bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterising clinical Staphylococcus aureus isolates from the sinuses of patients with chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Wagner Mackenzie Brett , Zoing Melissa , Clow Fiona , Waite David W. , Radcliff Fiona J. , Taylor Michael W. , Biswas Kristi , Douglas Richard G.
Published: November 2021

The role of Staphylococcus aureus in the pathogenesis of the chronic sinonasal disease chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), has not been definitively established. Comparative analyses of S. aureus isolates from CRS with those from control participants may offer insight into a possible pathogenic link between this organism and CRS. The intra- and inter-subject S. aureus strain-level diversity in the sinuses of patients with and without CRS were compared in this cross-sectional study. In total, 100 patients (CRS = 64, control = 36) were screened for S. aureus carriage. The overall carriage prevalence of S. aureus in this cohort was 24% (CRS n = 13, control n = 11). Cultured S. aureus isolates from 18 participants were strain-typed using spa gene sequencing. The bacterial community composition of the middle meatus was assessed using amplicon sequencing targeting the V3V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. S. aureus isolates cultured from patients were grown in co-culture with the commensal bacterium Dolosigranulum pigrum and characterised. All participants harboured a single S. aureus strain and no trend in disease-specific strain-level diversity was observed. Bacterial community analyses revealed a significant negative correlation in the relative abundances of S. aureus and D. pigrum sequences, suggesting an antagonistic interaction between these organisms. Co-cultivation experiments with these bacteria, however, did not confirm this interaction in vitro. We saw no significant associations of CRS disease with S. aureus strain types. The functional role that S. aureus occupies in CRS likely depends on other factors such as variations in gene expression and interactions with other members of the sinus bacterial community.
Enhanced thermoelectric properties in Sb/Ge core/shell nanowires through vacancy modulation
Authors: Bhuyan Prabal Dev , Gajjar P. N. , Magri Rita , Gupta Sanjeev K.
Published: November 2021

In the present work, we have modified the physical and electronic structure of Sb/Ge core/shell nanowires via vacancy creation and doping with foreign atoms with the aim to improve their thermoelectric energy conversion efficiency. Sb/Ge-NWs having a diameter of 1.5 Å show metallicity with 2Go quantum conductance. The stability of the nanowires is assessed through the calculation of their formation energy. The formation of one vacancy at either the Sb- and Ge-site modifies substantially the electronic properties. From the comparison of the thermoelectric properties of the nanowires with and without the vacancy, we have found that the figure of merit for the Sb/Ge NW with one Sb vacancy increases of 0.18 compared to the pristine NW. The NW doping with different transition metals: Fe, Co, Ni and Cu have been found to also enhance the conversion efficiency. Thus, our calculations show that the thermoelectric performance of metal–semiconductor core–shell NWs can be in principle improved as much as 80% by vacancy formation and doping.
Linking gut microbiome with the feeding behavior of the Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala)
Authors: Ghosh Avijit , Thakur Mukesh , Sharma Lalit Kumar , Chandra Kailash
Published: November 2021

Exploring the gut microbiome is an emerging tool for monitoring wildlife health and physiological conditions which often sustained under the variety of stresses and challenges. We analyzed gut microbiome of Arunachal macaque (Macaca munzala) of two disjunct populations from Arunachal Pradesh, India, to validate whether the geography or the feeding habits plays a principal role in shaping the gut microbiome in natural populations. We observed geography has a mere effect but feeding habits (i.e. feeding upon the leftover food and crop-raiding) significantly influenced the gut microbiome composition. The phylum Proteobacteria found to be enriched in leftover feeding group while phylum Bacteroidetes was differentially abundant in crop-raiding group. We observed predominant phyla Firmicutes followed by Proteobacteria and Bacteroidetes with the dominant classes represented by the Clostridia. Interestingly, one individual with known diarrheal/metabolic disorder exhibited complete dominance of the order Bacillales and showed 100% sequence similarity with genus Solibacillus. We raise concern that shift in diet of macaques may compel them to expose for various human diseases as two macaques feeding upon the leftover food exhibited dysbiotic gut microbiome. The present study provides the pragmatic evidences of how the alteration of food resources can harm the physiological condition of the macaques in wild and raises alarm to the forest officials/managers in strategise planting of natural food resources and monitor anthropogenic activities in the distribution of Arunachal macaques.
Ni–Fe phosphide deposited carbon felt as free-standing bifunctional catalyst electrode for urea electrolysis
Authors: Yun Woo Hyun , Das Gautam , Kim Bohyeon , Park Bang Ju , Yoon Hyon Hee , Yoon Young Soo
Published: November 2021

A free-standing catalyst electrode for the urea oxidation reaction (UOR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in a urea electrolysis cell was synthesized by electroplating a Ni–Fe alloy onto carbon felt, followed by phosphidation (P-NiFe@CF). The prepared P-NiFe@CF catalyst consisted of Ni5P4, NiP2, and FeP with 3D flower-like P-NiFe architecture on CF. P-NiFe@CF exhibited excellent electrocatalytic activity for the UOR (demanding only 1.39 V (vs. RHE) to achieve 200 mA cm−2), and for the HER with a low overpotential of 0.023 V (vs. RHE) at 10 mA cm−2, indicating its feasibility as a bifunctional catalyst electrode for urea electrolysis. A urea electrolysis cell with P-NiFe@CF as both the free-standing anode and cathode generated a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a cell potential of 1.37 V (vs. RHE), which is considerably lower than that of water electrolysis, and also lower than previously reported values. The results indicate that the P-NiFe@CF catalyst electrodes can be used as free-standing bifunctional electrodes for urea electrolyzers.
Pharmacists’ interventions improve health-related quality of life of rural older person on warfarin: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Falamić Slaven , Lucijanić Marko , Ortner-Hadžiabdić Maja , Marušić Srećko , Bačić-Vrca Vesna
Published: November 2021

