bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Worsening drought of Nile basin under shift in atmospheric circulation, stronger ENSO and Indian Ocean dipole
Authors: Mahmoud Shereif H. , Gan Thian Yew , Allan Richard P. , Li Jianfeng , Funk Chris
Published: May 2022

Until now, driving mechanisms behind recurring droughts and hydroclimate variations that controls the Nile River Basin (NRB) remains poorly understood. Our results show significant hydroclimatic changes that contributed to recent increasing aridity of NRB since the 1970s. Besides climate warming, the influence of stronger ENSO and Indian Ocean dipole (IOD) in NRB has increased after 1980s, which have significantly contributed to NRB’s drought severity at inter-annual to inter-decadal timescales. Our results demonstrate that warming, El Niño and IOD have played a crucial role on NRB’s inter-decadal hydroclimate variability, but IOD has played a more important role in modulating NRB’s hydroclimate at higher timescales than El Niño. Results also indicate that the impacts of positive phases of ENSO and IOD events are larger than the negative phases in the NRB hydroclimate. Further, the southward (westward) shift in stream functions and meridional (zonal) winds caused an enhancement in the blocking pattern, with strong anticyclonic waves of dry air that keeps moving into NRB, has resulted in drier NRB, given stream function, geopotential height and U-wind anomalies associated with El Niño shows that changes in regional atmospheric circulations during more persistent and stronger El Niño has resulted in drier NRB. After 1970s, El Niño, IOD, and drought indices shows significant anti-phase relationships, which again demonstrates that more frequent and severe El Niño and IOD in recent years has led to more severe droughts in NRB. Our results also demonstrate that IOD and and the western pole of the Indian Ocean Dipole (WIO) are better predictors of the Nile flow than El Niño, where its flow has decreased by 13.7 (upstream) and by 114.1 m3/s/decade (downstream) after 1964. In summary, under the combined impact of warming and stronger IOD and El Niño, future droughts of the NRB will worsen.
Suitability of spider mites and green peach aphids as prey for Eriopis connexa (Germar) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae)
Authors: de Matos Sidnéia Terezinha Soares , Savi Patrice Jacob , Melville Cirano Cruz , dos Santos Cividanes Terezinha Monteiro , Cividanes Francisco Jorge , de Andrade Daniel Júnior
Published: May 2022

The ladybird Eriopis connexa is an important natural enemy of several pest arthropods in agroecosystems. High population of this predator is frequently observed in strawberry and soybean crops associated with spider mites. We used two-sex life table parameters to evaluate under laboratory conditions, the suitability of three species of spider mites (Tetranychus evansi, Tetranychus urticae, Tetranychus ogmophallos), and a species of aphid (Myzus persicae) as a prey for the predator E. connexa. Eriopis connexa completed immature development on all prey species except on T. evansi, in which all individuals of predator died before reaching the pupal stage. Among prey species that allowed the immature development of E. connexa, T. urticae and M. persicae provided a faster development time to the predator. Oviposition days, longevity and fecundity of E. connexa on T. urticae and M. persicae were substantially longer/higher than on T. ogmophallos. Net reproductive rate (R0), intrinsic rate of increase (r), and finite rate of increase (λ) of E. connexa feeding on T. urticae and M. persicae were also higher than those on T. ogmophallos. Based on the overall performance of the ladybird, the order of suitability of prey species was M. persicae > T. urticae > T. ogmophallos > T. evansi.
A genome-wide association study for melatonin secretion
Authors: Liu Pi-Hua , Chuang Gwo-Tsann , Hsiung Chia-Ni , Yang Wei-Shun , Ku Hsiao-Chia , Lin Yi-Ching , Chen Yi-Shun , Huang Yu-Yao , Lin Chia-Hung , Li Wen-Yi , Lin Jou-Wei , Hsu Chih-Neng , Hwang Juey-Jen , Liao Karen Chia-Wen , Hsieh Meng-Lun , Lee Hsiao-Lin , Shen Chen-Yang , Chang Yi-Cheng
Published: May 2022

Melatonin exerts a wide range of effects among various tissues and organs. However, there is currently no study to investigate the genetic determinants of melatonin secretion. Here, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for melatonin secretion using morning urine 6-hydroxymelatonin sulfate-to-creatinine ratio (UMCR). We initially enrolled 5000 participants from Taiwan Biobank in this study. After excluding individuals that did not have their urine collected in the morning, those who had history of neurological or psychiatric disorder, and those who failed to pass quality control, association of single nucleotide polymorphisms with log-transformed UMCR adjusted for age, sex and principal components of ancestry were analyzed. A second model additionally adjusted for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). A total of 2373 participants underwent the genome-wide analysis. Five candidate loci associated with log UMCR (Pvalue ranging from 6.83 × 10−7to 3.44 × 10−6) encompassingZFHX3,GALNT15,GALNT13,LDLRAD3and intergenic betweenSEPP1andFLJ32255were identified. Similar results were yielded with further adjustment for eGFR. Interestingly, the identified genes are associated with circadian behavior, neuronal differentiation, motor disorders, anxiety, and neurodegenerative diseases. We conducted the first GWAS for melatonin secretion and identified five candidate genetic loci associated with melatonin level. Replication and functional studies are needed in the future.
Additive effects of coexisting respiratory comorbidities on overall or respiratory mortality in patients with asthma: a national cohort study
Authors: Yeo Yoomi , Lee Hyun , Ryu Jiin , Chung Sung Jun , Park Tai Sun , Park Dong Won , Kim Sang-Heon , Kim Tae Hyung , Sohn Jang Won , Yoon Ho Joo , Min Kyung Hoon , Moon Ji-Yong
Published: May 2022

