bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aged bone matrix-derived extracellular vesicles as a messenger for calcification paradox
Authors: Wang Zhen-Xing , Luo Zhong-Wei , Li Fu-Xing-Zi , Cao Jia , Rao Shan-Shan , Liu Yi-Wei , Wang Yi-Yi , Zhu Guo-Qiang , Gong Jiang-Shan , Zou Jing-Tao , Wang Qiang , Tan Yi-Juan , Zhang Yan , Hu Yin , Li You-You , Yin Hao , Wang Xiao-Kai , He Ze-Hui , Ren Lu , Liu Zheng-Zhao , Hu Xiong-Ke , Yuan Ling-Qing , Xu Ran , Chen Chun-Yuan , Xie Hui
Published: March 2022

Adipocyte differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BMSCs) instead of osteoblast formation contributes to age- and menopause-related marrow adiposity and osteoporosis. Vascular calcification often occurs with osteoporosis, a contradictory association called “calcification paradox”. Here we show that extracellular vesicles derived from aged bone matrix (AB-EVs) during bone resorption favor BMSC adipogenesis rather than osteogenesis and augment calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells. Intravenous or intramedullary injection of AB-EVs promotes bone-fat imbalance and exacerbates Vitamin D3 (VD3)-induced vascular calcification in young or old mice. Alendronate (ALE), a bone resorption inhibitor, down-regulates AB-EVs release and attenuates aging- and ovariectomy-induced bone-fat imbalance. In the VD3-treated aged mice, ALE suppresses the ovariectomy-induced aggravation of vascular calcification. MiR-483-5p and miR-2861 are enriched in AB-EVs and essential for the AB-EVs-induced bone-fat imbalance and exacerbation of vascular calcification. Our study uncovers the role of AB-EVs as a messenger for calcification paradox by transferring miR-483-5p and miR-2861.
Identifying regions for enhanced control of gambiense sleeping sickness in the Democratic Republic of Congo
Authors: Huang Ching-I , Crump Ronald E. , Brown Paul E. , Spencer Simon E. F. , Miaka Erick Mwamba , Shampa Chansy , Keeling Matt J. , Rock Kat S.
Published: March 2022

Gambiense human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness, gHAT) is a disease targeted for elimination of transmission by 2030. While annual new cases are at a historical minimum, the likelihood of achieving the target is unknown. We utilised modelling to study the impacts of four strategies using currently available interventions, including active and passive screening and vector control, on disease burden and transmission across 168 endemic health zones in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Median projected years of elimination of transmission show only 98 health zones are on track despite significant reduction in disease burden under medical-only strategies (64 health zones if > 90% certainty required). Blanket coverage with vector control is impractical, but is predicted to reach the target in all heath zones. Utilising projected disease burden under the uniform medical-only strategy, we provide a priority list of health zones for consideration for supplementary vector control alongside medical interventions.
The deleterious effects of old social partners on Drosophila lifespan and stress resistance
Authors: Lin Yu-Chiao , Zhang MingYang , Wang Sheng-Hao , Chieh Chia-Wen , Shen Pin-Yun , Chen Yi-Lin , Chang Yu-Chia , Kuo Tsung-Han
Published: March 2022

Social interactions play important roles in the modulation of behavior, physiology, and, potentially, lifespan. Although longevity has been studied extensively in different model organisms, due to the complexity of social environments, the social modulation of aging remains poorly investigated. The present study used the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, as a model to study lifespan and stress resistance under different social conditions. Our experiments first showed that social isolation increased fly lifespan, suggesting a potential deleterious effect of social companions. Furthermore, we exposed flies to different aged social partners and found that living with old animals significantly reduced lifespan and stress resistance in young animals. In contrast, living with young animals increased old animal lifespan, although the effects were less robust. Overall, our results suggest that while social interaction can influence fly health, specific social partners may have more pronounced effects than others. This study provides new evidence that different social environments have significant impacts on animal physiology and longevity.
Convenient synthesis of dipeptide structures in solution phase assisted by a thioaza functionalized magnetic nanocatalyst
Authors: Taheri-Ledari Reza , Asl Fereshteh Rasouli , Saeidirad Mahdi , Kashtiaray Amir , Maleki Ali
Published: March 2022

In this study, a heterogeneous nanocatalyst is presented that is capable to efficiently catalyze the synthetic reactions of amide bond formation between the amino acids. This nanocatalyst which is named Fe3O4@SiO2/TABHA (TABHA stands for thio-aza-bicyclo-hepten amine), was composed of several layers that increased the surface area to be functionalized with 2-aminothiazole rings via Diels–Alder approach. Firstly, various analytic methods such as Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopic methods, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), electron microscopy (EM), and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-DRS) have been used to characterize the desired structure of the Fe3O4@SiO2/TABHA catalyst. Afterward, the application of the presented catalytic system has been studied in the peptide bond formation reactions. Due to the existence of a magnetic core in the structure of the nanocatalyst, the nanoparticles (NPs) could be easily separated from the reaction medium by an external magnet. This special feature has been corroborated by the obtained results from vibrating-sample magnetometer (VSM) analysis that showed 24 emu g−1 magnetic saturation for the catalytic system. Amazingly, a small amount of Fe3O4@SiO2/TABHA particles (0.2 g) has resulted in ca. 90% efficiency in catalyzing the peptide bond formation at ambient temperature, over 4 h. Also, this nanocatalyst has demonstrated an acceptable recycling ability, where ca. 76% catalytic performance has been observed after four recycles. Due to high convenience in the preparation, application, and recyclization processes, and also because of lower cost than the traditional coupling reagents (like TBTU), the presented catalytic system is recommended for the industrial utilization.
Design and processor in the loop implementation of an improved control for IM driven solar PV fed water pumping system
Authors: Errouha Mustapha , Combe Quentin , Motahhir Saad , Askar S. S. , Abouhawwash Mohamed
Published: March 2022

