bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Millet Straw as an Alternative Substrate for Calocybe indica Cultivation: A Comparative Study with Paddy Straw
Authors: Lakshmi P. Jeevana , Reddy M. Raveendra , Sumathi T. , Kamakshamma J. , Vasundara G. , Kathyayani K. , Lahari K. , Harika K.
Published: February 2025

This study aims to explore the use of pearl millet straw as an alternative substrate for cultivating milky white mushroom (Calocybe indica) for evaluating its effectiveness in terms of yield, growth parameters, and biological efficiency. Five different treatment combination were tested viz., T1 (100% paddy straw), T2 (25% pearl millet straw + 75% paddy straw), T3 (50% pearl millet straw + 50% paddy straw), T4 (75% pearl millet straw + 25% paddy straw), and T5 (100% pearl millet straw).  Among all treatments, T1 recorded 24.07 days for spawn running in bags, 11.95 days for pin head formation and average number of 42.32 fruiting bodies per bed, fruit body weight (67.07g). Followed by the treatment (T2) recorded 25.12 days for spawn run, 13.82 days for pin head formation and average number of 24.72 fruiting bodies per bed, fruit body weight (43.62g) compared to T3, T4 and T5. Biological efficiency was highest in T1 (76.33%) followed by T2 (56.52%) and T3 (55.07%). The results highlighted the potential ability to use pearl millet straw (25 %) in combination with paddy straw (75 %) to get better yields on par with paddy straw alone in mushroom farming by utilizing locally available agricultural wastes.
Antifungal Impact of Seaweeds for Controlling Major Fungal Diseases in Sesame
Authors: P. Mahalakshmi. , Elanselvi.A  , AhilaDevi. P. , Mareeswari.  , Manonmani,K.  , Kariba.L
Published: February 2025

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), the most ancient and significant oilseed crop, is extensively cultivated in India. It is in rich source of protein, high-quality seed oil, and possesses numerous antioxidant properties. Sesame crop is threatened by several fungal diseases causing huge yield loss. While the beneficial effect of algal extract as foliar spray is well documented, however, application of seaweed as soil amendment is now gaining popularity due to raising awareness about the hazardous effect of pesticides. This study evaluates the antifungal activity of different seaweeds under in vitro and their efficacy on severity of major disease of sesame in pot culture and field condition. Sargassum myricocystum exhibited the most strong antifungal properties against A. sesami among the seaweeds, with a 65.33% inhibition rate that reduced mycelial growth to 3.1 cm. Against M. phaseolina, S. myricocystum inhibited the growth of mycelium by 24.44%, which was 6.8 cm. Bacillus subtilis exhibited the greatest inhibition against A. sesami (75.88%), while Trichoderma asperellum exhibited the most significant effect against M. phaseolina (78.88%).  The findings revealed that S. myricocystum could be a useful brown macroalga for combating diseases and developing safe multifaced bioinoculants for sustainable farming.
Assessment of Water Stress Tolerance in Juvenile Oil Palm Genotypes (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) under Greenhouse Conditions through the Measurement of Morphological and Physiological Parameters
Authors: Obed GOGOUE Dessan , Léonce NIAMKETCHI Gilles , Christophe ADOU Bini , Mathurin OKOMA Koffi
Published: February 2025

Aims: The oil palm industry holds significant importance in Ivorian agriculture. Côte d’Ivoire is the second largest producer and the foremost exporter of palm oil in Africa. The purpose is to augment palm oil production by expanding the cultivable area in non-traditional agricultural zones characterised by water scarcity. Nevertheless, the existing oil palm genotypes have not been chosen based on their resistance to water scarcity. This research seeks to find genotypes that are likely to withstand water scarcity.
Place and Duration of Study: The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse at the CNRA La Mé Research Station (Abidjan region) and endured for 60 days during March to April 2024.
Methodology: Six-month-old Tenera hybrid (Dura X Pisifera) oil palm seedlings of 23 genotypes were arranged in randomised completely block design with three replications and treated with two irrigation regimes (RH100%, RH0%). Observations were conducted by assessing morphological and physiological parameters to identify genotypes with enhanced resistance to water deficit.
Results: The examined parameters were influenced by the water deficit. Statistical analysis indicated that on the control diet (500 ml/d), all examined genotypes exhibited normal parameter values, which were somewhat uniform overall. Conversely, in the extreme deficit diet of 0 ml of water, the reduction in the values of the examined parameters compared to the control was minimal for genotypes 1, 5, 7, 9, 10, and 23, and moderate for genotypes 6, 11, 14, 17, and 22. The reduction was significant for genotypes 2, 3, 4, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, and 21.
Conclusion: This nursery research, designed to distinguish sensitive genotypes from resistant ones under water stress, represents a significant advancement in validating drought-tolerant genotypes in a natural setting.
Three New Approaches to Estimating Energy Losses in Stepped Spillways with the Channel Slope of 8.9\(^o\)
Authors: Okechukwu Ozueigbo
Published: February 2025

