bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Dorsal Vein to Corporal Body Shunt: An Operation for Recurrent Priapism
Authors: HASHMAT AIZID I. , HAKIM LAWRENCE S.
Published: October 2023

ABSTRACT: Many operations have been described for priapism, a painful condition and a urological emergency. We describe a shunt between the deep dorsal vein and corporal body. The shunt is fairly easy to perform under loupe magnification and has resulted in detumescence and preservation of potency. Priapism can be classified into four main types clinically: acute priapism, recurrent priapism, chronic priapism, and acute on chronic priapism.

Recurrent priapism is a form of priapism in which a patient gets frequent attacks. This may occur at long intervals, but sometimes the episodes are frequent and result in hospitalizations. The natural history in some of these patients varies; the patient may eventually become impotent or continue to get attacks. There is a subset of patients in which the frequency of priapic episodes becomes so frequent and troublesome that a surgical procedure has to be contemplated. There is no effective medication currently available to provide symptomatic relief.

The operation is performed under either regional or general anesthesia. An incision is made around the base of the penis. The penis is then delivered into the wound from its base to the mid‐shaft area. The deep dorsal vein is then isolated and mobilized. Its tributaries are ligated from either side. The deep dorsal vein is then severed at the junction of distal mid‐shaft of the penis. The end of the vein is spatulated. A suitable area is then selected in the dorsum of either of the corporal bodies. An island of tunica is removed from the corporal cavernosa, corresponding to the spatulated size of the dorsal vein of the penis. An anastomosis is performed between the vein and the corporal body with a 7/0 running vascular suture under loupe magnification. The patency of the shunt can be confirmed by injecting heparinized normal saline into the corporal body.

The shunt has resulted in satisfactory resolution of attacks of recurrent priapism and surprisingly, maintaining normal erections.
An Exploration of Mineral Density, Elemental and Chemical Composition of Primary Teeth in Relation to Cord-Blood Vitamin D, Using Laboratory Analysis Techniques
Authors: Beckett Deanna M , Vaz Viegas Shaun , Broadbent Jonathan M , Wheeler Benjamin J , Bērziņš Kārlis , Fraser-Miller Sara J , Gordon Keith C , Drummond Bernadette K , Mahoney Erin K , Loch Carolina
Published: October 2023

Postnatally, severe vitamin D deficiency commonly results in rickets as well as potential defects in tooth mineralization. The effects of milder deficiency on oral health outcomes later in life are still unclear. This study used micro–computed tomography (μCT), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and Raman spectroscopy to investigate mineral density, total density, and elemental composition of enamel and dentine in 63 exfoliated primary incisors from participants with known 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels (25-OHD) at birth. No differences in mineralization and chemical composition using μCT and EDX analysis were observed irrespective of 25-OHD status. Subtle structural differences were observed via Raman spectroscopy, with more crystalline enamel observed in those with sufficient 25-OHD at birth. Although subtle, the differences seen suggest further attention should be given to children with known milder levels of vitamin D deficiency in early life. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
Relating different perspectives on how outcomes of behavior influence behavior
Authors: De Houwer Jan , Finn Martin , Boddez Yannick , Hughes Sean , Cummins Jamie
Published: October 2023

Many researchers have tackled the question of how behavior is influenced by its outcomes. Some have adopted a nonmechanistic (functional) perspective that attempts to describe the influence of outcomes on behavior. Others have adopted a mechanistic (cognitive) perspective that attempts to explain the influence of outcomes on behavior. Orthogonal to this distinction, some have focused on the influence of outcomes that a behavior had in the past, whereas others also consider the influence of outcomes that a behavior might have in the future. In this article, we relate these different perspectives with the goal of reducing misunderstandings and fostering collaborations between researchers who adopt different perspectives on the common question of how behavior is influenced by its outcomes.
Full‐Fourier‐Component Tailorable Optical Neural Meta‐Transformer
Authors: Luo Xuhao , Dong Siyu , Wei Zeyong , Wang Zhanshan , Hu Yueqiang , Duan Huigao , Cheng Xinbin
Published: October 2023

Brain‐inspired optical neural computing (ONC) is the state‐of‐the‐art scheme in modern computing, offering robust strategies to execute advanced inference with a high throughput and large‐scale parallelism. However, the hitherto prevalent diffractive ONC networks have watered‐down competence, which is mostly a phase‐only methodology but fails to precisely handle the Fourier transform of complex fields, thus forfeiting the integrity of the architecture and half the volume of available training weights. Here, a novel neural meta‐transformer (ONM) enabled by an optical rotation‐isolator‐assisted paradigm is proposed, whose meta‐neurons utilize structural birefringence and polarization rotation to achieve independently arbitrary tailoring of full Fourier components, that is the complete learnable parameters of diffractive ONC. The full‐Fourier‐component ONM has great merits over phase‐only counterparts in all representative cases: being a classifier, it improves the recognition accuracy, especially for input with more high‐frequency features; acting as an imager, the background noise of output is effectively diminished; and when engineering as an encoder, both near‐field grayscale nanoprinting and neural meta‐holography are yielded. The mechanism is minimalist, compact, and compatible with nonlinear activation, opening the route to fully parametric intelligent meta‐devices, with far‐reaching implications for optical computing, display, encryption, etc.
Multilayer Hydrogel Microcubes: Effects of Templating Particle Morphology on Cubic Hydrogel Properties
Authors: Inman Daniel , Kozlovskaya Veronika , Nikishau Pavel , Nealy Sarah , Dolmat Maksim , Oh Jonghwa , Lungu Claudiu T. , Hunter Lynzi , Kharlampieva Eugenia
Published: October 2023

