bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bio‐Voltage Diffusive Memristor from CVD Grown WSe2 as Artificial Nociceptor
Authors: Yadav Renu , Rajarapu Ramesh , Poudyal Saroj , Biswal Bubunu , Barman Prahalad Kanti , Novoselov Kostya S. , Misra Abhishek
Published: October 2024

Memristors have emerged as a promising candidate to mimic the human behavior and thus unlocking the potential for bio‐inspired computing advancement. However, these devices operate at a voltages which are still far from the energy‐efficient biological counterpart, which uses an action potential of 50–120 mV to process the information. Here, a diffusive memristor is reported from synthetic WSe2 fabricated in Ag/WSe2/Au vertical device geometry. The devices operate at bio‐voltages of 40–80 mV with Ion/Ioff ratio of 106 and steep switching turn ON and OFF slopes of 0.77 and 0.88 mV per decade, respectively. The power consumption in standby mode and power per set transition are found to be 10 fW and 64 pW, respectively. Further, the diffusive memristors are utilized to emulate the nociceptor, a special receptor for sensory neurons that selectively responds to noxious stimuli. Nociceptor in turn imparts a warning signal to the central nervous system which then triggers the motor response to take precautionary actions to prevent the body from injury. The key features of a nociceptor including “threshold”, “relaxation”, “no‐adaptation” and “sensitization” are demonstrated using artificial nociceptors. These illustrations imply the feasibility of developing low‐power diffusive memristors for bio‐inspired computing, humanoid robots, and electronic skins.
Base‐Mediated Cascade Reaction of CF3‐Imidoyl Sulfoxonium Ylides and Diimides for the Synthesis of Functionalized Amidines
Authors: Ling Sihao , Chen Qihua , Chen Zhengkai
Published: October 2024

A base‐mediated cascade reaction of CF3‐imidoyl sulfoxonium ylides (TFISYs) and diimides has been developed for the preparation of functionalized amidines. In the transformation, a cascade nucleophilic addition and subsequent [2,3]‐sigmatropic rearrangement of sulfoxonium ylide occur to enable an intramolecular migration of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The unexpected result of the developed protocol demonstrates the chameleonic reactivity of TFISYs.
A Recyclable Energy Storage Wood Composite with Photothermal Conversion Properties for Regulating Building Temperature
Authors: Chen Yang , Zheng Dingyuan , Yang Minghui , Wan Lu , Tan Haiyan , Sun Ce , Zhang Yanhua
Published: October 2024

Addressing the challenges of energy storage liquid leakage and long‐term stability in energy storage is crucial for achieving sustainable energy efficiency. In this study, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is innovatively employed as an encapsulation film on the surface of the wood‐based phase change material, resulting in a recyclable wood‐based composite energy storage material (PPW). A novel energy storage liquid (PCMs) composed of lauric acid (LA), capric acid (CA), and polyethylene glycol (PEG) is immersed in the pretreated porous wood frame through vacuum impregnation. The PCMs imparted a phase change temperature of 21.0 °C, which is close to human comfort levels, and a high energy storage efficiency of 31.6 J g−1 to the PPW. Additionally, the PCMs provided the PPW with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 29.3%. Even after 200 freeze‐thaw cycles, the energy storage properties of the PPW remained nearly unchanged. Therefore, utilizing PMMA as an effective encapsulation material is a viable approach to prevent leakage of the phase change solution and enhance the recyclability of the PPW. Furthermore, the transparency of PMMA preserves the natural appearance of the wood, thereby broadening the application potential of PPW in residential buildings, thermal energy storage, and solar thermal conversion systems.
Role of La2CuO4 as Buffer Layer for a Significant Improvement of the Performance of TiO2/Cu2O Based All‐Oxide Solar Cell: A SCAPS‐1D Numerical Analysis
Authors: Das Malaya Kumar , Panda Soumyakanta , Mohapatra Niharika
Published: October 2024

Currently, low‐bandgap Mott‐insulating materials are the most promising buffer layers (BLs) for solar power conversion efficiency, unlike organic‐halide or lead‐containing perovskite materials. They can reduce interfacial recombination by field effect passivation of heterojunctions while maintaining cost‐effectiveness and high thermal and electrical stability. Moreover, it is expected to obtain a high quantum efficiency due to multiple carrier generation caused by impact ionization from a single incident photon. This study uses the SCAPS‐1D simulator to estimate and improve the efficiency of Cu2O‐based solar cells using Mott insulator La2CuO4 (LCO) as a BL in both ideal and non‐ideal conditions. The simulations examine how BL thickness, carrier concentration, and defect density affect device performance. Also, different metal contact work functions and working temperatures are examined to improve cell performance. Considering all optimisation parameters in ideal conditions, Au/Cu2O/TiO2/Nb: STO solar cell structure without a BL has a PCE of 11.27%, while Au/Cu2O/LCO/TiO2/Nb: STO has 28.11%. By incorporating non‐idealities, the simulated solar cell can simulate actual conditions. The impact of each non‐ideality is studied in detail. These findings suggest that Mott insulating buffer materials have great potential for creating high‐efficiency photovoltaic (PV) devices, presenting a new avenue for research.
Trojan‐Horse Strategy Targeting the Gut‐Liver Axis Modulates Gut Microbiome and Reshapes Microenvironment for Orthotopic Hepatocellular Carcinoma Therapy
Authors: Yao Haochen , Ma Sheng , Huang Juanjuan , Si Xinghui , Yang Ming , Song Wantong , Lv Guoyue , Wang Guoqing
Published: October 2024