A stepped spillway is a hydraulic structure built at storage and detention dams to discharge flood water that cannot be safely kept in the reservoir. It was created to minimize the kinetic energy that would have produced dangerous scour at the natural river bed beneath the spillway. It discharges this energy in floodwater using their stepping nature. Several studies in the literature show the detrimental consequences of falling water's kinetic energy on the river bed underneath the structure. Only a handful of these studies, however, have evaluated the impact of energy losses caused by stepped spillways with channel slope of 8.9o. As a result, there are gaps in the rules and recommendations for designers of stepped spillways with a channel slopes of 8.9o. Additionally, the existing models for estimating energy losses in stepped spillways with channels of all slopes contain a parameter, the friction factor, f, which is difficult to estimate with certainty, thereby to leading their subjective provision by the designers involved in stepped spillways design.
The goal of this study is not only to provide designers with design recommendations and information for stepped spillways with a channel slope of 8.9o, but also to eliminate the 'troublesome' frictional factor; f. Using phase-detection intrusive probes, air-water flow tests were carried out in transitional and skimming flows on a stepped spillway with channel slope of 8.9° in a large facility. Three new expressions for evaluating energy losses in stepped spillways with slopes of 8.9o are developed. In terms of energy dissipation, the data from the new models compared well with the measured data, with high coefficients of correlation that range between 0.87 and 1.00. All of the measured data and the estimated data are in good agreement. The models are simple to use.
Analytical Approach for Predicting Water Loss in Tubers during Convective Drying: A Case Study on Sweet Potato
Authors: Salam Ibrango Abdoul , Honoré Ouoba Kondia , Abdou-Salam Ganame , Ladifou Sawadogo , Désiré Bama
Published: February 2025

In this article, the aim was to develop a method using an analytical approach to determine the reduced water content of sweet potato samples during convective drying. The prediction was made based on a study of the evolution of the drying constant of Newton's model as a function of the size of sweet potato samples at a temperature of 70 ℃.
Chi-square  and coefficient of determination   were used as indicators of prediction and modeling quality.
The study carried out on sweet potato samples cut into cubic shapes with 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 cm edges showed that the evolution of the drying kinetic constant is best expressed mathematically as a power with . 
Examination of the reliability of the prediction method carried out on samples of cubic-shaped sweet potatoes with an edge of 1.75 cm showed good results and accuracy . The one carried out on spherical; cylindrical; parallelepiped sweet potato samples of characteristic diameter  showed that the prediction was more accurate with sweet potato samples cut in the spherical form.
To check whether the results obtained from the analytical approach applied to sweet potato samples could be transposed to other tubers, cassava, yam and taro samples with a 3 cm cube were cut. The comparative study between the experimental and predicted reduced water contents showed that the results obtained by the method on sweet potato were transposable to yam and taro, with good quality indices. On the other hand, for cassava, the predicted results needed adjustment with regard to quality indices.
Enhancing Carbon Monoxide Oxidation of Cobalt-Nickel Containing A-Deficient Perovskites through Exsolution Agents and Reduction-Oxidation Pretreatment
Authors: Liang Lew Guo , Ramli Wan Khairunnisa Wan , Ibrahim Naimah , Abdullah Sureena
Published: February 2025

In this work, different types of exsolution agents and pretreatment processes, comprising reduction-oxidation (RO) components, were introduced to modulate the exsolution process of A-deficient perovskites, La0.7Ce0.1Co0.3Ni0.1Ti0.6O3. The catalysts were assessed using field emission scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy (FESEM/EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Their carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation activity was also compared. The results showed that the catalytic activity degraded at 520 °C when hydrogen (E-H) was used as the exsolution agent. When RO components were introduced as exsolution agents (E-CO/O2) or in the pretreatment (RO2% and RO18%), the deactivation at high temperatures was mitigated. The results of this study showed that RO18% was favourably pretreated with RO components, recording the highest CO conversion of 60.57% at 520 °C and across all temperatures with no degradation at high temperature. It also recorded the lowest activation energy of 14.449 kJ/mol. The EDS, XRD, and XPS analyses of the catalyst demonstrated that the active sites for this reaction are primarily Co2+ with Ni serving as the anchor between the metals and perovskites support. A high amount of lattice oxygen (O2) with higher binding energy and chemisorbed O2 species also influenced the improved catalytic activity, attracting CO for reaction, reacting with the available surface O2 and the faster replenishment of O2 vacancies by the absorbed and bulk O2 lattice. These findings highlight the prospects of CO and O2 inclusion in pretreatment for perovskite catalyst as options to reduce metal agglomeration and further improve CO oxidation activity. Copyright © 2025 by Authors, Published by BCREC Publishing Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0).
Exploring the Skin Microbiome in Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia
Authors: Firek Alexandra , Hou Peng , Han Jungmin , Holmes Cassandra J. , Suh Grace , Frey Cheri , Kong Heidi H. , Castelo-Soccio Leslie
Published: January 2025

This study compares the scalp microbiome composition of women who self-reported as Black and of African descent with central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia with matched healthy controls.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Tribology: Selected Case Studies and Overall Potential
Authors: Shah Raj , Jaramillo Rudy , Thomas Garvin , Rayhan Thohid , Hossain Nayem , Kchaou Mohamed , Profito Francisco J. , Rosenkranz Andreas
Published: January 2025

