bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Figure of Merit Magneto‐Optical Ce‐ and Bi‐Substituted Terbium Iron Garnet Films Integrated on Si
Authors: Fakhrul Takian , Tazlaru Stana , Khurana Bharat , Beran Lukáš , Bauer Jackson , Vančík Michal , Marchese Ariane , Tsotsos Ekaterina , Kučera Miroslav , Zhang Yan , Veis Martin , Ross Caroline A.
Published: May 2021

Films of polycrystalline terbium iron garnet (TbIG), cerium‐substituted TbIG (CeTbIG), and bismuth‐substituted TbIG (BiTbIG) are grown on Si substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The films grow under tensile strain due to thermal mismatch with the Si substrate, resulting in a dominant magnetoelastic anisotropy which, combined with shape anisotropy, leads to in‐plane magnetization. TbIG has a compensation temperature of 253 K which is reduced by substitution of Ce and Bi. The Faraday rotation at 1550 nm of the TbIG, Ce0.36TbIG, and Bi0.03TbIG films is 5400 ± 600° cm−1, 4500 ± 100° cm–1, and 6200 ± 300° cm−1, respectively, while Ce0.36TbIG and Bi0.03TbIG exhibit lower optical absorption than TbIG, attributed to a reduction in Fe2+ and Tb4+ absorption pathways. The high Faraday rotation of the films, and in particular the high magneto‐optical figure of merit of the Bi0.03TbIG of 720° dB−1 at 1550 nm, make these polycrystalline films valuable for applications in integrated photonics.
Crop root Exudate Composition‐Dependent Disassembly of Lignin‐Fe‐Hydroxyapatite Supramolecular Structures: A Better Rhizosphere Sensing Platform for Smart Fertilizer Development
Authors: Yoon Ho Young , Phong Nguyen Thanh , Joe Eun‐Nam , Kwon Sumin , Son Eun Ju , Jang Kyoung‐Soon , Jeon Jong‐Rok
Published: May 2021

A one‐pot/one‐step process of lignin‐Fe coordination is implemented to synthesize lignin‐Fe‐hydroxyapatite (HA) supramolecular structures, which can be disassembled and subsequently surface‐engineered by root exudate‐derived organic acids. The extent of disassembly is superior to the corresponding HCl‐induced pH change, suggesting that organic acids directly hamper non‐covalent interactions involving lignin components and ferric ions. This disassembly coincides with the facilitated co‐release of crop nutrients (i.e., ferric ions) and stimulants (i.e., lignin components) in a time‐dependent manner. The resulting exposed core HAs are further surface‐engineered with organic acids, thus accelerating the release of crop nutrients (i.e., calcium and phosphate ions) through the particle dissolution. Finally, lignin‐Fe‐coated HAs significantly enhances Zea mays growth rates under heat and salt stress compared to bare ones, suggesting that the increased organic acid secretion by the roots under abiotic stresses accelerates the disassembly and subsequent dissolution of the coated particles. Given that conventional rhizosphere‐responsive fertilizers are mainly based on H+ ion‐mediated structural changes, the approach provides a more effective means to detect the rhizosphere and crop stress state by exploiting the nature‐inspired relationship between small organic acids and supramolecular polyphenolic assemblies.
Whole‐Body Multicontact Haptic Human–Humanoid Interaction Based on Leader–Follower Switching: A Robot Dance of the “Box Step”
Authors: Kobayashi Taisuke , Dean-Leon Emmanuel , Guadarrama-Olvera Julio Rogelio , Bergner Florian , Cheng Gordon
Published: May 2021

For physical human–robot interaction (pHRI) where multi‐contacts play a key role, both robustness to achieve robot‐intended motion and adaptability to follow human‐intended motion are fundamental. However, there are tradeoffs during pHRI when their intentions do not match. This paper focuses on bipedal walking control during pHRI, which handles such tradeoff when a human and a humanoid robot having different footsteps locations and durations. To resolve this, a force‐reactive walking controller is proposed by adequately combining ankle and stepping strategies. The ankle strategy maintains the robot's intention based on an analytically‐optimal center of pressure, leading the robot to oppose resistance to multiple contacts from the human. Based on the robot's kinodynamic constraints and/or the confidence of the robot's intention, the stepping strategy updates the robot's footsteps based on the human's intention implied by the multiple contact forces. Consequently, the proposed walking control on pHRI mutually exchanges human–robot intentions in real‐time, thereby achieving coordinated steps. With a full‐sized humanoid robot that is able to detect multi‐contacts in real‐time, we succeeded in performing a long‐term “box‐step” with multi‐contacts pHRI, demonstrating the robustness of our approach.
Color signals of bee‐pollinated flowers: the significance of natural leaf background
Authors: Martins Amanda E. , Arista Montserrat , Morellato Leonor Patricia Cerdeira , Camargo Maria Gabriela G.
Published: May 2021

Premise

Flower color is a primary pollinator attractant and generally adjusted to the cognitive system of the pollinators. The perception of flower color depends on the visual system of pollinators and also on environmental factors such as light conditions and the background against which flowers are displayed.

Methods

Using bee‐pollinated Fabaceae species as a model, we analyzed flower color diversity and compared flower color signals considering both the standard green and the natural leaf background of two tropical seasonally dry vegetations—a mountain rupestrian grassland (campo rupestre) and a woody savanna (cerrado)—compared to a nontropical Mediterranean shrubland.

