bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Role of Side Chains and Hydration on Mixed Charge Transport in n‐Type Polymer Films
Authors: Surgailis Jokūbas , Flagg Lucas Q. , Richter Lee J. , Druet Victor , Griggs Sophie , Wu Xiaocui , Moro Stefania , Ohayon David , Kousseff Christina J. , Marks Adam , Maria Iuliana P. , Chen Hu , Moser Maximilian , Costantini Giovanni , McCulloch Iain , Inal Sahika
Published: March 2024

Introducing ethylene glycol (EG) side chains to a conjugated polymer backbone is a well‐established synthetic strategy for designing organic mixed ion‐electron conductors (OMIECs). However, the impact that film swelling has on mixed conduction properties has yet to be scoped, particularly for electron‐transporting (n‐type) OMIECs. Here, the authors investigate the effect of the length of branched EG chains on mixed charge transport of n‐type OMIECs based on a naphthalene‐1,4,5,8‐tetracarboxylic‐diimide‐bithiophene backbone. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), grazing‐incidence wide‐angle X‐ray scattering (GIWAXS), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) are used to establish the similarities between the common‐backbone films in dry conditions. Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (EQCM‐D) and in situ GIWAXS measurements reveal stark changes in film swelling properties and microstructure during electrochemical doping, depending on the side chain length. It is found that even in the loss of the crystallite content upon contact with the aqueous electrolyte, the films can effectively transport charges and that it is rather the high water content that harms the electronic interconnectivity within the OMIEC films. These results highlight the importance of controlling water uptake in the films to impede charge transport in n‐type electrochemical devices.
Universal Design Strategy for Air‐Stable Layered Na‐Ion Cathodes toward Sustainable Energy Storage
Authors: Li Hongliang , Wang Jingyang , Xu Sheng , Chen Aoyuan , Lu Hangyu , Jin Yan , Guo Shaohua , Zhu Jia
Published: March 2024

Na‐ion batteries (NIBs) are sustainable alternatives to Li‐ion technologies due to the abundant and widely‐distributed resources. However, the most promising cathode materials of NIBs so far, O3 layered oxides, suffer from serious air instability issues, which significantly increases the manufactural cost and carbon footprint because of the long‐term use of dry rooms. While some feasible strategies are proposed via case studies, universal design strategies for air‐stable cathodes are yet to be established. Herein, the air degradation mechanisms of O3 cathodes are investigated via combined first‐principles and experimental approaches, with bond dissociation energy proposed as an effective descriptor for predicting air stability. Experimental validations in various unary, binary, and ternary O3 cathodes confirm that the air stability can indeed be effectively improved via simple compositional design. Guided by the predictive model, the designed material can sustain 30‐day air‐storage without structural or electrochemical degradation. It is calculated that such air‐stable cathodes can significantly reduce both energy consumption (≈4 100 000 kWh) and carbon footprint (≈2200‐ton CO2) annually for a 2 GWh NIBs manufactory. Therefore, the fundamental understandings and universal design strategy presented open an avenue for rational materials design of NIBs toward both elemental and manufactural sustainability.
Al‐Rich AlGaN Transistors with Regrown p‐AlGaN Gate Layers and Ohmic Contacts
Authors: Klein Brianna , Allerman Andrew , Armstrong Andrew , Rosprim Mary , Tyznik Colin , Zhu Yinxuan , Joishi Chandan , Chae Chris , Rajan Siddharth
Published: March 2024

Epitaxial regrowth processes are presented for achieving Al‐rich aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN) high electron mobility transistor (HEMTs) with p‐type gates with large, positive threshold voltage for enhancement mode operation and low resistance Ohmic contacts. Utilizing a deep gate recess etch into the channel and an epitaxial regrown p‐AlGaN gate structure, an Al0.85Ga0.15N barrier/Al0.50Ga0.50N channel HEMT with a large positive threshold voltage (VTH = +3.5 V) and negligible gate leakage is demonstrated. Epitaxial regrowth of AlGaN avoids the use of gate insulators which can suffer from charge trapping effects observed in typical dielectric layers deposited on AlGaN. Low resistance Ohmic contacts (minimum specific contact resistance = 4 × 10−6 Ω cm2, average = 1.8 × 10−4 Ω cm2) are demonstrated in an Al0.85Ga0.15N barrier/Al0.68Ga0.32N channel HEMT by employing epitaxial regrowth of a heavily doped, n‐type, reverse compositionally graded epitaxial structure. The combination of low‐leakage, large positive threshold p‐gates and low resistance Ohmic contacts by the described regrowth processes provide a pathway to realizing high‐current, enhancement‐mode, Al‐rich AlGaN‐based ultra‐wide bandgap transistors.
Dual‐Scale Spiral Material for Balancing High Load Bearing and Sound Absorption
Authors: Yu Chenlei , Duan Mingyu , Ti Fei , Xin Fengxian , Zhao Guiping , Lu Tian Jian , Yu Runpei , Li Moxiao , Chen Xin
Published: March 2024

