bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of daily activity patterns across seasons using GPS telemetry and camera trap data for a widespread mammal
Authors: Wolfson David W. , Schlichting Peter E. , Boughton Raoul K. , Miller Ryan S. , VerCauteren Kurt C. , Lewis Jesse S.
Published: December 2023

Daily activity patterns of animals can be dynamic across seasons in response to changing environmental conditions. Daily activity, though, has rarely been evaluated in relation to multiple factors (e.g., seasons, demographics, and data collection methods), which could be important for understanding what drives activity patterns. Here, we evaluated the daily activity patterns of a widespread invasive species, wild pigs (Sus scrofa), across two ecologically different study areas at Buck Island Ranch, FL, and Tejon Ranch, CA, from 2015 to 2018. Using GPS telemetry data (62 individuals in FL, 21 individuals in CA) and detections from grids of systematically placed motion‐activated cameras (44 cameras in FL, 48 cameras in CA), we compared activity patterns among seasons, sexes, and data collection methods (GPS and camera traps). Overall, wild pigs were mostly active during crepuscular and nocturnal periods, with their lowest activity during diurnal periods; however, activity patterns varied due to several factors. Daily activity patterns were similar between methods, among seasons, and between sexes in the subtropical climate of Florida. In contrast, daily activity patterns exhibited greater differences between methods and among seasons in California, where seasonal differences in temperature and precipitation were more pronounced. Overall, daily activity patterns estimated using GPS telemetry and camera‐based methods not only exhibited a high degree of overlap in several comparisons but also exhibited marked differences that should be recognized. Given the increasing evaluation of daily activity patterns of animals using multiple types of datasets, our study provides ecologists with valuable information to consider when designing ecological studies, interpreting their results, and comparing research across systems and studies.
Obesity, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction, and the role of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists
Authors: Cimino Giuliana , Vaduganathan Muthiah , Lombardi Carlo M. , Pagnesi Matteo , Vizzardi Enrico , Tomasoni Daniela , Adamo Marianna , Metra Marco , Inciardi Riccardo M.
Published: December 2023

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) has a high prevalence, affecting more than 50% of patients with heart failure. HFpEF is associated with multiple comorbidities, and obesity is one of the most common. A distinct phenotype has been proposed for obese patients with HFpEF. Recent data show the beneficial role of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1 RAs) for weight loss in diabetic and non‐diabetic patients with obesity or overweight when given as adjunctive therapy to diet and exercise. The mechanisms of action are related to paracrine and endocrine signalling pathways within the gastrointestinal tract, pancreas, and central nervous system that delay gastric emptying, decrease appetite, augment pancreatic beta‐cell insulin secretion, and suppress pancreatic glucagon release. These drugs are therefore potentially indicated for treatment of patients with HFpEF and obesity or overweight. Efficacy and safety need to be shown by clinical trials with a first one, Semaglutide Treatment Effect in People with obesity and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (STEP HFpEF), recently concluded. The aim of the present review is to provide the pathophysiological and pharmacological rationale for GLP‐1 RA administration to obese patients with HFpEF.
Correlates of malnutrition in patients with heart failure: the role of social support
Authors: Sharifi Mohammad Hossein , Afshari Maryam , Vardanjani Hossein Molavi , Nikmanesh Amirreza , Nikoo Mohammad Hossein
Published: December 2023

Aims

Heart failure (HF) is a major public health challenge. Malnutrition has a significant effect on HF prognosis. Understanding the impact of social and clinical factors on the risk of malnutrition is necessary because it may aid in improving the health status of HF patients.

Methods and results

Three hundred twenty patients with HF who were hospitalized in a heart centre in Shiraz, Iran, from March to November 2022 were studied. Two validated questionnaires were used to evaluate malnutrition and social support: (1) Mini‐Nutritional Assessment Short Form and (2) Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Survey. The participants were then divided into three groups: those with normal nutritional status (scores 12–14), those at risk of malnutrition (scores 7–11), and those who were malnourished (scores 0–6). The potential correlates of malnutrition (including socio‐demographic, clinical, comorbidities, and laboratory factors) were included in the study. Then, ordinal logistic regression was used to investigate the correlates of malnutrition. The mean age of the participants was 64.2 ± 11.2 years, and more than half were male and married. Normal nutritional status was seen in 110 (34.4%) participants, 151 (47.2%) were at risk of malnutrition, and 58 (18.1%) were malnourished. The mean social support score of the participants was 61.65 ± 12.91. According to the adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) obtained from multivariate analysis, increased risk of malnutrition was associated with having a lower social support score [0.95 (0.93–0.97), P‐value ≤ 0.001], lower body mass index [0.91 (0.86–0.97), P‐value = 0.004], higher New York Heart Association classification [1.26 (1.02–1.56), P‐value = 0.03], longer duration of disease [1.006 (1.001–1.01), P‐value = 0.006], and lower serum albumin level [0.25 (0.08–0.75), P‐value = 0.01].