Results

By using natural background, bees discriminated color for 58% of the flowers in the campo rupestre and for only 43% in cerrado. Both vegetations were surpassed by 75% of bee color discrimination in Mediterranean vegetation. Chromatic contrast and purity were similar among the three vegetation types. Green contrast and brightness were similar between the tropical vegetations but differed from the Mediterranean shrubland. Green contrast differences were lost when using a standard green background, and most variables (purity, green contrast, and brightness) differed according to the background (natural or standard green) in all vegetations.

Conclusions

The natural background influenced bee perception of flower color regardless of vegetation. The background of the campo rupestre promoted green contrast for flowers, ensuring flower detection by pollinators and, along with bees, may also act as a selective pressure driving the diversity of flower colors in Fabaceae species. We highlight the importance of considering the natural background coloration when analyzing flower color signals.
Pneumonia and respiratory infection in Down syndrome: A 10‐year cohort analysis of inpatient and outpatient encounters across the lifespan
Authors: Blake Jasmine M. , Estrada Gomez Daniela , Skotko Brian G. , Torres Amy , Santoro Stephanie L.
Published: May 2021

Respiratory illnesses are a significant contributor of morbidity and mortality among persons with Down syndrome (DS). Reviews have described respiratory illnesses of DS in childhood, but few have looked across the lifespan. Retrospective chart review of patients in our DS program with clinical encounters for respiratory illnesses from 2011 to 2020 was completed. Eighteen percent of clinical encounters were due to respiratory illnesses. Of these, 120 were seen in the emergency department, 88 were admitted, and 21 were seen in urgent care. Common comorbidities included congenital heart disease, asthma, and dysphagia. Admission was common for children under the age of 5 years and adults over the age of 45 years. Admitted patients were more likely to have history of pneumonia and chronic lung disease. Of admitted patients, 77% required supplemental oxygen and 46% required intensive care unit admission. Our findings highlight that respiratory illnesses are a common cause of healthcare utilization among patients with DS, particularly early in childhood and later in life. Patients were seen predominately in outpatient settings; when an inpatient setting was needed, they frequently required higher levels of care. With our findings, clinicians can stratify patients most at risk for respiratory infections and provide targeted monitoring.
Changes in Grauer's gorilla (Gorilla beringei graueri) and other primate populations in the Kahuzi‐Biega National Park and Oku Community Reserve, the heart of Grauer's gorilla global range
Authors: Plumptre Andrew J. , Kirkby Andrew , Spira Charlotte , Kivono Jeannot , Mitamba Guillain , Ngoy Erasme , Nishuli Radar , Strindberg Samantha , Maisels Fiona , Buckland Steeves , Ormsby Lucy , Kujirakwinja Deo
Published: May 2021

Grauer's gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri) have declined drastically across their range in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Survey data analysed in 2016 estimated a 77% decline in numbers between the mid‐ 1990s and 2016 and predicted that Kahuzi‐Biega National Park (KBNP), and the contiguous Oku Community Reserve (OCR) held much of the global population. An estimate of 3800 Grauer's gorillas was made across its range at that time. Here, we publish the most extensive survey of Grauer's gorilla numbers to date, using nest counts from 230 line transects across KBNP and OCR to derive more accurate estimates of both gorilla and chimpanzee numbers. Gorilla numbers were estimated from line transects at 1,571 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 824–2,993) within KBNP and at 2,244 (95% CI: 1,471–3,422) in OCR. Eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) numbers were estimated at 2,500 (95% CI: 1,804–3,462) in KBNP and 687 (95% CI: 472–999) in OCR. Estimates of total numbers for the survey area were 5,252 (95% CI: 3,687–7,481) Grauer's gorillas and 4,275 (95% CI: 3,322–5,502) eastern chimpanzees. Chimpanzee numbers were not significantly different from the estimates in the mid‐1990s but the gorillas had significantly declined, mostly in KBNP. Modeled densities of these apes indicated that distances to mines, villages, or roads significantly explained part of the distribution of these apes, with higher densities also found in more rugged and remote sites. Other primates have all declined in this region, likely due to bushmeat hunting, especially the Endangered Ulindi River Red ColobusPiliocolobus lulindicus. These results confirm the negative impact of insecurity on Grauer's gorilla but indicate that the population declines may not be as great as previously feared. Using our revised gorilla density estimate we revise the original estimate of global numbers from 3,800 to 6,800 individuals.
Bayes analysis supports null hypothesis of anti‐amyloid beta therapy in Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Richard Edo , den Brok Melina G.H.E. , van Gool Willem A.
Published: May 2021

Numerous clinical trials of anti‐amyloid beta (Aβ) immunotherapy in Alzheimer's disease have been performed. None of these have provided convincing evidence for beneficial effects. Using traditional frequentist meta‐analysis, the conclusion is that there is absence of evidence for a therapeutic effect, with a point estimate effect size of 0.05 (95% confidence interval −0.00 to 0.10, P = .055). In addition, this non‐significant effect equates to 0.4 points per year on the cognitive subscale of the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale. This is well below the minimally clinically important difference. Bayesian meta‐analysis of these trial data provides strong evidence of absence of a therapeutic effect, with a Bayes factor of 11.27 in favor of the null hypothesis, opposed to a Bayes factor of 0.09 in favor of a treatment effect. Bayesian analysis is particularly valuable in this context of repeatedly reported small, non‐significant effect sizes in individual trials. Mechanisms other than removal of Aβ from the brain may be probed to slow progression of Alzheimer's disease.
Subjective cognitive decline and objective cognition among diverse U.S. Hispanics/Latinos: Results from the Study of Latinos‐Investigation of Neurocognitive Aging (SOL‐INCA)
Authors: Zlatar Zvinka Z. , Tarraf Wassim , González Kevin A. , Vásquez Priscilla M. , Marquine María J. , Lipton Richard B. , Gallo Linda C. , Khambaty Tasneem , Zeng Donglin , Youngblood Marston E. , Estrella Mayra L. , Isasi Carmen R. , Daviglus Martha , González Hector M.
Published: May 2021

