bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dynamische Vorgänge in Systemen mit Wasserstoffbrücken II. 1H‐NMR‐spektroskopische Untersuchung des direkten und indirekten intermolekularen Protonenaustauschs von N,N'‐Dipentadeuterophenyl‐1‐Amino‐3‐Imino‐Propen in CS2
Authors: Limbach Hans‐Heinrich , Seiffert Wolfgang
Published: October 2023

In Lösungen von N,N′‐Dipentadeuterophenyl‐1‐Amino‐3‐Imino‐Propen I in CS2 laufen zwei intermolekulare Protonenaustauschprozesse unterschiedlichen Typs ab, die mit Hilfe der 1H‐NMR‐Linienbreitenkinetik untersucht wurden

Ein “direkter” gegenseitiger Austausch der NH‐Protonen zwischen Molekülen des Cis‐Isomeren Ia.

Ein “indirekter” gegenseitiger Austausch der NH‐Protonen zwischen Molekülen des Trans‐Isomeren Ib, der einer intermolekular ablaufenden [1,5]‐Wasserstoffverschiebung entspricht. Die auf dem quantenmechanischen Dichtematrix‐Formalismus beruhende Theorie der 1H‐NMR‐Linienform wurde für den Fall von indirektem Protonenaustausch modifiziert.

Dadurch konnten die 1H‐NMR‐Spektren von Ia und Ib simuliert und die Geschwindigkeitskonstanten und Aktivierungsparameter beider Austauschprozesse bestimmt werden.
Experimentelle und aus einer Flüssigkeitstheorie berechnete Mischungswärmen in den Systemen Propan‐Methylchlorid und Propan‐Methylbromid
Authors: Halblaub H. , Schäfer Kl.
Published: October 2023

In Verfolgung einer Theorie des kondensierten Zustandes von Kl. Schäfer, die bis jetzt für reine Stoffe und binäre Gemische ausgearbeitet wurde, konnten theoretisch berechnete Mischungsenthalpien in Systemen einer dipolfreien mit einer Dipolkomponente mit experimentell ermittelten Werten verglichen werden. Die für die Theorie benötigten zwischenmolekularen Kraftpotentiale konnten aus Bestimmungen des zweiten Virialkoeffizienten und der Temperaturabhängigkeit von Transportphänomenen in Gasen entnommen werden und entstammen Untersuchungen anderer Autoren.
Über ein radiales Flüssigkeitsmodell Röntgenstrukturuntersuchung des flüssigen Tetrachlorkolenstoffs
Authors: Reichelt Gert , Weidner Jörg‐Ulrich , Zimmermann Herbert W.
Published: October 2023

Die Nahordnung in einer Flüssigkeit wie CCl4, bei der zwischen den Teilchen nur schwache Kräfte wirken, kann nicht mit Hilfe eines einfachen Korrelationsgitters bzw. Korrelationsclusters beschrieben werden. Zur Interpretation der Intensität der Röntgenstreustrahlung hat sich em radiales Flüssigkeitsmodell als zweckmäßig erwiesen, in dem die Paarverteilungsfunktion durch Überlagerung eines diskreten und eines kontinuierlichen Anteils gebildet wird.

Zur Beschreibung des intermolekularen Anteils der kohärenten Streuintensität von Molekülpaaren werden zwei neue Molekülformamplituden definiert. Sie hängen vorwiegend von der Molekülorientierung, weniger vom Paarabstand ab. Die reduzierte intermolekulare Streuintensität wird nur noch durch Größen bestimmt, die den Molekülpaaren zuzuordnen sind. Insbesondere kann formal die Einführung von Atompaarabständen vermieden werden. Der neu entwickelte Formalismus wurde auf die Rontgenstrukturuntersuchung von CCl4 angewandt. Die Röntgenstreuintensität des flüssigen CCl4 wurde bei 20°C mit Cu‐Kα‐ und Mo‐Kα‐Strahlung im Intervall 5° ≤ 2° ≤ 120° gemessen und auf Polarisation, Absorption, Untergrundstreuung und Schwankung der Primärintensität korrigiert. Die totale reduzierte Intensität läßt sich in einen intra‐ und einen intermolekularen Anteil zerlegen. Durch sorgfältige Behandlung des Skalierungsfaktors gelang es erstmalig, aus Röntgenstreuexperimenten nicht nur die Abstände, sondern auch deren mittlere Schwankungsamplitude in Übereinstimmung mit Elektronenbeugungsdaten und schwingungsspektroskopischen Untersuchungen zu erhalten:

equation image

Bei der Behandlung der intermolekularen Struktur wurden vereinfachend nur zwei Molekülorientierungen, parallel und antiparallel, berücksichtigt. Der diskrete Anteil der Paarverteilungsfunktion läßt sich im radialen Modell durch acht verschiedene Molekülpaare definierter Häufigkeit beschreiben. Abstand und Orientierung der Moleküle sowie die Häufigkeit der Molekülpaare wurden aus der intermolekularen reduzierten Intensität iterativ berechnet. Der R‐Faktor der intermolekularen Struktur beträgt R = 0,14.

Aus dem Integral über die gesamte Molekülpaarverteilungsfunktion 1aDt sich die mittlere Reichweite der Wechselwirkung zwischen Zentralmolekül und Nachbarn zu 6,7 A abschätzen. Danach unterliegen ca. 9 CC1,‐Moleküle der orientierenden Wirkung eines Zentralmoleküls. Die Nahordnung reicht damit über den Bereich der ersten Koordinationssphare des Zentralmoleküls hinaus, ein Ergebnis, das sich auch aus der Diskussion der direkten Korrelationsfunktion ergibt.
The Transition Rates Between the Different Ionic States of Polystyrylsodium in Polar Organic Solvents
Authors: Böhm L. L. , Löhr G. , Schulz G. V.
Published: October 2023

Based on the fact that in polar organic solvents polystyrylsodium exists in three thermodynamicly and kinetically distinguishable ionic states (the contact ion pair, the solvent separated ion pair, the free carbanion), the rate constants for the transitions between these three states were investigated by a novel method in various solvents over a broad range of temperature. This method is based on the analysis of the molecular weight distribution of polystyrene samples produced under kinetically controlled conditions. The formal relations and the experimental methods are described in detail.

