bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An innovative piston retractor for bicycle hydraulic disc braking systems
Authors: Mao Y J , Tseng C H
Published: March 2004

Hydraulic disc brake systems offer various advantages over other braking systems, including a good heat dissipation rate, a high force enlargement ratio and a constant braking force in various environments. However, they have an important defect as the lining pads remain at a small clearance from the disc rotor, occasionally producing judder, noise and power loss when freely running. This study proposes an innovative piston retractor by utilizing the theory of innovative problem solving. The prototype is manufactured and installed in a commercial brake caliper. Experimental results are obtained and demonstrate the feasibility of applying the proposed design in a bicycle hydraulic disc braking system. Retraction performance of the proposed design is superior to a current product with a ring seal as its retractor and another product with a retractor that does not contain an automatic adjustment mechanism. The clearance between the lining pad and disc rotor is successfully kept at a larger value than these products regardless of the pad wear.
A contact finite element algorithm for the multileaf spring of vehicle suspension systems
Authors: Li Qing , Li Wei
Published: March 2004

This paper presents an innovative finite element (FE) algorithm for the contact problem of the multileaf spring in vehicles. The well-established classic beam theory is adopted to construct the complementary strain energy variational. A piecewise contact stress pattern is approximated to the real contact state between two layered beams. The vector of nodal contact stresses is taken to represent primary state variables. To implement the principle of the least complementary energy, a quadratic programming (QP) problem with equality and unilateral constraints is formulated. The corresponding Kuhn-Tucker condition is equivalent to the linear complementary problem. In this study, Lemke's algorithm is applied to solve for the nodal stress vector and subsequently to determine the contact stress distribution over the contact surfaces between the layered beams. The algorithm is verified against experimental stress analysis, and it is found that the computation and test correlate well.
Diesel emissions prediction from dissimilar cycle scaling
Authors: Taylor S , Clark N , Gautam M , Wayne W S
Published: March 2004

A method for prediction of heavy heavy-duty diesel vehicle emissions on a test cycle using data from dissimilar test cycles is examined and presented. Four dissimilar modes of a new California test schedule were used to generate emission predictions for the US heavy-duty urban dynamometer driving schedule (UDDS). Intensive properties of each mode and of the UDDS, including average speed, stops/mile, percentage idle and average kinetic energy, were chosen for further study. The four dissimilar modes were the idle, creep, transient and cruise modes, created by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) in a prior effort. The predictive weightings were applied to emissions from 11 heavy-duty vehicles measured in units of grams/second (g/s), grams litre of fuel consumed (g/l) and brake specific emissions (g/kW h). Predictions of emissions for the UDDS in units of grams second of NOx and CO2were acceptable, but particulate matter (PM) deviations were substantial. Errors for prediction of NOx did not exceed 7 per cent for any case, and errors for CO2 prediction did not exceed 15 per cent. PM errors in the g/s case varied substantially, depending on the weighting case, indicating instabilities in the predictions. Errors for g/l and g/kW h predictions were higher. A series of corrections was applied to each of the predictive cases for each emissions unit studied. These corrections are shown to improve the predictive ability of the weightings, but the fundamental nature of the prediction was eroded. A weighting using the intensive properties of average speed, percentage idle and average kinetic energy was found to yield the best uncorrected prediction for every case, regardless of the emissions unit considered. The best predictive method was also shown to work acceptably when applied to unseen data from another 12 heavy-duty vehicles.
Pseudouridines in and near the branch site recognition region of U2 snRNA are required for snRNP biogenesis and pre-mRNA splicing inXenopusoocytes
Authors: ZHAO XINLIANG , YU YI-TAO
Published: March 2004

Virtually all uridines in thebranchsiterecognitionregion (BSRR) of vertebrate U2 are converted into pseudouridines after initial transcription. Here, we report a functional analysis of these modified nucleotides using theXenopusoocyte reconstitution system. Using site-specific32P-labeling and TLC, we show that U2 pseudouridylation occurs much faster in the BSRR than in the 5′-terminal region. To functionally dissect the pseudouridines in the BSRR, we replaced each uridine with 5-fluorouridine (unmodifiable nucleotide) using site-specific RNase H cleavage directed by 2′-O-methyl-RNA–DNA chimeras followed by three-piece ligation. Whereas in vitro transcribed U2 containing no 5-fluorouridines rescued splicing in U2-depleted oocytes, no rescue was observed with U2 RNA containing 5-fluorouridines introduced into the BSRR. Additionally, U2 RNA containing 5-fluorouridines in the BSRR specifically inhibited pseudouridylation in the BSRR of in vitro transcribed U2 injected at a later time, although pseudouridylation in the 5′-end region was not affected. Our reconstitution results indicated that prior injection into U2-depleted oocytes with U2 RNA containing 5-fluorouridines in the BSRR almost completely abrogated the ability of in vitro transcribed U2 to rescue splicing, whereas full rescue was obtained with either cellular U2 or U2 containing pseudouridines in the BSRR. Further analyses using glycerol-gradient and native gel electrophoresis indicated that U2 RNAs lacking the BSRR pseudouridines do not participate in the assembly of the functionally active 17S U2 snRNP and the spliceosome. We conclude that the BSRR pseudouridines of vertebrate U2 are required for complete snRNP assembly and pre-mRNA splicing inXenopusoocytes.
Evidence that polyadenylation factor CPSF-73 is the mRNA 3′ processing endonuclease
Authors: RYAN KEVIN , CALVO OLGA , MANLEY JAMES L.
Published: March 2004