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have been the subjects of increased interest in recent years due to their benefits across several fields. One sector that can benefit from these tools is the tribology industry, with an emphasis on friction and wear prediction. This industry hopes to train and utilize AI algorithms to classify equipment life status and forecast component failure, mainly using supervised and unsupervised learning approaches. This article examines some of the methods that have been used to accomplish this, such as condition monitoring for predictions in material selection, lubrication performance, and lubricant formulation. Furthermore, AI and ML can support the determination of tribological characteristics of engineering systems, allowing for a better fundamental understanding of friction, wear, and lubrication mechanisms. Moreover, the study also finds that the continued use of AI and ML requires access to findable, accessible, interoperable, and reusable data to ensure the integrity of the prediction tools. The advances of AI and ML methods in tribology show considerable promise, providing more accurate and extensible predictions than traditional approaches.
Analysis of Temperature and Stress Distribution on the Bond Properties of Hybrid Tailored Formed Components
Authors: Piwek Armin , Ortlieb Eduard , Ince Caner‐Veli , Peddinghaus Julius , Wester Hendrik , Uhe Johanna , Raatz Annika , Brunotte Kai
Published: January 2025

Processing of hybrid materials is particularly challenging due to the different physical properties and requires extensive knowledge to produce defect‐free components. When serially combining steel and aluminum through rotary friction welding and subsequent cup backward extrusion in Tailored Forming, the strongly different yield stresses are a decisive factor. The following study analyzes the temperature and stress distribution after the compensatory heating step with additional cooling and during cup backward extrusion within a preform of a hybrid hollow shaft using experimental heating tests and finite element simulations. The influence on the bond strength is quantified by uniaxial tensile tests along the interface. Compared to uncooled samples, local cooled samples exhibit higher compressive stresses in the joining zone and hence higher forming resistance due to higher temperature gradients. Therefore, delamination and cracks can be prevented. While areas at the edge or in the center indicate reduced strengths overall, areas with high surface enlargement do not fail in the joining zone, but in the base material of the aluminum. To further enhance process stability and process control measures, a preliminary concept for the implicit determination of component temperatures using integrated sensor systems on the handling system is presented.
Oxygen Bridges of CoTe2/Co─O─NC Enhancing Adsorption‐Catalysis of Polysulfide for Stable Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Yang Zhao , Yan Rui , Han Jingchen , Wu Tong , Wu Qingsheng , Wei Guangfeng , Fu Yongqing , Wen Ming
Published: January 2025

Lithium–sulfur batteries are regarded as candidates for next‐generation energy storage systems, but their slow reaction kinetics and shuttle effect severely hinder their practical applications. One of the key solutions is to design and apply efficient, highly stable, and long‐life catalysts. Herein, a nanostructured CoTe2/Co─O─NC electrocatalytic material is developed to achieve effective adsorption and bidirectional catalytic conversions of lithium polysulfides (LiPSs). Results show that oxygen bridges (Co─O─C) formed in the CoTe2/Co─O─NC not only effectively shift d‐band center of the cobalt near its Fermi level to enhance adsorption of LiPSs but also strengthen the built‐in electric fields of CoTe2/Co heterojunctions to reduce energy barrier for sulfur conversion. Deposition and dissociation of Li2S are significantly enhanced during charging/discharging processes. Durability of highly active catalyst is significantly improved, and rapid cross‐interfacial charge transfer is also achieved. The synthesized S/CoTe2/Co─O─NC cathode exhibits an initial capacity of 1498 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C, and its decay rate of capacity over 500 cycles at 0.5 C is only 0.046%. Li─S pouch cells using the cathode show an energy density of 368 Wh kg−1 and areal capacity of 7.7 mAh cm−2 at a sulfur loading of 6.7 mg cm−2, with an electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 4 µL mg−1.
Molecular Etching‐Derived High‐Brightness NIR‐II Gold Nanoclusters for High‐Resolution Bioimaging and Photothermal Therapy
Authors: Tian Fangzheng , Li Siyu , Yang Xue , Fan Kai , Zhou Mei , Gao Duyang , Hu Dehong , Ju Shenghong
Published: January 2025

Glutathione‐capped gold nanoclusters (GSH‐Au NCs) with second near‐infrared (NIR‐II, 1000–1700 nm) fluorescence have received increasing interest in biomedical applications. However, conventional aqueous synthesis of GSH‐Au NCs results in low NIR‐II absolute fluorescence quantum yield (≈0.27%) and limited renal clearance efficiency (≈70%), which restricts its clinical applications. This study reports a GSH‐etching post‐synthesis method to selectively convert nonfluorescent GSH‐Aun NCs (n > 25) into fluorescent GSH‐Au25 NCs (eGSH‐Au NCs). This molecular etching process decreases the size of the NCs from 3.3 to 2.0 nm and afforded 37% increase in NIR‐II absolute fluorescence quantum yield and 11.9% enhancement in renal clearance efficiency. The optimized eGSH‐Au NCs facilitates whole cerebrovascular imaging through the scalp and skull, tumor vasculature imaging with a resolution of 40.8 µm, dynamic tumor perfusion imaging with a signal‐to‐background ratio of 10.5, and enhanced lymphatic vessel and lymph node imaging. Additionally, eGSH‐Au NCs exhibit superior photothermal properties, achieving almost 100% tumor growth inhibition in Hepa1‐6 tumor‐bearing mice. This study presents a novel strategy to improve the bioimaging and therapeutic performance of NIR‐II Au NCs, thus advancing their clinical translation.
Enhanced Biological Behavior and Photothermal Antibacterial Performance of TiNbCTx MXene Modified Mesoporous Bioactive Glass Nanocomposites
Authors: Yan Siqing , Ma Qian , Wen Cuilian , Luo Lijin , Jin Junhao , Li Xiong , Fang Yuanxing , Sa Baisheng
Published: January 2025

