bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation between sampling site and prevalence of human papilloma virus (HPV) in patients with oral cancer referred to Shiraz, Iran
Authors: Habibi Latifa , Farzi Rana , Pirbonyeh Neda , Edalat Fahime , Letafati Arash , Moattari Afagh
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignancy of the oral cavity in which there is a poor prognosis. Viruses, including human papillomavirus (HPV) play an important role in the etiology of this cancer.

Methods

This case–control study enrolled 100 individuals with diagnosed oral cancer in the case group and an equivalent number of 100 healthy individuals in the control group. Over the course of 1 year, samples were collected from Khalili Hospital in Shiraz, Iran. Tissue specimens were procured from diverse oral regions, with specimens from the healthy group exclusively sourced from the tonsillar area. Patient inclusion criteria involved manifestations like oral swelling, facial pain, tongue abnormalities, tongue paralysis, and tumors or swellings in the inner lip, gums, or chin. A questionnaire facilitated the collection of demographic data, covering variables such as age and gender. The subjects had a mean age of 53.66 ± 1.38 years, with a gender distribution of 70 individuals (34%) female and 130 (65%) males. Tissue specimens underwent molecular analysis using Nested‐PCR to detect HPV presence.

Results

Analysis unveiled HPV identification in two cases within the control group and 14 cases within the case group, revealing a statistically significant disparity (p value = 0.008) which may be correlated to incidence of OSCC within the case group. Further exploration disclosed a predilection for HPV localization in the tongue, followed by the laryngeal region. A significant association was established between the sampling site and HPV incidence (p = 0.004).

Conclusion

This investigation unveiled a compelling connection between the site of sampling and HPV infection, a phenomenon pronounced particularly among individuals grappling with oral cancer. This underscores potential relationship between the site of sampling and HPV infection within the context of oral carcinoma. The findings of this study underscore HPV's role as a significant risk factor in the initiation of oral cancer in individuals. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge that additional factors, including age and gender, also contribute to this intricate process.
Exercising bureaucratic discretion through selective bridging: A response to institutional complexity in Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman Shibaab , Burns Prue , Wolfram Cox Julie , Alam Quamrul
Published: January 2024

We attempt to reconcile top‐down and bottom‐up perspectives on bureaucratic discretion to understand how actors ‘caught in the middle’, such as middle level public managers, negotiate conflicting demands to exercise discretion in the Bangladesh public administration. To do this, we employ the institutional logics framework, a theoretical lens that conceptualises how regulative, cultural forces bear down on actors, and also acknowledges actor agency. Based on 32 interviews with current and former public servants and local public administration experts, supported by secondary documentary analysis, we identify a new way in which discretion may be enacted in institutionally complex settings, offering a way to reconcile top‐down and bottom‐up perspectives. We term this response selective bridging—a sense‐making approach to exploit the complementarities of competing institutional forces from the top to exercise discretion for bottom‐up needs.
The impact of right‐to‐work laws on long hours and work schedules
Authors: Gihleb Rania , Giuntella Osea , Tan Jian Qi
Published: January 2024

Unions play a crucial role in determining wages and employment outcomes. However, union bargaining power may also have important effects on non‐pecuniary working conditions. We study the effects of right‐to‐work laws, which removed agency shop protection and weakened union powers on long hours and non‐standard work schedules that may adversely affect workers’ health and safety. We exploit variation in the timing of enactment across U.S. states and compare workers in bordering counties across adopting states and states that did not adopt the laws yet. Using the stacked approach to difference‐in‐differences estimates proposed by Cengiz et al. (2019), we find evidence that right‐to‐work laws increased the share of workers working long hours by 6%, while there is little evidence of an impact on hourly wages. The effects on long hours are larger in more unionized sectors (i.e., construction, manufacturing, and transportation). While the likelihood of working non‐standard hours increases for particular sectors (education and public administration), there is no evidence of a significant increase in the overall sample.
Self‐service bans and gasoline prices: The effect of allowing consumers to pump their own gas
Authors: Melo Vitor
Published: January 2024

Most of the world's population lives in countries that ban the self‐service sale of gasoline. Causal effects of this regulation can hardly be assessed in these countries due to a lack of policy changes, but a recent quasi‐experiment in the state of Oregon allows us to analyze the impact of the ban. From 1992 to 2017, the state of Oregon was one of two U.S. states that banned self‐service at gasoline stations. Oregon adjusted regulations at the start of 2018 to allow self‐service at gasoline stations in counties with populations below 40,000 individuals. I examine the repeal of this self‐service ban and its effects on gasoline prices. I apply a difference‐in‐differences design using high frequency data of gasoline prices and find that repealing the self‐service ban reduced gasoline prices by 4.4 cents per gallon in affected Oregon counties. This effect represents approximately $90 in expected annual savings for a household with three licensed drivers.
Computational and experimental study on the resistance welding process of a glass fiber‐reinforced epoxy‐based composite with thermoplastic interlayer adherent
Authors: Liang Yunhao , Shi Yu
Published: January 2024

In this work, resistance welding of a glass fiber‐reinforced epoxy composite (GFRC) was studied with numerical optimization and experimental validation. A steel mesh and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) films were used as the heating element and adherent interlayers, respectively. A transient heat transfer module was implemented to conduct the parametric optimization study, with variables of electricity power, clamping distance and weld time. The optimal welding condition was then confirmed as 20 W, 0.4 mm and 30 s, with a melting degree of 95.2%. A thermal meter and a thermal camera validated the simulated temperature results. Welding quality was experimentally characterized by single lap shear tests and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The highest lap shear strength of 3.8 ± 0.3 MPa was captured on the specimen welded with the optimized condition. This was 76% that of the benchmark made with the adhesive bonding method but it was over 200 times faster.

