bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A CAUSAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ENERGYCONSUMPTION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH INTURKMENISTAN
Authors: Gadam TACHMUHAMMEDOV  , Atajan BASHIMOV
Published: February 2025

This study investigates the impact of energy consumption (EC) and economic growth (GDP) using econometric approaches for Turkmenistan. Annual data from 1992 to 2019 are used. The relationship between economic growth and electricity consumption variables is investigated using the cointegration test and Granger causality test. The results indicate the existence of a unidirectional causal relationship between economic growth (GDP) to electricity consumption (EC) and there is no long-run relationship between electricity consumption and economic growth in Turkmenistan. In this case,it is recommended to save energy and export electricity surplus.
THE NECESSITY OF DEVELOPING THE ECO QUALITY AWARDFROM TRADE FACILITATION PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Saeed SAEMI
Published: February 2025

This study aims to investigate the necessity of developing a common quality award among the countries that are the members of ECO trade agreement from the business perspective and its aspects such as trade facilitation, business conditions improvement, Etc. Therefore, first, the historical background of the famous quality excellence Models in the world is reviewed, including the Deming Excellence model in Japan, Malcolm Baldridge in the USA, and EFQM in the EU, and their positive impacts as well as benefits on the related companies and organizations are discussed from different perspectives. The next step is dedicated to mentioning the historical background of national quality awards in ECO countries and thepositive impacts expected by developing a common quality award based on a common model among these countries. Moreover, the importance of considering such a quality award among these countries is discussed with a focus on the uniqueness and specified conditions of the agreement. In conclusion, a summary of the highlighted points related to the study isprovided.
THE IMPACT OF TRANSPORT CORRIDORS ON THE ECONOMICDEVELOPMENT OF AZERBAIJAN
Authors: Rauf SARWAT
Published: February 2025

This paper examines the utilization of transport corridors for trade in Azerbaijan. It also highlights the impact of transport corridors on the economic growth of Azerbaijan. It also observes the country’s efforts for economic development and emerging challenges. It is found that the journey of Azerbaijan’s economic transformation has been started at the time of former president Heydar Aliyev and never seized up thereafter. The leadership of Azerbaijan took bold steps to steer the country out of vicious economic conditions and provided a new direction of development. To make an objective analysis, the paper takes in the reviews of different reports, published articles and news discussing the critical aspects of economic corridors, potentials and risks attached to their functioning. The last part of this paper presents some recommendations too.
DEVELOPMENT OF COOPERATION IN THE TRANSIT-TRANSPORT DOMAIN AMONG MEMBER STATES OF THEECONOMIC COOPERATION ORGANIZATION
Authors: Dolores TYULEBEKOVA  , Marat NAURUZOV
Published: February 2025

This article delves into the critical role of transit and transport infrastructure in international trade, underlining its significance for economic growth and regional integration. The impact of transit and transport on trade and economic relations is multi-faceted, enhancing market access, logistical efficiency, and regional cooperation, consequently fostering economic development, job creation, and improved living standards. Despite recognizing the importance of transit and transport infrastructure, challenges persist, especially in developing regions. The article investigates the obstacles faced by member states of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO), focusing on Kazakhstan as a pivotal player in the realm of transport and transit infrastructure. The study explores potential pathways for enhanced collaboration among ECO member countries, spanning investment in infrastructure, harmonization of regulations, regional transport corridors, multimodal transportation, and public-private partnerships. Thus, investing in transport infrastructure emerges as a fundamental component for promoting economic development and integration among ECO member states. While challenges such as limited funding persist, there exists a wealth of prospects for cooperativeefforts to overcome these hurdles and enhance connectivity within the region. This article underscores the urgency of prioritizing transit and transport infrastructure to advance economic growth and integration in the ECO region.
Quantification of Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium population dynamics in murine infection using a highly diverse barcoded library
Authors: Hotinger Julia A , Campbell Ian W , Hullahalli Karthik , Osaki Akina , Waldor Matthew K
Published: February 2025

Murine models are often used to study the pathogenicity and dissemination of the enteric pathogen Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. Here, we quantified S. Typhimurium population dynamics in mice using the STAMPR analytic pipeline and a highly diverse S. Typhimurium barcoded library containing ~55,000 unique strains distinguishable by genomic barcodes by enumerating S. Typhimurium founding populations and deciphering routes of spread in mice. We found that a severe bottleneck allowed only one in a million cells from an oral inoculum to establish a niche in the intestine. Furthermore, we observed compartmentalization of pathogen populations throughout the intestine, with few barcodes shared between intestinal segments and feces. This severe bottleneck widened and compartmentalization was reduced after streptomycin treatment, suggesting the microbiota plays a key role in restricting the pathogen’s colonization and movement within the intestine. Additionally, there was minimal sharing between the intestine and extraintestinal organ populations, indicating dissemination to extraintestinal sites occurs rapidly, before substantial pathogen expansion in the intestine. Bypassing the intestinal bottleneck by inoculating mice via intravenous or intraperitoneal injection revealed that Salmonella re-enters the intestine after establishing niches in extraintestinal sites by at least two distinct pathways. One pathway results in a diverse intestinal population. The other re-seeding pathway is through the bile, where the pathogen is often clonal, leading to clonal intestinal populations and correlates with gallbladder pathology. Together, these findings deepen our understanding of Salmonella population dynamics.
Seasonally migratory songbirds have different historic population size characteristics than resident relatives
Authors: Winker Kevin , Delmore Kira
Published: February 2025