Mesoporous bioactive glasses (MBGs) are gaining recognition in bone tissue engineering for their osteoblast differentiation‐inducing properties and customizable structures. However, the challenge of peri‐implantitis has hindered their broader application. To address this, double transition metal TiNbCTx MXene acted as near‐infrared (NIR) photothermal agent, has been integrated with MBG nanospheres to develop novel multifunctional TiNbCTx/MBG (TNC/MBG) nanocomposites in this work. The results demonstrate that the TNC/MBG composites feature uniform mesoporous spherical MBG nanoparticles on TiNbCTx nanosheets, boasting a significantly enhanced specific surface area of up to 444.74 m2 g−1 and a more negative zeta potential than pristine MBG. Importantly, the TNC/MBG nanocomposites can effectively promote apatite formation, as well as the proliferation and viability of MC3T3‐E1 cells. Moreover, it is highlighted that the TNC/MBG nanocomposites display remarkable photothermal conversion efficiency and stability, leading to over 95% antibacterial inhibition rates against both S. aureus and E. coli under NIR irradiation. These findings offer an appealing strategy to develop multifunctional TNC/MBG nanocomposites with enhanced biological activity and robust antibacterial properties, which shows great potential for various biomedical applications.
Reducing Parasitic Loss and Deep Defect Formation via Copper Doping Toward Highly Efficient Sb2Se3 Solar Cells
Authors: Mo Anming , Yang Binxin , Lu Xinzhou , Duan Yanjun , Liang Xiaoyang , Zhang Zheng , Guo Yingnan , Li Zhiqiang
Published: January 2025

Antimony selenide (Sb2Se3) has great potential as a light‐absorbing layer in thin‐film photovoltaics because of its excellent photoelectric properties and superior stability. Presently, high‐efficiency Sb2Se3 solar cells use a heterojunction consisting of a p‐type Sb2Se3 absorber and an n‐type CdS layer. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of Sb2Se3 solar cells is restricted by the low carrier concentration in the CdS layer, complex intrinsic deep defects of Sb2Se3, and unsuitable energy level band alignment in the junction. This paper presents a copper (Cu) doping strategy that achieves a synergistic doping effect, enabling controllable doping in both the n‐type CdS layer and p‐type Sb2Se3 absorber. First, proper Cu doping significantly enhances the short‐wavelength transmittance of CdS films and increases their n‐type carrier concentration. The Vbi in the CdS/Sb2Se3 heterojunction improves from 521 to 751 mV. Second, a post‐annealing process is performed to facilitate Cu diffusion from the CdS layer to the Sb2Se3 absorber. This approach successfully passivates intrinsic deep defect E2 and reduces the interfacial trap‐assisted nonradiative recombination losses. As a result, the Cu‐doped Sb2Se3/CdS solar cell presents a PCE of 10.23%, representing a 40% enhancement in PCE compared to the undoped CdS/Sb2Se3 heterojunction device.
An Endothelium‐Mimicking, Healable Hydrogel Shield for Bioprosthetic Heart Valve with Enhanced Intravascular Biocompatibility
Authors: Maitusong Miribani , Ren Tanchen , Gao Ying , Hong Xiaoqian , Deng Kaicheng , Yao Lin , Cheng Si , Zhou Xuhao , Lin Ying , Tian Ge'er , Zhao Jing , Li Peng , Liu Xianbao , Wang Jian'an
Published: January 2025

Bioprosthetic heart valves (BHVs) for transcatheter replacement often face deterioration due to thrombosis, inflammation, and calcification, which are irreversible. Here, a multidimensional endothelium‐mimicking healable hydrogel shielded BHV that not only withstand the complex valvular physiological and hemodynamic environment but also able to reverse damage‐induced structural degeneration by in situ healing is proposed. Polydopamine/selenocystamine nanoparticles with photothermal effect are embedded to achieve light‐triggered healing and catalytic nitride oxide generation in polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel coating on BHV surface. Additionally, platelet inhibitor Tirofiban is encapsulated in the hydrogel shield to block acute coagulation cascade in early stage after implantation. A rodent intravascular leaflet‐like implantation model is developed to reveal the long‐term hemocompatibility of BHVs in abdominal aorta. The shielded BHVs exhibit enhanced antithrombotic properties, reduced inflammation, superior endothelialization, and improved vascular patency. Transcriptome analysis indicates better endothelial functions on shielded BHVs. Moreover, the endothelium‐mimicking hydrogel shield maintains both mechanical properties and biological functions after healing, facilitated great hemocompatibility and fast re‐endothelialization. Collectively, the multidimensional endothelium‐mimicking strategy provides new insight for preventing and reversing BHV damage instead of solely replacement.
A Novel Full‐Band Microwave Absorber Based on Scattering Enhanced Prism‐Honeycomb Nested Structure
Authors: Liu Shaokang , Zhou Yanming , Zhang Fangxin , Wang Qingshan , Zhao Xing , Chao Bin , Wu Haihua
Published: January 2025