Asthmatic patients are generally considered to have an increased risk of mortality compared with subjects without asthma. However, this issue has been less evaluated using nationally representative data. Moreover, it is unclear whether respiratory comorbidities other than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with increased mortality in asthmatic patients compared with subjects without. Using a nationally representative sample database, we performed a retrospective cohort study of patients with asthma and age-sex-matched control cohort. We estimated the hazard ratio (HR) and stratified the asthma cohort based on respiratory comorbidities. During a median 8.9-year follow-up, the overall mortality rate was higher in the asthma cohort than in the control cohort (p < 0.001). The hazard ratio (HR) for overall mortality in the asthma cohort compared with the control cohort was 1.13. The effects of asthma on overall mortality were more evident in males, patients under medical aid, and subjects with COPD. Respiratory comorbidities were significantly associated with increased risk of overall mortality in asthmatic patients compared with controls (adjusted HRs; 1.48 for COPD, 1.40 for bronchiectasis, 4.08 for lung cancer, and 1.59 for pneumonia). While asthma and lung cancer showed an additive effect only on overall mortality, asthma and other respiratory comorbidities (COPD, pneumonia, and bronchiectasis) had additive effects only on respiratory mortality. Patients with asthma had a higher overall mortality rate compared with subjects without asthma. Respiratory comorbidities showed an additive effect on overall or respiratory mortality in patients with asthma.
Muscle contractions and pain sensation accompanying high-frequency electroporation pulses
Authors: Cvetkoska Aleksandra , Maček-Lebar Alenka , Trdina Peter , Miklavčič Damijan , Reberšek Matej
Published: May 2022

To minimize neuromuscular electrical stimulation during electroporation-based treatments, the replacement of long monophasic pulses with bursts of biphasic high-frequency pulses in the range of microseconds was suggested in order to reduce muscle contraction and pain sensation due to pulse application. This treatment modality appeared under the term high-frequency electroporation (HF-EP), which can be potentially used for some clinical applications of electroporation such as electrochemotherapy, gene electrotransfer, and tissue ablation. In cardiac tissue ablation, which utilizes irreversible electroporation, the treatment is being established as Pulsed Field Ablation. While the reduction of muscle contractions was confirmed in multiple in vivo studies, the reduction of pain sensation in humans was not confirmed yet, nor was the relationship between muscle contraction and pain sensation investigated. This is the first study in humans examining pain sensation using biphasic high-frequency electroporation pulses. Twenty-five healthy individuals were subjected to electrical stimulation of the tibialis anterior muscle with biphasic high-frequency pulses in the range of few microseconds and both, symmetric and asymmetric interphase and interpulse delays. Our results confirm that biphasic high-frequency pulses with a pulse width of 1 or 2 µs reduce muscle contraction and pain sensation as opposed to currently used longer monophasic pulses. In addition, interphase and interpulse delays play a significant role in reducing the muscle contraction and/or pain sensation. The study shows that the range of the optimal pulse parameters may be increased depending on the prerequisites of the therapy. However, further evaluation of the biphasic pulse protocols presented herein is necessary to confirm the efficiency of the newly proposed HF-EP.
Evaluation of future estuarine floods in a sea level rise context
Authors: Lopes Carina Lurdes , Sousa Magda Catarina , Ribeiro Américo , Pereira Humberto , Pinheiro João Pedro , Vaz Leandro , Dias João Miguel
Published: May 2022

Reliable predictions of future inundation extent within estuaries require a precise evaluation of future extreme sea levels and the application of accurate numerical models that account for the physical processes driving estuarine hydrodynamics. In this study, a methodology that integrates the estimation of local extreme sea levels with high-resolution numerical modeling was applied to assess the future inundation extent in five estuarine systems located on the Portuguese Coast. The main findings obtained were compared with available results from the popular bathtub approach, that disregards the physical processes driving estuarine hydrodynamics and therefore provide imprecise predictions of inundation extent and associated socio-economic impacts. The inundation extent is revealed to be highly dependent on the extreme sea levels and on the estuarine geomorphology, which controls the propagating long-wave. As the long-wave height is highly attenuated within estuaries that have adjacent low-lying areas, restricted inlets, or extensive tidal flats, the results of this study revealed that the extent of inundation is considerably smaller than that obtained by the bathtub approach. The uncertainties associated with mean sea level rise and the estuarine geomorphological evolution constitute the greatest difficulty in assessing the extent of flooding, posing major challenges to the efficient and sustainable management of estuaries.
Projections of wildfire weather danger in the Canary Islands
Authors: Carrillo J. , Pérez J. C. , Expósito F. J. , Díaz J. P. , González A.
Published: May 2022

Climate change is expected to enhance weather conditions prone to wildfires. Climate regionalized projections for the Canary Islands were performed, using as boundary conditions some of the results provided by the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) initiative, and covering the recent past (1980–2009) and future (2070–2099) periods, under two Representative Concentration Pathways, 4.5 and 8.5. All fire risk indicators derived from the Canadian Forest Fire Weather Index (FWI) are foreseen to worsen by the end of the century. The fire season could increase its length up to 75 days per year, being more noticeable as altitude increases. The extreme risk days (FWI > 60) show an average increase of 58%, reaching 12 days a year, and the area with high risk could increase by 44%. Analyzing the contribution of the different meteorological variables, it is observed that the main parameter in the fire danger index result is the temperature (currently weights 46%). However, in the future, the importance of precipitation will increase, since the rainfall reduction in some areas could reach 41%. The high dependence of the expected changes on land height, and the small size of the islands, demonstrates the necessity of using high-resolution climate regionalizations.
Glaucoma diagnosis using multi-feature analysis and a deep learning technique
Authors: Akter Nahida , Fletcher John , Perry Stuart , Simunovic Matthew P. , Briggs Nancy , Roy Maitreyee
Published: May 2022