Reversing the hepatic inflammatory and immunosuppressive microenvironment caused by gut microbiota‐derived lipopolysaccharides (LPS), accumulating to the liver through the gut‐liver axis, is crucial for suppressing hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and metastasis. However, synergistically manipulating LPS‐induced inflammation and gut microbiota remains a daunting task. Herein, a Trojan‐horse strategy is proposed using an oral dextran‐carbenoxolone (DEX‐CBX) conjugate, which combines prebiotic and glycyrrhetinic acid (GA) homologs, to targeted delivery GA to HCC through the gut‐liver axis for simultaneous modulation of hepatic inflammation and gut microbiota. In the orthotopic HCC model, a 95–45% reduction in the relative abundances of LPS‐associated microbiota is observed, especially Helicobacter, caused by DEX‐CBX treatment over phosphate‐buffered saline (PBS) treatment. Notably, a dramatic increase (37‐fold over PBS) in the abundance of Akkermansia, which is known to strengthen systemic immune response, is detected. Furthermore, DEX‐CBX significantly increased natural killer T cells (5.7‐fold) and CD8+ T cells (3.9‐fold) as well as decreased M2 macrophages (59% reduction) over PBS treatment, resulting in a tumor suppression rate of 85.4%. DEX‐CBX is anticipated to offer a novel strategy to precisely modulate hepatic inflammation and the gut microbiota to address both the symptoms and root causes of LPS‐induced immunosuppression in HCC.
Brain Specific RagA Overexpression Triggers Depressive‐Like Behaviors in Mice via Activating ADORA2A Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhao Jia , Sun Yilu , Feng Yibin , Rong Jianhui
Published: October 2024

Neuroinflammation hallmarks the pathology of depression although the etiological complexity has not yet been resolved. Previous studies demonstrate that bacterial lipopolysaccharide induces depressive‐like behaviors by activating RagA‐mTOR‐p70S6K signaling pathway. The current project aims to investigate whether and how brain‐specific RagA overexpression triggers depressive‐like behaviors in mice. Full‐length RagA cDNA is cloned into the mammalian expression vector under the control of brain specific promoter, and subsequently overexpressed in the brain of mouse embryos. Indeed, RagA transgenic mice exhibit depressive‐like behaviors and memory impairments. RNA‐seq profiling of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) transcriptome highlights adenosine A2a receptor (ADORA2A) as a key differentially expressed gene (DEG). Western blotting confirms that ADORA2A and phospho‐p70S6K are markedly elevated in RagA transgenic mice. Behavioral assessments demonstrate that ADORA2A inhibitor istradefylline markedly attenuates depressive‐like behaviors. Further metabolomics reveals that N‐acetylserotonin and several depression‐related metabolites are downregulated while proteomic profiling showed that OLIG1 and other proteins are significantly regulated in RagA transgenic mice. Collectively, RagA overexpression alters the expression patterns of signaling proteins and the metabolism of depression‐associated metabolites. RagA may cause depressive‐like behaviors in mice via activating p70S6K/ADORA2A signaling pathway. Thus, RagA‐p70S6K‐ADORA2A signaling pathway may be a target for the development of new antidepressant therapies.
Development and Validation of an AI‐Driven System for Automatic Literature Analysis and Molecular Regulatory Network Construction
Authors: Li Jia , Zhang Hailin , Wang Jiamin , Deng Mei , Li Zhiyong , Jiang Wei , Xu Kejin , Wu Lianlian , Dong Zehua , Liu Jun , Ding Qianshan , Yu Honggang
Published: October 2024

Decoding gene regulatory networks is essential for understanding the mechanisms underlying many complex diseases. GENET is developed, an automated system designed to extract and visualize extensive molecular relationships from published biomedical literature. Using natural language processing, entities and relations are identified from a randomly selected set of 1788 scientific articles, and visualized in a filterable knowledge graph. The performance of GENET is evaluated and compared with existing methods. The named entity recognition model has achieved an overall precision of 94.23% (4835/5131; 93.56–94.84%), recall of 97.72% (4835/4948; 97.27–98.10%), and an F1 score of 95.94%. The relation extraction model has demonstrated an overall precision of 91.63% (2593/2830; 90.55–92.59%), recall of 89.17% (2593/2908; 87.99–90.25%), and an F1 score of 90.38%. GENET significantly outperforms existing methods in extracting molecular relationships (P < 0.001). Additionally, GENET has successfully predicted WNT family member 4 regulates insulin‐like growth factor 2 via signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in colon cancer. With RNA sequencing data and multiple immunofluorescence, the authenticity of this prediction is validated, supporting the promising feasibility of GENET.
N‐Doped Porous Carbon Based on Anion and Cation Storage Chemistry for High‐Energy and Power‐Density Zinc Ion Capacitor
Authors: Liang Yuanyuan , Wu Miaomiao , Liu Anjie , Chen Qihua , Wu Yan , Xiang Qian , Liu Zhibo , Guo Jixi , Wang Xingchao , Jia Dianzeng
Published: October 2024