Introduction

Despite increased risk of cognitive decline in Hispanics/Latinos, research on early risk markers of Alzheimer's disease in this group is lacking. Subjective cognitive decline (SCD) may be an early risk marker of pathological aging. We investigated associations of SCD with objective cognition among a diverse sample of Hispanics/Latinos living in the United States.

Methods

SCD was measured with the Everyday Cognition Short Form (ECog‐12) and cognitive performance with a standardized battery in 6125 adults aged ≥ 50 years without mild cognitive impairment or dementia (x̄age = 63.2 years, 54.5% women). Regression models interrogated associations of SCD with objective global, memory, and executive function scores.

Results

Higher SCD was associated with lower objective global (B = −0.16, SE = 0.01), memory (B = −0.13, SE = 0.02), and executive (B = −0.13, SE = 0.02, p's < .001) function composite scores in fully adjusted models.

Discussion

Self‐reported SCD, using the ECog‐12, may be an indicator of concurrent objective cognition in diverse middle‐aged and older community‐dwelling Hispanics/Latinos.
Amyloid‐beta is present in human lymph nodes and greatly enriched in those of the cervical region
Authors: Nauen David W. , Troncoso Juan C.
Published: May 2021

Degradation and clearance of amyloid beta (Aβ) peptide are likely critical for brain health. Animal studies have demonstrated the role of the glial‐lymphatic (glymphatic) system in the clearance of Aβ and other brain metabolites, but no such information has been available in humans. Here we ask whether this system contributes to the clearance of Aβ from the human brain. In the absence of an applicable imaging method, we examined cervical and inguinal lymph nodes resected for cancer therapy or staging using immunohistochemistry. Aβ‐labeled cells were present in lymph nodes, and cervical lymph nodes showed labeled cells in far greater abundance than did inguinal nodes. This observation supports the hypothesis that the glymphatic system contributes to the clearance of Aβ from the human brain.
Effect of IR‐laser treatment parameters on surface structure, roughness, wettability and bonding properties of fused deposition modeling‐printed PEEK/CF
Authors: Li Weijie , Wang Jinyan , Sang Lin , Zu Yuan , Li Nan , Jian Xigao , Wang Fei
Published: May 2021

In this study, laser surface treatment was applied to alter the surface texturing and chemical compositions of fused deposition modeling (FDM)‐printed PEEK/CF samples to improve the deficiency of inert surface of PEEK as adherend substrate. The influence of IR‐laser parameters including treatment gaps, single pulse energy and pulse widths on surface properties and shear bond strength were discussed. The results indicated that surface roughness was enhanced with decreasing treatment gap or increasing pulse energy, which reached the highest value of Ra = 32.44 μm at 0.4*0.4 mm2 treatment gap and 300 mJ single pulse energy. By adjusting laser pulse width, surface wettability changed from hydrophobicity to hydrophilicity. After micro‐second laser ablation, the texturing structure was changed and acted as mechanical interlocking effect, and therefore make the shear bond strengths improve from 3.28 to 6.42 MPa compared with the untreated groups. On the other hand, functional groups on substrate surface were activated after nano‐second laser ablation, which contributes to an enhancement of shear bond strength through chemical interaction between adhesives and substrates. Therefore, our work highlights an efficient method of laser surface treatment on the adhesion property of FDM‐printed substrates.
Layer‐by‐layer approach to enable polyamide formation on microporous supports for thin‐film composite membranes
Authors: Agata Wendy‐Angela Saringi , Thompson Joseph , Geise Geoffrey M.
Published: May 2021

Polyamide thin‐film composite (PA‐TFC) membranes make large‐scale desalination effective. Interfacial polymerization (IP) is used to make PA‐TFC membranes, but it may limit the range of monomers that can be used, which hinders progress toward advanced membranes. Layer‐by‐layer (LbL) sequential deposition could circumvent kinetic and thermodynamic limitations of the conventional IP process to facilitate incorporation of different co‐monomers into the membrane. The selective layer needs to be deposited onto a microporous support, but depositing LbL coatings on microporous supports often results in defective membranes. Using a poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) primer between the support and the LbL polyamide layer may prevent defect formation. The water permeance and salt rejection of a three layer, PVA‐primed, LbL‐based PA‐TFC membrane are discussed and compared to a membrane made without the PVA primer and a commercially available membrane. Mass transfer resistances are analyzed using a series resistance model and appear to be small or even negligible compared to that of the polyamide layer. Incorporation of a sulfonated co‐monomer into the polyamide via LbL is reported. The combination of a PVA primer layer and LbL sequential deposition may expand the range of co‐monomers that could be used relative to polyamide membranes prepared by the conventional IP process.
Sulfone‐containing Conjugated Polyimide 2D Nanosheets for Efficient Water Oxidation
Authors: Khan Mohd Yusuf , Khan Ibrahim , Zeama Mostafa , Khan Abuzar
Published: May 2021