Warfarin therapy can significantly affect patients’ quality of life and cause therapy discontinuation. This study aimed to investigate the effect of the pharmacists’ interventions on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in older rural patients on warfarin therapy. Eligible older patients from rural area of Croatian province Slavonia were randomized into the intervention and control groups and followed for six months. Repeated education and a follow-up plan were provided to the participants in the intervention group, and if needed, the pharmacist intervened to optimize warfarin therapy. Secondary analysis on HRQoL data are presented here. Main outcome measure was Duke anticoagulation satisfactions scale questionnaire score. In total, 131 participants finished the study (median age 73 years; 51.1% male). Participants in the intervention group scored significantly lower (median being 86.5 and 66.0 in the control and intervention groups, respectively; p < 0,001), indicating higher HRQoL. Adverse drug reactions and pharmacist’s intervention were identified as predictive factors for patients’ HRQoL (r2 = 65.5%, P < 0.001). The study demonstrated that community pharmacist’s interventions can improve HRQoL of older patients taking warfarin what is of particular significance for patients living in rural areas with less accessible healthcare and lower socio-economic status.

Clinicaltrials.gov (ID: NCT03212898), 11/07/2017, retrospectively registered.
Motion-in-depth effects on interceptive timing errors in an immersive environment
Authors: López-Moliner Joan , de la Malla Cristina
Published: November 2021

We often need to interact with targets that move along arbitrary trajectories in the 3D scene. In these situations, information of parameters like speed, time-to-contact, or motion direction is required to solve a broad class of timing tasks (e.g., shooting, or interception). There is a large body of literature addressing how we estimate different parameters when objects move both in the fronto-parallel plane and in depth. However, we do not know to which extent the timing of interceptive actions is affected when motion-in-depth (MID) is involved. Unlike previous studies that have looked at the timing of interceptive actions using constant distances and fronto-parallel motion, we here use immersive virtual reality to look at how differences in the above-mentioned variables influence timing errors in a shooting task performed in a 3D environment. Participants had to shoot at targets that moved following different angles of approach with respect to the observer when those reached designated shooting locations. We recorded the shooting time, the temporal and spatial errors and the head’s position and orientation in two conditions that differed in the interval between the shot and the interception of the target’s path. Results show a consistent change in the temporal error across approaching angles: the larger the angle, the earlier the error. Interestingly, we also found different error patterns within a given angle that depended on whether participants tracked the whole target’s trajectory or only its end-point. These differences had larger impact when the target moved in depth and are consistent with underestimating motion-in-depth in the periphery. We conclude that the strategy participants use to track the target’s trajectory interacts with MID and affects timing performance.
The role of contextual materials in object recognition
Authors: Lauer Tim , Schmidt Filipp , Võ Melissa L.-H.
Published: November 2021

While scene context is known to facilitate object recognition, little is known about which contextual “ingredients” are at the heart of this phenomenon. Here, we address the question of whether the materials that frequently occur in scenes (e.g., tiles in a bathroom) associated with specific objects (e.g., a perfume) are relevant for the processing of that object. To this end, we presented photographs of consistent and inconsistent objects (e.g., perfume vs. pinecone) superimposed on scenes (e.g., a bathroom) and close-ups of materials (e.g., tiles). In Experiment 1, consistent objects on scenes were named more accurately than inconsistent ones, while there was only a marginal consistency effect for objects on materials. Also, we did not find any consistency effect for scrambled materials that served as color control condition. In Experiment 2, we recorded event-related potentials and found N300/N400 responses—markers of semantic violations—for objects on inconsistent relative to consistent scenes. Critically, objects on materials triggered N300/N400 responses of similar magnitudes. Our findings show that contextual materials indeed affect object processing—even in the absence of spatial scene structure and object content—suggesting that material is one of the contextual “ingredients” driving scene context effects.
Development and validation of a prognostic model for early triage of patients diagnosed with COVID-19
Authors: An Chansik , Oh Hyun Cheol , Chang Jung Hyun , Oh Seung-Jin , Lee Jung Mo , Han Chang Hoon , Kim Seong Woo
Published: November 2021

We developed a tool to guide decision-making for early triage of COVID-19 patients based on a predicted prognosis, using a Korean national cohort of 5,596 patients, and validated the developed tool with an external cohort of 445 patients treated in a single institution. Predictors chosen for our model were older age, male sex, subjective fever, dyspnea, altered consciousness, temperature ≥ 37.5 °C, heart rate ≥ 100 bpm, systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mmHg, diabetes mellitus, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, cancer, dementia, anemia, leukocytosis, lymphocytopenia, and thrombocytopenia. In the external validation, when age, sex, symptoms, and underlying disease were used as predictors, the AUC used as an evaluation metric for our model’s performance was 0.850 in predicting whether a patient will require at least oxygen therapy and 0.833 in predicting whether a patient will need critical care or die from COVID-19. The AUCs improved to 0.871 and 0.864, respectively, when additional information on vital signs and blood test results were also used. In contrast, the protocols currently recommended in Korea showed AUCs less than 0.75. An application for calculating the prognostic score in COVID-19 patients based on the results of this study is presented on our website (https://nhimc.shinyapps.io/ih-psc/), where the results of the validation ongoing in our institution are periodically updated.
Multi-label classification of research articles using Word2Vec and identification of similarity threshold
Authors: Mustafa Ghulam , Usman Muhammad , Yu Lisu , afzal Muhammad Tanvir , Sulaiman Muhammad , Shahid Abdul
Published: November 2021