Porous materials with sound absorption and load‐bearing capabilities are in demand in engineering fields like aviation and rail transportation. However, achieving both properties simultaneously is challenging due to the trade‐off between interconnected pores for sound absorption and mechanical strength. Inspired by quilling art, a novel design using spiral material formed by rolling planar materials into helical structures is proposed. Experimental results show high structural strength through self‐locking mechanisms, while double porosities from interlayer spiral slits and aligned submillimeter pores provide excellent sound absorption. These spiral sheets surpass foam aluminum in specific strength (up to 5.1 MPa) and approach aerogels in sound absorption (average coefficient of 0.93 within 0–6400 Hz). With its adaptability to various planar materials, this spiral design allows for hybrid combinations of different materials for multi‐functionality, paving the way for designing advanced, lightweight porous materials for broad applications.
PGC1α‐Inducing Senomorphic Nanotherapeutics Functionalized with NKG2D‐Overexpressing Cell Membranes for Intervertebral Disc Degeneration
Authors: Liu Sheng , Li Kanglu , He Yuxin , Chen Sheng , Yang Wenbo , Chen Xuanzuo , Feng Shiqing , Xiong Liming , Peng Yizhong , Shao Zengwu
Published: March 2024

Cellular senescence is a significant contributor to intervertebral disc aging and degeneration. However, the application of senotherapies, such as senomorphics targeting senescence markers and the senescence‐associated secretory phenotype (SASP), remains limited due to challenges in precise delivery. Given that the natural killer group 2D (NKG2D) ligands are increased on the surface of senescent nucleus pulposus (NP) cells, the NKG2D‐overexpressing NP cell membranes (NNPm) are constructed, which is expected to achieve a dual targeting effect toward senescent NP cells based on homologous membrane fusion and the NKG2D‐mediated immunosurveillance mechanism. Then, mesoporous silica nanoparticles carrying a peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐ɣ coactivator 1α (PGC1α)inducer (SP) are coated with NNPm (SP@NNPm) and it is found that SP@NNPm selectively targets senescent NP cells, and the SP cores exhibit pH‐responsive drug release. Moreover, SP@NNPm effectively induces PGC1α‐mediated mitochondrial biogenesis and mitigates senescence‐associated markers induced by oxidative stress and the SASP, thereby alleviating puncture‐induced senescence and disc degeneration. This dual‐targeting nanotherapeutic system represents a novel approach to delivery senomorphics for disc degeneration treatment.
Synergistic Combination of Sb2Si2Te6 Additives for Enhanced Average ZT and Single‐Leg Device Efficiency of Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3‐based Composites
Authors: Tan Xian Yi , Dong Jinfeng , Liu Jiawei , Zhang Danwei , Solco Samantha Faye Duran , Sağlık Kıvanç , Jia Ning , You Ivan Joel Wen Jie , Chien Sheau Wei , Wang Xizu , Hu Lei , Luo Yubo , Zheng Yun , Soo Debbie Xiang Yun , Ji Rong , Goh Ken Choon Hwa , Jiang Yilin , Li Jing‐Feng , Suwardi Ady , Zhu Qiang , Xu Jianwei , Yan Qingyu
Published: March 2024

Thermoelectric materials are highly promising for waste heat harvesting. Although thermoelectric materials research has expanded over the years, bismuth telluride‐based alloys are still the best for near‐room‐temperature applications. In this work, a ≈38% enhancement of the average ZT (300−473 K) to 1.21 is achieved by mixing Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 with an emerging thermoelectric material Sb2Si2Te6, which is significantly higher than that of most BiySb2−yTe3‐based composites. This enhancement is facilitated by the unique interface region between the Bi0.4Sb1.6Te3 matrix and Sb2Si2Te6‐based precipitates with an orderly atomic arrangement, which promotes the transport of charge carriers with minimal scattering, overcoming a common factor that is limiting ZT enhancement in such composites. At the same time, high‐density dislocations in the same region can effectively scatter the phonons, decoupling the electron‐phonon transport. This results in a ≈56% enhancement of the thermoelectric quality factor at 373 K, from 0.41 for the pristine sample to 0.64 for the composite sample. A single‐leg device is fabricated with a high efficiency of 5.4% at ΔT = 164 K further demonstrating the efficacy of the Sb2Si2Te6 compositing strategy and the importance of the precipitate‐matrix interface microstructure in improving the performance of materials for relatively low‐temperature applications.
Platinum/Tantalum Carbide Core–Shell Nanoparticles with Sub‐Monolayer Shells for Methanol and Oxygen Electrocatalysis
Authors: Wang Zhenshu , Kang Jin Soo , Göhl Daniel , Paciok Paul , Gonçalves Danelle S. , Lim Hyung‐Kyu , Zanchet Daniela , Heggen Marc , Shao‐Horn Yang , Ledendecker Marc , Román‐Leshkov Yuriy
Published: March 2024

Core–shell architectures provide great opportunities to improve catalytic activity, but achieving nanoparticle stability under electrochemical cycling remains challenging. Herein, core–shell nanoparticles comprising atomically thin Pt shells over earth‐abundant TaC cores are synthesized and used as highly durable electrocatalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) needed to drive direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Characterization data show that a thin oxidic passivation layer protects the TaC core from undergoing dissolution in the fuel cell‐relevant potential range, enabling the use of partially covered Pt/TaC core–shell nanoparticles for MOR and ORR with high stability and enhanced catalytic performance. Specifically, at the anode the surface‐oxidized TaC further enhances MOR activity compared to conventional Pt nanoparticles. At the cathode, the Pt/TaC catalyst feature increases tolerance to methanol crossover. These results show unique synergistic advantages of the core–shell particles and open opportunities to tailor catalytic properties for electrocatalytic reactions.
Founder effects identify languages of the earliest Americans
Authors: Nichols Johanna
Published: March 2024