Water oxidation is a bottleneck in artificial photosynthesis that impedes its practicality for solar energy conversion and utilization. It is highly desired to significantly improve the efficacy of the existing catalysts or to rationally design new catalysts with improved performance. We report a novel conjugated and sulfone containing polyimide as a metal‐free photocatalyst synthesized via a two‐step method: (i) synthesis of precursor poly(amic acid) (PAA) (ii) solvothermal synthesis of polyimide through thermal imidization. The synthesis of the polyimide photocatalyst was demonstrated by the amide linkage in the FTIR spectrum. The obtained photocatalyst was semicrystalline in nature and possessed sheet‐like morphology as illustrated by the diffraction pattern and the electron micrographic images, respectively. The thermogravimetric analysis of the polyimide nanosheets validated a thermally stable structure. The DFT calculations were performed which showed a suitable HOMO band position, favorable for water oxidation. The photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) performance of the polyimide nanosheets evaluated by studying water oxidation reaction without any sacrificial agent under 1‐SUN showed enhanced PEC performance and good stability towards water oxidation at 0 V versus SCE.
Carbonyl‐rich Poly(pyrene‐4,5,9,10‐tetraone Sulfide) as Anode Materials for High‐Performance Li and Na‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Li Kang , Xu Shufei , Han Donglai , Si Zhenjun , Wang Heng‐guo
Published: May 2021

Organic carbonyl electrode materials are widely employed for alkali metal‐ion secondary batteries in terms of their sustainability, structure designability and abundant resources. As a typical redox‐active organic electrode materials, pyrene‐4, 5, 9, 10‐tetraone (PT) shows high theoretical capacity due to the rich carbonyl active sites. But its electrochemical behavior in secondary batteries still needs further exploration. Herein, PT‐based linear polymers (PPTS) is synthesized with thioether bond as bridging group and then employed as an anode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). As expected, PPTS shows improved conductivity and insolubility in the non‐aqueous electrolyte. When used as an anode material for LIBs, PPTS delivers a high reversible specific capacity of 697.1 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1 and good rate performance (335.4 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1). Moreover, a reversible specific capacity of 205.2 mAh g−1 at 0.05 A g−1 could be obtained as an anode material for SIBs.
The prescribed time sliding mode control for attitude tracking of spacecraft
Authors: Chen Zhirun , Ju Xiaozhe , Wang Ziwei , Li Qing
Published: May 2021

With the development of the space missions, there are extensive missions in the demand of the prescribed time convergence. However, it's still a difficult work to combine the prescribed time method with the sliding mode control due to the infinite gain of the prescribed time method while approaching the prescribed time and two periods of sliding mode control. In this paper, a new prescribed time sliding mode control method is proposed for general systems with matched disturbances, from the second‐order system to the high‐order system. A novel sliding mode variable with explicit time term is designed for achieving the prescribed time convergence. More importantly, as time approaches the prescribed time, the singularity of control input can be avoided. Finally, this paper presents a disturbance observer‐based prescribed time sliding mode control method for attitude tracking of spacecraft, and the efficiency of this method has been verified through the numerical simulations.
A unified general type‐2 fuzzy PID controller and its comparative with type‐1 and interval type‐2 fuzzy PID controller
Authors: Shi Jianzhong
Published: May 2021

For the type reduction of general type‐2 fuzzy sets based on α‐plane representation was converted to type reduction of several interval type‐2 fuzzy sets, so it was time consuming in real applications. In this paper, a unified general type‐2 fuzzy PID (UGT2‐FPID) controller using the upper and lower bounds of one α‐plane is proposed, which has higher real time. The UGT2‐FPID controller contains another two adjust parameters, and the analytical structure of UGT2‐FPID controller is obtained by adapting input combination method. Furthermore, this paper discusses the parameter adjustment methods to achieve better controlling effects by the mathematical expressions of UGT2‐FPID controller. The robustness and effectiveness of proposed general type‐2 fuzzy PID controller are tested by two production process objects. The simulation results show that the controlling effects of proposed general type‐2 fuzzy PID controller are better than PID, type‐1 fuzzy PID, and interval type‐2 fuzzy PID controller even if there are exit uncertainties, like controlled object structure changing, controller disturbance, or output noise.
A simple nonlinear stabilization control of planar vertical take‐off and landing aircraft based on finite‐time control and Controlled Lagrangians
Authors: Li Zhonglin
Published: May 2021

A simple nonlinear stabilization controller for the planar vertical take‐off and landing (PVTOL) aircraft is proposed by employing finite‐time control method and Controlled Lagrangians method in this paper. Compared with other results, the new form of the proposed controller is simpler, the parameters selection of the proposed controller is more flexible and the stability analysis of the closed system is easier. The control strategy consists of two controllers. The first controller is designed based on finite‐time control method to make the states of the fully actuated system converge to zero within a finite time. After that, the system can be simplified to a 2‐DOF underactuated system. And the second controller is designed based on Controlled Lagrangians method to make the states of the underactuated system asymptotically stable. The simulation results verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed controller.
A comparative molecular dynamic simulation study on potent ligands targeting mTOR/FRB domain for breast cancer therapy
Authors: Sharma Varruchi , Panwar Anil , Sharma Anupam , Punj Vasu , Saini Reena V. , Saini Adesh K. , Sharma Anil K.
Published: May 2021