In this study, we aimed to facilitate the current diagnostic assessment of glaucoma by analyzing multiple features and introducing a new cross-sectional optic nerve head (ONH) feature from optical coherence tomography (OCT) images. The data (n = 100 for both glaucoma and control) were collected based on structural, functional, demographic and risk factors. The features were statistically analyzed, and the most significant four features were used to train machine learning (ML) algorithms. Two ML algorithms: deep learning (DL) and logistic regression (LR) were compared in terms of the classification accuracy for automated glaucoma detection. The performance of the ML models was evaluated on unseen test data, n = 55. An image segmentation pilot study was then performed on cross-sectional OCT scans. The ONH cup area was extracted, analyzed, and a new DL model was trained for glaucoma prediction. The DL model was estimated using five-fold cross-validation and compared with two pre-trained models. The DL model trained from the optimal features achieved significantly higher diagnostic performance (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) 0.98 and accuracy of 97% on validation data and 96% on test data) compared to previous studies for automated glaucoma detection. The second DL model used in the pilot study also showed promising outcomes (AUC 0.99 and accuracy of 98.6%) to detect glaucoma compared to two pre-trained models. In combination, the result of the two studies strongly suggests the four features and the cross-sectional ONH cup area trained using deep learning have a great potential for use as an initial screening tool for glaucoma which will assist clinicians in making a precise decision.
Study on the associations of physical activity types and cardiovascular diseases among Chinese population using latent class analysis method
Authors: Chen Chong , Liu Jiali , Lu Shurong , Ding Ganling , Wang Jiaqi , Qin Yu , Wang Zengwu , Wang Xin , Zhang Zhiyong , Xiang Quanyong
Published: May 2022

Previous studies reported on the association between physical activity (PA) and cardiovascular diseases (CVDS) among the Western population. However, evidence on the association between different patterns of PA and the risk of CVDS among Chinese population are limited. This study aims to evaluate the association of different PA types and the risk of CVDS in a Chinese adult population. A total of 3568 community residents were recruited from Jiangsu Province of China using a stratified multistage cluster sampling method. The latent class analysis method was employed to identify the types of PA, and the Framingham risk score (FRS) was used to estimate the risk of CVDS within 10 years. Three types of PA were identified: CLASS1 represented participants with high occupational PA and low sedentary PA (32.1% of male, 26.5% of female), ClASS2 represented those engaging in low occupational PA and high leisure-time PA (27.0% of male, 14.2% of female), and CLASS3 represented low leisure-time and high sedentary PA (40.9% of male, 59.3% of female). The average of FRS in males was higher than that in females across PA types. CLASS1 (OR = 0.694, 95%CI 0.553–0.869) and CLASS2 (OR = 0.748, 95%CI 0.573–0.976) were both found to be protective against CVDS in males; however, such associations were not statistically significant among females. Therefore, higher occupational or leisure-time PA appear to be associated with decreased risk of CVDS, while more sedentary behaviors may increase the risk of CVDS, particularly for male Chinese adults.
Numerical simulation of quantum dots as a buffer layer in CIGS solar cells: a comparative study
Authors: Abdulghani Zuhair R. , Najm Asmaa Soheil , Holi Araa Mebdir , Al-Zahrani Asla Abdullah , Al-Zahrani Khaled S. , Moria Hazim
Published: May 2022

Quantum bandgap buffer layers can improve sunlight absorption in the short wavelength region, hence improving the performance of CIGS solar cells. In this study, we use numerical modelling to determine the impact of various buffer layers' electrical characteristics on the performance of CIGS thin film photovoltaic devices, particularly, carrier concentration and the quantum effect. As well Ag2S buffer layer has been experimentally examined to fulfilment its effect in term of bulk and quantum bandgap. Experimental results depicted that, Ag2S QDs has polycrystalline nature of films, with smooth surface roughness, and average diameter 4 nm. Meanwhile, a simulation revealed that the Fermi level of the (n-buffer layer) material shifts closer to the conduction band with an increase in carrier concentration. The findings indicate that, a buffer layer with a wider bandgap and carrier concentration is an essential demand for achieving a device with a higher conversion efficiency and a broader bandgap-CBO window. It was attributed to beneficial synergistic effects of high carrier concentration and narrower depletion region, which enable carriers to overcome high CBO barrier. Most importantly, modelling results indicate that the optic-electrical characteristics of the buffer layer are critical in determining the progress of a CIGS solar cell.
Low divergent MeV-class proton beam with micrometer source size driven by a few-cycle laser pulse
Authors: Singh Prashant K. , Varmazyar Parvin , Nagy Bence , Son Joon-Gon , Ter-Avetisyan Sargis , Osvay Karoly
Published: May 2022

Spatial characterization of 0.5 MeV proton beam, driven by 12 fs, 35 mJ, 1019 W/cm2 intense laser-foil interaction is presented. The accelerated proton beam has been applied to obtain a high-resolution, point-projection static radiograph of a fine mesh using a CR-39 plate. The reconstruction of mesh edge blurring and particle ray tracing suggests that these protons have an effective source size (FWHM) of just 3.3 ± 0.3 µm. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the proton beam recorded on the CR-39 showed that the divergence of these particles is less than 5-degree (FWHM). The low divergence and small source size of the proton beam resulted in an ultralow transverse emittance of 0.00032 π-mm-mrad, which is several orders of magnitude smaller than that of a conventional accelerator beam.
Comprehensive metabolomics unveil the discriminatory metabolites of some Mediterranean Sea marine algae in relation to their cytotoxic activities
Authors: Ghallab Dina S. , Shawky Eman , Ibrahim Reham S. , Mohyeldin Mohamed M.
Published: May 2022