Generation of the polyadenylated 3′ end of an mRNA requires an endonucleolytic cleavage followed by synthesis of the poly(A) tail. Despite the seeming simplicity of the reaction, more than a dozen polypeptides are required, and nearly all appear to be necessary for the cleavage reaction. Because of this complexity, the identity of the endonuclease has remained a mystery. Here we present evidence that a component of the cleavage-polyadenylation specificity factor CPSF-73 is the long-sought endonuclease. We first show, using site-specific labeling and UV-cross-linking, that a protein with properties of CPSF-73 is one of only two polypeptides in HeLa nuclear extract to contact the cleavage site in an AAUAAA-dependent manner. The recent identification of CPSF-73 as a possible member of the metallo-β-lactamase family of Zn2+-dependent hydrolytic enzymes suggests that this contact may identify CPSF-73 as the nuclease. Supporting the significance of the putative hydrolytic lactamase domain in CPSF-73, we show that mutation of key residues predicted to be required for activity in the yeast CPSF-73 homolog result in lethality. Furthermore, in contrast to long held belief, but consistent with properties of metallo-β-lactamases, we show that 3′ cleavage is metal-dependent, likely reflecting a requirement for tightly protein-bound Zn2+. Taken together, the available data provide strong evidence that CPSF-73 is the 3′ processing endonuclease.
Transportins 1 and 2 are redundant nuclear import factors for hnRNP A1 and HuR
Authors: REBANE ANA , AAB ALAR , STEITZ JOAN A.
Published: March 2004

Several mRNA-binding proteins, including hnRNP A1 and HuR, contain bidirectional transport signals that mediate both their nuclear import and export. Previously, Transportin 1 (Trn1) was identified as a mediator of hnRNP A1 import, whereas the closely related protein Transportin 2 (Trn2) was shown to interact with HuR. Here we have investigated the subfamily of transportins that consists of Trn1 (or Kap β2A) and two alternatively spliced Trn2 isoforms (Trn2a and Trn2b), also called Trn2 and Kap β2B. The sequence differences among these proteins could alter either their cargo specificity or their response to RanGTP and thus their function as import or export receptors. Using in vitro binding assays, we show that hnRNP A1 preferentially binds Trn1 and Trn2b versus Trn2a. HuR interacts with all three transportins, as well as weakly with Imp β. The hnRNP A1 and HuR shuttling domains, called M9 and HNS, respectively, are sufficient for these interactions. Despite small differences in the binding of HuR and hnRNP A1 to the three transportins, in vitro interaction studies performed in the presence and absence of RanQ69LGTP indicate that all three transportins most likely act as import factors for HuR and hnRNP A1. In digitonin-permeabilized HeLa cells, both M9 and HNS peptides compete for the import of recombinant hnRNP A1 and HuR, indicating that HuR and hnRNP A1 import pathways are at least partially overlapping. Possible nucleocytoplasmic shuttling mechanisms for hnRNP A1 and HuR are discussed.
Demonstrating internal ribosome entry sites in eukaryotic mRNAs using stringent RNA test procedures
Authors: VAN EDEN MARC E. , BYRD MARSHALL P. , SHERRILL KYLE W. , LLOYD RICHARD E.
Published: March 2004

The dicistronic assay for internal ribosome entry site (IRES) activity is the most widely used method for testing putative sequences that may drive cap-independent translation initiation. This assay typically involves the transfection of cells with dicistronic DNA test constructs. Many of the reports describing eukaryotic IRES elements have been criticized for the use of inadequate methods for the detection of aberrant RNAs that may form in transfected cells using this assay. Here we propose the combined use of a new RNAi-based method together with RT-PCR to effectively identify aberrant RNAs. We illustrate the use of these methods for analysis of RNAs generated in cells transfected with dicistronic test DNAs containing either the hepatitis C virus (HCV) IRES or the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) cellular IRES. Both analyses indicated aberrantly spliced transcripts occurred in cells transfected with the XIAP dicistronic DNA construct. This contributed to the unusually high levels of apparent IRES activity exhibited by the XIAP 5′ UTR in vivo. Cells transfected directly with dicistronic RNA exhibited much lower levels of XIAP IRES activity, resembling the lower levels observed after translation of dicistronic RNA in rabbit reticulocyte lysates. No aberrantly spliced transcripts could be detected following direct RNA transfection of cells. Interestingly, transfection of dicistronic DNA or RNA containing the HCV IRES did not form aberrantly spliced transcripts. These observations stress the importance of using alternative test procedures (e.g., direct RNA transfection) in conjunction with a combination of sensitive RNA analyses for discerning IRES-containing sequences in eukaryotic mRNAs.
The Meanings of a Star: Interpreting Music Fans' Reviews
Authors: Vannini Phillip
Published: March 2004

This article both elaborates on and empirically supports Norman Denzin's thesis on the political aesthetics of interpretation. Through a reading of consumer reviews, I discuss both the image and the music of the contemporary pop star Avril Lavigne by combining analytic tools derived from dramaturgy and social semiotics. Specifically, I present consumer reviews of Avril Lavigne's public persona as interpretive acts that decode the practices of production, distribution, and consumption of her alleged subcultural authenticity. I discuss the importance of understanding interpretation as a practice of cultural resistance against the pervasive force of consumerist ideologies and hegemonic mass media discourses. In addition, I reflect on the usefulness of a symbolic interactionist approach to a cultural studies based on Peircean semiotics and Goffmanian dramaturgy.