Conclusions

Besides the clinical conditions affecting the risk of malnutrition in patients with HF, social support may play an important role. Including this factor in HF guidelines and developing educational programmes may help improve HF patients' health.
Nucleophilic Addition of Bulky Aryl Substituents to Pentacene‐6,13‐quinone
Authors: Schöntag Johannes , Ströbele Markus , Schubert Hartmut , Bettinger Holger F.
Published: December 2023

We investigate the introduction of bulky aryl substituents of the biphenyl, terphenyl, and quaterphenyl type at the 6,13 and 5,7,12,14 positions of the pentacene scaffold by reaction of the corresponding quinones with lithium organic reagents. The 1,1′‐biphenyl‐2‐yl substituent could be installed at the 5,7,12,14‐positions and regioselectively either at 6,13 or at the 5,13 positions. The unsymmetrical substitution motif results from concomitant 1,2 and 1,4‐addition to 6,13‐pentacenequinone. A one‐pot protocol leads to isomeric symmetric 6,13‐disubstituted pentacenes and allows installation of two 5′‐phenyl‐[1,1′:3′,1′′‐terphenyl]‐2‐yl substituents. The four new pentacenes differ in crystal packing and photochemical stability.
Hypocrisy judgements are affected by target attitude strength and attitude moralization
Authors: Vaughan‐Johnston Thomas Ian
Published: December 2023

Researchers and philosophers have debated what leads people to judge others as being hypocritical. Some research has shown that perceivers consider targets to be more hypocritical when those targets contradict attitudes that are strongly (e.g., moralized and/or certain) rather than weakly held by the target. In the present work, I attempt to advance this research in several respects. First, I integrate these findings with research on the dimensions of attitude strength (i.e., commitment, embeddedness) to provide a more structured analysis of these claims. I show that characterizing a target's views as embedded and committed has many of the same hypocrisy‐related effects as labelling those views as moral, and affect (negative) evaluations of targets through similar mechanisms. However, in Experiment 3, I show that moral attitudes are, nonetheless, perceived as distinct from classic strength dimensions in one crucial respect: the presumption that the target would impose them on other people. Furthermore, whereas judgements of hypocrisy relating to embedded/committed attitudes can be mitigated when perceivers engage in situational attribution, perceivers rendering judgements of hypocrisy relating to moral attitudes resist situational counter‐explanations.
A recurrent deep neural network for predicting the state of health of lithium‐ion batteries
Authors: Al‐Shamma'a Abdullrahman A.
Published: December 2023

Battery State of Health (SoH) estimation is a critical task in the field of battery management, as it provides information about remaining capacity and health of a battery. Various machine learning algorithms, including neural networks, decision trees, support vector machines, and random forests, have been utilized for battery SoH estimation. These models can be trained using different features, such as voltage, current, temperature, impedance, and their combinations. However, the diversity of data is a decisive factor that affects precision of battery SoH estimation using machine learning. In this research, the application of feedforward neural networks (FNNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs) is explored for the purpose of accurately estimating the SoH of batteries. These approaches are chosen due to the inherent benefits of FNNs and RNNs in capturing the long‐term dependencies present in sequential data. The battery SoH estimations are evaluated using the single and multichannel input: voltage, current, voltage‐current, voltage‐temperature, and voltage‐current‐temperature. The experimental findings reveal that the proposed RNN model, specifically the RNN with 20 neurons (RNN20) variant, exhibits an enhanced accuracy in predicting the SoH of batteries. For instance, when utilizing voltage and current as inputs, the RNN20 model demonstrated superior performance, achieving an mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.010157 for voltage and 0.010367 for current, outperforming the FNN with 10 neurons (FNN10) model, which yielded an MAE of 0.031635 and 0.065 for voltage and current, respectively. Furthermore, when employing diverse input combinations such as voltage‐current, voltage‐temperature, and voltage‐current‐temperature, the RNN20 model consistently outperformed its counterparts, exhibiting the lowest mean squared error and mean absolute percentage error across all metrics. These results underscore the RNN20 model's robustness and aptitude in accurately predicting battery SoH, affirming the merits of employing RNNs in battery management systems.
Host and microbial characteristics associated with recurrent prosthetic joint infections
Authors: Hampton Jessica P. , Zhou Joanne Y. , Kameni Floriane Ngako , Espiritu Joseph Raymund , Manasherob Robert , Cheung Emilie , Miller Matthew D. , Huddleston James I. , Maloney William J. , Goodman Stuart B. , Amanatullah Derek F.
Published: December 2023

Approximately 20% of patients after resection arthroplasty and antibiotic spacer placement for prosthetic joint infection develop repeat infections, requiring an additional antibiotic spacer before definitive reimplantation. The host and bacterial characteristics associated with the development of recurrent infection is poorly understood. A case‐control study was conducted for 106 patients with intention to treat by two‐stage revision arthroplasty for prosthetic joint infection at a single institution between 2009 and 2020. Infection was defined according to the 2018 Musculoskeletal Infection Society criteria. Thirty‐nine cases (“recurrent‐periprosthetic joint infection [PJI]”) received at least two antibiotic spacers before clinical resolution of their infection, and 67 controls (“single‐PJI”) received a single antibiotic cement spacer before infection‐free prosthesis reimplantation. Patient demographics, McPherson host grade, and culture results including antibiotic susceptibilities were compared. Fifty‐two (78%) single‐PJI and 32 (82%) recurrent‐PJI patients had positive intraoperative cultures at the time of their initial spacer procedure. The odds of polymicrobial infections were 11‐fold higher among recurrent‐PJI patients, and the odds of significant systemic compromise (McPherson host‐grade C) were more than double. Recurrent‐PJI patients were significantly more likely to harbor Staphylococcus aureus. We found no differences between cases and controls in pathogen resistance to the six most tested antibiotics. Among recurrent‐PJI patients, erythromycin‐resistant infections were more prevalent at the final than initial spacer, despite no erythromycin exposure. Our findings suggest that McPherson host grade, polymicrobial infection, and S. aureus infection are key indicators of secondary or persistent joint infection following resection arthroplasty and antibiotic spacer placement, while bacterial resistance does not predict infection‐related arthroplasty failure.
BDH1‐mediated LRRC31 regulation dependent on histone lysine β‐hydroxybutyrylation to promote lung adenocarcinoma progression
Authors: Huang Jingjing , Liang Lu , Jiang Shiyao , Liu Yueying , He Hua , Sun Xiaoyan , Li Yi , Xie Li , Tao Yongguang , Cong Li , Jiang Yiqun
Published: December 2023