Every year, around 28,100 journals publish 2.5 million research publications. Search engines, digital libraries, and citation indexes are used extensively to search these publications. When a user submits a query, it generates a large number of documents among which just a few are relevant. Due to inadequate indexing, the resultant documents are largely unstructured. Publicly known systems mostly index the research papers using keywords rather than using subject hierarchy. Numerous methods reported for performing single-label classification (SLC) or multi-label classification (MLC) are based on content and metadata features. Content-based techniques offer higher outcomes due to the extreme richness of features. But the drawback of content-based techniques is the unavailability of full text in most cases. The use of metadata-based parameters, such as title, keywords, and general terms, acts as an alternative to content. However, existing metadata-based techniques indicate low accuracy due to the use of traditional statistical measures to express textual properties in quantitative form, such as BOW, TF, and TFIDF. These measures may not establish the semantic context of the words. The existing MLC techniques require a specified threshold value to map articles into predetermined categories for which domain knowledge is necessary. The objective of this paper is to get over the limitations of SLC and MLC techniques. To capture the semantic and contextual information of words, the suggested approach leverages the Word2Vec paradigm for textual representation. The suggested model determines threshold values using rigorous data analysis, obviating the necessity for domain expertise. Experimentation is carried out on two datasets from the field of computer science (JUCS and ACM). In comparison to current state-of-the-art methodologies, the proposed model performed well. Experiments yielded average accuracy of 0.86 and 0.84 for JUCS and ACM for SLC, and 0.81 and 0.80 for JUCS and ACM for MLC. On both datasets, the proposed SLC model improved the accuracy up to 4%, while the proposed MLC model increased the accuracy up to 3%.
Timing of social feedback shapes observational learning in strategic interaction
Authors: Zonca Joshua , Vostroknutov Alexander , Coricelli Giorgio , Polonio Luca
Published: November 2021

Many types of social interaction require the ability to anticipate others' behavior, which is commonly referred to as strategic sophistication. In this context, observational learning can represent a decisive tool for behavioral adaptation. However, little is known on whether and when individuals learn from observation in interactive settings. In the current study, 321 participants played one-shot interactive games and, at a given time along the experiment, they could observe the choices of an overtly efficient player. This social feedback could be provided before or after the participant’s choice in each game. Results reveal that players with a sufficient level of strategic skills increased their level of sophistication only when the social feedback was provided after their choices, whereas they relied on blind imitation when they received feedback before their decision. Conversely, less sophisticated players did not increase their level of sophistication, regardless of the type of social feedback. Our findings disclose the interplay between endogenous and exogenous factors modulating observational learning in strategic interaction.
Photoactivated cell-killing amino-based flavylium compounds
Authors: Oliveira Hélder , Araújo Paula , Pereira Ana Rita , Mateus Nuno , de Freitas Victor , Oliveira Joana , Fernandes Iva
Published: November 2021

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a well-established therapeutic for the treatment of different diseases. The growing interest of this technique required the development of new photosensitizers with better photo-features. This work reports the study of the potential of five nature-inspired amino-based flavylium compounds with different structural features as photosensitizers towards topical PDT. In terms of dark cytotoxicity the five pigments were tested towards confluent skin cells in both fibroblasts and keratinocytes. In the range of concentrations tested (6.3–100 μM), keratinocytes were more prone to growth inhibition and the IC50 values for 5OH4′NMe2, 7NEt2st4′NMe2 and 7NEt24′NH2 were determined to be 47.3 ± 0.3 μM; 91.0 ± 0.8 μM and 29.8 ± 0.8 μM, respectively. 7NEt24′NMe2, 7NEt2st4′NMe2 and 7NEt24′NH2 showed significant fluorescence quantum yields (from 3.40 to 20.20%) and production of singlet oxygen (1O2). These latter chromophores presented IC50 values of growth inhibition of keratinocytes between 0.9 and 1.5 µM, after 10 min of photoactivation with white light. This cellular damage in keratinocyte cells upon white light activation was accompanied with the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). It was also found that the compounds can induce damage by either type I (ROS production) or type II (singlet oxygen) PDT mechanism, although a higher cell survival was observed in the presence of 1O2 quenchers. Overall, a structure–activity relationship could be established, ranking the most important functional groups for the photoactivation efficiency as follows: C7-diethylamino > C4′-dimethylamino > C2-styryl.
Three-dimensional semi-automated volumetric assessment of the pulp space of teeth following regenerative dental procedures
Authors: Shetty Heeresh , Shetty Shishir , Kakade Adesh , Shetty Aditya , Karobari Mohmed Isaqali , Pawar Ajinkya M. , Marya Anand , Heboyan Artak , Venugopal Adith , Nguyen The Hanh , Rokaya Dinesh
Published: November 2021