Highlights

Resistance welding of GFRC with PMMA films and a steel mesh is studied with FEA.

Simulation results are quantitatively validated with experimental methods.

Optimal welding conditions are confirmed in association with welding tests.
Investigation of commercially available resins for the automated flow synthesis of difficult or long peptide sequences
Authors: Lee Michael A. , Brown Joseph S. , Loas Andrei , Pentelute Bradley L.
Published: January 2024

Solid‐phase peptide synthesis (SPPS) is widely used to produce peptides. Since its invention, the solid support has enabled the elongation of the synthetic peptide chain. As technologies have evolved, the length of peptide chains accessible with SPPS has grown to that of single‐domain proteins. Resins for SPPS have advanced to improve synthesis capabilities as well. The functionalization of solid supports with polyethylene glycol (PEG) is commonly employed in a range of commercially available resins to aid in the ability to synthesize long or difficult sequences. A notable example of a widely used PEG‐based solid support is ChemMatrix® resin; however, this and several similar resins have recently been discontinued. Here, we demonstrate and compare the capabilities of OctaGel™, ProTide®, and TentaGel XV® resins in synthesizing sequences ranging from peptides to single domain proteins using automated fast‐flow peptide synthesis. Our studies indicate that each resin performs well for routine peptide synthesis by automated flow, whereas TentaGel XV resin showed the best performance for synthesis of difficult or long peptide sequences when comparing quality using yield, purity, and real‐time UV absorbance monitoring during synthesis.
Student profiles of physical activity, screen time, sleep quality and dietary habits and their association with mental health and school satisfaction: An exploratory study
Authors: Webster Collin A. , Mîndrila Diana , Murphy Anthony D. , Banićević Ivana , Perić Dušan , Stankić Dragan , Banićević Željko
Published: January 2024

The interrelated nature of mental health and indicators of school success in children and adolescents has been under‐investigated from a person‐centered perspective. In this exploratory study, we examined patterns of health behavior in relation to mental health and school satisfaction. A convenience sample of 315 students (Mage = 11.39; SD = 2.045) from two British schools in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates participated in an online survey that included self‐report measures of physical activity, screen time, sleep quality, dietary habits, mental health, and school satisfaction. Based on latent profile analysis, we identified four distinct health behavior profiles: high, low, average, and poor sleep and diet. Significant variation across profiles was evident for mental health subscores, age, and gender, although the results for gender were due to a high number of participants identifying as “other” or preferring not to say their gender. Profile membership was significantly associated with mental health and school satisfaction with students in the high health behavior profile reporting the highest scores on these outcomes. This study presents novel findings about students' health behaviors and school satisfaction and provides impetus for continuing research in this area of inquiry from a person‐centered perspective.
A moderated mediation analysis on the relationship between metacognition and mathematical resilience of gifted students
Authors: Turgut Sedat , Uğurlu Mahir
Published: January 2024

This study examined the mediator role of mathematics motivation and the moderator role of mathematics anxiety (MA) in the relationship between metacognition (MC) and mathematical resilience (MR). The participants are 202 gifted students. Data were collected through the “Metacognitive Awareness Scale,” “MR Scale,” “Revised MA Rating Scale,” and “Mathematics Motivation Scale.” Regression analysis based on the bootstrap technique was used to test the hypothetical model, including mediation, moderation, and moderated mediation relations. The study results showed that MC indirectly positively affects MR through mathematical motivation. MA has a moderator effect on the positive effect of mathematics motivation on MR. The positive effect of mathematics motivation on MR decreases as MA increases. MA has a moderating effect on the indirect effect of MC on MR through mathematics motivation. The positive effect of MC on MR decreases as math anxiety increases.
Proteomics of urinary small extracellular vesicles in early diagnosis of kidney diseases in children‐expectations and limitations
Authors: Korecka Klaudia , Gawin Marta , Pastuszka Agnieszka , Partyka Mirosław , Koszutski Tomasz , Pietrowska Monika , Hyla‐Klekot Lidia
Published: January 2024

The primary function of the kidneys is to maintain systemic homeostasis (disruption of renal structure and function results in multilevel impairment of body function). Kidney diseases are characterized by a chronic, progressive course and may result in the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Evaluation of the composition of the proteome of urinary small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) as a so‐called liquid biopsy is a promising new research direction. Knowing the composition of sEV could allow localization of cellular changes in specific sections of the nephron or the interstitial tissue before fixed changes, detectable only at an advanced stage of the disease, occur. Research is currently underway on the role of sEVs in the diagnosis and monitoring of many disease entities. Reports in the literature on the subject include: diabetic nephropathy, focal glomerulosclerosis in the course of glomerulopathies, renal fibrosis of various etiologies. Studies on pediatric patients are still few, involving piloting if small groups of patients without validation studies. Here, we review the literature addressing the use of sEV for diagnosis of the most common urinary disorders in children. We evaluate the clinical utility and define limitations of markers present in sEV as potential liquid biopsy.
Coffee breeding in a time of crisis: F1 hybrids in Central America since 1990
Authors: McCook Stuart , Montero‐Mora Andrea
Published: January 2024