With advancements in radar detection technology, electromagnetic stealth has garnered significant attention in military applications. Traditional electromagnetic absorbers typically focus on tuning electromagnetic parameters; however, they are often limited by material constraints, resulting in effective absorption only within narrow frequency bands. This work presents a novel prism‐honeycomb nested microwave absorbing structure, inspired by the scattering phenomenon of light waves in a prism, which utilizes an enhanced scattering effect. The varying impedances of electromagnetic waves (EMWs) in different media lead to transmission and reflection that adhere to Snell's law at the interfaces. To optimize the scattering effect, the inner prism is filled with a high transmittance material, while the outer honeycomb structure incorporates a material with high dielectric loss. Consequently, electromagnetic waves experience significant attenuation within the unit. Despite a thickness of only 7 mm, this structure achieves over 90% EMW absorption across a broad frequency range of 1–18 GHz. Additionally, the honeycomb structure exhibits excellent mechanical load‐bearing capacity. The nesting of the prism further enhances support points, resulting in a compressive strength of 16.4 MPa. This innovative design not only facilitates full‐band absorption but also provides high mechanical load‐bearing capabilities, offering valuable insights for applications in electromagnetic stealth and camouflage.
Negative Swelling and Mechanical Self‐Enhancement TAFe@PVA Photothermal Hydrogel Mediated Via Semi‐Crystallization for Medical Implants
Authors: Zhang Qingrong , He Sicen , Mei Ailian , Xia Wei , Cao Yunchang , Zhang Zeying , Jia Jiezhi , Yang Jiacai , Li Jiangfeng , Luo Gaoxing , Li Zheng
Published: January 2025

Medical implants, important consumables, significantly promote patients’ healthcare, but still face challenges of foreign body responses and bacterial infection. Hydrogels can be ideal alternative materials, however, a few of them can meet the requirements. Herein, a TAFe@PVA photothermal hydrogel integrating with negative swelling, long‐term stability, antibacterial, anti‐adhesion, and tissue mechanical matching is developed to solve these issues. The TAFe@PVA hydrogel is crosslinked by H‐bonds and microcrystal domains which both can be enhanced by cations or anions based on Hofmeister effect, showing unique negative swelling and long‐term mechanical self‐enhancement performances in the physiological fluid. Attributing to self‐polymerization of tannic acid (TA) and negative swelling of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) molecular networks, TAFe complexes can be strongly locked in PVA molecular networks, reaching long‐term photothermal stability. The TAFe@PVA hydrogel also exhibits great biocompatibility, anti‐oxidation, anti‐adhesion, and anti‐bacterial performances, comparing to the traditional implant material. Since the TAFe@PVA hydrogel can better match with skin tissues, fewer macrophages and myofibroblasts are activated, which depresses unexpected foreign body responses. Finally, the TAFe@PVA hydrogel as the implant can effectively solve abdominal adhesions after abdominal operation and promote defects healing. This study introduces a promising hydrogel implant, which potentially extends hydrogels to wider medical applications.
Leveraging Optical Anisotropy of the Morpho Butterfly Wing for Quantitative, Stain‐Free, and Contact‐Free Assessment of Biological Tissue Microstructures
Authors: Kirya Paula , Mestre‐Farrera Aida , Yang Jing , Poulikakos Lisa V.
Published: January 2025

Changes in the density and organization of fibrous biological tissues often accompany the progression of serious diseases ranging from fibrosis to neurodegenerative diseases, heart disease and cancer. However, challenges in cost, complexity, or precision faced by existing imaging methodologies and materials pose barriers to elucidating the role of tissue microstructure in disease. Here, we leverage the intrinsic optical anisotropy of the Morpho butterfly wing and introduce Morpho‐Enhanced Polarized Light Microscopy (MorE‐PoL), a stain‐ and contact‐free imaging platform that enhances and quantifies the birefringent material properties of fibrous biological tissues. We develop a mathematical model, based on Jones calculus, which describes fibrous tissue density and organization. As a representative example, we analyzed collagen‐dense and collagen‐sparse human breast cancer tissue sections and leverage our technique to assess the microstructural properties of distinct regions of interest. We compare our results with conventional Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) staining procedures and second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy for fibrillar collagen detection. Our findings demonstrate that our MorE‐PoL technique provides a robust, quantitative, and accessible route toward analyzing biological tissue microstructures, with great potential for application to a broad range of biological materials.
MicroVasculoid‐Chip: A 3D Self‐Assembled Human Microcirculation‐on‐a‐Chip Model Reveals Enhanced Lymphangiogenic Lung Cancer‐Induced Vessel Remodeling and Invasion
Authors: Abreu Catarina M. , Lima Ana C. , Neves Nuno M. , Kundu Subhas C. , Reis Rui L. , Caballero David
Published: January 2025

The microvasculature within the tumor microenvironment is crucial for the invasion and dissemination of cancer cells throughout the body. Given its importance and dynamic behavior, several microfluidic models have been developed to study microvascular infiltration and its interaction with cancer cells. However, most of these models primarily focus on blood vessels and use microfluidic channels coated with endothelial cells, which fail to replicate near‐physiological conditions. To address this limitation, the MicroVasculoid‐chip is introduced, a novel human microcirculation‐on‐a‐chip model that features self‐organized 3D blood and lymphatic microvasculature alongside tumor spheroids. This innovative platform enables the exploration of interactions between multi‐cellular tumors and both microvascular networks. Using lung cancer as a case study, how tumor‐released mediators influence vessel morphology is investigated in relation to tumor invasion capacity, identifying molecular factors potentially associated with microvascular remodeling. Overall, the MicroVasculoid‐chip provides a robust tool for investigating and modeling critical events of cancer neo‐vascularization, for deciphering fundamental mechanisms of cancer cell invasion into the microvasculature, and for future drug screening applications.
Integrated Biosensor with Microfluidic Chip and Microwave Sensor Chip for Cell Separation and Detection
Authors: Li Zhonghao , Wang Yanxiong , Yang Sen , Chen Qianlong , Li Yuanbo , Liang Junge , Zhou Xiaoman , Fan Qigao , Jiang Yanfeng , Wang Lei , Qiang Tian
Published: January 2025