Modern genomic methods enable estimation of a lineage’s long-term effective population sizes back to its origins. This ability allows unprecedented opportunities to determine how adoption of a major life-history trait affects lineages’ populations relative to those without the trait. We used this novel approach to study the population effects of the life-history trait of seasonal migration across evolutionary time. Seasonal migration is a common life-history strategy, but its effects on long-term population sizes relative to lineages that don’t migrate are largely unknown. Using whole-genome data, we estimated effective population sizes over millions of years in closely related seasonally migratory and resident lineages in a group of songbirds. Our main predictions were borne out: Seasonal migration is associated with larger effective population sizes (

N
e

), greater long-term variation in

N
e

, and a greater degree of initial population growth than among resident lineages. Initial growth periods were remarkably long (0.63-4.29 Myr), paralleling the expansion and adaptation phases of taxon cycles, a framework of lineage expansion and eventual contraction over time encompassing biogeography and evolutionary ecology. Heterogeneity among lineages is noteworthy, despite geographic proximity (including overlap) and close relatedness. Seasonal migration imbues these lineages with fundamentally different population size attributes through evolutionary time compared to closely related resident lineages.
Common Fixed Point Results for Cubic Type Generalized (ψ − ϕ) Weak Contraction in b-Metric Spaces
Authors: Singh Rakesh , Bhatia Vinod , Kumar Rajesh
Published: February 2025

The fixed point theory is essential to various theoretical and applied fields, such as approximation theory, nonlinear analysis, integral and differential equations, dynamic systems theory, mathematics of fractals, mathematical economics and mathematical modelling. The goal of this paper is to introduce cubic type generalized (ψ −ϕ) weak contraction condition in b-metric spaces and using this condition, we prove common fixed point theorem for compatible mappings. Present results generalize the results of Kumar and Kumar(2021) and some other related work in the literature.
Structural information in therapeutic peptides: Emerging applications in biomedicine
Authors: Iglesias Valentín , Bárcenas Oriol , Pintado‐Grima Carlos , Burdukiewicz Michał , Ventura Salvador
Published: June 2024

Peptides are attracting a growing interest as therapeutic agents. This trend stems from their cost‐effectiveness and reduced immunogenicity, compared to antibodies or recombinant proteins, but also from their ability to dock and interfere with large protein–protein interaction surfaces, and their higher specificity and better biocompatibility relative to organic molecules. Many tools have been developed to understand, predict, and engineer peptide function. However, most state‐of‐the‐art approaches treat peptides only as linear entities and disregard their structural arrangement. Yet, structural details are critical for peptide properties such as solubility, stability, or binding affinities. Recent advances in peptide structure prediction have successfully addressed the scarcity of confidently determined peptide structures. This review will explore different therapeutic and biotechnological applications of peptides and their assemblies, emphasizing the importance of integrating structural information to advance these endeavors effectively.
The crystal structure of methanogen McrD, a methyl‐coenzyme M reductase‐associated protein
Authors: Sutherland‐Smith Andrew J. , Carbone Vincenzo , Schofield Linley R. , Cronin Bryan , Duin Evert C. , Ronimus Ron S.
Published: June 2024

Methyl‐coenzyme M reductase (MCR) is a multi‐subunit (α2β2γ2) enzyme responsible for methane formation via its unique F430 cofactor. The genes responsible for producing MCR (mcrA, mcrB and mcrG) are typically colocated with two other highly conserved genes mcrC and mcrD. We present here the high‐resolution crystal structure for McrD from a human gut methanogen Methanomassiliicoccus luminyensis strain B10. The structure reveals that McrD comprises a ferredoxin‐like domain assembled into an α + β barrel‐like dimer with conformational flexibility exhibited by a functional loop. The description of the M. luminyensis McrD crystal structure contributes to our understanding of this key conserved methanogen protein typically responsible for promoting MCR activity and the production of methane, a greenhouse gas.
Approaches and methods used to bring together Indigenous and Environmental science Knowledge in environmental research: A systematic map protocol
Authors: Pirie Emma , Whillans Tom , Knopp Jennie , Furgal Chris
Published: June 2024

The bringing together of multiple knowledge sources, such as Indigenous knowledge (IK) and Environmental science Knowledge (ESK), is a topic of considerable interest and significance in environmental research. In the areas of resource management for example, the bringing together of IK and ESK datasets has raised considerable interest for its potential to increase understanding and provide insights into complex phenomena such as the effects of climate change and variability on wildlife health and distribution.

The potential benefits that exist from merging these knowledge sources have been widely acknowledged. However, navigating the complex processes involved in knowledge linking continues to pose significant challenges. This systematic mapping protocol will guide the collection and analysis of literature to examine the approaches and methods used in published studies that aim to bring together Indigenous and Environmental science Knowledge in environmental research. The particular focus of this examination is placed on identification of the types of approaches and methods used to merge IK and ESK datasets at the stages of data analysis, results, and interpretation/discussion in the research process.