Non‐spherical stimuli‐responsive polymeric particles have shown critical importance in therapeutic delivery. Herein, pH‐responsive poly(methacrylic acid) (PMAA) cubic hydrogel microparticles are synthesized by crosslinking PMAA layers within PMAA/poly(N‐vinylpyrrolidone) hydrogen‐bonded multilayers templated on porous inorganic microparticles. This study investigates the effects of template porosity and surface morphology on the PMAA multilayer hydrogel microcube properties. It is found that the hydrogel structure depends on the template's calcination time and temperature. The pH‐triggered PMAA hydrogel cube swelling depends on the hydrogel's internal architecture, either hollow capsule‐like or non‐hollow continuous hydrogels. The loading efficiency of the doxorubicin (DOX) drug inside the microcubes is analyzed by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and shows the dependenceof the drug uptake on the network structure and morphology controlled by the template porosity. Varying the template calcination from low (300 °C) to high (1000 °C) temperature results in a 2.5‐fold greater DOX encapsulation by the hydrogel cubes. The effects of hydrogel surface charge on the DOX loading and release are also studied using zeta‐potential measurements. This work provides insight into the effect of structural composition, network morphology, and pH‐induced swelling of the cubical hydrogels and may advance the development of stimuli‐responsive vehicles for targeted anticancer drug delivery.
A finite element method for modeling diffusion of alpha‐emitting particles in tissue
Authors: Zhang Irene P. , Cohen Gilad N. , Damato Antonio L.
Published: October 2023

Background

Diffusing alpha‐emitters Radiation Therapy (“DaRT”) is a promising new modality for the treatment of solid tumors. Interstitial sources containing 224Ra are inserted into the tumor, producing alpha particles via the decay of 224Ra and its daughters. The alpha particles are able to produce a “kill region” of several mm due to the diffusion of the alpha‐emitting atoms. The Diffusion‐Leakage (D‐L) model has been proposed to describe the movement of the alpha‐emitters used in DaRT in tumor tissue.

Purpose

To date, estimating the dose delivered under the D‐L model has been accomplished with numerical solutions based on finite difference methods, namely DART1D and DART2D, as well as with asymptotic expressions for the long time limit. The aim of this work is to develop a flexible method of finite elements for solving the D‐L model and to validate prior solutions of the D‐L model.

Methods

We develop a two‐dimensional finite element solution to the D‐L model implemented using the FEniCS software library. Our approach solves the variational formulation of the D‐L equations on an unstructured mesh of triangular Lagrangian elements. We calculate the local dose in the mid‐ and axial planes of the source and validate our results against the one‐ and two‐dimensional solutions obtained using the previously proposed numerical scheme, DART1D and DART2D. We use our model to estimate the change in dose in the source midplane as a function of the physical parameters used in the D‐L model.

Results

The local dose at the end of a 30 day treatment period estimated by our numerical method differs from DART1D and DART2D by less than 1% in the source midplane and less than 3% along the source axis over clinically relevant distances, with the largest discrepancies in high gradient areas where the Finite Element Method (FEM) mesh has a higher element density. We find that within current experimentally estimated ranges for D‐L model parameters, the dose in the source midplane at a distance of 2 mm can vary by over a factor of 3.

Conclusions

The 2D finite element model reproduces the calculated dose obtained with DART1D and DART2D under the assumptions D‐L model. The variation in predicted dose within current experimental ranges for model parameters suggests the necessity of further studies to better determine their statistical distributions. Finally, the FEM model can be used to calculate dose from DaRT in a variety of realistic 2D geometries beyond the D‐L model.
The content audit: A high‐level overview of an important exercise
Authors: Talarico Donna
Published: October 2023

This year, I’ve performed content audits for a number of agency and institutional clients, each project different in size and scope than the next. Some entailed sprawling spreadsheets, rating and reviewing thousands of pages on various criteria. Others were on the leaner side, delivering high‐level reports that analyzed a cross‐section of pages in key sections.
Elements of a successful progression and retention program
Authors: Dennis Marguerite J.
Published: October 2023

In last month's column I wrote about the importance of retention management to enrollment management. This month I will share specific recommendations for implementing a successful progression and retention management program as well as some pitfalls to avoid.
What is the purpose of the Supreme Court? Academic leaders should know
Authors: Hodges Dawn Z.
Published: October 2023

I took constitutional law in my junior year of college as part of my broad‐area major. It wasn’t my favorite course of all time; I didn’t particularly enjoy reading all those cases. But what I learned in that class has stayed with me for more than 40 years. I’m not sure how many people take a course in constitutional law or pay close attention when the topic is covered in high school or college government class.
Error analyses on block‐centered finite difference schemes for distributed‐order non‐Fickian flow
Authors: Zhao Xuan , Li Ziyan
Published: October 2023