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common form of lung cancer, with a consistently low 5‐year survival rate. Therefore, we aim to identify key genes involved in LUAD progression to pave the way for targeted therapies in the future. BDH1 plays a critical role in the conversion between acetoacetate and β‐hydroxybutyrate. The presence of β‐hydroxybutyrate is essential for initiating lysine β‐hydroxybutyrylation (Kbhb) modifications. Histone Kbhb at the H3K9 site is attributed to transcriptional activation. We unveiled that β‐hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase 1 (BDH1) is not only conspicuously overexpressed in LUAD, but it also modulates the overall intracellular Kbhb modification levels. The RNA sequencing analysis revealed leucine‐rich repeat‐containing protein 31 (LRRC31) as a downstream target gene regulated by BDH1. Ecologically expressed BDH1 hinders the accumulation of H3K9bhb in the transcription start site of LRRC31, consequently repressing the transcriptional expression of LRRC31. Furthermore, we identified potential BDH1 inhibitors, namely pimozide and crizotinib, which exhibit a synergistic inhibitory effect on the proliferation of LUAD cells exhibiting high expression of BDH1. In summary, this study elucidates the molecular mechanism by which BDH1 mediates LUAD progression through the H3K9bhb/LRRC31 axis and proposes a therapeutic strategy targeting BDH1‐high‐expressing LUAD, providing a fresh perspective for LUAD treatment.
Germline mutations in pediatric cancer cohort with mixed‐ancestry Mexicans
Authors: Alonso‐Luna Oscar , Mercado‐Celis Gabriela E. , Melendez‐Zajgla Jorge , Barquera Rodrigo , Zapata‐Tarres Marta , Juárez‐Villegas Luis Enrique , Mendoza‐Caamal Elvia Cristina , Rey‐Helo Elianeth , Borges‐Yañez Socorro Aida
Published: December 2023

Background

Childhood cancer is one of the primary causes of disease‐related death in 5‐ to 14‐year‐old children and currently no prevention strategies exist to reduce the incidence of this disease. Childhood cancer has a larger hereditary component compared with cancer in adults. Few genetic studies have been conducted on children with cancer. Additionally, Latin American populations are underrepresented in genomic studies compared with other populations. Therefore, the aim of this study is to analyze germline mutations in a group of mixed‐ancestry Mexican pediatric patients with solid and hematological cancers.

Methods

We analyzed genetic variants from 40 Mexican childhood cancer patients and their relatives. DNA from saliva or blood samples was used for whole‐exome sequencing. All variants were identified following GATK best practices.

Results

We found that six patients (15%) were carriers of germline mutations in CDKN2A, CHEK2, DICER1, FANCA, MSH6, MUTYH, NF1, and SBDS cancer predisposition genes, and additional new variants predicted to be deleterious by in silico algorithms. A population genetics analysis detected five components consistent with the demographic models assumed for modern mixed‐ancestry Mexicans.

Conclusions

This report identifies potential genetic risk factors and provides a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of childhood cancer in this population.
Oscillation criterion for Euler type half‐linear difference equations
Authors: Hasil Petr , Veselý Michal
Published: December 2023

We consider general classes of Euler type linear and half‐linear difference equations, which are conditionally oscillatory. Applying the adapted Riccati technique, we improve known oscillation criteria for these equations. More precisely, our presented main criterion is the full oscillatory counterpart of a non‐oscillation criterion. Thus, in this paper, we enlarge the set of conditionally oscillatory Euler type difference equations. We highlight that our results are new even for linear equations with periodic coefficients. This fact is documented by simple examples of such equations at the end of this paper.
Numerical analysis of an uncoupled and linearized compact difference scheme with energy dissipation property for the generalized dissipative symmetric regularized long‐wave equations
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng
Published: December 2023

This paper proposes and analyzes an uncoupled and linearized compact finite difference scheme for the generalized dissipative symmetric regularized long‐wave (GDSRLW) equations. The unique solvability and some a priori estimates of the proposed difference scheme are rigorously proved based on the mathematical induction method. To obtain the
‐norm estimation of numerical solutions, the discrete energy method is used to prove the convergence and stability of the difference scheme. The proposed difference scheme preserves the original energy dissipation property, and the convergence of the scheme is proved to be fourth‐order in space and second‐order in time in the
‐norm for both
and
. Some numerical experiments are given to verify the theoretical analysis and the reliability of the proposed difference scheme.
Towards the saving potentials using a hybrid topology optimization: Application of a coupled deterministic and empirical approach solving a geotechnical optimization problem
Authors: Hadjiloo Elnaz , Knutz Stefanie , Grabe Jürgen
Published: December 2023