We are losing control of the very means of cultural production itself. … More and more culture becomes an adjunct of marketing, or of the bureaucratic ethos, or of both.

—C. Wright Mills (1963:226)
Selection of a diversionary field and other habitats by large grazing birds in a landscape managed for agriculture and wetland biodiversity
Authors: Nilsson Lovisa , Månsson Johan , Elmberg Johan , Liljebäck Niklas , Tombre Ingunn
Published: January 2024

Several populations of cranes, geese, and swans are thriving and increasing in modern agricultural landscapes. Abundant populations are causing conservation conflicts, as they may affect agricultural production and biodiversity negatively.

Management strategies involving provisioning of attractive diversionary fields where birds are tolerated can be used to reduce negative impact to growing crops. To improve such strategies, knowledge of how the birds interact with the landscape and respond to current management interventions is key.

We used GPS locations from tagged common cranes (Grus grus) and greylag geese (Anser anser) to assess how they use and select differentially managed habitats, such as diversionary fields to decrease impact on agriculture and wetlands protected for biodiversity conservation.

Our findings show a high probability of presence of common cranes and greylag geese in the protected area and in the diversionary field, but also on arable fields, potentially causing negative impact on agricultural production and wetland biodiversity.

We outline recommendations for how to improve the practice of diversionary fields and complementary management to reduce risk of negative impact of large grazing birds in landscapes tailored for both conservation and conventional agriculture.
The Role of
SHANK3
/PROSAP2 in the Pathophysiology of Autism Spectrum Disorder and Phelan–Mcdermid Syndrome
Authors: Piercesare Grimaldi , Francisco Cammarata‐Scalisi , Enrico S Bertini , Colin E Willoughby , Julian Nevado , Antonino Morabito , Michele Callea
Published: January 2024

Phelan–McDermid syndrome (PMS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by a deletion or mutations of the
SHANK3/
PROSAP2 gene, located on the terminal end of chromosome 22. The SHANK3/PROSAP2 gene produces a protein called
SHANK3
, which is crucial for the development and function of synapses in the brain. Loss or dysfunction of
SHANK3/
PROSAP2 leads to disruptions in synaptic function and plasticity. Individuals with PMS often experience developmental delay, intellectual disability and symptoms of autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including impaired communication and social interaction, repetitive behaviours and restricted interests. This review explores the role of
SHANK3/
PROSAP2 in the pathogenesis of PMS and ASD, which may contribute to the cognitive and behavioural deficits seen in affected individuals. However, recent advances in understanding the underlying molecular and cellular mechanisms of PMS have led to the development of potential therapeutic targets, such as drugs that enhance synaptic function and behavioural therapies that target social communication and adaptive skills. Further research is needed to better understand the complex molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying PMS and ASD, and to develop effective treatments for these disorders.

Key Concepts

SHANK3/
PROSAP2 gene produces a synaptic protein whose mutation causes both in autism and philanthropy McDermid syndrome.

SHANK3/
PROSAP2 is involved in synaptic transmission and functional connectivity.

Recently developed mutant monkeys for
SHANK3/
PROSAP2 may open invaluable insight into research of autism spectrum disorder and Phelan McDermid syndrome.
Evolution of Hitchhiking Interactions in Microbes
Authors: Uppal Gurdip , Vural Dervis Can
Published: January 2024

Many microbes migrate from unfavourable environments to more favourable ones. They will, for example, seek out nutrients, prey, and hosts or avoid toxins, heat or salinity. However, motility also incurs metabolic costs, and accordingly, for many microbes, it is not cost‐effective to be motile. Interestingly, many nonmotile microbes have been observed to utilize their motile neighbours to ‘hitchhike’ to more favourable environments. Microbial hitchhiking seems quite widespread and has potential impacts on ecological community function and formation. The ecology and evolution of hitchhiking appears to be varied, with interactions ranging from parasitic to mutualistic.

Key Concepts

Cell motility is crucial for many key functions in microbial populations but comes with metabolic costs and not all microbes possess the machinery to be motile.

Four separate mechanisms of hitchhiking in microbes have been identified thus far. These are mechanical pushing by motile cells, direct attachment to cell bodies, direct attachment to bacterial flagella and internal transport by cells.

Microbial hitchhiking can be parasitic, commensal, or mutualistic.

Microbial hitchhiking can also be mutually beneficial, where both motile and nonmotile counterparts benefit, for example in combining functions such as antibiotic resistance.

Microbial hitchhiking can have important ecological implications, including influencing the composition and function of microbial communities and the spread of pathogens.

Many motile counterparts in hitchhiking interactions use chemotaxis to move towards more favourable environments.
Slime Moulds
Authors: Blanton Richard L
Published: January 2024

Slime moulds are organisms that feed and grow like protozoa but reproduce like fungi. No single taxonomic group encompasses all slime moulds. Instead, the slime mould habit has arisen multiple times across a number of different groups. Their unusual name belies the importance of some species as experimental research organisms. The cellular slime mould
Dictyostelium discoideum
has provided significant insights into cell differentiation and pattern formation, cell motility, cell signalling, gene expression and cell adhesion and in recent years has also been employed in studies of the mechanism of action of pharmaceuticals, the cellular effects of pathogenic microorganisms and the evolution of social behaviour. The plasmodial slime mould
Physarum polycephalum
has provided insights into cytoplasmic streaming and control of nuclear division and more recently has been employed in practical and theoretical studies of path finding. The comparative genomics of the multicellular slime moulds has the potential to provide insights into the evolution of multicellularity.