Through a scoping exercise, a draft search string was developed based on a predetermined list of keywords. Consultation was held with a senior Indigenous scholar to advise on the keywords used and consideration for IK likely to be represented in the collected literature. The final search string will be applied to online bibliographic databases to collect studies published in peer‐reviewed journals. The final capture of the search will be screened in two stages: (1) at the level of title and abstract and (2) at full‐text.

All studies included will be coded using a standardised coding template and a narrative synthesis approach will be used to identify patterns in the evidence, including knowledge gaps and clusters.

Practical implication: The resulting systematic map, following the outlined procedures in this protocol and considering guidelines from the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) and Reporting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses (ROSES), can serve to support and inform future research endeavours engaged in working towards the linking of IK and ESK, with practical implications for communities and policymakers.
High‐Cycle‐Fatigue Anisotropy of an Aluminum Alloy Superthick Plate
Authors: Wang Hao , Zhang ZhenJun , Gong BaiShan , Zhou XiangHai , Liu Rui , Abedi Hamid Reza , Purcek Gencaga , Yanar Harun , Demirtas Muhammet , Zhang ZheFeng
Published: June 2024

The effect of anisotropy on high‐cycle fatigue (HCF) property along the rolling direction (RD) and the transverse direction (TD) of a 7××× aluminum alloy super thick plate is mainly investigated in this study. The results show a similar microstructure at different thicknesses, and the HCF properties are close as well. The fatigue fracture morphologies show that the fatigue crack sources are all located on the surfaces of the RD and TD specimens. By considering the differences in the HCF properties, there is only a slight anisotropy effect at the center thickness of the plate, which can be attributed to the tensile anisotropy caused by textures. Besides, the fatigue damage degree along the TD is slightly higher than that along the RD at the center thickness. The reason can be explained by two aspects: one is the higher probability of defect occurrence along the TD compared with that along the RD which is analyzed by the previously proposed Yield strength‐Tensile strength‐Fatigue strength model, and the other is the influence of the textures. The combination of hard and soft orientations may cause fatigue damage localization easily in the soft‐oriented grains which accelerates the fatigue failure.
Intermitted 3D Diffraction Tomography Combined with In situ Laue Diffraction to Characterize Dislocation Structures and Stress Fields in Microbending Cantilevers
Authors: Molin Jean‐Baptiste , Renversade Loic , Micha Jean‐Sebastien , Ulrich Olivier , Robach Odile , Gruber Patric A. , Kirchlechner Christoph
Published: June 2024

The mechanisms of plastic deformation are investigated using different characterization tools as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy, or synchrotron‐based X‐ray techniques like Laue microdiffraction (μLaue). However, structural information can be limited to the specimen surface (SEM), to extremely thin samples (TEM), or depth averaging (μLaue). Until today, a nondestructive in situ investigation of a dislocation population, and de facto, the determination of the local stress tensor in bulk samples, remain challenging. To decompose the depth‐integrated μLaue signals, the so‐called “differential aperture X‐ray microscopy” (DAXM), allowing the 3D determination of the local structural crystal properties, is used. Using this approach, the local crystallographic phase, orientation, and the elastic strain tensor are obtained with 1 μm3 voxel size. In order to accomplish the experiment, a protocol and a new combined in situ mechanical testing rig with a DAXM microscope is created. The experiment is conducted on a severely bent focused ion beam copper single‐crystal microcantilever (10 × 10 × 25 μm3). The local deviatoric strain tensor and the local lattice curvature in the deformed sample are analyzed in 3D. The advantages and resolution limits of the technique are discussed in detail.
An Engineered Anisotropic Skeletal Muscle Organoid‐on‐a‐Chip for Deciphering Muscle Response under Intermittent Hypoxia
Authors: Li Jiao , Zhang Weihua , Liu Anqi , Lu Yun , Yu Liming , Liu Xue , Sun Liangyan , Zhao Bingjiao , Tong Xianqin , Liu Tingjiao , Liu Yuehua
Published: June 2024

Generating highly organized skeletal muscle tissues that mimics the cellular alignment, maturation, and contraction of native skeletal muscle remains a challenge in disease modeling and regenerative therapies. Existing methodologies are constrained by complexity in fabrication and difficulty in achieving aligned 3D myofibers. Here, a functional skeletal muscle organoid‐on‐a‐chip (SMO) is engineered by establishing mechanical boundary constraints at either end of the cell‐laden extracellular matrix hydrogel within polydimethylsiloxane microstructures to promote the formation of an anisotropic biophysical microenvironment in tissues. The linearly aligned tissue, featuring multinucleated myofibers with distinct cross‐striations, exhibited a positive force‐frequency relationship and stable calcium transients under electrical stimulation. SMOs applicability is demonstrated by systematically evaluating muscle response to varying degrees of intermittent hypoxia. Murine‐ or human‐derived SMOs revealed that, with increasing hypoxia severity, muscles transitioned from a compensatory phase‐characterized by enhanced contractile function, vacuolation and hypertrophic‐like changes in myofibers, fiber type switching, and metabolic shift, to a decompensatory stage, paralleling in vivo muscle responses and highlighting interspecies differences. Human‐derived SMOs are also utilized to assess self‐repair capabilities and pharmaceuticals protective effects on damaged muscle. Together, the platform, with its simplicity of operation and reliable phenotypic readouts, demonstrates significant potential for future disease modeling and regenerative therapies.
Liquid Crystal Elastomer Hollow Fibers as Artificial Muscles with Large and Rapid Actuation Enabled by Thermal‐Pneumatic Enhanced Effect
Authors: Ma Jiazhe , Wang Yunpeng , Sun Jiahao , Yang Zhongqiang
Published: June 2024

Liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) has large and reversible deformation under stimulation, making it an ideal material for artificial muscles. Currently, multi‐stimulus responsive LCE actually responds to each stimulus independently rather than responding to several stimuli simultaneously. Achieving an enhanced effect from concurrent stimuli is still a challenge, which requires a new stimulus‐response mechanism. This work develops a novel and facile solvent evaporation‐assisted template method to prepare LCE hollow fiber (LCEHF) with axial alignment. Taking advantage of the enhanced effect of heat‐induced phase transition and mechanical force‐induced orientation transition of mesogens, the LCEHF under both heat and pressure can produce a large contraction ratio of ≈50%, which is higher than 42% of thermal stimulation or 27% of pneumatic stimulation. It can also enhance the respective response and recovery speed of LCEHF to 300 and 3700 times of pneumatic actuation. Additionally, the enhanced effect lowers the actuation temperature much below the phase transition temperature, imparting LCEHF with high mechanical performance during actuation. Furthermore, the dual thermal‐pneumatic responsive LCEHF can mimic human biceps and cause large and rapid bending of an artificial arm reversibly. This new actuation methodology sheds new light on improving LCE actuation performance and broadens its application scenarios.
Nanoarchitectonics of Laser Induced MAX 3D‐Printed Electrode for Photo‐Electrocatalysis and Energy Storage Application with Long Cyclic Durability of 100 000 Cycles
Authors: Nouseen Shaista , Deshmukh Sujit , Pumera Martin
Published: June 2024

3D printing, a rapidly expanding domain of additive manufacturing, enables the fabrication of intricate 3D structures with adjustable fabrication parameters and scalability. Nonetheless, post‐fabrication, 3D‐printed materials often require an activation step to eliminate non‐conductive polymers, a process traditionally achieved through chemical, thermal, or electrochemical methods. These conventional activation techniques, however, suffer from inefficiency and inconsistent results. In this study, a novel chemical‐free activation method employing laser treatment is introduced. This innovative technique effectively activates 3D‐printed electrodes, which are then evaluated for their photo and electrochemical performance against traditional solvent‐activated counterparts. The method not only precisely ablates surplus non‐conductive polymers but also exposes and activates the underlying electroactive materials. The 3D‐printed electrodes, processed with this single‐step laser approach, exhibit a notably low overpotential of ≈505 mV at a current density of −10 mA cm−2 under an illumination wavelength of 365 nm. These electrodes also demonstrate exceptional durability, maintaining stability through >100 000 cycles in energy storage applications. By amalgamating 3D printing with laser processing, the creation of electrodes with complex structures and customizable properties is enabled. This synergy paves the way for streamlined production of such devices in the field of energy conversion and storage.
Multifunctional Adaptable Injectable TiN‐Based Hydrogels for Antitumor and Antidrug‐Resistant Bacterial Therapy
Authors: Xing Jianghao , Shan Jie , Xue Haowei , Zhang Hengguo , Cheng Liang , Hao Jiqing , Wang Xianwen
Published: June 2024

The close relationship between bacteria and tumors has recently attracted increasing attention, and an increasing number of resources are being invested in the research and development of biomedical materials designed for the treatment of both. In this study, prefabricated TiN nanodots (NDs) and Fe(CO)5 nanoparticles are combined into sodium alginate (ALG) hydrogels to create a biomedical material for the topical treatment of breast cancer and subcutaneous abscesses, and a pseudocatalytic hydrogel with intrinsic photothermal and antibacterial activities is synthesized. TiN+Fe(CO)5+ALG hydrogels are used to determine the ability of Fe(CO)5 to promote CO production. Moreover, TiN NDs catalyze the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) from hydrogen peroxide in tumor microenvironments and exhibit excellent photothermal conversion properties. After local injection of the TiN+Fe(CO)5+ALG hydrogel into subcutaneous tumors and subcutaneous abscesses, and two‐zone near‐infrared (NIR‐II) irradiation, tumor cells and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus are effectively removed by the hydrogel, the mouse epidermis exhibiting complete recovery within 8 d, indicating that this hydrogel exhibits better antibacterial efficacy than the small‐molecule antibiotic penicillin. This study demonstrates the potential of novel hydrogels for antitumor and antimicrobial combination therapy and aims to provide design ideas for the research and development of multifunctional antitumor and antimicrobial drug combinations.
2D Photonic Colloidal Liquid Crystals Composed of Self‐Assembled Rod‐Shaped Particles
Authors: Kato Riki , Mikami Takahiro , Kato Takashi
Published: June 2024