This article presents the application of the TOSS (topology optimization for stiffness and strength) algorithm, a hybrid optimization strategy for topology optimization, used for the design of a strip foundation as a basic geotechnical structure. One of the challenges of this field is to improve structural performance by using less material than conventional structures. Therefore, the SIMP (solid isotropic material with penalization) is applied to optimize the foundation concerning its deformational behavior. The downstream SKO (soft kill option) then solves for optimality concerning the foundation's stress distribution. Numerical experiments with the TOSS algorithm reveal great potential for material savings. The coupled solution presents the benefit of reducing emissions due to material savings of more than 20% in comparison to the individual SIMP and SKO algorithms. A positive by‐product of the method is that stress peaks under the foundation are reduced due to the homogenization of stresses as a result of SKO optimization, thus creating the conditions for better durability of the foundation.
Drinking water contaminant concentrations and birth outcomes
Authors: DiSalvo Richard W. , Hill Elaine L.
Published: December 2023

Previous research in the U.S. has found negative health effects of contamination when it triggers regulatory violations. An important question is whether levels of contamination that do not trigger a health‐based violation impact health. We study the impact of drinking water contamination in community water systems on birth outcomes using drinking water sampling results data in Pennsylvania. We focus on the effects of water contamination for births not exposed to regulatory violations. Our most rigorous specification employs mother fixed effects and finds changing from the 10th to the 90th percentile of water contamination (among births not exposed to regulatory violations) increases low birth weight by 12% and preterm birth by 17%.
Polymer/mold interfacial heat transfer during injection molding
Authors: Nathan D. Kamala , Prabhu K. Narayan
Published: December 2023

An experimental injection molding setup was designed and fabricated. The purpose of the setup is to cast polymer components and estimate the polymer/mold interfacial heat flux transients during injection molding. The mold plate is instrumented with K‐type thermocouples to record its thermal history continuously during the cyclic process. Experiments were performed at a melt injection temperature of 280°C. Velocity and shear rate profiles were determined to assess the flow behavior of the melt. The spatiotemporal heat flux transients at the interface and the mold surface temperature were estimated using measured temperature data inside the mold as input to an inverse heat conduction problem. The estimated boundary heat flux transients were used to numerically simulate the polymer melt's cooling behavior. From the estimated heat flux and surface temperatures, heat transfer coefficients (HTC) were determined. The peak value of the HTC was 5775 W/m2K and occurred at a mold surface temperature of 35.7°C and polymer surface temperature of 47.4°C. The evolution of the air gap at the interface was quantified using an exponential fit. The estimated air gap width corresponding to peak HTC was about 4 μm and increased to about 100 μm towards the end of the solidification. While the peak heat flux is associated with the start of the formation of polymer skin on the mold surface, the peak HTC corresponds to the onset of nucleation of the air gap or a nonconforming contact.

Highlights

An experimental setup to study heat transfer during injection molding.

Spatiotemporal heat flux transients (q) were estimated during injection molding.

Polymer temperatures were simulated using q, and HTC was determined.

The peak HTC indicated the onset of nucleation of an air gap.

Evolution of air gap at the interface was modeled using an exponential fit.
A Low‐Cost Facile Synthesis of Solution‐Processable N‐Phenylcarbazole/Triazine Hybrid Host for Orange Thermally‐Activated Delayed Fluorescent Organic Light‐Emitting Diodes
Authors: Zhao Xiang-Hua , Li Rui-Rui , Han Ya-Nan , Li Yue , Zou Guo-Dong , Xie Guohua , Zhang Xin-Wen , Sun Ming-Li , Xie Ling-Hai
Published: December 2023

An N‐phenylcarbazole/triazine hybrid of 2,4,6‐tris(9‐phenyl‐9H‐carbazol‐3‐yl)‐1,3,5‐triazine (TPhCz‐Trz) is successfully synthesized using cheap raw materials via facile synthesis method with a high yield of 60.9%. Good thermal (Td, 284 °C) and morphological stability are realized due to its rigid structure and three‐dimensional steric hindrance. The high triplet energy level of 2.88 eV for the host is very important to inhibit the energy reverse from guest to host. Surprisingly, orange thermally‐activated delayed fluorescent (TADF) organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) are achieved by using excellent green emitter 9,10‐bis(4‐(3,6‐ditertbutyl‐9H‐carbazol‐9‐yl)‐2,6‐dimethyl‐phenyl)‐9,10‐diboraanth‐racene (tBuCzDBA) with the maximum external quantum efficiency of 14.0%. The large bathochromic‐shift is probably induced by the polarity of the host compared to the emission peak of 542 nm of tBuCzDBA‐based green TADF device. This indicates high performance of devices with different colors would be achieved through optimizing molecular structure of the host and device framework using tBuCzDBA as emitter.
In‐Vitro Investigation of the α‐Amylase Inhibition Activity of Bare Bis‐Benzylidene‐Cyclohexanone Synthesized by a Highly Selective Solvent‐Free Route
Authors: Veigas Laveena Mariet , Ravi Lokesh , Narasimhaiaha Nagaraju , Chundattu Sony J. , Nagaraju Kathyayini , Krishna Mohan Mothi
Published: December 2023