The volumetric change that occurs in the pulp space over time represents a critical measure when it comes to determining the secondary outcomes of regenerative endodontic procedures (REPs). However, to date, only a few studies have investigated the accuracy of the available domain-specialized medical imaging tools with regard to three-dimensional (3D) volumetric assessment. This study sought to compare the accuracy of two different artificial intelligence-based medical imaging programs namely OsiriX MD (v 9.0, Pixmeo SARL, Bernex Switzerland, https://www.osirix-viewer.com) and 3D Slicer (http://www.slicer.org), in terms of estimating the volume of the pulp space following a REP. An Invitro assessment was performed to check the reliability and sensitivity of the two medical imaging programs in use. For the subsequent clinical application, pre- and post-procedure cone beam computed tomography scans of 35 immature permanent teeth with necrotic pulp and periradicular pathosis that had been treated with a cell-homing concept-based REP were processed using the two biomedical DICOM software programs (OsiriX MD and 3D Slicer). The volumetric changes in the teeth’s pulp spaces were assessed using semi-automated techniques in both programs. The data were statistically analyzed using t-tests and paired t-tests (P = 0.05). The pulp space volumes measured using both programs revealed a statistically significant decrease in the pulp space volume following the REP (P < 0.05), with no significant difference being found between the two programs (P > 0.05). The mean decreases in the pulp space volumes measured using OsiriX MD and 3D Slicer were 25.06% ± 19.45% and 26.10% ± 18.90%, respectively. The open-source software (3D Slicer) was found to be as accurate as the commercially available software with regard to the volumetric assessment of the post-REP pulp space. This study was the first to demonstrate the step-by-step application of 3D Slicer, a user-friendly and easily accessible open-source multiplatform software program for the segmentation and volume estimation of the pulp spaces of teeth treated with REPs.
Spatio-spectral beam control in multimode diode-pumped Raman fibre lasers via intracavity filtering and Kerr cleaning
Authors: Babin Sergey A. , Kuznetsov Alexey G. , Sidelnikov Oleg S. , Wolf Alexey A. , Nemov Ilya N. , Kablukov Sergey I. , Podivilov Evgeniy V. , Fedoruk Mikhail P. , Wabnitz Stefan
Published: November 2021

Multimode fibres provide a promising platform for boosting the capacity of fibre links and the output power of fibre lasers. The complex spatiotemporal dynamics of multimode beams may be controlled in spatial and temporal domains via the interplay of nonlinear, dispersive and dissipative effects. Raman nonlinearity induces beam cleanup in long graded-index fibres within a laser cavity, even for CW Stokes beams pumped by highly-multimode laser diodes (LDs). This leads to a breakthrough approach for wavelength-agile high-power lasers. However, current understanding of Raman beam cleanup is restricted to a small-signal gain regime, being not applicable to describing realistic laser operation. We solved this challenge by experimentally and theoretically studying pump-to-Stokes beam conversion in a graded-index fibre cavity. We show that random mode coupling, intracavity filtering and Kerr self-cleaning all play a decisive role for the spatio-spectral control of CW Stokes beams. Whereas the depleted LD pump radiation remains insensitive to them.
Glycan detecting tools developed from the Clostridium botulinum whole hemagglutinin complex
Authors: Tulin Ea Kristine Clarisse , Nakazawa Chiaki , Nakamura Tomomi , Saito Shion , Ohzono Naoki , Hiemori Keiko , Nakakita Shin-ichi , Tateno Hiroaki , Tonozuka Takashi , Nishikawa Atsushi
Published: November 2021

Lectins are proteins with the ability to recognize and bind to specific glycan structures. These molecules play important roles in many biological systems and are actively being studied because of their ability to detect glycan biomarkers for many diseases. Hemagglutinin (HA) proteins from Clostridium botulinum type C neurotoxin complex; HA1, HA2, and HA3 are lectins that aid in the internalization of the toxin complex by binding to glycoproteins on the cell surface. HA1 mutants have been previously reported, namely HA1 W176A/D271F and HA1 N278A/Q279A which are specific to galactose (Gal)/N-acetylgalactosamine (GalNAc) and N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) sugars, respectively. In this study, we utilized HA1 mutants and expressed them in complex with HA2 WT and HA3 WT to produce glycan detecting tools with high binding affinity. Particularly, two types were made: Gg and Rn. Gg is an Alexa 488 conjugated lectin complex specific to Gal and GalNAc, while Rn is an Alexa 594 conjugated lectin complex specific to Neu5Ac. The specificities of these lectins were identified using a glycan microarray followed by competitive sugar inhibition experiments on cells. In addition, we confirmed that Gg and Rn staining is clearly different depending on cell type, and the staining pattern of these lectins reflects the glycans present on the cell surface as shown in enzyme treatment experiments. The availability of Gg and Rn provide us with new promising tools to study Gal, GalNAc, and Neu5Ac terminal epitopes which can aid in understanding the functional role of glycans in physiological and pathological events.
3-D vascularized breast cancer model to study the role of osteoblast in formation of a pre-metastatic niche
Authors: Rimal Rahul , Desai Prachi , Marquez Andrea Bonnin , Sieg Karina , Marquardt Yvonne , Singh Smriti
Published: November 2021

Breast cancer cells (BCCs) preferentially metastasize to bone. It is known that BCCs remotely primes the distant bone site prior to metastasis. However, the reciprocal influence of bone cells on the primary tumor is relatively overlooked. Here, to study the bone-tumor paracrine influence, a tri-cellular 3-D vascularized breast cancer tissue (VBCTs) model is engineered which comprised MDA-MB231, a triple-negative breast cancer cells (TNBC), fibroblasts, and endothelial cells. This is indirectly co-cultured with osteoblasts (OBs), thereby constituting a complex quad-cellular tumor progression model. VBCTs alone and in conjunction with OBs led to abnormal vasculature and reduced vessel density but enhanced VEGF production. A total of 1476 significantly upregulated and 775 downregulated genes are identified in the VBCTs exposed to OBs. HSP90N, CYCS, RPS27A, and EGFR are recognized as upregulated hub-genes. Kaplan Meier plot shows HSP90N to have a significant outcome in TNBC patient survivability. Furthermore, compared to cancer tissues without vessels, gene analysis recognized 1278 significantly upregulated and 566 downregulated genes in VBCTs. DKK1, CXCL13, C3 protein and BMP4 are identified to be downregulated hub genes in VBCTs. Together, a multi-cellular breast cancer model and culture protocols are established to study pre-metastatic events in the presence of OBs.
Pore architecture and particulate organic matter in soils under monoculture switchgrass and restored prairie in contrasting topography
Authors: Juyal Archana , Guber Andrey , Oerther Maxwell , Quigley Michelle , Kravchenko Alexandra
Published: November 2021