The results obtained in the solvents tetrahydropyrane (THP), tetrahydrofuran (THF) and dimethoxiethane (DME), reveal that the dissociation of polystyrylsodium proceeds via two clearly distinguishable steps: The first step, the transition of the contact ion pair into the solvent separated ion pair proceeds relatively slowly and is characterized by a small activation energy and an extraordinarily high negative activation entropy. In the sequence THP, THF and DME the corresponding transition rate constants increase each by a factor of some 50, whereas the rate constant for the reverse reaction appear to be almost unaffected in these solvents. – The second step, the dissociation of the solvent separated ion pair into its free ions proceeds rapidly; the association of the ions is found to be almost diffusion controlled in agreement with theoretical calculations.
Physical Adsorption of Fluids at High Temperatures and High Pressures
Authors: Findenegg G. H.
Published: October 2023

The asymptotic relation for the one‐particle distribution function of a fluid near a flat surface, obtained by Kuni and Rusanov, is used to calculate the adsorption at the fluid/solid interface. According to this theory the surface excess of the fluid as a function of pressure and temperature is approximately proportional to p2K, where p is the density and K the isothermal compressibility of the bulk fluid. The main features of published adsorption isotherms at high temperatures (T > 2 Tc) of the adsorptive, i.e., the initial increase of the surface excess and its decrease at higher pressures, as well as the temperature dependence of adsorption, are reproduced by this theory.
Vibrational Relaxation in Liquids; some Applications of the Isotopic Dilution Method
Authors: Woerkom P. C. M. Van , Bieijser J. De , Zwart M. De , Burgers P. M. J. , Leyte J. C.
Published: October 2023

The isotopic dilution method is applied to study the influence of intermolecular vibrational relaxation on the IR correlation functions of some absorption bands of CH2Cl2, CHCl3 und CDCl3. The temperature dependent isotopic dilution effect is explained on the basis of intermolecular transition dipole‐transition dipole interaction, modulated by molecular reorientation. For these system a priori separation of independent rotational and vibrational correlation functions is not permitted according to the experimental results.
Angiographic patterns of restenosis after drug‐coated balloon angioplasty for femoropopliteal lesions and 1‐year prognosis after repeat endovascular therapy
Authors: Higashino Naoko , Iida Osamu , Ishihara Takayuki , Hata Yosuke , Toyoshima Taku , Tsukizawa Tomofumi , Nishian Kunihiko , Fujihara Masahiko , Kawasaki Daizo , Mano Toshiaki
Published: October 2023

Aim

The aim of the current study sought to investigate the angiographic patterns of restenosis after drug‐coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty for femoropopliteal (FP) lesions and which repeat endovascular therapy (EVT) for DCB restenosis would provide more freedom from recurrent restenosis.

Methods

This retrospective multicenter study included 119 limbs (chronic limb‐threatening ischemia [CLTI]: 55%, lesion length: 136.9 ± 89.6 mm, chronic total occlusion: 25%) of 95 patients (diabetes mellitus: 70%, hemodialysis: 56%) who were diagnosed with DCB restenosis between January 2018 and December 2019. The cases were classified into three groups based on angiographic patterns of restenosis: Class I: focal lesions ≤50 mm, Class II: diffuse lesions >50 mm, and Class III: totally occluded lesions. The DCB restenosis patterns and frequency and predictors of recurrent restenosis after repeated EVT (re‐EVT) were investigated.

Results

The mean follow‐up duration was 29.8 ± 9.5 months. Groups I, II, and III comprised of 30 (25.2%), 55 (46.2%), and 34 (29.0%) cases, respectively. The overall rate of 1‐year freedom from recurrent restenosis was 58.2%. One‐year rate of freedom from recurrent restenosis after repeat DCB was not statistically different from that after scaffolding (71.1% vs. 74.6%, respectively, p = 0.911); however, it was significantly better than that after noncoated balloon angioplasty (repeat DCB vs. noncoated balloon angioplasty: 71.1% vs. 25.7%, respectively, p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that CLTI (hazard ratio [HR]: 5.15, p < 0.001) and re‐EVT with noncoated balloon (HR: 3.16, p < 0.001) were significantly associated with recurrent restenosis; however, Class III pattern of DCB restenosis was not associated with recurrent restenosis (HR: 1.04, p = 0.918).

Conclusions

This study revealed the angiographic patterns of restenosis after DCB therapy for FP lesions and the 1‐year rate of recurrent restenosis after repeat revascularization. Repeat DCB therapy demonstrated acceptable 1‐year recurrent restenosis rates.
Novel percutaneous intervention technique for obstructed coronary artery after valve‐in‐valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Authors: Mitsui Kentaro , Takagi Kensuke , Kakuta Takashi , Noguchi Teruo
Published: October 2023