The known languages of the Americas comprise nearly half of the world's language families and a wide range of structural types, a level of diversity that required considerable time to develop. This paper proposes a model of settlement and expansion designed to integrate current linguistic analysis with other prehistoric research on the earliest episodes in the peopling of the Americas. Diagnostic structural features from phonology and morphology are compared across 60 North American languages chosen for coverage of geography and language families and adequacy of description. Frequency comparison and graphic cluster analysis are applied to assess the fit of linguistic types and families with late Pleistocene time windows when entry from Siberia to North America was possible. The linguistic evidence is consistent with two population strata defined by early coastal entries ~24,000 and ~15,000 years ago, then an inland entry stream beginning ~14,000 ff. and mixed coastal/inland ~12,000 ff. The dominant structural properties among the founder languages are still reflected in the modern linguistic populations. The modern linguistic geography is still shaped by the extent of glaciation during the entry windows. Structural profiles imply that two linguistically distinct and internally diverse ancient Siberian linguistic populations provided the founding American populations.

Objectives

Describe early North American linguistic population structure and chronology; align distribution of structural types with archeological and paleoclimatological evidence on the earliest settlements. Propose an improved model of early settlement and expansion and pose some priority research questions.

Materials and Methods

Classification of languages based on a tripartite geolinguistic division based on geographical and linguistic evidence. Survey of phonological and morphological patterns of 60 languages representing the structural, geographical, and genealogical diversity of North America. Survey of 16 morphological and phonological features of known or likely high stability and family‐identifying value across those languages. Frequency comparison and cluster analysis to elucidate the tripartite analysis and compare to the chronology and geolinguistics implied by paleoclimatological and archeological work.

Results

There is enough evidence (linguistic, archeological, genetic, and geological) to indicate four glacial‐age openings allowing entries to North America: coastal c. 24,000 and 15,000 years ago; inland c. 14,000 years ago and continuing; and coastal c. 12,000 years ago and continuing. Geographical distribution of modern languages reflects the geography and chronology of the openings and the two human and linguistic population strata they formed, and plausibly also the structural types of the founding languages.

Discussion

Improved model of North American settlement (two chronological strata, four entries); comparison to other proposed models. Further questions and research issues for linguistic, genetic, and archeological research.
American Rhinologic Society expert practice statement part 1: Skull base reconstruction following endoscopic skull base surgery
Authors: Douglas Jennifer E. , Adappa Nithin D. , Choby Garret , Levine Corinna G. , Rabinowitz Mindy R. , Sindwani Raj , Wang Eric W. , Woodworth Bradford A. , Kuan Edward C.
Published: March 2024

The goal of this American Rhinologic Society expert practice statement (EPS) is to summarize the best available evidence for technical factors that optimize outcomes in skull base reconstruction following endoscopic skull base surgery for intradural pathologies. These topics include the use of free mucosal grafts versus vascularized pedicled nasoseptal flaps; the use of autologous versus synthetic grafts; and the roles of lumbar drains, dural sealants, and nasal packing. This EPS was developed following the recommended methodology and approval process as previously outlined. As there are a myriad of techniques and limited agreement on the accepted principles of skull base reconstruction, this EPS aims to summarize the existing evidence and provide clinically meaningful guidance on these divergent practices. Following a modified Delphi approach, five statements were developed, four of which reached consensus and one of which reached near consensus. These statements and the accompanying evidence are summarized along with an assessment of future needs.
Metal‐chelating antioxidant peptides: Biosensor screening methods as alternatives to the ferrozine assay
Authors: Bjørlie Mads , Irankunda Rachel , Yesiltas Betül , Moltke Sørensen Ann‐Dorit , Girardet Jean‐Michel , Boschi‐Müller Sandrine , Jacobsen Charlotte , Canabady‐Rochelle Laetitia
Published: March 2024

Preventing metal‐catalyzed lipid oxidation in food products, which decreases nutritional value and sensory quality, is crucial in the food industry. This is typically achieved through the use of metal‐chelating molecules. While the ferrozine assay is widely used to screen protein hydrolysates for metal chelating activity, it has proven difficult to use with pure peptides. This study evaluates the potential of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and electrically switchable nanolever technology (switchSENSE®) as alternative screening methods. Unfortunately, solubility issues and large standard deviations precluded a direct correlation between the ferrozine assay and these biosensor techniques. Both techniques, however, were able to quantitatively distinguish between two peptides with very similar sequences despite the absence of a correlation between dissociation constants determined by SPR and switchSENSE®. This study highlights the potential of SPR and switchSENSE® for screening the metal chelating activity of pure peptides, advancing the understanding of peptide‐metal ion interactions.
Five years of local democracy in federal Nepal (2017–2022)
Authors: Bhusal Thaneshwar , Acharya Keshav Kumar
Published: March 2024

