bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
GRP78/BiP determines senescence evasion cell fate after cisplatin-based chemotherapy
Authors: Ei Zin Zin , Choochuay Kanuengnit , Tubsuwan Alisa , Pinkaew Decha , Suksomtip Maneewan , Vinayanuwattikun Chanida , Chanvorachote Pithi , Chunhacha Preedakorn
Published: November 2021

Cisplatin (CDDP) induces senescence characterized by senescence-associated secretory phenotypes (SASP) and the unfolded protein response (UPR). In this study, we investigated the proteins related to the UPR during the senescence cell fate. Strikingly, we found that one of the critical ER-resident proteins, GRP78/BiP, was significantly altered. Here we show that GRP78 levels differentially expressed depending on non-small lung cancer subtypes. GRP78 indeed regulates the evasion of senescence in adenocarcinoma A549 cells, in which the increased GRP78 levels enable them to re-proliferate after CDDP removal. Conversely, GRP78 is downregulated in the senescence H460 cells, making them lacking senescence evasion capability. We observed that the translational regulation critically contributed to the GRP78 protein levels in CDDP-induces senescence. Furthermore, the increased GRP78 level during senescence confers resistance to senolytic drug, Bortezomib, as observed by a twofold increase in IC50 in A549 senescence cells compared to the wild-type. This observation is also consistent in the cells that have undergone genetic manipulation by transfection with pcDNA3.1(+)-GRP78/BiP plasmids and pSpCas9(BB)-2A-Puro containing guide RNA sequence targeting GRP78 exon 3 to induce the overexpression and downregulation of GRP78 in H460 cells, respectively. Our findings reveal a unique role of GRP78 on the senescence evasion cell fate and senolytic drug resistance after cisplatin-based chemotherapy.
The prevalence of molar-incisor hypomineralization: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Lopes Luísa Bandeira , Machado Vanessa , Mascarenhas Paulo , Mendes José João , Botelho João
Published: November 2021

Molar-Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH) is a qualitative defect of enamel of unknown etiology, affecting one or more permanent molars and may include incisors. This condition is a clinical challenge and its prevalence is still uncertain given the recent increase in research. Thus, we aimed to comprehensively estimate the overall prevalence of MIH and associated characteristics. This systematic review is reported according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). We searched articles using PubMed, MEDLINE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, SciELO, LILACS and TRIP databases, until July 2021. Heterogeneity and publication bias were computed via I2test statistics and Egger’s significance test, respectively. Random-effects meta-analysis of prevalence were processed. We used the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy [SORT] to grading the strength of evidence. Overall, 116 observational studies were included, with one study with moderate methodological quality and the remaining of high methodological quality. Subgroup analysis confirmed an influence of not using the 2003 MIH case definition (p = 0.0066). The pooled prevalence of MIH was 13.5% (95% CI 12.0–15.1, I2 = 98.0%). Affected incisors were seen in 36.6% (95% CI 30.0–43.7, I2 = 92.5%) of the cases. Lastly, the prevalence of hypomineralization of the second primary molars was observed in 3.6% of the MIH cases (95% CI 1.9–6.8, I2 = 96.3%). America was the continent with highest prevalence (15.3, 95% CI 12.8–18.3, p < 0.001, I2 = 96.3%) and Asia had the lowest prevalence (10.7, 95% CI 8.5–13.5, p < 0.001, I2 = 98.7%), however no continental differences were found. Sample size and year of publication were slight contributing factors to the heterogeneity in the analysis. Overall, these results were classified with a SORT A recommendation.
Spontaneous symmetry breaking in persistent currents of spinor polaritons
Authors: Sedov Evgeny , Arakelian Sergey , Kavokin Alexey
Published: November 2021

We predict the spontaneous symmetry breaking in a spinor Bose–Einstein condensate of exciton-polaritons (polaritons) caused by the coupling of its spin and orbital degrees of freedom. We study a polariton condensate trapped in a ring-shaped effective potential with a broken rotational symmetry. We propose a realistic scheme of generating controllable spinor azimuthal persistent currents of polaritons in the trap under the continuous wave optical pump. We propose a new type of half-quantum circulating states in a spinor system characterized by azimuthal currents in both circular polarizations and a vortex in only one of the polarizations. The spontaneous symmetry breaking in the spinor polariton condensate that consists in the switching from co-winding to opposite-winding currents in opposite spin states is revealed. It is characterized by the change of the average orbital angular momentum of the condensate from zero to non-zero values. The radial displacement of the pump spot and the polarization of the pump act as the control parameters. The considered system exhibits a fundamental similarity to a superconducting flux qubit, which makes it highly promising for applications in quantum computing.
Artificial polyhydroxyalkanoate poly[2-hydroxybutyrate-block-3-hydroxybutyrate] elastomer-like material
Authors: Kageyama Yuki , Tomita Hiroya , Isono Takuya , Satoh Toshifumi , Matsumoto Ken’ichiro
Published: November 2021

