bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Echocardiographic Evaluation of Patients with Goiter in a Nigerian Tertiary Hospital
Authors: O. Ajibare Adeola , Adeyemo Adekunle , O. Dada Akinola , Y. Fagbemiro Emmanuel , Ogunyemi Suraj A. , Adebayo Rasaaq A. , A. Kolawole Babatope , O. Balogun Michael , Odeyemi Ayoola S. , O. Adekoya Adebowale 
Published: March 2022

Background: Goiter is endemic in iodine deficient areas of the world including Nigeria. Cardiovascular disorder is a cause of morbidity in patients with thyroid diseases. These cardiovascular disorders are more likely to be found in patients with hypothyroid or hyperthyroid goiter. Large euthyroid goiter can potentially compromise respiration with potentials for secondary cardiac changes. Despite these, echocardiography is not a routine assessment of these patients. This study set out to determine the baseline cardiac function in a cohort of patients with endemic goiter using echocardiography.
Materials and Methods: A comparative study of One hundred goiter patients presenting consecutively at the out-patient clinic of a tertiary hospital and 50 age and gender matched healthy non-goitrous control subjects. They all had thyroid function tests, cardiovascular evaluation and echocardiography done.
Results: The mean ages of the goiter and the control groups were 46.92 + 13.85 and 46.58 + 11.62 years respectively (P=0.8510). The goiter population comprised 12 males and 88 females while the control group had 6 males and 44 females. 47% of the goiter subjects were hyperthyroid, while 44% and 9% were euthyroid and hypothyroid respectively. All the control subjects were euthyroid.
Systolic and diastolic dysfunction were seen in 18% and 24% of the goiter group respectively, compared to 2% and 5% of the control group (P<0.0001). Hyperthyroid and hypothyroid subgroups had higher rates of both systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Systolic dysfunction was seen in 6.4%, 4.5% and 100% of the hyperthyroid, euthyroid and hypothyroid subgroups respectively while diastolic dysfunction was seen in 23.4%, 9.2 and 100% of the subgroups. Prevalence of systolic and diastolic dysfunction in the euthyroid and control subjects were 4.5% vs 2% (P=0.1228) and 9.2% vs 5% (P=0.2018).
Conclusion: This study concluded that cardiac dysfunction is common in both hypothyroid and hyperthyroid goiter population while the prevalence of cardiac dysfunction in the euthyroid population is not influenced by the presence of goiter. This may suggest that routine echocardiography is unnecessary in patient with euthyroid goiter.
Management of COVID-19 Infection in a Context of Countries with Limited Resources: Case of the University Hospital Center of Renaissance (UHCR) in N’Djamena, Chad
Authors: Ali Bolti Mahamat , Alio Hamit Mahamat , Abassi Adamou , Traoré Sory , Djarma Oumaima , Fissou Henry , Mad-Toingue Joseph , Constant Assi , Moussa Ali Mahamat 
Published: March 2022

Introduction: The aim of this study was to describe the clinical characteristics of patients admitted for Covid-19 in the department of Covid-19 of the University Hospital Center of Renaissance (UHCR) of N’Djamena in Chad. The pandemic of the sickness of Covid-19 constitutes a real public health problem in the world since its appearance in December 2019.
Materials and Methods: This was an observational, transversal and descriptive study carried out from 19 March 2020 to 19 November 2021. All patients diagnosed with Covid-19, confirmed at least either by RT-PCR or chest computed tomography (CT) were included. The healing was defined through the disappearance of clinical signs and two negative RT-PCRs at 72 hours intervals.
Results: Our study included 825 patients of which 613 (74.34%) men (sex ratio 2.9). Age Medium for patients was 50 ± 4 years with extreme ranging from 19 to 84 years old. Six hundred and thirty-three (76.70%) patients came directly from their residences. Respectively 82 and 71 were transferred from the provincial hospital of Farcha (9.9%) and from a private health structure (8.7%). Three hundred and thirteen patients had at least a comorbidity especially arterial hypertension (n = 173; 21%); the diabetes (n = 156; 19.7%); chronic renal failure (n = 28; 3.5%); heart disease (n =27; 3.3%) and obesity (n= 14; 1.6%), HIV infection (n = 9; 1.09%). five hundred and seventy-two (61.12%) patients performed the CT and all the RT-PCR. Four hundred and ninety-two patients (59.60%) presented severe forms of the disease, 160 (19.40%) were critical and 124 (15.10%) were moderates. The hospital lethality was 16.24% (n = 134). The treatment consisted in the administration of Hydroxychloroquine-Azythromycin in 99.4% of cases (n = 813) and by covid-organics in 0.6% of cases (n = 5).
Conclusion: The infected patients with Covid-19 were admitted with the advance stage of the disease. Lethality was associate with the presence of comorbidities. The sensitization of the population on the importance of vaccination, barrier measures and recourse to care are necessary.
Assessment of the Association between Clinical Examination and Investigations with Outcome in Cases of Abdominal Malignancy
Authors: Rashmi S. , Jajoo S. N. 
Published: March 2022