Zinc ion hybrid capacitors (ZIHCs) show promise for large‐scale energy storage because of their low cost, highly intrinsic safety, and eco‐friendliness. However, their energy density has been limited by the lack of advanced cathodes. Herein, a high‐capacity cathode material named N‐doped porous carbon (CFeN‐2) is introduced for ZIHCs. CFeN‐2, synthesized through the annealing of coal pitch with FeCl3·6H2O as a catalytic activator and melamine as a nitrogen source, exhibits significant N content (10.95 wt%), a large surface area (1037.66 m2 g−1), abundant lattice defects and ultrahigh microporosity. These characteristics, validated through theoretical simulations and experimental tests, enable a dual‐ion energy storage mechanism involving Zn2+ ions and CF3SO3− anions for CFeN‐2. When used as a cathode in ZIHCs, CFeN‐2 achieves a high‐energy density of 142.5 W h kg−1 and a high‐power density of 9500.1 W kg−1. Furthermore, using CFeN‐2 ZIHCs demonstrate exceptional performance with 77% capacity retention and nearly 100% coulombic efficiency after 10 000 cycles at 10 A g−1, showcasing substantially superior performance to current ZIHCs. This study offers a pathway for developing high‐energy and high‐power cathodes derived from coal pitch carbon for ZIHC applications.
A Novel Superparamagnetic‐Responsive Hydrogel Facilitates Disc Regeneration by Orchestrating Cell Recruitment, Proliferation, and Differentiation within Hostile Inflammatory Niche
Authors: Xue Borui , Peng Yan , Zhang Yongfeng , Yang Shijie , Zheng Yi , Hu Huiling , Gao Xueli , Yu Beibei , Gao Xue , Li Shengyou , Wu Haining , Ma Teng , Hao Yiming , Wei Yitao , Guo Lingli , Yang Yujie , Wang Zhenguo , Xue Tingfeng , Zhang Jin , Luo Beier , Xia Bing , Huang Jinghui
Published: October 2024

In situ disc regeneration is a meticulously orchestrated process, which involves cell recruitment, proliferation and differentiation within a local inflammatory niche. Thus far, it remains a challenge to establish a multi‐staged regulatory framework for coordinating these cellular events, therefore leading to unsatisfactory outcome. This study constructs a super paramagnetically‐responsive cellular gel, incorporating superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) and aptamer‐modified palladium‐hydrogen nanozymes (PdH‐Apt) into a double‐network polyacrylamide/hyaluronic acid (PAAm/HA) hydrogel. The Aptamer DB67 within magnetic hydrogel (Mag‐gel) showed a high affinity for disialoganglioside (GD2), a specific membrane ligand of nucleus pulposus stem cells (NPSCs), to precisely recruit them to the injury site. The Mag‐gel exhibits remarkable sensitivity to a magnetic field (MF), which exerts tunable micro/nano‐scale forces on recruited NPSCs and triggers cytoskeletal remodeling, consequently boosting cell expansion in the early stage. By altering the parameters of MF, the mechanical cues within the hydrogel facilitates differentiation of NPSCs into nucleus pulposus cells to restore disc structure in the later stage. Furthermore, the PdH nanozymes within the Mag‐gel mitigate the harsh inflammatory microenvironment, favoring cell survival and disc regeneration. This study presents a remote and multi‐staged strategy for chronologically regulating endogenous stem cell fate, supporting disc regeneration without invasive procedures.
Hydrogen‐Doped c‐BN as a Promising Path to High‐Temperature Superconductivity Above 120 K at Ambient Pressure
Authors: Ding Han‐Bin , Niu Rui , Li Shen‐Ao , Liu Ying‐Ming , Chen Xiao‐Jia , Lin Hai‐Qing , Zhong Guo‐Hua
Published: October 2024

Finding high‐temperature superconductivity in light‐weight element containing compounds at atmosphere pressure is currently a research hotspot but has not been reached yet. Here it is proposed that hard or superhard materials can be promising candidates to possess the desirable high‐temperature superconductivity. By studying the electronic structures and superconducting properties of H and Li doped c‐BN within the framework of the first‐principles, it is demonstrated that the doped c‐BN are indeed good superconductors at ambient pressure after undergoing the phase transition from the insulating to metallic behavior, though holding different nature of metallization. Li doped c‐BN is predicted to exhibit the superconducting transition temperature of ≈58 K, while H doped c‐BN has stronger electron–phonon interaction and possesses a higher transition temperature of 122 K. These results and findings thus point out a new direction for exploring the ambient‐pressure higher‐temperature superconductivity in hard or superhard materials.
Hydrogel Films with Impact Resistance by Sacrificial Micelle‐Assisted‐Alignment
Authors: Zhang Jingxian , Shi Xiaowen , Zhao Zhongtao , Wang Manya , Deng Hongbing , Du Yumin
Published: October 2024

Various strategies are developed to engineer aligned hierarchical architectures in polymer hydrogels for enhanced mechanical performance. However, chain alignment remains impeded by the presence of hydrogen bonds between adjacent chains. Herein, a facile sacrificial micelle‐assisted‐alignment strategy is proposed, leading to well‐aligned, strong and tough pure chitosan hydrogels. The sacrificial sodium dodecyl sulfate micelles electrostatically interact with the protonated chitosan chains, enabling chain sliding and alignment under uniaxial forces. Subsequently, sacrificial micelles can be easily removed via NaOH treatment, causing the reforming of H‐bond in the chain networks. The strength of the pure chitosan hydrogels increases 140‐fold, reaching 58.9 ± 3.4 MPa; the modulus increases 595‐fold, reaching 226.4 ± 42.8 MPa. After drying‐rehydration, the strength and modulus further rise to 70.3 ± 2.4 and 403.5 ± 76.3 MPa, marking a significant advancement in high‐strength pure chitosan hydrogel films. Furthermore, the designed multiscale architectures involving enhanced crystallinity, well‐aligned fibers, strong interfaces, robust multilayer Bouligand assembly contribute to the exact replica of lobster underbelly with impact resistance up to 6.8 ± 1.0 kJ m−1. This work presents a promising strategy for strong, tough, stiff and impact‐resistant polymer hydrogels via well‐aligned hierarchical design.
Injectable Magnetic Hydrogel Incorporated with Anti‐Inflammatory Peptide for Efficient Magnetothermal Treatment of Endometriosis
Authors: Liu Huaichao , Dai Xiaohui , Li Na , Zhang Le , Wang Zihan , Ren Ke , Li Yulei , Sun Xiao , Wan Jipeng
Published: October 2024