The first polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) block copolymer poly(2-hydroxybutyrate-b-3-hydroxybutyrate) [P(2HB-b-3HB)] was previously synthesized using engineered Escherichia coli expressing a chimeric PHA synthase PhaCAR with monomer sequence-regulating capacity. In the present study, the physical properties of the block copolymer and its relevant random copolymer P(2HB-ran-3HB) were evaluated. Stress–strain tests on the P(88 mol% 2HB-b-3HB) film showed an increasing stress value during elongation up to 393%. In addition, the block copolymer film exhibited slow contraction behavior after elongation, indicating that P(2HB-b-3HB) is an elastomer-like material. In contrast, the P(92 mol% 2HB-ran-3HB) film, which was stretched up to 692% with nearly constant stress, was stretchable but not elastic. The differential scanning calorimetry and wide-angle X-ray diffraction analyses indicated that the P(2HB-b-3HB) contained the amorphous P(2HB) phase and the crystalline P(3HB) phase, whereas P(2HB-ran-3HB) was wholly amorphous. Therefore, the elasticity of P(2HB-b-3HB) can be attributed to the presence of the crystalline P(3HB) phase and a noncovalent crosslinked structure by the crystals. These results show the potential of block PHAs as elastic materials.
A newly discovered behavior (‘tail-belting’) among wild rodents in sub zero conditions
Authors: Stryjek Rafal , Parsons Michael H. , Bebas Piotr
Published: November 2021

Rodents are among the most successful mammals because they have the ability to adapt to a broad range of environmental conditions. Here, we present the first record of a previously unknown thermal adaptation to cold stress that repeatedly occurred in two species of non-commensal rodents (Apodemus flavicollis and Apodemus agrarius). The classic rodent literature implies that rodents prevent heat loss via a broad range of behavioral adaptations including sheltering, sitting on their tails, curling into a ball, or huddling with conspecifics. Here, we have repeatedly observed an undescribed behavior which we refer to as “tail-belting”. This behavior was performed under cold stress, whereby animals lift and curl the tail medially, before resting it on the dorsal, medial rump while feeding or resting. We documented 115 instances of the tail-belting behavior; 38 in Apodemus agrarius, and 77 in Apodemus flavicollis. Thermal imaging data show the tails remained near ambient temperature even when temperatures were below 0 °C. Since the tail-belting occurred only when the temperature dropped below − 6.9 °C (for A. flavicollis) and − 9.5 °C (for A. agrarius), we surmise that frostbite prevention may be the primary reason for this adaptation. It is likely that tail-belting has not previously been documented because free-ranging mice are rarely-recorded in the wild under extreme cold conditions. Given that these animals are so closely-related to laboratory rodents, this knowledge could potentially be relevant to researchers in various disciplines. We conclude by setting several directions for future research in this area.
Improved spatio-temporal measurements of visually evoked fields using optically-pumped magnetometers
Authors: Gialopsou Aikaterini , Abel Christopher , James T. M. , Coussens Thomas , Bason Mark G. , Puddy Reuben , Di Lorenzo Francesco , Rolfs Katharina , Voigt Jens , Sander Tilmann , Cercignani Mara , Krüger Peter
Published: November 2021

Recent developments in performance and practicality of optically-pumped magnetometers (OPMs) have enabled new capabilities in non-invasive brain function mapping through magnetoencephalography. In particular, the lack of cryogenic operating conditions allows for more flexible placement of sensor heads closer to the brain, leading to improved spatial resolution and source localisation capabilities. Through recording visually evoked brain fields (VEFs), we demonstrate that the closer sensor proximity can be exploited to improve temporal resolution. We use OPMs, and superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUIDs) for reference, to measure brain responses to flash and pattern reversal stimuli. We find highly reproducible signals with consistency across multiple participants, stimulus paradigms and sensor modalities. The temporal resolution advantage of OPMs is manifest in a twofold improvement, compared to SQUIDs. The capability for improved spatio-temporal signal tracing is illustrated by simultaneous vector recordings of VEFs in the primary and associative visual cortex, where a time lag on the order of 10–20 ms is consistently found. This paves the way for further spatio-temporal studies of neurophysiological signal tracking in visual stimulus processing, and other brain responses, with potentially far-reaching consequences for time-critical mapping of functionality in healthy and pathological brains.
S-1-Propenylcysteine promotes IL-10-induced M2c macrophage polarization through prolonged activation of IL-10R/STAT3 signaling
Authors: Miki Satomi , Suzuki Jun-ichiro , Takashima Miyuki , Ishida Mari , Kokubo Hiroki , Yoshizumi Masao
Published: November 2021

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that may lead to the development of serious cardiovascular diseases. Aged garlic extract (AGE) has been reported to ameliorate atherosclerosis, although its mode of action remains unclear. We found that AGE increased the mRNA or protein levels of arginase1 (Arg1), interleukin-10 (IL-10), CD206 and hypoxia-inducible factor 2α (HIF2α) and decreased that of CD68, HIF1α and inducible nitric oxide synthase in the aorta and spleen of apolipoprotein E knockout mice. We also found that S-1-propenylcysteine (S1PC), a characteristic sulfur compound in AGE, increased the level of IL-10-induced Arg1 mRNA and the extent of M2c-like macrophage polarization in vitro. In addition, S1PC increased the population of M2c-like macrophages, resulting in suppressed the population of M1-like macrophages and decreased lipopolysaccharide-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. These effects were accompanied by prolonged phosphorylation of the IL-10 receptor α (IL-10Rα) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) that inhibited the interaction between IL-10Rα and Src homology-2-containing inositol 5’-phosphatase 1 (SHIP1). In addition, administration of S1PC elevated the M2c/M1 macrophage ratio in senescence-accelerated mice. These findings suggest that S1PC may help improve atherosclerosis due to its anti-inflammatory effect to promote IL-10-induced M2c macrophage polarization.
Leaf nodule endosymbiotic Burkholderia confer targeted allelopathy to their Psychotria hosts
Authors: Georgiou Antri , Sieber Simon , Hsiao Chien-Chi , Grayfer Tatyana , Gorenflos López Jacob L. , Gademann Karl , Eberl Leo , Bailly Aurélien
Published: November 2021