Social Impact Statement

Central America is renowned for producing some of the world's finest coffee, prized for its quality and flavor. With coffee being a major export crop for many countries, the region's economic, social, and cultural well‐being is closely linked to the success of its coffee industry. Coffee breeding supports the industry's long‐term sustainability and competitiveness by developing new varieties that are more productive, disease‐resistant, climate resilient, and adapted to the coffee producer's realities. Ongoing efforts in coffee breeding have significant implications for the livelihoods of thousands of coffee farmers and their families, the economies of Central American countries, and the preservation of the region's rich coffee tradition and culture.

The central objective is to understand how coffee breeding programs have evolved to help coffee farmers adapt to the rapidly changing economic, political, institutional, and environmental conditions since 1990. Before then, coffee breeders focused primarily on productivity, developing dwarf varieties bred for intensive monoculture production. Since 1990, breeders have shifted their work to address climate change, new diseases and pests, a growing industry interest in cup quality, and unprecedented price volatility. Much of the breeding work has shifted from public institutions to international technical assistance agencies, international non‐governmental organizations (NGOs), and private companies. Their new programs focus on developing F1 coffees designed for agroforestry production and, which, can be developed quickly in response to changing conditions. This case study also complicates narratives about the place of hybrid coffees in agricultural modernization during the 20th and 21st centuries.

Analyze documents produced over the past 30 years by key breeding organizations, governments, trade organizations, to assess the evolution of breeding programs in historical context, and the progress of the new coffees in the field.

Some F1 hybrids have shown considerable promise, but challenges surrounding their propagation, distribution, and cost—as well as their suitability for the specialty coffee market—have so far prevented farmers from adopting them on a large scale.

The switch to F1 coffee breeding represents a deep strategic shift in coffee breeding in Central America, more attuned to the needs of coffee farmers. While the F1 coffees can help farmers address many of the farmers' technical challenges, cost and logistical issues remain a challenge.
Cytogenetics of maize in Mexico as a field of transnational exchange: The case of Takeo Ángel Kato Yamakake
Authors: Rojas Diana Alejandra Méndez
Published: January 2024

Societal Impact Statement

Maize is one of the most consumed grains worldwide. Its production and international trade are expected to continue increasing because of its use as animal fodder and direct human food. Although maize's history spans millennia, in the last century it underwent significant changes due to genetic engineering, particularly during the Green Revolution. Due to maize's importance for current food security and energy production, it is fundamental to understand this engineering process to assess the implications of current styles of maize production for local and global landscapes, scientific institutions, and transnational networks of agricultural science.

This article aims to explain how Mexican agricultural expertise contributed to the development of cytogenetics as a specialized field in the study of the diversity of maize within the framework of the Green Revolution. To this end, the article follows the work of Mexican agronomist Takeo Ángel Kato Yamakake within the activities of the Inter‐American Maize Improvement Program (IMIP), formally established in 1960. By reconstructing the debate on the genetic implications of chromosomal structure and function, this study contributes to the historiography devoted to the role played by local experts in the classification, experimentation, and conservation of maize.

The article is based on sources from Mexico and the United States, an interview with Kato, and the consultation of the database “Rockefeller Fellows. Individual Mobility Awards at Rockefeller‐endowed Organizations, 1914‐1970.”

Kato's trajectory provides an overview of agronomy in Mexico and shows the relevance of transnational exchange in the establishment of plant cytogenetics. Kato's academic activity features collaborations with key figures such as Edwin Wellhausen, Albert Longley, Barbara McClintock, W. Gallinat, Czeslawa Prywer, and Almiro Blumenschein.

A Green Revolution era quest to unravel the origin of maize as a way of perfecting its genetic manipulation fueled the interest in establishing cytogenetics in Mexico. However, the irruption of the molecular approach made the study of the position of chromosomal knobs less of a priority. Despite this, classical cytogenetics, under Kato's leadership, remains a field that contributed to the knowledge of the vegetal genome, even when the IMIP disappeared and the logic of the Green Revolution lost its centrality.
Impact of habitual physical activity and exercise capacity on quality of life in adolescents and adults with cystic fibrosis
Authors: Welsner Matthias , Gruber Wolfgang , Blosch Christopher , Olivier Margarete , Mellies Uwe , Dillenhoefer Stefanie , Brinkmann Folke , Koerner‐Rettberg Cordula , Sutharsan Sivagurunathan , Taube Christian , Stehling Florian
Published: January 2024

Background

The influence of habitual physical activity and exercise capacity on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) in people with cystic fibrosis (pwCF) is poorly characterized. This study investigated the influence of habitual physical activity, exercise capacity, lung function, and body mass index (BMI) on HRQoL in adolescent and adult pwCF.

Method

Subjects were fitted with an accelerometer to determine habitual physical activity (steps/day), including time spent at different intensities, for up to 4 weeks. Then bicycle ergometry (maximal exercise capacity; Wpeak), lung function (percent predicted forced expiratory volume in 1 s, ppFEV1), BMI, and response to the Cystic Fibrosis Questionnaire‐Revised (CFQ‐R) were determined.