Marine algae have served as a treasure trove of structurally variable and biologically active metabolites. The present study emphasizes on UPLC–MS metabolites fingerprinting for the first systematic broad scale metabolites characterization of three different phyla of marine seaweeds; Ulva fasciata, Pterocladia capillacea and Sargassum hornschuchii along with Spirulina platensis harvested from the Mediterranean Sea. A total of 85 metabolites belonging to various classes including mostly fatty acids and their derivatives, terpenoids, amino acids and dipeptides with considerable amounts of polyphenolic compounds. OPLS-DA model offered a better overview of phylum-based discrimination rapidly uncovering the compositional heterogeneity in metabolite profiles of algae extracts. An OPLS model was constructed using the cytotoxic activities against PC3 and MDA-MB-231 tumor cells to succinctly screen cytotoxic discriminatory metabolites among the tested algae species. The coefficient plot revealed that unsaturated fatty acids as stearidonic acid and linolenic acid, terpenoids namely as rosmanol, campestanol, dipeptides primarily glutamylglycine, glycyltyrosine along with polyphenolic compounds being abundantly present in S. platensis and U. fasciata samples with relatively marked cytotoxic potential might be the significant contributors synergistically meditating their anti-proliferative activity against PC3 and MDA-MB-231 tumor cells. Such results serve as baseline for understanding the chemistry of these species and performing strict correlation between metabolite and activity where a lack of information in this regard is observed.
Water electrolysis: from textbook knowledge to the latest scientific strategies and industrial developments
Authors: Chatenet Marian , Pollet Bruno G. , Dekel Dario R. , Dionigi Fabio , Deseure Jonathan , Millet Pierre , Braatz Richard D. , Bazant Martin Z. , Eikerling Michael , Staffell Iain , Balcombe Paul , Shao-Horn Yang , Schäfer Helmut
Published: May 2022

Replacing fossil fuels with energy sources and carriers that are sustainable, environmentally benign, and affordable is amongst the most pressing challenges for future socio-economic development.
The coming of age of water channels for separation membranes: from biological to biomimetic to synthetic
Authors: Lim Yu Jie , Goh Kunli , Wang Rong
Published: May 2022

This review studied the evolution of water nanochannels over the years by focusing on their key physicochemical and transport properties. The fabrication methods that can nanoarchitecture water channels into high-performance membranes are discussed.
GlyNet: a multi-task neural network for predicting protein–glycan interactions
Authors: Carpenter Eric J. , Seth Shaurya , Yue Noel , Greiner Russell , Derda Ratmir
Published: May 2022

GlyNet, a neural net model of glycan-protein binding strengths. Given a glycan it outputs binding to each of several protein samples. Reproducing glycan array data, it extrapolates the binding of untested glycans against the protein samples.
Synthesis of 2,5-disubstituted selenophenes via a copper-catalyzed regioselective [2+2+1] cyclization of terminal alkynes and selenium
Authors: Zhong Wentao , Li Meng , Jin Yangbin , Jiang Huanfeng , Wu Wanqing
Published: May 2022

A copper-catalyzed regioselective [2+2+1] cyclization of terminal alkynes and elemental selenium for the construction of various 2,5-disubstituted selenophiles has been developed.
Deoxygenativegem-difluorovinylation of aliphatic alcohols
Authors: Xia Guang-Da , He Yuan-Yuan , Zhang Jing , Liu Zi-Kui , Gao Yang , Hu Xiao-Qiang
Published: May 2022

An efficient phosphoranyl radical-mediated deoxygenativegem-difluorovinylation of aliphatic alcohols using α-trifluoromethyl alkenes has been achieved for the first time, furnishing a range ofgem-difluorovinyl products in generally good yields.
Chromone–methanol clusters in the electronic ground and lowest triplet state: a delicate interplay of non-covalent interactions
Authors: Boden Pol , Strebert Patrick H. , Meta Marcel , Dietrich Fabian , Riehn Christoph , Gerhards Markus
Published: May 2022

Probing intermolecular interaction: ketone solvation balance showcasing the tight competition of two binding sites.
The photoluminescence of isolated and paired Bi3+ ions in layered LnOCl crystals: a first-principles study
Authors: Chen Qiaoling , Feng Zhaoyang , Liu MingZhe , Lou Bibo , Ma Chong-Geng , Duan Chang-Kui
Published: May 2022

Luminescent ns2 centers have shown great potential for applications as phosphors and scintillators and intervalent charge transfer transitions are explored.
The critical roles of hydrophobicity, surface Ru0 and active O2−/O22− sites on toluene combustion on Ru/ZSM-5 with varied Si/Al ratios
Authors: Liu Jianjun , Zeng Lanling , Xu Xianglan , Xu Junwei , Fang Xiuzhong , Bian Yijun , Wang Xiang
Published: May 2022

Higher hydrophobicity, more abundant surface Ru0 and active oxygen sites contribute to enhancing the activity of Ru/ZSM-5 with higher Si/Al ratios.
Developments in ultrafast spectroscopy
Authors: Daniel Chantal , Bañares Luis , Matsika Spiridoula , Zhao Jin
Published: May 2022

Guest editors, Chantal Daniel, Luis Banares, Spiridoula Matsika and Jin Zhao, introduce this Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics themed issue.
Slow magnetic relaxation in mononuclear octa-coordinate Fe(ii) and Co(ii) complexes from a Bpybox ligand
Authors: Li Rui-Xia , Sun Hui-Ying , Liang Hai-Chao , Yi Cheng , Yao Nian-Tao , Meng Yin-Shan , Xiong Jin , Liu Tao , Zhu Yuan-Yuan
Published: May 2022

Two mononuclear octa-coordinate Fe(ii) and Co(ii) complexes display field-induced slow magnetic relaxation in which Fe(ii) and Co(ii) compounds are uniaxially and rhombically anisotropic, respectively.
An electron-deficient MOF as an efficient electron-transfer catalyst for selective oxidative carbon–carbon coupling of 2,6-di-tert-butylphenol
Authors: Liu Teng , Shen Xianfu , Liu Zhengfen , Zhang Feng , Liu Jian-Jun
Published: May 2022