Nepalʼs 2015 federal constitution empowers local governments with significant autonomy, power, and resources for local policymaking, developmental programs, and public services. This research examines this new landscape of local governance as experienced during the first electoral tenure from 2017 to 2022, exploring the quality of local democracy in Nepal. Designed as interpretive research and analysed through a set of participatory democracy frameworks, the findings uncover mixed progress in the capacity of local democratic institutions to utilise constitutionally guaranteed power and resources. The findings of this study offer fresh academic and professional insights on Nepalʼs local democracy, participatory governance, and federalism.
Effect of carbonization temperatures on the synthesis of biocarbon from Borassus flabellifer fruit fiber for capacitive energy storage
Authors: Sumangala Devi Natarajan , Vivekanandhan Singaravelu
Published: March 2024

Borassus flabellifer (Palmyra) fruit fiber (PFF) was extracted and converted into biocarbon materials at different carbonization temperatures of 400°C, 600°C, and 800°C under N2 atmosphere for 1 h. The physicochemical properties of obtained biocarbon materials were investigated via CHNS, SEM‐EDX, FTIR, RAMAN, XRD, BET‐specific surface area, and TGA techniques. The obtained results were correlated with the capacitive energy storage application of biocarbon materials. The highest specific surface area of 46.36 m2 g−1 was observed for the biocarbon materials obtained at 800°C, which also showed superior capacitive performances. The specific capacitances of PFF‐derived biocarbon materials obtained at 400°C, 600°C, and 800°C are respectively found to be 28.58, 37.07, and 45.76 F g−1 at 1 A g−1 employing 1M KOH as electrolyte. The biocarbon materials obtained at 800°C showed the highest specific energy and power of 1.99 and 261 W kg−1 at 1 A g−1.
Friends and foes: Embracing coopetition for sustainability in the New Zealand alternative protein industry
Authors: Vu Viet , Fath Benjamin
Published: March 2024

Developing solutions to sustainability challenges requires cooperation among various stakeholders, including organizations that compete at the same time. Prior studies investigate the barriers, drivers, outcomes and tensions of coopetition among sustainable entrepreneurs. In this paper, we consider the coopetition both among sustainable entrepreneurs and between sustainable entrepreneurs and incumbents. Based on interviews with 23 key stakeholders from the New Zealand alternative protein industry, our findings confirm that value alignment plays an important role in determining firms' openness to coopetition and misalignment can hinder coopetitive relationships. However, value misalignment can be mitigated in situations where sustainable entrepreneurs demonstrate high sustainability orientation, allowing for coopetition between sustainable entrepreneurs and incumbents. Finally, coopetition with incumbents enables sustainable entrepreneurs to support sustainable development. Overall, these findings suggest that coopetition is an important yet complex strategy for sustainable entrepreneurs. The findings provide several contributions to the literature regarding sustainable entrepreneurship and coopetition.
Prognostic significance of systemic immune‐inflammation index in patients with nonfunction pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor undergoing surgical resection
Authors: Chen Guanhua , Liu Li , Tan Chunlu , Tan Qingquan , Chen Yonghua , An Xiangrong , Liu Xubao , Wang Xing
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of our study was to investigate the clinical significance and prognostic role of the systemic immune‐inflammation index (SII) in patients who underwent surgical resection for nonfunctioning pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs).

Methods

We conducted a retrospective analysis of 364 patients with nonfunctioning pNETs. The association between the SII level and clinical parameters was investigated. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the optimal SII value. Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic factors.

Results

Our study included 364 patients with nonfunctioning pNETs who underwent surgery. The median age was 51.0 (43.0, 59.3), and 164 (45.1%) were male. The optimal threshold of SII determined by ROC analysis was 523.95. Higher SII levels were significantly associated with older age (p = 0.001), sex (p = 0.011), tumor size (p = 0.032), and tumor grade (p = 0.002). Recurrence was observed in 70 (19.2%) patients following a median follow‐up of 98 months. Univariate analysis showed that higher SII (p < 0.0001), tumor size >4 cm (p = 0.015), and G2/G3 grade (p = 0.002) were significantly associated with disease‐free survival (DFS). Multivariate analysis revealed that higher SII (HR: 7.35; 95% CI: 3.44, 15.70; p < 0.0001) and G2/G3 grade (HR: 3.11; 95% CI: 1.42, 6.82; p = 0.005) remained significantly associated with tumor recurrence. Furthermore, 46 (12.6%) patients died during the follow‐up. Higher SII (HR: 8.43; 95% CI: 3.19, 22.72; p < 0.0001) and G2/G3 grade (HR: 3.16; 95% CI: 1.01, 9.86; p = 0.048) were independent predictors of overall survival (OS) by multivariate analysis.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our study revealed that a higher SII level was associated with tumor‐related features (larger tumor size and advanced grade) and subsequent shorter DFS and OS in patients with nonfunctioning pNETs. These results indicated that the SII could serve as an efficient prognostic biomarker for nonfunctioning pNETs.
Added value of whole‐exome and RNA sequencing in advanced and refractory cancer patients with no molecular‐based treatment recommendation based on a 90‐gene panel
Authors: Dufresne Armelle , Attignon Valéry , Ferrari Anthony , Tonon Laurie , Boyault Sandrine , Tabone‐Eglinger Séverine , Cassier Philippe , Trédan Olivier , Corradini Nadège , Vinceneux Armelle , Swalduz Aurélie , Viari Alain , Chabaud Sylvie , Pérol David , Blay Jean Yves , Saintigny Pierre
Published: March 2024

Introduction

The objective was to determine the added value of comprehensive molecular profile by whole‐exome and RNA sequencing (WES/RNA‐Seq) in advanced and refractory cancer patients who had no molecular‐based treatment recommendation (MBTR) based on a more limited targeted gene panel (TGP) plus array‐based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH).