Valve‐in‐valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement (valve‐in‐valve TAVR) increases the risk of coronary obstruction. Although the coronary protection strategy is widely used, the use of the bailout technique after coronary obstruction is limited. Hence, we report a simple bailout technique for coronary obstruction after valve‐in‐valve TAVR. An 82‐year‐old woman presented with structural valve deterioration. The left anterior descending coronary artery had 90% stenosis. After TAVR, the prosthetic valve shifted close to the ascending aorta wall, consequently impairing coronary flow. The wire crossed with the Judkins right guiding catheter (JR) reference to the en‐face and perpendicular views. Using the guide‐extension catheter, the JR contacted the contralateral ascending aorta as a backup catheter. After a balloon was dilated between the prosthetic valve and aorta, JR engaged into the coronary artery with excellent backup. This novel “Whisker pole guiding technique” is useful, even after valve‐in‐valve TAVR.
Rapid transesophageal atrial pacing for balloon aortic valvuloplasty in neonates and infants: A new technique for balloon stabilization
Authors: Meliota Giovanni , Lombardi Maristella , Vairo Ugo
Published: October 2023

Balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAV) is preferred by most centers over surgery for the treatment of congenital valve stenosis, due to its less invasive nature and faster recovery time. A variety of techniques have been employed to induce a transient cardiac standstill and reduce longitudinal balloon displacement during valve dilatation. Rapid right ventricular (RV) pacing is an effective method to stabilize the balloon during aortic valvuloplasty and it is regularly used in older children and adults. Despite the evidence of its feasibility and efficacy, its use in neonates and infants is still not widespread globally as it is associated with certain drawbacks in this population. We report the use of a new technique to achieve balloon stabilization during BAV in neonates and infants. Four patients with severe congenital aortic valve stenosis were treated with percutaneous BAV using rapid transesophageal atrial pacing. Rapid atrial pacing was performed in asynchronous modality at a rate which resulted in a drop of the systemic arterial pressure by 50%. The balloon was inflated only after the set pacing rate was reached. The pacing was continued until the balloon was completely deflated. No ventricular arrhythmia occurred. Fluoroscopy time was not influenced by transesophageal pacing. Mild aortic regurgitation developed in only one case. Rapid transesophageal atrial pacing was safe and allowed a significant relief of left ventricular obstruction while minimizing aortic regurgitation. Compared to RV pacing, it does not require additional vascular access. Moreover, transesophageal pacing is not at risk of cardiac or vascular perforation and ventricular arrhythmias.
Strategy of Controlling Ru Particles Size for Regulating Cleavage Rate of C−C and C−O Bonds of Biomass Polyols to Enhance the Yield of Methane
Authors: Gu Chun , Yu Weiqiang , Zhao Hanqing , Shi Song , Che Penghua , Xu Jie , Gao Jin
Published: October 2023

A series of porous silica were prepared by alkyl‐trimethyl‐ammonium bromide with different carbon chain lengths (PS‐n, n corresponds to the carbon chain length). These templates carried out precise structure regulation of porous silica. The Ru particles supported on porous silica behaved in precisely controlled size according to the pore diameter. When used in the hydrogenolysis of biomass polyols, a higher methane yield was achieved over Ru/PS‐16. This result can be explained by the higher C2/C3 over Ru/PS‐16 than others.
The pipeline flow of capsules: Part 2: Theoretical analysis of the concentric flow of cylindrical forms
Authors: Charles M. E.
Published: October 2023

Predictions of capsule velocity and pressure gradient accompanying capsule flow are made for an idealised system in which a long cylindrical capsule moves concentrically with respect to the pipe.

The capsule velocity always exceeds the average velocity, for example, by 22% for laminar conditions and 3% for turbulent conditions, when the ratio of the capsule diameter to the pipe diameter is 0.8.

The pressure gradient accompanying capsule flow is related to the pressure gradient which would exist if the fluid alone flowed in the pipe at the same average velocity as the combined flows for different combinations of laminar and turbulent conditions. For each combination only a moderate increase in pressure gradient is predicted provided the diameter ratio does not exceed about 0.9. In the particular case of turbulent flow in the capsule‐free system and laminar flow in the annulus between the capsule and the pipe a decrease in pressure gradient of as much as 20% is predicted.

A regime of instability is predicted in which neither laminar nor turbulent flow is stable in the annulus.
Evaluation of food μPADs with the new tech perspectives and future prospects
Authors: Okutan Arslan Nagihan , Trabzon Levent
Published: October 2023

Food microfluidic paper‐based analytical devices (µPADs) are powerful tools to create total analysis systems and have long been demonstrated to be useful for safety and quality applications. Thanks to new technological innovations food µPADs offer exciting new possibilities. This review introduces how µPADs are obtained from chromatography, filter, or office papers and detect analytes from a food sample. We introduce the most current developments in the use of µPADs with an emphasis on paper types, adapted new technologies, and detection limits. Classifications are also made on food µPADs according to applied innovations and adapted novel technologies. In the first section, simple forms of µPADs for the detection of pathogen, mycotoxin, pesticides, and other food components are discussed with technical details. Then, we introduce multisensing approaches for high throughput analysis and a concise summary will be given. In the case of three‐dimensional (3D) µPADs, the use of 3D is discussed and compared to 2D µPADs in terms of its advantageous with the example of a food colorant test device. In the following section, smartphone adoption to µPADs is introduced in detail with eight different assay examples. Centrifugal platform for nickel assay is demonstrated as an enabling approach with shortened assay times by rotational velocity. The potential of user‐friendly hybrid devices is also summarized in the last part. Finally, we present an outlook to underline the opportunities created by smartphone‐based and intelligent µPADs for food safety and quality with real success perspectives
Co‐treatment with the seed of Carthamus tinctorius L. and the aerial part of Taraxacum coreanum synergistically suppresses Aβ25–35‐induced neurotoxicity by altering APP processing
Authors: He Mei Tong , Kim Ji Hyun , Cho Eun Ju
Published: October 2023