Photonic crystals, characterized by their periodic structures, have been extensively studied for their ability to manipulate light. Typically, the development of 2D photonic crystals requires either sophisticated equipment or precise orientation of spherical nanoparticles. However, liquid‐crystalline (LC) materials offer a promising alternative, facilitating the formation of periodic structures without the need for complex manipulation. Despite this advantage, the development of 2D photonic periodic structures using LC materials is limited to a few colloidal nanodisk liquid crystals. Herein, 2D photonic colloidal liquid crystals composed of biomineral‐based nanorods and water is reported. The soft photonic materials with 2D structure by self‐assembled LC colloidal nanorods are unique and a new class of photonic materials different from conventional solid 2D photonic materials. These colloids exhibit bright structural colors with high reflectance (>50%) and significant angular dependency. The structural colors are adjusted by controlling the concentration and size of the LC colloidal nanorods. Furthermore, mechanochromic hydrogel thin films with 2D photonic structure are developed. The hydrogels exhibit reversible mechanochromic properties with angular dependency, which can be used for an advanced stimuli responsible sensor.
An Active Halide Catholyte Boosts the Extra Capacity for All‐Solid‐State Batteries
Authors: Song Zhenyou , Dai Yiming , Wang Tengrui , Yu Qian , Ye Xiaolu , Wang Likuo , Zhang Yini , Wang Suntongxing , Luo Wei
Published: June 2024

Replacing flammable organic liquid electrolytes with nonflammable solid electrolytes (SEs) in lithium batteries is crucial for enhancing safety across various applications, including portable electronics, electric vehicles, and scalable energy storage. Since typical cathode materials do not possess superionic conductivity, Li‐ion conduction in the cathode predominantly relies on incorporating a significant number of SEs as additives to form a composite cathode, which substantially compromises the energy density of solid‐state lithium batteries. Here, a halide SE, Li3VCl6 is demonstrated, which not only exhibits a decent Li+ conductivity, but more importantly, delivers a highly reversible capacity of approximately 80 mAh g−1 with an average voltage of 3 V versus Li+/Li. The ionic conductivity of Li3VCl6 experiences marginal fluctuations upon electrochemical lithiation/delithiation, as its prototypical solid‐solution reaction results solely in a reduction of lithium vacancy. When combined with the traditional LiFePO4 cathode, the active Li3VCl6 catholyte enables an impressive capacity of 217.1 mAh g−1LFP and about 50% increase in energy density compared with inactive catholytes. Harnessing the integrated mass of the catholyte—which can serve as an active material—presents an opportunity to boost the extra capacity, rendering it feasible in applications.
A Superparamagnetic Composite Hydrogel Scaffold as In Vivo Dynamic Monitorable Theranostic Platform for Osteoarthritis Regeneration
Authors: Rong Mayifei , Liu Dingge , Xu Xiaoguang , Li Ang , Bai Yihua , Yang Gang , Liu Kaiping , Zhang Zhihua , Wang Langran , Wang Kai , Lu Liying , Jiang Yong , Liu Ji , Zhang Xin
Published: June 2024

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent disease, characterized by subchondral fractures in its initial stages, which has no precise and specific treatment now. Here, a novel multifunctional scaffold is synthesized by photopolymerizing glycidyl methacrylate‐modified hyaluronic acid (GMHA) as the matrix in the presence of hollow porous magnetic microspheres based on hydroxyapatite. In vivo subchondral bone repairing results demonstrate that the scaffold's meticulous design has most suitable properties for subchondral bone repair. The porous structure of inorganic particles within the scaffold facilitates efficient transport of loaded exogenous vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). The Fe3O4 nanoparticles assembled in microspheres promote the osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells and accelerate the new bone generation. These features enable the scaffold to exhibit favorable subchondral bone repair properties and attain high cartilage repair scores. The therapy results prove that the subchondral bone support considerably influences the upper cartilage repair process. Furthermore, magnetic resonance imaging monitoring demonstrates that Fe3O4 nanoparticles, which are gradually replaced by new bone during osteochondral defect repair, allow a noninvasive and radiation‐free assessment to track the newborn bone during the OA repair process. The composite hydrogel scaffold (CHS) provides a versatile platform for biomedical applications in OA treatment.
Smart Foams: Boron Nitride‐Graphene Nanoplatelet Foams for Tunable Radiation Shielding and Strain Sensing
Authors: Orikasa Kazue , Benedetti Luiza , Park Cheol , Chu Sang‐Hyon , Jimenez Alberto , Dolmetsch Tyler , Thomas Tony , Agarwal Arvind
Published: June 2024

