bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 is a novel target of the γ-secretase complex
Authors: Bartolomé Alberto , Liang Jiani , Wang Pengfei , Ho David D. , Pajvani Utpal B.
Published: May 2021

Angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is a key regulator of the renin-angiotensin system, but also the functional receptor of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Based on structural similarity with other γ-secretase (γS) targets, we hypothesized that ACE2 may be affected by γS proteolytic activity. We found that after ectodomain shedding, ACE2 is targeted for intramembrane proteolysis by γS, releasing a soluble ACE2 C-terminal fragment. Consistently, chemical or genetic inhibition of γS results in the accumulation of a membrane-bound fragment of ectodomain-deficient ACE2. Although chemical inhibition of γS does not alter SARS-CoV-2 cell entry, these data point to a novel pathway for cellular ACE2 trafficking.
Metallenes as functional materials in electrocatalysis
Authors: Prabhu P. , Lee Jong-Min
Published: May 2021

2D metals, metallenes, feature exciting opportunities at the forefront of electrocatalysis. We bring to attention metallene preparation techniques and modification strategies for the derivation of highly functional metallenes in key electrocatalytic applications.
Controlling product selectivity with nanoparticle composition in tandem chemo-biocatalytic styrene oxidation
Authors: Wilbers Derik , Brehm Joseph , Lewis Richard J. , van Marwijk Jacqueline , Davies Thomas E. , Morgan David J. , Opperman Diederik J. , Smit Martha S. , Alcalde Miguel , Kotsiopoulos Athanasios , Harrison Susan T. L. , Hutchings Graham J. , Freakley Simon J.
Published: May 2021

The combination of heterogeneous catalysis and biocatalysis into one-pot reaction cascades is a potential approach to integrate enzymatic transformations into existing chemical infrastructure.
Development of a universal conductive platform for anchoring photo- and electroactive proteins using organometallic terpyridine molecular wires
Authors: Jacquet Margot , Izzo Miriam , Osella Silvio , Kozdra Sylwia , Michałowski Paweł P. , Gołowicz Dariusz , Kazimierczuk Krzysztof , Gorzkowski Maciej T. , Lewera Adam , Teodorczyk Marian , Trzaskowski Bartosz , Jurczakowski Rafał , Gryko Daniel T. , Kargul Joanna
Published: May 2021

The rational design of iron terpyridine molecular wires provides a universal organometallic interface for the oriented anchoring of redox active proteins yielding efficient photo-induced electron transfer.
Plasmonic elliptical nanoholes for chiroptical analysis and enantioselective optical trapping
Authors: Lin Zhan-Hong , Zhang Jiwei , Huang Jer-Shing
Published: May 2021

Under linearly polarized illumination, a well-designed elliptical nanohole concurrently offers chiral near field and enantioselective optical trapping force to attract/repel the chiral target.
Photodoping of metal oxide nanocrystals for multi-charge accumulation and light-driven energy storage
Authors: Ghini Michele , Curreli Nicola , Camellini Andrea , Wang Mengjiao , Asaithambi Aswin , Kriegel Ilka
Published: May 2021

Light-driven multi-charge accumulation (i.e., photodoping) of doped metal oxide nanocrystals opens the way to innovative solutions for the direct conversion and storage of the solar energy.
The synthesis of novel fluorescent bimetal nanoclusters for aqueous mercury detection based on aggregation-induced quenching
Authors: Yu Fangfang , Luo Peng , Chen Yun , Jiang Hui , Wang Xuemei
Published: May 2021

Novel bimetal nanoclusters were synthesized, which displayed high specificity towards Hg2+ with a wide linear range (0.85–246 μM) and a low detection limit (20 nM).
Thermal desorption part 2: applications in analytical measurement
Authors: Analytical Methods Committee AMCTB No. 104
Published: May 2021

This Technical Brief aims to illustrate the uses and applications of thermal desorption methods in analytical measurement.
Photoresponsive porous ZnO-based broad-spectrum venom first-aid treatment
Authors: Cheng Xinyan , Cao Fei , Zhong Cailing , Wang Manyu , Ye Jing , Liu Yu , Zhang Wei , Yu Fen , Wu Dan , Wang Xiaolei
Published: May 2021

Inspired by boiled eggs, porous ZnO complex (ZC) was proposed as a broad-spectrum venoms first-aid treatment. The experiments proved that ZC could widely adsorb and hydrolyze biological venoms, thereby prolonging survival time.
Self-assembling modified neuropeptide S enhances nose-to-brain penetration and exerts a prolonged anxiolytic-like effect
Authors: Li Shu , Guo Chen , Zhang Xingjiao , Liu Xiaojing , Mu Jing , Liu Chunxia , Peng Yali , Chang Min
Published: May 2021

We successfully incorporated fatty acids into neuropeptide S to produce a novel self-assembling biomaterial that demonstrates enhanced nose-to-brain penetration and exerts a prolonged anxiolytic-like effect.
Venetoclax nanomedicine alleviates acute lung injury via increasing neutrophil apoptosis
Authors: Su Ruonan , Wang Haixia , Xiao Chunsheng , Tao Yu , Li Mingqiang , Chen Zhuanggui
Published: May 2021

A nano-formulation of the Bcl-2 inhibitor venetoclax was developed to alleviate acute lung injury by increasing neutrophil apoptosis.
Construction of an optically controllable CRISPR-Cas9 system using a DNA origami nanostructure
Authors: Abe Katsuhiko , Sugiyama Hiroshi , Endo Masayuki
Published: May 2021