Endometriosis is a prevalent gynecological condition characterized by chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, and infertility, affecting ≈176 million women of reproductive age worldwide. Current treatments, including pharmacological and surgical interventions, are often associated with significant side effects and high recurrence rates. Consequently, there is an urgent need for innovative and safer therapeutic approaches. In this study, an injectable magnetic hydrogel nanosystem is developed designed for the dual‐purpose magnetothermal and anti‐inflammatory treatment of endometriosis. This hydrogel incorporates Fe3O4 nanoparticles alongside an anti‐inflammatory peptide. Upon magnetic activation, the Fe3O4 nanoparticles induce a localized hyperthermic response, raising the temperature of endometriotic lesions to 63.3 °C, effectively destroying endometriotic cells. Concurrently, the thermally responsive hydrogel facilitates the controlled release of the anti‐inflammatory peptide, thus modulating the inflammatory milieu. The biocompatibility and complete in vivo degradability of the hydrogel further enhance its therapeutic potential. The in vivo studies demonstrated that this injectable magnetic hydrogel system achieved a 90% reduction in the volume of endometriotic lesions and significantly decreased inflammatory markers, offering a promising non‐invasive treatment modality for endometriosis. By integrating precise lesion ablation with the modulation of the inflammatory microenvironment, this system represents a novel approach to the clinical management of endometriosis.
A Comprehensive Study on the Parameters Affecting Magnesium Plating/Stripping Kinetics in Rechargeable Mg Batteries
Authors: Radi Muath , Purkait Taniya , Tchitchekova Deyana S. , Goñi Alejandro R. , Markowski Robert , Bodin Charlotte , Courrèges Cécile , Dedryvère Rémi , Ponrouch Alexandre
Published: October 2024

Mg metal anode‐based battery is a more sustainable, lower cost, and higher energy density alternative to Li‐ion. However, this battery chemistry also faces several challenges associated with the high charge density of Mg2+, including achieving high reversibility and low voltage hysteresis for Mg metal plating/stripping. While significant improvements are achieved in last decades, they involve rather complex electrolyte formulations and/or Mg salts difficult to produce, and the use of unpractical substrates such as platinum. Here, significant improvement in terms of Mg plating kinetics is achieved in electrolytes containing commercial magnesium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide salt (Mg(TFSI)2) by using titanium substrate with similar crystal structure and lattice parameter as Mg leading to lower nucleation overpotential. Low salt concentration electrolyte and addition of dibutyl magnesium (Mg(butyl)2) also enable the formation of thinner interphase, richer in solvent based decomposition products, further improving Mg plating kinetics. This work highlights the complex role of Mg(butyl)2, often considered as a simple drying agent, and how it impacts ion solvation favoring the mobility of electroactive cationic species, paving the way toward better electrolyte design with improved cation transference number.
Harvesting Broadband Breeze Vibration Energy via Elastic Bistable Triboelectric Nanogenerator for In Situ, Self‐Powered Monitoring of Power Transmission Lines
Authors: Wang Liang , Zhang Yaxun , Zhang Xiaosong , Cheng Xiaojun , Zhai Shijie , Bi Xiangzhuang , Li Hengyu , Wang ZhongLin , Cheng Tinghai
Published: October 2024

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), as a new technique for energy capture, has unique advantages in harvesting high‐entropy energy. In view of the wind‐induced vibration characteristics of power transmission lines, the symmetric elastic bistable triboelectric nanogenerator (EB‐TENG) is introduced in this work. The core component of the EB‐TENG is the elastic bistable cantilever beam structure, which is designed by introducing an elastic perturbation structure to the conventional cantilever beam. This beam results in several sub‐resonance frequencies in addition to the natural frequencies, which broadens the frequency band of the EB‐TENG. In addition, the EB‐TENG adopts a symmetrical cantilever beam to ensure effective harvesting of vibration energy, even in situations of self‐tilting and external tilting vibration. The experimental outcomes confirm that the EB‐TENG can significantly harvest vibration energy in the 7–60 Hz frequency range and delivers the maximum peak power of 2.846 mW, which meets the major vibration frequency range of power transmission lines under the action of breeze. Finally, self‐powered strategy based on EB‐TENG online monitoring devices (such as tower obstruction lights, temperature and humidity sensors, and line high temperature wireless alarms) is constructed. This work helps promote the application of in‐situ self‐powered monitoring based on TENG in smart transmission lines.
Sedentary Behavior and Ultra‐Processed Food Consumption Associated to BMI Changes in Brazilian Students During COVID‐19
Authors: Alves Lucas de Oliveira , Paravidino Vitor Barreto , Gonçalves Tatiana Rehder , Ferreira Ana Lorena Lima , Gomes Diego Viana , Dutra‐Malvar Sabrina Graziani Veloso , Cocate Paula Guedes
Published: October 2024

Introduction

University students experienced significant changes in their routines with the implementation of remote learning during Covid‐19 pandemic, including increase in sedentary behavior (SB) time and ultra‐processed foods (UPF's) consumption, which may have influenced changes in body mass index (BMI).

Objective

To evaluate the association between the variation in SB time and UPF's consumption with the variation in BMI, before and during the pandemic, in university students.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional study, conducted between November 2020 and February 2021, with students from a public university of Southeast of Brazil, who answered an online questionnaire with questions regarding to the period before and during the pandemic. SB was assessed through questions about time spent on TV and electronic devices. A score of the frequency of UPF's consumption was estimated based on the Brazilian Food Guide. Self‐reported information on height and body mass was used to calculate BMI.