In recent years, the improvement of photovoltaic water pumping system (PVWPS) efficiency takes the considerable interest of researchers due to its operating based on cleaner electrical energy production. In this paper, a new approach based on fuzzy logic controller incorporating loss minimization technique applied to the induction machine (IM) is developed for PVWPS applications. The proposed control selects the optimal flux magnitude by minimization of the IM losses. Moreover, Variable step size perturb and observe method is introduced. The suitability of the proposed control is approved by reducing the absorbed current; therefore, the motor losses are minimized and the efficiency is improved. The proposed control strategy is compared with the method without losses minimization. The comparison results illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method based on losses minimization regarding the electrical speed, absorbed current, flow water and developed flux. A processor-in-the-loop (PIL) test is effectuated as an experimental test of the proposed method. It consists in implementing the generated C code on the STM32F4 discovery board. The obtained results from the embedded board are similar to numerical simulation results.
Virtual screening, optimization and molecular dynamics analyses highlighting a pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinazoline derivative as a potential inhibitor of DNA gyrase B of Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Arévalo Juan Marcelo Carpio , Amorim Juliana Carolina
Published: March 2022

Tuberculosis is a disease that remains a significant threat to public health worldwide, and this is mainly due to the selection of strains increasingly resistant toMycobacterium tuberculosis, its causative agent. One of the validated targets for the development of new antibiotics is DNA gyrase. This enzyme is a type II topoisomerase responsible for regulating DNA topology and, as it is essential in bacteria. Thus, to contribute to the search for new molecules with potential to act as competitive inhibitors at the active site ofM. tuberculosisDNA gyrase B, the present work explored a dataset of 20,098 natural products that were filtered using the FAF-Drugs4 server to obtain a total of 5462 structures that were subsequently used in virtual screenings. The consensus score analysis between LeDock and Auto-Dock Vina software showed that ZINC000040309506 (pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinazoline derivative) exhibit the best binding energy with the enzyme. In addition, its subsequent optimization generated the derivative described as PQPNN, which show better binding energy in docking analysis, more stability in molecular dynamics simulations and improved pharmacokinetic and toxicological profiles, compared to the parent compound. Taken together, the pyrrolo[1,2-a]quinazoline derivative described for the first time in the present work shows promising potential to inhibit DNA gyrase B ofM. tuberculosis.
Multiscale study of high energy attosecond pulse interaction with matter and application to proton–Boron fusion
Authors: Ribeyre X. , Capdessus R. , Wheeler J. , d’Humières E. , Mourou G.
Published: March 2022

For several decades, the interest of the scientific community in aneutronic fusion reactions such as proton–Boron fusion has grown because of potential applications in different fields. Recently, many scientific teams in the world have worked experimentally on the possibility to trigger proton–Boron fusion using intense lasers demonstrating an important renewal of interest of this field. It is now possible to generate ultra-short high intensity laser pulses at high repetition rate. These pulses also have unique properties that can be leveraged to produce proton–Boron fusion reactions. In this article, we investigate the interaction of a high energy attosecond pulse with a solid proton–Boron target and the associated ion acceleration supported by numerical simulations. We demonstrate the efficiency of single-cycle attosecond pulses in comparison to multi-cycle attosecond pulses in ion acceleration and magnetic field generation. Using these results we also propose a path to proton–Boron fusion using high energy attosecond pulses.
Evaporation-controlled dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) extensional rheology of viscoelastic polymer solutions
Authors: Robertson Benjamin P. , Calabrese Michelle A.
Published: March 2022

Extensional flow properties of polymer solutions in volatile solvents govern many industrially-relevant coating processes, but existing instrumentation lacks the environment necessary to control evaporation. To mitigate evaporation during dripping-onto-substrate (DoS) extensional rheology measurements, we developed a chamber to enclose the sample in an environment saturated with solvent vapor. We validated the evaporation-controlled DoS device by measuring a model high molecular weight polyethylene oxide (PEO) in various organic solvents both inside and outside of the chamber. Evaporation substantially increased the extensional relaxation time$$\lambda _{E}$$λEfor PEO in volatile solvents like dichloromethane and chloroform. PEO/chloroform solutions displayed an over 20-fold increase in$$\lambda _{E}$$λEdue to the formation of an evaporation-induced surface film; evaporation studies confirmed surface features and skin formation reminiscent of buckling instabilities commonly observed in drying polymer solutions. Finally, the relaxation times of semi-dilute PEO/chloroform solutions were measured with environmental control, where$$\lambda _{E}$$λEscaled with concentration by the exponent$$m=0.62$$m=0.62. These measurements validate the evaporation-controlled DoS environment, and confirm that chloroform is a good solvent for PEO, with a Flory exponent of$$\nu =0.54$$ν=0.54. Our results are the first to control evaporation during DoS extensional rheology, and provide guidelines establishing when environmental control is necessary to obtain accurate rheological parameters.
Dynamic changes in gene alterations during chemotherapy in metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer
Authors: Tan Winston , Zheng Tiantian , Wang Amy , Roacho Joanna , Thao Seng , Du Pan , Jia Shidong , Yu Jianjun , King Bonnie L. , Kohli Manish
Published: March 2022