Current work reports the highly selective, solvent‐free synthesis of an endorsed bioactive compound, Bis benzylidine cyclohexanone (BBC) through solid acid catalysed cross aldol condensation route and checks its in‐vitro bio activity. The catalytic support (Multiwalled carbon nanotube) employed was synthesized through the highly sophisticated catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method and simple mechanical grinding strategy was adopted to decorate sulfonic acid on the support. The C1s X‐ray photoelectron peak of at 290.3 eV confirms the effective interaction of sulfonic acid with MWCNT. The sharp and intense desorption peaks observed at approximately 528.7 °C and 655.15 °C in the TPD analysis unmistakably substantiate the strong acidity of the synthesized system. The alpha amylase inhibition activity of the synthesized compound was calculated to be around 88.5 %, which is in par with the commercial drug as it could inhibit only 96 %. Further, the in‐silico (Docking and Molecular Dynamic Simulation) investigations unveiled a new target site for the compound and this can further be studied in detail to advance the applications in drug design. Detailed scrutiny of various parameters was conducted to validate the bioactivity and pharmaceutical potential of the synthesized compound.
Structural, Optical, and Magnetic Properties of o‐TbFeO3 Nanomaterials Synthesized by the co‐Precipitation Method
Authors: Anh Tien Nguyen , Kim Hoang Huynh Thi , Olegovna Mittova Valentina , To Nga Tran Thi , Truc Linh Nguyen Thi , Yakovlevna Mittova Irina , Viktorovna Tomina Elena , Dinh Trinh Tran , Thanh Thuy Le Thi , Son Cam Thanh
Published: December 2023

Following the co‐precipitation method for producing terbium orthoferrite (TbFeO3), the final products were denoted as TbFeO3‐650, −750, and −850. A single‐phase of orthorhombic TbFeO3 crystals (o‐TbFeO3) was obtained with a calcination temperature of up to 850 °C, while in the range of 650–750 °C there was still a small amount of terbium and iron oxide phases. The average size of o‐TbFeO3 crystallites for the TbFeO3‐850 sample was about 76 nm and was larger than that of TbFeO3‐650 (~45 nm) and TbFeO3‐750 (~47 nm). The o‐TbFeO3 crystal structure in all samples was found to be distorted. In the applied field from −15 to +15 kOe, all of the samples had low values of coercive field (5–11 ⋅ 10−3 Oe) but high values of net magnetization (2.06–2.40 emu ⋅ g−1); the samples appeared to behave as paramagnetic materials. It was shown that the TbFeO3‐850 sample has slightly better magnetic properties than the two others. An average grain size of about 79 nm was found in the TbFeO3‐850 sample, which exhibited a morphology of sphere‐like shapes with highly agglomerated grains. The TbFeO3‐850 sample demonstrated a high absorbance at wavelengths of 400–600 nm, with a direct bandgap of about 2.68 eV.
Iodine(III)‐Aluminum or ‐Ammonium Salts for the Oxidative Aromatic Inorganic Functionalization
Authors: Chávez‐Rivera Rubén , Navarro‐Santos Pedro , Chacón‐García Luis , Ortiz‐Alvarado Rafael , Solorio Alvarado César R.
Published: December 2023

Strategies for introducing halogens and other inorganic groups in aromatic systems, usually involve non‐general and strong oxidative protocols which resulted in poor functional group compatibility. Iodine(III) reagents have emerged as an excellent alternative for the aromatic inorganic functionalization due to their low toxicity and strong oxidative character. In this context, the synergistic combination of different iodine(III) reagents and aluminum or ammonium salts including AlCl3, AlBr3, Al(NO3)3, NH4Cl, NH4Br and NH4I have recently demonstrated a great versatility for introducing the chlorine, bromine, iodine and nitro groups in aromatic systems, mainly phenols, anilines and some heterocycles. Using these common salts, their anions are softly oxidated by iodine(III) reagents, allowing the in situ formation of non‐described halogenating and nitrating species and in consequence, the introduction of these inorganic groups under an umpolung reactivity as chemical electrophilic synthons.
Bismuth‐Based Electrocatalysts for Identical Value‐Added Formic Acid Through Coupling CO2 Reduction and Methanol Oxidation
Authors: Hao Shengjie , Cong Meiyu , Xu Hanwen , Ding Xin , Gao Yan
Published: December 2023

It is an effective way to reduce atmospheric CO2 via electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), while the slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) occurs at the anode with huge energy consumption. Herein, methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is used to replace OER, coupling CO2RR to achieve co‐production of formate. Through enhancing OCHO* adsorption by oxygen vacancies engineering and synergistic effect by heteroatom doping, Bi/Bi2O3 and Ni─Bi(OH)3 are synthesized for efficient production of formate via simultaneous CO2RR and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), achieving that the coupling of CO2RR//MOR only required 7.26 kWh gformate−1 power input, much lower than that of CO2RR//OER (13.67 kWh gformate−1). Bi/Bi2O3 exhibits excellent electrocatalytic CO2RR performance, achieving FEformate >80% in a wide potential range from −0.7 to −1.2 V (vs RHE). For MOR, Ni─Bi(OH)3 exhibits efficient MOR catalytic performance with the FEformate >98% in the potential range of 1.35–1.6 V (vs RHE). Not only demonstrates the two‐electrode systems exceptional stability, working continuously for over 250 h under a cell voltage of 3.0 V, but the cathode and anode can maintain a FE of over 80%. DFT calculation results reveal that the oxygen vacancies of Bi/Bi2O3 enhance the adsorption of OCHO* intermediate, and Ni─Bi(OH)3 reduce the energy barrier for the rate determining step, leading to high catalytic activity.
Intracycle RPM control for vertical axis wind turbines
Authors: Sadman Sakib Mohammad , Todd Griffith D. , Hossain Sanower , Bayat Saeid , Allison James T.
Published: December 2023