After a century of investigations, the function of the obligate betaproteobacterial endosymbionts accommodated in leaf nodules of tropical Rubiaceae remained enigmatic. We report that the α-d-glucose analogue (+)-streptol, systemically supplied by mature Ca.Burkholderia kirkii nodules to their Psychotria hosts, exhibits potent and selective root growth inhibiting activity. We provide compelling evidence that (+)-streptol specifically affects meristematic root cells transitioning to anisotropic elongation by disrupting cell wall organization in a mechanism of action that is distinct from canonical cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors. We observed no inhibitory or cytotoxic effects on organisms other than seed plants, further suggesting (+)-streptol as a bona fide allelochemical. We propose that the suppression of growth of plant competitors is a major driver of the formation and maintenance of the Psychotria–Burkholderia association. In addition to potential agricultural applications as a herbicidal agent, (+)-streptol might also prove useful to dissect plant cell and organ growth processes.
Dietary quality indices modify the effects of apolipoprotein B polymorphisms on biochemical and anthropometric factors in type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Karimi Elmira , Sotoudeh Gity , Rafiee Masoumeh , Koohdani Fariba
Published: November 2021

We tried to identify the interaction between dietary quality indices and apolipoprotein B Ins/Del and EcoR1 polymorphisms on biochemical and anthropometric factors in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This cross-sectional study recruited 700 adults with T2DM in Tehran. The genotypes of Ins/Del and EcoR1 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) were explored via polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Dietary quality index-international (DQI-I), healthy eating index-2015 (HEI-2015) and dietary phytochemical index (DPI) were calculated by semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). In both crude and adjusted model for confounding factors, we observed significant interactions between DQI-I and Ins/Del SNP on leptin in and 8-iso-prostaglandin F2 α (8-iso-PGF2α), DPI and EcoR1 SNP on total cholesterol (TC) and between Ins/Del SNP and HEI-2015 on interleukin-18 (IL-18). Furthermore, in crude model there were close to meaningful interactions between EcoR1 SNP and DQI-I on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and between EcoR1 SNP and HEI-2015 on serum leptin and superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels. Our finding indicated that the association between DQI-I, HEI-2015 and DPI with IL-18, TC, leptin and 8-iso-PGF2α in patients with T2DM might be dependent on Ins/Del and EcoR1 variants in ApoB gene.
Enhancing osteoblast survival through pulsed electrical stimulation and implications for osseointegration
Authors: Pettersen Emily , Shah Furqan A. , Ortiz-Catalan Max
Published: November 2021

Electrical stimulation has been suggested as a means for promoting the direct structural and functional bonding of bone tissue to an artificial implant, known as osseointegration. Previous work has investigated the impact of electrical stimulation in different models, both in vitro and in vivo, using various electrode configurations for inducing an electric field with a wide range of stimulation parameters. However, there is no consensus on optimal electrode configuration nor stimulation parameters. Here, we investigated a novel approach of delivering electrical stimulation to a titanium implant using parameters clinically tested in a different application, namely peripheral nerve stimulation. We propose an in vitro model comprising of Ti6Al4V implants precultured with MC3T3-E1 preosteoblasts, stimulated for 72 h at two different pulse amplitudes (10 µA and 20 µA) and at two different frequencies (50 Hz and 100 Hz). We found that asymmetric charge-balanced pulsed electrical stimulation improved cell survival and collagen production in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that pulsed electrical stimulation with characteristics similar to peripheral nerve stimulation has the potential to improve cell survival and may provide a promising approach to improve peri-implant bone healing, particularly to neuromusculoskeletal interfaces in which implanted electrodes are readily available.
Polystyrene nanoplastics and microplastics can act as Trojan horse carriers of benzo(a)pyrene to mussel hemocytes in vitro
Authors: Katsumiti Alberto , Losada-Carrillo María Paula , Barros Marta , Cajaraville Miren P.
Published: November 2021

In this work we studied the ability of polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics (NPs) and microplastics (MPs) to transfer benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) to mussel hemocytes and to produce toxic effects in vitro. For this, intracellular fate and toxicity of PS NPs (0.05 μm) and MPs (0.5 and 4.5 μm) alone or with BaP and of BaP alone were assessed. Particles of 0.05 and 0.5 µm largely aggregated in the exposure medium whereas presence of BaP reduced particle aggregation. Cells internalized PS NPs and MPs alone or with BaP and these were found inside and outside lysosomes, depending on their size. PS particles alone or with BaP were cytotoxic to hemocytes only at the highest concentrations tested. The same was true for most sublethal endpoints except for increased phagocytic activity provoked by NPs and 0.5 μm MPs at lower concentrations. Plastic particles appeared to be the main drivers for reduced plasma membrane integrity and increased phagocytic and lysosomal activities whereas BaP appeared to contribute more to reduced cell viability and phagocytosis and increased ROS production and genotoxicity. Overall, PS NPs and MPs can act as carriers of BaP to mussel hemocytes, rising concerns about risks plastics associated to pollutants may pose to aquatic organisms.
The impact of e-learning during COVID-19 pandemic on students’ body aches in Palestine
Authors: Yaseen Qais B. , Salah Heba
Published: November 2021