Materials and Methods

In this retrospective analysis, we selected 50 patients previously included in the PROFILER trial (NCT01774409) for which no MBT could be recommended based on a targeted 90‐gene panel and aCGH. For each patient, the frozen tumor sample mirroring the FFPE sample used for TGP/aCGH analysis were processed for WES and RNA‐Seq. Data from TGP/aCGH were reanalyzed, and together with WES/RNA‐Seq, findings were simultaneously discussed at a new molecular tumor board (MTB).

Results

After exclusion of variants of unknown significance, a total of 167 somatic molecular alterations were identified in 50 patients (median: 3 [1–10]). Out of these 167 relevant molecular alterations, 51 (31%) were common to both TGP/aCGH and WES/RNA‐Seq, 19 (11%) were identified by the TGP/aCGH only and 97 (58%) were identified by WES/RNA‐Seq only, including two fusion transcripts in two patients. A MBTR was provided in 4/50 (8%) patients using the information from TGP/aCGH versus 9/50 (18%) patients using WES/RNA‐Seq findings. Three patients had similar recommendations based on TGP/aCGH and WES/RNA‐Seq.

Conclusions

In advanced and refractory cancer patients in whom no MBTR was recommended from TGP/aCGH, WES/RNA‐Seq allowed to identify more alterations which may in turn, in a limited fraction of patients, lead to new MBTR.
Percutaneous aspiration of aortic valve vegetation in a patient with aortic valve endocarditis
Authors: Cioci Anthony Louis , Hutton Anneka , Yi Slee , Khoriaty George , Gottlieb Gary , Cartledge Richard , Rubenstein Mark
Published: March 2024

Key Clinical Message

Percutaneous aspiration for debulking of vegetations in right‐sided infective endocarditis has been well‐described, however, this technique can be employed successfully for left‐sided vegetations in select high‐risk patients.

We report a case of percutaneous aspiration of an aortic valve vegetation in a patient with prosthetic valve endocarditis. This novel approach was selected after patient declined surgical intervention for an enlarging vegetation despite antibiotic therapy. The procedure was successful, resulting in the complete removal of solid vegetation without complications.
Catalytic Approaches to the Halogen Dance Reaction for Molecular Editing
Authors: Inoue Kengo , Okano Kentaro
Published: March 2024

Transposition reactions, i. e., switching the position of functional groups, are a powerful tool for molecular editing. The transposition of a halogen atom attached to an aromatic ring, referred to as the halogen dance reaction, has great potential in the fields of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, natural products, and functional materials. However, the substrate scope of this reaction is limited owing to the intrinsic difficulty in facilitating multiple catalytic cycles involving several aryllithium species. In this concept paper, recent advances in halogen dance catalysis that have expanded the substrate scope of this reaction are highlighted.
Dollar cost averaging and fair value dispersion
Authors: O'Brien Thomas J. , Piros Christopher D.
Published: March 2024

This study proposes a simple theoretical model to compare dollar cost averaging and buy‐and‐hold strategies for investors who perceive that equity's unobservable fair (intrinsic) value is symmetrically dispersed around the observable price. For reasonable model inputs, the study shows that if the fair value dispersion is relatively high, dollar cost averaging can be superior to a buy‐and‐hold strategy.
Yeast‐Controlled Double‐Shelled CaCO3/CaF2 Hollow Nanospheres with Hierarchically Porous for Sustained pH‐Sensitive Drug Release
Authors: Liu Xinhe , Chang Yi , Ma Guanglei , Liu Tingting , Song Penghui , Yu Heng , Ren Xueqing , Guo Yuming , Ma Xiaoming
Published: March 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Hierarchically porous materials (HP materials) are believed one of the most hopeful matrix materials because of their distinctive multimodal pore structures and tremendous application potentials in the field of biomedicine. However, green and facile synthesis of hierarchically porous nanomaterials with beneficial water dispersibility and biocompatibility is still a great challenge. Herein, a novel biomimetic strategy is proposed to prepare the cell‐tailored double‐shelled HPCaCO3/CaF2 hollow nanospheres under the mediation of yeast cells. The biomolecules derived from the secretion of yeast cells are used as conditioning and stabilizing agents to control the biosynthesis of the HPCaCO3/CaF2 materials, which exhibit excellent water dispersibility and favorable biocompatibility. The double‐shelled CaCO3/CaF2 nanospheres hold hierarchically porous structure and have abundant pore channel and large specific surface area, showing high drug‐loading and a prolonged drug sustainable release profile by the pore‐by‐pore diffusion pattern of the hierarchical pores. Otherwise, the HPCaCO3 with pH‐sensitivity could controllably release drug doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) at the acidic tumor microenvironment. Both in vitro and in vivo results demonstrate that HPCaCO3/CaF2 has the sustainable pH‐sensitive drug release property, showing an enhanced therapeutic effect. Summarily, this study provides a biomimetic strategy to synthesize the hierarchically porous double‐shelled hollow nanomaterials for applying in sustainable drug delivery system.
Carbene‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Ring‐Opening Reaction of Biaryl Lactams to Access Axially Chiral Biaryls†
Authors: Wang Guanjie , Yuan Guowei , Wei Chenlong , Zhang Ye , Zhu Haibin , Yang Weiqi , Shi Dongping , Zhang Xiaoxiang , Fu Zhenqian
Published: March 2024