Introduction: Abdominal malignancy is a serious problem in the western world which is presently rising in India due to change in lifestyle. The etiopathogenesis are hereditary, environmental and lifestyle factors. The signs and symptoms vary depending upon the type and stage of cancer. Routine investigations, tumor markers, radiology, endoscopy and biopsy examine patients. There have been advances in chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and palliation but still surgery is curative.
Methods: This is a prospective observational study including all cases of abdominal malignancy presenting to Surgery OPD. The sample size is 46 patients.
Results: Mean age of presentation is 54.63 years. Preoperative abnormal parameters such as CEA, CA 19-9, preoperative biopsy, lymph nodal metastasis on CT and liver metastasis on CT were correlated with outcome which were found to be significant. Operative findings such as site, area, spread outside serosa, lymph nodal metastasis, and liver metastasis were correlated with same in the radio-pathological findings and were found to be significant. Outcome was assessed. Reasons for delay in presentation, diagnosis and treatment were assessed.
Conclusion: Maximum number of patients were in the age group of 41-60 years. There was a definite difference in outcome with reference to preoperative abnormal parameters. There was comparative variation of operative and radio-pathological findings. Study subjects death were due to malignancy as most of them presented to the hospital at advanced stages of malignancy and others dropped out of chemotherapy or radiotherapy and those who took proper treatment had good outcome.
A Focus on Fabrication, Characterization, Stability, Skin Targeting, Patent, Safety and Toxicity of Nanostructured Lipid Carrier
Authors: Sahoo Laxmidhar , Patro Chandra Sekhar , Jena Goutam Kumar , Patro Ch. Niranjan , Satapathy Sukanta 
Published: March 2022

Background: The advanced development of lipid nanocarrier contributes a lot to the domain of therapeutic effectiveness of the drug. However the parameter such as drug loading, drug release, stability, and targeting influence much more towards the limitation of many lipid nanocarriers. The Nanostructured lipid carrier, the second generation of lipid carrier has more promising advantages over others and have tremendous targeting ability to skin for drug administration.
Objective: The present review paper focus to understand the different fabrication technique, impact of lipid and surfactant on formulation effectiveness, characterization of formulation, and Crystalinity concept of lipid which have an impact on stability & drug loading. Focus on a parameter such as Transepidermal water loss , skin occlusion, and hydration which determine the ability of the carrier to target the skin. Hence the effectiveness of the drug improved. This review also focused on patents based on Nanostructured lipid carriers.
Method of preparation: many methods have been adopted to prepare Nanostructured lipid carriers and among all High-pressure homogenization method is considered as best one.
Conclusion: Because of numerous advantages of this carrier system such as biocompatibility of lipid, high drug encapsulation, stability over others, it is considered as a major focused area for researchers. The new domain of Nanostructured lipid carrier is transdermal drug administration by targeting the skin; hence more research is focused on topical preparation. However, toxicity must have to be studied in humans. So by considering all factors one can rename it as “smart nano lipid carrier".
Characterisation of the Vertical Wind Profile According to the Stability Classes of the Atmosphere in Conakry, Guinea
Authors: Mathos Kalil P. , V. Donnou Hagninou E. , Hounguè Guy H. , Kounouhewa Basile B. 
Published: March 2022