In this article, two numerical schemes are designed and analyzed for the distributed‐order non‐Fickian flow. Two different processing techniques are applied to deal with the time distributed‐order derivative for the constructed two schemes, while the classical block‐centered finite difference method is used in spatial discretization. To be precise, one adopts the standard numerical scheme called SD scheme in the temporal direction, and the other utilizes an efficient method called EF scheme. We derive the stabilities of the two schemes rigorously. The convergence result of the SD scheme for pressure and velocity is . However, to get a faster computing speed, the super parameter is needed for the EF scheme, which leads to the accuracy is . Finally, some numerical experiments are carried out to verify the theoretical analysis.
Fatal brainstem injury following proton radiation in a patient with medulloblastoma and a germline variant in RNF213
Authors: Klawinski Darren M. , Cottrell Catherine E. , Schieffer Kathleen M. , Indyk Justin A. , Gandhi Kajal , Mardis Elaine R. , Rodriguez Diana P. , Breneman John C. , Osorio Diana S.
Published: October 2023

Brainstem injury occurs secondary to radiation to the posterior fossa in up to 2% of pediatric patients. It may occur after months to years after treatment. It has been associated with age less than 5 years and with comorbid conditions such as cerebrovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension. Radiation necrosis is often symptomatic and can be fatal. A pathogenic variant in RNF213 was found in a patient who suffered fatal radiation necrosis. This mutation has been associated with moyamoya disease and may predispose to radiation necrosis.
Nanobubbles in vase water inhibit transpiration and prolong the vase life of cut chrysanthemum flowers
Authors: Nakazawa Rie , Tanaka Akito , Hata Naoki , Minagawa Hisato , Harada Emiko
Published: October 2023

Nanobubble (NB) water has been shown to promote the growth of several types of plants and animals, but the mechanism underlying this promoting effect remains unclear. The present study evaluated the mechanism by which NBs maintain the freshness of cut flowers by keeping cut chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.) flowers at the bud stage in vase water containing air NBs. The condition of petals and leaves was assessed to determine the vase life of these cut flowers. The NB treatment delayed bud opening and petal senescence of the inflorescences. Water absorption and transpiration by cut flower stems were lower in NB water than in distilled water (DW). Furthermore, when all the leaves were removed from the cut flower stems, no significant difference in vase life was observed between NB water and DW. These findings indicate that the inhibition of transpiration from leaves prolonged the vase life of NB‐treated cut chrysanthemum flowers. In the early stage of the treatment, NB treatment significantly reduced transpiration without closing stomata, suggesting that the reduction in transpiration observed in the NB‐treated plants might be due to the suppression of cuticular transpiration, defined as water loss through the epidermis. Surface tension, one of the important driving forces of water movement in plants, was not affected by the presence of NBs in water. To our knowledge, this is the first report to show that transpiration from leaves is inhibited by NB treatment.
Molecular constraints on tolerance‐resistance trade‐offs: Is there a cost?
Authors: Mesa J. Miles , Paige Ken N.
Published: October 2023

Plants possess myriad defenses against their herbivores, including constitutive and inducible chemical compounds and regrowth strategies known as tolerance. Recent studies have shown that plant tolerance and resistance are positively associated given they are co‐localized in the same molecular pathway, the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway. However, given that both defensive strategies utilize carbon skeletons from a shared resource pool in the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway there are likely costs in maintaining both resistance‐tolerance strategies. Here we investigate fitness costs in maintaining both strategies by utilizing a double knockout of cyp79B2 and cyp79B3, key enzymes in the biosynthetic process of indole glucosinolates, which convert tryptophan to indole‐3‐acetaldoxime (IAOx) and is further used to produce indole glucosinolates. These mutant plants are devoid of any indole glucosinolates thus reducing plant resistance. Results show that knocking out indole glucosinolate production and thus one of the resistance pathways leads to an approximate 94% increase in fitness compensation shifting the undercompensating wild‐type Columbia‐0 to an overcompensating genotype following damage. We discuss the potential mechanistic basis for the observed patterns.
Stable isotope analysis of atmospheric CO2 using a Gasbench II‐Cold Trap‐IRMS setting
Authors: Leitner Simon , Meeran Kathiravan , Watzinger Andrea
Published: October 2023

Rationale

The measurement of the stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratio of (atmospheric) carbon dioxide (CO2) is a useful technique for the investigation and identification of the sources and sinks of the most abundant greenhouse gases by far. For this reason, we are presenting a measuring system here that enables a wide range of users to carry out stable isotope analysis of atmospheric CO2 using off‐the‐bench hardware and software.

Methods

The fully automated system uses cryogenic and gas chromatographic separation to analyse CO2 from 12‐mL whole air samples and consists of an autosampler, a Gasbench II (GB), a downstream cryo trap and a continuous flow gas interface feeding into a sector field mass spectrometer (GC Pal/GB/Cold Trap/ConFlo IV/DeltaV Plus). The evaluation of the system performance was based on the analysis of samples prepared from eight CO2 sources (four CO2 reference gases and four artificial air tanks).

Results

The overall measurement uncertainty (averaged single standard deviation (1σ) of measurement replicates from each CO2 source) in the determination of the carbon and oxygen isotope ratio was 0.04‰ and 0.09‰ (n = 24). Furthermore, we were able to show that the measurement data also allowed for the quantification of the CO2 mole fraction, with a precision of 1.2 μmol mol−1 in the analysis range of 400–500 μmol mol−1.