Musculoskeletal pain is a major concern in our life due to its negative effects on our ability to perform daily functions. During COVID-19 pandemic, several countries switched their teaching programs into e-learning, where students spend long hour using electronic devices. The use of these devices was associated with several musculoskeletal complains among the students. The aim of this study is to evaluate the different body aches associated with e-learning on university students. The subjects of this study were students from An-Najah University in Palestine. 385 questionnaires were filled using Google forms questionnaire and all the subjects were using e-learning due to COVID-19 pandemic. Our study showed that a large percentage of participants used electronic devices for e-learning during the pandemic. The Duration of these devices use was correlated with duration and degree of pain, and associated with the difficulty in ability to perform several daily activities. Furthermore, most of the students used the sitting position with supine bent forward during the device usage. Thus, the university students that participated in this study had an increase in body aches during the e-learning process, and the aches duration and severity increases if the duration of electronic devices usage increase.
A robust bitmap-based real-time position tracking algorithm for rats in radial arm maze tests
Authors: Chen Chi-Chun , Hong Liang-Jyun , Wang Jian-Yong , Chang Ching-Ping
Published: November 2021

This paper aims to develop a position tracking algorithm by which a rat in a radial arm maze can be accurately located in real time. An infrared (IR) night-vision camera was hung above the maze to capture IR images of the rat. The IR images were binarized and then duplicated for subsequent intersection and opening operations. Due to simple operations and a high robustness against the noise spots formed by the droppings of the rat, it took just minutes to process more than 9000 frames, and an accuracy above 99% was reached as well. The maze was intruded by an experimenter to further test the robustness, and the accuracy slightly fell to 98%. For comparison purposes, the same experiments were carried out using a pre-trained YOLO v2 model. The YOLO counterpart gave an accuracy beyond 97% in the absence and in the presence of the intruder. In other words, this work slightly outperformed the YOLO counterpart in terms of the accuracy in both cases, which indicates the robustness of this work. However, it took the YOLO counterpart an hour or so to locate a rat contained in the frames, which highlights the contribution of this work.
Concept of a fast breeder reactor to transmute MAs and LLFPs
Authors: Wakabayashi Toshio
Published: November 2021

The long-term issues of nuclear power systems are the effective use of uranium resources and the reduction of radioactive waste. Important radioactive wastes are minor actinides (MAs: 237Np, 241Am, 243Am, etc.) and long-lived fission products (LLFPs: 129I, 99Tc, 79Se, etc.). The purpose of this study was to show a concept that can simultaneously achieve the breeding of fissile materials and the transmutation of MAs and LLFPs in one fast reactor. Transmutation was carried out by loading innovative Duplex-type MA fuel in the core region and LLFP-containing moderator in the first layer of the radial blanket. Breeding was achieved in the core and axial blanket. As a result, it was clarified that in this fast breeder reactor, a breeding ratio of approximately 1.1 was obtained, and MAs and LLFPs achieved a support ratio of 1 or more. The transmutation rate was 10.3%/y for 237Np, 14.1%/y for 241Am, 9.9%/y for 243Am, 1.6%/y for 129I, 0.75%/y for 99Tc, and 4%/y for 79Se. By simultaneously breeding fissile materials and transmuting MAs and LLFPs in one fast reactor, it will be possible to solve the long-term issues of the nuclear power reactor system, such as securing nuclear fuel resources and reducing radioactive waste.
Single-shot measurement of the photonic band structure in a fiber-based Floquet-Bloch lattice
Authors: Lechevalier Corentin , Evain Clément , Suret Pierre , Copie François , Amo Alberto , Randoux Stéphane
Published: November 2021

Floquet-Bloch lattices are systems in which wave packets are subjet to periodic modulations both in time and space, showing rich dynamics. While this type of lattice is difficult to implement in solid-state physics, optical systems have provided excellent platforms to probe their physics: among other effects, they have revealed genuine phenomena such as the anomalous Floquet topological insulator and the funnelling of light into localised interface modes. Despite the crucial importance of the band dispersion in the photon dynamics and the topological properties of the lattice, the direct experimental measurement of the Floquet-Bloch bands has remained elusive. Here we report the direct measurement of the Floquet-Bloch bands of a photonic lattice with a single shot method. We use a system of two coupled fibre rings that implements a time-multiplexed Floquet-Bloch lattice. By Fourier transforming the impulse response of the lattice we obtain the band structure together with an accurate characterization of the lattice eigenmodes, i. e. the amplitudes and the phases of the Floquet-Bloch eigenvectors over the entire Brillouin zone. Our results open promising perspectives for the observation of topological effects in the linear and nonlinear regime in Floquet systems.
Plasmon-induced hot-hole generation and extraction at nano-heterointerfaces for photocatalysis
Authors: Ahlawat Monika , Mittal Diksha , Govind Rao Vishal
Published: November 2021