Docetaxel chemotherapy is a standard treatment option for metastatic castrate resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) patients. To date, the genomic perturbations underlying the emergence of resistance in mCRPC patients during chemotherapy treatment have not been fully characterized. Previous studies have established thatAR,TP53,RB1andPTENgene alterations are frequent at this stage of progression and thatTP53,RB1andPTEN, but notARalterations are associated with poor outcome. However, the clonal dynamics of these key driver cancer genes during chemotherapy in mCRPC patients have not been described. Toward this goal, we performed a retrospective analysis of serially profiled cell-free DNA (cfDNA) alterations in blood samples collected from mCRPC patients before and after starting chemotherapy who were followed for response and clinical outcomes. WhileARalterations and measures of mutational load were significantly reduced in patients with stable or decreased PSA levels after 3 cycles of chemotherapy, reductions inRB1,TP53andPTENalterations were relatively modest, which may represent the persistence of a clonal signature associated with the emergence of treatment-induced lineage plasticity (TILP) underlying resistance. The ability to monitor these driver gene clonal dynamics during chemotherapy may have utility in the clinical setting.
Dissociated brain functional connectivity of fast versus slow frequencies underlying individual differences in fluid intelligence: a DTI and MEG study
Authors: Bruzzone S. E. P. , Lumaca M. , Brattico E. , Vuust P. , Kringelbach M. L. , Bonetti L.
Published: March 2022

Brain network analysis represents a powerful technique to gain insights into the connectivity profile characterizing individuals with different levels of fluid intelligence (Gf). Several studies have used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and slow-oscillatory resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) to examine the anatomical and functional aspects of human brain networks that support intelligence. In this study, we expand this line of research by investigating fast-oscillatory functional networks. We performed graph theory analyses on resting-state magnetoencephalographic (MEG) signal, in addition to structural brain networks from DTI data, comparing degree, modularity and segregation coefficient across the brain of individuals with high versus average Gf scores. Our results show that high Gf individuals have stronger degree and lower segregation coefficient than average Gf participants in a significantly higher number of brain areas with regards to structural connectivity and to the slower frequency bands of functional connectivity. The opposite result was observed for higher-frequency (gamma) functional networks, with higher Gf individuals showing lower degree and higher segregation across the brain. We suggest that gamma oscillations in more intelligent individuals might support higher local processing in segregated subnetworks, while slower frequency bands would allow a more effective information transfer between brain subnetworks, and stronger information integration.
Early linguistic experience shapes bilingual adults’ hearing for phonemes in both languages
Authors: Pan Lei , Ke Han , Styles Suzy J.
Published: March 2022

English and Mandarin Chinese differ in the voice onset times (VOTs) of /b/ and /p/. Hence the way bilinguals perceive these sounds may show ‘tuning’ to the language-specific acoustic structure of a bilingual’s languages (a discrete model), or a shared representation across languages (a unitary model). We investigated whether an individual’s early childhood exposure influences their model of phoneme perception across languages, in a large sample of early English-Mandarin bilingual adults in Singapore (N = 66). As preregistered, we mapped identification functions on a /b/-/p/ VOT continuum in each language. Bilingual balance was estimated using principal components analysis and entered into GLMMs of phoneme boundary and slope. VOT boundaries were earlier for English than Mandarin, and bilingual balance predicted the slope of the transition between categories across both languages: Those who heard more English from an earlier age showed steeper category boundaries than those who heard more Mandarin, suggesting early bilinguals may transfer their model for how phonemes differ from their earlier/stronger languages to later/weaker languages. We describe the transfer model of discrete phoneme representations and its implications for use of the phoneme identification task in diverse populations.
Molecular mechanism of ethanol fermentation inhibition via protein tyrosine nitration of pyruvate decarboxylase by reactive nitrogen species in yeast
Authors: Eknikom Supapid , Nasuno Ryo , Takagi Hiroshi
Published: March 2022

Protein tyrosine nitration (PTN), in which tyrosine (Tyr) residues on proteins are converted into 3-nitrotyrosine (NT), is one of the post-translational modifications mediated by reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Many recent studies have reported that PTN contributed to signaling systems by altering the structures and/or functions of proteins. This study aimed to investigate connections between PTN and the inhibitory effect of nitrite-derived RNS on fermentation ability using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The results indicated that RNS inhibited the ethanol production of yeast cells with increased intracellular pyruvate content. We also found that RNS decreased the activities of pyruvate decarboxylase (PDC) as a critical enzyme involved in ethanol production. Our proteomic analysis revealed that the main PDC isozyme Pdc1 underwent the PTN modification at Tyr38, Tyr157, and Tyr344. The biochemical analysis using the recombinant purified Pdc1 enzyme indicated that PTN at Tyr157 or Tyr344 significantly reduced the Pdc1 activity. Interestingly, the substitution of Tyr157 or Tyr344 to phenylalanine, which is no longer converted into NT, recovered the ethanol production under the RNS treatment conditions. These findings suggest that nitrite impairs the fermentation ability of yeast by inhibiting the Pdc1 activity via its PTN modification at Tyr157 and Tyr344 of Pdc1.
Loops, topologically associating domains, compartments, and territories are elastic and robust to dramatic nuclear volume swelling
Authors: Sanders Jacob T. , Golloshi Rosela , Das Priyojit , Xu Yang , Terry Peyton H. , Nash Darrian G. , Dekker Job , McCord Rachel Patton
Published: March 2022