Results

Sixty‐five pwCF participated in the study. Physically active pwCF had significantly higher ppFEV1 (p < .001) and exercise capacity (p < .001) than inactive pwCF, and had significantly higher scores on the CFQ‐R physical (p = .006), emotional (p = .015), role (p = .008), health (p = .006), and weight (p = .004) subscales. On multiple linear regression analysis, ppFEV1 and, to a lesser extent, exercise capacity, were the most important determinants of HRQoL in pwCF. Time spent in moderate‐to‐vigorous intensity physical activity did not influence any of the CFQ‐R subscales, whereas time spent in vigorous‐intensity influenced CFQ‐R scores for role (p = .007), body (p = .001), health (p = .009), and weight (p = .01).

Conclusion

HRQoL in adolescent and adult pwCF was influenced by several factors. Avoiding sedentary behavior and spending time in vigorous‐intensity levels positively influenced HRQoL, whereas the total number of steps per day played only a minor role in determining HRQoL. Both ppFEV1 and exercise capacity markedly influenced HRQoL.
Family migration in China: A longitudinal analysis of couples' migration behaviour
Authors: Zhu Min , Vidal Sergi
Published: January 2024

This article addresses internal migration behaviour in the context of two‐gender‐couple households in contemporary China. Against the backdrop of increasing female education in a society where ideals in the gendered division of labour prevail, this study assesses the role of partners' education in regards to a couple's migration behaviour. Considering education to be a key resource in a couple's negotiations, we test hypotheses on gender symmetry and asymmetry of a partner's resources with regard to a couple's relocation. Additionally, we assess how the role of partners' resources varies across populations with rural and urban backgrounds, and acknowledge persistent barriers to migration due to household registration policies (Hukou) and the associated disadvantages faced by rural migrants and their children. For our analyses, we deploy longitudinal couple‐dyadic data from the China Family Panel Studies (2010–2018) and estimate couples' inter‐county moves using discrete‐time event history models. Our results suggest that couple relocations are associated with higher levels of the male partner's education, and not with the female partner's education. We do not find that partners' gender ideology moderates these associations. The role of the male partner's education was found to be more relevant in couples' relocations for those with an agricultural household registration. Our research contributes importantly to debates on persistent gender inequality and urban–rural divides in China, and how these factors permeate migration behaviour.
Asymptotic tracking control of uncertain MIMO nonlinear systems with extended condition for controllability
Authors: Zhou Bing , Huang Xiucai , Song Yongduan , Shen Zhixi
Published: January 2024

For uncertain multiple‐inputs multi‐outputs nonlinear systems, it is nontrivial to achieve asymptotic tracking due to the intrinsic coupling among inputs, while the controllability conditions in most existing methods are rather restrictive or even impractical especially when unexpected actuator faults are involved. In this article, we focus on extending such controllability condition by resorting to the existence (instead of a priori knowledge) of some feasible auxiliary matrix, upon which a robust adaptive control scheme is first presented in the absence of actuator faults that is not only able to achieve asymptotic tracking even in the presence of non‐parametric uncertainties with all the closed‐loop signals globally ultimately uniformly bounded, but also able to deal with a larger class of system models. Furthermore, for the case with intermittent actuator faults, we develop a fault‐tolerant control scheme with extended condition for controllability that is able to accommodate such faults automatically without using any fault detection or fault diagnosis unit. The effectiveness and benefits of the proposed method are verified via simulation on robotic systems.
Exploring the nexus between the barriers and drivers for sustainable smart cities in developing countries: The case of Nigeria
Authors: Bello Abdulkabir Opeyemi , Okanlawon Taofeek Tunde , Wuni Ibrahim Yahaya , Arogundade Suhaib , Oyewobi Luqman Oyekunle
Published: January 2024

Amidst the rapid urbanisation and increasing calls for sustainable development, this study examines the key drivers and barriers influencing sustainable smart city initiatives in Nigeria. By employing a quantitative approach, the research amalgamates insights from diverse professionals, integrating descriptive statistics, exploratory factor analysis, and Spearman rank correlation analysis to illuminate the intricate landscape of sustainable smart city development within the Nigerian context. The findings underscore the interconnected nature of various factors, underscoring the imperative of an all‐encompassing approach that synergistically incorporates infrastructure integration, environmental sustainability, efficient governance, social inclusivity, and economic innovation. Furthermore, identifying specific barriers, including challenges related to integrated urban transformation, socioeconomic equity, and governance and infrastructure, highlights the critical need for precise interventions to surmount these obstacles. The implications and recommendations derived from this study emphasise the pivotal role of collaborative endeavours among diverse stakeholders, accentuating the significance of inclusive decision‐making processes, sustainable environmental practices, and equitable economic expansion. The insights gleaned from this research serve as an invaluable resource for policymakers and urban planners, providing a robust groundwork for informed policy formulation and strategic planning to guide sustainable smart city development in Nigeria and other developing nations.
Immuno-Allergic Dermatoses in Children of 0–5 Years Old in Kinshasa Hospital Environment
Authors: Seudjip Lydie Joelle Nono , Koudoukpo Christiane , Traore Adama , Bunga Paulo Muntu
Published: January 2024

Introduction

The frequency of immuno-allergic dermatoses (IAD) is gradually overtaking that of infectious dermatoses in sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to identify the epidemioclinical profile and the determinants of IAD in children of 0–5 years old at the University Clinics of Kinshasa (UCK).