Conclusions

Our protocol provides a detailed description of the measurement set‐up and the analysis procedure, how raw data should be evaluated and gives recommendations for sample preparation and sampling to enable a fully automated whole air sample analysis. The quantification limit of CO2 mole fractions and measurement precision for carbon and oxygen isotope ratios of CO2 should meet the requirements of a wide range of users.
Chemical functionality of surfaces for the characteristic adsorption of melamine
Authors: Tiwari Mohit , Pattanayek Sudip K.
Published: October 2023

The surface functionality leading to a high reversibility adsorption of melamine was determined. Four different silane coupling agents, namely, 3‐(tri‐methoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TMSPMA), n‐propyl tri‐methoxy‐silane (PTMS), 3‐(tri‐ethoxysilyl) propionitrile (TESPN), and tri‐methoxy‐(octadecyl) silane (OTMS) were taken for making chemical functionality methacrylate, short methyl, nitrile, and extended methyl group respectively. The adsorption behavior of melamine over the substrates with four functionalities was determined using quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherms of the adsorption studies were analyzed. The initial adsorption rate depends on the hydrophobicity and roughness of the surfaces. However, the subsequent adsorption rate depends on the specific interaction. The data of equilibrium adsorbed mass at various equilibrium concentrations were fitted with the modified Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) and Freundlich adsorption isotherms. The estimated model parameters were analyzed and compared with the reported parameters of the relevant systems. There is good agreement between our results and the reported results. In addition, very high adsorption with a very high binding constant was observed for the adsorption of melamine OTMS surface. On the other hand, high adsorption with an intermediate layer binding constant for the adsorption of melamine on the methacrylate surface was observed. Based on this, we propose using acrylate chemical functionality to develop molecularly imprinted polymer‐based melamine sensors.
Analysis on Component of Cultured Diatoms and Their Application as Li‐Ion Battery Anodes
Authors: Luo Jun Long , Cai Jun , Gong De , Zhang Jiang Tao
Published: October 2023

Diatom is a kind of unicellular organism, whose cell wall is composed of hydrated amorphous silica. Herein, we conducted content and component analysis for three typical genera of self‐cultured diatoms, and explored their fascinating properties to construct anodes of lithium ion batteries (LIBs). Three types of diatoms (Chaetoceros, Navicula, and Stephanodiscus) were extracted and purified for detailed characterization, which verified their main components (e. g., water, protein, carbohydrate, fat, frustule) and delicate hierarchical porous microstructures. Besides, a facile treatment was applied to prepare the diatom‐based anode composites for LIBs. A series of electrochemical tests were conducted to verify their excellent performance of high Initial Coulombic Efficiency(ICE), superior rate capacity and reusability. These fascinating properties could be ascribed to integration of the protoplasmic carbon and unique microstructure. This work offers a feasible strategy to construct renewable natural materials with remarkable anode performance for advanced LIBs.
Preparation, Curing and Properties of Hydantoin Based Epoxy Resins with Different Structures
Authors: Li Xiaocheng , Huang He
Published: October 2023

Hydantoin based epoxy resins are a kind of special epoxy resin with nitrogen‐containing five‐membered heterocycle structure but less intensively studied than the common bisphenol A type epoxy resins. Besides, only 5,5‐dimethylhydantoin epoxy resin (DMHR) was paid enough attention among hydantoin based epoxy resins. To understand the reasons behind the above background, in this work, three hydantoin based epoxy resins with different structures but similar epoxy values (0.37–0.40 mol/100 g), including hydantoin epoxy resin (HR), 5,5‐dimethylhydantoin epoxy resin (DMHR), 1,3‐dihydroxymethyl‐5,5‐dimethylhydantoin epoxy resin (DHMDMHR), were synthesized first, their non‐isothermal curing kinetics, thermal and mechanical properties and adhesion performance of the cured products were then investigated and compared with bisphenol A epoxy resin E44. The apparent activation energies of the three hydantoin based epoxy resin/diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) systems were in the range of 55–59 kJ/mol, slightly higher than that of E44/DDM system (47.1 kJ/mol). The properties of the three cured hydantoin based epoxy resins, such as glass transition temperature, thermal stability, tensile strength and storage modulus, declined with decreasing content of the hydantoin cycles. 5,5‐dimethylhydantoin epoxy resin (DMHR) had the highest adhesion strength (5.6 MPa) among the three hydantoin based epoxy resins, but nearly 60 % lower than that of bisphenol A type E44 epoxy resin (13.2 MPa) when a polyether amine was used as the curing agent. The cured product of E44 epoxy resin was stronger, tougher and thermally more stable than the cured products of the three hydantoin based epoxy resins. While, hydantoin based epoxy resins exhibited superior damping performance than E44 epoxy resin.
Fe3O4 Nanoparticles Catalyzed Tandem Synthesis of Fluorescent 3‐(4,5‐diaryl‐1H‐imidazol‐2‐yl) quinoline‐2‐amines: Solvatochromic, DFT and Biological Studies
Authors: Bheemayya Lokesh , Kamble Ravindra R. , Sannaikar Madivalagouda S. , Inamdar Sanjeev R. , Metre Tukaram V. , Kodasi Barnabas , Hoolageri Swati R. , Nadoni Vishwa B. , Joshi Shrinivas D. , S. K Praveen Kumar , Dalbanjan Nagarjuna Prakash , K M Mussuvir Pasha , Keri Rangappa S.
Published: October 2023