Key Concepts

‘Slime moulds’ is a descriptive term rather than a systematic category.

The slime mould habit of protozoan‐like feeding stages alternating with fungus‐like reproductive stages has arisen independently in a wide variety of microorganisms embracing three of the major supergroups of Eukaryotes.

The multicellular slime moulds include the well‐known social amoeba
Dictyostelium discoideum
, which has had broad application as a model research organism in the study of fundamental cellular processes.

The plasmodial slime moulds include
Physarum polycephalum
, which has been used as a model for studying fundamental cellular processes and has recently been used by physicists and computer scientists for network analysis and other studies.

Complete genome sequences are available for many of the multicellular slime moulds and their nonaggregative and nonfruiting amoebal relatives. This presents intriguing prospects for exploring the evolution of multicellularity using comparative genomics.
Independent Monte Carlo dose calculation identifies single isocenter multi‐target radiosurgery targets most likely to fail pre‐treatment measurement
Authors: Erickson Brett , Cui Yunfeng , Alber Markus , Wang Chunhao , Fang Yin Fang , Kirkpatrick John , Adamson Justus
Published: January 2024

Purpose

For individual targets of single isocenter multi‐target (SIMT) Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS), we assess dose difference between the treatment planning system (TPS) and independent Monte Carlo (MC), and demonstrate persistence into the pre‐treatment Quality Assurance (QA) measurement.

Methods

Treatment plans from 31 SIMT SRS patients were recalculated in a series of scenarios designed to investigate sources of discrepancy between TPS and independent MC. Targets with > 5% discrepancy in DMean[Gy] after progressing through all scenarios were measured with SRS MapCHECK. A matched pair analysis was performed comparing SRS MapCHECK results for these targets with matched targets having similar characteristics (volume & distance from isocenter) but no such MC dose discrepancy.

Results

Of 217 targets analyzed, individual target mean dose (DMean[Gy]) fell outside a 5% threshold for 28 and 24 targets before and after removing tissue heterogeneity effects, respectively, while only 5 exceeded the threshold after removing effect of patient geometry (via calculation on StereoPHAN geometry). Significant factors affecting agreement between the TPS and MC included target distance from isocenter (0.83% decrease in DMean[Gy] per 2 cm), volume (0.15% increase per cc), and degree of plan modulation (0.37% increase per 0.01 increase in modulation complexity score). SRS MapCHECK measurement had better agreement with MC than with TPS (2%/1 mm / 10% threshold gamma pass rate (GPR) = 99.4 ± 1.9% vs. 93.1 ± 13.9%, respectively). In the matched pair analysis, targets exceeding 5% for MC versus TPS also had larger discrepancies between TPS and measurement with no GPR (2%/1 mm / 10% threshold) exceeding 90% (71.5% ± 16.1%); whereas GPR was high for matched targets with no such MC versus TPS difference (96.5% ± 3.3%, p = 0.01).

Conclusions

Independent MC complements pre‐treatment QA measurement for SIMT SRS by identifying problematic individual targets prior to pre‐treatment measurement, thus enabling plan modifications earlier in the planning process and guiding selection of targets for pre‐treatment QA measurement.
Decoupling Interfacial Kinetics Realizes 5C Fast Charging of Potassium‐Ion Batteries Using Graphite Anode
Authors: Zhou Wang , Mo Ying , Gao Peng , Wang Kexuan , Ke Jinlong , Liu Zheng , Chen Shi , Liu Jilei
Published: January 2024

Improving interfacial kinetics is the key to realizing extreme fast charging (XFC) of graphite‐based potassium ion batteries (PIBs). The electrolyte engineering is commonly used for solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) design. However, this strategy adjusts both ion solvation structure and (de)solvation kinetics simultaneously, thus making it difficult to explicitly reveal the linkage between SEI properties and interfacial kinetics. Herein, the content of inorganic species in preformed SEI on graphite surface is precisely regulated and uncovered its critical role in improving the interfacial kinetics. The charge transfer kinetics on graphite/electrolyte interphase is found to be the rate limitation step upon XFC. Meanwhile, the increased inorganic species in SEI plays a decisive role in optimizing the charge transfer rather than the kinetics of naked K+ crossing SEI. Through unlocking the anodic charge transfer limitation with ultra‐inorganic rich SEI, the graphite//Prussian blue analogs full cells achieve a superior XFC ability (13 min charge to 80%) with a specific capacity of 103 mAh g−1 at 5 C. This work provides a fundamental understanding of the relationship between SEI properties and interfacial kinetics during XFC, which enables the rational design of SEI chemistry for fast‐charging PIBs.
Metastructure “Trap” Coating by Acoustic Confinement Effect for Antibacterial Sonothermal Therapy
Authors: Guan Shiwei , Chen Shuhan , Zhang Xianming , Zhang Haifeng , Liu Xingdan , Hou Zhiyu , Wang Fang , Qian Shi , Zhu Hongqin , Tan Ji , Liu Xuanyong
Published: January 2024