Accumulation of β‐amyloid peptide (Aβ) induces neurotoxicity, which is the primary risk factor in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The cleavage of amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the β‐ (BACE) and γ‐ (PS1, PS2) secretases is a critical step in the amyloidogenic pathway. The induction of neuronal apoptosis by Aβ involves increased expression of B‐cell lymphoma protein 2 (Bcl‐2)‐associated X (Bax) and decreased Bcl‐2 expression. The seed of Carthamus tinctorius L. (CTS) and the aerial part of Taraxacum coreanum (TC) are traditional herbs used to treat several neurodegenerative diseases. In this study, the neuroprotective effects of co‐treatment with CTS and TC on Aβ‐induced neurotoxicity in SH‐SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. CTS, TC, and the co‐treatment (CTS + TC) were added to Aβ25–35‐treated SH‐SY5Y cells. CTS + TC synergistically increased cell viability and inhibited reactive oxygen species production. CTS + TC resulted in significant downregulation of BACE, PS1, PS2, and APP, as well as the 99‐aa C‐terminal domain of APP, compared with either CTS or TC alone. Compared with the single herbs, co‐treatment with CTS and TC markedly decreased the expression of Bax and increased the expression of Bcl‐2, consistent with its anti‐apoptotic effects. These findings suggest that co‐treatment with CTS and TC may be useful for AD prevention.
Effect of hydroxytyrosol, Moringa, and spirulina on the physicochemical properties and nutritional characteristics of gluten‐free brownies
Authors: Peñalver Rocío , Martínez‐Zamora Lorena , Lorenzo José Manuel , Ros Gaspar , Nieto Martínez Gema
Published: October 2023

Brownies, enriched with fiber and Moringa oleifera, hydroxytyrosol (HXT), and spirulina (encapsulated and nonencapsulated), and dietary fiber using psyllium were elaborated. For that, a commercial control (CTRL) and an experimental control (CTRL) (without antioxidants) were compared. Color, nutritional composition, pH, antioxidant capacity, total phenolic compounds, as well as sensory properties were evaluated. The results showed the brownies developed with psyllium and the different extracts increased total dietary fiber compared to CTRL Commercial and CTRL, with E‐spirulina (14.93 g/100 g) and Moringa (11.91 g/100 g) being the most prominent samples. However, with regard to soluble fiber, the highest content of NE‐spirulina and the lowest content of HXT were observed. In addition, brownies enriched with extracts showed higher antioxidant capacity and higher phenolic compounds than controls, with HXT standing out at 299.25 μM Trolox/g in ABTS, 1470.08 μM Trolox/g in DPPH, and 18.15 μM Trolox/g in FRAP. However, a high level of phenolic compounds was found in E‐Spirulina (604.71 mg/L). In reference to fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (70%) were the predominant fatty acids, followed by polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (19%) and saturated fatty acids (SFA) (10%). Glutamic acid and asparagine were the predominant amino acids. As for mineral content, N‐spirulina and E‐spirulina were the brownies with the highest iron bioaccessibility; Si, Na, B, Al, P, Fe, Zn, Bi, Ca, Cu, Mg, Mn, Rb, S, and Sr being the most abundant elements in the brownies of this study. In addition, the HXT and Moringa samples scored higher in overall acceptability compared to the controls. The findings suggest that the incorporation of psyllium, quinoa flour, and antioxidant extracts in brownies could be a viable approach to produce a healthy brownie enriched with fiber, antioxidants and, therefore, considering the nutritional, physicochemical, and organoleptic characteristics, HTX is the ideal compound to enrich bakery products.
Kilogram‐Scale Synthesis of 4‐Chloro‐6‐(6‐methoxypyridin‐ 3‐yl)pyrimidine through a Suzuki–Miyaura Cross‐Coupling Using Micellar Catalysis
Authors: Isley Nicholas A. , Gallou Fabrice
Published: October 2023

A scalable and environmentally benign protocol for a Suzuki–Miyaura cross‐coupling in water using vitamin E derived surfactant TPGS‐750‐M is reported. The protocol is the most simple and standard for such transformations under micellar catalysis that has been amply utilized within our own research and development portfolio over the last decade. The impact of the synthetic procedure is reenforced by green Process Mass Intensity and Total Carbon Release metrics.
Practical Applications of a Nausea and Vomiting Model in the Clinical Development of Additional Doses of Dulaglutide
Authors: Tang Cheng Cai , Lim Jean , Loo Li Shen , Jung Heike , Konig Manige , Tham Lai San
Published: October 2023

Dulaglutide 3.0 and 4.5 mg weekly doses were approved for additional glycemic control in adult patients with type 2 diabetes inadequately controlled with metformin and 0.75 or 1.5 mg weekly doses of dulaglutide. Effects such as nausea and vomiting are commonly reported with dulaglutide and other glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonist therapies. Based on a pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic model‐informed approach, a stepwise dose‐escalation scheme with 4‐week intervals between dose increments was suggested to mitigate gastrointestinal events for dulaglutide. These gastrointestinal events are dose dependent and attenuate over time with repeated dosing. A Markov chain Monte Carlo pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic joint model was developed using AWARD‐11 data (N = 1842) to optimize dulaglutide dose escalation to 3.0 and 4.5 mg to mitigate gastrointestinal events. Model simulations evaluated probabilities of nausea and vomiting events for various dosing scenarios in patients needing higher doses for additional glycemic control. The model indicated that patients may dose escalate from 1.5 to 3.0 mg, then 4.5 mg weekly after at least 4 weeks on each dose. No clinically meaningful differences in nausea or vomiting events were expected when patients escalated to 3.0 or 4.5 mg following initiation at 0.75 or 1.5 mg dulaglutide. Based on the findings of this model, a minimum 4‐week duration at each dose before escalation was appropriate to reduce gastrointestinal events of dulaglutide, consistent with observed gastrointestinal events data from the AWARD‐11 study and supporting the currently recommended dose‐escalation regimen of dulaglutide doses of 3.0 and 4.5 mg for additional glycemic control.
Enhancing microbial desalination cell performance for water desalination and wastewater treatment: experimental study and modelling of electrical energy production in open and closed‐circuit modes
Authors: Ali Qahtan Adnan , Alhares Hasanain Saad , Abd‐almohi Hussein H. , M‐Ridha Mohanad J. , Mohammed Sabah J. , Jabbar Zaid H.
Published: October 2023

BACKGROUND

Microbial desalination cell (MDC) is a new technology in the use of electrical energy for water desalination and wastewater treatment.