Localized surface plasmon resonance excitation presents tremendous opportunities for light-harvesting in the field of photocatalysis. Notably, the use of plasmon-generated hot carriers to drive chemical reactions offers the opportunity to control the selectivity of the reaction, unlike temperature-driven catalysis. There has been extensive development of photocatalysts based on plasmon-induced hot electron transfer. However, the equally important hole transfer process has been largely understudied mainly because of the ultrafast dynamics and shorter lifetime of holes compared to electrons. The electron and hole transport asymmetry to the catalytic site introduces additional challenges in extracting holes as oxidants for chemical adsorbents/reactants. This review provides a fundamental overview of plasmonic catalysis, emphasizing recent hot hole extraction and catalysis advancements by exploring different nano-heterointerfaces through which energetic holes can be localized to the catalytic sites. We also highlight some of the critical parameters which must be considered to address the limitations and introduce new possibilities to the field.
Photocatalytic valorization of furfural to value-added chemicals via mesoporous carbon nitride: a possibility through a metal-free pathway
Authors: Chauhan Deepak K. , Battula Venugopala R. , Giri Arkaprabha , Patra Abhijit , Kailasam Kamalakannan
Published: November 2021

Renewable solar light-driven biomass furfural valorization.
Identification of novel biomarkers for intracerebral hemorrhagevialong noncoding RNA-associated competing endogenous RNA network
Authors: Yang Chunyu , Wu Jiao , Lu Xi , Xiong Shuang , Xu Xiaoxue
Published: November 2021

LncRNAsMIAT,LY86-AS1,DLX6-AS1,RRN3P2,CRNDE, andHCP5were identified as novel biomarkers in ICH for the first time.
Horizons Community Board collection: optical and photonic materials
Authors: Zhuo Xiaolu , Quan Li Na , Dong Qingchen
Published: November 2021

Nanoscale Horizons Community Board members Xiaolu Zhuo and Qingchen Dong and Materials Horizons Community Board member Li Na Quan introduce this Horizons Community Board collection on materials and devices for optics and photonics.
A ROS and shear stress dual-sensitive bionic system with cross-linked dendrimers for atherosclerosis therapy
Authors: Shen Meili , Yao Shunyu , Li Shaojing , Wu Xiaodong , Liu Shun , Yang Qingbiao , Du Jianshi , Wang Jingyuan , Zheng Xiangyu , Li Yapeng
Published: November 2021

Atherosclerosis is an important pathological basis for cardiovascular disease.
Mechanistic investigations of alcohol silylation with isothiourea catalysts
Authors: Redden Brandon K. , Clark Robert W. , Gong Ziyuan , Rahman Md. Mamdudur , Peryshkov Dmitry V. , Wiskur Sheryl L.
Published: November 2021

The surprising mechanistic results for the silylation of alcohols revealed multiple intermediates and a higher order of silyl chloride leading up to the rate-determining step.
In situ constructed zeolite membranes on rough supports with the assistance of reticulated hydrotalcite interlayer
Authors: Pan Wen-Yan , Peng Liang-Liang , Wang Wen-Jing , Li Yuan-Yuan , Wei Xue-Ling
Published: November 2021

Reticulated hydrotalcite interlayer controls infiltration of active ingredients into the support, improving the quality and stability of the zeolite membrane.
PbI2 3D network transporting model for the charge separation mechanism of PbSe detectors
Authors: Shi Kanghao , Liu Yun , Luo Yingmin , Bian Jiming , Qiu Jijun
Published: November 2021

As the transporting channels for the photogenerated electrons, the integrity and densification of the PbI2 3D network structure distributed in the interfaces between PbSe crystalline grains dominates the performances of PbSe detectors.
A stable Ln(iii)-functionalized Cd(ii)-based metal–organic framework: tunable white-light emission and fluorescent probe for monitoring bilirubin
Authors: Wang Xiao-Qing , Ma Xuehui , Feng Doudou , Wu Dan , Yang Jie
Published: November 2021

A novel anionic Cd(ii)-based metal–organic framework was used toencapsulateLn(iii) ions, which exhibits tunable luminescence and selective sensing of bilirubin.
New quinoxaline compounds as DPP-4 inhibitors and hypoglycemics: design, synthesis, computational and bio-distribution studies
Authors: Syam Yasmin M. , Anwar Manal M. , Abd El-Karim Somaia S. , Elseginy Samia A. , Essa Basma M. , Sakr Tamer M.
Published: November 2021

The current work represents the design and synthetic approaches of a new set of compounds 6–10 bearing the 1,4-dimethyl-2,3-dioxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoxaline-6-sulfonamide scaffold.
ZnO nanoparticles supported on dendritic fibrous nanosilica as efficient catalysts for the one-pot synthesis of quinazoline-2,4(1H,3H)-diones
Authors: Shamsa Farzaneh , Motavalizadehkakhky Alireza , Zhiani Rahele , Mehrzad Jamshid , Hosseiny Malihe Sadat
Published: November 2021

The transmutation of waste into valuable materials has a special place in green chemistry.
Breaking thiacalix[4]arene into pieces – a novel synthetic approach to higher calixarenes bearing mixed (–S–, –CH2–) bridges
Authors: Kaiser Lukáš , Landovský Tomáš , Salvadori Karolína , Eigner Václav , Dvořáková Hana , Lhoták Pavel
Published: November 2021

A novel approach is based on the cleavage of thiacalix[4]arene monosulfoxide with BuLi providing a linear tetramer in an essentially quantitative yield which is used as a building block for further cyclization.
Aerobic copper-promoted oxidative dehydrosulfurative carbon–oxygen cross-coupling of 3,4-dihydropyrimidine-1H-2-thiones with alcohols
Authors: Lee Jihong , Kwon Yujeong , Lee Dong-Chan , Sohn Jeong-Hun
Published: November 2021