Antibacterial sonothermal therapy (ASTT) is attractive for treating implant‐associated infection, which addresses the limitations of poor penetration of photothermal therapy. However, achieving implant surface‐specific ultrasound heating is incredibly challenging. Inspired by the porous acoustic metastructure in noise reduction, the acoustic metastructure would be a new strategy for attaining ASTT. Herein, an “acoustic confinement effect” is proposed to “trap” ultrasound for the metastructure TiO2 porous coating on titanium implants. The metastructure coating accomplishes specific acoustic absorption and efficient acoustic‐to‐thermal conversion, surpassing the non‐specific heating of conventional coatings. The theoretical calculation and experiment of metastructure porous coating prove the acoustic‐to‐thermal conversion mechanism, which is also validated in metastructure porous coatings on medical polyetheretherketone, indicating it is universal. Excitingly, this acoustic metastructure “trap” can capture bacteria and local sonothermal enhancement, exhibiting superior ASTT antibacterial rates (S. aureus, 99.69%; E. coil, 99.58%) at low‐power ultrasound. In addition, the metastructure TiO2 coating mimics human bone and demonstrates outstanding osseointegration. This study sheds substantial light on developing the acoustic responsive surface, broadening a new direction of acoustic metamaterials in medical applications.
Persistent Targeting DNA Nanocarrier Made of 3D Structural Unit Assembled from Only One Basic Multi‐Palindromic Oligonucleotide for Precise Gene Cancer Therapy
Authors: Wu Jingting , Zheng Xiaoqi , Lin Wenqing , Chen Linhuan , Wu Zai‐Sheng
Published: January 2024

Construction of a simple, reconfigurable, and stimuli‐responsive DNA nanocarrier remains a technical challenge. In this contribution, by designing three palindromic fragments, a simplest four‐sticky end‐contained 3D structural unit (PS‐unit) made of two same DNA components is proposed. Via regulating the rotation angle of central longitudinal axis of PS‐unit, the oriented assembly of one‐component spherical architecture is accomplished with high efficiency. Introduction of an aptamer and sticky tail warehouse into one component creates a size‐change‐reversible targeted siRNA delivery nanovehicle. Volume swelling of 20 nm allows one carrier to load 1987 siPLK1s. Once entering cancer cells and responding to glutathione (GSH) stimuli, siPLK1s are almost 100% released and original size of nanovehicle is restored, inhibiting the expression of PLK1 protein and substantially suppressing tumor growth (superior to commercial transfection agents) in tumor‐bearing mice without systemic toxicity.
Electro‐Optical Multiclassification Platform for Minimizing Occasional Inaccuracy in Point‐of‐Care Biomarker Detection
Authors: Dai Changhao , Xiong Huiwen , He Rui , Zhu Chenxin , Li Pintao , Guo Mingquan , Gou Jian , Mei Miaomiao , Kong Derong , Li Qiang , Wee Andrew Thye Shen , Fang Xueen , Kong Jilie , Liu Yunqi , Wei Dacheng
Published: January 2024

On‐site diagnostic tests that accurately identify disease biomarkers lay the foundation for self‐healthcare applications. However, these tests routinely rely on single‐mode signals and suffer from insufficient accuracy, especially for multiplexed point‐of‐care tests (POCTs) within a few minutes. Here, this work develops a dual‐mode multiclassification diagnostic platform that integrates an electrochemiluminescence sensor and a field‐effect transistor sensor in a microfluidic chip. The microfluidic channel guides the testing samples to flow across electro‐optical sensor units, which produce dual‐mode readouts by detecting infectious biomarkers of tuberculosis (TB), human rhinovirus (HRV), and group B streptococcus (GBS). Then, machine‐learning classifiers generate three‐dimensional (3D) hyperplanes to diagnose different diseases. Dual‐mode readouts derived from distinct mechanisms enhance the anti‐interference ability physically, and machine‐learning‐aided diagnosis in high‐dimensional space reduces the occasional inaccuracy mathematically. Clinical validation studies with 501 unprocessed samples indicate that the platform has an accuracy approaching 99%, higher than the 77%–93% accuracy of rapid point‐of‐care testing technologies at 100% statistical power (>150 clinical tests). Moreover, the diagnosis time is 5 min without a trade‐off of accuracy. This work solves the occasional inaccuracy issue of rapid on‐site diagnosis, endowing POCT systems with the same accuracy as laboratory tests and holding unique prospects for complicated scenes of personalized healthcare.
Single Channel Based Interference‐Free and Self‐Powered Human–Machine Interactive Interface Using Eigenfrequency‐Dominant Mechanism
Authors: Ding Sen , Zhao Dazhe , Chen Yongyao , Dai Ziyi , Zhao Qian , Gao Yibo , Zhong Junwen , Luo Jianyi , Zhou Bingpu
Published: January 2024