In this work, an integrated biosensor consisting of spiral microfluidic array and microwave sensors is proposed for simultaneous separation and detection of cells. The biosensor integrated by plasma processing technology is fabricated by soft lithography and glass‐based IC process, which has the advantages of simple preparation, low cost, and reliable structure. In the field of clinical medicine, Escherichia coli (E. coli) is the causative agent of urinary tract infections, which leads to an increase in the number of white blood cells (WBCs) present in the urine. Different concentrations of E. coli and WBCs mixed solution are configured to perform biological cell experiments and the capability of the biosensor in separating and detecting WBCs is verified. Interdigital capacitors (IDCs) and split ring resonators (SRRs) are employed to detect the WBCs obtained by microfluidic array separation. The microfluidic array exhibits a WBC collection rate of 92.7%. The capacitance of the IDC and the resonant amplitude of the SRR exhibit a decrease of 51.36 pF and 0.34 dB, which demonstrates a satisfactory linearity of 0.96 and 0.98, respectively. Consequently, the integrated biosensor used to simultaneously separate and detect WBCs has the potential for the early diagnosis of urinary tract infections in clinical medicine.
Supporting Transition Resilience Among Newcomer Groups (STRONG): Examining effectiveness and acceptability in urban public schools
Authors: Santiago Catherine DeCarlo , Sosa Susana , Raviv Tali , Flores Roxanna , Donis Andrea , Jolie Sarah , Bustos Yvita , Elahi Saadia , Ford‐Paz Rebecca , Ramos Bianca , Cicchetti Colleen , Torres Stephanie , Zarzour Hadia , Kang Sungha
Published: January 2025

The Supporting Transition Resilience Of Newcomer Groups (STRONG; Hoover et al., 2019) program was developed to support mental health among newcomer refugee and immigrant students by (1) promoting positive adjustment during resettlement through a trauma‐informed, strengths‐based approach, contextualized to meet the needs of refugee and immigrant youth; and (2) improving access to services through school‐based programming. The purpose of this study was to examine the acceptability and effectiveness of STRONG on the mental health and resilience of refugee and immigrant students using a group randomized waitlist control design. A sample of 64 newcomer students (Mage = 13.9, SD = 3.11; 41% female) was recruited to participate in the STRONG program, representing 19 different countries of origin and diverse ethnicities (44% Latiné; 34% Asian; 13% Middle Eastern/North African; 8% African/Black). Additionally, teachers or administrators from each participating STRONG school completed interviews, while group facilitators (e.g., clinicians and bilingual teachers) were invited to participate in focus groups. This study provides preliminary evidence that STRONG supports newcomer mental health, with students in the immediate treatment group showing reductions in anxiety/depression and externalizing symptoms compared to the waitlist. Qualitative findings provide additional support for the acceptability and benefits of this intervention. However, coping efficacy unexpectedly decreased, and several interactions with school type (e.g., high school vs. elementary) emerged. Additional research is warranted to further evaluate this promising intervention for newcomer youth.
Critical reflection and action in response to an anti‐immigration context: What we can learn from migrant young adults from Latin America
Authors: Negrete Andrea , Ramirez‐Arellano Laura , Lucas Melissa , Hurd Noelle M.
Published: January 2025

Migrant youth from Latin America who arrive in the United States are faced with a social and political context that dehumanizes migrants of color. These anti‐immigrant sentiments become reflected in federal and state policies that deny migrants rights to freedom and safety. The present paper examined how the U.S. immigration context informed migrant young adults' structural analysis of immigration policies and rhetoric (critical reflection) and actions to challenge exclusionary immigration‐related policies and rhetoric (critical action). We further examined facilitators and barriers to action. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with migrant young adults from Latin America living in Virginia (N = 30; M = 20.93; SD = 2.03; 53% female). We employed constructivist grounded theory strategies to analyze the data. Findings showed that migrant young adults offered a range of structural and individual‐level attributions for unjust immigration policies. For some migrant young adults, their critical reflection informed decisions to engage in critical actions. Yet, many migrant young adults also noted constraints that impeded their engagement. By more thoroughly understanding migrant young adults' critical reflection and factors that may facilitate or impede action, researchers and practitioners may be better positioned to support migrant young adults who seek to dismantle systems of oppression.
Intranasal Calcitriol Accelerates Improvement of Sinonasal Inflammation and Olfactory Impairment in Mice After Cessation of Chronic Cigarette‐Smoke Exposure
Authors: Langerude Logan , McQuiston Alex , Atkinson Carl , Mulligan Jennifer K.
Published: January 2025

Rationale

Smoking has been shown to be associated with circulating deficiencies in 25(OH)D3 and reduced sinonasal tissue levels of the active form of vitamin D, 1,25(OH)2D3. Given vitamin D's ability to reduce inflammation, we sought to examine if intranasal (IN) delivery of calcitriol [clinical analog of 1,25(OH)2D3] could reduce inflammation and improve disease severity in a murine model of chronic cigarette smoke‐induced sinonasal inflammation (CS‐SI).