Layers of genome organization are becoming increasingly better characterized, but less is known about how these structures respond to perturbation or shape changes. Low-salt swelling of isolated chromatin fibers or nuclei has been used for decades to investigate the structural properties of chromatin. But, visible changes in chromatin appearance have not been linked to known building blocks of genome structure or features along the genome sequence. We combine low-salt swelling of isolated nuclei with genome-wide chromosome conformation capture (Hi-C) and imaging approaches to probe the effects of chromatin extension genome-wide. Photoconverted patterns on nuclei during expansion and contraction indicate that global genome structure is preserved after dramatic nuclear volume swelling, suggesting a highly elastic chromosome topology. Hi-C experiments before, during, and after nuclear swelling show changes in average contact probabilities at short length scales, reflecting the extension of the local chromatin fiber. But, surprisingly, during this large increase in nuclear volume, there is a striking maintenance of loops, TADs, active and inactive compartments, and chromosome territories. Subtle differences after expansion are observed, suggesting that the local chromatin state, protein interactions, and location in the nucleus can affect how strongly a given structure is maintained under stress. From these observations, we propose that genome topology is robust to extension of the chromatin fiber and isotropic shape change, and that this elasticity may be beneficial in physiological circumstances of changes in nuclear size and volume.
Inflammasome NLRP3 activation induced by Convulxin, a C-type lectin-like isolated from Crotalus durissus terrificus snake venom
Authors: Rego Cristina M. A. , Francisco Aleff F. , Boeno Charles N. , Paloschi Mauro V. , Lopes Jéssica A. , Silva Milena D. S. , Santana Hallison M. , Serrath Suzanne N. , Rodrigues Jaína E. , Lemos Caleb T. L. , Dutra Ricardo S. S. , da Cruz Jorddy N. , dos Santos Cleydson Breno R. , da S. Setúbal Sulamita , Fontes Marcos R. M. , Soares Andreimar M. , Pires Weverson L. , Zuliani Juliana P.
Published: March 2022

Convulxin (CVX), a C-type lectin-like protein isolated from the venom of the snake species,Crotalus durissus terrificus, stimulates platelet aggregation by acting as a collagen receptor agonist for glycoprotein VI found in the platelets. The effect of CVX on platelets has been studied, but its effect on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) remains unclear. Given the significance of PBMCs in inflammation, this study explored the effect of CVX on PBMCs, specifically regarding NLRP3 inflammasome activation by assessing cell viability, ability to induce cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide production, interleukin (IL)-2 and IL-10 secretion, NLRP3 complex activation, and the role of C-type lectin-like receptors (CTLRs) in these. CVX was not toxic to PBMCs at the investigated concentrations and did not increase PBMC growth or IL-2 release; however, CVX induced IL-10 release and ROS generation via monocyte activation. It also activated the NLRP3 complex, resulting in IL-1β induction. Furthermore, the interaction between CVX and Dectin-2, a CTLR, induced IL-10 production. CVX interaction with CTLR has been demonstrated by laminarin therapy. Because of the involvement of residues near the Dectin-2 carbohydrate-recognition site, the generation of ROS resulted in inflammasome activation and IL-1β secretion. Overall, this work helps elucidate the function of CVX in immune system cells.
Improving multiple model ensemble predictions of daily precipitation and temperature through machine learning techniques
Authors: Jose Dinu Maria , Vincent Amala Mary , Dwarakish Gowdagere Siddaramaiah
Published: March 2022

Multi-Model Ensembles (MMEs) are used for improving the performance of GCM simulations. This study evaluates the performance of MMEs of precipitation, maximum temperature and minimum temperature over a tropical river basin in India developed by various techniques like arithmetic mean, Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Extra Tree Regressor (ETR), Random Forest (RF) and long short-term memory (LSTM). The 21 General Circulation Models (GCMs) from National Aeronautics Space Administration (NASA) Earth Exchange Global Daily Downscaled Projections (NEX-GDDP) dataset and 13 GCMs of Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project, Phase 6 (CMIP6) are used for this purpose. The results of the study reveal that the application of a LSTM model for ensembling performs significantly better than models in the case of precipitation with a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.9. In case of temperature, all the machine learning (ML) methods showed equally good performance, with RF and LSTM performing consistently well in all the cases of temperature with R2value ranging from 0.82 to 0.93. Hence, based on this study RF and LSTM methods are recommended for creation of MMEs in the basin. In general, all ML approaches performed better than mean ensemble approach.
Voluntary control of semantic neural representations by imagery with conflicting visual stimulation
Authors: Fukuma Ryohei , Yanagisawa Takufumi , Nishimoto Shinji , Sugano Hidenori , Tamura Kentaro , Yamamoto Shota , Iimura Yasushi , Fujita Yuya , Oshino Satoru , Tani Naoki , Koide–Majima Naoko , Kamitani Yukiyasu , Kishima Haruhiko
Published: March 2022

Neural representations of visual perception are affected by mental imagery and attention. Although attention is known to modulate neural representations, it is unknown how imagery changes neural representations when imagined and perceived images semantically conflict. We hypothesized that imagining an image would activate a neural representation during its perception even while watching a conflicting image. To test this hypothesis, we developed a closed-loop system to show images inferred from electrocorticograms using a visual semantic space. The successful control of the feedback images demonstrated that the semantic vector inferred from electrocorticograms became closer to the vector of the imagined category, even while watching images from different categories. Moreover, modulation of the inferred vectors by mental imagery depended asymmetrically on the perceived and imagined categories. Shared neural representation between mental imagery and perception was still activated by the imagery under semantically conflicting perceptions depending on the semantic category.
IR-induced and tunneling reactions in cryogenic matrices: the (incomplete) story of a successful endeavor
Authors: Fausto Rui , Ildiz Gulce O. , Nunes Cláudio M.
Published: March 2022