An electron-deficient MOF based on the NDI derivative has been developed for selective oxidative C–C coupling of 2, 6-di-tert-butylphenol to different products by controlling the reaction conditions.
Synthesis, spectroscopy, and density functional theory of organotin and organosilicon complexes of bioactive ligands containing nitrogen, sulfur donor atoms as antimicrobial agents: in vitro and in silico studies
Authors: Dhingra Naveen , Singh J. B. , Singh Har Lal
Published: May 2022

Organotin and organosilicon complexes have showed potential antimicrobial activity and bind to the protein's active site. Inorganic-based metallodrugs have emerged as an effective strategy for drugs based on metal selection and characteristics.
Correction: Solvent-driven azide-induced mononuclear discrete versus one-dimensional polymeric aromatic Möbius cadmium(ii) complexes of an N6 tetradentate helical ligand
Authors: Akbari Afkhami Farhad , Mahmoudi Ghodrat , Gurbanov Atash V. , Zubkov Fedor I. , Qu Fengrui , Gupta Arunava , Safin Damir A.
Published: May 2022

Correction for ‘Solvent-driven azide-induced mononuclear discrete versus one-dimensional polymeric aromatic Möbius cadmium(ii) complexes of an N6 tetradentate helical ligand’ by Farhad Akbari Afkhami et al., Dalton Trans., 2017, 46, 14888–14896, https://doi.org/10.1039/C7DT02952G.
Seizing gaseous Fe2+ to densify O2-accessible Fe–N4 sites for high-performance proton exchange membrane fuel cells
Authors: Yin Shu-Hu , Yang Shuang-Li , Li Gen , Li Guang , Zhang Bin-Wei , Wang Chong-Tai , Chen Ming-Shu , Liao Hong-Gang , Yang Jian , Jiang Yan-Xia , Sun Shi-Gang
Published: May 2022

Increasing the density of surface Fe–N4 sites in Fe–N–C materials is pivotal for enhancing the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).
Controllable synthesis of a nanoparticle-modified thin-layer 3D flower-like CuZnAl-LDHs material with high NO2 gas sensing performance at room temperature
Authors: Lv Mingyue , Luo Shuiting , Tian Ye , Lin Chong , Jiang Lin , Li Li , Shi Keying
Published: May 2022

Three-dimensional flower-like CuZnAl-LDHs attached to nanoparticles were prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method with a detection limit of 30 ppb for NO2.
An anthracene-based microporous metal–organic framework for adsorbing CO2 and detecting TNP sensitivity
Authors: An Qingbo , Bao Siqi , Li Xiao , Sun Jing , Su Zhongmin
Published: May 2022

An anthracene-based microporous MOF of CUST-607 was synthesized by a solvothermal method. CUST-607 possesses a large surface area and shows strong adsorption toward CO2. In the fluorescence experiments, CUST-607 exhibits total quenching for TNP.
Unveiling the relationship between the multilayer structure of metallic MoS2 and the cycling performance for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Liu Zhipeng , Wang Kaiwen , Huang Guoqing , Yu Shuyi , Li Xiaotian , Li Nan , Yu Kaifeng
Published: May 2022

The cycling stability of 1T phase molybdenum sulfide (1T-MoS2) as anode of lithium ion battery (LIBs) correlates with the layer number.
Bioinspired hierarchical 3D flower-in-ridge hybrid structure for the photodegradation of persistent organic pollutants
Authors: Osotsi Maurice I. , Xiong Yuqin , Fu Siqi , Zhang Wang , Di Zhang
Published: May 2022

Next-generation photocatalysts are continuously inspired by natural nanostructures to enhance their characteristics, harness the inherent natural structure properties and boost the photocatalytic performance for efficient degradation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
Nanoparticle-induced morphological transformation in block copolymer-based nanocomposites
Authors: Ji Wenhai , Huang Zhongyuan , Kentzinger Emmanuel , Rücker Ulrich , Brückel Thomas , Xiao Yinguo
Published: May 2022

Using AFM and X-ray scattering technique (GTSAXS), the morphological transformation of supramolecular nanocomposite thin films induced by incorporated nanoparticles is revealed as a function of the nanoparticle concentration.
Structural evolution of MXenes and their composites for electromagnetic interference shielding applications
Authors: Liu Heguang , Wang Zhe , Wang Jing , Yang Yujia , Wu Shaoqing , You Caiyin , Tian Na , Li Yuan
Published: May 2022

This review focuses on the summary of geometrical structures of MXenes and their composites, and provides unique insights and guides to the future development of such MXene based EMI shielding materials.
Synthesis of a Lewis b hexasaccharide thioglycoside donor and its use towards an extended mucin core Tn heptasaccharide structure and a photoreactive biotinylated serine linked hexasaccharide
Authors: Hollinger Martin , Bonaccorsi Filippo , Cheallaigh Aisling Ní , Oscarson Stefan
Published: May 2022

A Lewis b hexasaccharide thioglycoside donor was prepared on a gram scale. The donor was efficiently used in synthesis of an extended Tn-mucin core structure and a bifunctionalized (biotin, diazirine) structure suitable for tagging experiments.
A metal-free BF3·OEt2 mediated chemoselective protocol for the synthesis of propargylic cyclic imines
Authors: Singh Prasoon Raj , Gopal Braj , Kumar Madan , Goswami Avijit
Published: May 2022