We demonstrated the photo-controlled sequence-selective dsDNA cleavage using a DNA origami structure with Cas9 nuclease.
Tessellation strategy for the interfacial synthesis of an anthracene-based 2D polymer via [4+4]-photocycloaddition
Authors: Chen Renzeng , Wang Danbo , Hao Wenbo , Shao Feng , Zhao Yingjie
Published: May 2021

Inspired by the tessellation or tiling process in daily life, a rigid triangular macrocyclic molecule containing anthracene as a photo-active moiety was synthesized to realize pre-organization through π–π interactions.
Climbing with support: scaling the volcano relationship through support–electrocatalyst interactions in electrodeposited RuO2for the oxygen evolution reaction
Authors: Saha Sulay , Kishor Koshal , Pala Raj Ganesh S.
Published: May 2021

The interfacial charge transfer and support-induced electrocatalyst faceting in thin catalysts enable ‘climbing up’ the volcano map for OER electrocatalysts. The conductivity of the support determines the OER activity of thick catalysts.
Unexpected solution behaviour of ester-functionalized half-sandwich Ru(ii) and Ir(iii) complexes
Authors: Masaryk Lukáš , Nemec Ivan , Kašpárková Jana , Brabec Viktor , Štarha Pavel
Published: May 2021

Model multi-targeted half-sandwich Ru and Ir complexes, containing the ester-functionalized chelating ligands, were studied for their stability under various (pseudo)physiological conditions, including the presence of porcine liver esterase (PLE).
Enhanced xylene sensing performance using Ag–V2O5 loaded mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride
Authors: Chaudhary Vandna , Nehra Satya Pal
Published: May 2021

The excellent selectivity of the Ag–V2O5/mpg-CN towards various VOCs.
Single-atom Fe–N4 site for the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene: theoretical and experimental studies
Authors: Liu Yan , Zhang Wenzhuang , Zheng Yamin , Wu Konglin , Dong Panpan , He Rong , Lu Ning , Mao Junjie
Published: May 2021

The hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline is an important process in the industry of fine chemicals, but developing inexpensive catalysts with expected activity and selectivity still remains a challenge.
Bismuth species in the coordination sphere of transition metals: synthesis, bonding, coordination chemistry, and reactivity of molecular complexes
Authors: Ramler Jacqueline , Lichtenberg Crispin
Published: May 2021

Bismuth species in the coordination sphere of transition metals show widely tunable bonding situations, impacting their stoichiometric and catalytic reactivity.
Tuning metal single atoms embedded in NxCy moieties toward high-performance electrocatalysis
Authors: Ha Miran , Kim Dong Yeon , Umer Muhammad , Gladkikh Vladislav , Myung Chang Woo , Kim Kwang S.
Published: May 2021

High-performance 3d–5d transition metal single atom electrocatalysts ligated by various –NxCy moieties of N-doped graphene are investigated for hydrogen evolution and oxygen evolution/reduction reactions using high-throughput computational screening and machine learning.
One-step synthesis of pentane fuel from γ-valerolactone with high selectivity over a Co/HZSM-5 bifunctional catalyst
Authors: Wang Hongtao , Wu Yushan , Li Yanzhi , Peng Jiebang , Gu Xiang-Kui , Ding Mingyue
Published: May 2021

One-step synthesis of pentane fuel from GVL with high selectivity and the corresponding Co/HZSM-5 bifunctional catalysts with proper amounts of acidic sites and Co loading content were designed.
Organozinc hydrazides and their derivatives: synthesis, structural diversity and applications
Authors: Jana Surajit , Saha Rajat
Published: May 2021

This review highlights the synthetic aspects, structural diversity and possible applications of organozinc hydrazides and their derivatives.
Highly stable graphene oxide composite nanofiltration membrane
Authors: Zheng Kaiqiang , Li Shiqing , Chen Zhou , Chen Yunqiang , Hong Yubin , Lan Weiguang
Published: May 2021

We report a new strategy to fabricate an ultra-stable GO based nanofiltration membrane by inserting TiO2 nanoparticles and grafting PEI molecules. The hybrid membrane shows excellent flux and dye rejection under ultra-low pressure conditions.
Cu(i)-Catalyzed asymmetric exo-selective synthesis of substituted pyrrolidines via a 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction
Authors: Biswas Rayhan G. , Ray Sumit K. , Kannaujiya Vinod K. , Unhale Rajshekhar A. , Singh Vinod K.
Published: May 2021

An efficient chiral metal complex catalysed asymmetric 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction was developed to synthesize highly functionalised exo-pyrrolidines.
Rh(iii)-Catalyzed olefination to build diverse oxazole derivatives from functional alkynes
Authors: He Yuan , Zheng Ting , Huang Yin-Hui , Dong Lin
Published: May 2021

A novel Rh(iii)-catalyzed olefination reaction of oxazoles to generate diverse oxazole skeleton derivatives has been realized by directly using oxazole as the directing group.
Vanadium-doped NiS2 porous nanospheres with high selectivity and stability for the electroreduction of nitrogen to ammonia
Authors: Zhao Mingzhu , Guo Chengying , Gao Lingfeng , Kuang Xuan , Yang Hua , Ma Xiaojing , Liu Chengqing , Liu Xuejing , Sun Xu , Wei Qin
Published: May 2021

A vanadium doped NiS2 (V–NiS2) nanosphere with abundant active sites is first proposed in the NRR field, which exhibited excellent catalytic activity with high NH3 yield and good faradaic efficiency (FE) in 0.1 M HCl solution.
Synthesis of tetracyclic indenopyrazolopyrazolones through cascade reactions of aryl azomethine imines with propargyl alcohols
Authors: Zhang Linghua , Zhao Jie , Jiang Yuqin , Zhang Xinying , Fan Xuesen
Published: May 2021