Methods

This was a documentary and descriptive study that focused on children from 0 to 5 years old with IAD, over an 11-year period from 2011 to 2021. Included were children from 0 to 5 years old received in consultation the first time for IAD. The parameters of interest were sociodemographic and clinical. Data was entered and analysed using Excel 2010 software. Ethical and deontological considerations were respected. The value of p < 0.05 was the significance threshold.

Results

The frequency of IAD in children aged 0–5 years in the UCK was 17.8%, with a high peak between 2 and 3 years (41.9%) and a female predominance at 54.4%, which represents a sex ratio of 0.8. Prurigo strophulus (42.3%) and atopic dermatitis (22.8%) were the most common IAD. In multivariate analysis, the determinants were significantly the age group of 4–5 years, the rainy season and the child's environment.

Conclusion

Prurigo strophulus and atopic dermatitis were the most frequent IAD in children aged 0–5 years. A holistic care (medical, ecological) of children and their parents may reduce morbidity related to IAD for this age.
Tetrafluoroterephthalonitrile as an anion‐π donor: theoretical evaluation and application to anion recognition
Authors: Zayene Olfa , Plais Romain , Rolhion Laurie , Bourdreux Flavien , Pieters Grégory , Gaucher Anne , Clavier Gilles , Cœuret Anabelle , Salpin Jean‐Yves , Prim Damien
Published: January 2024

The ability of perfluorinated terephthalonitrile to act as an anion‐π donor fragment in anion receptors is evaluated. New receptors combining an urea and a perfluorinated terephthalonitrile motif into a single architecture have been designed and synthesized. Their molecular recognition properties towards Cl−, Br− and I−, have been studied in solution by means of 1H and 19F NMR as well as photophysical experiments. A complementary electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry study confirmed the ranking of recognition properties between the receptors. A further theoretical evaluation of binding properties confirmed the association constant trend and suggests a main contribution of the urea motif weakly complemented by a η2‐type anion‐π interaction.
Improved Physical Properties of Green Fabricated ZnO Thin Films by Annealing Temperature
Authors: Handani Sri , Putra Indra Julika , Emriadi Emriadi , Dahlan Dahyunir , Arief Syukri
Published: January 2024

ZnO thin films were prepared by sol‐gel spin coating on a glass substrate via green synthesis using Uncaria gambir leaf extract. The deposited films were characterized for structural, morphological, and optical properties at various annealing temperatures (400, 500, and 600 °C). The ZnO film without annealing shows an amorphous structure, and after annealing, it shows a hexagonal wurtzite structure with a dominant (101) peak. The crystallinity of the films increases up to 500 °C. The crystallite size shows a maximum value (27 nm) at 500 °C. Also, a flat, smooth, uniform wrinkle and the homogenous surface of ZnO thin films are shown at 500 °C. The gambir extract prevents the segregation of crystallites until 500 °C. The transparency was over 80 % in the visual region for all annealed films, and the energy bandgap decreased to 3.81 eV with increasing the annealing temperature up to 500 °C.
Advancing Pyrrole Synthesis through DDQ Catalysis: A Comprehensive Research Incorporating DFT, ADMT, and Molecular Docking Analysis
Authors: Serdaroğlu Goncagül , Uludağ Nesimi , Üstün Elvan
Published: January 2024

The construction of pyrroles is an important heterocyclic group comprising many compounds with interesting properties that have led to numerous applications in various fields. We delineate a new synthetic method for the rapid construction of tree‐substituted pyrroles from readily available ketoximes as starting materials and also a new mechanism and method has been proposed. It is presented that substituted pyrroles were efficiently synthesized in high yields (up to 81 % yield) through the cyclization reaction of starting ketoximes mediated by 2,3‐dichlor‐5,6‐dicyanobenzoquinone (DDQ). Utilizing this protocol various pyrrole derivatives were synthesized from diethyl acetylene dicarboxylate (DEAD). We then developed the dehydrogenation reaction mechanism of this formation, also studied in detail, also all synthesized compounds were analyzed in detail by spectroscopic techniques (FT‐IR, 1H NMR, 13CNMR) which were compared with the computational data estimated at B3LYP/6‐311G** level. The thermochemical and electronic properties of the pyrroles were evaluated after optimizing and then confirming the equilibrium structures. ADMT scores were also considered to estimate/elucidate the possible bioavailability tendencies as well as the toxicity. In addition, the interactions of the optimized molecules were evaluated by molecular docking methods against BSA “Bovine Serum Albumin” and LIF “Leukemia Inhibitory Factor”. The results obtained from this study will ideally provide a fundamental source in contemporary drug design in terms of both the key electronic properties underlying the possible reactivity features and toxicity.
Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of New Benzochromenopyrimidines for the Therapy of Colon and Lung Cancer
Authors: Choura Emna , El Ghali Fares , Bernard Paul J , Marco‐Contelles José , Aifa Sami , Ismaili Lhassane , Chabchoub Fakher
Published: January 2024