Comprehensive Summary

Axially chiral biaryls represent the most important class of atropisomers, and they widely exist in natural products and biologically active molecules. They also constitute a unique scaffold for chiral ligands and catalysts in organic synthesis. The development of synthetic methods to obtain such chiral compounds has received widespread attention, among which catalytically atroposelective ring‐opening of configurationally labile compounds represents one of the most attractive strategies. Various substrates with strained cyclic structures, such as the renowned Bringmann's lactones, can undergo asymmetric transformation into stable atropisomers. Known advancement primarily relies on metal catalyst combined with well‐designed chiral ligands, the approaches utilizing organocatalysis as a critical resolution strategy are notably scarce. In this study, we disclosed a N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐catalyzed asymmetric ring‐opening reaction of biaryl lactams via direct atroposelective nucleophilic activation. The optimized bulky carbene catalyst ensures that the reaction can proceed under mild conditions, affording the desired product with good to excellent yields and atroposelectivity.
Uses and limitations of artificial intelligence for oncology
Authors: Kolla Likhitha , Parikh Ravi B.
Published: March 2024

Modern artificial intelligence (AI) tools built on high‐dimensional patient data are reshaping oncology care, helping to improve goal‐concordant care, decrease cancer mortality rates, and increase workflow efficiency and scope of care. However, data‐related concerns and human biases that seep into algorithms during development and post‐deployment phases affect performance in real‐world settings, limiting the utility and safety of AI technology in oncology clinics. To this end, the authors review the current potential and limitations of predictive AI for cancer diagnosis and prognostication as well as of generative AI, specifically modern chatbots, which interfaces with patients and clinicians. They conclude the review with a discussion on ongoing challenges and regulatory opportunities in the field.
L→S Coordination Complexes Containing Benzothiazol‐2‐ylidene Ligand: Quantum Chemical Analysis and Synthesis
Authors: Mukhopadhyay Joy , Bhagat Srikant , Sahoo Subash C. , Bharatam Prasad V.
Published: March 2024

(NHC)→E coordination interactions were known where NHC is an N‐heterocyclic carbene, and E is a main group element (B, C, N, Si, P). Recently, it was suggested that compounds with (NHC)→S coordination chemistry are also possible. This work reports quantum chemical analysis and synthesis of (NHC)→S‐R(+) complexes in which benzothiazol‐2‐ylidene acts as a ligand. A Density functional study established that (NHC)→S interaction can best be described as a coordination interaction. Synthetic efforts were made, initially, to generate divalent sulfur compounds containing benzothiazole substituents. N‐alkylation of the heterocyclic ring in these sulfides using methyl triflate led to the generation of the desired products with (NHC)→S coordination chemistry, which involves the in situ generation of NHC ring ligands. The observed changes in the 13C NMR spectra, before and after methylation, confirmed the change in the electronic character of the C−S bond from a covalent character to a coordination character.
Quantum Chemical Study of a Dihydroazulene‐Spiropyran Multi‐State Multi‐Functional Molecular Switch
Authors: Deveaux Noah , Ramos Tárcius N. , Beaujean Pierre , Castet Frédéric , Champagne Benoît
Published: March 2024

Quantum chemistry methods have been enacted to characterize the second‐order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of a multi‐state molecular switch containing dihydroazulene and spiropyran units. They have demonstrated that the first hyperpolarizabilities constitute a novel output signal from the viewpoint of molecular logic, owing to the contrasts of NLO responses between the different forms of the dyad. On the one hand, the DFT calculations demonstrate that switching either unit has only a negligible impact on the geometrical parameters of the other one, as well as on the thermodynamics of their transformations. Similarly, as determined by time‐dependent DFT calculations, the UV/vis absorption spectra are in good approximation a superposition of those from the parent units. On the other hand, this additivity trend is not consistently observed for the NLO responses. However, an interpretation of these NLO responses has been proposed by using the unit sphere representation of the first hyperpolarizability tensors to address their orientational aspects as well as by resorting to the few‐state approximation and the missing state analysis to highlight the localized or charge‐transfer nature of the dominant excited states.
The evolution of pro‐environmental behavior research in three decades using bibliometric analysis
Authors: Goyal Sakshi , Goyal Praveen
Published: March 2024

Pro‐environmental behavior plays a pivotal role in mitigating adverse environmental conditions like climate change and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, the current study aims to demonstrate the evolution of pro‐environmental behavior research and determine the emerging areas of this research field. This study employs a bibliometric approach encompassing temporal, co‐word, citation, and bibliographic coupling analyses using SciMAT and VOS Viewer to analyze 1824 articles extracted from Scopus, spanning the period from 1993 to 2022. The findings of bibliometric analysis reveal that (i) After the introduction of sustainable development goals, the research on pro‐environmental behavior has considerably evolved and gained enormous diversity, (ii) the predominant research themes include ecotourism, sustainable consumption behavior, and corporate social responsibility, (iii) green behavior and green marketing are the two significant emerging research areas. This study would facilitate research practitioners and academicians in comprehending evolving trends and identifying avenues for future research.
Working the system—An empirical analysis of the relationship between systems thinking, paradoxical cognition, and sustainability practices
Authors: Schulte Meike Nicole , Paris Cody Morris
Published: March 2024