Presented herein is a novel and efficient synthesis of tetracyclic indenopyrazolopyrazolone derivatives from aryl azomethine imines and propargyl alcohols through an initial inert C(sp2)–H bond alkenylation followed by the cascade formation of two five-membered rings.
Synthesis of 4-substituted catechols with side-chains of different CC bond number as urushiol analogues and their anticorrosion performance
Authors: Wei Zeng-Feng , Ni Li-Jie , Quan Heng , Duan Jiang
Published: May 2021

Reductive amination reaction was achieved on a catechol ring, leading to urushiol analogues that could be electropolymerized with desirable urushiol-like performance.
Polyimides containing a novel bisbenzoxazole with highTgand low CTE
Authors: Chen Haiquan , Dai Fengna , Wang Mengxia , Chen Chunhai , Qian Guangtao , Yu Youhai
Published: May 2021

CTE values of polyimides derived from different BOA based diamines and same BPDA dianhydride.
Nanostructured Fe2O3/TiO2 composite particles with enhanced NIR reflectance for application to LiDAR detectable cool pigments
Authors: Lee Hyeon Ju , Jung Kyeong Youl , Kim Young-Seok
Published: May 2021

Nanostructured Fe2O3/TiO2 composite pigment particles synthesized by a homogeneous precipitation method showed improved NIR reflectance by about 23.8% and about 62.7% larger reflectance at 905 nm than Fe2O3.
Chemo-bio catalysis using carbon supports: application in H2-driven cofactor recycling
Authors: Zhao Xu , Cleary Sarah E. , Zor Ceren , Grobert Nicole , Reeve Holly A. , Vincent Kylie A.
Published: May 2021

Heterogeneous chemo-bio catalytic hydrogenation is an attractive strategy for clean, enantioselective CX reduction.
Mimicking transition metals in borrowing hydrogen from alcohols
Authors: Banik Ananya , Ahmed Jasimuddin , Sil Swagata , Mandal Swadhin K.
Published: May 2021

An efficient method is developed for harvesting hydrogen, its storage and catalytic transfer by an odd alternant hydrocarbon. The strategy is reminiscent of transition metals in borrowing hydrogen mediated processes.
Electrochemical studies of tris(cyclopentadienyl)thorium and uranium complexes in the +2, +3, and +4 oxidation states
Authors: Wedal Justin C. , Barlow Jeffrey M. , Ziller Joseph W. , Yang Jenny Y. , Evans William J.
Published: May 2021

Electrochemical determination of the reduction potentials for a variety of tris(cyclopentadienyl)uranium and thorium complexes, including data on U(ii) and Th(ii) complexes.
Novel dual methylation of cytidines in the RNA of mammals
Authors: Cheng Ming-Yu , You Xue-Jiao , Ding Jiang-Hui , Dai Yi , Chen Meng-Yuan , Yuan Bi-Feng , Feng Yu-Qi
Published: May 2021

We synthesized 3,2′-O-dimethylcytidine (m3Cm) and determined the dimethylation of cytidines in mammals by mass spectrometry analysis. We discovered m3Cm in small RNA and N4,2′-O-dimethylcytidine (m4Cm) in 18S rRNA of mammals.
Particle actuation by rotating magnetic fields in microchannels: a numerical study
Authors: Ham Seokgyun , Fang Wen-Zhen , Qiao Rui
Published: May 2021

The effects of confinement on the actuation of magnetic particles by rotating magnetic fields are studied using immersed-boundary lattice Boltzmann simulations.
Biomacromolecule-based photo-thermal agents for tumor treatment
Authors: Liu Bin , Jiang Fuquan , Sun Jing , Wang Fan , Liu Kai
Published: May 2021

Recent advances in the design, fabrication, and applications of biomacromolecule-based photo-thermal agents are summarized. Cell membranes, proteins, nucleotides and polysaccharides are involved. Perspectives and challenges are also presented.
Achieving significant thermal conductivity improvement via constructing vertically arranged and covalently bonded silicon carbide nanowires/natural rubber composites
Authors: Cheng Shuaishuai , Duan Xiaoyuan , Liu Xiaoqing , Zhang Zhiyi , An Dong , Zhao Guizhe , Liu Yaqing
Published: May 2021

The vertically arranged structure and strong interface interaction promote a great improvement in the thermal conductivity of the composites.
N-Functionality actuated improved CO2 adsorption and turn-on detection of organo-toxins with guest-induced fluorescence modulation in isostructural diamondoid MOFs
Authors: Singh Manpreet , Palakkal Athulya S. , Pillai Renjith S. , Neogi Subhadip
Published: May 2021

Astute pore engineering in structurally similar diamondoid Cd(II) frameworks benefits substantial development of CO2 adsorption and selectivity alongside guest-responsive fluoro-sensing of assorted classes of organo-toxins in ultra-sensitive fashion.
Impact of the donor structure in new D–π–A systems based on indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazoles on their thermal, electrochemical, optoelectronic and luminescence properties
Authors: Szafraniec-Gorol Grażyna , Slodek Aneta , Zych Dawid , Vasylieva Marharyta , Siwy Mariola , Sulowska Karolina , Maćkowski Sebastian , Taydakov Ilya , Goriachiy Dmitry , Schab-Balcerzak Ewa
Published: May 2021