Results

The sample comprised 3390 university students, with an average age of 28.7 (± 10.0) years. Among them, 65.4% were undergraduates, and 66.9% were women. SB time, UPF score, and BMI increased significantly during the pandemic, compared to the previous period. In this population, there was a significant association between increased SB time (β = 0.06; SE = 0.01; p < 0.001) and UPF score (β = 0.08; SE = 0.01; p < 0.001) with an increase in BMI.

Conclusion

Changes in SB time and UPF score were associated with an increase in BMI before and during the COVID‐19 pandemic in students from a Brazilian University.
Stepwise Empty Nose Syndrome Evaluation (SENSE) test—A modified cotton test for reduced bias in office diagnosis of empty nose syndrome
Authors: Levi Lirit , Yang Angela , Tsai Esmond F. , Ma Yifei , Ibrahim Nour , Dholakia Sachi S. , Rao Vidya K. , Renteria Axel , Cao Xueying , Chang Michael T. , Nayak Jayakar V.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Diagnosis of empty nose syndrome (ENS) relies on the ENS six‐item questionnaire (ENS6Q) with a score of ≥11, followed by a “positive” cotton test yielding seven‐point reduction from baseline ENS6Q score via cotton placement to the inferior meatus (IM). Given the intricacies of diagnosing ENS and the propensity for false positives with the standard cotton test, we modified the classic single‐step cotton test into a four‐part Stepwise Empty Nose Syndrome Evaluation (SENSE) cotton test to reduce bias and evaluate the placebo effect.

Methods

Individuals diagnosed with ENS underwent the SENSE test, a single‐blinded, four‐step, office‐based cotton test, without topical anesthesia or decongestants. Conditions included: (1) placebo/no cotton placed; (2) complete cotton‐blockade of nasal vestibule; (3) cotton placed medially against the nasal septum; and (4) cotton placed laterally in the IM (site of inferior turbinate tissue loss). With each condition, patients completed an ENS6Q.

Results

Forty‐eight ENS patients were included. Twenty‐nine percent demonstrated a placebo effect (p < 0.001), 40.4% had a positive response to complete cotton‐blockade (p < 0.001), 64.4% to septum‐placed cotton, and 79.1% to IM‐placed cotton (p < 0.001), corresponding to a mean ENS6Q reduction of 11.9 points (p < 0.001). Notably, the mean difference in ENS6Q scores between septum and IM placement was 1.7 (p < 0.001).

Conclusions

The SENSE test offers further insight into subtleties of nasal breathing experienced by ENS patients. The placebo effect can be prominent and important to consider with individual patients. While most ENS patients prefer any intranasal cotton placement over baseline, blinded testing reveals these patients can accurately discriminate minimal changes in nasal aerodynamics.
High‐Efficiency Photo‐Assisted Large Current‐Density Water Splitting with Mott‐Schottky Heterojunctions
Authors: Jiang Minming , Xu Jiang , Chen Yujie , Wang Luqi , Munroe Paul , Xie Zong‐Han , Peng Shengjie
Published: October 2024

The development of bifunctional photogenerated carrier‐assisted electrocatalytic (PCA‐EC) electrodes that operate with stability at large current‐density remains a significant challenge. Herein, we demonstrate a simple sputtering‐deposition process to synthesize a novel MnWO4/FeCoNi Mott‐Schottky heterojunction coating and deposit it on a pure Ti substrate to prepare high‐performance PCA‐EC electrodes, which exhibits enhanced light absorption range/intensity and rapidly separated photogenerated electron‐hole pairs. This design allows photogenerated electrons to directly participate in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), while the strong oxidation of photogenerated holes significantly reduces the defect formation energy of active metals, thereby facilitating the rapid reconstruction of highly active Ni(FeCo)OOH/MnOOH species for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). As expected, the as‐prepared electrode demonstrates the overpotentials of 64 mV for the HER and 204 mV for the OER at 10 mA cm−2 under illumination. Benefiting from the stable interface with Fe/Co/Ni‐O−Mn/W bonding units, the dual‐electrode photoassisted electrolytic cell achieves long‐term stability at current densities of 500 and 1000 mA cm−2. This work provides detailed insights into the enhancement mechanism of PCA‐EC and contributes to the development of photo‐assisted water splitting electrodes for large current‐density applications.
Photoelectrochemical Ethylene Glycol Oxidization Coupled with Hydrogen Generation Using Metal Oxide Photoelectrodes
Authors: Kang Fusong , Wang Qingjie , Du Dongfeng , Wu Linxiao , Cheung Daniel Wun Fung , Luo Jingshan
Published: October 2024

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting represents a promising approach for harnessing solar energy and transforming it into storable hydrogen. However, the complicated 4‐electron transfer process of water oxidation reaction imposes kinetic limitations on the overall efficiency. Herein, we proposed a strategy by substituting water oxidation with the oxidation of ethylene glycol (EG), which is a hydrolysis byproduct of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste. To achieve this, we developed and synthesized BiVO4/NiCo‐LDH photoanodes capable of achieving a high Faradaic efficiency (FE) exceeding 85 % for the oxidation of EG to formate in a strongly alkaline environment. The reaction mechanism was further elucidated using in situ FTIR spectroscopy. Additionally, we successfully constructed an unassisted PEC device for EG oxidation and hydrogen generation by pairing the translucent Mo : BiVO4/NiCo‐LDH photoanode with a state‐of‐the‐art Cu2O photocathode, resulting in an approximate photocurrent density of 2.3 mA/cm2. Our research not only offers a PEC pathway for converting PET plastics into valuable chemicals but also enables simultaneous hydrogen production.
One‐Pot Multicomponent Reactions for the Synthesis and Biological Study of Novel Dihydrocyclopenta[b]pyrrole Employing Ag/Fe3O4@MWCNTs
Authors: Matmir Samaneh , Hajinasiri Rahimeh , Mirabi Ali , Hosseizadeh Masoumeh
Published: October 2024