Sustainability is an inherently complex problem. Often, a reductionist mindset underpins corporate sustainability practices. Understanding the collective impact of systems thinking and paradoxical cognition on sustainability practices could foster new cognitive strategies for sustainability efforts. Informed by stakeholder theory, this study investigates the impacts of systems thinking and paradoxical cognition on sustainability practices in small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Primary data was collected through a survey of SME managers in the United Arab Emirates (n = 554), and the hypothesized model was analyzed using structural equation modelling. The findings imply that systems thinking, paradoxical thinking, and the ability to recognize paradoxical tensions positively influenced sustainability practices. The study's findings offer novel insights advocating for the integration of cognitive frameworks and sustainability practices in the context SMEs, highlighting the need for a shift from traditional linear management approaches to more adaptive and integrative strategies.
Data‐ and theory‐driven approaches for understanding paths of epithelial–mesenchymal transition
Authors: Hong Tian , Xing Jianhua
Published: March 2024

Reversible transitions between epithelial and mesenchymal cell states are a crucial form of epithelial plasticity for development and disease progression. Recent experimental data and mechanistic models showed multiple intermediate epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) states as well as trajectories of EMT underpinned by complex gene regulatory networks. In this review, we summarize recent progress in quantifying EMT and characterizing EMT paths with computational methods and quantitative experiments including omics‐level measurements. We provide perspectives on how these studies can help relating fundamental cell biology to physiological and pathological outcomes of EMT.
Signaling mechanisms underlying activity‐dependent integration of adult‐born neurons in the mouse olfactory bulb
Authors: Bao Suyang , Romero Juan M. , Belfort Benjamin D. W. , Arenkiel Benjamin R.
Published: March 2024

Adult neurogenesis has fascinated the field of neuroscience for decades given the prospects of harnessing mechanisms that facilitate the rewiring and/or replacement of adult brain tissue. The subgranular zone of the hippocampus and the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle are the two main areas in the brain that exhibit ongoing neurogenesis. Of these, adult‐born neurons within the olfactory bulb have proven to be a powerful model for studying circuit plasticity, providing a broad and accessible avenue into neuron development, migration, and continued circuit integration within adult brain tissue. This review focuses on some of the recognized molecular and signaling mechanisms underlying activity‐dependent adult‐born neuron development. Notably, olfactory activity and behavioral states contribute to adult‐born neuron plasticity through sensory and centrifugal inputs, in which calcium‐dependent transcriptional programs, local translation, and neuropeptide signaling play important roles. This review also highlights areas of needed continued investigation to better understand the remarkable phenomenon of adult‐born neuron integration.
Spectral ratio analysis of the site amplification effect and nonlinear site response at MYGH10 during the 2021 MW 7.1 Fukushima earthquake in Japan
Authors: Zhang Shiliang , Tao Dongwang , Xie Quancai , Ma Qiang , Wang Fuchen , Wang Jiang , Ji Kun
Published: March 2024

Ground motion recording with peak ground acceleration (PGA) exceeding 1.43 g was observed at the Yamamoto (MYGH10) station during the MW 7.1 Fukushima earthquake off the east coast of Honshu, Japan, in February 2021. In this study, we investigated the site amplification effect and nonlinear site response at the MYGH10 site using the horizontal‐to‐vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) and surface‐to‐borehole spectral ratio (SBSR), respectively. The site transfer function of station MYGH10 was presented using HVSRs (HVSR on the ground surface) and SBSR at different frequency bands. The dominant contributing frequency band of the PGA was determined by increasing the high cutoff frequency of the bandpass filter when filtering the acceleration recording, which was used to interpret the anomaly of the PGA by combining it with the site characteristics. We found an obvious site effect below the downhole sensor through the HVSRb (HVSR on the downhole bedrock) and determined the influence of the frequency band of the downhole site on ground motion. In addition, substantial discrepancies in the frequency and amplitude between the spectral ratio curves for the Fukushima mainshock records and the weak historical motions were identified. The calculated values of the degree of nonlinearity suggested that a strong nonlinear site response occurred at station MYGH10. Finally, the recovery of the site after strong shaking was evaluated by using the average spectral ratio curves of several aftershock records.
Modeling the neurocognitive dynamics of language across the lifespan
Authors: Guichet Clément , Banjac Sonja , Achard Sophie , Mermillod Martial , Baciu Monica
Published: March 2024

Healthy aging is associated with a heterogeneous decline across cognitive functions, typically observed between language comprehension and language production (LP). Examining resting‐state fMRI and neuropsychological data from 628 healthy adults (age 18–88) from the CamCAN cohort, we performed state‐of‐the‐art graph theoretical analysis to uncover the neural mechanisms underlying this variability. At the cognitive level, our findings suggest that LP is not an isolated function but is modulated throughout the lifespan by the extent of inter‐cognitive synergy between semantic and domain‐general processes. At the cerebral level, we show that default mode network (DMN) suppression coupled with fronto‐parietal network (FPN) integration is the way for the brain to compensate for the effects of dedifferentiation at a minimal cost, efficiently mitigating the age‐related decline in LP. Relatedly, reduced DMN suppression in midlife could compromise the ability to manage the cost of FPN integration. This may prompt older adults to adopt a more cost‐efficient compensatory strategy that maintains global homeostasis at the expense of LP performances. Taken together, we propose that midlife represents a critical neurocognitive juncture that signifies the onset of LP decline, as older adults gradually lose control over semantic representations. We summarize our findings in a novel synergistic, economical, nonlinear, emergent, cognitive aging model, integrating connectomic and cognitive dimensions within a complex system perspective.
Baseline breast tissue characteristics determine the effect of tamoxifen on mammographic density change
Authors: Gabrielson Marike , Hammarström Mattias , Bergqvist Jenny , Lång Kristina , Rosendahl Ann H. , Borgquist Signe , Hellgren Roxanna , Czene Kamila , Hall Per
Published: March 2024