The wind energy market is currently dominated by horizontal axis wind turbines (HAWTs); however, vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) are emerging as a design alternative, especially for deep‐water offshore siting due to their low center of gravity, ease of access to drivetrain components, and overall simplicity. Due to the absence of a pitch mechanism in large‐scale Darrieus VAWTs, stall control has often been used to manage power and loads. Introducing a pitching mechanism in H‐type VAWTs has been studied, but this diminishes the mechanical simplicity advantage, and the use of a pitching mechanism in a large‐scale Darrieus‐type VAWT is not practical. This work examines an innovative, alternative method to control the rotor dynamics of a large‐scale 5 MW VAWT to maximize power while constraining loads without introducing any new or complex mechanical elements. This control strategy is termed intracycle revolution per minute (RPM) control, where the rotational speed of the turbine is allowed to vary in an optimal fashion with the azimuthal location of blades as opposed to typical constant RPM operation. An optimization framework is formulated for an open‐loop optimal control problem and solved to maximize power subject to constraints on aerodynamic design loads. Results are presented to demonstrate the benefits and the performance limits of intracycle RPM control for large‐scale 5 MW Darrieus VAWTs, namely, (1) power production (quantified in terms of AEP) that can be increased subject to baseline load limits and (2) opportunities to significantly increase AEP or decrease loads via intracycle RPM control that are examined for both two‐bladed and three‐bladed VAWTs.
Monitoring biofilm thickness using the membrane aerated biofilm reactor (MABR) fingerprint soft sensor to optimize nitrogen removal
Authors: Cao Yi , Cui Zihao , Daigger Glen T.
Published: December 2023

The ongoing commercialization and installation of full‐scale membrane aerated biofilm reactors (MABRs) stimulate the increasing need to monitor biofilm development. Biofilm thickness in MABRs can be assessed indirectly by plotting the exhaust oxygen purity versus bulk ammonia concentration, defined here as the MABR fingerprint soft sensor. Dynamic simulations with diurnal flow variations of an MABR unit model were implemented over a broad range of biofilm thicknesses and influent conditions consisting of variable C/N ratios and applied ammonia fluxes to assess the utility of the MABR fingerprint. Results show that the continuously decreasing trend of the MABR fingerprint plot slopes can be employed as a useful signal for biofilm thickness control in nitrogen removal processes. This technique is useful in a wide range of influent conditions and is helpful for MABR operators and designers to arrange biofilm thickness control events efficiently and determine where in an overall treatment process the technique can be applied to control biofilm thickness and optimize process performance.

Practitioner points

The linear relationship between exhaust oxygen purity and bulk ammonia concentration is defined as the MABR fingerprint plot.

MABR fingerprint plots are generated for a given biofilm thickness with diurnal flow or short‐term loading variations implemented.

Continuously decreasing trends of the MABR fingerprint plot slopes are useful signals for biofilm control in nitrogen removal.

The MABR fingerprint is useful over a wide range of influent conditions regarding C/N ratios and applied ammonia fluxes.

MABR practitioners can use the fingerprint plots to determine when biofilm control measures should be taken.
Syntheses and Characterization of Ti(III)/Ti(IV) Triazenido Complexes
Authors: Schwitalla Kevin , Lee Wing , Töben Iris , Eilers Marcel , Schmidtmann Marc , Beckhaus Rüdiger
Published: December 2023

The syntheses of side‐on Ti(III) triazenido complexes via the ethylene complexes Cp*Ti(η2‐C2H4)(η5‐C5H4CR2H) and side‐on Ti(IV) triazenido complexes via bis(π‐η5 : σ‐η1‐pentafulvene) titanium complexes are reported. The deprotonation of the triazene N−H function occurs under mild conditions either by reduction of the proton to hydrogen mediated via the masked titanocene (II) of the ethylene complex or by the nucleophilic Cexo atom of the pentafulvene moiety. The structures of the paramagnetic Ti(III) complexes were confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, whereas the diamagnetic Ti(IV) complexes were characterized via NMR spectroscopy and additionally, Ti2 c by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. The structure of complex Ti2 c reveals one of the smallest bent angles known for titanium pentafulvene complexes.
Genome Editing of Gene Families for Crop Improvement
Authors: Avci Utku , Sipahi Hülya
Published: December 2023

Crop improvement has been a long-standing focus of agricultural research, aiming to enhance nutritional richness, aroma, visual appeal, and yield to meet the growing global food demand. Recent advances in molecular biology and genetic engineering, particularly genome editing, offer precise and targeted tools for modifying crop genomes. Traditional plant breeding methods, while successful in the past, are time-consuming, and techniques like mutagenesis and transgenesis have limitations. Genome editing techniques provide unprecedented precision and enable scientists to make desired modifications to a plant’s DNA. This chapter explores the role of genome editing, specifically in gene families, for crop improvement, highlighting its potential benefits and challenges.

Gene families are crucial for important crop traits like yield, disease resistance, and environmental adaptation. However, conventional breeding methods often struggle to effectively manipulate gene families due to their complex nature. Genome editing offers a promising solution by allowing targeted modifications to specific gene family members. The precision of genome editing tools can help unravel the functions of gene family members in diverse plant species.