In the present work, Fe3O4 nanoparticles were prepared by the co‐precipitation method and employed as effective nanocatalysts in the tandem synthesis of 3‐(4,5‐diaryl‐1H‐imidazol‐2‐yl)quinolin‐2‐amines. An effective multicomponent reaction is plighted for 2‐chloroquinoline‐3‐carbaldehydes and substituted benzils to obtain novel heterocycles 3‐(4,5‐diaryl‐1H‐imidazol‐2‐yl)quinolin‐2‐amines. These molecules are fluorescent and hence for proper understanding of optical behaviour, solvatochromic and DFT studies were carried out. Also, the optical and energy bandgaps were calculated. Molecular docking studies manifested the strong binding affinities by these compounds at the active site of the Candida albicans dihydrofolate reductase enzyme (PDB ID: 1AI9) and Novobiocin (PDB ID: 4URO) with excellent C‐score values. Antimicrobial activity screening results have shown remarkable activity against Escherichia coli with appreciable MIC values and hence noteworthy action has been demonstrated against this bacterium. The zones of inhibition for some of the target compounds are also good against gram positive Staphylococcus aureus exhibiting excellent activity.
La2O3 modified porous boron nitride for enhanced adsorption and removal of fluoride pollutants from an aqueous solution
Authors: Gu Yaxin , Fang Yi , Cai Huayi , Yang Shaobo , Yan Song , Zhang Rongjuan , Cao Chaochao , Tang Chengchun
Published: October 2023

Fluorine contamination has caused great harm to humans and the environment. In this study, novel lanthanum modified porous boron nitride (porous BN) composites (BN−La−X) were successfully prepared and applied to remove fluoride from water. The results indicated that lanthanum was present on the surface of BN in the form of amorphous La2O3. BN−La‐4 has excellent adsorption performance, and its removal of fluoride is much more effective than that of porous BN with good cyclic regeneration ability. In addition, the fluoride adsorption by BN−La‐4 could reach adsorption equilibrium within 2 h and the adsorption kinetics was conformed to the pseudo‐second‐order model. The maximum adsorption capacity of BN−La‐4 was calculated from the Langmuir model to be 80.04 mg g−1, which was better than most related adsorbents. Furthermore, the presence of anions and pH values affected the removal of fluoride. The adsorption mechanisms were consisted of electrostatic attraction, ion exchange between hydroxyl and fluorine ions, and the formation of coordination complexes between lanthanide ions and fluoride ions. In summary, La2O3 modified porous boron nitride composite is a promising adsorbent for the removal of fluoride contamination in aquatic environment.
A Promising Approach towards the Commercialization of Lithium Sulfur Batteries: Prelithiated Graphene
Authors: Tokur Mahmud
Published: October 2023

Lithium‐sulfur (Li‐S) batteries are a promising candidate technology for high‐energy rechargeable batteries due to their advantages of abundant materials and inherently high energy. However, the practical applications of Li‐S batteries are challenged by several obstacles, including the low sulfur utilization and poor lifespan, which are partly attributed to the shuttle of lithium polysulfides and lithium dendrite growth during cycling.[1] The shuttling of polysulfide ions between the electrodes in a Li‐S battery is a major technical issue triggering the self‐discharge and limiting the cycle life.[2] A stable lithium anode is essential for maintaining the good cycle stability of Li‐S batteries in practical applications.[3] To address these lithium related issues, various carbon materials, including graphite and graphene, have been investigated as suitable lithium hosts to use as anode materials for Li‐S batteries.[4] In this study, prelithiated graphite and graphene‐based anode materials are obtained by galvanostatic charging method to improve the performance of Li‐S batteries and compare the electrochemical properties especially in terms of capacity retention and rate capability. According to the results, graphene showed better performance due to its high lithium storage capacity and fast lithium‐ion diffusion rate. Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer (ICP‐OES) results showed that the Li+ content of the graphite, graphite/graphene, and graphene electrodes measured as 26.5, 33.2, and 45.6 wt%, respectively after the lithiation process. 1 Ah pouch cell was assembled with prelithiated graphene anode showing an energy density of about 400 Wh kg−1 in the first cycle and protected its specific capacity of 60 % after 100 cycles in a liquid‐based Li‐S battery system.
Synthesis, Characterization and Biological Properties of Mn (II) and Cu (II) Complexes with Sulfonamide and Imidazole Derivatives: Genotoxicity, ADME Profile, and Molecular Docking Studies**
Authors: Bouchoucha Afaf , Amine Bourouai Mohamed , Si Larbi Karima , Merazka Hadjer , Boulanouar Salah , Djabbar Safia
Published: October 2023

The synthesis, characterization, and comparative biological properties of manganese (II) and copper (II) complexes formed with two heterocyclic ligands used in the pharmaceutical field are reported. The characterization of the metal complexes involved elemental analysis, FAB mass spectroscopy, ESR, FTIR, UV‐Visible spectroscopy, and conductometry. The spectroscopic data allowed the determination of the coordination mode and the geometry of all the coordination compounds.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Nano‐Composite CuO@Zn−2‐PTZ {Zn−2‐PTZ=bis[5‐(2‐pyridyltetrazolato)]diaquazinc(II)} for Efficient Photo‐catalytic Degradation of Methylene Blue (MB), Methyl Orange (MO) and mixed(MB‐MO)Dyes in Sunlight
Authors: Kumar Deepak , Pandey Ashutosh
Published: October 2023

