. The prepared antimicrobials, coated onto magnetic nanospheres show recycling properties and enhanced antibacterial activity as combined with near‐infrared (NIR)‐induced photothermal antibacterial therapy.
Tailoring the Void Space Using Nanoreactors on Carbon Fibers to Confine SnS2 Nanosheets for Ultrastable Lithium/Sodium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Cui Zhe , He Shu‐Ang , Zhu Jinqi , Gao Mengluan , Wang Hao , Zhang Hao , Zou Rujia 
Published: February 2022

AbstractHerein, a rational design of SnS2 nanosheets confined into bubble‐like carbon nanoreactors anchored on N,S doped carbon nanofibers (SnS2@C/CNF) is proposed to prepare the self‐standing electrodes, which provides tunable void space on carbon fibers for the first time by introducing hollow carbon nanoreactors. The SnS2@C/CNF provides the stable support with greatly enhanced ion and electron transport, alleviates aggregation and volume expansion of SnS2 nanosheets, and promotes the formation of abundant exposed edges and active sites. The volume balance between SnS2 nanosheets and hollow carbon nanoreactors is reached to accommodate the expansion of SnS2 during cycles by controlling the thickness of SnO2 shells, which achieves the best space utilization. The doping of N,S elements enhances the wettability of the carbon nanofiber matrix to electrolyte and Li ions and further improves the electrical conductivity of the whole electrode. Thus, the SnS2@C/CNF benefits greatly in structural stability and pseudocapacitive capacity for improved lithium/sodium storage performance. As a result of these improvements, the self‐standing SnS2@C/CNF film electrodes exhibit the highly stable capacity of 964.8 and 767.6 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1, and excellent capacity retention of 87.4% and 82.4% after 1000 cycles at high current density for lithium‐ion batteries and sodium‐ion batteries, respectively.
Transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) improves depression in AD patients on state‐of‐the‐art treatment
Authors: Matt Eva , Dörl Gregor , Beisteiner Roland 
Published: February 2022

AbstractIntroductionUltrasound‐based brain stimulation is a novel, non‐invasive therapeutic approach to precisely target regions of interest. Data from a first clinical trial of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) receiving 2‐4 weeks transcranial pulse stimulation (TPS) have shown memory and cognitive improvements for up to 3 months, despite ongoing state‐of‐the‐art treatment. Importantly, depressive symptoms also improved.MethodsWe analyzed changes in Beck Depression Inventory (BDI‐II) and functional connectivity (FC) changes with functional magnetic resonance imaging in 18 AD patients.ResultsWe found significant improvement in BDI‐II after TPS therapy. FC analysis showed a normalization of the FC between the salience network (right anterior insula) and the ventromedial network (left frontal orbital cortex).DiscussionStimulation of areas related to depression (including extended dorsolateral prefrontal cortex) appears to alleviate depressive symptoms and induces FC changes in AD patients. TPS may be a novel add‐on therapy for depression in AD and as a neuropsychiatric diagnosis.
Beyond witnesses: Moving health workers towards analysis and action on social determinants of health
Authors: Olirus Owilli Alex , Voller Vanessa K. , Martin Wanda , Compton Roslyn M. , Westerhaus Michael 
Published: February 2022

AbstractAlthough critical knowledge of social determinants of health empowers health professionals to confront the causes of inequitable health outcomes, healthcare professionals continue to feel powerless when faced with upstream social and structural issues. Using a case of the social medicine course conducted in Northern Uganda, and the 2016/2017 Uganda medical interns’ movement, we examine the significance of social medicine education in enhancing healthcare professionals’ skills set to address a structural force—medical internship policy. Data sources included key informants, policy documents, blogs, Facebook posts, and YouTube Videos. Data were analyzed using content analysis techniques. Healthcare workers drawing on critical skills and knowledge from the social medicine course training could perform self‐ and problem‐analysis centered within power dynamics; identify avenues to communicate issues of concern; implement constructive dialog and collaborate with stakeholders to influence and halt a medical internship policy discourse through protest on streets and legal channels. Social medicine training and principles empower health workers to function as actors with the required skills and knowledge to initiate and sustain tactical, effective, and meaningful health advocacy directed towards altering social determinants of health that perpetuate social disadvantage with subsequent impact on population health outcomes.
New developments in the biology of fibroblast growth factors
Authors: Ornitz David M. , Itoh Nobuyuki 
Published: February 2022