The recent development of wearable devices is revolutionizing the way of human–machine interaction (HMI). Nowadays, an interactive interface that carries more embedded information is desired to fulfill the increasing demand in era of Internet of Things. However, present approach normally relies on sensor arrays for memory expansion, which inevitably brings the concern of wiring complexity, signal differentiation, power consumption, and miniaturization. Herein, a one‐channel based self‐powered HMI interface, which uses the eigenfrequency of magnetized micropillar (MMP) as identification mechanism, is reported. When manually vibrated, the inherent recovery of the MMP causes a damped oscillation that generates current signals because of Faraday's Law of induction. The time‐to‐frequency conversion explores the MMP‐related eigenfrequency, which provides a specific solution to allocate diverse commands in an interference‐free behavior even with one electric channel. A cylindrical cantilever model is built to regulate the MMP eigenfrequencies via precisely designing the dimensional parameters and material properties. It is shown that using one device and two electrodes, high‐capacity HMI interface can be realized when the magnetic micropillars (MMPs) with different eigenfrequencies have been integrated. This study provides the reference value to design the future HMI system especially for situations that require a more intuitive and intelligent communication experience with high‐memory demand.
Binary Organic Solar Cells with over 19 % Efficiency and Enhanced Morphology Stability Enabled by Asymmetric Acceptors
Authors: Chen Shihao , Zhu Shengtian , Hong Ling , Deng Wanyuan , Zhang Yi , Fu Yuang , Zhong Zuiyi , Dong Minghao , Liu Chunchen , Lu Xinhui , Zhang Kai , Huang Fei
Published: January 2024

The simultaneous improvement of efficiency and stability of organic solar cells (OSCs) for commercialization remains a challenging task. Herein, we designed asymmetric acceptors DT‐C8Cl and DT‐C8BTz with functional haloalkyl chains, in which the halogen atoms could induce noncovalent interactions with heteroatoms like O, S, and Se, etc., thus leading to appropriately manipulated film morphology. Consequently, binary devices based on D18: DT‐C8Cl achieved a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.40 %. The higher PCE of D18: DT‐C8Cl could be attributed to the enhanced π–π stacking, improved charge transport, and reduced recombination losses. In addition, the noncovalent interactions induced by haloalkyl chains could effectively suppress unfavorable morphology evolutions and thereby reduce trap density of states, leading to improved thermal and storage stability. Overall, our findings reveal that the rational design of asymmetric acceptors with functional haloalkyl chains is a novel and powerful strategy for simultaneously enhancing the efficiency and stability of OSCs.
A Programmable DNAzyme for the Sensitive Detection of Nucleic Acids
Authors: Shi Chenzhi , Yang Donglei , Ma Xiaowei , Pan Li , Shao Yuanchuan , Arya Gaurav , Ke Yonggang , Zhang Chuan , Wang Fuan , Zuo Xiaolei , Li Min , Wang Pengfei
Published: January 2024

Nucleic acids in biofluids are emerging biomarkers for the molecular diagnostics of diseases, but their clinical use has been hindered by the lack of sensitive detection assays. Herein, we report the development of a sensitive nucleic acid detection assay named SPOT (sensitive loop‐initiated DNAzyme biosensor for nucleic acid detection) by rationally designing a catalytic DNAzyme of endonuclease capability into a unified one‐stranded allosteric biosensor. SPOT is activated once a nucleic acid target of a specific sequence binds to its allosteric module to enable continuous cleavage of molecular reporters. SPOT provides a highly robust platform for sensitive, convenient and cost‐effective detection of low‐abundance nucleic acids. For clinical validation, we demonstrated that SPOT could detect serum miRNAs for the diagnostics of breast cancer, gastric cancer and prostate cancer. Furthermore, SPOT exhibits potent detection performance over SARS‐CoV‐2 RNA from clinical swabs with high sensitivity and specificity. Finally, SPOT is compatible with point‐of‐care testing modalities such as lateral flow assays. Hence, we envision that SPOT may serve as a robust assay for the sensitive detection of a variety of nucleic acid targets enabling molecular diagnostics in clinics.
Development of extrusion blown films of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) blends for flexible packaging
Authors: Le Delliou Benjamin , Vitrac Olivier , Benihya Anir , Guinault Alain , Domenek Sandra
Published: January 2024

Poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) is a biodegradable polymer with significant potential for use in food packaging. However, its limited melt strength poses a challenge when employing film‐blowing techniques to produce flexible packaging. To overcome this obstacle, we developed blends consisting of 70 wt% PHBV and 30 wt% poly(butylene‐co‐succinate‐co‐adipate) (PBSA). Organic peroxides such as dicumyl peroxide and 2,5‐dimethyl‐2,5‐di‐(tert‐butylperoxy)hexane, were utilized as reactive compatibilizers to enhance the interfacial adhesion between the polymers. Additionally, acetyl tributyl citrate (ATBC) was employed as a plasticizer to improve processability and ductility. The inclusion of organic peroxides resulted in the formation of long‐branched structures, as confirmed by the van‐Gurp‐Palmen plot. The melt flow index decreased from 30 to 9.8 g/10 min without ATBC and 15.5 g/10 min with ATBC. Successful production of blown PHBV/PBSA films was achieved on a pilot scale (bubble height 180 cm). These films exhibited heat‐sealing capability and increased impact strength (7.7 kJ/m2). Moreover, the films maintained a maximum elongation at break of 4% during a 3‐month storage experiment with frozen food. Food safety was assessed through overall migration experiments, and the non‐plasticized films received approval. In conclusion, the compatibilized PHBV/PBSA blends demonstrate great potential as materials for manufacturing film‐blown flexible packaging.
Preparation and smoke suppression mechanism of flame‐retardant PBS composites with BNNS@DOPA
Authors: Zhang Yun , Jiang Zhenlin , Wang Mei , Chen Jiapeng , Wang Baoxiu , Wang Chaosheng , Peng Qifei , Xiong Lulu
Published: January 2024