Herein we report the synthesis of ten newly substituted 3‐phenyl‐5‐aryl‐3,5‐dihydro‐4H‐benzo[6,7]chromeno[2,3‐d]pyrimidin‐4,6,11‐triones (“benzochromenopyrimidines”) in a one‐step reaction, by reacting ethyl 2‐amino‐4‐aryl‐5,10‐dioxo‐5,10‐dihydro‐4H‐benzo[g]chromene‐3‐carboxylates with aniline, and triethyl orthoformate, under acidic catalyst and solvent‐free conditions. These benzochromenopyrimidines were submitted to biological evaluation for in vitro anti‐cancer activity, several derivatives showing higher activity than commonly used chemotherapeutic agents such as oxaliplatin, 5‐fluorouracil, and paclitaxel. In particular, the 5‐(2‐Methoxyphenyl)‐3‐phenyl‐3,5‐dihydro‐4H‐benzo[6,7]chromeno[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐4,6,11‐trione was identified as the most potent inhibitor among all the new ligands, showing significant cytotoxic activity against all the cancer cell lines tested [human colon cancer cell lines, LoVo and HCT‐116; human lung cancer cells (A549 line)], as evidenced by the significant decrease in IC50 values, while maintaining low cytotoxicity against normal cells. These promising results suggest that this compound deserves further investigation as a potential hit compound for the development of a selective anticancer drug in cancer therapy.
2Memristor‐1Capacitor Integrated Temporal Kernel for High‐Dimensional Data Mapping
Authors: Shim Sung Keun , Jang Yoon Ho , Han Janguk , Jeon Jeong Woo , Shin Dong Hoon , Kim Yeong Rok , Han Joon‐Kyu , Woo Kyung Seok , Lee Soo Hyung , Cheong Sunwoo , Kim Jaehyun , Seo Haengha , Shin Jonghoon , Hwang Cheol Seong
Published: January 2024

Compact but precise feature‐extracting ability is core to processing complex computational tasks in neuromorphic hardware. Physical reservoir computing (RC) offers a robust framework to map temporal data into a high‐dimensional space using the time dynamics of a material system, such as a volatile memristor. However, conventional physical RC systems have limited dynamics for the given material properties, restricting the methods to increase their dimensionality. This study proposes an integrated temporal kernel composed of a 2‐memristor and 1‐capacitor (2M1C) using a W/HfO2/TiN memristor and TiN/ZrO2/Al2O3/ZrO2/TiN capacitor to achieve higher dimensionality and tunable dynamics. The kernel elements are carefully designed and fabricated into an integrated array, of which performances are evaluated under diverse conditions. By optimizing the time dynamics of the 2M1C kernel, each memristor simultaneously extracts complementary information from input signals. The MNIST benchmark digit classification task achieves a high accuracy of 94.3% with a (196×10) single‐layer network. Analog input mapping ability is tested with a Mackey‐Glass time series prediction, and the system records a normalized root mean square error of 0.04 with a 20×1 readout network, the smallest readout network ever used for Mackey‐Glass prediction in RC. These performances demonstrate its high potential for efficient temporal data analysis.
Monolithic Microparticles Facilitated Flower‐Like TiO2 Nanowires for High Areal Capacity Flexible Li‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Luo Li , Liang Kui , Khanam Zeba , Yao Xincheng , Mushtaq Muhammad , Ouyang Ting , Balogun M.‐Sadeeq , Tong Yexiang
Published: January 2024

Flexible lithium‐ion batteries (FLIBs) are intensively studied using free‐standing transition metal oxides (TMOs)‐based anode materials. However, achieving high areal capacity TMO‐based anode materials is yet to be effectively elucidated owing to the poor adhesion of the active materials to the flexible substrate resulting in low active mass loading, and hence low areal capacity is realized. Herein, a novel monolithic rutile TiO2 microparticles on carbon cloth (ATO/CC) that facilitate the flower‐like arrangement of TiO2 nanowires (denoted ATO/CC/OTO) is demonstrated as high areal capacity anode for FLIBs. The optimized ATO/CC/OTO anode exhibits high areal capacity (5.02 mAh cm−2@0.4 mA cm−2) excellent rate capability (1.17 mAh cm−2@5.0 mA cm−2) and remarkable cyclic stability (over 500 cycles). A series of morphological, kinetic, electrochemical, in situ Raman, and theoretical analyses reveal that the rational phase boundaries between the microparticles and nanowires contribute to promoting the Li storage activity. Furthermore, a 16.0 cm2 all‐FLIB pouch cell assembled based on the ATO/CC/OTO anode and LiNiCoMnO2 cathode coated on ATO/CC (ATO/CC/LNCM) exhibits impressive flexibility under different folding conditions, creating opportunity for the development of high areal capacity anodes in future flexible energy storage devices.
Tailoring the Heterogeneous Structure of Macro‐Fibers Assembled by Bacterial Cellulose Nanofibrils for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds
Authors: Wu Nihuan , Meng Si , Li Zhen , Fang Jie , Qi Cheng , Kong Tiantian , Liu Zhou
Published: January 2024