IR-induced reactions in cryogenic matrices and related tunneling-driven processes are surveyed, highlighting the entanglement between the two types of processes.
Organic–inorganic one-dimensional hybrid aggregates constructed from aromatic-bisphosphonate-functionalized polyoxomolybdates
Authors: Kong Hui , Liu Siyu , Shi Yanan , Li Keli , Ma Pengtao , Wang Jingping , Niu Jingyang
Published: March 2022

Five novel lanthanide-substituted polyoxomolybdates 1–5 have been prepared, representing the first POMos incorporating aromatic-organophosphonate ligands and Ln ions. The photoluminescence property of 1 and the magnetic property of compounds 1–5 have been studied.
Integrated transcriptomics and metabolomics unravel the metabolic pathway variations for barley β-glucan before and after fermentation with L. plantarum DY-1
Authors: Zhang Jiayan , Wang Ping , Tan Cui , Zhao Yansheng , Zhu Ying , Bai Juan , Xiao Xiang
Published: March 2022

The difference between FBG and RBG in the regulation of oxidative stress is mainly reflected in the metabolism pathway of arachidonic acid.
Mild and efficient photocatalytic coupled alcohol oxidative dehydrogenation and CO2 reduction driven by visible light
Authors: Zhu Jiekun , Yi Zheng , Luo Mingyu , Deng Youer , She Jialuo , Liu Yachun , Zhang Chao , Yang Bo , Tang Senpei , Fu Zaihui
Published: March 2022

Al3+-Doped decatungstate (Al-DT) that in situ-generates the double-reduced blue H2DT playing a crucial role in achieving the reduction of CO2 can efficiently catalyze the coupled reactions of alcohol oxidative dehydration and CO2 reduction under visible light illumination.
Electro-exfoliated PdTe2 nanosheets for enhanced methanol electrooxidation performance in alkaline media
Authors: Luo Jingjing , Jiang Peng , Wang Dongdong , Yuan Xueyou , Sun Hongli , Gan Lang , Su Chenliang , Zhang Qitao
Published: March 2022

Electrochemical cathodic exfoliation method to obtain PdTe2 nanosheets with [001] preferential orientation and superior alkaline methanol oxidation performance.
Excellent rate capability supercapacitor based on a free-standing PEDOT:PSS film enabled by the hydrothermal method
Authors: Su Zhen , Jin Yingzhi , Xiao Yunchao , Zheng Haolan , Yang Zanzhong , Wang Hao , Li Zaifang
Published: March 2022

The free-standing PEDOT:PSS film is fabricated by the hydrothermal method. The film shows a rectangle characteristic and a high capacitance at the ultrahigh scan rate of 1300 mV s−1, attributed to the synergistic effect of temperature and pressure.
Triethanolamine stabilized non-alkyl Sn4Cd4 and alkyl Sn2Cd12 oxo clusters with distinct electrocatalytic activities
Authors: Wang Di , Chen Guang-Hui , Wang San-Tai , Zhang Jian , Zhang Lei
Published: March 2022

Two Sn/Cd-oxo clusters, non-alkyltin SnII2SnIV2Cd4 and alkyltin SnIV2Cd12, have been constructed. Comparative electrocatalytic CO2 reduction studies indicate the significant influence of coordination environments and valence states of Sn atoms.
Silver-promoted dearomative [3+4] cycloaddition of anthranils with α-isocyanoacetates: access to benzodiazepines
Authors: Shao Rui , Zhao Haixia , Ding Shumin , Li Lianjie , Chen Chen , Wang Jian , Shang Yongjia
Published: March 2022

We herein reported the first silver-promoted [3+4] cycloaddition of α-isocyanoacetates with anthranils as aromatic Michael accepters. Benzo[d][1,3]diazepinones were accessed under mild conditions through an “oxygen migration” rearrangement process.
Three-dimensional electron diffraction: a powerful structural characterization technique for crystal engineering
Authors: Samperisi Laura , Zou Xiaodong , Huang Zhehao
Published: March 2022

The recent advances in three-dimensional electron diffraction (3D ED) are highlighted with a focus on its applications for investigating nanocrystals.
Facile synthesis of PdSn alloy octopods through the Stranski–Krastanov growth mechanism as electrocatalysts towards the ethanol oxidation reaction
Authors: Huang Jingbo , Ji Liang , Li Xiao , Wu Xingqiao , Qian Ningkang , Li Junjie , Yan Yucong , Yang Deren , Zhang Hui
Published: March 2022

Pd72Sn28 octopods synthesized through the Stranski–Krastanov growth mode exhibited remarkably enhanced catalytic performance for the EOR relative to commercial Pd/C.
A facile and simple microwave-assisted synthesis method for mesoporous ultrathin iron sulfide nanosheets as an efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting
Authors: Mushtaq Nouraiz , Wang Zhitao , Tabassum Hassina , Tahir Muhammad , Han Zhanli , Zhu Youqi , Younas Waqar , Ma Xilan , Cao Chuanbao
Published: March 2022

The engineering of efficient electrodes is highly desired for full water splitting devices.
Rational construction of a CNTs@VO2 nanosheets modified separator for enhancing the performance of lithium–sulfur batteries
Authors: Gao Yi-bo , Liu Guo-qiang , Zheng Shu-min , Su Chang , Yue Wen-ce , Dong Shao-wen , Li Bao , Wang Bao
Published: March 2022