RESULTS

Open circuit (OC) and closed circuit (CC) modes were successfully simulated with initial TDS concentrations of 10 g/L and 10–15 g/L, respectively (an external resistance of only 150 Ω was applied for CC). After 160 h of operation, the maximum OC voltage, desalination efficiency and COD removal efficiency were 809 mV, 32.2% and 79.2%, respectively. The maximum voltage was also obtained when the external resistances were 150 Ω (423.4 and 438 mV) for the initial NaCl concentrations (10 and 15 g/L) in the central chamber, respectively. Moreover, the maximal desalting and COD removal efficiencies after 24 h run‐time were (30% and 28%) and (24% and 25%) for initial NaCl concentrations (10 or 15 g/L) in the central chamber, respectively. Maintaining pH (8.61, 7.01) to (7.85, 7.8) in anode and cathode chambers was studied. This research accurately depicted microbial desalination's efficiency in generating OC voltages and CC electrical energy via Box–Behnken Design Distribution (BBD). Investigated factors’ interactions (initial salt/COD concentrations, time) on CC system's energy efficiency. Resulted in peak productivity at (1.85 mW), OC reaching (1100 mV).

CONCLUSION

Finally, the research paper gave exciting results in improving the efficiency of the microbial desalination cell to increase the ability to produce electrical energy and desalinate water. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).
Comparative analysis of foliar epidermal anatomical traits and their taxonomic relevance in Lilium pumilum, L. brownii, and L. davidi
Authors: Ba Qiaorui , Khan Wajid , Pang Jianwen , Gong Taorui , Quan Bixue , Duo Renqiandangzhi , Shu Hua
Published: October 2023

The anatomical traits of plant species are essential for taxonomic analyses and evolutionary evaluations. Clarifying the anatomical characteristics of the foliar epidermis in three distinct Lilium species L. pumilum Delile, L. brownii F.E.Br. ex Miellez and L. davidii Duch. ex Elwes were studied in this article. The objective is to assess the taxonomic relevance of these characteristics and their potential as indicators of species divergence within the genus Lilium. Plant samples were gathered in Gansu, China, from numerous populations of each species that represented a range of climatic and ecological factors. A microscopic analysis employing thin slices and peel mounts was done to assess the stomatal density and dimensions. Significant interpopulation differences in stomatal features were found in the results, offering potential opportunities for taxonomic discrimination. The species differ in qualitative and quantitative characters to differentiate the three species. The links between the observed anatomical characteristics and species classification within the Lilium genus were clarified for the three studied species. In the end, this research advances knowledge of Lilium taxonomy, aids in conservation efforts, and deepens awareness of the general patterns of plant variety.

Research highlights

Epidermal Traits Aid Taxonomy: Cell shape, arrangement, and structures aid Lilium Identification.

Cuticle Reveals Taxonomic Clues: Thickness, composition, and structure inform classification.

Micromorphology for Species ID: Cell shape, wax, and striations differentiate Lilium species.
Advanced MRI Approaches for Evaluating Common Lower Extremity Injuries in Basketball Players: Current and Emerging Techniques
Authors: Rubin Elka B. , Schmidt Andrew M. , Koff Matthew F. , Kogan Feliks , Gao Kenneth , Majumdar Sharmila , Potter Hollis , Gold Garry E.
Published: October 2023

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide accurate and non‐invasive diagnoses of lower extremity injuries in athletes. Sport‐related injuries commonly occur in and around the knee and can affect the articular cartilage, patellar tendon, hamstring muscles, and bone. Sports medicine physicians utilize MRI to evaluate and diagnose injury, track recovery, estimate return to sport timelines, and assess the risk of recurrent injury. This article reviews the current literature and describes novel developments of quantitative MRI tools that can further advance our understanding of sports injury diagnosis, prevention, and treatment while minimizing injury risk and rehabilitation time. Innovative approaches for enhancing the early diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal injuries in basketball players span a spectrum of techniques. These encompass the utilization of T2, T1ρ, and T2* quantitative MRI, along with dGEMRIC and Na‐MRI to assess articular cartilage injuries, 3D‐Ultrashort echo time MRI for patellar tendon injuries, diffusion tensor imaging for acute myotendinous injuries, and sagittal short tau inversion recovery and axial long‐axis T1‐weighted, and 3D Cube sequences for bone stress imaging. Future studies should further refine and validate these MR‐based quantitative techniques while exploring the lifelong cumulative impact of basketball on players' knees.

Level of Evidence

5

Technical Efficacy

Stage 2
Increased population susceptibility to seasonal influenza during the COVID‐19 pandemic in China and the United States
Authors: Wang Qing , Jia Mengmeng , Jiang Mingyue , Cao Yanlin , Dai Peixi , Yang Jiao , Yang Xiaokun , Xu Yunshao , Yang Weizhong , Feng Luzhao
Published: October 2023

To the best of our knowledge, no previous study has quantitatively estimated the dynamics and cumulative susceptibility to influenza infections after the widespread lifting of COVID‐19 public health measures.