The characteristics of the vertical wind profile and the wind potential study on the Conakry site for each atmospheric stability class were investigated in this study. Wind speed and air temperature data recorded over the period from January 2001 to December 2019 at 10 m and 50 m above the ground at daily (50 m) and hourly (10 m) scales were used. The wind shear parameters were determined from the logarithmic and power law. Based on the Newman and Klein wind shear model, a new formulation of this parameter was proposed as a function of the Obukhov length at order 2 and calibrated from the measurements using the simplex algorithm of Nelder and Mead. From the Weibull parameters obtained for the stable and unstable period of the atmosphere, the available wind potential at Conakry was estimated from 10 m to 80 m. The results indicate that the annual average of the ground roughness length is 1.7 x 10-2 m. The annual average of the ground friction velocity is 0.19 m.s-1. The atmosphere remains stable at the Conakry site from 09 p.m. to 10 a.m. and unstable from 10 a.m. to 09 p.m. The proposed wind shear formulation gives a better estimation of the wind speed in function of altitude with the lowest values of RMSE and MAE (4.5x10-4 ; 3.8x10-4) m.s-1 in stable and unstable periods (0.09 ; 0.07) m.s-1 compared to some models found in the literature. The mean annual wind shear coefficient in stable period is 0.26 and in unstable period 0.28. The annual mean shape parameter from 10 m to 80 m above ground in stable period is between 1.25 and 1.64, and during unstable period, it varies from 1.55 to 2.07. The annual mean scale parameter at 10 m and 80 m above ground is (3.9; 7.10) m.s-1 (unstable atmosphere) and (2.45; 4.41) m.s-1 when the atmosphere is stable. The annual average of the energy production under a convective atmosphere at 10 m and 80 m is estimated at 72 W.m-2 and 301 W.m-2 respectively. During the night cycle, this annual production varies from 28 W.m-2 (10 m) to 93 W.m-2 (80 m). Based on these results, the Conakry site is suitable to host medium-sized wind power plants for electricity and water production.
Head start parents' vocational preparedness indirectly predicts preschoolers' physical and relational aggression
Authors: Baker Erin Ruth 
Published: March 2022

AbstractSevere poverty has profound impacts on child outcomes, yet much of the research on poverty fails to consider the psychological experiences of poverty, frames low‐socioeconomic status families as a monolith, and until recently, has not considered the utility of behavior within the poverty context. This short‐term (4 months) longitudinal study was designed to consider children's aggression as predicted by their inhibitory control (IC) and parents' experiences of poverty‐related strain in an urban Head Start sample. At Time 1, parents reported on their family's economic situation (income, family size), education, vocational preparedness, and completed a measure of psychological economic strain; children (N = 90; Mage = 52.78 months) completed two IC tasks (Day/Night Stroop; Whisper). Four months later, parents completed the Preschool Proactive and Reactive Aggression survey, used to assess children's physical and relational aggression. Mediation analyses supported that physical and relational aggression were both fully mediated from parents' vocational preparedness, though through different mechanisms. Physical aggression was mediated by parents' psychological economic strain. Relational aggression was mediated through children's IC. Findings support the proposal that aggression should be viewed within context and that typical assumptions about developmental patterns of physical aggression may not hold for all children.
Recording Messages on Nonplanar Objects by Cryogenic Electron‐Beam Writing
Authors: Zheng Rui , Zhao Ding , Lu Yihan , Wu Shan , Yao Guangnan , Liu Dongli , Qiu Min 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe evolution of writing systems illustrates the development of information storage. Here, a unique way is demonstrated using sprayed anisole as the ink and a focused electron‐beam as a pen to record messages on a cooled substrate. Such an electron‐beam writing approach controls the thickness of remained anisole on the substrate. Optical interference at the visible region occurs thereby, resulting directly in a color print. Using discrete dose distribution, an 11‐step structure with a height difference of sub‐10 nm accuracy is written. A quinary pattern with a total thickness of 180 nm and unit square size of 500 nm is also written, implying information density beyond 1013 bits per cm3 (10 Tbit cm–3). Painting at the nanoscale is also enabled by importing grayscale images. In addition, the substrate can be extended from planar to nonplanar or flexible objects, such as an aluminum tape or a silver wire. Combining the grayscale lithographic nature and conformal coating of the ink, this writing process has great potential to store information on any surface.
Nickel‐Catalyzed Carboxylation of Aryl C−F Bonds with CO2
Authors: Pei Chunzhe , Wang Baiquan 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe C−F bond is the strongest single bond and it is one of the most challenging tasks to achieve the C−F bond functionalization. Here, we describe the first nickel‐catalyzed selective defluorinative carboxylation of aryl C−F bonds with CO2. Various methyl carboxylates including partially fluorinated carboxylation compounds were obtained. Mechanistic studies reveal that the azanickelacycles might be vital intermediates in this transformation. This novel and straightforward carboxylation strategy will extend the scope of C−F bond functionalization and enhance the understanding of the reactivity of very stable bonds.magnified image
An Unrevealed Molecular Function of Corannulene Buckybowl Glycoconjugates in Selective Tumor Annihilation by Targeting the Cancer‐Specific Warburg Effect
Authors: Liu Shengnan , Sun Ziru , Liang Min , Song Weijie , Zhang Ru , Shi Yunli , Cui Yujun , Gao Qingzhi 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe biomedical application of corannulene π‐bowls is historically limited by low solubility and bioavailability despite the potential in their unique electronic properties for new functional materials. Herein, the unexpected role and molecular mechanism of Corranulene π‐bowls are uncovered in biomedical applications as an effective anticancer agent for Warburg effect mediated selective tumor targeting. The corannulene triazolyl monosaccharides Cor‐sugars exhibit highly potent cytotoxicity against human cancer cells and effectively inhibit xenograft growth of hyperglycolytic tumors. Particularly, the galactose‐conjugated Cor‐gal exhibits superior in vivo anticancer efficacy in A549 tumor models with outstanding safety profile compared to doxorubicin. Moreover, the combined treatment of Cor‐gal with immune checkpoint inhibitor results in an effective synergy in treating H460 human lung carcinoma. An uptake mechanism study reveals that Cor‐sugars exploit tumor‐specific glucose transporter glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1) for targeted cell delivery and intra‐tumoral accumulation through the cancer‐specific Warburg effect. Their significant anticancer activity is attributed to multiphasic DNA‐binding and cell cycle alteration effects. This study uncovers new molecular properties of corannulene buckybowl and enabling their potential new applications in biomedical engineering.
Skeletal Muscle Fibers Inspired Polymeric Actuator by Assembly of Triblock Polymers
Authors: Wang Weijie , Xu Xian , Zhang Caihong , Huang Hao , Zhu Liping , Yue Kan , Zhu Meifang , Yang Shuguang 
Published: March 2022