Tamoxifen prevents recurrence of breast cancer and is also approved for preventive, risk‐reducing, therapy. Tamoxifen alters the breast tissue composition and decreases the mammographic density. We aimed to test if baseline breast tissue composition influences tamoxifen‐associated density change. This biopsy‐based study included 83 participants randomised to 6 months daily intake of placebo, 20, 10, 5, 2.5, or 1 mg tamoxifen. The study is nested within the double‐blinded tamoxifen dose‐determination trial Karolinska Mammography Project for Risk Prediction of Breast Cancer Intervention (KARISMA) Study. Ultrasound‐guided core‐needle breast biopsies were collected at baseline before starting treatment. Biopsies were quantified for epithelial, stromal, and adipose distributions, and epithelial and stromal expression of proliferation marker Ki67, oestrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR). Mammographic density was measured using STRATUS. We found that greater mammographic density at baseline was positively associated with stromal area and inversely associated with adipose area and stromal expression of ER. Premenopausal women had greater mammographic density and epithelial tissue, and expressed more epithelial Ki67, PR, and stromal PR, compared to postmenopausal women. In women treated with tamoxifen (1–20 mg), greater density decrease was associated with higher baseline density, epithelial Ki67, and stromal PR. Women who responded to tamoxifen with a density decrease had on average 17% higher baseline density and a 2.2‐fold higher PR expression compared to non‐responders. Our results indicate that features in the normal breast tissue before tamoxifen exposure influences the tamoxifen‐associated density decrease, and that the age‐associated difference in density change may be related to age‐dependant differences in expression of Ki67 and PR.
An efficient brain tumor segmentation model based on group normalization and 3D U‐Net
Authors: Chen Runlin , Lin Yangping , Ren Yanming , Deng Hao , Cui Wenyao , Liu Wenjie
Published: March 2024

Accurate segmentation of brain tumors has a vital impact on clinical diagnosis and treatment, and good segmentation results are helpful for the treatment of this disease, which is a serious threat to human health. High‐precision segmentation of brain tumors remains a challenging task due to their diverse shapes, sizes, locations, and complex boundaries. Considering the special structure of medical brain tumor images, many researchers have proposed a brain tumor segmentation (BraTS) network based on 3D U‐Net. However, there are also problems such as insufficient receptive fields and excessive computing costs. In this paper, we propose an efficient BraTS model based on group normalization (GN) and 3D U‐Net (3D‐EffUNet). First, according to the characteristics of brain tumor images, the medical image of the whole case is input into the model, and 3D convolution layers are used to extract features and filter irrelevant information. Then, using 3D U‐Net as the main framework, an efficient convolutional module is designed for more precise processing of brain tumor features. Moreover, an efficient convolution module based on GN and an attention mechanism is introduced to reduce the complexity of the network without affecting the segmentation performance and to increase the awareness of voxels between adjacent dimensions and the local space. Finally, the decoder was used to reconstruct high‐precision BraTS information. The model is trained and tested on the BraTS2021 dataset, and the experimental results show that it can maintain good segmentation performance and greatly reduce the calculation cost.
Examining negative urgency as a predictor of eating disorder maintenance in purging syndromes
Authors: Horvath Sarah A. , Keel Pamela K. , Forney K. Jean
Published: March 2024

Objectives

Negative urgency is associated with short‐term maintenance of binge eating and purging in unselected samples. The current study used an eating disorder sample to test the hypothesis that negative urgency maintains bulimia nervosa (BN) and purging disorder (PD) at long‐term follow‐up. It was also hypothesized that baseline differences in negative urgency between BN and PD would remain at follow‐up.

Methods

Secondary analyses were conducted on a sample of women who engaged in recurrent self‐induced vomiting (n = 68; 52.9% BN; 47.1% PD). Women completed diagnostic interviews and questionnaires at baseline and at a mean (SD) of 5.95 (1.58) years follow‐up (range = 2.51–9.62; retention rate = 75%).

Results

Negative urgency did not predict eating disorder diagnostic status, recovery status, or global eating pathology at follow‐up (p's = .06–.83). There were no significant differences in negative urgency across women with BN and PD at follow‐up (p = .16). However, post hoc analyses indicated that negative urgency was not stable across time (ICC = .102). Increases in negative urgency from baseline to follow‐up were associated with greater global eating pathology at follow‐up (p = .002).

Conclusion

Results suggest negative urgency does not predict long‐term eating disorder maintenance. Negative urgency may not be a stable personality trait but rather an indicator of overall poor emotion regulation. Future research should confirm that changes in negative urgency predict chronic eating pathology over long durations of follow‐up in women who have increasing negative urgency across time.