We constructed an imitated stochastic susceptible‐infected‐removed model using particle‐filtered Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling to estimate the time‐dependent reproduction number of influenza based on influenza surveillance data in southern China, northern China, and the United States during the 2022–2023 season. We compared these estimates to those from 2011 to 2019 seasons without strong social distancing interventions to determine cumulative susceptibility during COVID‐19 restrictions.

Compared to the 2011–2019 seasons without a strong intervention with social measures, the 2022–2023 influenza season length was 45.0%, 47.1%, and 57.1% shorter in southern China, northern China, and the United States, respectively, corresponding to an 140.1%, 74.8%, and 50.9% increase in scale of influenza infections, and a 60.3%, 72.9%, and 45.1% increase in population susceptibility to influenza.

Large and high‐intensity influenza epidemics occurred in China and the United States in 2022–2023. Population susceptibility increased in 2019–2022, especially in China. We recommend promoting influenza vaccination, taking personal prevention actions on at‐risk populations, and monitoring changes in the dynamic levels of influenza and other respiratory infections to prevent potential outbreaks in the coming influenza season.
Design and performance analysis of 8‐port multi‐service quad‐band MIMO antenna for automotive communication
Authors: Arumugam Sriram , Manoharan Sangeetha
Published: October 2023

In this paper, a low profile compact 8‐port multiband antenna with polarization diversity principle for automotive communication is proposed. The geometric of the proposed MIMO antenna is integrated with multiple stubs on substrate having a size of 0.94λg × 0.94λg. The proposed design resonates at multiple frequencies of 1.8, 2.4, 5.2, and 5.8 GHz, respectively for GSM, ISM bands and WLAN wireless services which covers the bandwidth of 2.8%, 5%, 5%, and 5.6%, respectively with S11 ≤ −10 dB. Besides, the measured results provide a peak gain of 4.3, 3.1, 4.5, and 4.2 dBi at 1.8, 2.4, 5.2, and 5.8 GHz, omni directional radiation pattern with more than 80% of efficiency in all operating bands. The MIMO structure provides a good isolation of greater than 20 dB without decoupling structure, envelope correlation coefficient of ≤0.1, diversity gain of ≥9.99 dB, mean effective gain of <1 dB, total active reflection coefficient ≤−10 dB, channel capacity loss of ≤0.25 bits/s/Hz. Finally, the housing effect of MIMO antenna is analyzed in the vehicular environment which provides good performance for Vehicular to Intravehicular communication.
A robust hydroponic‐based system for screening red clover (Trifolium pratense) for Fusarium avenaceum
Authors: Jambagi Shridhar , Dixelius Christina
Published: October 2023

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) is an important forage legume crop that suffers like most perennial crops from attacks by soil‐borne pathogens. Fusarium root rot is one of the most serious diseases and at the same time problematic to identify resistance because of its hidden life in the soil. Current screening methods are laborious and hampered by limited reproducibility. To remedy this situation, we aimed to establish a simple and reliable hydroponics‐based screening system to facilitate studies of red clover–Fusarium avenaceum interactions. First, the fungal spore concentrations were balanced toward the development of red clover plants grown hydroponically. We found that the optimum concentration was 30,000 spores in 2 L of hydroponic medium to ensure infection during the plant growth period in this system. The procedure was scaled‐up to screen plants from 25 populations to identify red clover individuals with the improved resistance to F. avenaceum. Susceptible plants had approximately two‐fold higher amounts of fungal DNA than resistant plants, demonstrating a correlation between the disease readings of the plants and pathogen DNA. We foresee this screening procedure meeting the needs of both applied breeding work and in‐depth molecular studies of responses between this pathogen and its host plant. This method could be applied for the screening of other plant species for resistance to Fusarium spp. or to other root microbes.
Biological effect of laser‐assisted scar healing (LASH) on standardized human three‐dimensional wound healing skin models using fractional non‐ablative 1540 nm Er:Glass or 1550 nm diode lasers
Authors: Riedemann Helena I. , Marquardt Yvonne , Jansen Manuela , Baron Jens M. , Huth Sebastian
Published: October 2023

Purpose

In postoperative wound healing after surgical operations or ablative laser treatments, recent studies suggest the timely use of non‐ablative fractional laser treatments with the aim to improve wound healing and prevent pathological scar formation. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of laser‐assisted scar healing (LASH) at the molecular level and to combine it with already established wound healing‐promoting local treatments.

Methods

We irradiated full‐thickness 3D skin models with a fractional ablative Er:YAG laser to set standardized lesions to the epidermal and upper dermal layer. Subsequently, LASH was induced by irradiating the models with either a fractional non‐ablative 1540 nm Er:Glass or 1550 nm diode laser. In addition, we tested the combination of non‐ablative fractional laser treatment and topical aftercare with a dexpanthenol‐containing ointment (DCO).

Results

Histological analysis revealed that models irradiated with the 1540 nm Er:Glass or 1550 nm diode laser exhibited accelerated but not complete wound closure after 16 h. In contrast, additional topical posttreatment with DCO resulted in complete wound closure. At gene expression level, both non‐ablative laser systems showed similar effects on epidermal differentiation and mild anti‐inflammatory properties. The additional posttreatment with DCO enhanced the wound‐healing effects of LASH, especially the upregulation of epidermal differentiation markers and anti‐inflammatory cytokines at the gene expression level.