New D–π–A fluorophores based on indolo[3,2,1-jk]carbazole (ICz) were synthesized and thoroughly investigated, where the ICz framework is connected by an ethylene bridge with various donor moieties.
Design of white-emitting optical temperature sensor based on energy transfer in a Bi3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+ doped YBO3 crystal
Authors: Wu Haiyan , Li Huimin , Jiang Lihong , Tan Tao , Wang Shangwei , Jiao Shengjian , Yuan Weihong , Su Jiangyue , Li Chengyu , Zhang Hongjie
Published: May 2021

A novel white-emitting optical temperature sensor was designed based on the energy transfer in a Bi3+, Eu3+ and Tb3+ doped YBO3 crystal.
MicroRNA-543-3p down-regulates inflammation and inhibits periodontitis through KLF6
Authors: Li Wei , Wang Junwei , Hao Wenjing , Yu Cuifang
Published: May 2021

MicroRNA-543-3p (miR-543-3p) has been reported to be involved in many human disease’s progression, but its role in inflammation is still unclear. After bacterial infection, innate immune cells are activated to trigger inflammation by recognizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the bacterial outer membrane. In our research, it showed that miR-543-3p was down-regulated in LPS-treated periodontal ligament cells (PDLCs). And it mediated the apoptosis of PDLC induced by LPS, which may be involved in periodontitis development. Besides, up-regulation of miR-543-3p alleviated the inflammatory damage induced by LPS. Furthermore, our research demonstrated Kruppel-like factor 6 (KLF6) served as a direct downstream target of miR-543-3p to play a vital role in periodontitis. Simply put, these findings suggest that miR-543-3p could down-regulate inflammation and inhibit periodontitis by targeting KLF6, and it provides a new insight into the molecular mechanism of periodontitis, which may be helpful for the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
Something old, something new: challenges and developments in Aspergillus niger biotechnology
Authors: Cairns Timothy C. , Barthel Lars , Meyer Vera
Published: May 2021

The filamentous ascomycete fungus Aspergillus niger is a prolific secretor of organic acids, proteins, enzymes and secondary metabolites. Throughout the last century, biotechnologists have developed A. niger into a multipurpose cell factory with a product portfolio worth billions of dollars each year. Recent technological advances, from genome editing to other molecular and omics tools, promise to revolutionize our understanding of A. niger biology, ultimately to increase efficiency of existing industrial applications or even to make entirely new products. However, various challenges to this biotechnological vision, many several decades old, still limit applications of this fungus. These include an inability to tightly control A. niger growth for optimal productivity, and a lack of high-throughput cultivation conditions for mutant screening. In this mini-review, we summarize the current state-of-the-art for A. niger biotechnology with special focus on organic acids (citric acid, malic acid, gluconic acid and itaconic acid), secreted proteins and secondary metabolites, and discuss how new technological developments can be applied to comprehensively address a variety of old and persistent challenges.
So you want to express your protein in Escherichia coli?
Authors: Tungekar Aatir A. , Castillo-Corujo Angel , Ruddock Lloyd W.
Published: May 2021

Recombinant proteins have been extensively employed as therapeutics for the treatment of various critical and life-threatening diseases and as industrial enzymes in high-value industrial processes. Advances in genetic engineering and synthetic biology have broadened the horizon of heterologous protein production using multiple expression platforms. Selection of a suitable expression system depends on a variety of factors ranging from the physicochemical properties of the target protein to economic considerations. For more than 40 years, Escherichia coli has been an established organism of choice for protein production. This review aims to provide a stepwise approach for any researcher embarking on the journey of recombinant protein production in E. coli. We present an overview of the challenges associated with heterologous protein expression, fundamental considerations connected to the protein of interest (POI) and designing expression constructs, as well as insights into recently developed technologies that have contributed to this ever-growing field.
Recombinant protein secretion by Bacillus subtilis and Lactococcus lactis: pathways, applications, and innovation potential
Authors: Neef Jolanda , van Dijl Jan Maarten , Buist Girbe
Published: May 2021

Secreted recombinant proteins are of great significance for industry, healthcare and a sustainable bio-based economy. Consequently, there is an ever-increasing need for efficient production platforms to deliver such proteins in high amounts and high quality. Gram-positive bacteria, particularly bacilli such as Bacillus subtilis, are favored for the production of secreted industrial enzymes. Nevertheless, recombinant protein production in the B. subtilis cell factory can be very challenging due to bottlenecks in the general (Sec) secretion pathway as well as this bacterium’s intrinsic capability to secrete a cocktail of highly potent proteases. This has placed another Gram-positive bacterium, Lactococcus lactis, in the focus of attention as an alternative, non-proteolytic, cell factory for secreted proteins. Here we review our current understanding of the secretion pathways exploited in B. subtilis and L. lactis to deliver proteins from their site of synthesis, the cytoplasm, into the fermentation broth. An advantage of this cell factory comparison is that it identifies opportunities for protein secretion pathway engineering to remove or bypass current production bottlenecks. Noteworthy new developments in cell factory engineering are the mini-Bacillus concept, highlighting potential advantages of massive genome minimization, and the application of thus far untapped ‘non-classical’ protein secretion routes. Altogether, it is foreseen that engineered lactococci will find future applications in the production of high-quality proteins at the relatively small pilot scale, while engineered bacilli will remain a favored choice for protein production in bulk.
Plombotectonique des gisements du Maroc
Authors: Marcoux Éric , Jébrak Michel
Published: May 2021