The chemoselective formation of five-membered propargylic cyclic imines and the subsequent transformation of imines to amines via (3 + 2)-cycloaddition of donor–acceptor cyclopropanes with alkynylnitriles mediated by BF3·OEt2 has been documented.
Egg yolk sialylglycopeptide: purification, isolation and characterization of N-glycans from minor glycopeptide species
Authors: Melo Diaz Javier Mauricio , Moran Alan B. , Peel Simon R. , Hendel Jenifer L. , Spencer Daniel I. R.
Published: May 2022

Naturally occurring asymmetric and triantennay N-glycans can be isolated from hen egg yolk glycopeptides.
Asymmetric C(sp3)–H borylation: an update
Authors: Ghosh Sumit , Ghosh Anogh , Pyne Pranjal , Hajra Alakananda
Published: May 2022

The review summarises the recent state-of-the-art accomplishments in asymmetric C(sp3)–H borylation methods with literature extending up to March 2022.
Persulfate-nitrogen doped graphene mixture as an oxidant for the synthesis of 3-nitro-4-aryl-2H-chromen-2-ones from aryl alkynoate esters and nitrite
Authors: Natarajan Palani , Priya  , Chuskit Deachen
Published: May 2022

A room-temperature technique for the synthesis of 3-nitro-4-arylcoumarins is reported employing a persulfate-nitrogen doped graphene mixture in a watery medium as an oxidant.
Metallocene catalysts for the ring-opening co-polymerisation of epoxides and cyclic anhydrides
Authors: Shaw Matthew S. , Bates Morgan R. , Jones Matthew D. , Ward Benjamin D.
Published: May 2022

Group 4 metallocene complexes are effective catalysts in the ring-opening copolymerisation of epoxides and anhydrides to afford bio-derived polymers.
Effect of MWCNT nanofiller on the dielectric performance of bio-inspired gelatin based nanocomposites
Authors: Alam Rabeya Binta , Ahmad Md. Hasive , Islam Muhammad Rakibul
Published: May 2022

Significant improvement in the dielectric performance of the bio-derived gelatin-based polymer nanocomposites has been observed due to the incorporation of MWCNT nanofiller.
Synthesis and characterization of novel dicarbohydrazide derivatives with electrochemical and theoretical approaches as potential corrosion inhibitors for N80 steel in a 3.5% NaCl solution
Authors: Abdallah Y. M. , El-Gammal Ola. A. , Abd El-Lateef Hany M. , Shalabi K.
Published: May 2022

Two novel dicarbohydrazide derivatives (H2HEH) and (H2MEH) were synthesized and tested as corrosion inhibitors for N80 steel in 3.5% NaCl solutionviaelectrochemical and theoretical approaches.
Mapping paratopes of nanobodies using native mass spectrometry and ultraviolet photodissociation
Authors: Macias Luis A. , Wang Xun , Davies Bryan W. , Brodbelt Jennifer S.
Published: May 2022

Ultraviolet photodissociation mass spectrometry is used to probe the paratopes of nanobodies, a class of single-domain antibodies, and to determine intersubunit salt-bridges and explore the nanobody·antigen interfaces.
Stacked on-chip supercapacitors for extreme environments
Authors: Baburaj Abhijit , Gullapalli Hemtej , Puthirath Anand B. , Salpekar Devashish , Joyner Jarin , Kosolwattana Suppanat , Vajtai Robert , Ganguli Babu , Ajayan Pulickel M.
Published: May 2022

A layer-by-layer fabrication technique for a stacked on-chip supercapacitor operable in a wide range of temperatures (−20 °C to 70 °C) is demonstrated, and the prepared devices show competing performances at room and high temperatures.
A smart strategy of “laser-direct-writing” to achieve scalable fabrication of self-supported MoNi4/Ni catalysts for efficient and durable hydrogen evolution reaction
Authors: Sun Qunxiang , Ma Lili , Zhu Shengli , Cui Zhenduo , Li Zhaoyang , Wu Shuilin , Jiang Hui , Liang Yanqin
Published: May 2022

A novel and simple “laser-direct-writing” strategy was pioneered to synthesize high-purity MoNi4/Ni catalysts. The laser with high energy enables a site-specific phase transition from Ni and Mo powder mixture to MoNi4 alloys without size limitation.
A highly conductive and stable hybrid solid electrolyte for high voltage lithium metal batteries
Authors: Yu Jiangtao , Hu Yin , Ma Xinyu , Zou Xiuyang , Qi Haojun , Zhou Yingjie , Yan Feng
Published: May 2022

A hybrid solid electrolyte (HSE) is prepared by using ionomer P(VDF-HFP)-Lix, as matrix and LATP as ceramic filler. The obtained HSE exhibits high ionic conductivity (7.88 × 10−4 S cm−1 at 25 °C) and electrochemical stability (5.16 V vs. Li/Li+).
A rational design of a cascaded DNA circuit for nanoparticle assembly and its application in the discrimination of single-base changes
Authors: Zheng Bin , Dong Huaze , Zhu Jinmiao , Zhang Qi , Yang Shiwei , Yao Dongbao
Published: May 2022

A rational design of a cascaded circuit is presented, effectively eliminating leakage, purification and reducing assembly time for application.
Excellent energy storage and discharge performances in Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-based ergodic relaxors by enlarging the [AO12] cages
Authors: Li Miaomiao , Zhu Mankang , Zheng Mupeng , Hou Yudong , Wang Jitong , Chao Xiaolian , Yang Zupei , Zhou Jinling , Wang Ke , Ke Xiaoxing
Published: May 2022

By introducing K0.5Bi0.5(Zn1/3Nb2/3)O3, the [AO12] cages are enlarged, which enhances the local polarization; meanwhile, the long-range correlations are disrupted, which renders PNRs percolate to room temperature. Finally, a high recoverable energy density of 5.1 J cm−3 and a high efficiency over 80% are obtained.
CsAB8O12F2·CsI (A = K+, NH4+): design of two fluorooxoborates with benign layered structuresviaa salt-inclusion strategy
Authors: Yan Yuchen , Jiao Jiahao , Tu Chenchen , Zhang Min , Yang Zhihua , Pan Shilie
Published: May 2022