The primary objective of this study was to explore the synthesis of novel dihydrocyclopenta[b]pyrrole derivatives with a high degree of efficiency. The work utilized a nanocatalyst composed of Ag/Fe3O4@MWCNTs in a multicomponent reaction including vinilydene aldehydes, ethyl 2‐amino‐4‐dioxo‐4‐arylbutanoates, and alkyl bromides. The reaction was carried out in aqueous solution at ambient temperature, leading to the formation of novel chemicals. The produced compounds exhibit antioxidant activity as a result of the evaluation processes performed on their NH group. Furthermore, an evaluation was performed on the antibacterial effectiveness of newly produced pyridines using a disk diffusion technique, utilizing two different strains of Gram‐negative bacteria. Significantly, the substances that were evaluated shown inhibitory effects on the development of Gram‐positive bacteria as well. This method has several benefits, including quick response times, high product yields, and easy separation of catalyst and product through simple procedures.
The predictive power of Dutch end of primary school tests for educational attainment in ninth grade
Authors: Douma N. H. , Warrens M. J. , Fleur E. , Dijks M. A. , Korpershoek H.
Published: October 2024

Dutch secondary education is a multi‐tiered system, and many students are placed in a single track in the first year (seventh grade) of secondary education. As part of the placement procedure, all sixth‐grade students take an end of primary school test. Although these standardised attainment tests (SATs) are considered high‐stakes tests, the predictive accuracy of many of these SATs has not been studied comprehensively. In the current study, three SATs commonly used in The Netherlands (CET, IEP and R8) were compared on their predictive accuracy of educational attainment in ninth grade. The predictive accuracy was also investigated for particular track recommendations, using multiple cohorts of population data, each of around 160,000 students. For the two most recent cohorts, CET was overall a more accurate predictor of educational attainment in ninth grade than R8, which in turn was a more accurate predictor than IEP. All three attainment tests had only mediocre to acceptable predictive power overall. Furthermore, all three tests had very poor predictive power for certain single‐track recommendations. For these track recommendations, many students attained a lower or higher educational level in ninth grade. This study is the first to compare the predictive accuracy of these SATs. While statistical noise is normal when using tests, since different tests are used that vary widely in predictive accuracy, there is much more noise than is acceptable. As long as the predictive accuracy is poor to mediocre, these SATs should not have a large role to play in the Dutch placement procedure for secondary education.
Using hope theory to understand changes from professional learning in inclusive education
Authors: Park Eunjae , McKay Loraine , Carrington Suzanne , Harper‐Hill Keely
Published: October 2024

Professional learning for quality teaching is a lifelong enterprise. Nevertheless, it entails a considerable cost with varying outcomes. Drawing on Snyder's hope theory and Pantic's teacher agency, this paper aims to present a model aimed at deepening our understanding of teachers' intentions and competencies in inclusive education. The model formulates a professional learning cycle tailored to address their unique needs. This study draws on data from a larger qualitative dominant mixed‐methods study exploring 18 teachers' professional learning experience with the inclusionEd online platform. The process involved a pre‐training online survey and interviews and employed multiple strategies for data analysis. Descriptive statistics were used for pre‐training survey data to assess teacher‐participants' attitudes towards inclusion and efficacy levels in this area. Subsequently, using Snyder's hope theory and Pantic's teacher agency, we deductively analysed interview data. The quantitative results showed that teacher‐participants had positive beliefs about inclusive education with high efficacy. However, qualitative data analysis uncovered a misalignment between their stated beliefs and enacted beliefs, revealing diverse pathways to both success and challenges in their implementation of inclusive practices. The qualitative analysis, combined with the preliminary survey findings, unveiled the fluidity of hope and identified the influences on shifting hope and maintaining a positive stance. We offer an illustration of teacher professional learning pathways. Understanding how these pathways might be used to increase the value and outcomes of professional learning programmes is discussed. This study concludes with a discussion of theoretical and practical implications and directions for future research.
Zur Aufnahme von Umlenkkräften – Untersuchungen zum Ausbruchwiderstand von Bewehrungsstäben aus Beton
Authors: Mähner Dietmar , Wenker Felix
Published: October 2024

Bei gekrümmten Stahlbetonbauteilen resultieren aus den Stahlzugkräften der Bewehrung radial gerichtete Umlenkspannungen im Beton, die das Abplatzen der Betondeckung und das Herausziehen der Bewehrungsstäbe provozieren können. Zur Untersuchung der Aufnahme dieser Umlenkkräfte durch den Beton wurde an der FH Münster der Einfluss von verschiedenen Parametern auf die Ausbruchkräfte von Bewehrungsstäben ermittelt. Dabei wurde sowohl der Einfluss von unterschiedlichen Stabdurchmessern (16, 20, 25, 28 und 32 mm) als auch der Einfluss der Interaktion zwischen mehreren Bewehrungsstäben bei zwei unterschiedlichen Betonrezepturen untersucht. Das Ergebnis dieser Versuche ist, dass größere Bewehrungsstabdurchmesser sowie eine höhere Betongüte i. A. höhere Bruchlasten generierten.
Time‐Dependent Hydrothermal Synthesis of La2O3 NPs for Effective Catalytic Activity of Ionic Dye
Authors: Rahul Subramani , George Amal , Savio Chinnapparaj Dominic , Saravanan P. , Raj Alphonse Dhayal , Sundaram Savarenathan John , Nivetha Michael Raj Sherlin , Devanesan Sandhanasamy , Srinivasan P. , Arul K.
Published: October 2024