As space exploration advances, the demand for lightweight, multifunctional materials has substantially grown. Hybrid two‐dimensional (2D) material foams of different boron nitride nanoplatelets (BNNP)‐to‐graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) ratios are developed, which exhibit dual functionality: neutron radiation shields and strain sensors. The relationship between the composition, processing, microstructure, and their resultant neutron shielding and strain‐sensing properties are investigated. The hybrid foam properties can be finely tuned by adjusting BNNP:GNP compositions (1:0, 3:1, 1:1, 1:3, and 0:1). In terms of neutron radiation shielding, the mass absorption coefficient of hybrid foams increased with added BNNP, peaking at 14.9 cm2 g−1 for a pure BNNP foam. This mass absorption coefficient is 1.6 times that of pure GNP foams and almost 75 times that of aluminum. The radiation shielding properties are simulated using Geant4, a Monte Carlo‐based platform, and the simulations displayed a similar trend to the experimental results. The strain‐sensing properties of hybrid foams, measured by their gauge factor, exhibited exponential growth with rising GNP concentrations. Starting from the electrically insulating BNNP foam, the gauge factor increased to 53.4 with 25% GNP concentration and reached 201.8 for pure GNP foams. These findings highlight the versatility of the hybrid 2D material foams for space exploration.
3D‐Printed Hollow Microneedles Array with Luer Lock Connection for Facile and Painless Intradermal Injection: A Proof of Concept
Authors: Ghaznavi Amirreza , Xu Jie , Lee Christine U. , Hara Seth A.
Published: June 2024

A 3D‐printed array of hollow microneedles (HMNs) is designed and fabricated using a high‐resolution stereolithography 3D printer and assembled with a 3D‐printed reservoir that incorporates a Luer lock mechanism, ensuring standard and secure connection to syringes. The proof‐of‐concept needle designs consist of half‐eccentric and concentric conical tip shapes, each arrayed with two different interspacing values. After the geometrical features of the devices are characterized, the devices are tested ex vivo in porcine skin to evaluate the impact of tip shape and interspacing on the depth of penetration and the efficacy of the devices in delivering fluids (such as tattoo ink) into the dermis. Overall, the 3D‐printed HMNs can deliver fluids into the target layer of skin. Refinement of the design is ongoing with the ultimate aim to provide alternatives for intradermal drug delivery and diagnostic imaging, such as superficial lymphography.
Visible‐Light‐Induced Diastereoselective Cascade Cyclization to Construct Polycyclic Spiroindolines
Authors: Ranga Rao Vadithya , Shiva Prasad Vadla , Ravi Dharavath , Anil Kumar Chelukalapally , Kumar Nechipadappu Sunil , ReddyAdiyala Praveen
Published: June 2024

We herein reported, a visible‐light‐induced K2S2O8 mediated cascade reaction of 3‐(2‐isocyanoethyl)indoles with α‐oxocarboxylic acids leading to diastereoselective synthesis of polycyclic spiroindolines bearing an N‐formyl unit derivative utilising the alkali metal salt K2S2O8 as a mediator under mild reaction conditions. This study offers an illustration of α‐oxocarboxylic acids and 3‐(2‐isocyanoethyl)indoles‐based reactions as it shows the involvement of glyoxolate ions without decarboxylation to access polycyclic spiroindolines bearing an N‐formyl unit analogue. The batch process can be extended to a continuous flow system using a glass tube loaded with K2S2O8 placed between the PFA capillary reactor, which can greatly advance the reaction efficiency and can even be promoted to gram‐scale synthesis.
Enhancing the Glucose Sensing Properties of Silicene Through Transition Metal Doping: a DFT Investigation
Authors: Pethurajan Kalpana Devi , Singh Krishna Kumar
Published: June 2024

The attractive physiochemical properties of two dimensional materials demonstrate them to be an emerging class of potential candidates for use in sensing devices. Studies have shown that silicene can act as an excellent chemical sensor; however, no work has been studied about silicene as a glucose sensor. In this paper, using density functional theory, the interaction of pristine silicene and transition metal‐doped (Ag, Au, Cu, Ni, and Pt) silicene is studied with glucose molecules. The calculated adsorption energy, energy gap, and charge transfer value confirmed that the nickel‐doped silicene sheet can be a good glucose sensor with high sensitivity, moderate recovery time, and high conductivity. Further, the electron localization function and the reduced density gradient confirm the physisorption between the glucose molecule and the metal‐doped silicene sheets.
Photo‐Assisted Rechargeable Metal Batteries: Principles, Progress, and Perspectives
Authors: Zhang Pengpeng , Cai Meng , Wei Yixin , Zhang Jingbo , Li Kaizhen , Silva Sembukuttiarachilage Ravi Pradip , Shao Guosheng , Zhang Peng
Published: June 2024

The utilization of diverse energy storage devices is imperative in the contemporary society. Taking advantage of solar power, a significant environmentally friendly and sustainable energy resource, holds great appeal for future storage of energy because it can solve the dilemma of fossil energy depletion and the resulting environmental problems once and for all. Recently, photo‐assisted energy storage devices, especially photo‐assisted rechargeable metal batteries, are rapidly developed owing to the ability to efficiently convert and store solar energy and the simple configuration, as well as the fact that conventional Li/Zn‐ion batteries are widely commercialized. Considering many puzzles arising from the rapid development of photo‐assisted rechargeable metal batteries, this review commences by introducing the fundamental concepts of batteries and photo‐electrochemistry, followed by an exploration of the current advancements in photo‐assisted rechargeable metal batteries. Specifically, it delves into the elucidation of device components, operating principles, types, and practical applications. Furthermore, this paper categorizes, specifies, and summarizes several detailed examples of photo‐assisted energy storage devices. Lastly, it addresses the challenges and bottlenecks faced by these energy storage systems while providing future perspectives to facilitate their transition from laboratory research to industrial implementation.
Making goals count: A theory‐informed approach to on‐shift learning goals
Authors: Griffith Max , Zvonar Ivan , Garrett Alexander , Bayaa Naeem
Published: June 2024