A wide range of readily available DHPMs and alcohols makes the presented reaction an attractive method to access biologically valuable 2-alkoxypyrimidine derivatives with rapid diversification.
Correction: Realization of multi-configurable logic gate behaviour on fluorescence switching signalling of naphthalene diimide congeners
Authors: Bora Hridoy Jyoti , Barman Pranjal , Bordoloi Sushanta , Gogoi Gautomi , Gogoi Bedanta , Sarma Neelotpal Sen , Kalita Anamika
Published: November 2021

Correction for ‘Realization of multi-configurable logic gate behaviour on fluorescence switching signalling of naphthalene diimide congeners’ by Hridoy Jyoti Bora et al., RSC Adv., 2021, 11, 35274–35279. DOI: 10.1039/d1ra06728a.
Construction of sterically congested oxindole derivatives via visible-light-induced radical-coupling
Authors: Shen Yanling , Lei Ning , Lu Cong , Xi Dailin , Geng Xinxin , Tao Pan , Su Zhishan , Zheng Ke
Published: November 2021

Simple, modular assembly of complex fluoroalkyl-containing oxindole derivatives with a broad scope and excellent functional group tolerance under mild conditions (metal- and photocatalyst-free). Benzyl iodides were identified as key intermediates.
Dense shearing flows of soft, frictional cylinders
Authors: Berzi Diego , Buettner Kevin E. , Curtis Jennifer S.
Published: November 2021

We perform discrete numerical simulations at a constant volume of dense, steady, homogeneous flows of true cylinders interacting via Hertzian contacts, with and without friction, in the absence of preferential alignment.
Flow transitions and length scales of a channel-confined active nematic
Authors: Samui Abhik , Yeomans Julia M. , Thampi Sumesh P.
Published: November 2021

Different flow regimes realised by a channel-confined active nematic have a characteristic length same as channel width. Flow structures exhibit the intrinsic length scale of the fluid only in the fully developed active turbulence regime.
The impact of dual‐signal selection and multiple eavesdroppers on secrecy performance in cooperative‐relay systems
Authors: Lee Donghun
Published: November 2021

This paper investigates the impact of a dual‐signal selection (i.e. selection of direct signal and relay signal) and multiple eavesdroppers on secrecy outage probability in cooperative‐relay systems over Nakagami fading channels. This work performs the derivation of the new exact and approximate distributions for the received signal to noise ratio of the dual‐signal selection in analytical forms where maximal‐ratio combining and selection combining are considered in the presence of multiple eavesdroppers. The lower bounds on the secrecy outage probability of the dual‐signal selection are derived for various receiver scenarios over Nakagami fading channels. This paper also quantifies the secrecy diversity order of the proposed scheme and shows that the dual‐signal selection provides a secrecy diversity order gain of compared to the conventional scheme by the dual‐signal selection. From the numerical results, this work observes that the sharpness of the dual‐signal selection for the secrecy performance curve is improved by the number of user nodes and fading index of the direct signal, while the number of eavesdroppers and fading index of the eavesdropper slightly affect the required signal to noise ratio of the proposed scheme to satisfy the secrecy outage probability.
Enhanced electromechanical performance of natural rubber dielectric elastomers achieved by in situ synthesis of silver nanoparticles on TiO2 nanoparticles
Authors: Yu Liyuan , Hu Tingting , Yang Dan , Wei Qungui
Published: November 2021

Dielectric elastomers (DEs) could transduce electrical energy to mechanical energy, but their applications are currently limited by the elevated driving voltages. To obtain satisfactory actuated strains at low voltages, titanate oxide@tannic acid‐ferric ion@silver (labelled as TiO2@TA‐Fe3+@Ag) satellite‐structure nanoparticles were obtained in this study by in situ synthesis followed by incorporating the nanoparticles into natural rubber (NR) to prepare DE composites (denoted as TiO2@TA‐Fe3+@Ag/NR). The presence of surface coating of TA‐Fe3+ and Ag nanoparticles improved the electromechanical performance of TiO2@TA‐Fe3+@Ag/NR composites. Among the samples, 30 wt% TiO2@TA‐Fe3+@Ag/NR composite displayed a relatively high actuated strain of 9.09% at a relatively low electric field of 22.78 kV/mm. In sum, the green, facile, and cost‐effective surface modification method looks promising for improving the electromechanical properties of particulate‐filled polymer composites.
Engineering geological characterisation of rock masses for design of excavation method and support system of Tanju Tunnel, West Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia
Authors: Dinata Edden Umaga , Indrawan I Gde Budi , Idrus Arifudin
Published: November 2021

This paper presents experiences with design and construction process of the Tanju Tunnel, West Nusa Tenggara. The objective of this research was to characterize the volcanic and intrusive rock masses for designs of the tunnel excavation method and support system. Engineering geological investigations were carried out, upon which the tunnel stand-up time was estimated and the tunnel excavation method and support system were determined based on the rock mass classifications of RMR (Bieniawski, 1989). The investigation results showed that the tunnel construction area consisted of colluvium, andesite, and tuff breccia. The rock masses were dominated by the andesite, which had UCS of intact rock ranging from 200 to 300 MPa classified as strong intact rock. Based on the RMR value, the andesite was classified as a good quality rock mass. The tunnel had unsupported roof stand-up time approximately 20.000 hours for a 3 m tunnel span. The recommended tunnel excavation method was full face, 1.0-1.5 m advance, and complete support 20 m from face, while the support systems were locally bolt in crown 3 m long and 2.5 m spacing, with occasional wire mesh, 50 mm thick shotcrete in crown where required.
Engineering geological studies for empirical design of tunnel 7 of Jakarta - Bandung high-speed railway, Indonesia
Authors: Pramono Riski , Indrawan I Gde Budi , Junica Maulidya Indah
Published: November 2021