AbstractInspired by the striated structure of skeletal muscle fibers, a polymeric actuator by assembling two symmetric triblock copolymers, namely, polystyrene‐b‐poly(acrylic acid)‐b‐polystyrene (SAS) and polystyrene‐b‐poly(ethylene oxide)‐b‐polystyrene (SES) is developed. Owing to the microphase separation of the triblock copolymers and hydrogen‐bonding complexation of their middle segments, the SAS/SES assembly forms a lamellar structure with alternating vitrified S and hydrogen‐bonded A/E association layers. The SAS/SES strip can be actuated and operate in response to environmental pH. The contraction ratio and working density of the SAS/SES actuator are approximately 50% and 90 kJ m−3, respectively; these values are higher than those of skeletal muscle fibers. In addition, the SAS/SES actuator shows a “catch‐state”, that is, it can maintain force without energy consumption, which is a feature of mollusc muscle but not skeletal muscle. This study provides a biomimetic approach for the development of artificial polymeric actuators with outstanding performance.
Role of Linker Functionality in Polymers Exhibiting Main‐Chain Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence
Authors: Philipps Kai , Ie Yutaka , van der Zee Bas , Png Rui‐Qi , Ho Peter K. H. , Chua Lay‐Lay , del Pino Rosendo Esther , Ramanan Charusheela , Wetzelaer Gert‐Jan A. H. , Blom Paul W. M. , Michels Jasper J. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractExcellent performance has been reported for organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on small molecule emitters that exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence. However, the necessary vacuum processing makes the fabrication of large‐area devices based on these emitters cumbersome and expensive. Here, the authors present high performance OLEDs, based on novel, TADF polymers that can be readily processed from a solution. These polymers are based on the acridine‐benzophenone donor–acceptor motif as main‐chain TADF chromophores, linked by various conjugated and non‐conjugated spacer moieties. The authors’ extensive spectroscopic and electronic analysis shows that in particular in case of alkyl spacers, the properties and performance of the monomeric TADF chromophores are virtually left unaffected by the polymerization. They present efficient solution‐processed OLEDs based on these TADF polymers, diluted in oligostyrene as a host. The devices based on the alkyl spacer‐based TADF polymers exhibit external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) ≈12%, without any outcoupling‐enhancing measures. What's more, the EQE of these devices does not drop substantially upon diluting the polymer down to only ten weight percent of active material. In contrast, the EQE of devices based on the monomeric chromophore show significant losses upon dilution due to loss of charge percolation.
Neighbors: Some psychoanalytic reflections
Authors: Akhtar Salman 
Published: March 2022