Lanthanum oxide was successfully synthesized by hydrothermal method by varying the reaction time such as 6, 12, and 24 h. In XRD, study confirms the presence of a hexagonal structure, and the phase remains the same at different times; the main goal is to assess the average crystallite size of prepared La2O3 nanoparticles, which was found in the range of 6 to 8 nm. An interesting observation from the XRD data was the apparent increase in crystalline nature as the synthesis time was extended. The UV–Vis spectroscopic studies show a change in the band gap when the reaction time is changed. The morphology analysis shows that the image revealed that the particles formed were agglomerated and formed a spherical shape, with diameters ranging between 35 and 86 nm. When tested for photocatalytic activity, the La2O3 nanoparticles show a degradation of methylene blue dye when the time varies. Remarkably, the nanoparticles synthesized exhibited a profound ability to degrade the dye, with an efficiency rate hitting as high as 89% under halogen light illumination.
Advances in mass spectrometry for metabolomics: Strategies, challenges, and innovations in disease biomarker discovery
Authors: Titkare Nikhil , Chaturvedi Sachin , Borah Sapan , Sharma Nitish
Published: October 2024

Mass spectrometry (MS) plays a crucial role in metabolomics, especially in the discovery of disease biomarkers. This review outlines strategies for identifying metabolites, emphasizing precise and detailed use of MS techniques. It explores various methods for quantification, discusses challenges encountered, and examines recent breakthroughs in biomarker discovery. In the field of diagnostics, MS has revolutionized approaches by enabling a deeper understanding of tissue‐specific metabolic changes associated with disease. The reliability of results is ensured through robust experimental design and stringent system suitability criteria. In the past, data quality, standardization, and reproducibility were often overlooked despite their significant impact on MS‐based metabolomics. Progress in this field heavily depends on continuous training and education. The review also highlights the emergence of innovative MS technologies and methodologies. MS has the potential to transform our understanding of metabolic landscapes, which is crucial for disease biomarker discovery. This article serves as an invaluable resource for researchers in metabolomics, presenting fresh perspectives and advancements that propels the field forward.
Service‐dominant logic and customer engagement based value proposition framework in peer‐to‐peer accommodation: A two‐study approach
Authors: Ashaduzzaman Md , Thaichon Park , Weaven Scott , Jebarajakirthy Charles , Ross Mitchell , Maseeh Haroon Iqbal , Hoque Imranul
Published: October 2024

In the competitive travel accommodation market, peer‐to‐peer accommodation (P2PA) providers are in desperate need of a value proposition framework that will assist them in guiding the development of an ‘engaged’ customer base. However, currently, the P2PA literature does not provide such a framework that includes a comprehensive list of tangible and intangible values driving customer engagement (CE). Underpinned by the service‐dominant (S‐D) logic theory, we adopted a big data‐based, two study approach to identify these values (and their composites) that drive CE in P2PA. Study 1 was conducted to identify important tangible and intangible values driving customers to engage with P2PA. This qualitative study adopted a text‐mining and sentiment analysis approach which was performed on 499,160 customer reviews. The subsequent quantitative study (Study 2) used a multi‐factor ANOVA analysis (i.e., Automatic Linear Modelling) to examine 19,060 listed houses using their star ratings and other available quantitative data (e.g., accommodation cost, response rate and number of rooms). Our findings present an S‐D logic‐based value proposition framework for enhancing CE in P2PA. This framework shows that customers consider seven tangible‐intangible values (i.e., accommodation, perceived enjoyment, perceived friendliness, perceived convenience, surrounding, perceived response and trustworthiness) in creating three values (i.e., re‐adopt, recommend, and refer P2PA) for P2PA‐platform providers and listed‐houses. Overall, by developing an S‐D logic‐based framework and identifying salient values in P2PA value co‐creation, this research extends both the P2PA literature and S‐D logic theory. We also provide insightful recommendations for P2PA providers.
UPLC‐HRMS/MS Guided Isolation and NMR Investigation of Major Flavonoids from Enarthrocarpus strangulatus Boissier (Brassicaceae) with In Vitro Enzymes Inhibitory Potential
Authors: Hegazi Nesrine M. , El Shabrawy Mona , Aboulthana Wael M. , Ragheb Alia Y. , Ibrahim Lamiaa F. , Marzouk Mona M.
Published: October 2024

Various members of the family Brassicaceae are economically important and traditionally used to treat many disorders. Among the family members, Enarthrocarpus strangulatus Boissier is a common Egyptian species that was rarely studied. Consequently, the current study aims to characterize its phytochemical composition and assess its potential bioactivity comprehensively. A metabolomics approach integrating UPLC‐HRMS/MS‐based molecular networking enabled the dereplication of 91 metabolites, including primary (i. e. organic acids, amino acids, fatty acids, and phospholipids) and secondary metabolites (i. e. glucosinolates, phenolic acids, and flavonoids). Among the 91 annotated features, 13 major metabolites were fully characterized following their isolation and purification. Exclusive of only three flavonoids, all the detected metabolites are described for the first time within this species. Furthermore, the crude extract and four major isolated flavonoids were subjected to in vitro biological screening, including antioxidant, radical scavenging, anti‐diabetic, anti‐Alzheimer's, and anti‐inflammatory activities. It was noticed that nobiletin (61) exhibited the highest antioxidant and anti‐Alzheimer's activities. At the same time, isorhamnetin 3‐O‐glucose (51) showed the highest anti‐diabetic activity compared to the other isolated flavonoids and the total extract itself. Regarding the anti‐inflammatory activity, no obvious differences were detected numerically among all studied flavonoids.
Selenium Enhances Growth, Phenolic Compounds, Antioxidant Capacity in Brassica Oleracea Var. Italica
Authors: Saeedi Mahboobeh , Soltani Forouzandeh , Babalar Mesbah , Wiesner‐Reinhold Melanie , Baldermann Susanne , Mastinu Andrea
Published: October 2024