Removal of organic contaminants such as azo dyes is highly desirable from the industrial waste waters because of their toxicity, stability, and mutagenic properties. Herein, the nano‐composite CuO@Zn−2‐PTZ has been synthesized by a simple hydrothermal method and characterized by a combination of techniques like Powder X‐Ray Diffraction (PXRD), UV‐Visible spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy‐Energy Dispersive X‐ray analysis (SEM‐EDX) etc. The band gap of the composite was found to be 2.07 eV, indicating the spread of absorption in to the visible region in comparison to the high (3.76 eV) band gap of the parent metal organic framework (MOF) Zn−2‐PTZ. The composite CuO@Zn−2‐PTZ exhibited much higher photo degradations, under natural sunlight, towards the decompositions of the cationic [Methylene Blue (MB)] and anionic [Methyl Orange (MO)] dyes as well as mixed MB and MO dyes taken in water. A comparative study was also undertaken by taking CuO nanoparticles and the parent MOF separately with the same set of dyes under same conditions to substantiate the above. The enhancement of photo‐catalytic activity has been caused by the formation of a p‐n hetero‐junction in the composite. The Langmuir‐Hinshelwood model showed that the degradation rates of the dyes follow pseudo‐first‐order kinetics.
A Photothermal Therapy Study Based on Electrospinning Nanofibers Blended and Coated with Polydopamine Nanoparticles
Authors: Sui Chunhong , Luo Yijia , Xiao Xiao , Liu Jiaxue , Shao Xiaotong , Xue Yingxue , Wang Cheng , Li Wenliang
Published: October 2023

The development of high‐efficiency and good biocompatible photothermal therapy platforms is conducive to avoiding the risks of nano‐preparations in vivo. The poly‐L‐lactic acid (PLLA) indicated good biodegradability and biocompatibility. Inspired by natural melanin and the extraordinary nontoxic mussel biopolymer, polydopamine nanoparticles (PDA NPs) with photothermal efficacy have attracted increasing attention. Herein, we performed the study of blended PDA/PLLA and coated PDA@PLLA electrospun nanofibers (ESNFs) for photothermal therapy. In photothermal experiment, the PDA@PLLA ESNF displayed higher light‐to‐heat conversion and photothermal stability than that of PDA/PLLA and PLLA ESNF. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments tested that three kinds of ESNF exhibited low toxicity and outstanding biocompatibility. Moreover, the PDA@PLLA ESNF showed better property for the cell proliferation due to the rough surface and good hydrophilicity. The in vivo photothermal potentiality of the PLLA, PDA/PLA and PDA@PLLA ESNF was evaluated in nude mice of inoculating the tumor, in which the PDA/PLA and PDA@PLLA ESNF significantly inhibited the tumor increasing compared to control group. Especially, the PDA@PLLA ESNF showed better photothermal therapy, which made the tumor irreversible ablate at local tumor tissue. These results stand out the usage of PDA@PLLA ESNF as potential photothermal therapy material.
Iridium‐Catalyzed Cascade Reaction of Sulfoxonium Ylides with o‐Aminoaryl Aldehydes for the Synthesis of 2‐Acylindoles
Authors: Tong Yixin , Mi E. , Zhou Li , Wang Xiabin , Xiong Biao
Published: October 2023

2‐Acylindoles possess widespread applications in functional chemicals. However, the convenient and selective synthesis of such important substructures has to date remained a challenge. Herein, a method to achieve 2‐acylindoles from sulfoxonium ylides with o‐aminoaryl aldehydes catalysed by Iridium has been developed with the merits of broad substrate scope, good functional tolerance, high efficiency and operational simplicity, which provides an alternative way to access functionalized indoles.
The versatility of the Cholesky decomposition in electronic structure theory
Authors: Pedersen Thomas Bondo , Lehtola Susi , Fdez. Galván Ignacio , Lindh Roland
Published: October 2023

The resolution‐of‐the‐identity (RI) or density fitting (DF) approximation for the electron repulsion integrals (ERIs) has become a standard component of accelerated and reduced‐scaling implementations of first‐principles Gaussian‐type orbital electronic‐structure methods. The Cholesky decomposition (CD) of the ERIs has also become increasingly deployed across quantum chemistry packages in the last decade, even though its early applications were mostly limited to high‐accuracy methods such as coupled‐cluster theory and multiconfigurational approaches. Starting with a summary of the basic theory underpinning both the CD and RI/DF approximations, thus underlining the extremely close relation of the CD and RI/DF techniques, we provide a brief and largely chronological review of the evolution of the CD approach from its birth in 1977 to its current state. In addition to being a purely numerical procedure for handling ERIs, thus providing robust and computationally efficient approximations to the exact ERIs that have been found increasingly useful on modern computer platforms, CD also offers highly accurate approaches for generating auxiliary basis sets for the RI/DF approximation on the fly due to the deep mathematical connection between the two approaches. In this review, we aim to provide a concise reference of the main techniques employed in various CD approaches in electronic structure theory, to exemplify the connection between the CD and RI/DF approaches, and to clarify the state of the art to guide new implementations of CD approaches across electronic structure programs.