Our study aimed to develop and find out the best drug candidate against the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR/FRB) domain having a critical role in the aetiology of breast cancer. The FKBP12‐rapamycin‐binding (FRB) domain in the essential phosphoinositide 3 kinase/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/AKT/mTOR) pathway has been a vital player in the disease progression in breast cancer. By using structure‐based drug designing , the best possible targets have been identified and developed. The three‐dimensional structure of the target protein was generated using I‐TASSER. The ligands were generated against the most suitable target active site using standard tools for active site identification. Furthermore, the seed molecule was drawn using Chemsketch, which was then grown into the pocket using Ligbuilder. The obtained ligands were further validated using online programs for bioavailability and toxicity, followed by molecular dynamic simulations. The study concludes that the equilibrated NVT–NPT complexes indicate LIG2 stability over LIG3. RMSD and RMSF have shown that the complex of LIG2 is more stable than LIG3. LIG2 has the potential antagonistic properties to target the mTOR/FRB domain and has therapeutic implications for breast cancer.
Rapid Prescreening of Organic Compounds for Redox Flow Batteries: A Graph Convolutional Network for Predicting Reaction Enthalpies from SMILES
Authors: Barker James , Berg Laura‐Sophie , Hamaekers Jan , Maass Astrid
Published: May 2021

Identifying interesting redox‐active couples from the vastness of organic chemical space requires rapid screening techniques. A good initial indicator for couples worthy of further investigation is the heat of reaction ΔH°. Traditional methods of calculating this quantity, both experimental and computational, are prohibitively costly at large scale. Instead, we apply agraph convolutional networkto estimate the heats of reaction of arbitrary redox couples orders of magnitude faster than conventional computational methods. Our graph takes only SMILES strings as input, rather than full three‐dimensional geometries. A network trained on a dataset of atomization enthalpies for approximately 45,000 hydrogenation reactions, applied to a separate test set of 235 compounds and benchmarked against experimental heats of reaction, produces promisingly accurate results, and we anticipate that this methodology can be extended to other RFB‐relevant reactions. However, lower predictivity for compounds in regions of chemical space not covered by the training dataset reinforces the pivotal importance of the particular chemistries presented to a model during training.
Challenges of sustainable industrial transformation: Swedish biorefinery development and incumbents in the emerging biofuels industry
Authors: Mossberg Johanna , Söderholm Patrik , Frishammar Johan
Published: May 2021

This paper investigates the transformation challenges related to incumbent industries caused by technology development and industry convergence in the transition to a bioeconomy in the context of Swedish biorefinery development. It involves the emergence of new value chains and several incumbent industries such as the pulp and paper industry, the oil refinery sector, the chemical process industry, and the heat and power sector. In 2019, Sweden had Europe's largest share of biofuels in the transport sector, roughly 20% on an energy basis, and this share has increased by around 300% during the last decade. At the same time, domestic production has stalled, and even though Sweden has beneficial conditions for biofuel production, the share of biofuel that is imported or based on imported feedstock has recently ranged between 85% and 90%. We discuss three transformation challenges: (i) inertia and lack of absorptive capacity creating lock‐in effects at the organizational level; (ii) weak and inefficient actor networks at the industry level; and (iii) contradictory policy instrument mixes and lack of coordination at the government level. The findings underscore the need for policy integration and alignment across various policy domains, and an increased focus on policy mixes that can stimulate the emergence of more disruptive innovations and value chains. There is also a need for industrial initiatives, such as improving absorptive capacity and strengthening actor networks, to help build the value chains needed to realize a sustainable bioeconomy. 2021 The Authors. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd
Enhancing Emotional Experience by Building Emotional Virtual Characters in VR Volleyball Games
Authors: Bai Zechen , Yao Naiming , Mishra Nidhi , Chen Hui , Wang Hongan , Magnenat Thalmann Nadia
Published: May 2021

Virtual reality (VR) volleyball games can provide an immersive entertainment experience and facilitate users to get familiar with game rules. In real world, players often experience emotions from scores, strokes, passes, and the influence from their teammates or opponents, and so forth. However, seldom studies are carried out for this emotional experience in a virtual environment, as most VR volleyball games mainly concentrate on the game playing, such as body movements. In this article, we propose to enhance emotional experience by building emotional virtual characters in VR volleyball games. The virtual characters cannot only arouse their emotions but also express their facial expressions according to the game situation. Emotion patterns are learned from real‐world volleyball matches. The results demonstrate that our framework has great potential to enhance the user's emotional experience and engagement.
Expedient Hydrofunctionalisation of Carbonyls and Imines Initiated by Phosphacyclohexadienyl Anions
Authors: Margeson Matthew J. , Seeberger Felix , Kelly John A. , Leitl Julia , Coburger Peter , Szlosek Robert , Müller Christian , Wolf Robert
Published: May 2021

The ability of phosphacyclohexadienyl anions [Li(1‐R‐PC5Ph3H2)] [R=Me (1 a),nBu (1 b),tBu (1 c), Ph (1 d) and CH2SiMe3(1 e)] to initiate hydrofunctionalisation reactions was investigated and compared with simple, commercially available compounds, such as LiOtBu, KOtBu andnBuLi. All compounds are expedient catalysts for the hydroboration of a wide scope of substrates, ranging from aldehydes to imines and esters. In the hydroboration of carbon dioxide, however, only our system was observed to efficiently produce the desired methanol equivalents.
LiAlH4‐catalyzed Imine Hydrogenation with Dihydrogen: New DFT Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Qu Zheng‐Wang , Zhu Hui , Grimme Stefan
Published: May 2021