The empirical design of tunnel 7 of the Jakarta-Bandung high-speed railway was based on the Basic Quality (BQ) system, which was the Chinese standard of rock mass classification. Due to the high uncertainty of a rock mass classification, comparative studies of rock mass quality and tunnel support systems based on other rock mass classifications are commonly required. The main objective of this research was to assess the rock mass quality and excavatability at the tunnel construction site and propose the tunnel support system based on three widely used methods, namely GSI, RMR, and Q-system. This study involved geological mapping, determination of surface and subsurface rock weathering, rock mass classification of drilling cores, and laboratory testing. The results show that the tunnel construction area consists of highly weathered volcanic and sedimentary rocks. The tunnel elevation consists of poor and extremely to very poor rock masses of sedimentary rocks. Hard digging is the optimum rock mass excavation method to use. Applications of rock bolt, wire mesh, and shotcrete are proposed for the tunnel support system.
Coastal erosion risk assessment in the coastal area of Muara Asam Asam, Tanah Laut Regency
Authors: Ghiffari Rizki Adriadi , Armono Haryo Dwito
Published: November 2021

Coastal erosion is the process of land erosion in coastal areas due to waves and ocean currents which reduce land and can adversely affect socio-economic activities in coastal areas. Coastal erosion risk assessment in the estuary is a development of previous research, because the erosion and accretion processes do not only occur along the shoreline, but also on the side facing river water bodies, due to the confluence of fluvial and marine processes. The landward shift of the shoreline in the Muara Asam Asam coastal area has reached 90 meters in the last 28 years, and has been detrimental because the area is a densely populated area with major economic activities in the fisheries and agriculture sectors. This study aims to determine the coastal erosion risk level zones based on the relationship among vulnerability and consequence parameters, through distance decay weighted based method. The results indicate that Muara Asam Asam has high risk zones of coastal erosion, especially in densely populated residential areas and dry land agriculture on the west side of the estuary, due to the lack of implementation of preventive measures through hard coastal structure and coastal zoning policy to protect socio-economic activities and coastal ecological environments.
The energy charts for occupants’ behavioural improvement through BIM
Authors: Roslan Rasyikin , Omar Rohayu Che , Taha Hairin , Zuliana Baharuddin Intan Nor , Putri Ratih Fitria
Published: November 2021

BIM is an easy method to design sustainable buildings for professionals like architects and engineers. By using the real measurable environment, software tools can shape building concepts such as geometry, spatial relations, geographical details and the design of structural composites and buildings, and the usage of energy annual like energy costs and life-cycle costs can be estimated and calculated. This study revealed the findings of the energy consumption within one year can provide valuable insights into the projected resources in the UNITEN Administrative Building. The application of these data would simplify energy cost calculation, an essential component of the costs of operating a property. With the purpose of maximizing energy efficiency in green buildings, the outcomes can be used as guidance to advice occupant management in optimizing occupant actions.
IoT-based Estimation System for Microcystis aeruginosa Cyanobacteria in Laguna de Bay using an Arduino-controlled Spectrophotometric Device
Authors: Alejandrino Lawrence D. , Jocson Jessica Joy D. , Mirarza Micah Romina R. , Dimaunahan Ericson D. , Garcia Ramon G , Valiente Flordeliza L
Published: November 2021

Laguna de Bay, the largest freshwater lake in the Philippines, provides livelihood to the fishermen and serves as a source of potable water to the locals. However, freshwater quality has degraded, whereas one of the main contributors are Cyanobacteria that produce cyanotoxins. Existing studies that uses a similar device are either too expensive or too bulky. The purpose of this study is to estimate the cyanobacteria concentration by using a low-cost 16-channel spectrophotometric device to determine the level of severity efficiently. Using Linear Regression, the dataset is modelled by the algorithm to estimate the number of cyanobacteria present on the water sample, while Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm for severity level classifier. This study achieved high accuracy in estimating the cyanobacteria using linear regression and classifying the level of severity by support vector machine.
Analysis of engineering geology conditions based on the quality of rock mass in the Tiga Dihaji Dam’s diversion tunnel, South Sumatera, Indonesia
Authors: Zekrinaldi  , Anggara Ferian , Setiawan Hendy
Published: November 2021

This research has examined the rock mass quality case study in the Tiga Dihaji Dam’s diversion tunnel. Observations of geological conditions were carried out on the surface and subsurface of the study site and show that the study area consists of tuffaceous sandstone and carbonate interbeds. The method of this study is based on the classification of the Geological Strength Index (GSI), Rock Mass Rating (RMR), and the Q-system. The results indicate that tuffaceous sandstone has a GSI value of 15 - 87.5 (very poor - very good), RMR 48 - 82 (fair - very good), and Q-system 0.01 – 60.0 (exceptionally poor - very good). Meanwhile, carbonate interbeds have a low value, with a GSI value of 10.5 - 77.5 (very poor to very good), RMR 17.0 – 56.0 (very - poor fair), and Q-system 0 - 35.2 (exceptionally poor - good). Moreover, a correlation was made between rock mass quality for conditions in the study area. The correlation between GSI and RMR was obtained by the equation GSI = 2.2885RMR 82.567 (R2 = 0.6653), RMR and Q-system RMR = 2.0175ln(Q) + 63.061 (R2 = 0.4987), and GSI and Q-system GSI = 7.2119ln(Q) 54.578 (R2 = 0.8095).
Identification of precipitation diurnal process using PERSIANN over Central Java Area
Authors: Fianggoro Muhammad , Nurjani Emilya , Sekaranom Andung Bayu
Published: November 2021