The hollow binary core–shell CNTs@VO2 serving as the separator modifier results in intensive physicochemical dual adsorption combined catalysis to LiPSs, boosting the performance of Li–S batteries.
Organophotoredox catalytic four-component radical-polar crossover cascade reactions for the stereoselective synthesis of β-amido sulfones
Authors: Guo Sheng-Qiang , Yang Hui-Qing , Jiang Yu-Zhen , Wang Ai-Lian , Xu Guo-Qiang , Luo Yong-Chun , Chen Zhao-Xu , Zheng Haixue , Xu Peng-Fei
Published: March 2022

Organophotoredox catalytic four-component radical-polar crossover cascade reactions for the stereoselective synthesis of β-amido sulfones with high atom-, step-, and redox economy and excellent diastereoselectivity.
CoZn-ZIF-derived carbon-supported Cu catalyst for methanol oxidative carbonylation to dimethyl carbonate
Authors: Sun Chenmiao , Meng Fanhui , Wang Jiajun , Li Zhong
Published: March 2022

Carbon materials derived from CoZn-ZIFs were used to load Cu catalysts and were applied for DMC synthesis, and the effects of the graphitization degree and the (N1 + N3)/N2 ratio were studied.
A theoretical study on the mechanism of conversion of C3H8 and CO2 to C3H6 and HCOOH by M4–B24N28 catalysis
Authors: Lv Jia-Yuan , Ren Rui-Peng , Lv Yong-Kang
Published: March 2022

In this work, we explored the reaction mechanism of metallic copper-doped modified aperiodic (BN)28 nanocages for the catalytic oxidation of propane with carbon dioxide. The DFT calculation is performed on all possible paths during the reaction process.
Effect of microplate size on the semiconductor–metal transition in VO2 thin films
Authors: Guo Xitao , Tan Yonghao , Hu Yupei , Zafar Zainab , Liu Xin , Feng Lin , Zou Jijun
Published: March 2022

The degree of changes in resistivity (Δρ) becomes more prominent as the VO2 film microplate size grows, which is primarily attributed to a reduced probability of electron scattering with decreasing grain boundary density.
Hematite photoanodes prepared by particle transfer for photoelectrochemical water splitting
Authors: Pan Zhenhua , Yanagi Rito , Higashi Tomohiro , Pihosh Yuriy , Hu Shu , Katayama Kenji
Published: March 2022

α-Fe2O3 particles were prepared by a solution-derived method with annealing at ∼800 °C. By particle transfer, the particles were applied to photoanodes for photoelectrochemical water splitting.
Thin film transition metal dichalcogenide photoelectrodes for solar hydrogen evolution: a review
Authors: Bozheyev Farabi , Ellmer Klaus
Published: March 2022

The efficiencies of transition metal dichalcogenide thin films and single crystals (MoS2, WS2, MoSe2, WSe2) are evaluated for photoelectrochemical hydrogen evolution.
Multifunctional sulfate-assistant synthesis of seaweed-like N,S-doped carbons as high-performance anodes for K-ion capacitors
Authors: Liu Mengyue , Zhu Feng , Cao Weishan , Song Weihao , Liu Jiaxing , Feng Xiangchao , Li Zhen , Cao Yingze , Wang Pengfei , Niu Jin
Published: March 2022

A seaweed-like porous carbon anode, prepared using fish scale as the precursor and K2SO4 as the auxiliary, achieves high capacities and superior stability for KIC.
Avenue to X-ray-induced photodynamic therapy of prostatic carcinoma with octahedral molybdenum cluster nanoparticles
Authors: Koncošová Martina , Rumlová Michaela , Mikyšková Romana , Reiniš Milan , Zelenka Jaroslav , Ruml Tomáš , Kirakci Kaplan , Lang Kamil
Published: March 2022

Nanoparticles of an Mo6 cluster compound exert a robust radiosensitizing activity against TRAMP-C2 cells, thanks to their ability to produce singlet oxygen upon X-ray irradiation.
Indirect and time-lapse X-ray detection with Ba2LuNbO6:Bi3+ double perovskite phosphors
Authors: Cui Zhenzhen , Wang Ting , Guo Longchao , Zhao Feng , Qiu Jianbei , Xu Xuhui , Yu Xue
Published: March 2022

Novel Ba2LuNbO6:Bi3+ phosphors were developed as an effective scintillator. Notably, the trapping procedure of the carriers is achieved with X-rays rather than UV light, which realizes time-lapse X-ray detection ruling out UV interference.
Inhibition of Notch activity suppresses hyperglycemia-augmented polarization of macrophages to the M1 phenotype and alleviates acute pancreatitis
Authors: Hu Ning , Zhang Xiaoyi , Zhang Xuanzhe , Guan Yongjun , He Ruyuan , Xue Enfu , Zhang Xiaoyi , Deng Wenhong , Yu Jia , Wang Weixing , Shi Qiao
Published: March 2022