Bacterial cellulose/oxidized bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (BC/oxBCNFs) macro‐fibers are developed as a novel scaffold for vascular tissue engineering. Utilizing a low‐speed rotary coagulation spinning technique and precise solvent control, macro‐fibers with a unique heterogeneous structure with dense surface and porous core are created. Enhanced by a polydopamine (PDA) coating, these macro‐fibers offer robust mechanical integrity, high biocompatibility, and excellent cell adhesion. When cultured with endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), the macro‐fibers support healthy cell proliferation and exhibit a unique spiral SMC alignment, demonstrating their vascular suitability. This innovative strategy opens new avenues for advances in tissue engineering.
N, O‐Doped Walnut‐Like Porous Carbon Composite Microspheres Loaded with Fe/Co Nanoparticles for Adjustable Electromagnetic Wave Absorption
Authors: Dou Yuye , Zhang Xiangyi , Zhao Xinbo , Li Xia , Jiang Xiaohui , Yan Xuefeng , Yu Liangmin
Published: January 2024

This study addresses the challenge of designing simple and environmentally friendly methods for the preparation of effective electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials with tailored microstructures and multi‐component regulation. N, O doped walnut‐like porous carbon composite microspheres loaded with FeCo nanoparticles (WPCM/Fe–Co) are synthesized through high‐temperature carbonization combined with soap‐free emulsion polymerization and hydrothermal methods, avoiding the use of toxic solvents and complex conditions. The incorporation of magnetic components enhances magnetic loss, complementing dielectric loss to optimize EMW attenuation. The unique walnut‐like morphology further improves impedance matching. The proportions of Fe and Co components can be adjusted to regulate the material's reflection loss, thickness, and bandwidth, allowing for fine‐tuning of absorption performance. At a low filling ratio (16.7%), the optimal WPCM/Fe–Co composites exhibit a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −48.34 dB (10.33 GHz, 3.0 mm) and an overall effective absorbing bandwidth (EAB) covering the entire C bands, X bands, and Ku bands. This work introduces a novel approach to composition regulation and presents a green synthesis method for magnetic carbon composite absorbers with high‐performance EMW absorption at low loading.
Optoelectronic Synapse Based on 2D Electron Gas in Stoichiometry‐Controlled Oxide Heterostructures
Authors: Lee Minkyung , Kim Youngmin , Mo Sang Hyeon , Kim Sungkyu , Eom Kitae , Lee Hyungwoo
Published: January 2024

Emulating synaptic functionalities in optoelectronic devices is significant in developing artificial visual‐perception systems and neuromorphic photonic computing. Persistent photoconductivity (PPC) in metal oxides provides a facile way to realize the optoelectronic synaptic devices, but the PPC performance is often limited due to the oxygen vacancy defects that release excess conduction electrons without external stimuli. Herein, a high‐performance optoelectronic synapse based on the stoichiometry‐controlled LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (LAO/STO) heterostructure is developed. By increasing La/Al ratio up to 1.057:1, the PPC is effectively enhanced but suppressed the background conductivity at the LAO/STO interface, achieving strong synaptic behaviors. The spectral noise analyses reveal that the synaptic behaviors are attributed to the cation‐related point defects and their charge compensation mechanism near the LAO/STO interface. The short‐term and long‐term plasticity is demonstrated, including the paired‐pulse facilitation, in the La‐rich LAO/STO device upon exposure to UV light pulses. As proof of concepts, two essential synaptic functionalities, the pulse‐number‐dependent plasticity and the self‐noise cancellation, are emulated using the 5 × 5 array of La‐rich LAO/STO synapses. Beyond the typical oxygen deficiency control, the results show how harnessing the cation stoichiometry can be used to design oxide heterostructures for advanced optoelectronic synapses and neuromorphic applications.
Controllable Electronic Transfer Tailoring d‐band Center via Cobalt–Oxygen‐Bridged Ru/Fe Dual‐sites for Boosted Oxygen Evolution
Authors: Zhu Yu , Zhang Shunqiang , Chen Runzhe , Wang Zichen , Wu Wei , Jiang Haoran , Chen Heyuan , Cheng Niancai
Published: January 2024

Rational tailoring of the electronic structure at the defined active center of reconstructed metal (oxy)hydroxides (MOOH) during oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains a challenge. With the guidance of density functional theory (DFT), herein a dual‐site regulatory strategy is reported to tailor the d‐band center of the Co site in CoOOH via the controlled electronic transfer at the Ru─O─Co─O─Fe bonding structure. Through the bridged O2− site, electrons are vastly flowed from the t2g‐orbital of the Ru site to the low‐spin orbital of the Co site in the Ru–O–Co coordination and further transfer from the strong electron–electron repulsion of the Co site to the Fe site by the Co–O–Fe coordination, which balancing the electronic configuration of Co sites to weaken the over‐strong adsorption energy barrier of OH* and O*, respectively. Benefiting from the highly active of the Co site, the constructed (Ru2Fe2Co6)OOH provide an extremely low overpotential of 248 mV and a Tafel slope of 32.5 mV dec−1 at 10 mA cm−2 accompanied by long durability in alkaline OER, far superior over the pristine and Co–O–Fe bridged CoOOH catalysts. This work provides guidance for the rational design and in‐depth analysis of the optimized role of metal dual‐sites.
Thiol‐Ene Click Reaction in Constructing Liquid Separation Membranes for Water Treatment
Authors: Yu Wei , Lu Xinyi , Xiong Liping , Teng Jiaheng , Chen Cheng , Li Bisheng , Liao Bao‐Qiang , Lin Hongjun , Shen Liguo
Published: January 2024