A salt-inclusion strategy was adopted to construct two novel fluorooxoborates CsAB8O12F2·CsI (A = K+, NH4+). Therein, CsKB8O12F2·CsI shows moderate SHG response (0.6 × KDP at 1064 nm) and short phase-matching (PM) SHG wavelength (270 nm).
Activation and turnover of the plant immune signaling kinase BIK1: a fine balance
Authors: Gonçalves Dias Márcia , Soleimani Faranak , Monaghan Jacqueline
Published: May 2022

Mechanisms to sense and respond to pathogens have evolved in all species. The plant immune pathway is initiated by the activation of transmembrane receptor kinases that trigger phosphorylation relays resulting in cellular reprogramming. BOTRYTIS-INDUCED KINASE 1 (BIK1) is a direct substrate of multiple immune receptors in Arabidopsis thaliana and is a central regulator of plant immunity. Here, we review how BIK1 activity and protein stability are regulated by a dynamic interplay between phosphorylation and ubiquitination.
Robust image similarity metric method for SAR images
Authors: Zeng Zhiqiang , Tan Xiaoheng , Chen Zhanye , Huang Yan , Tang Shiyang , Wan Jun
Published: May 2022

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image similarity metric is at the core of SAR image interpretation techniques, however, it is still a challenging task due to complex nonlinear intensity, scale, and rotation differences between SAR images and other remote sensing images. This letter addresses this problem by proposing a novel similarity metric method for SAR images using structure and shape properties. The magnitude and orientation representation of the phase congruency model is first built based on the local phase of images. Then a new scale and rotation‐invariant local binary pattern (SRI‐LBP) descriptor is proposed using local structure and shape information. Finally, a similarity metric is defined using the symmetry Kullback Leibler divergence (SKLD) of the SRI‐LBP descriptors. Numerical experiment results verify its robustness in terms of nonlinear intensity, scale, and rotation differences.
Many‐field packet classification with decomposition and reinforcement learning
Authors: Jamil Hasibul , Yang Ning , Weng Ning
Published: May 2022

Scalable packet classification is a key requirement to support scalable network applications such as firewalls, intrusion detection, and differentiated services. With the ever increasing line‐rate in core networks, it becomes a great challenge to design a scalable packet classification solution using hand‐tuned heuristic approaches. The authors present a scalable learning‐based packet classification engine by building an efficient data structure for different rulesets with many fields. This method consists of the decomposition of fields into subsets and building separate decision trees on those subsets using a deep reinforcement learning procedure. To decompose given fields of a ruleset, the authors consider different grouping metrics such as standard deviation of individual fields and introduce a novel metric called diversity index (DI). The authors examine different decomposition schemes and construct decision trees for each scheme using deep reinforcement learning and compare the results. The results show that the SD decomposition metrics results in 11.5% faster than DI metrics, 25% faster than random 2 and 40% faster than random 1. Furthermore, the authors’ learning‐based selection method can be applied to varying rulesets due to its ruleset independence.
Impact of very massive stars on the chemical evolution of extremely metal-poor galaxies
Authors: Goswami S. , Silva L. , Bressan A. , Grisoni V. , Costa G. , Marigo P. , Granato G. L. , Lapi A. , Spera M.
Published: May 2022

Context.In recent observations of extremely metal-poor, low-mass, starburst galaxies, almost solar Fe/O ratios are reported, despite N/O ratios consistent with the low metallicity.

Aims.We aim to investigate if the peculiar Fe/O ratios can be a distinctive signature of an early enrichment produced by very massive objects dying as pair-instability supernova (PISN).

Methods.We ran chemical evolution models with yields that account for the contribution by PISN. We used both the non-rotating stellar yields from a recent study and new yields from rotating very massive stars calculated specifically for this work. We also searched for the best initial mass function (IMF) that is able to reproduce the observations.

Results.We can reproduce the observations by adopting a bi-modal IMF and by including an initial burst of rotating very massive stars. Only with a burst of very massive stars can we reproduce the almost solar Fe/O ratios at the estimated young ages. We also confirm that rotation is absolutely needed to concomitantly reproduce the observed N/O ratios.

Conclusions.These results stress the importance of very massive stars in galactic chemical evolution studies and strongly support a top-heavy initial mass function in the very early evolutionary stages of metal-poor starburst galaxies.
The disk of FU Orionis viewed with MATISSE/VLTI
Authors: Lykou F. , Ábrahám P. , Chen L. , Varga J. , Kóspál Á. , Matter A. , Siwak M. , Szabó Zs. M. , Zhu Z. , Liu H. B. , Lopez B. , Allouche F. , Augereau J.-C. , Berio P. , Cruzalèbes P. , Dominik C. , Henning Th. , Hofmann K.-H. , Hogerheijde M. , Jaffe W. J. , Kokoulina E. , Lagarde S. , Meilland A. , Millour F. , Pantin E. , Petrov R. , Robbe-Dubois S. , Schertl D. , Scheuck M. , van Boekel R. , Waters L. B. F. M. , Weigelt G. , Wolf S.
Published: May 2022

Aims. We studied the accretion disk of the archetypal eruptive young star FU Orionis with the use of mid-infrared interferometry, which enabled us to resolve the innermost regions of the disk down to a spatial resolution of 3 milliarcseconds (mas) in the L band, that is, within 1 au of the protostar.

Methods. We used the interferometric instrument MATISSE/VLTI to obtain observations of FU Ori’s disk in the L, M, and N bands with multiple baseline configurations. We also obtained contemporaneous photometry in the optical (UBVRIr′i′; SAAO and Konkoly Observatory) and near-infrared (JHKs; NOT). Our results were compared with radiative transfer simulations modeled by RADMC-3D.