La synthèse de 240 analyses isotopiques du plomb, mesurées sur les gisements miniers marocains d’âges édiacarien à néogène appartenant à tous les domaines géotectoniques du Maroc autorise une réflexion globale sur la métallogénie du Maroc. Les compositions isotopiques varient grandement, de 17,738 (Bou Skour) à 18,905 (Draa Sfar) pour le rapport 206Pb/204Pb, et de 15,521 à 15,706 pour le rapport 207Pb/204Pb. La source du plomb des gisements étudiés se situe dans la croûte continentale supérieure, excepté pour ceux de l’Anti-Atlas (Bou Skour, Imiter…) et certains du Haut-Atlas (Azegour) à nette contribution du manteau. Les variations isotopiques relevées à l’échelle d’un district résultent soit de la présence de plusieurs événements hydrothermaux superposés sollicitant différentes sources locales comme à Tighza, soit d’un seul événement perturbé par la segmentation d’un bassin volcanosédimentaire, comme pour les amas sulfurés des Jebilet et Guemassa. À l’échelle du gisement (Draa Sfar, Bou Skour), les variations isotopiques résultent de la superposition de plusieurs événements hydrothermaux avec chacun leur propre plomb et métaux associés. Globalement, on peut distinguer trois générations de plomb incorporées successivement dans le socle géologique marocain par le magmatisme et/ou l’hydrothermalisme, caractérisées par leurs rapports 206Pb/204Pb : 17,74–17,90 (panafricain), 18,10–18,40 (hercynien) et 18,75–18,90 (alpin). Le plomb panafricain est présent dans l’Anti-Atlas, et très localement dans la Meseta (Bouznika), et se nourrit en partie du magmatisme mafique du Gondwana. Le plomb hercynien est le plus représenté et affiche une rupture définitive dans la source des métaux dès lors exclusivement crustale. Il envahit tous les domaines marocains, y compris l’Anti-Atlas, où il remobilise et se mélange avec le plomb panafricain. Le plomb alpin, plus discret, jalonne la large écharpe allant d’Agadir à Nador qui trace en surface le panache mantellique des Canaries et accompagne un magmatisme néogène qui peut aussi avoir agi comme simple moteur remobilisant le plomb hercynien, notamment pour former les gisements MVT de Touissit. Les plombs hercynien et alpin sont en partie responsables du rajeunissement des minéralisations néoprotérozoïques, comme à Bou Azzer ou Imiter. Le Maroc illustre le modèle de Sawkins avec un apport majeur du plomb lors du magmatisme fini-orogénique. Les résultats isotopiques plaident en faveur de remobilisations successives du plomb stocké dans des réservoirs primaires et secondaires avec des phénomènes d’héritage. Enfin le bon transfert de la signature isotopique du plomb des gisements aux gossans de surface, notamment pour les gisements stratiformes de sulfures polymétalliques de type Hajar, montre que la géochimie isotopique du plomb est un outil utilisable pour l’exploration minière au Maroc.
Insights on road safety with open data: the case of Rome
Authors: Miloso Antonio , Veglianti Eleonora , De Marco Marco , Magnaghi Elisabetta
Published: May 2021

Modern cities face the challenge of providing citizens with an appropriate level of services to maintain the growing population. Thanks to the support of open data policymakers are capable of ensuring administrative transparency and participation in decisions, enabling citizens and employees to effectively use services and tools and integrating physical and intangible infrastructures (systems, data and processes) in a service-oriented perspective. This study investigates open data about car accidents in the metropolitan city of Rome between 2014 and 2019 through the service science lens. It is pointed out how the city roads maintenance (for example, road surfaces, road signs and traffic extent) can significantly affect the number of people involved in accidents. From these results, possible improvements in diminishing the number of people involved in car accidents are explored through a prescriptive analysis. This study represents a powerful tool to improve services in the public sphere and an example of the shared value generated by open data initiatives. It contributes in improving the understanding of a data-oriented culture and of building a network of people in all public administrations to increase the shareable information assets of the metropolitan city of Rome.
Justice as a Service
Authors: Fantozzi Paolo , Laura Luigi , Nuzzo Antonio , Piselli Riccardo
Published: May 2021

In this paper we address an emerging service, called Justice as a Service (JaaS), that has been defined as an on-demand service, powered by tech, that challenges private and public companies by representing the consumer in their fight for justice/compensation based on laws, consumers’ rights, and contract of carriage. Indeed, in recent years we have witnessed the birth of several JaaS companies, that are devoted to a certain type of claim such as compensation for flight delay or cancellation, or refunds for late shipping.

However, as we will discuss in the paper, we do believe that these are only the first generation of JaaS systems, i.e. the ones that solve easy problems. The advances in Natural Language Processing models such as the very recent GPT-3, together with the availability of suits data in electronic form, will soon allow the rise of more complex systems, able either to assist lawyers in the preparation of cases or to assist the end user in more involved legal issues.

In the paper, we discuss the technical and legal challenges of these new systems.
Smart Data as a Service
Authors: Le Dinh Thang , Dam Nguyen Anh Khoa
Published: May 2021

Nowadays, smart data emerge as a new research direction to create value from business data in an intelligent way. Smart data are defined as the data gathered and processed that can be used to create new insights for smart solutions to support business strategies. This paper aims at proposing a conceptual model for smart data management. In other words, the model can be used for designing a smart service system based on the perspective of service science that can manage and deliver smart data as a service.
Coal macerals and their separation methodologies – A review
Authors: Nag Debjani , Dubey Govind , Dash Pratik Swarup , Mohapatra Soumya Sanjeeb
Published: May 2021