Methods

Mice were exposed to CS 5 h/day, 5 days/week for 9 months, and then began IN calcitriol three times per week for 4 weeks. Micro‐CT was used to assess disease severity. Sinonasal tissues were collected for RNA‐seq analysis. Olfactory function was assessed using a T‐maze odorant avoidance sniff behavior test. Nasal lavage fluid (NALF) was used for cytology and cytokines analysis.

Results

Quantification of disease severity by micro‐CT showed IN calcitriol reduced opacification by 18%, as compared to smoke cessation alone, in which only a 5% reduction was noted. H&E analysis of NAFL demonstrated heightened neutrophil infiltration and neutrophil‐associated chemokines in CS‐SI mice, which was reduced with IN calcitriol treatment. RNA‐seq pathway analysis demonstrated that smoking was associated with odorant binding changes and that calcitriol treatment reduced neutrophil migration and inflammation. Lastly, IN calcitriol reversed olfactory loss caused in CS‐SI.

Conclusions

IN delivery of calcitriol accelerates inflammatory resolution in the nose and olfactory mucosa after prolonged CS exposure. Furthermore, treatment was associated with improved olfactory function in mice CS‐SI, as such local delivery of calcitriol may serve as a novel treatment for modulating sinonasal inflammation.
The Impact of Sinus Surgery for Chronic Rhinosinusitis on Concomitant Depression and Anxiety Symptoms: A Systematic Review and Meta‐analysis
Authors: Cheah Xing Yi , Tan Claire Jing Wen , Yeo Brian Sheng Yep , Lim Nicholas E‐Kai , Tan Qian Wei , Teoh Marcus Zhe Xuan , Tan Benjamin Kye Jyn , Rawtaer Iris , Teo Neville Wei Yang , Charn Tze Choong
Published: January 2025

Background

Both anxiety and depression are prevalent among patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and associated with poorer outcomes following treatment for CRS. However, the impact of treatment on CRS on mental health remains uncertain. Therefore, this study seeks to evaluate if surgical intervention for CRS may alleviate comorbid depression and anxiety.

Methods

PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched for retrospective and prospective cohort studies, cross‐sectional studies, and randomized controlled trials relating to CRS treatment using sinus surgery from inception to April 30, 2024, using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes (PICO) framework. Three blinded reviewers selected observational studies and randomized controlled trials investigating levels of depression and anxiety pre‐ and post‐surgical treatment of CRS. Eleven studies comprising 3067 patients were included, of which five studies were quantitatively analyzed. After which, data were extracted from included articles into a structured proforma and the Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale was used to evaluate study bias, following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and a PROSPERO‐registered protocol (CRD42022351855). Meta‐analyses of the ratio of means were conducted in a random‐effects model.

Results

Overall, sinus surgery was associated with significant improvement in test scores of depression (ratio of means (ROM) = 1.47, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03‒2.10), anxiety (ROM = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.81‒1.49), and quality of life markers, which are closely correlated to mental health outcomes.

Conclusions

Sinus surgery for CRS may improve mental health outcomes (both depression and anxiety) for patients.
Olfactory Cleft Opacification Improves With Intranasal Steroid Treatment and Is Correlated With Objective and Patient‐Reported Olfactory Outcomes
Authors: Workman Alan D. , Lerner David K. , Rathi Vinay K. , Douglas Jennifer E. , Kohanski Michael A. , Adappa Nithin D. , Palmer James N.
Published: January 2025

In patients with severe olfactory and gustatory dysfunction, olfactory cleft opacification improves with expanded intranasal steroid treatment (EDS‐FLU) relative to placebo.

This is directly associated with objective and patient‐reported taste/smell improvement.
Unilateral Versus Bilateral Endoscopic Resection of Olfactory Neuroblastoma: Pooled Analysis From Prospective and Retrospective Multicenter Data
Authors: Abiri Arash , Nguyen Theodore V. , Chen Haidee , Krippaehne Elise , Lerner David K. , Rahman Arifeen S. , Roozdar Pooya , Rosvall Brandon R. , Sabbaj Michael , Workman Alan D. , Wu Shannon , Adappa Nithin D. , Beswick Daniel M. , Chang Eugene H. , Chang Michael T. , Choby Garret , Eide Jacob G. , Douglas Jennifer E. , Geltzeiler Mathew , Kohanski Michael A. , Hwang Peter H. , Le Christopher H. , Lee Jivianne T. , Nayak Jayakar V. , Palmer James N. , Patel Zara M. , Pinheiro‐Neto Carlos D. , Resnick Adam C. , Smith Timothy L. , Snyderman Carl H. , John Maie A. St , Storm Phillip B. , Suh Jeffrey D. , Wang Marilene B. , Wang Eric W. , Kuan Edward C.
Published: January 2025

Background

Olfactory neuroblastoma (ONB) is a rare sinonasal malignancy primarily treated with surgery. For tumors arising from the olfactory area, traditional treatment involves transcribriform resection of the anterior cranial fossa. Surgery can be performed with unilateral or bilateral resection depending on extent of involvement; however, there are currently no studies comparing outcomes between the two.

Methods

Prospective and retrospective data on primary ONB patients were collected from a multicenter registry involving eight academic sites. Propensity score matching (PSM) was used to create patient cohorts with similar baseline characteristics. Cox proportional hazards and Kaplan Meier analyses assessed overall survival (OS). Logistic regression assessed associations between extent of resection (unilateral versus bilateral) and tumor recurrence or postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak.