Bioenergy cropping systems can substantially contribute to climate change mitigation. However, limited information is available on how they affect soil characteristics, including pores and particulate organic matter (POM), both essential components of the soil C cycle. The objective of this study was to determine effects of bioenergy systems and field topography on soil pore characteristics, POM, and POM decomposition under new plant growth. We collected intact soil cores from two systems: monoculture switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) and native prairie, at two contrasting topographical positions (depressions and slopes), planting half of the cores with switchgrass. Pore and POM characteristics were obtained using X-ray computed micro-tomography (μCT) (18.2 µm resolution) before and after new switchgrass growth. Diverse prairie vegetation led to higher soil C than switchgrass, with concomitantly higher volumes of 30–90 μm radius pores and greater solid-pore interface. Yet, that effect was present only in the coarse-textured soils on slopes and coincided with higher root biomass of prairie vegetation. Surprisingly, new switchgrass growth did not intensify decomposition of POM, but even somewhat decreased it in monoculture switchgrass as compared to non-planted controls. Our results suggest that topography can play a substantial role in regulating factors driving C sequestration in bioenergy systems.
Reliability optimization of process parameters for marine diesel engine block hole system machining using improved PSO
Authors: Zhou Honggen , Yang Weibin , Sun Li , Jing Xuwen , Li Guochao , Cao Liping
Published: November 2021

The processing quality of the block hole system affects the working performance of the marine diesel engine block directly. Choosing an appropriate combination of process parameters is a prerequisite to improving the accuracy of the block hole system. Uncertain fluctuations of process parameters during the machining process would affect the process reliability of the block hole system, resulting in an ultra-poor accuracy. For this reason, the RBF method is used to establish the relationship between the verticality of the cylinder hole and process parameters, including cutting speed, depth of cut, and feed rate. The minimum cylinder hole verticality is taken as the goal and the process reliability constraints of the cylinder hole are set based on Monte Carlo, a reliability optimization model of processing parameters for cylinder hole is established in this paper. Meanwhile, an improved particle swarm algorithm was designed to solve the model, and eventually, the global optimal combination of process parameters for the cylinder hole processing of the diesel engine block in the reliability stable region was obtained.
High sensitivity hydrogen analysis in zircaloy-4 using helium-assisted excitation laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy
Authors: Pardede Marincan , Karnadi Indra , Hedwig Rinda , Tanra Ivan , Iqbal Javed , Marpaung Mangasi Alion , Suliyanti Maria Margaretha , Jobiliong Eric , Abdulmadjid Syahrun Nur , Idris Nasrullah , Khumaeni Ali , Shiddiq Muhandis , Rhizma Mario Gracio Anduinta , Lie Zener Sukra , Bilal Muhammad , Kurniawan Davy Putra , Lie Tjung Jie , Kurniawan Koo Hendrik , Kagawa Kiichiro
Published: November 2021

High-sensitivity detection of hydrogen (H) contained in zircaloy-4, a commonly used material for nuclear fuel containers, is crucial in a nuclear power plant. Currently, H detection is performed via gas chromatography, which is an offline and destructive method. In this study, we developed a technique based on metastable excited-state He-assisted excitation to achieve excellent quality of H emission spectra in double-pulse orthogonal laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The production of metastable excited-state He atoms is optimized by using LiF as sub-target material. The results show a narrow full-width-at-half-maximum of 0.5 Å for the H I 656.2 nm emission line, with a detection limit as low as 0.51 mg/kg. Thus, using this novel online method, H in zircaloy-4 can be detected efficiently, even at very low concentrations.
A peroxidase-like activity-based colorimetric sensor array of noble metal nanozymes to discriminate heavy metal ions
Authors: Noreldeen Hamada A. A. , Yang Liu , Guo Xiao-Yun , He Shao-Bin , Peng Hua-Ping , Deng Hao-Hua , Chen Wei
Published: November 2021

Heavy metal ions (HMIs), including Cu2+, Ag+, Cd2+, Hg2+, and Pb2+from the environment pose a threat to human beings and can cause a series of life-threatening diseases.
Simple, low-cost and sensitive electrochemical sensing of antineoplastic drug amethopterin based on a nanocarbon black modified electrode
Authors: Lin Xiaoqing , Zhang Liangming , Tu Mingshu , Yin Xiaoqing , Cai Liqing , Huang Yi
Published: November 2021

Low-cost and readily available nanocarbon black, which has excellent conductivity and stable dispersion in water as well as large surface area, was used as electrode materials to construct a novel electrochemical sensor for amethopterin.
A simple liquid state 1H NMR measurement to directly determine the surface hydroxyl density of porous silica
Authors: Penrose C. , Steiner P. , Gladden L. F. , Sederman A. J. , York A. P. E. , Bentley M. , Mantle M. D.
Published: November 2021

Silica is widely used in industrial applications and its performance is partially decided by its surface hydroxyl density αOH.
Fe-Catalyzed dicarbofunctionalization of electron-rich alkenes with Grignard reagents and (fluoro)alkyl halides
Authors: Rotella Madeline E. , Sar Dinabandhu , Liu Lei , Gutierrez Osvaldo
Published: November 2021

A three-component iron-bisphosphine-catalyzed regioselective dicarbofunctionalization of electron-rich alkenes is described.
Engineering a novel microcapsule of Cu9S5core and SnS2quantum dot/carbon nanotube shell as a Li-ion battery anode
Authors: Liu Jinyun , Zhu Mengfei , Mu Kai , Han Tianli , Pan Zeng , Gan Yuqing , Zhang Huigang , Si Ting
Published: November 2021