Recently, it was found that the widely used stoichiometric reducing reagent LiAlH4 can also be used as a useful catalyst for imine hydrogenation with H2 under relatively mild conditions. In this work, extensive state‐of‐the‐art DFT calculations are conducted to explore the detailed catalytic mechanism. In sharp contrast to the recent proposal involving heterolytic H2‐activation over Al−N amide bonds after multiple imine insertion, our new mechanism highlights the dual role of the Lewis‐acidic lithium cation in frustrated‐Lewis‐pair‐like activation of both imine substrate and H2 when combined with the aluminum‐bound hydride and amide ligands, respectively. Ionic Li−N amide bonds are about 13 kcal/mol more reactive than Al−N amide bonds for H2 activation, thus providing a useful structural feature for rational design of active hydrogenation catalysts.
Hexagonal Cylinder Mesoporous Sorbent for Separation of Uranium Ions from Nitrate Media
Authors: Elshehy Emad A.
Published: May 2021

The synthesis of mesoporous silica monoliths‐based phosphonate groups (SiO2‐DPTS) through immobilization of diethylphosphatoethyltriethoxysilane using the post‐grafting approach to be applied as a sensitive sorbent for selective separation of U(IV) ions from aqueous solutions is described. The designed SiO2‐DPTS sorbent was characterized by Fourier transform infrared, scanning electron and high‐resolution transmission electron microscopy, scanning transmission electron microscopy/energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, N2 adsorption‐desorption, and elemental analysis. The adsorption process was studied under different experimental conditions of pH, concentration, and time. The mechanism of interaction of SiO2‐DPTS with U(VI) ions was explored and supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This synthesized sorbent allows highly efficient extraction of U(IV) ions from uranyl leach liquor.
Stochastic Collision Photoelectrochemistry for Light‐Induced Electron Transfer Dynamics
Authors: Ma Hui , Gosh Utpal Kumar , Ying Yi‐Lun , Long Yi‐Tao
Published: May 2021

Photoelectric energy conversion is an attractive approach to achieve a sustainable society. Efficient photoelectrochemical systems rely on photosensitive nanomaterials with high performance which requires an in‐depth understanding of the intrinsic catalytic properties. Stochastic collision photoelectrochemistry (SCPEC) is a newly emerging field of electrochemistry that allows investigating individual entities at one time under illumination, thus satisfying the demand for the characterization of photosensitive nanomaterials at the single‐entity level. In this minireview, we highlight recent exciting progress on SCPEC in terms of photocatalytic mechanisms, light‐induced electron transfer dynamics, and applications. The technical bottlenecks and current available strategies for ultrafast light‐induced electron detection are discussed. We also summarize the simulation models for SCPEC to understand the photo‐induced electron transfer dynamics and recombination kinetics in a semiconductor film.
Catalytic Asymmetric Synthesis of Benzobicyclo[3.2.1]octanes
Authors: Anif Pasha Mohammed , Peraka Swamy , Ramachary Dhevalapally B.
Published: May 2021

Lawsone aldehydes were directly transformed into the biologically important, unique carbon skeleton of chiral methanobenzo[f]azulenes/methanodibenzo[a,d][7]annulenes in high dr and ee and in very good yields by using quinine‐thiourea‐catalyzed tandem Wittig/intramolecular Michael/intramolecular aldol reactions. This asymmetric catalytic tandem protocol will be highly useful because these final molecules are basic skeletons of important antibiotics.
Design, Synthesis, and Biochemical Evaluation of Alpha‐Amanitin Derivatives Containing Analogs of thetrans‐Hydroxyproline Residue for Potential Use in Antibody‐Drug Conjugates
Authors: Matinkhoo Kaveh , Wong Antonio A. W. L. , Hambira Chido M. , Kato Brandon , Wei Charlie , Müller Christoph , Hechler Torsten , Braun Alexandra , Gallo Francesca , Pahl Andreas , Perrin David M.
Published: May 2021

Alpha‐amanitin, an extremely toxic bicyclic octapeptide extracted from the death‐cap mushroom,Amanita phalloides, is a highly selective allosteric inhibitor of RNA polymerase II. Following on growing interest in using this toxin as a payload in antibody‐drug conjugates, herein we report the synthesis and biochemical evaluation of several new derivatives of this toxin to probe the role of thetrans‐hydroxyproline (Hyp), which is known to be critical for toxicity. This structure activity relationship (SAR) study represents the first of its kind to use various Hyp‐analogs to alter the conformational and H‐bonding properties of Hyp in amanitin.
Decavanadate‐based Transition Metal Hybrids as Bifunctional Catalysts for Sulfide Oxidation and C—C Bond Construction
Authors: Huang Xianqiang , Gu Xiaoyu , Qi Yuquan , Zhang Yanru , Shen Guodong , Yang Bingchuan , Duan Wenzeng , Gong Shuwen , Xue Zechun , Chen Yifa
Published: May 2021