Macerals are microscopically recognizable organic entities found in coal. On the basis of their optical properties they are classified into three categories, liptinite, vitrinite, and inertinite. Reactive macerals, Vitrinite and liptinite, are responsible for the thermoplastic nature of coal during coke formation. It is also found that these macerals can be used for making some high valued products such as carbon fiber, BTX, liquefaction and gasification feedstock. There are various methods applied by different researchers for coal maceral separation method. This review aims to discuss the various properties of coal macerals and the different methodologies adopted for their separation.
Study on the phase evolution and element migration of vanadium oxide during the nitridation process
Authors: Diao Jiang , Lei Jing , Qiu Yiyu , Liu Deman , Li Hong-Yi , Xie Bing , Li Gang
Published: May 2021

In this paper, a series of nitriding experiments were carried out to investigate the phase evolution and element migration in the nitriding process. The results show that it undergoes a low temperature reducing stage firstly. High valent vanadium oxides are reduced to V2O3 between room temperature and 770 °C. In Ar atmosphere, V2O3 reacts with C to form VC in the temperature interval of 770 °C∼1080 °C. In N2 atmosphere, V2O3 reacts directly with N2 and C to form VN in the interval of 670 °C∼1050 °C. During 1050 °C∼1270 °C, part of the VN obtained in the previous reaction stage will react with C to form VC. High temperature is beneficial to the removal of impurity element sulfur. The volatilization of alkali metal elements in the pellet mainly occurs between 670 °C and 1270 °C. However, there are about 20% of sodium and potassium remain in the nitriding product. The volatile alkali metal vapor would react with other gases at the furnace cover to form a white sediment and deposits on the cover. The sediment mainly consists of Na2CO3, K2CO3, Na2SO4, K2SO4, KCl, etc.
Effect of Mg treatment on distribution of inclusions in Fe-O-Al-Mg melt
Authors: Li Yutang , Wang Linzhu , Li Junqi , Yang Shufeng , Chen Chaoyi , Li Changrong , Li Xiang
Published: May 2021

This study aims to investigate the effect of Mg treatment on the homogenized distribution of inclusions. Deoxidized experiments with Al (0.05%Al) and Al-Mg (0.05%Al + 0.03%Mg) were carried out at 1873 K respectively and the degree of homogeneity in inclusion dispersion, area density, average size and inter-surface distance of inclusions were studied. The attractive capillary force acts on inclusions was analyzed by in-situ observation by confocal laser scanning microscopy and Kralchevsky-Paunov model. The results show that the proportion of inclusions with inter-surface distance at the range of 10–100 µm is up to 60% after Al-Mg deoxidized 1800 s. Compared with Al2O3 inclusion, the area density of MgAl2O4 inclusions is generally more homogeneous. The in-situ observed results indicate that the inclusions in the steel deoxidized by Al are easy to aggregate and small size Al2O3 inclusions tend to gather around large size Al2O3 inclusions, while the inclusions in the steel deoxidized by Al-Mg tend to distribute more homogeneously. Moreover, the calculated results suggest that the attractive capillary force is larger between inclusions with larger size. The attractive capillary force is larger when the value of smaller size inclusions R1 is gradually close to the value of larger size inclusions R2. The relationship between attractive capillary force and the degree of homogeneity in inclusion dispersion is discussed based on Kralchevsky-Paunov model.
An investigation on electrical discharge metal matrix coating of ZE41A magnesium alloy
Authors: Elaiyarasan Uthirapathi , Satheeshkumar Vinaitheerthan , Senthilkumar Chinnamuthu
Published: May 2021

The present paper studied the experimental investigation on electrical discharge coating of ZE41A magnesium alloy (EDC) with tungsten carbide-copper (WC/Cu) powder metallurgy (PM) electrode. In order to attain the surface characteristics, three parameters were selected such as compaction load, current and pulse on time. Response characteristics such as material transfer rate (MTR) and surface roughness (Ra) were considered in this study. Central composite design in response surface methodology was applied to conduct experiments. Empirical models were developed for MTR and SR. AVOVA test was conducted to identify the most influence parameters. Additionally, optimized parameters were identified by response surface optimizer. It is observed that the current play a vital role in increasing the MTR and minimize the SR of the coated surface followed by compaction load and pulse on time. Various studies such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were carried out on the coated surface. Bulk mass deposition and bigger craters were observed in the surface coated with 150 MPa and 3A respectively.
Telerehabilitation – Einsatzmöglichkeiten, Entwicklung und Wirksamkeit
Authors: Goldschmidt Siri , Bauer Natascha , Hacker Volker
Published: May 2021

Aufgrund der COVID-19-Situation hat die Telerehabilitation in Deutschland an Aufmerksamkeit gewonnen. Welche Erkenntnisse gibt es über diese Form der Behandlung? Wie steht es um Evidenz? Und was gilt es in der Praxis zu beachten?
COVID-19, Diabetes, and Associated Health Outcomes in China: Results
from a Nationwide Survey of 10 545 Adults
Authors: Shi Zumin , Yan Alice , Zimmet Paul , Sun Xiaoming , Cristina do Vale Moreira Nayla , Cheskin Lawrence J. , Wang Liming , Qu Weidong , Yan Hong , Hussain Akhtar , Wang Youfa
Published: May 2021