Currently, the flame‐retardant modification of polybutylene succinate (PBS) is mainly focused on improving flame‐retardant efficiency, ignoring the negative impact of the smoke produced by combustion on the human respiratory tract. To address this problem, PBS composites were prepared by melt blending method in this study. The effect of boron nitride‐grafted DOPO flame retardant (BNNS@DOPA) on flame retardancy and smoke suppression of PBS composites was investigated. Incorporating 3% BNNS@DOPA into PBS composites results in a 90% improvement in thermal conductivity. This resulted in a reduction of the peak heat release rate, total heat release rate, and actual smoke rate to 453.7 kW m−2, 86.3 MJ m−2, and 1035.9 m2, respectively, compared with pure PBS. The latter indicated a decrease of 34.0%, 37.6%, and 51.2%, respectively. Furthermore, the ignition time was extended by 45 s and the limiting oxygen index value increased by 12.5%. This functionalization approach presents a new way to study PBS flame retardancy improvement, consequently boosting its application in fire safety for polymer materials.
Exploring the effects of montmorillonite and halloysite nanotubes on mechanical, optical and barrier properties of poly (butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) blown films: Implications for sustainable packaging and food storage
Authors: García‐Carrillo Miguel , González‐Granados Isaac , Hernández‐López Aimeé Alejandra , Espinoza‐Martínez Adriana Berenice
Published: January 2024

Biodegradable packaging plastics combining good mechanical properties and low gas permeability is required to avoid environmental and food safety concerns. This study explores the impact of montmorillonite (MMT) and halloysite nanotubes (HNT), on the mechanical, optical, and oxygen permeability of blown film poly (butylene adipate‐co‐terephthalate) (PBAT) composites. The morphology of the films was evaluated by x‐ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscopy. Good distribution/dispersion of clays is found in the PBAT‐MMT films. Besides, there is an increase in the crystallinity of PBAT due to the nucleating effect of HNT. Improvement in the tensile strength and elongation at break in the machine direction is obtained up to a clay content of 1.5 vol%. The incorporation of 1.5 vol% of MMT and 1 vol% of HNT leads to a reduction in the oxygen permeability of the PBAT film by 29% and 38% respectively. Furthermore, the films remain transparent regardless of clay content. Finally, the feasibility of the films for food storage is tested in grapes, obtaining extended shelf life. The favorable mechanical, barrier and optical properties of the biodegradable films, along with the scalable production process, make them attractive for application in the storage and preservation of food products.
Valorization of Citrus peels: GC/MS‐based metabolites profiling, multivariate analysis, and antiaging potential
Authors: El Kady Wafaa M. , Ayoub Iriny M. , El Mehrate Ahmed K. , Emad Mohamed , Tarek Mohamed , El Gdeily Ahmed , Mohamed El‐Romisaa , Medhat Rana , Mahmoud Omar , Gad Amira M. , Danderawy Alaa M. , Breaka Ola L. , Mosad Nada E. , Gemeaha Safaa M. , Fathallah Noha
Published: January 2024

Aging and agro‐waste are major challenges. Natural ingredients are preferred in skincare. This study intended to isolate the essential oils (EO) from the leftover peels obtained from three commonly edible Citrus species fruit peels, namely Citrus paradisi (grapefruit), Citrus sinensis (sweet orange), and Citrus deliciosa (mandarin). Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis identified volatile constituents in EO and headspace aroma. Multivariate analysis distinguished between the three species. The antiaging effects of Citrus EO were assessed in vitro and in silico, studying volatile interactions with target enzymes. C. sinensis peels had the highest oil yield, rich in monoterpenes. C. paradisi and C. deliciosa contained sesquiterpenes. Limonene dominated the hydrodistilled EO: 94.50% in C. paradisi, 96.80% in C. sinensis, and 80.66% in C. deliciosa. Unsupervised multivariate analysis of Citrus species revealed that 
d‐limonene, γ‐terpinene, and β‐pinene are the key phytochemical markers contributing to their diverse chemical composition. C. paradisi exhibited the highest enzyme inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 12.82, 27.58, and 18.16 µg/mL for tyrosinase, elastase, and collagenase, respectively. In silico studies showed that the volatiles can inhibit the tested antiaging enzymes. According to these findings, the investigated agro‐waste might slow aging in skin care.
Construction of Synergistic Co/CoO Interface to Enhance Hydrogenation Activity of Ethyl Lactate to 1,2‐Propanediol
Authors: Li Chengyang , Wang Jia , Zhao Jing , Gao Guang , Wu Kuang‐Hsu , Su Bing‐Jian , Chen Jin‐Ming , Xi Yongjie , Huang Zhiwei , Qiao Yan , Li Fuwei
Published: January 2024

The development of effective and stable non‐precious catalysts for hydrogenation of ester to diols remains a challenge. Herein, the catalytic hydrogenation of ethyl lactate (EL) to 1,2‐propanediol (1,2‐PDO) with supported Co catalysts derived from layered double hydroxides (LDHs) is investigated. Catalytic tests reveal that LDH‐derived Co catalysts exhibit the best catalytic performance with 98 % of EL conversion and >99 % of 1,2‐PDO selectivity at mild conditions, compared with other Co catalysts (supported on Al2O3, and TiO2) and LDH‐derived Cu catalysts. Due to the strong interaction among Co and Al matrix, the main composition is metallic Co0 and CoO after reduction at 600 °C. Besides, the catalyst shows good recyclability in the liquid phase hydrogenation. The superior catalytic performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between Co0 and CoO, in which H2 molecule is activated on Co0 and EL is strongly adsorbed on CoO via hydroxyl groups.
Fault‐tolerant adaptive tracking control for spacecraft attitude with asymptotic convergence
Authors: Yin Yuwan , Ning Xin , Wang Zheng , Xia Dongdong
Published: January 2024