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an acute inflammatory disorder characterized by acinar cell death and inflammation. Multiple factors cause hyperglycemia after AP. Macrophage polarization is involved in tissue injury and repair, and is regulated by Notch signaling during certain inflammatory diseases. The present study explores the relationship among hyperglycemia, macrophage polarization, and Notch signaling during AP and the related mechanisms. A cerulein-induced AP model was established in FVB/N mice, and AP with hyperglycemia was initiated by injection of 50% concentration glucose. Tissue damage, Notch activity, and macrophage polarization were assessed in pancreatic tissues. The role of Notch signaling in macrophage polarization during AP was also assessed in vitro by co-culturing primary macrophages and pancreatic acinar cells, and establishing a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory model in RAW264.7 cells. Pancreatic acinar cells were damaged and proinflammatory factor levels were increased in pancreatic tissues during AP. The hyperglycemic conditions aggravated pancreatic injury, increased macrophage infiltration, promoted macrophage polarization towards an M1 phenotype, and led to excessive up-regulation of Notch activity. Inhibition of Notch signaling by DAPT or Notch1 knockdown decreased the proportion of M1 macrophages and reduced the production of proinflammatory factors, thus mitigating pancreatic injury. These findings suggest that hyperglycemia induces excessive Notch signaling after AP and further aggravates AP by promoting pancreatic macrophage polarization towards the M1 phenotype. The Notch signaling pathway is a potential target for the prevention and treatment of AP.
Developing a Protocol for Quantitative Analysis of Liquid Swallowing in Children
Authors: Miles Anna , Dharmarathna Isuru , Fuller Laura , Jardine Marie , Allen Jacqui
Published: March 2022

Purpose:

Objective measures in videofluoroscopic swallow studies (VFSSs) can quantify swallow biomechanics. There are a wide array of validated measures studied in infants, children, and adults. There is a need for a pediatric VFSS protocol that consists of a small number of vital, time efficient, and clinically relevant measures. In this study, we aimed to establish a standard protocol for quantitative VFSS analysis in children.

Method:

Protocol development began with a systematic literature review, which identified 22 quantitative and eight descriptive measures available in the literature. A pediatric VFSS database of 553 children was collected using a standardized VFSS protocol. Studies were evaluated using the 30 previously reported measures covering displacement and timing parameters as well as penetration–aspiration and residue. Measures were tested for rater reliability and internal consistency. Measures meeting acceptable values for protocol inclusion were included in the final protocol (Cronbach's alpha > .53).

Results:

Interrater and intrarater reliability of 17 measures met acceptable reliability levels. During internal consistency testing, we removed six further measures based on Cronbach's alpha levels indicating that two or more measures were equivalent in measuring the same aspect of swallow biomechanics in children. A VFSS protocol of reliable, valid, and obtainable objective quantitative (n= 6) and descriptive measures (n= 3) with separate protocols for young infants (≤ 9 months) and older children was established.

Conclusions:

A standardized quantitative VFSS protocol for children has been developed to suit two age groups (≤ 9 and > 9 months old). Consistent VFSS administration and reporting support assessment over time and across disease groups. Future research should focus on how this information can be used by clinicians to produce individualized treatment plans for children with swallowing impairment.
Dual mechanical port power distribution in dual rotor permanent magnet flux switching generator for counter‐rotating wind turbine applications
Authors: Ullah Wasiq , Khan Faisal , Hussain Shahid
Published: March 2022

In this paper, a novel dual mechanical port dual rotor counter‐rotating permanent magnet flux switching generator (DMPDRCR‐PMFSG) for wind turbine applications is proposed. Power distribution between the inner and outer rotors of the proposed DMPDRCR‐PMFSG that contributes to the cumulative output power is investigated. The proposed DMPDRCR‐PMFSG shares a stator connected back‐to‐back through flux bridge. The flux bridge physically isolates the armature winding of the inner and outer ports. Furthermore, the flux bridge provides a flux path to magnetic flux of the inner and outer ports that contributes to cumulative output power. Quantitative comparative analysis of the inner and outer ports illustrates that under static analysis 18.57% more flux, 23.95% highly induced back‐EMF, 31.08% of enhanced average torque are obtained in the outer rotor at the cost of 64.01% and 22.7% increase in cogging and torque ripple ratio, respectively. Comparative analysis with a number of turns reveals that the outer port offers 41.17% higher output power and 7.09% improved efficiency at the cost of 42.52% increase in voltage regulation factor. Finally, coupled overload and over‐speed analysis shows that despite a stable and low voltage drop ratio, the outer port offers 4.65% higher output voltage. Analysis shows that in the proposed DMPDRCR‐PMFSG, the outer port has a dominant contribution to the cumulative power distribution.
Modelling X-shaped radio galaxies: Dynamical and emission signatures from the Back-flow model
Authors: Giri Gourab , Vaidya Bhargav , Rossi Paola , Bodo Gianluigi , Mukherjee Dipanjan , Mignone Andrea
Published: March 2022

Context. Active galactic nuclei typically show the presence of radio jets ranging from sub-kiloparsec to megaparsec scales. Some of these radio galaxies show distortion in their jets, forming tailed or winged sources. X-shaped radio galaxies (XRGs) are a sub-class of winged sources, the formation mechanism of which is still unclear.

Aims. The focus of this work is to understand hydro-dynamical back-flows and their role in dynamics and non-thermal emission signatures (in the presence of radiative losses and diffusive shock acceleration) during the initial phase of these galaxies.

Methods. We performed relativistic magneto-hydrodynamic (RMHD) simulations of an under-dense jet travelling in a tri-axial ambient using a hybrid Eulerian-Lagrangian framework to incorporate effects of micro-physical processes.