AbstractThe fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family is composed of 18 secreted signaling proteins consisting of canonical FGFs and endocrine FGFs that activate four receptor tyrosine kinases (FGFRs 1–4) and four intracellular proteins (intracellular FGFs or iFGFs) that primarily function to regulate the activity of voltage‐gated sodium channels and other molecules. The canonical FGFs, endocrine FGFs, and iFGFs have been reviewed extensively by us and others. In this review, we briefly summarize past reviews and then focus on new developments in the FGF field since our last review in 2015. Some of the highlights in the past 6 years include the use of optogenetic tools, viral vectors, and inducible transgenes to experimentally modulate FGF signaling, the clinical use of small molecule FGFR inhibitors, an expanded understanding of endocrine FGF signaling, functions for FGF signaling in stem cell pluripotency and differentiation, roles for FGF signaling in tissue homeostasis and regeneration, a continuing elaboration of mechanisms of FGF signaling in development, and an expanding appreciation of roles for FGF signaling in neuropsychiatric diseases.This article is categorized under:
Cardiovascular Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology
Neurological Diseases > Molecular and Cellular Physiology
Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development
Cancer > Stem Cells and Development
The Digital Citizen
Authors: Lynn Theo , Rosati Pierangelo , Conway Edel , Curran Declan , Fox Grace , O’Gorman Colm 
Published: February 2022

AbstractTo fully function in a society permeated by digital technologies requires individuals and households to have both the access and skills to use these technologies effectively. Unfortunately, access to digital infrastructure and skills is not equal. This chapter begins with a discussion on the nature of the digital divide and digital literacy. It then considers how digital technologies are changing how, where and when people work, and the opportunities for rural communities that the sharing economy and gig economy present. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how extant international frameworks and composite indices measure access, competences, and use of digital technologies by individuals and households, highlighting the need for a more comprehensive and inclusive measurement approach.
Digital Technologies and Civil Society
Authors: Lynn Theo , Rosati Pierangelo , Conway Edel , Curran Declan , Fox Grace , O’Gorman Colm 
Published: February 2022

AbstractCivil society refers to social institutions outside of the confines of households, the market and the state. Such institutions provide a wide range of facilities and services in communities and society, generate employment, and create significant economic value through direct, indirect and induced expenditure. Notwithstanding this, voluntary, social and community organisations are rarely included in indices seeking to measure digital progress in society. Digital technologies can transform how civil society organisations operate and interact with their stakeholders. This chapter defines civil society, discusses the role they play in society, and the opportunities and challenges for digital adoption and use in civil society.
Emergent symmetry in Brownian SYK models and charge dependent scrambling
Authors: Agarwal Lakshya , Xu Shenglong 
Published: February 2022

Abstract
In this work, we introduce a symmetry-based approach to study the scrambling and operator dynamics of Brownian SYK models at large finite N and in the infinite N limit. We compute the out-of-time-ordered correlator (OTOC) in the Majorana model without charge conservation and the complex model with charge conservation, and demonstrate that in both models taking the random average of the couplings gives rise to emergent symmetry structures. The random averaging exactly maps the operator dynamics of the Majorana model and the complex model to the imaginary time dynamics of an SU(2) spin and an SU(4) spin respectively, which become solvable in the large N limit. Furthermore, the symmetry structure drastically reduces the size of the Hilbert space required to calculate the OTOC from exponential to linear in N, providing full access to the operator dynamics at all times for large finite N. In the case of the complex model with charge conservation, using this approach, we obtain the OTOC within each charge sector both numerically at finite N and analytically in the large N limit. We find that the time scale of the scrambling dynamics for all times and in each sector is characterized by the charge density. Furthermore, after proper rescaling, the OTOC corresponding to different finite charge densities collapses into a single curve at large finite N. In the large N limit, the rescaled OTOCs at finite density are described by the same hydrodynamic equation as in the Majorana case.