AbstractWhile playing an important role in psychic development and sustenance as well as in triggering or causing psychopathology, neighbors have attracted little attention from psychoanalysts. Freud's wry protest against the Biblical injunction to love thy neighbor as thyself and Volkan's psychopolitical studies of ethnic neighbors are exceptions in this regard. Taking them as a starting point but going much farther, this paper elucidates the complex relationships that exists between actual neighbors. It also sheds light on the “neighborly” aspects of the analyst–patient bond. Finally, it underscores the existence of unassimilated self‐representations within each individual that can be viewed as neighbors to his or her core self and deserve benevolent acknowledgment and acceptance.
Driving Role of Interleukin‐2–Related Regulatory CD4+ T Cell Deficiency in the Development of Lung Fibrosis and Vascular Remodeling in a Mouse Model of Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Frantz Camelia , Cauvet Anne , Durand Aurélie , Gonzalez Virginie , Pierre Rémi , Do Cruzeiro Marcio , Bailly Karine , Andrieu Muriel , Orvain Cindy , Avouac Jérôme , Ottaviani Mina , Thuillet Raphaël , Tu Ly , Guignabert Christophe , Lucas Bruno , Auffray Cédric , Allanore Yannick 
Published: March 2022

ObjectiveSystemic sclerosis (SSc) is a debilitating autoimmune disease characterized by severe lung outcomes resulting in reduced life expectancy. Fra‐2–transgenic mice offer the opportunity to decipher the relationships between the immune system and lung fibrosis. This study was undertaken to investigate whether the Fra‐2–transgenic mouse lung phenotype may result from an imbalance between the effector and regulatory arms in the CD4+ T cell compartment.MethodsWe first used multicolor flow cytometry to extensively characterize homeostasis and the phenotype of peripheral CD4+ T cells from Fra‐2–transgenic mice and control mice. We then tested different treatments for their effectiveness in restoring CD4+ Treg cell homeostasis, including adoptive transfer of Treg cells and treatment with low‐dose interleukin‐2 (IL‐2).ResultsFra‐2–transgenic mice demonstrated a marked decrease in the proportion and absolute number of peripheral Treg cells that preceded accumulation of activated, T helper cell type 2–polarized, CD4+ T cells. This defect in Treg cell homeostasis was derived from a combination of mechanisms including impaired generation of these cells in both the thymus and the periphery. The impaired ability of peripheral conventional CD4+ T cells to produce IL‐2 may greatly contribute to Treg cell deficiency in Fra‐2–transgenic mice. Notably, adoptive transfer of Treg cells, low‐dose IL‐2 therapy, or combination therapy changed the phenotype of Fra‐2–transgenic mice, resulting in a significant reduction in pulmonary parenchymal fibrosis and vascular remodeling in the lungs.ConclusionImmunotherapies for restoring Treg cell homeostasis could be relevant in SSc. An intervention based on low‐dose IL‐2 injections, as is already proposed in other autoimmune diseases, could be the most suitable treatment modality for restoring Treg cell homeostasis for future research.
N‐Alkyl Linkers for DNA‐Encoded Chemical Libraries
Authors: Sun Zhao‐Mei , Yang Shao‐Guang , Xue Li‐Jun , Zhang Jie , Yang Kexin , Hu Yun‐Jin 
Published: March 2022

AbstractA series of novel N‐alkyl linkers that connect small‐molecule library members with their encoding DNA oligonucleotides has been developed. In comparison with the standard amide linker (usually constructed with oligo‐AOP‐NH2), the N‐alkyl linker is not only more chemically stable, but also provides better structural diversity at the linkage point. Chemical variety in the vicinity of the polyglycol terminus, in particular, could affect binding interactions with the target protein. It could have been neglected in previous DNA‐encoded chemical library (DEL) synthesis and screening studies due to the limited linkage alternatives. With these linkers, one can produce versatile key intermediates as Cycle 1 products directly amenable to Cycle 2 chemistry without the use of protecting groups. As a result, a DEL synthesis process that uses the fewest chemical conversions, such as 3‐step, 3‐cycle DELs, can achieve higher synthetic efficiency while creating less DNA tag degradation, resulting in higher quality DELs.