The diurnal cycle is a process that repeats daily due to earth rotation. This cycle could significantly affect the hydrological conditions and lithosphere conditions, including humans. This diurnal cycle is also likely to influence seasonal patterns in the region. The diurnal cycle has a close relationship with the time-series pattern and distribution of rainfall. It often affects hydrometeorological disasters in the form of floods and droughts. This paper provides an overview of early identification related to the diurnal cycle of rain in the Central Java region - Indonesia. Rainfall estimation data from The Precipitation Estimation from Remotely Sensed Information using Artificial Neural Networks (PERSIANN) is used as the primary input in the analysis. The research results show that there are differences in rainfall patterns between the northern, central, and southern parts of the study area
Stable cross-sectional dimensions for navigation channel in the estuary of Sangatta River, Indonesia
Authors: Sutarto Tommy
Published: November 2021

The objectives of this study are: 1) to capture the existing condition of the river channel in Sangatta River estuary, including the bathymetry of the river bed, and the cross-sectional dimensions of the river, 2) to design a stable navigation channel in Sangatta River estuary that allows less maintenance dredging and improves navigability of the channel during a critical condition when the water level is at the lowest, and 3) to test the effectiveness of the stable cross section in term of the availability of navigable depth. This research is divided into five stages, namely: 1) preparatory stage and preliminary survey, 2) main surveys, 3) hydrological and hydraulic analysis, 4) waterway design, and 5) dredging plan. The hydraulic analysis also includes determining the water level and depth profiles before and after dredging. HEC-RAS software is used to simulate, for each month, the water level and depth profiles in the channel at a critical condition when the sea water level is at low water spring (LWS) coincides with the river flow of 50% probability of occurrence, Q50. A stable channel for Sangatta River estuary is characterized with a bed slope, S = 0.00015, a flow depth, D = 3.6 m, a bed width, b = 76.3 m and a sidewall slope, m = 1.5. The simulation results show that the stable cross sections of the river provide sufficient water depth for navigation, even during the critical condition.
Gender empowerment approaches: interventions through Qanun number 6 of 2009 in Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: Al Aro Adrianto Shifa , Saniyah Aini , Ulumia Fahima , Zahro Nur Azkiyatuz , Ayumi Nur , Charennina Milta , Fahmi Wikan Amarudin , Putri Ratih Fitria
Published: November 2021

Aceh is a province in Indonesia that makes Islamic sharia as one of the bases in policy determination, one of which is policies related to gender empowerment. It is interesting to be studied about the condition of gender empowerment in Aceh, especially after the ratification of Qanun Aceh No. 6 of 2009 on Women Empowerment and Protection. The study used descriptive qualitative analysis of secondary data obtained from BPS Aceh Province. The results showed that the implementation of Qanun No. 26 of 2009 related to the empowerment and protection of women is still not done to the maximum, either explicitly or implicitly. This is evidenced by the condition of Aceh Gender Empowerment Index which has a volatile trend from 2010 – 2019 with an index ranging from 52.06 to 67.4. The trend is strongly influenced by the three components of GEI, namely women’s involvement in parliament, women’s involvement as professionals, and women’s income donations. The involvement of women in parliament still does not meet the minimum figure of 30%. The involvement of women as professionals has a volatile trend. Meanwhile, women’s income contributions always increase every year.
The Poverty Index Mapping in the Barlingmascakeb Area in 2019
Authors: Amaniah Fitroh , Setiati Fani , Rostika Mya Dwi , Putri Ratih Fitria
Published: November 2021

Poverty is one of the serious problems in the national development process in Indonesia. Development basically aims to lead to a better situation and create a just and prosperous society. In the concept of Population-Centered Development, populations are not only treated as “objects” but also “subjects” of development. However, the incessant development carried out in various regions has not fully brought the welfare of the population. One of them is Central Java province which is a poverty pocket in Indonesia with a poverty percentage of 10.80 in 2019. Especially in the Barlingmascakeb area, namely Banjarnegara, Purbalingga, Banyumas, Cilacap, Kebumen, in the same year the percentage of poverty was relatively higher, respectively 14.76 percent, 15.03 percent, 12.53 percent, 10, 73 percent, and 16.82 percent. This study aims to examine the poverty index spatially in the Barlingmascakeb area in 2019 and find out the dominant indicators that determine the poverty index as one of the evaluation materials for the development process in the region. The data used to measure the poverty index is to use indicators on several dimensions of the Population-Centered Development Index (PCDI). The participation dimension is represented by the EPR (Employment to Population Ratio) indicator and the level of labor force participation rate; the dimension of partiality represented by the percentage of RREB (Regional Revenue and Expenditure Budget) for poverty reduction and other indicators related to poverty, namely income per capita. The spatial distribution of the poverty index is known through Geographic Information System (GIS) software.