Conclusion

This in vitro study deciphers the biological effects of LASH with a fractional non‐ablative 1540 nm Er:Glass or a 1550 nm diode laser in 3D skin models. These data help to better understand the biological properties of the LASH technique and is important to optimize its application.
A family of iterative methods to solve nonlinear problems with applications in fractional differential equations
Authors: Erfanifar Raziyeh , Hajarian Masoud , Sayevand Khosro
Published: October 2023

In this work, first, a family of fourth‐order methods is proposed to solve nonlinear equations. The methods satisfy the Kung‐Traub optimality conjecture. By developing the methods into memory methods, their efficiency indices are increased. Then, the methods are extended to the multi‐step methods for finding the solutions to systems of problems. The formula for the order of convergence of the multi‐step iterative methods is
, where
is the step number of the methods. It is clear that computing the Jacobian matrix derivative evaluation and its inversion are expensive; therefore, we compute them only once in every cycle of the methods. The important feature of these multi‐step methods is their high‐efficiency index. Numerical examples that confirm the theoretical results are performed. In applications, some nonlinear problems related to the numerical approximation of fractional differential equations (FDEs) are constructed and solved by the proposed methods.
Orm2 Deficiency Aggravates High‐Fat Diet‐Induced Obesity through Gut Microbial Dysbiosis and Intestinal Inflammation
Authors: Li Li , Chen Jionghao , Sun Haoming , Niu Qiang , Zhao Yan , Yang Xiaojun , Sun Qingzhu
Published: October 2023

Scope

Orosomucoid 2 (Orm2) is a hepatocyte‐secreted protein that plays a crucial role in regulating obesity‐type metabolic disease and immunity. The imbalance of gut microbiota is one of the causes of obesity, but the mechanism of the relationship between Orm2 and gut microbiota in obesity remains unclear.

Methods and results

Orm2‐/‐ (Orm2 knockout) mice on a normal diet developed spontaneous obesity and metabolic disturbances at the 20th week. Through 16S rRNA gene sequencing, the study finds that the gut microbiota of Orm2‐/‐ mice has a different microbial composition compared to wild type (WT) mice. Furthermore, a high‐fat diet (HFD) for 16 weeks exacerbates obesity in Orm2‐/‐ mice. Lack of Orm2 promotes dysregulation of gut microbiota under the HFD, especially a reduction of Clostridium spp. Supplementation with Clostridium butyricum alleviates obesity and alters the gut microbial composition in WT mice, but has minimal effects on Orm2‐/‐ mice. In contrast, co‐housing of Orm2‐/‐ mice with WT mice rescues Orm2‐/‐ obesity by reducing pathogenic bacteria and mitigating intestinal inflammation.

Conclusion

These findings suggest Orm2 deficiency exacerbates HFD‐induced gut microbiota disturbance and intestinal inflammation, providing a novel insight into the complex bacterial flora but not a single probiotic administration in the therapeutic strategy of obesity.
Novel approaches to the management of hyperlipidaemia
Authors: Barton Anna Kate
Published: October 2023

A range of novel lipid‐lowering agents are now available, providing options for patients unable to achieve sufficient control on older drugs such as statins. This article gives an overview of the main lipid‐lowering agents, their indications and usage, with a focus on the newer therapies targeting PCSK9.
The Raman spectrum of phosphorus pentoxide
Authors: Gerding H. , de Decker H. C. J.
Published: October 2023

The Raman frequency shifts of the solid metastable volatile modification of phosphorus pentoxide are given, and an assignment of some of the frequency shifts to vibrational modes of motion of the cubical molecule of P4O10 is made. The P = O bond in P4O10 possesses a certain amount of triple‐bond character.
Evaluating the Antiviral Potential of Phytocompounds from Mesua ferrea against SARS‐CoV‐2 Main Protease: Structure‐Based Virtual Screening and Molecular Dynamics Simulation Investigations
Authors: Purohit Priyanka , Sahoo Partha Sarathi , Panda Madhusmita , Kabasi Kuna , Senapati Sunil Kumar , Meher Biswa Ranjan
Published: October 2023

SARS‐CoV‐2 is responsible for the novel coronavirus disease (COVID‐19) pandemic and poses a significant ongoing global risk due to increasing infection rates. Mesua ferrea Linn. (Ceylon Ironwood) is a rich source of botanical compounds with numerous medicinal properties, including antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral, antitumor, and immunomodulatory properties seen commonly in Asian countries. Ten compounds of Mesua ferrea Linn i. e. Mesuferrol‐A, Mesuferrol‐B, Mesuaferrone‐A, Mesuaferrone‐B, Mesuol, Mammaesin, Mesuanic‐Acid, Euxanthone, Mammeigin, Mesuagin were stipulated for virtual screening against SARS‐CoV‐2 MPro. All inhibitory compounds were percolated according to docking scores and toxicity assessments. Three compounds i. e. Mesuagin, Mesuol, Mesuaferrol‐A, were observed with the highest binding free energies causing finer interactions with the active site residues of SARS‐CoV‐2 MPro which carries both non‐toxic and non‐carcinogenic properties. Molecular dynamics simulations were performed for 100 ns and free energies were calculated for the SARS‐CoV‐2‐MPro complex using MM‐GBSA to determine the relative binding affinities of the preferred molecules showing a network of interactions. The MM‐GBSA‐based approximations reveal that Mesuaferrol‐A (ΔGBind=−40.29 kcal/mol), is more viable in contrast to Mesuol (ΔGBind=−39.96 kcal/mol) and mesuagin (ΔGBind=−33.51 kcal/mol). The current investigation shows some possible insights towards the development of notably advantageous and effective anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 MPro inhibitors.
Modified Gallic Acids as Both Reactive Flame Retardants and Cross‐Linkers for the Fabrication of Flame‐Retardant Polyurethane Elastomers
Authors: Wang Jin , Zhou Shi‐Yu , Qu Yang , Yang Bowen , Zhang Qiang , Lin Yamei , Lu Guo‐Ping
Published: October 2023

Polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) serve a vital role in our daily life and various industrial applications, but their flammability has been proven to be a significant drawback. In this work, we have successfully fabricated two modified gallic acids (GAP and GAN) by simple esterification, both of which are effective flame retardants and cross‐linkers for PUEs. According to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and limiting oxygen index (LOI) tests, the introduction of GAP and GAN conspicuously improves the char yield (4.9~5.8 wt.%) and LOI value of PUEs (33~35 %). The cone calorimetry tests suggest that the peak heat release rate (PHRR) and total heat release (THR) of PUE decrease significantly, while the fire performance index (FPI) value increase after GAP or GAN modification. Both GAP and GAN enhance the density and strength of carbon residues, and inhibit the generation of combustible volatile gas during the combustion process, thereby improving the fire safety of PUEs. In addition, both GAP and GAN contain multiple benzene rings and hydrogen bonding, which can improve the cross‐linking density of PUEs to enhance their mechanical properties (the elongation at break: 844~951 %; tensile strength: 6.37~8.13 MPa).
Pressure‐Driven Polymorphic Transition, Emergent Insulator‐To‐Metal Transition, and Photoconductivity Switching in Violet Phosphorus
Authors: Li Chen , Liu Ke , Jiang Dequan , Yan Huacai , Chen En , Ma Yingying , Cheng Haoming , Wen Ting , Yue Binbin , Wang Yonggang
Published: October 2023

Polymorphic phase transition is an essential phenomenon in condensed matter that the physical properties of materials may undergo significant changes due to the structural transformation. Phase transition has thus become an important means and dimension for regulating material properties. Herein, this study demonstrates the pressure‐induced multi‐transition of both structure and physical properties in violet phosphorus, a novel phosphorus allotrope. Under compression, violet phosphorus undergoes sequential polymorphic phase transitions. Concomitant with the first phase transition, violet phosphorus exhibits emergent insulator–metal transition, superconductivity, and dramatic switching from positive to negative photoconductivity. Remarkably, the resistance of violet phosphorus shows a sudden drop of around 107 along with the phase transition. In addition, piezochromism from translucent red to opaque black and suppression of photoluminescence are observed upon compression. Of particular interest is that the sample irreversibly transforms into black phosphorus with a pronounced discrepancy in physical properties from the pristine violet phosphorus after decompression. The abundant polymorphic transitions and property changes in violet phosphorus have significant implications for designing novel pressure‐responsive electronic/optoelectronic devices and exploring concealed polymorphic transition materials.
Numerical and analytical modeling of SPH‐ECC strengthened RC beams
Authors: Qasim M. , Zhang Y. X. , Lee C. K.
Published: October 2023

Many studies have suggested that engineered cementitious composite (ECC) could be a highly efficient and cost‐effective material for enhancing the flexural strength of reinforced concrete (RC) beams. Recently two effective retrofitting configurations using steel and polyvinyl‐alcohol hybrid fiber reinforced engineered cementitious composite (SPH‐ECC) were proposed (Qasim et al., Eng Struct, 2023, 284, p. 115992) and their high effectiveness for enhancing the flexural strength of RC beam was verified experimentally. However, to examine the performance of these strengthening configurations thoroughly by conducting experiments to cover practical ranges of design parameters is deemed to be too expensive and time consuming. In this study, a numerical parametric study of SPH‐ECC strengthened RC beams was conducted by employing a validated finite element (FE) modeling procedure developed by the authors. The effects of four key design parameters including the compressive strength of concrete and SPH‐ECC, the thickness of SPH‐ECC strengthening layer and the area of reinforcement bars embedded in SPH‐ECC layers on the flexural performance of the strengthened beams were studied. Parametric study results showed that the area of reinforcement bars in the SPH‐ECC layers could significantly affect the flexural strength of the strengthened beams. Furthermore, in order to allow engineers to predict the flexural strength of the strengthened beams quickly, two simple but accurate analytical models were also developed for the two strengthening configurations considered. Their reliability and accuracy were then verified and confirmed by comparing with the parametric study results.
Tungsten oxide‐anchored Ru clusters with electron‐rich and anti‐corrosive microenvironments for efficient and robust seawater splitting
Authors: Zhang Yiming , Zheng Weiqiong , Wu Huijuan , Zhu Ran , Wang Yinghan , Wang Mao , Ma Tian , Cheng Chong , Zeng Zhiyuan , Li Shuang
Published: October 2023

Ruthenium (Ru) has been recognized as a prospective candidate to substitute platinum catalysts in water‐splitting‐based hydrogen production. However, minimizing the Ru contents, optimizing the water dissociation energy of Ru sites, and enhancing the long‐term stability are extremely required, but still face a great challenge. Here, we report on creating tungsten oxide‐anchored Ru clusters (Ru–WOx) with electron‐rich and anti‐corrosive microenvironments for efficient and robust seawater splitting. Benefiting from the abundant oxygen vacancy structure in tungsten oxide support, the Ru–WOx exhibits strong Ru–O and Ru–W bonds at the interface. Our study elucidates that the strong Ru–O bonds in Ru–WOx may accelerate the water dissociation kinetics, and the Ru–W bonds will lead to the strong metal–support interaction and electrons transfer from W to Ru. The optimal Ru–WOx catalysts exhibit a low overpotential of 29 and 218 mV at the current density of 10 mA cm−2 in alkaline and seawater media, respectively. The outstanding long‐term stability discloses that the Ru–WOx catalysts own efficient corrosion resistance in seawater electrolysis. We believe that this work offers new insights into the essential roles of electron‐rich and anti‐corrosive microenvironments in Ru‐based catalysts and provide a new pathway to design efficient and robust cathodes for seawater splitting.