Supervisors often ask emergency medicine trainees for their learning goals at the start of a clinical shift, though they may do so without considering the reasons for this practice. Recognizing the underlying rationale for voicing on‐shift learning goals and proactively considering solutions for some of the associated challenges can help learners and supervisors employ this practice to its full potential. Goal articulation is rooted in educational principles such as self‐regulated learning, targeted performance feedback, and collaborative relationships between learner and supervisor. Despite the potential for on‐shift learning goals to augment learning, there are numerous barriers that make it challenging for learners and supervisors alike to create or follow up on meaningful goals. Learner‐related challenges include uncertainty about how to develop goals within an unpredictable clinical environment and creating goals too narrow or broad in scope. Supervisor‐related challenges include difficulties integrating direct observation into the clinical workflow and a desire to avoid negative feedback. The learning environment also presents inherent challenges, such as lack of longitudinal supervisor–learner relationships, time constraints, space limitations, and incentives for learners to conceal their knowledge gaps. The authors discuss these challenges to effective on‐shift learning goals and propose solutions that target the learner's approach, the supervisor's approach, and the learning environment itself.
A hypothesis: MiRNA‐124 mediated regulation of sirtuin 1 and vitamin D receptor gene expression accelerates aging
Authors: Dhar Poulami , Moodithaya Shailaja , Patil Prakash , Adithi Kellarai
Published: June 2024

Objectives

Specific miRNAs are evident to be overexpressed with age, lifestyle, and environmental changes. Previous studies reported miR‐124 overexpression in different scenarios in aged skin, age‐related cognitive impairment, ischemic heart disease, muscle atrophy, and fractures. Thus miR‐124 was considered to be a reliable miRNA target to establish a hypothesis on aging epigenome. Parallelly the hypothesis focuses on the expression of SIRT1 and VDR genes as a target for this specific miRNA expression as these genes were believed to be related to aging. This study aims to derive facts and evidence from past studies on aging. The objective was to establish a hypothetical linkage between miR‐124 with age‐related genes like SIRT1 and VDR.

Methods

An in silico search was performed in the TargetScan and miRbase databases to analyze the aging‐associated miRNAs and their gene targets, the Python seaborn library was used, and the results were represented in terms of a bar plot.

Results

Based on an in silico analysis and studies available in the literature, we identified that miR‐124‐3p.1 and miR‐124‐3p.2 targets 3′ UTR of VDR and SIRT1 genes, and hence thereby indicates that the miR‐124 can regulate the expression of these genes. Further, few in vitro research studies have observed that miR‐124 overexpression leads to the downregulation of VDR and SIRT1 gene expression. These results indicate that the suppression of these target genes accelerates early aging and age‐related disorders.

Conclusions

Overall, this study hypothesizes that the overexpression of miR‐124 diminishes the expression of VDR and SIRT1 genes, and thereby advances the process of aging, resulting in the development of age‐associated complications.
Direct air capture with amino acid solvent: Operational optimization using a crossflow air‐liquid contactor
Authors: An Keju , Li Kai , Yang Cheng‐Min , Brechtl Jamieson , Stamberga Diana , Zhang Mingkan , Nawaz Kashif
Published: June 2024

Direct air capture (DAC) is a negative emission technology for removing CO2 from the atmosphere to maintain the CO2 level within a reasonable range so as to address greenhouse effects. In this study, the operational optimization of lab‐scale DAC has been investigated using a crossflow air‐liquid contactor loaded with a three dimensionally printed Gyroid packing structure and a potassium sarcosinate solvent. The effects of various parameters, including feed air flow rate, liquid solvent flow rate, contactor geometry, and ambient temperature, are examined. The results demonstrate that the Gyroid packing design achieves comparable CO2 capture performance to conventional packed beds but with a significantly lower pressure drop of up to 77.8%, suggesting its potential as an efficient and cost‐effective solution for gas–liquid contactors in DAC. Additionally, the study explores the climate impact on CO2 capture performance and finds that as the air temperature increases from 35 to 95°F at a fixed relative humidity of 80%, the CO2 capture rate increased from 23.2% to 46.8% with better stability. The research highlights the importance of optimizing contactor design and operational conditions to improve the CO2 capture rate and feasibility of DAC systems as a negative emission technology for addressing greenhouse effects.
Kinetics guided engineering of cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase with enhanced intermolecular transglycosylation activity
Authors: Chen Hanchi , Ju Lingjun , Dong Yangyang , Lu Shijie , Bao Yingling , Zhu Linjiang , Chen Xiaolong
Published: June 2024

Cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase (CGTase) catalyzes intermolecular transglycosylation through either disproportionation or cyclization‐coupling pathway. Kinetics analysis reveals that the hesperidin glycosylation process catalyzed by a CGTase variant (M1) is primarily accomplished through the disproportionation pathway. The cyclization‐coupling pathway exhibits a lower reaction rate and competitively consumes glycosyl donor and yield byproducts that impair disproportionation. Under the guidance of reaction kinetics, mutagenesis was targeted at residues in the −3, +1, and +2 subsites, known to control the selectivity between disproportionation and cyclization. A quadruple variant was identified with 2.9 times hesperidin glycosylation activity compared to M1, and 20.3 times compared to the wild‐type. Kinetic analysis reveals a fourfold improvement of kcat/KmA for disproportionation and an 85.5% reduction in kcat/Km for cyclization after mutagenesis. Binding free energy analysis further confirms that the mutagenesis favors the binding of hesperidin, and destabilizes the binding of cyclodextrin.
A comparative anatomical network analysis of the human and chimpanzee brains
Authors: Schuurman Tim , Bruner Emiliano
Published: June 2024

Spatial interactions among anatomical elements help to identify topological factors behind morphological variation and can be investigated through network analysis. Here, a whole‐brain network model of the chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes, Blumenbach 1776) is presented, based on macroanatomical divisions, and compared with a previous equivalent model of the human brain. The goal was to contrast which regions are essential in the geometric balance of the brains of the two species, to compare underlying phenotypic patterns of spatial variation, and to understand how these patterns might have influenced the evolution of human brain morphology. The human and chimpanzee brains share morphologically complex inferior‐medial regions and a topological organization that matches the spatial constraints exerted by the surrounding braincase. These shared topological features are interesting because they can be traced back to the Chimpanzee‐Human Last Common Ancestor, 7–10 million years ago. Nevertheless, some key differences are found in the human and chimpanzee brains. In humans, the temporal lobe, particularly its deep and medial limbic aspect (the parahippocampal gyrus), is a crucial node for topological complexity. Meanwhile, in chimpanzees, the cerebellum is, in this sense, more embedded in an intricate spatial position. This information helps to interpret brain macroanatomical change in fossil hominids.
In vivo effect of LATE‐NC on integrity of white matter connections to the hippocampus
Authors: Heywood Ashley , Stocks Jane , Schneider Julie A. , Arfanakis Konstantinos , Bennett David A. , Beg Mirza Faisal , Wang Lei
Published: June 2024

INTRODUCTION

TAR DNA‐binding protein 43 (TDP‐43) is a highly prevalent proteinopathy that is involved in neurodegenerative processes, including axonal damage. To date, no ante mortem biomarkers exist for TDP‐43, and few studies have directly assessed its impact on neuroimaging measures utilizing pathologic quantification.

METHODS

Ante mortem diffusion‐weighted images were obtained from community‐dwelling older adults. Regression models calculated the relationship between post mortem TDP‐43 burden and ante mortem fractional anisotropy (FA) within each voxel in connection with the hippocampus, controlling for coexisting Alzheimer's disease and demographics.

RESULTS

Results revealed a significant negative relationship (false discovery rate [FDR] corrected p < .05) between post mortem TDP‐43 and ante mortem FA in one cluster within the left medial temporal lobe connecting to the parahippocampal cortex, entorhinal cortex, and cingulate, aligning with the ventral subdivision of the cingulum. FA within this cluster was associated with cognition.

DISCUSSION

Greater TDP‐43 burden is associated with lower FA within the limbic system, which may contribute to impairment in learning and memory.

Highlights

Post mortem TDP‐43 pathological burden is associated with reduced ante mortem fractional anisotropy.

Reduced FA located in the parahippocampal portion of the cingulum.

FA in this area was associated with reduced episodic and semantic memory.

FA in this area was associated with increased inward hippocampal surface deformation.
Patterns of cognitive domain abnormalities enhance discrimination of dementia risk prediction: The ARIC study
Authors: Knopman David S. , Pike James Russell , Gottesman Rebecca F. , Sharrett A. Richey , Windham B. Gwen , Mosley Thomas H. , Sullivan Kevin , Albert Marilyn S. , Walker Keenan A. , Yasar Sevil , Burgard Sheila , Li David , Gross Alden L
Published: June 2024

INTRODUCTION

The contribution of neuropsychological assessments to risk assessment for incident dementia is underappreciated.

METHODS

We analyzed neuropsychological testing results in dementia‐free participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study. We examined associations of index domain–specific neuropsychological test performance with incident dementia using cumulative incidence curves and Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

Among 5296 initially dementia‐free participants (mean [standard deviation] age of 75.8 [5.1] years; 60.1% women, 22.2% Black) over a median follow‐up of 7.9 years, the covariate‐adjusted hazard ratio varied substantially depending on the pattern of domain‐specific performance and age, in an orderly manner from single domain language abnormalities (lowest risk) to single domain executive or memory abnormalities, to multidomain abnormalities including memory (highest risk).

DISCUSSION

By identifying normatively defined cognitive abnormalities by domains based on neuropsychological test performance, there is a conceptually orderly and age‐sensitive spectrum of risk for incident dementia that provides valuable information about the likelihood of progression.

Highlights

Domain‐specific cognitive profiles carry enhanced prognostic value compared to mild cognitive impairment.

Single‐domain non‐amnestic cognitive abnormalities have the most favorable prognosis.

Multidomain amnestic abnormalities have the greatest risk for incident dementia.

Patterns of domain‐specific risks are similar by sex and race.