A novel porous microcapsule composed of Cu9S5core and SnS2quantum dot/carbon nanotube shell was developed, which displayed a stable lithium-storage performance.
Solvatomorphs of (Bu4N)2[{Ag(N2-py)}2Mo8O26]: structure, colouration and phase transition
Authors: Abramov Pavel A. , Komarov Vladislav Yu. , Pischur Denis A. , Sulyaeva Veronica S. , Benassi Enrico , Sokolov Maxim N.
Published: November 2021

(Bu4N)2[β-{Ag(N2-py)}2Mo8O26] demonstrates monomer/polymer dualism and a colouration phenomenon. The polymeric phase reveals a Ag assisted phase transition. Such complexes can act as precursors for catalytically active materials.
A ratiometric fluorescent sensor made of a terbium coordination polymer for the anthrax biomarker 2,6-dipicolinic acid with on-site detection assisted by a smartphone app
Authors: Qiu Miao-Miao , Chen Ke-Fu , Liu Qi-Rui , Miao Wei-Ni , Liu Bing , Xu Ling
Published: November 2021

Tb-NDBC is a quantitative ratiometric fluorescence sensor for DPA detection with high sensitivity and selectivity, a rapid response, and durability.
Laying down of gold nanorods monolayers on solid surfaces for surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy applications
Authors: Zhao Haidong , Isozaki Katsuhiro , Taguchi Tomoya , Yang Shengchun , Miki Kazushi
Published: November 2021

Laying-down gold nanorods (GNRs) of a monolayer immobilized on a solid substrate was realized with a hybrid method, a combination of three elemental technologies: self-assembly, electrophoresis, and solvent evaporation.
Pressure effects on the metallization and dielectric properties of GaP
Authors: Liu Hao , Wang Jia , Zhang Guozhao , Han Yonghao , Wu Baojia , Gao Chunxiao
Published: November 2021

GaP was found to transform from a semiconductor to metal conduction at 25.0 GPa. The relative permittivity of GaP in the zb phase was a positive function of pressure.
Design principles for creating synthetic underwater adhesives
Authors: Narayanan Amal , Dhinojwala Ali , Joy Abraham
Published: November 2021

Water prevents adhesion by disrupting the interfacial interactions and weakening the cohesive network of the adhesive. This review summarizes the recent developments in the physical and chemical design principles of underwater adhesives.
Polyamine-functionalized imidazolyl poly(ionic liquid)s for the efficient conversion of CO2 into cyclic carbonates
Authors: Zou Yizhen , Ge Yuansheng , Zhang Qiang , Liu Wei , Li Xiaoguang , Cheng Guoe , Ke Hanzhong
Published: November 2021

The synergistic effect of polyamine groups and nucleophile (Br−) significantly improved the catalytic performance of N4-PIL-2, which can convert epoxides into cyclic carbonates with excellent yields and selectivity under ambient pressure.
Engineering oxygen vacancies and surface chemical reconstruction of MOF-derived hierarchical CoO/Ni2P-Co2P nanosheet arrays for advanced aqueous zinc-ion batteries
Authors: Li Zhihao , Jiao Qiang , He Shu-ang , He Guanjie , Cen Ze , Yang Fang , Zou Rujia , Xu Kaibing
Published: November 2021

CoO/Ni2P-Co2P nanosheet arrays were synthesized by a partial phosphating strategy, and they show superior performances for zinc-ion batteries.
Self-supporting CoP-C nanosheet arrays derived from a metal–organic framework as synergistic catalysts for efficient water splitting
Authors: Wang Min , Li Yuanzhuo , Zhai Lingling , Zhang Xiang , Lau Shu Ping
Published: November 2021

A strategy that combines accessible active sites and multiphase synergy is developed for constructing bifunctional electrocatalysts toward overall water splitting.
Impact of residential water saving devices on urban water security: the case of Beijing, China
Authors: Shi Linrui , Wang Lizhen , Li Haihong , Zhao Yong , Wang Jianhua , Zhu Yongnan , He Guohua
Published: November 2021

This paper analyzes the relationship between Beijing residential water consumption and economy, water saving devices and behaviors, predicts the potential water use in 2030, and investigates the impact of different scenarios on water security.
In situ surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy study of electrode–polyelectrolyte interfaces
Authors: Wang Guangzhe , Wang Yingming , Wang Gongwei , Xiao Li , Zhuang Lin
Published: November 2021

A new electrochemical in situ SERS test method is suitable for the study of electrode–polyelectrolyte interfaces. It is realized by screen printing electrodes (SPE) with a compact planar three-electrode structure.
Phloretin attenuation of hepatic steatosis via an improvement of mitochondrial dysfunction by activating AMPK-dependent signaling pathways in C57BL/6J mice and HepG2 cells
Authors: Han Lin , Zhang Yao , Li Jia , Xiao Yao , Lu Mei , Li Yunlong , Wang Min
Published: November 2021

Phloretin significantly decreases HFD- or PA-induced hepatic steatosis, which is closely related to the promotion of mitochondrial biosynthesis and inhibition of mitochondrial swelling through the AMPK-dependent SIRT1/PGC-1α and SIRT3/CypD pathways.
Sesamin attenuates PM2.5-induced cardiovascular injury by inhibiting ferroptosis in rats
Authors: Ren Jing-yi , Yin Bo-wen , Li Xiang , Zhu Si-qi , Deng Jin-liang , Sun Yi-ting , Zhang Zhen-ao , Guo Zi-hao , Pei Huan-ting , Zhang Fan , Li Rui-qiang , Chen Feng-ge , Ma Yu-xia
Published: November 2021