Main observation and conclusion

The development of bifunctional catalysts has drawn much attention in realizing efficient and feasible catalytic systems to meet the diverse demand of potential industrial applications. Design of stable and powerful bifunctional catalysts for various catalysis systems is highly desirable yet largely unmet. Here, three kinds of decavanadate‐based transition metal hybrids (DTMH) (i.e., Co‐DTMH, Ni‐DTMH and Ag‐DTMH) have been successfully synthesized through a pH tuning strategy and further characterized. Specifically, the rare MO5N six‐coordinated transition metal coordination modes have been detected in Co‐DTMH and Ni‐DTMH, while Ag atoms in Ag‐DTMH exhibited three‐ and five‐coordinated geometries with the tuning of specially selected imidazole ligands. Thus‐obtained clusters can serve as powerful bifunctional catalysts for both sulfide oxidation and C—C bond construction. Remarkably, Ag‐DTMH demonstrated excellent heterogeneous bifunctional catalytic properties in the selective oxidation of sulfides and construction of C—C bond (yields up to 99%), which enable successful recycling for three cycles with remained catalytic activities and structure stability. The newly designed decavanadate‐based transition metal hybrids with bifunctional property hold high promise in the practical applications like continuous catalysis or flow bed reactions.
Optimizing VoIP server resources using linear programming model and autoscaling technique: An SDN approach
Authors: Montazerolghaem Ahmadreza
Published: May 2021

Nowadays, the Voice Over IP (VoIP) technology is an important component of the communications industry as well as a low‐cost alternative to Public Switched Telephone Networks. Communication in VoIP networks consists of two main phases, for example, signaling and media exchange. VoIP servers are responsible for signaling exchange using the Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) as the signaling protocol. The saturation of SIP server resources is one of the issues with the VoIP network, which causes problems such as overload or loss of energy. Resource saturation occurs mainly due to a lack of integrated server resource management. In the traditional VoIP networks, management and routing are distributed among all equipment, including servers. These servers are overloaded during peak times and face energy loss during idle times. Given the importance of this issue, this paper introduces a framework based on Software‐Defined Networking technology for SIP server resource management. The advantage of this framework is to have a global view of all the server resources. In this framework, the resource allocation optimization problem and resource autoscaling are presented to deal with the problems posed. The goal is to maximize total throughput and minimize energy consumption. In this regard, we seek to strike a balance between efficiency and energy. The proposed framework is implemented in the actual testbed. The results show that the proposed framework has succeeded in achieving these goals.
Recent Advances on Diels‐Alder‐Driven Preparation of Bio‐Based Aromatics
Authors: Ravasco Joao M. J. M. , Gomes Rafael F. A.
Published: May 2021

The preparation of high value‐added chemicals from renewable resources is a crucial approach towards a sustainable economy. One prominent alternative to the production of petroleum‐based chemicals from fossil resources is through the sequential Diels‐Alder/aromatization reactions of biomass‐derived furan platforms. This Concept is focused on the recent boom in bio‐based furan DA strategies for aromatization of bio‐based platform chemicals, particularly that of furfurals, ranging from indirect use and activation strategies to recent examples of direct DA reaction of these electron‐withdrawing biomass‐derived furans.
Indoor Organic Photovoltaics for Self‐Sustaining IoT Devices: Progress, Challenges and Practicalization
Authors: Jahandar Muhammad , Kim Soyeon , Lim Dong Chan
Published: May 2021

Indoor photovoltaics (IPVs) have great potential to provide a self‐sustaining power source for Internet‐of‐Things (IoT) devices. The rapid growth in demand for low‐power IoT devices for indoor application not only boosts the development of high‐performance IPVs, but also promotes the electronics and semiconductor industry for the design and development of ultra‐low‐power IoT systems. In this Review, the recent progress in IPV technologies, design rules, market trends, and future prospects for highly efficient indoor photovoltaics are discussed. Special attention is given to the progress and development of organic photovoltaics (OPVs), which demonstrate great possibilities for IPVs, owing to their bandgap tunability, high absorbance coefficient, semitransparency, solution processability, and easy large‐area manufacturing on flexible substrates. Highly efficient indoor organic photovoltaics (IOPVs) can be realized through designing efficient donor and acceptor absorber materials that have good spectral responses in the visible region and better energy‐aligned interfacial layers, and through modulation of optical properties. Interfacial engineering, photovoltage losses, device stability, and large‐area organic photovoltaic modules are surveyed to understand the mechanisms of efficient power conversion and challenges for IOPVs under indoor conditions as a self‐sustaining power source for IoT devices. Finally, the prospects for further improve in IOPV device performance and practical aspects of integrating IOPVs in low‐power IoT devices are discussed.
A generalized diode containing bidirectional topology for multilevel inverter with reduced switches and power loss
Authors: Hosseini Montazer Babak , Olamaei Javad , Hosseinpour Majid , Mozafari Babak
Published: May 2021

Multilevel inverters (MLIs) have made great strides in utilizing renewable energy and industrial applications compared to conventional two‐level inverters in terms of output voltage quality, smaller size of the output filter, and higher efficiency. This paper describes a new diode containing bidirectional topology for single‐phase MLI. This structure is presented to reduce the count of switches, isolated voltage sources, and drivers that can increase the number of output levels modularly. This converter, despite the use of diodes, can feed bidirectionally the low power factor inductive–resistive loads. The proposed structure has been designed to achieve a higher output voltage levels relative to the number of switches, drivers, and direct current (DC) voltage sources. Three different algorithms have been proposed to determine the values of DC voltage sources. To confirm the superiority of the proposed structure, a detailed comparison has been carried out with other MLI topologies. Then the proposed topology is simulated in Matlab/Simulink environment using the nearest level modulation technique. Finally, experimental results are presented to confirm the performance of the designed structure in symmetric and asymmetric topologies.
Optimal design of shock ignition target in order to stop generated hot electrons within the cold fuel
Authors: Pourhosseini Seddigheh , Ghasemizad Abbas , Rezaei Somayeh , Jafari Mohammad J.
Published: May 2021