Results

A total of 187 ONB patients (47.6% female) with an average age of 53.6 ± 15.1 years were analyzed. Most tumors were unilateral (81.3%) and predominantly Kadish C (58.3%) or Hyams II (55.8%). Overall, 56.7% of patients underwent bilateral resection. Fifty‐four patients experienced tumor recurrence and nine had postoperative CSF leaks. Following PSM (n = 45/group), extent of resection was not associated with mortality (hazard ratio [HR] 1.73; p = 0.407) or OS (p = 0.400). There was no association between extent of resection and recurrence (odds ratio [OR] 0.90; p = 0.814) or postoperative CSF leak (OR 1.54; p = 0.647).

Conclusions

For ONB tumors where unilateral resection may be feasible and oncologically sound, the decision for unilateral versus bilateral resection showed no significant effect on survival, recurrence, or postoperative CSF leak. Oncologic outcomes may be comparable when resection is tailored to individual patient and tumor characteristics.
Nonclassical Optical Response of Particle Plasmons With Quantum‐Informed Local Optics
Authors: Ye Weixiang
Published: January 2025

As the dimensions of plasmonic structures or the field confinement length approach the mean free path of electrons, mesoscopic optical response effects, including nonlocality, electron spill‐in or spill‐out, and Landau damping, are expected to become observable. In this work, a quantum‐informed local analogue model (QILAM) that maps these nonclassical optical responses onto a local dielectric film is presented. The primary advantage of this model lies in its compatibility with the highly efficient boundary element method (BEM), which includes retardation effects with relatively large particle sizes. Furthermore, the approach offers a unified framework that connects two important semiclassical theories: the generalized nonlocal optical response (GNOR) theory and the Feibelman d‐parameters formalism. It is envisioned that QILAM can evolve into a multiscale electrodynamic tool for exploring nonclassical optical responses in diverse plasmonic structures in the future. This can be achieved by directly translating mesoscopic effects into observable phenomena, such as plasmon resonance energy shifts and linewidth broadening in the scattering spectrum.
Semirational Protein Engineering of a Decarboxylative Aldolase for Regiodivergent and Stereodivergent Synthesis of Cyclic Imino Acids
Authors: Lan Yuqiu , Zhang Chenghua , Tang Chunping , Ye Yang , Zhang Rui , Sheng Xiang , Liao Cangsong
Published: January 2025

Aldolases are powerful C−C bond‐forming enzymes for asymmetric organic synthesis because of their supreme stereoselectivity, diverse electrophiles and nucleophiles, and promising scalability. Stereodivergent engineering of aldolases to tune the selectivity for the synthesis of stereoisomers of chiral molecules is highly desirable but has rarely been reported. This study documented the semirational engineering of the decarboxylative aldolase UstD with the focused rational iterative site‐specific mutagenesis (FRISM) strategy to perform a C−C bond‐forming reaction with dione electrophiles. The variant obtained from a small mutant library showed divergent regioselectivity and diastereoselectivity to the wild‐type enzyme, which resulted in the production of thirty cyclic imino acids with stereocenters at the α and γ positions. Molecular dynamics simulation and kinetic data revealed the basis of selectivity.
Silicone Rheological Properties for Material Extrusion Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Liu Wenbo , Peeke Lachlan M. , Lu Tingxi , Han Aijie , Hickner Michael A.
Published: January 2025

Additive manufacturing (AM), known as three‐dimensional (3D) printing, uses computer‐controlled materials deposition to fabricate 3D objects by selectively depositing materials, usually in a layer‐wised fashion, to build a 3D object using free‐form fabrication. Integrating silicone elastomers with AM deposition strategies has been of interest due to the important application characteristics of silicones such as excellent mechanical properties, thermal resistance, and chemical inertness. This work presents a study on the shear‐thinning properties of thermally‐curable liquid silicone feedstocks to describe ideal flow and shape‐retention properties for direct ink writing of liquid silicone rubbers. To complement the direct ink writing process developed in this work for silicone AM, flow properties of various silicone feedstocks were identified through measurement of rheological properties using the AM fluid dispenser under various pressures, supported by parallel plate oscillatory shear rheology. A systematic process for evaluating and investigating the AM performance of seven different grades of silicones is introduced. The shape retention, overhang, and dimensional accuracy of these silicones in 3D printing process have been compared and summarized. This systematic evaluation methodology can be applied for silicone material selection and printing of silicone parts with complicated architectures.
Asynchronous passive control under event‐triggered scheme for discrete‐time Markov jump systems with complex probabilities
Authors: Li Hongchao , Liu Yang , Liu Jiao , Xu Wenli
Published: January 2025

This paper deals with the asynchronous passive control based on event‐triggered scheme for Markov jump systems with complex probabilities. A hidden Markov model with uncertain and unknown conditional probabilities is presented to describe the asynchronization. The complex probabilities consider that both transition probability matrix and conditional probability matrix in hidden Markov model contain uncertain and unknown elements simultaneously, with the former governing the jump of system mode and the latter representing the asynchronous relation between the system mode and the controller mode. Asynchronous control strategies based on hidden Markov model with complex probabilities are proposed under event‐triggered scheme. Furthermore, sufficient conditions are established to guarantee the stochastic passivity, under which the mode‐dependent controller gains and weighting matrices in the event‐triggered scheme are co‐designed. Theoretical results are finally verified via an example.