The present study provided the firstin vivoevidence that Ses pretreatment potentially represents a novel and pragmatic therapeutic strategy to protect the cardiovascular system from damageviaits anti-ferroptosis activity.
A low molecular weight brown algae Laminaria japonica glycan modulation of gut microbiota and body weight in mice
Authors: Jin Zhen , Fang Zhifeng , Pei Zhangming , Wang Hongchao , Zhu Jinlin , Lee Yuan-kun , Zhang Hao , Zhao Jianxin , Lu Wenwei , Chen Wei
Published: November 2021

Brown algae glycan from Laminaria japonica (LJNP) is a heterogeneous glycan composed of glucose and fucose, which drove Bacteroides vulgatus and Bacteroides uniformis to regulate amino acid metabolism and glycometabolism.
CO2 treatment enables non-hazardous, reliable, and efficacious recovery of spent Li(Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3)O2 cathodes
Authors: Deng Longping , Xu Zhuijun , Wang Mengmeng , Shentu Huajian , Liu Xiang , Xiong Jianwei , Cheng Ya-Jun , Wang Chao , Zhou Mingjiong , Gao Jie , Xia Yonggao
Published: November 2021

CO2 treatment enables to recover low-valent metal oxides from spent Li(Ni0.5Co0.2Mn0.3)O2 cathodes, which not only avoids the generation of explosive gases (H2) during the acid leaching, but also allows Li extraction by simple water leaching.
From green to blue economy: Marine biorefineries for a sustainable ocean-based economy
Authors: Veríssimo Nathalia Vieira , Mussagy Cassamo Ussemane , Oshiro Ariane Alves , Mendonça Carlos Miguel Nóbrega , Santos-Ebinuma Valéria de Carvalho , Pessoa Adalberto , Oliveira Ricardo Pinheiro de Souza , Pereira Jorge Fernando Brandão
Published: November 2021

Biorefinery is the ideal model to help marine industries to apply green and blue economy principles towards a more sustainable, profitable, and conscious ocean economy.
Selective catalysis for the reductive amination of furfural toward furfurylamine by graphene-co-shelled cobalt nanoparticles
Authors: Zhuang Xiuzheng , Liu Jianguo , Zhong Shurong , Ma Longlong
Published: November 2021

An easy-to-prepare heterogeneous catalyst with multilayered graphene shells was obtained, which can synthesize functional amines from biomass-derived platforms with excellent efficiency.
Facilitating the acidic oxygen reduction of Fe–N–C catalysts by fluorine-doping
Authors: Tao Xiafang , Lu Ruihu , Ni Lingmei , Gridin Vladislav , Al-Hilfi Samir H. , Qiu Zijie , Zhao Yan , Kramm Ulrike I. , Zhou Yazhou , Müllen Klaus
Published: November 2021

We report a F-doped FeNC catalyst with improved ORR performance. The enhanced performance is associated with the large BET surface area, abundant single Fe atoms, and strong electron-withdrawing F-doping.
The application of transition metal sulfide Ni3S4/CNFs in rechargeable Ni–Zn batteries
Authors: Bao Yingqing , Zhang Wei , Yun Taotao , Dai Jiali , Li Guodong , Mao Wutao , Guan Mingyun , Zhuang Yan
Published: November 2021

We attempt to apply Ni3S4/CNFs into the Ni–Zn battery. After assembling the battery, it shows a notable specific capacity of 215 mA h g−1 at a current density of 5 A g−1.
Stable and soluble oligomers of porous organic cages through post-synthesized modification
Authors: Yu Chenjuan , Yang Yanping , Wang Youfu
Published: November 2021

The porous organic cage oligomers as giant molecules were fabricated through post-synthesized modification in a controlled way and moderate yields.
Biocompatible pectin-based hybrid hydrogels for tissue engineering applications
Authors: Tortorella Silvia , Inzalaco Giovanni , Dapporto Francesca , Maturi Mirko , Sambri Letizia , Vetri Buratti Veronica , Chiariello Mario , Comes Franchini Mauro , Locatelli Erica
Published: November 2021

Hybrid hydrogels made of chemically modified pectin, gelatin and xanthan gum have been formulated and processed through a double crosslinking step, aimed at wound healing applications.
Mineralization of phosphorylated cellulose/sodium alginate sponges as biomaterials for bone tissue engineering
Authors: Zha Li , Zheng Yahui , Che Jianfei , Xiao Yinghong
Published: November 2021

The incorporation of SA in the cellulose matrix effectively increased the macroporous ability of composite scaffolds. Furthermore, the phosphorylation has a certain induction capability for the growth of HA.
Colorimetric detection of glucose by a hybrid nanomaterial based on amplified peroxidase-like activity of ferrosoferric oxide modified with gold–platinum heterodimer
Authors: Feng Xiaoyang , Fu Hao , Bai Zhenyu , Li Ping , Song Xingliang , Hu Xueping
Published: November 2021

An easy and sensitive colorimetric sensor based on the Fe3O4@Au–Pt hybrid nanomaterial was constructed for H2O2 and glucose detection.
KNO3-Assisted incorporation of K dopants and N defects into g-C3N4 with enhanced visible light driven photocatalytic H2O2 production
Authors: Yang Haihua , Qian Xiaorong , Zhang Na , Zhang Li , Zhou Minjie
Published: November 2021

Facile KNO3-assisted synthesis of g-C3N4 incorporated with K dopants and N defects for efficient visible light driven photocatalytic H2O2 production.
Visible-light-promoted/PIFA-mediated direct C–H acylation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with aldehydes
Authors: Ni Hangcheng , Li Yu , Deng Jieyi , Shi Xingzi , Pan Qinhai
Published: November 2021