This article is categorized under:

Electronic Structure Theory > Ab Initio Electronic Structure Methods

Software > Quantum Chemistry

Quantum Computing > Theory Development
Aircraft observations of Typhoon Nesat (2022) over the northern part of South China Sea
Authors: Mak Betty , Choy C. W. , Chan P. W. , He Junyi , Li Q. S.
Published: October 2023

Since 2011, routine reconnaissance has been carried out whenever there is a tropical cyclone (TC) entering the Flight Information Region of Hong Kong that may pose a threat to the territory. In October 2022, Typhoon Nesat entered the northern part of the South China Sea and aircraft reconnaissance flights were conducted for the storm. This paper presents these interesting data for the meteorological and wind engineering communities. The presented observations would be beneficial for other studies of this cyclone, such as numerical simulations of Nesat for comparison with actual observations.
Recent Advance of Representation Learning Stage
Authors: Zhao Xiang , Zeng Weixin , Tang Jiuyang
Published: October 2023

Over the last few years, there are a pile of research devoted to learning better KG representations to facilitate entity alignment. Thus, in this chapter, we summarize recent progress in the representation learning stage of EA and also provide a detailed empirical evaluation to reveal the strengths and weaknesses of current solutions.
Dual-adhesive and self-healing alginate-based hydrogel for wound healing
Authors: El‑Sayed Naglaa Salem , Helmy Naiera M. , Kamel Samir
Published: October 2023

Some of the wound dressings on the market cause skin tearing and bleeding when removed, slowing the healing process. So, it is difficult to treat infected wounds of sensitive skin patients. Herein, antibacterial and biocompatibility self-healing hydrogel loaded with 9-Aminoacridine and kanamycin sulfate were prepared by grafting poly(β-carboxyethyl acrylate-co-acrylamide) onto sodium alginate. The biological assay demonstrated the hydrogels’ good biocompatibility, which showed no harmful effects on normal human melanocyte cells. In addition, the hydrogels had a powerful antibacterial impact on the various bacterial strains utilized in the investigation. From the study of the rheological properties of the prepared hydrogel, it was found that it is a non-Newtonian fluid. These results suggest the possible utilization of the as-prepared hydrogels in the fabrication of wound healing.
Differentiating Cardiac Troponin Levels During Cardiac Myosin Inhibition or Cardiac Myosin Activation Treatments: Drug Effect or the Canary in the Coal Mine?
Authors: Lee Matthew M. Y. , Masri Ahmad
Published: October 2023

Purpose of Review

Cardiac myosin inhibitors (CMIs) and activators are emerging therapies for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), respectively. However, their effects on cardiac troponin levels, a biomarker of myocardial injury, are incompletely understood.

Recent Findings

In patients with HCM, CMIs cause substantial reductions in cardiac troponin levels which are reversible after stopping treatment. In patients with HFrEF, cardiac myosin activator (omecamtiv mecarbil) therapy cause modest increases in cardiac troponin levels which are reversible following treatment cessation and not associated with myocardial ischaemia or infarction.

Transient changes in cardiac troponin levels might reflect alterations in cardiac contractility and mechanical stress. Such transient changes might not indicate cardiac injury and do not appear to be associated with adverse outcomes in the short to intermediate term. Longitudinal changes in troponin levels vary depending on the population and treatment. Further research is needed to elucidate mechanisms underlying changes in troponin levels.
Selenium Species in Diabetes Mellitus Type 2
Authors: Pyrzynska Krystyna , Sentkowska Aleksandra
Published: October 2023

Selenium is an important trace element for humans and animals as it plays a key role in several major metabolic pathways. Several studies were conducted to better understand the role of selenium against diabetes mellitus (DM), particularly type 2 (T2DM), but the obtained conclusions are contradictory. A simple linear relationship does not exist between the risk of T2DM and selenium levels but is best represented in a dose-dependent manner, getting often the U-graph. This relation also depends on selenium chemical forms that are present in a diet or supplements. Both too low and too high selenium intakes could increase the risk of diabetes. Moreover, the baseline status of Se should be taken into consideration to avoid over-supplementation. The focus of this brief overview is to report the recent updates concerning selenium participation in diabetes mellitus.
Necroptosis-related genes are associated with prognostic features of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma
Authors: Wang Yiduo , Pan Ke-Hao , Chen Ming
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Renal clear cell carcinoma is a common type of cancer in the adult urological system. It has a high mortality rate, with 30% of patients developing metastasis and 60% dying within 1–2 years of diagnosis. Recent advancements in tumor immunology and necroptosis have provided new insights into kidney cancer therapy. Therefore, it is crucial to identify potential targets for combining immunotherapy with necroptosis.

Materials and methods

Using the GSE168845 dataset and necroptosis-related genes, we identified genes that are differentially expressed in relation to necroptosis. We analyzed the prognostic value of these genes through differential expression analysis, prognostic analysis, and Cox regression analysis. The expression levels of the MYCN and CDKN2A genes were verified using the GSE53757 dataset. We also examined the association between the differentially expressed genes and clinicopathological features, as well as overall survival in our cohorts. In addition, we constructed a lasso Cox regression model to assess the correlation between these genes and immune score, ICP, and OCLR score. We conducted qRT-PCR to detect the expression of MYCN, CDKN2A, and ZBP1 in different samples of kidney renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC). The expression levels of these genes were verified in a normal kidney cell line (HK-2 cells) and two KIRC cell lines (786-O, ACHN). The protein levels of MYCN and CDKN2A were detected using immunohistochemistry (IHC). SiRNA was used to silence the expression of MYCN and CDKN2A in the ACHN cell line, and wound healing assays were performed to measure cell migration.