Generation of hot electrons (HEs) within ignitor pulse interaction with pre‐compressed fuel is an important challenge in the shock ignition approach. Target optimization in order to prevent the destructive effects of HE is the main goal of the present work. In the first stage, the spectrum of electron energy generated during the interaction of ignitor pulse at different widths with the HiPER pre‐compressed target has been estimated by applying particle simulation tool. Then, by changing the thickness of the cold fuel in the range of 185–225 μm, the corresponding areal densities are calculated using 1D hydrodynamic simulations. Finally, in order to assess the energy fusion yield, the iso‐gain curves are obtained for different ignitor time windows as well as target thicknesses. Simulation results indicate that by decreasing the baseline, target thickness leads to a 17–70% increase in the fuel areal density. Subsequently, it has been demonstrated that by properly adjusting the parameters of ignitor pulse launch time and its width and employing a target with areal density high enough to stop the HEs, energy gain above 140 can be achieved. Optimal areas for shell thickness and ignitor time window are identified.
Malignant plasmacytes in bone marrow detected by flow cytometry as a predictor for the risk stratification system of multiple myeloma
Authors: Tian MengYue , Liu ZhaoYun , Han Mei , Liu Hui , Xiang Chenhuan , Mi Fu , Deng Ling , Meng Nanhao , Fu Rong
Published: May 2021

Background

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a clonal disorder characterized by the proliferation of plasma cells and their accumulation within the bone marrow (BM). The flow cytometric analysis is an essential method for the hematological diseases because of high sensitivity.

Aims

This study evaluates the indication role of malignant plasmacytes (PCs) in BM detected by flow cytometry for the risk stratification of MM.

Methods

Whole BM samples from 92 newly diagnosed MM patients were included in the study. We collected 106cells each sample by flow cytometry. Then we analyzed the correlation between the malignant PCs in BM and the characteristics of patients.

Results

In this study, patients were stratified according to different baseline characteristics and the median ratio of the malignant PCs were compared. The significant statistical differences (p < 0.05) were: Hb < 100 g/L versus ≥100 g/L; β2‐microglobulin <3.5 mg/dL versus 3.5–5.5 mg/dL versus >5.5 mg/dL; LDH > 250 U/L versus LDH 250 U/L; ISS I versus ISS II versus ISS III; R‐ISS I versus II versus III. The detailed data are showed in Table 2. The significant correlations were observed between the malignant PCs in BM and (Figure 1): plasma cell of biopsy, hemoglobin, β2‐microglobulin, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), creatinine. “Double hit” or “triple hit” are defined as containing any two or three of the high risk cytogenetic abnormalities (t(4;14), t(14;16), t(14;20); del17q; TP53 mutation; 1q21 gain) by mSMAR. “Double or triple hit” had independently unfavorable significance for overall survival. As expected, the malignant PCs of “double or triple hit” group is significantly higher than the group B (one high risk genetic factor) and the group A (normal cytogenetic) (p < 0.0001 andp < 0.019).

Conclusion

Multiparametric flow cytometry is a highly sensitive method to identify and quantify malignant PCs. And the ratio of malignant PCs detected by MFC showed strongly correlation with the severity of the pathology of MM. Malignant PCs in BM detected by flow cytometry could be regarded as a predictor for the risk stratification system of MM. Thus, it should be considered applying in the routine evaluation of MM at diagnosis and after therapy.
Socio‐cognitive processing in people with eating disorders: Computerized tests of mentalizing, empathy and imitation skills
Authors: Corsi Elisa , Cardi Valentina , Sowden Sophie , Coll Michel‐Pierre , Cascino Giammarco , Ricca Valdo , Treasure Janet , Bird Geoffrey , Monteleone Alessio Maria
Published: May 2021

Objective

Eating disorders are psychiatric illnesses characterized by extreme eating behaviors, such as sustained food restriction or loss of control over eating. Symptoms are thought to be maintained by a variety of mechanisms, one of which may be the socio‐cognitive impairments associated with eating disorders. While some previous work has addressed socio‐cognitive impairments in eating disorders, this work has relied mostly on self‐report data.

Method

Here we employed computerized tests of (a) mentalizing (ability to infer the mental states of others); (b) empathy (the degree to which the emotional states of others can be identified and the degree to which the states of others impact one's own emotional state); and (c) imitation (the degree to which observation of another's actions prompts the performance of those actions); in a group of 78 women with an eating disorder and a matched control group of 66 healthy women.

Results

People with eating disorders showed both hyper‐ and hypo‐mentalizing and reduced accuracy of emotional and cognitive mental state inference. They displayed less imitation of observed actions, but no differences in empathy compared to healthy controls. Although anxiety and depressive symptoms had significant effects on mentalizing, most of the observed inter‐group differences persisted.

Discussion

Women with eating disorders have difficulties mentalizing and imitating observed actions despite intact non‐social automatic imitation, compared to healthy controls. These findings provide an indication that intervention modules to strengthen specific areas of social cognition might be helpful to improve patients' social skills.