With the challenges posed by climate change, global conflicts, and population growth, the conventional food system falls short of meeting future demands sustainably. Genome-edited crops hold promise in obtaining elite genotypes with desirable traits, contributing to a resilient and sustainable agriculture and food system. Moreover, genome editing facilitates the study of genetic diversity that governs desirable crop characteristics, benefiting both genome-edited and conventionally bred crops.
Datenverarbeitung in sicheren Verarbeitungsumgebungen am Beispiel von MRT-Gehirnscans – zugleich ein Plädoyer für eine rechtssichere Forschungsgrundlage
Authors: Specht-Riemenschneider Louisa , Heineking Bernadette
Published: December 2023

Die Nutzung von Datenbeständen für medizinische Forschung bietet großes gesamtgesellschaftliches Potenzial, können sich doch durch die Auswertung großer Datenmengen mit maschinellen Lernverfahren teils ganz neue Forschungsansätze, Diagnose- und Behandlungsmethoden ergeben. Häufig scheitert eine solche Nutzung von Datenbeständen aber an den hohen Voraussetzungen oder unklaren Anforderungen des Datenschutzrechts.

Gerade die Verarbeitung visueller Gesundheitsdaten wie MRT-Gehirnscans geht mit besonderen Risiken für die betroffenen Personen einher, die die rechtmäßige Verarbeitung dieser Daten zu Forschungszwecken erschweren. Zur Reduzierung dieser Risiken können als unabhängige Anonymisierungs- und Pseudonymisierungsinstanz eingesetzte Datentreuhänder beitragen, die eine sichere Verarbeitungsumgebung bereitstellen, in der Gesundheitsdaten kurzfristig gespeichert, ausgewertet und anschließend gelöscht werden.

Diese Risikoreduktion trägt zur Rechtmäßigkeit der Datenverarbeitung bei, führt sie doch dazu, dass Abwägungsentscheidungen, wie z. B. nach Art. 9 Abs. 2 lit. j, Art. 89 Abs. 1 Datenschutzgrundverordnung (DSGVO), § 6 Abs. 2 Gesundheitsdatenschutzgesetz Nordrhein-Westfalen (GDSG NW), § 17 Datenschutzgesetz Nordrhein-Westfalen (DSG NRW) bzw. § 27 Bundesdatenschutzgesetz (BDSG), oder die Beurteilung der Kompatibilität des Sekundärzwecks der Verarbeitung mit dem Erhebungszweck eher zugunsten der Datenverarbeitung ausfällt. Der Einsatz von Datentreuhandmodellen kann insofern auch zum Abbau datenschutzrechtlicher Hürden der Verarbeitung solcher Gesundheitsdaten zu wissenschaftlichen Forschungszwecken beitragen.
Ictal hand signs: Minimal previous attention to these diagnostic indicators
Authors: Stefan Hermann , Strzelczyk Adam , Schmitt Friedhelm C.
Published: December 2023

Ictal hand signs manifest as dystonic, tonic, or non-convulsive rhythmic elementary motor patterns, as well as finger snapping or automatic movement patterns (e.g. fumbling), and psychogenic movements have been reported in a small number of patients. This study demonstrates the various ictal hand signs and discusses the data on lateralization and localization as reported in the literature. In addition to published reports, our case studies are presented.
RETRACTED ARTICLE: Effect of micro-viscosity on the rotational diffusion: pulsed laser-based time-resolved single-molecule study
Authors: Atta Diaa , Gweily Noha
Published: December 2023

The effect of the changes in buffer concentrations or any additives like surfactants in the protein samples during the analysis on the single-biomolecule diffusion is one of the hidden points in the single-molecule time-resolved measurements. In the current work, phosphoglycerate kinase (PGK) labeled with Atto-647 has been investigated on the single molecule level while it diffuses in Na2CO3 buffer at concentrations that vary from 10 mg/l up to 50 mg/l. The fluorescence lifetime of PGK labeled with Atto-647 in 50 mg/ml Na2CO3 has been measured, and it was found to be 2.7 ns. The fluorescence cross correlation of the diffused protein has also been measured, which confirms that the used samples are at a single molecule level. Time decay fluorescence anisotropy has been performed for PGK labeled with Atto-647 in different concentrations of Na2CO3, and the results confirmed that there is a clear impact on the molecular translational and rotational diffusion even with slight changes in the buffer concentration.
Photodegradation of polyethylene debris in water by sulfur-doped TiO2: system optimization, degradation mechanism, and reusability
Authors: Sharara Ahmed , Samy Mahmoud , Mossad Mohamed , Gar Alalm Mohamed
Published: December 2023

Given the immense threats of microplastics, we herein investigate photodegrading the debris of polyethylene bags (PBs) by sulfur-doped titanium dioxide. The optimization of operating parameters showed that controlling the water pH at 3 and introducing PBs by 0.10 g/L under a catalyst dose of 1.25 g/L reduced the polyethylene mass by 3.10% in 7 h, whereas raising the catalyst dose to 3 g/L improved the mass reduction to 4.72%. The extension of degradation time to 100 h at pH 3, catalyst dosage of 3 g/L, and PBs concentration of 0.10 g/L increased the mass loss ratio to 21.74%. Scanning electron microscopy of PBs after 100 h of photodegradation showed cracks on the surface accompanied by the increase of carbonyl index from 0.52 to 1.41 confirming the breakdown of the polymeric chain. Total organic carbon increased from 0.80 to 7.76 mg/L in the first 10 h of photodegradation, then decreased to 1 mg/L after extending the reaction time to 100 h due to the mineralization of organic intermediates generated from the photodegradation of PBs. Trapping tests exhibited the major role of hydroxyl radicals in the degradation system, and the catalyst showed high stability under five repetitive runs. This study proposes an efficient treatment system that can be implemented on a wider scale utilizing the synthesized catalyst to degrade plastics efficiently before their release to water streams.
Associations of Cannabis Use, High-Risk Alcohol Use, and Depressive Symptomology with Motivation and Attempts to Quit Cigarette Smoking Among Adults: Findings from the 2020 ITC Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey
Authors: Gravely Shannon , Driezen Pete , Shahab Lion , McClure Erin A. , Hyland Andrew , Cummings K. Michael , East Katherine A. , Chan Gary C. K. , Walsh Hannah , Benowitz Neal L. , Gartner Coral E. , Fong Geoffrey T. , Quah Anne C. K. , Smith Danielle M.
Published: December 2023