Results. We demonstrate the dominant role played by pressure gradient in shaping XRGs in thermally dominated cases. We show that the prominence of the formed structure decreases as the jet deviates from the major axis of the ambient. The wing evolution is mainly governed by re-energised particles due to shocks that keep the structure active during the evolution time. The synthetic intensity maps of the radio galaxy show similarities with morphologies that are typically found in observed XRGs. This includes the cases with wider wings than the active lobes. The characteristic emission signatures in terms of its synchrotron spectra and the implication of equipartition condition in age estimation are also discussed here. Additionally, we show that age discrepancies can be attributed to the mixing of different aged particle populations. Furthermore, the effect of the viewing angle on the difference of spectral index (Δα) of the active lobes and the wings shows a large variation and degenerate behaviour. We demonstrate the role of diffusive shocks in the obtained variation and conclude that the Δα spread is not a dependable characteristic in determining the formation model of XRGs.
Approche multi-méthode pour le diagnostic d’état des ouvrages hydrauliques de grand linéaire
Authors: Vergniault Christophe , Dogor Cyrille , Guihard Vincent , D’Urso Guy , Vaudelet Pierre , Revil André , Courivaud Jean-Robert , Daumas Bruno
Published: March 2022

Dans la méthodologie mise en œuvre par EDF pour le diagnostic d’état d’une structure hydraulique de grand linéaire (type digue de canal), les reconnaissances complémentaires géophysiques ont un poids important pour pouvoir effectuer le diagnostic en minimisant les contraintes sur l’exploitation du canal. Un plot d’essais, représentant 300 ml sur les 22 km d’un canal, a été réalisé afin d’évaluer in-situ la pertinence de la démarche usuelle. Cet article résume ce plot d’essai et les résultats obtenus. L’enseignement méthodologique tiré confirme la pertinence d’avoir une approche graduelle, des méthodes dont la production est la plus grande (PS) vers celles qui présentent le plus de contraintes d’acquisition (acoustique), mais en passant également par une nouvelle étape avec la combinaison ERT&PP. Cet enchainement de mesures demande toutefois une forte anticipation et de prendre le temps de croiser les nombreuses sources d’informations pour converger vers un diagnostic collégial, à l’image de la démarche du domaine médical.
Levé opérationnel de magnétisme en drone couplé à un levé photogrammétrique à des fins de dépollution pyrotechnique
Authors: Mercier de Lépinay Jeanne , Kiemes Baptiste , Deneux Gwendal , Sanabria Luis Miguel , Fréville Tristan
Published: March 2022

L’objet de cette étude est un levé opérationnel de diagnostic pyrotechnique par méthode magnétique en drone couplé à un levé photogrammétrique. L’étude des bruits électromagnétiques générés par le drone et les solutions proposées pour le minimiser permettent d’assurer une qualité de données acceptable pour les levés de diagnostic pyrotechnique. D’autre part, une méthode de planification est proposée pour permettre des vols sur un terrain contenant un nombre important d’obstacles sans utiliser de solution embarquée de détection et d'évitement d'obstacles, et tout en gardant des spécifications de levé magnétique suffisantes pour la détection de petits objets métallique dans les premiers mètres de la subsurface. La planification se base sur l’analyse de données photogrammétriques acquises en amont du levé magnétique. Les résultats de carte puis de pointé montrent que le levé permet d’isoler les cibles pyrotechniques avec une précision de l’ordre de 50 cm, et ce malgré la présence de nombreuses sources de bruit électromagnétique sur la zone d’étude.
La mesure magnétique en drone : un nouveau moyen pour cartographier à des résolutions jusque-là inaccessibles
Authors: Le Maire Pauline , Munschy Marc
Published: March 2022

La méthode magnétique permet d’imager les contrastes d’aimantation de dimension centimétrique à kilométrique dans le sous-sol. Pour la bonne caractérisation de ces contrastes, il est nécessaire d’avoir une résolution suffisante (espacement entre les profils et distance entre la source et le capteur). Jusqu’à peu, les méthodes de cartographie magnétique au sol ou aéroportée ne permettaient pas l’acquisition de données dans certaines zones (Terrains accidentés, champs en culture, …). Dans ce document, nous présentons des solutions pour réaliser la mesure magnétique en drone via l’utilisation de fluxgate. La compensation du moment magnétique du drone est faite par la méthode de la calibration scalaire. Deux exemples d’applications sont présentés, l’un portant sur une campagne d’acquisition multi-échelle pour la caractérisation géologique locale. Le second porte sur de la mesure magnétique à 4 capteurs en drone et au sol.
The 2019 Le Teil surface-rupturing earthquake along the La Rouvière Fault within the Cévennes fault system (France): What does paleoseismology reveal?
Authors: Ritz J-F , Baize S. , Cathelin N. , Thomasset C. , Riesner M. , Hannouz E. , Ferry M. , Larroque C. , Audin L. , Bollinger L. , Manchuel K. , Sue C. , Vergniault C. , Rizza M. , Jomard H. , Arroucau P. , Le Roux-Mallouf R.
Published: March 2022

The 2019-11-1, Mw4.9 Le Teil earthquake occurred within the NE termination of the Cévennes faults system (CFS) in southern France, along the La Rouvière fault (LRF), an Oligocene normal fault which was not known to be potentially active. This shallow moderate magnitude reversefaulting event produced a 5 km-long surface rupture and strong ground shaking. No evidence of previous quaternary activity was observed in the morphology, raising the question whether the fault had been reactivated for the first time since the Oligocene or had broken the surface in the past without being detected in the morphology. To address this issue, we carried out paleoseismological investigations to analyze and characterize evidences of paleo-ruptures in Quaternary deposits. We discovered that at least one event prior 2019, occurred between 13.5 and 3.3 ka within the central part of the fault segment that broke in 2019, and that a possible earlier surfacerupturing event occurred within the northern part of this segment during the 16th century. Further investigations coupling sub-surface geophysical investigations and trenching are now carried out within the southern and northern segments of the LRF as well as along the other fault segments of the CFS.