Results. The disk of FU Orionis is marginally resolved with MATISSE, suggesting that the region emitting in the thermal infrared is rather compact. An upper limit of ~1.3 ± 0.1 mas (in L) can be given for the diameter of the disk region probed in the L band, corresponding to 0.5 au at the adopted Gaia EDR3 distance. This represents the hot, gaseous region of the accretion disk. The N-band data indicate that the dusty passive disk is silicate-rich. Only the innermost region of said dusty disk is found to emit strongly in the N band, and it is resolved at an angular size of ~5 mas, which translates to a diameter of about 2 au. The observations therefore place stringent constraints for the outer radius of the inner accretion disk. Dust radiative transfer simulations with RADMC-3D provide adequate fits to the spectral energy distribution from the optical to the submillimeter and to the interferometric observables when opting for an accretion rate M ~ 2 × 10−5 M⊙ yr−1 and assuming M* = 0.6 M⊙, Most importantly, the hot inner accretion disk’s outer radius can be fixed at 0.3 au. The outer radius of the dusty disk is placed at 100 au, based on constraints from scattered-light images in the literature. The dust mass contained in the disk is 2.4 × 10−4 M⊙, and for a typical gas-to-dust ratio of 100, the total mass in the disk is approximately 0.02 M⊙. We did not find any evidence for a nearby companion in the current interferometric data, and we tentatively explored the case of disk misalignment. For the latter, our modeling results suggest that the disk orientation is similar to that found in previous imaging studies by ALMA. Should there be an asymmetry in the very compact, inner accretion disk, this might be resolved at even smaller spatial scales (≤1 mas).
BEYONDPLANCK
Authors: Keihänen E. , Suur-Uski A.-S. , Andersen K. J. , Aurlien R. , Banerji R. , Basyrov A. , Bersanelli M. , Bertocco S. , Brilenkov M. , Carbone M. , Colombo L. P. L. , Eriksen H. K. , Eskilt J. R. , Foss M. K. , Franceschet C. , Fuskeland U. , Galeotta S. , Galloway M. , Gerakakis S. , Gjerløw E. , Hensley B. , Herman D. , Iacobellis M. , Ieronymaki M. , Ihle H. T. , Jewell J. B. , Karakci A. , Keskitalo R. , Maggio G. , Maino D. , Maris M. , Mennella A. , Paradiso S. , Partridge B. , Reinecke M. , San M. , Svalheim T. L. , Tavagnacco D. , Thommesen H. , Watts D. J. , Wehus I. K. , Zacchei A.
Published: May 2022

We present a Gibbs sampling solution to the mapmaking problem for cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurements that builds on existing destriping methodology. Gibbs sampling breaks the computationally heavy destriping problem into two separate steps: noise filtering and map binning. Considered as two separate steps, both are computationally much cheaper than solving the combined problem. This provides a huge performance benefit as compared to traditional methods and it allows us, for the first time, to bring the destriping baseline length to a single sample. Here, we applied the Gibbs procedure to simulatedPlanck30 GHz data. We find that gaps in the time-ordered data are handled efficiently by filling them in with simulated noise as part of the Gibbs process. The Gibbs procedure yields a chain of map samples, from which we are able to compute the posterior mean as a best-estimate map. The variation in the chain provides information on the correlated residual noise, without the need to construct a full noise covariance matrix. However, if only a single maximum-likelihood frequency map estimate is required, we find that traditional conjugate gradient solvers converge much faster than a Gibbs sampler in terms of the total number of iterations. The conceptual advantages of the Gibbs sampling approach lies in statistically well-defined error propagation and systematic error correction. This methodology thus forms the conceptual basis for the mapmaking algorithm employed in the BEYONDPLANCKframework, which implements the first end-to-end Bayesian analysis pipeline for CMB observations.
Benchmark tests of transmission spectroscopy using transiting white dwarfs
Authors: Jiang C. , Chen G. , Pallé E. , Parviainen H. , Murgas F. , Ma Y.
Published: May 2022

Context. Ground-based transit observations are affected by both telluric absorption and instrumental systematics, which can affect the final retrieved transmission spectrum of an exoplanet. To account for these effects, a better understanding of the impact of different data analyses is needed to improve the accuracy of the retrieved transmission spectra.

Aims. We propose validating ground-based low-resolution transmission spectroscopy using transiting white dwarfs. These targets are selected to have transit parameters comparable with typical transiting hot Jupiters but nondetectable transmission signals due to their extremely high surface gravities. The advantage here is that we know beforehand what the final transmission spectrum should be: a featureless flat spectrum.

Methods. We analyzed two transiting white dwarfs analogous to hot Jupiters, KIC 10657664B and KIC 9164561B. We used various noise models to account for the systematic noise in their spectroscopic light curves following common procedures of transmission spectroscopy analyses. We compared the derived transmission spectra with the broadband transit depth to determine whether there are any artificial offsets or spectral features arising from light-curve fitting.

Results. The results show a strong model dependence, and the transmission spectra exhibit considerable discrepancies when they are computed with different noise models, different reference stars, and different common-mode removal methods. Nonetheless, we can still derive relatively accurate transmission spectra based on a Bayesian model comparison.

Conclusions. With current ground-based instrumentation, the systematics in transit light curves can easily contaminate a transmission spectrum, introducing a general offset or some spurious spectral features and thus leading to a biased interpretation on the planetary atmosphere. Therefore, we suggest that any wiggle within the measurement errors in a transmission spectrum should be interpreted with caution. It is necessary to determine the dependence of results on the adopted noise model through model comparison. The model inferences should be examined through multiple observations and different instruments.