With aldehydes as the radical precursors under visible-light irradiation, a simple and mild PIFA-mediated C–H acylation reaction of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones has been achieved.
Enhanced surface area and reduced pore collapse of methylated, imine-linked covalent organic frameworks
Authors: Dautzenberg Ellen , Lam Milena , Li Guanna , de Smet Louis C. P. M.
Published: November 2021

Methylation of aldehyde nodes in Covalent Organic Frameworks leads to enhanced BET surface areas and reduced pore collapse compared to their non-methylated counterparts, which has been rationalized by DFT computations.
Field-effect-transistor-based ion sensors: ultrasensitive mercury(ii) detection via healing MoS2 defects
Authors: Urbanos Fernando J. , Gullace Sara , Samorì Paolo
Published: November 2021

This article presents MoS2-based FETs as potential Hg2+ sensors, providing a genuine insight into the affinity between heavy metal ions and defectiveness in 2D materials. The sensors markedly displayed high selectivity, sensitivity and reversibility.
Artificial intelligence-powered microfluidics for nanomedicine and materials synthesis
Authors: Liu Linbo , Bi Mingcheng , Wang Yunhua , Liu Junfeng , Jiang Xiwen , Xu Zhongbin , Zhang Xingcai
Published: November 2021

Artificial intelligence-powered microfluidics has greatly promoted the development of nanomedicine and material synthesis.
Manganese(iii) acetate-mediated synthesis of N-substituted fulleropyrrolines via the reaction of [60]fullerene with α-monosubstituted acetaldehydes and primary amines
Authors: Sun Rui , Chai Ming-Ding , Liu Xiong , Wang Ying , Li Fa-Bao , Liu Xiu-Shan , Liu Xu-Feng , Liu Li , Asiri Abdullah M.
Published: November 2021

Reaction of [60]fullerene with α-monosubstituted acetaldehydes and primary amines in the presence of Mn(OAc)3·2H2O under air conditions afforded a series of novel N-substituted fulleropyrrolines with trisubstituted CC bonds.
Incorporating semiflexible linkers into double-cable conjugated polymers via a click reaction
Authors: Yang Zhaofan , Liang Shijie , Liu Baiqiao , Wang Jing , Yang Fan , Chen Qiaomei , Xiao Chengyi , Tang Zheng , Li Weiwei
Published: November 2021

Double-cable conjugated polymers with semiflexible linkers via click reaction were developed for application in single-component organic solar cells.
Tandem catalysis using an enzyme and a polymeric ruthenium-based artificial metalloenzyme
Authors: Garcia Edzna S. , Xiong Thao M. , Lifschitz Abygail , Zimmerman Steven C.
Published: November 2021

A Ru-containing single-chain nanoparticle (SCNP) performs allylcarbamate cleavage reactions in biologically relevant environments more efficiently than free catalyst and works in synergy with a natural enzyme to perform tandem catalysis.
Study on the interaction of Zea mays L. centrin and melittin
Authors: Wang Zhijun , Feng Yanlong , Song Tiantian , Su Jie , Fu Mengjie , Lei Haiying
Published: November 2021

Zea mays L. centrin (Zmcen) is a 20 kDa calcium binding protein also known as caltractin.
A comparative study of 0D and 1D Ce-ZnO nanocatalysts in photocatalytic decomposition of organic pollutants
Authors: Luu Thi Viet Ha , Nguyen Quang Bac , Dao Ngoc Nhiem , Luu Minh Dai , Doan Van Dat , Pham Ngoc Chuc , Duong Thi Lim , Pham Ngo Nghia
Published: November 2021

Ce doped ZnO nano-catalysts were synthesized by two different methods i.e., hydrothermal and polymer gel combustion method, to compare their photodegradation efficiency.
A single layer artificial neural network type architecture with molecular engineered bacteria for reversible and irreversible computing
Authors: Sarkar Kathakali , Bonnerjee Deepro , Srivastava Rajkamal , Bagh Sangram
Published: November 2021

We created artificial neural network type architecture with engineered bacteria to perform reversible and irreversible computation. This may work as new computing system for performing complex cellular computation.
Probing the local activity of CO2 reduction on gold gas diffusion electrodes: effect of the catalyst loading and CO2 pressure
Authors: Monteiro Mariana C. O. , Dieckhöfer Stefan , Bobrowski Tim , Quast Thomas , Pavesi Davide , Koper Marc T. M. , Schuhmann Wolfgang
Published: November 2021

Large scale CO2 electrolysis can be achieved using gas diffusion electrodes (GDEs), and is an essential step towards broader implementation of carbon capture and utilization strategies.
Skeletal remodeling of chalcone-based pyridinium salts to access isoindoline polycycles and their bridged derivatives
Authors: Wang Lele , Han Huabin , Gu Lijie , Zhang Wenjing , Zhao Junwei , Wang Qilin
Published: November 2021

A novel skeletal remodeling strategy to transform chalcone-based pyridinium salts into structurally intriguing polycyclic isoindolines was achieved through a dearomative ring-opening/ring-closing sequence.
Effect of mono- and multi-valent ionic environments on the in-lattice nanoparticle-grafted single-stranded DNA
Authors: Srivastava Sunita , Chhabra Anuj , Gang Oleg
Published: November 2021

Polyelectrolyte chains (DNA) grafted to the nanoparticles respond in a complex manner to multivalent salt environments due to both electrostatic screening and divalent ion bridging.
Whole tissue and single cell mechanics are correlated in human brain tumors
Authors: Sauer Frank , Fritsch Anatol , Grosser Steffen , Pawlizak Steve , Kießling Tobias , Reiss-Zimmermann Martin , Shahryari Mehrgan , Müller Wolf C. , Hoffmann Karl-Titus , Käs Josef A. , Sack Ingolf
Published: November 2021

Biomechanical changes are critical for cancer progression.