This study examined the associations between diabetes and
self-reported/familial COVID-19 infection and investigated
health-related outcomes among those with diabetes during China’s
nationwide quarantine. The 2020 China COVID-19 Survey was administered
anonymously via social media (WeChat). It was completed by 10 545 adults in all
of mainland China’s 31 provinces. The survey consisted of 74 items
covering sociodemographic characteristics, preventive measures for COVID-19,
lifestyle behaviors, and health-related outcomes during the period of
quarantine. Regression models examined associations among study variables.
Diabetes was associated with a six-fold increased risk of reporting COVID-19
infection among respondents or their family members. Among people with diabetes,
individuals who rarely wore masks had double the risk of suspected COVID-19
infection compared with those who always wore masks, with an inverse J-shaped
relationship between face mask wearing and suspected COVID-19 infection. People
with diabetes tended to have both poor knowledge of COVID-19 and poor compliance
with preventive measures, despite perceiving a high risk of personal infection
(40.0% among respondents reporting diabetes and 8.0% without
diabetes). Only 54–55% of these respondents claimed to
consistently practice preventive measures, including wearing face masks. Almost
60% of those with diabetes experienced food or medication shortages
during the quarantine period, which was much higher than those without diabetes.
Importantly, respondents who experienced medication shortages reported a
63% higher COVID-19 infection rate. Diabetes was associated with an
increased risk of self-reported personal and family member COVID-19 infection,
which is mitigated by consistent use of face masks.
Protecting intellectual property in foreign subsidiaries: An internal network defense perspective
Authors: Yan Yan , Li Jiatao , Zhang Jingjing
Published: May 2021

This study examines firm internal network structures as a defense of intellectual property rights (IPR) in high-risk environments with inadequate IPR protection. Specifically, we investigate firm social and knowledge-based network structures individually. A foreign subsidiary can intensify social complexity by strengthening the small-worldness in its collaboration networks and attenuate knowledge-relatedness by decreasing the small-worldness in its knowledge networks. In a subsidiary, the effectiveness of these measures depends to some extent on the parent firm’s experience in the host country. Longitudinal data on 401 foreign subsidiaries in the pharmaceutical industry from 1980 to 2017 have been analyzed in a quasi-experiment using difference-in-differences and two-stage regression. The results provide empirical support for these ideas. Findings highlight the explanatory power of internal network structures when discussing knowledge protection and show the utility of taking an internal network defense perspective in examining IPR protection.
Special coating helps crystal detectors clean up data from neutrino experiments
Authors: Bandari Anashe
Published: May 2021

Understanding the nature of neutrino mass requires highly sensitive detectors, but these are prone to noise from surface events, which need to be excluded from the data.
Some Neumann-Bessel series and the Laplacian on polygons
Authors: Molinari Luca Guido
Published: May 2021

Several sums of Neumann series with Bessel and trigonometric functions are evaluated, as finite sums of trigonometric functions. They arise from a generalization of the Neumann expansion of the eigenstates of the Laplacian in regular polygons. A simple accurate approximation of J0(x) is found on the interval [0, 2].
Wire calorimeter for direct neutral beam power measurements on C-2W
Authors: Titus J. B. , Korepanov S. , Tkachev A. , Pirogov K. , Knapp K. ,   TAE Team
Published: May 2021

The C-2W experiment produces advanced beam-driven field reversed configuration (FRC) plasmas, which are sustained in steady state utilizing variable energy neutral beams (15–40 keV, total power up to 21 MW), advanced divertors, end bias electrodes, and an active plasma control system. Since heating, current drive, and refueling from neutral beam injection are essential to FRC sustainment, it is crucial to have accurate measurements of the beam power being injected into the plasma. A new tungsten wire calorimeter has been designed, built, calibrated on a test stand, and implemented to make the first direct measurements of the time-average injected beam power into C-2W. This paper outlines the design of the diagnostic, along with calibration methods and experimental results.
Self-absorption of synchrotron radiation in a laser-irradiated plasma
Authors: Blackburn T. G. , MacLeod A. J. , Ilderton A. , King B. , Tang S. , Marklund M.
Published: May 2021

Electrons at the surface of a plasma that is irradiated by a laser with intensity in excess of 1023 W cm−2 are accelerated so strongly that they emit bursts of synchrotron radiation. Although the combination of high photon and electron density and electromagnetic field strength at the plasma surface makes particle–particle interactions possible, these interactions are usually neglected in simulations of the high-intensity regime. Here we demonstrate an implementation of two such processes: photon absorption and stimulated emission. We show that, for plasmas that are opaque to the laser light, photon absorption would cause complete depletion of the multi-keV region of the synchrotron photon spectrum, unless compensated by stimulated emission. Our results motivate further study of the density dependence of quantum electrodynamics phenomena in strong electromagnetic fields.
Schottky barrier heights of defect-free metal/ZnO, CdO, MgO, and SrO interfaces
Authors: Chen Jiaqi , Zhang Zhaofu , Guo Yuzheng , Robertson John
Published: May 2021

The Schottky barrier heights (SBHs) of defect-free interfaces of ZnO, CdO, MgO, and SrO with various metals and different terminations are investigated by density functional supercell calculations. The oxide bands are corrected for their density functional bandgap error by applying a U-type term to their metal-d and O-p states where necessary. The p-type SBHs are found to decrease linearly with increasing metal work function. The pinning factor S of the non-polar and polar interfaces is similar for each oxide. S is found to be 0.26, 0.56, 0.74, and 0.96 for CdO, ZnO, MgO, and SrO, respectively, with S increasing with increasing oxide ionicity. The calculated pinning factors are generally consistent with the metal-induced gap state model in terms of variation in ionicity and dielectric constant. A significant shift of SBHs from the non-polar to the polar interfaces of 0.4, 1, and 0.5 eV for ZnO, MgO, and SrO, respectively, is found, which can be explained by an interfacial dipole. Our results are also useful to describe Co,Fe|MgO interfaces in magnetic tunnel junctions.
Comprehensive characterization and analysis of hexagonal boron nitride on sapphire
Authors: Saha S. , Rice A. , Ghosh A. , Hasan S. M. N. , You W. , Ma T. , Hunter A. , Bissell L. J. , Bedford R. , Crawford M. , Arafin S.
Published: May 2021