Results

MYCN, CDKN2A, and ZBP1 were identified as necroptosis-related genes with independent prognostic value, leading to the development of a risk prognostic model. The expression of the CDKN2A gene was significantly higher in KIRC tissues compared to normal tissues, while the expression of the MYCN gene was significantly lower in KIRC tissues. The expression of MYCN and CDKN2A was associated with tumor stage, metastasis, and overall survival in our cohort. Furthermore, MYCN, CDKN2A, and ZBP1 were significantly correlated with immune score, ICP, and OCLR score. The expression levels of CDKN2A and ZBP1 were higher in KIRC cells compared to normal kidney cells, while the expression of MYCN was lower in KIRC cells. The protein expression of MYCN and CDKN2A was also higher in KIRC tissues, as confirmed by IHC. The results of the wound healing assay indicated that silencing CDKN2A inhibited cell migration, while silencing MYCN enhanced cell migration.

Conclusions

MYCN and CDKN2A are potential targets and valuable prognostic biomarkers for combining immunotherapy with necroptosis in kidney renal clear cell carcinoma. CDKN2A promotes the migration of renal cancer cells, while MYCN inhibits their migration.
Analysis of mesoscopic mechanical dynamic characteristics of ballast bed with under sleeper pads
Authors: Yang Xiong , Yu Liuyang , Wang Xuejun , Xu Zhigang , Deng Yu , Li Houxu
Published: October 2023

The meso-dynamical behaviour of a high-speed rail ballast bed with under sleeper pads (USPs) was studied. The geometrically irregular refined discrete element model of the ballast particles was constructed using 3D scanning techniques, and the 3D dynamic model of the rail–sleeper–ballast bed was constructed using the coupled discrete element method–multi-flexible-body dynamics (DEM–MFBD) approach. We analyse the meso-mechanical dynamics of the ballast bed with USPs under dynamic load on a train and verify the correctness of the model in laboratory tests. It is shown that the deformation of the USPs increases the contact area between the sleeper and the ballast particles, and subsequently the number of contacts between them. As the depth of the granular ballast bed increases, the contact area becomes larger, and the contact force between the ballast particles gradually decreases. Under the action of the elastic USPs, the contact forces between ballast particles are reduced and the overall vibration level of the ballast bed can be reduced. The settlement of the granular ballast bed occurs mainly at the shallow position of the sleeper bottom, and the installation of the elastic USPs can be effective in reducing the stress on the ballast particles and the settlement of the ballast bed.
Experiment of a thermal plume on an open cylinder
Authors: Zhang Wei , Nie Bingchuan , Xu Feng
Published: October 2023

In this study, we performed a set of experiments of the thermal plume on an open cylinder heated from below and a simple scaling analysis. The flow structure of the plume was visualized using the shadowgraph technique, and the temperature at specific points was measured using a thermistor. Transient plumes in a developing stage, an equilibrating stage and a fully developed stage were described. The new scaling laws of the stem radius and the velocity of the rising plume were presented, which are different from those on a two-dimensional heated plate due to the cylindrical effect and agree with experimental results. In the fully developed stage, there is a transition route of the plume from a steady to chaotic state with an increase in the Rayleigh number, which involves a series of bifurcations. A reverse bifurcation from a periodic (Ra = 1.17 × 106) back to a steady (Ra = 1.30 × 106) state has been observed in the experiment, which is referred to as the period bubbling bifurcation. Thus, the present experimental results validate the previous numerical results presented by Zhang et al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 33 (6), 2021, 064110). The bifurcation diagram, spectral analysis and attractor are used to characterize the transitional plume. In addition, the heat and mass transfer have also been quantified.
Wind-tunnel measurements of sensible turbulent heat fluxes over melting ice
Authors: Harrison S. , Mydlarski L.
Published: October 2023

Accelerated glacier melt and the loss of perennial snowfields have been associated with increased warming in polar regions, at rates up to four times faster than the rest of the world, thereby reinforcing the critical need for improved models (and predictions) of glacier melt. An essential requirement for such models is an improved understanding of the sensible heat fluxes over glaciers. Since their complexity makes them difficult to model, and direct measurements of sensible turbulent heat fluxes over real glaciers are both rare and impractical, the present work involves simultaneous hot-wire anemometry and cold-wire thermometry measurements of two components of velocity and temperature above a melting glacier model in a series of wind-tunnel experiments. Both single- and multi-variable statistics were used to compare the turbulent velocity field measured over melting ice with that of a similar flow in the absence of ice. The results demonstrate that the ice's presence reduces the magnitude of the Reynolds stresses and vertical velocity variance, but also increases the streamwise velocity variance. The transient evolution of temperature statistics throughout the melt process was also investigated and found to be similar when suitably non-dimensionalized. The velocity and temperature fields were furthermore evaluated at an equivalent non-dimensional time during the melt process, in which statistics of the temperature field, and joint statistics of the vertical velocity and temperature, were studied. The present work lays the foundation for future laboratory-scale replications of the flow above melting glaciers, and provides additional insight into turbulent heat transfer over melting ice.