This study assessed independent and interaction effects of the frequency of cannabis use, high-risk alcohol use, and depressive symptomology on motivation and attempts to quit cigarette smoking among adults who regularly smoked. Cross-sectional data are from the 2020 International Tobacco Control Four Country Smoking and Vaping Survey and included 7044 adults (ages 18 + years) who smoked cigarettes daily in Australia (n = 1113), Canada (n = 2069), England (n = 2444), and the United States (USA) (n = 1418). Among all respondents, 33.1% of adults reported wanting to quit smoking “a lot,” and 29.1% made a past-year quit attempt. Cannabis use was not significantly associated with either outcome (both p ≥ 0.05). High-risk alcohol use was significantly associated with decreased odds of motivation to quit (p = 0.02) and making a quit attempt (p = 0.004). Depressive symptomology was associated with increased odds for both outcomes (both p < 0.001). There were no significant 2- or 3-way interactions between cannabis use, alcohol consumption, and depressive symptomatology. Overall, just over a quarter of adults who smoked daily reported making a recent quit attempt, and most were not highly motivated to quit. Longitudinal research should investigate whether there are linkages between cannabis use, risky alcohol consumption, and/or depression on successful long-term smoking cessation.
Emergent communication enhances foraging behavior in evolved swarms controlled by spiking neural networks
Authors: Jimenez Romero Cristian , Yegenoglu Alper , Pérez Martín Aarón , Diaz-Pier Sandra , Morrison Abigail
Published: December 2023

Social insects such as ants and termites communicate via pheromones which allow them to coordinate their activity and solve complex tasks as a swarm, e.g. foraging for food or finding their way back to the nest. This behavior was shaped through evolutionary processes over millions of years. In computational models, self-coordination in swarms has been implemented using probabilistic or pre-defined simple action rules to shape the decision of each agent and the collective behavior. However, manual tuned decision rules may limit the emergent behavior of the swarm. In this work we investigate the emergence of self-coordination and communication in evolved swarms without defining any explicit rule. For this purpose, we evolve a swarm of agents representing an ant colony. We use an evolutionary algorithm to optimize a spiking neural network (SNN) which serves as an artificial brain to control the behavior of each agent. The goal of the evolved colony is to find optimal ways to forage for food and return it to the nest in the shortest amount of time. In the evolutionary phase, the ants are able to learn to collaborate by depositing pheromone near food piles and near the nest to guide other ants. The pheromone usage is not manually encoded into the network; instead, this behavior is established through the optimization procedure. We observe that pheromone-based communication enables the ants to perform better in comparison to colonies where communication via pheromone did not emerge. Furthermore, we assess the foraging performance of the ant colonies by comparing the SNN-based model to a multi-agent rule-based system. Our results show that the SNN-based model can efficiently complete the foraging task in a short amount of time. Our approach illustrates that even in the absence of pre-defined rules, self-coordination via pheromone emerges as a result of the network optimization. This work serves as a proof of concept for the possibility of creating complex applications utilizing SNNs as underlying architectures for multi-agent interactions where communication and self-coordination is desired.
Chinese Global Infrastructure
Authors: Strange Austin
Published: December 2023

Infrastructure is at the heart of China's presence in global development and is also central to larger debates about Chinese influence. This Element provides a comprehensive account of major Chinese government-financed infrastructure projects in the Global South since 1949. Using new datasets, it demonstrates that Chinese global infrastructure is distinct in terms of its historical tenacity and massive contemporary scope. But this does not imply that contemporary Chinese global infrastructure or the Belt and Road Initiative should be studied in a vacuum. Historical and comparative perspectives show that contemporary projects often emerge based on similar political logics to those that shaped infrastructure investment in earlier periods of Chinese history and other international contexts. The Element then examines how infrastructure projects have created both purposeful and unintended sources of influence by serving as valuable but risky political capital for host country governments as well as the Chinese government. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Folk Gothic
Authors: Keetley Dawn
Published: December 2023

Folk Gothic begins with the assertion that a significant part of what has been categorised as folk horror is more accurately and usefully labelled as Folk Gothic. Through the modifier 'folk', Folk Gothic obviously shares with folk horror its deployment (and frequent fabrication) of diegetic folklore. Folk Gothic does not share, however, folk horror's incarnate monsters, its forward impetus across spatial and ontological boundaries and the shock and repulsion elicited through its bodily violence. The author argues that the Folk Gothic as a literary, televisual and cinematic formation is defined by particular temporal and spatial structures that serve to forge distinctly nonhuman stories. In emphasising these temporal and spatial structures – not literal 'folk' and 'monsters' – the Folk Gothic tells stories that foreground land and 'things', consequently loosening the grip of anthropocentrism.