In the evolving landscape of water treatment, membrane technology has ascended to an instrumental role, underscored by its unmatched efficacy and ubiquity. Diverse synthesis and modification techniques are employed to fabricate state‐of‐the‐art liquid separation membranes. Click reactions, distinguished by their rapid kinetics, minimal byproduct generation, and simple reaction condition, emerge as a potent paradigm for devising eco‐functional materials. While the metal‐free thiol‐ene click reaction is acknowledged as a viable approach for membrane material innovation, a systematic elucidation of its applicability in liquid separation membrane development remains conspicuously absent. This review elucidates the pre‐functionalization strategies of substrate materials tailored for thiol‐ene reactions, notably highlighting thiolation and introducing unsaturated moieties. The consequential implications of thiol‐ene reactions on membrane properties—including trade‐off effect, surface wettability, and antifouling property—are discussed. The application of thiol‐ene reaction in fabricating various liquid separation membranes for different water treatment processes, including wastewater treatment, oil/water separation, and ion separation, are reviewed. Finally, the prospects of thiol‐ene reaction in designing novel liquid separation membrane, including pre‐functionalization, products prediction, and solute‐solute separation membrane, are proposed. This review endeavors to furnish invaluable insights, paving the way for expanding the horizons of thiol‐ene reaction application in liquid separation membrane fabrication.
Hydroxyl‐Decorated Carbon Cloth with High Potassium Affinity Enables Stable Potassium Metal Anodes
Authors: Sun Jianlu , Duan Liping , Yuan Zeyu , Li Xiaodong , Yan Dongbo , Zhou Xiaosi
Published: January 2024

Highly anticipated potassium metal batteries possess abundant potassium reserves and high theoretical capacity but currently suffer from poor cycling stability as a result of dendritic growth and volume expansion. Here, carbon cloths modified with different functional groups treated with ethylene glycol, ethanolamine, and ethylenediamine are designed as 3D hosts, exhibiting different wettability to molten potassium. Among them, the hydroxyl‐decorated carbon cloth with a high affinity for potassium can achieve molten potassium perfusion (K@EG‐CC) within 3 s. By efficiently inducing the uniform deposition of metal potassium, buffing its volume expansion, and lowering local current density, the developed K@EG‐CC anode alleviates the dendrite growth issue. The K@EG‐CC||K@EG‐CC symmetric battery can be cycled stably for 2100 h and has only a small voltage hysteresis of ≈93 mV at 0.5 mA cm−2. Moreover, the high‐voltage plateau, high energy density, and long cycle life of K metal full batteries can be realized with a low‐cost KFeSO4F@carbon nanotube cathode. This study provides a simple strategy to promote the commercial applications of potassium metal batteries.
Data‐Driven Battery Characterization and Prognosis: Recent Progress, Challenges, and Prospects
Authors: Ji Shanling , Zhu Jianxiong , Yang Yaxin , dos Reis Gonçalo , Zhang Zhisheng
Published: January 2024

Battery characterization and prognosis are essential for analyzing underlying electrochemical mechanisms and ensuring safe operation, especially with the assistance of superior data‐driven artificial intelligence systems. This review provides a unique perspective on recent progress in data‐driven battery characterization and prognosis methods. First, recent informative image characterization and impedance spectrum as well as high‐throughput screening approaches on revealing battery electrochemical mechanisms at multiple scales are summarized. Thereafter, battery prognosis tasks and strategies are described, with the comparison of various physics‐informed modeling strategies. Considering unlocking mechanisms from tremendous battery data, the dominant role of physics‐informed interpretable learning in accelerating energy device development is presented. Finally, challenges and prospects on data‐driven characterization and prognosis are discussed toward accelerating energy device development with much‐enhanced electrochemical transparency and generalization. This review is hoped to supply new ideas and inspirations to the next‐generation battery development.
High‐Throughput Sorting and Single‐Cell Mechanotyping by Hydrodynamic Sorting‐Mechanotyping Cytometry
Authors: Chen Yao , Ni Chen , Zhang Xiaozhe , Ni Zhonghua , Xiang Nan
Published: January 2024

The existence of many background blood cells hinders the accurate identification of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in the blood of cancer patients. To unlock this limitation, a hydrodynamic sorting‐mechanotyping cytometry (HSMC) integrated with a sorting‐concentration chip and a detection chip is proposed for simultaneously achieving the high‐throughput cell sorting and the multi‐parameter mechanotyping of the sorted tumor cells. The HSMC adopts the spiral inertial microfluidics for label‐free sorting of cells in a high‐throughput manner, allowing the efficient enrichment of tumor cells from the large background blood cells. Then, the sorted cells are concentrated by the concentration unit and finally passed through the detection unit for hydrodynamic deformation. The HSMC has a high throughput for sorting and detection and can successfully reveal the differences in the cellular mechanical properties. After characterizing and optimizing the single chips, the identification of white blood cells (WBCs) and three types of tumor cells (A549, MCF‐7, and MDA‐MB‐231 cells) is successfully achieved. The identification accuracies for WBCs and different tumor cells are all larger than 94%, while the highest identification accuracy is up to 99.2%. This study envisions that the HSMC will offer an avenue for the analysis of single cell intrinsic mechanics in clinical medicine.