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is considered as one of the most promising materials for next-generation quantum technologies. In this paper, we report bulk-like multilayer h-BN epitaxially grown using a carbon-free precursor on c-plane sapphire with a strong emphasis on material characterization and analysis. In particular, structural, morphological, and vibrational properties, and chemical bonding of such van der Waals materials are presented. Between as-grown h-BN and c-plane sapphire, a compressive residual strain induced by both lattice mismatch and thermal expansion mismatch is examined by both theoretical and experimental studies. Atomic force microscopy revealed and scanning electron microscopy supported the presence of wrinkles across the entire surface of the film, likely due to biaxial compressive strain further verified by Raman spectroscopy. Stacking orders in h-BN with a clearly layered structure were confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy, showing that the films have crystallographic homogeneity. Chemical analysis of the as-grown films was done by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which confirmed the formation of stoichiometric h-BN films with excellent uniformity. This wafer-scale chemical vapor deposition-grown layered h-BN with 2D morphology facilitates applications in the fields of quantum- and deep ultraviolet-photonics.
In situ evaluation of plasmonic enhancement of gold tips for plasmon-enhanced imaging techniques
Authors: Zhang Jiawei , Ruediger Andreas
Published: May 2021

Plasmonic nanoantennas are at the core of various optical near-field scanning techniques such as tip-enhanced Raman spectroscopy as they provide the amplification and confinement of the electromagnetic field, which ultimately provides sensitivity and spatial resolution. With a cornucopia of different fabrication methods available, the actual performance of a nanoantenna is often only assessed by whether or not near-field imaging is possible, implying the complete alignment and landing procedure of the scanning probe. We present a semi-quantitative approach to assess the plasmonic enhancement of gold tips via localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) enhancement of intrinsic gold photoluminescence without the need for interaction with the sample. As the intensity of the plasmon at the apex decreases, a significant change in the shape of the tip signal spectrum is observed, reflecting itself as a decrease in the R2 value (fit quality) for numerical fitting with a Lorentzian, which also provides an approximation for the LSPR wavelength. Our findings suggest that the potential of a tip to perform well as an optical near field antenna may already be assessed in an early stage of the experiment.
Introduction To Synthetic Solar Irradiance
Authors: Bright Jamie M.
Published: May 2021

The field of synthetic solar irradiance has grown out of a need for rapid data solutions to real-world solar problems. From solar farm planning to electricity grid management, synthetic solar irradiance promises an interesting avenue that facilitates more insightful simulation and scenario-based analysis. This chapter is an introduction to the topic of synthetic solar irradiance, starting with an informal history of applied solar engineering. The most fundamental variables around solar geometry and terms of irradiance are conceptually introduced and defined as they are requisite knowledge for solar modeling. Synthetic solar irradiance as a concept is introduced before laying out the aims and objective for the rest of the book.
Hydrogen production using variable- and fixed-speed wind farm topologies in a utility grid
Authors: Okedu Kenneth
Published: May 2021

This chapter presents hydrogen production in a utility grid composed of variable-speed and fixed-speed wind farms. The variable-speed wind farm is made of doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) wind turbines, while the fixed-speed wind farm is composed of only induction generator wind turbines. To achieve smoothing of the wind farm terminals, FACTS devices of an energy capacitor system (ECS) with a DC chopper type and STATCOM were used to stabilize the fixed-speed wind farms. The power converters of the DFIGs were used to provide reactive power during dynamic periods to achieve stability of the variable-speed wind farm. Since the amount of wind energy required to produce hydrogen is insignificant, and by taking advantage of the smoothed terminal of the wind farms, a hydrogen generator composed of a rectifier and electrolyzer was connected to the wind farms to produce hydrogen. The produced hydrogen gas thereby acts as a means of transportation to power fuel cell cars. On the basis of same grid energy in the utility network, the average time required to fill the hydrogen tanks using high pass filter time constant is shorter. The cooperative control strategies of the system were developed in the visual simulation PSCAD/EMTDC environment.
Investigation of two native Australian perennial forage legumes for their potential use in agriculture:
Authors: Snowball R. , Norman H. C. , D’Antuono M. F.
Published: May 2021

In order to investigate the potential for domestication of native pasture legumes, a seed collecting mission was undertaken between Kalbarri and Esperance in the south of Western Australia followed by establishment of a field nursery at Northam, Western Australia. Indigofera australis subsp. hesperia Peter G.Wilson & Rowe was collected from eight sites, Indigofera brevidens Benth. from one site, and Glycyrrhiza acanthocarpa (Lindl.) J.M.Black from six sites. The field nursery was an irrigated, replicated trial designed to produce seed for future field testing and to provide preliminary information on plant agronomic characteristics. Over 12 months, I. australis produced herbage dry matter (DM) of 2.1–4.4 t/ha compared with 3.4 t/ha for a composite line of tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa C.H. Stirton vars. albomarginata and crassiuscula) and 1.0 t/ha DM for G. acanthocarpa. Most lines had digestibility and crude protein (15–25%) values that would support moderate growth of sheep or cattle. The best line of G. acanthocarpa produced >400 kg/ha of seeds, whereas I. australis had poor production most likely due to poor adaptation to the nursery site. The severity of cutting of I. australis plants had no significant effect on visual assessments of herbage growth. Most plants of I. australis died within 3 years, whereas most plants of G. acanthocarpa, I. brevidens and tedera survived for 3 years. Both I. australis and G. acanthocarpa have potential for use in broadacre agriculture as grazing plants, most likely in niches specifically suited to each, and demonstrate that native plants can contribute to pasture production currently dominated by exotic species.