Selenium is a micronutrient element that is beneficial for the growth and development of plants. It has antioxidant, anticancer, and antiviral properties that are essential for human and animal health. Low‐consumption mineral elements such as selenium can be included in the diet from various sources. To investigate the growth and phytochemical attributes of a broccoli cultivar “Heracklion”, an experiment with five levels of selenium concentration (0, 5, 10, 15, 20 mg/L sodium selenate) was carried out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications in the field condition. With increasing the concentration of sodium selenate in the foliar application, the accumulation of sodium selenate in broccoli increased and the highest amount (1.47 mg/kg dry weight) was measured at 20 mg/L of sodium selenate. The highest amount of photosynthetic pigments in leaves was recorded at 15 mg/L of sodium selenate. In the case of glucosinolates, with increasing selenium concentration up to 20 mg/L concentration, glucoraphanin, 4‐methoxy glucobrassicin, and aliphatic glucosinolates increased in leaves. It could be demonstrated that foliar application of selenium at 10 mg/L led to an improvement of secondary metabolites, especially glucoraphanin, both in leaves and florets, and could also have a positive effect on human nutrition.
Investigation of the Inhibitory Activity of β‐Arbutin and its Analogues on Tyrosinase Based on Molecular Docking and Enzyme Inhibition Kinetics
Authors: Lv Yuxiu , Yao Chuanhui , Han Kangjia , Xie Dong , Xie Sida , Xu Junming , Zhao Ping , Yang Xiaoqin
Published: October 2024

β‐Arbutin, a natural glucoside hydroquinone derivative known for its skin‐whitening properties through tyrosinase inhibition in melanin synthesis, may pose potential risks of allergy and carcinogenicity due to the release of hydroquinone during use. This study explores the inhibitory effects of phenyl‐β‐D‐pyranoglucoside (compound 1), 4‐methoxyphenyl‐β‐D‐pyranoglucoside (compound 2), 4‐hydroxymethylphenyl‐β‐D‐pyranoglucoside (compound 3), and β‐arbutin (compound 4) on tyrosinase using enzyme kinetics, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. Results show compounds 1, 3, and 4 exhibit competitive inhibition, while compound 2 shows mixed inhibition. Docking analysis reveals phenyl rings of all compounds interact with the enzyme's active site, with compound 3 forming a metal bond with copper ions. MD simulations indicate high stability for compounds 2, 3, and 4, with compound 3 showing the lowest RMSD and compact Rg, suggesting stronger binding. Compound 1 is less stable and less inhibitory. These insights are valuable for designing effective tyrosinase inhibitors.
Ligand‐Induced Folding in a Dopamine‐Binding DNA Aptamer
Authors: Kaiyum Yunus A. , Hoi Pui Chao Emily , Dhar Lakshmi , Shoara Aron A. , Nguyen Minh‐Dat , Mackereth Cameron D. , Dauphin‐Ducharme Philippe , Johnson Philip E.
Published: October 2024

Aptamers are often employed as molecular recognition elements in the development of different types of biosensors. Many of these biosensors take advantage of the aptamer having a ligand‐induced structure‐formation binding mechanism. However, this binding mechanism is poorly understood. Here we use isothermal titration calorimetry, circular dichroism spectroscopy and NMR spectroscopy to study the binding and ligand‐induced structural change exhibited by a dopamine‐binding DNA aptamer. We analysed a series of aptamers where we shorten the terminal stem that contains the 5' and 3' termini of the aptamer sequence. All aptamers bind dopamine in an enthalpically driven process coupled with an unfavorable entropy. A general trend of the aptamer having a weaker binding affinity is observed as the terminal stem is shortened. For all aptamers studied, numerous signals appear in the imino region of the 1H NMR spectrum indicating that new structure forms with ligand binding. However, it is only when this region of structure formation in the aptamer is brought close to the sensor surface that we obtain a functional electrochemical aptamer‐based biosensor.
Machine Learning Guided Rational Design of a Non‐Heme Iron‐Based Lysine Dioxygenase Improves its Total Turnover Number
Authors: Hunter Wilson R. , Diaz Daniel J. , Damodaran Anoop R. , Bhagi‐Damodaran Ambika
Published: October 2024

Highly selective C−H functionalization remains an ongoing challenge in organic synthetic methodologies. Biocatalysts are robust tools for achieving these difficult chemical transformations. Biocatalyst engineering has often required directed evolution or structure‐based rational design campaigns to improve their activities. In recent years, machine learning has been integrated into these workflows to improve the discovery of beneficial enzyme variants. In this work, we combine a structure‐based self‐supervised machine learning framework, MutComputeX, with classical molecular dynamics simulations to down select mutations for rational design of a non‐heme iron‐dependent lysine dioxygenase, LDO. This approach consistently resulted in functional LDO mutants and circumvents the need for extensive study of mutational activity before‐hand. Our rationally designed single mutants purified with up to 2‐fold higher expression yields than WT and displayed higher total turnover numbers (TTN). Combining five such single mutations into a pentamutant variant, LPNYI LDO, leads to a 40 % improvement in the TTN (218±3) as compared to WT LDO (TTN=160±2). Overall, this work offers a low‐barrier approach for those seeking to synergize machine learning algorithms with pre‐existing protein engineering strategies.