In this paper, we present a novel spacecraft attitude adaptive tracking control strategy that addresses the challenges posed by unknown inertia parameters, bounded unstructured uncertainties, and various actuator faults. To mitigate the adverse effects of these multiple uncertainties, our proposed control algorithm utilizes a simple tracking‐error feedback and compensation term, which only requires two adaptive parameters. This approach ensures asymptotic tracking convergence by employing an infinitely integrable inequality that incorporates saturation functions. As a result, the complexity of controller design and computational burden are significantly reduced. Finally, several numerical simulations are conducted to validate the feasibility and superiority of our proposed controller.
Process development and characterization for integrated continuous bioprocesses—Highlights from N‐mAb
Authors: Brower Kevin , Wiltberger Kelly , Berdugo Claudia , Bosley Allen , Goodrich Elizabeth , Pferdeort Valerie , Schaefer Gene
Published: January 2024

The N‐mAb case study was produced by the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL) to support teaching and learning for both industry and to accelerate adoption of advanced manufacturing process technologies such as integrated continuous bioprocesses (ICB) for mAbs. Similar to the A‐mAb case study, N‐mAb presents the evolution of an integrated control strategy, from early clinical through process validation and commercial manufacturing with a focus on elements that are unique to integrated continuous bioprocesses. This publication presents a summary of the process design and characterization chapters to allow a greater focus on the unique elements relevant to that phase of development.
Evaluating end‐to‐end continuous antibody manufacture with column‐free capture alternatives from economic, environmental, and robustness perspectives
Authors: Neves Catarina P. G. , Coffman Jonathan L. , Farid Suzanne S.
Published: January 2024

Process intensification efforts have renewed interest in the potential of end‐to‐end continuous manufacture with column‐free capture alternatives. This article describes a decisional tool that encompasses mass balance and design equations, process economics, stochastic simulation and multi‐criteria decision‐making and enables the evaluation of different batch, and continuous flowsheets for monoclonal antibody (mAb) manufacture. The traditional batch process was compared with end‐to‐end continuous bioprocesses with either protein A capture or column‐free capture employing aqueous two‐phase extraction or precipitation from economic, environmental, and robustness perspectives. The cost of goods analysis predicted that continuous flowsheets could offer substantial cost savings (~20%–40%) over the batch process at low and medium annual commercial demands (100–500 kg); however, at tonnage demands they resulted in either comparable or higher costs. Comparing the continuous options, the continuous flowsheets with protein A or precipitation yielded similar COG/g values, while aqueous two‐phase extraction presented higher costs. The analysis of overall process mass intensities accounting for water and consumables suggested that the continuous flowsheet with protein A would result in the lowest environmental burden. When the economic, environmental, and operational criteria were reconciled using multi‐criteria decision‐making analysis, the continuous protein A‐based flowsheet was found to be the most favorable. A target analysis highlighted the need for process improvements in the following parameters to reduce the manufacturing costs of the continuous column‐free capture options below that of protein A: the perfusion volumetric productivity, the harvested cell culture fluid percentage in column‐free operations, the column‐free step yields along with the implementation of buffer concentrates.
Multi‐omics kinetic analysis of recombinant adeno‐associated virus production by plasmid transfection of HEK293 cells
Authors: Lu Min , Lee Zion , Hu Wei‐Shou
Published: January 2024

Recombinant adeno‐associated virus (rAAV) is among the most commonly used vectors for gene therapy. It is commonly produced by transfection of HEK293 cells with three plasmids each containing the vector genome including gene of interest (GOI), helper functions, and rep and cap genes for genome replication and capsid formation. To meet the potential clinical needs, the productivity of the production system needs to be enhanced. A better process characterization of the production system will further advance our insights into ways to enhance productivity. Here, we employed transcriptomic analysis to quantify the dynamics of different isoforms of viral transcripts and to assess the shift of cellular physiology, and deployed targeted proteomic analysis for absolute quantification of viral proteins and tandem mass tags (TMTs) for assessing cellular responses at the protein level. Functional analysis at transcriptome and proteome levels identified defense and immune response, unfolded protein response, p53 signaling as enriched. The small molecule additive intervention study based on functional analysis showed the potential of such omics‐guided productivity enhancement. Together, multi‐omics analysis advanced understanding of rAAV production and provided insight into enhancing rAAV production by plasmid transfection.
Review recent rulings involving racial, national origin discrimination
Authors: Lyerly Eric
Published: January 2024

An overview of the key topics faced by higher education administrators with citations to noteworthy cases, statutes, regulations, and additional sources.
Predicting valuable missense variants with AlphaMissense in a multiple pulmonary infection patient
Authors: Wang Tianyuan , Ma Jindi , Shu Yuan , Hong Bao , Wang Zhouhan , Lu Yingfeng , Yu Xiaopeng , Huang Xi , Zhang Yimin
Published: January 2024

Key Clinical Message

AlphaMissense is proficient in predicting the clinical classification of missense variants. we utilized AlphaMissense to find disease‐relevant variants within a polymicrobial pulmonary infection case. Exome sequencing was performed in this patient, and AlphaMissense and Phenolyzer were combined to investigate disease‐relevant variants screening from exome sequencing results.